The Enigma Series Boxed Set

by Tierney James

  The half wall of dark granite topped with a chrome counter, minus a pretty and efficient receptionist, revealed five computer screens constructed of some kind of clear translucent material that seemed to levitate over the shiny surface. Carter surmised the real security people manned those computers during a regular work day. Their absence meant hostages, maybe even causalities.

  The lobby, a three-story atrium, revealed balconies with steel guard rails looked like they should be on the bow of a ship. A fusion of blue and green tiles rose up to the third floor next to the walls of glass which normally matched the California sky when it wasn’t blanketed with hazy smoke. A spiral staircase on either side of the lobby leading to the upper levels looked more like a piece of art than a functional means to ascend to the mezzanine level. Elevators were probably tucked neatly down the corridor opening up in the center of the building. There were no people milling about, no idle conversations coming from the teal blue sofas and chairs scattered about the lobby. The quiet spoke volumes.

  “Do those guys look like security guards you’d have in a place like this, Joe?” Carter whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

  “Hey! Carl, takin’ these two to the john. Can you take Amazon woman?” Joe said suffering the angry glare of Sam. He looked at the guards. “John?” No response. “Where’s the toilet?”

  Nothing.

  “They don’t speak English, Joe.” Carter tried to speak without his lips moving.

  “Geeze, Louise. Serious fellas, huh?” Carl frowned as he motioned for Sam to join Zoric and Jericho who had begun to limp and move slowly. “You,” he waved the gun at Sam. “Help the man in black with the old guy. No funny stuff.”

  Joe pointed to his crotch with one hand while keeping a firm grip on his weapon with the other. “Toilet!” he yelled at the guards. This time they understood and pointed down the corridor and to the left. “I’ll be right back. Al should be here any minute.”

  As Joe shoved his two hostages into the women’s restroom he lowered his Tactical M40 rifle. and shook his head. “Sorry.” He let Carter take his weapon as Vernon cracked the door to see if Carl would follow. “I had no idea.” He moved away from them and pulled up his sagging jeans again. “I would never have thrown in with terrorists. You gotta believe me. I’d never double cross Homeland.”

  Carter checked the rifle and found it fully loaded. He wondered how a truck driver came into possession of a Marine Corp weapon system. Making a mental note to pursue that line of questioning later, he realized the poor guy still experienced a Homeland Security high from helping out Chase earlier in the week. Joe probably never considered the possibility Essid was a terrorist.

  “We don’t exactly work for Homeland Security, Joe, but we’re on the same ball team.”

  “I don’t understand. Chase said…”

  Vernon closed the door. “Clear. Chase is our team leader. Hopefully, he made it through the fire with,” Vernon paused trying to remember the name she’d been assigned, “Melanie.”

  “That little scrawny woman who mouthed me?”

  Vernon and Carter looked at each other and grinned. “Yeah. If you think Sam out there is trouble you should be around Chase’s partner for a few hours.”

  “He was pretty rough on her when I saw them.”

  Vernon took another peek out the door. “That’s the only way to handle her. You know how 007 has a license to kill?”

  Joe nodded as his mouth began to hang open beneath heavy cheeseburger jaws.

  Carter slapped him on the shoulder. “She makes Bond look like a boy scout. Good thing you didn’t cross her.”

  Joe released air from his lungs as if he’d been carrying it around for a while and shook his head in disbelief. “Man, I didn’t know.”

  “They’re getting on the elevator,” Vernon turned to look at his partner. He pulled open a janitor closet door, then reached for a mop while eyeing the contents. “Well, well, well. Looks like we have all the ingredients we need to call in a HAZMAT team.”

  “What’s that? Look, fellas, I donno what you’re planning but I don’t want to get into any more trouble.” Joe bobbed his head and hands at the same time. “I gotta kid to take care of. If something happens to me he dies, cuz I ain’t got no insurance to pay the bills.”

  “Then I guess we better wrap this up nice and pretty so when Chase arrives we can get you back home.” Carter joined Vernon at the janitor closet and smiled. “Hmm. I just love janitorial supplies.”

  Looking over his shoulder at the suddenly nervous trucker, Carter tried to reassure him. “Here.” He tossed a bottle of glass cleaner to Joe. “We’re going to freshen up the men’s restroom next door. Then you’re going to go get our two armed,” Carter looked up at the ceiling as if pondering some revelation from God, “hmm, armed ‘death to America’ friends carrying those ridiculous guns.” He took the bottle of bleach from Vernon’s hand. “Better get to work. We don’t have long before they come looking for us.”

  When they entered the men’s restroom, Joe looked at the glass cleaner. “How is all this stuff going help us?”

  “Spray every faucet, sink and mirror. Then spray more over the paper towel dispenser and up into the towels if you can. Most glass cleaners contain ammonia, or at least that one does. The fumes can irritate the skin, eyes and even the respiratory system. Prolonged exposure can even cause death. Great stuff.”

  “Holy cow!” Joe tried to hold his breath as he began spraying the surfaces.

  Vernon began pouring the toilet bowl cleaner in and around the toilets. “And this stuff by any other name is hydrochloric acid which will definitely affect their breathing.”

  Carter filled some paper cups with bleach and sat them around the restroom where the terrorists would be sure to kick them over once they tried to wash their faces only to get more ammonia on them. If the other chemicals didn’t get them maybe pulmonary edema would set in to assist. A cough escaped Vernon and Joe. The fumes were already filling the small space. “Let’s get out of here!”

  Joe took back his rifle, leaving Vernon and Carter in the women’s restroom. He ran to the hall corridor and whistled drawing the two gunmen’s attention. He waved to them desperately to come help him, talking loudly and pointing at the restroom. The scowl on their faces revealed they believed Joe was unable to manage the prisoners. They stormed into the men’s restroom and lowered their weapons as if to make a point. In that instant someone tapped them on the shoulder. When the two jerked around, Vernon and Carter sprayed them in the eyes with the glass cleaner. With a scream they dropped their guns and started rubbing their eyes.

  The restroom door slammed shut and Joe slid a mop through the handles of both restrooms to provide a lock. “Why not just do this in the first place?”

  Joe watched the two Enigma men checking the newly acquired weapons. The men inside the sealed restroom moaned. The sound of running water, crying and stumbling around the room drew smiles from Enigma agents. Finally, one of the terrorists rammed up against the door, moving the make shift lock.

  “That’s why. In a minute they’ll not be able to breathe enough to break out. Since we can’t lock the door we needed them incapacitated enough to not break through.”

  Joe smiled. “You fellas are smart.”

  “Your tax dollars at work, Joe,” Carter winked then moved down to the corridor. “Vernon, get to work on those computers. Shut this place down and make sure Essid can’t see a thing that’s going on.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Vernon nodded and slipped out into the lobby. He could see guards outside watching something coming out of the woods. Whatever that distraction might be it gave him time to locate the main frame in the building. Another glance at one of the monitors, he saw a woman staggering out of the trees onto the road toward Global Navigation. Although her clothes were ripped and that wholesome L.L. Bean look had faded, there was no doubt that Tessa Scott would soon be joining them. “What are you up to?” he mumbled as his fingers flew across the key
board. His eyes alternated between his monitor and the image of Tessa approaching the guards at the gate. “And where the hell is the captain?”

  ~ ~ ~

  Ben knew that the approach of a helicopter could be heard for miles. Fortunately, the latest technology provided the military with a stealth helicopter used by Special Forces. After Homeland Security Secretary, Tobias Stewart, pulled the necessary strings, one became available. As he neared Global Navigation in the smoky haze of sunset, Ben felt his heartbeat begin to increase and adrenaline surge through his veins. His hand lifted to his bullet proof vest then fell to his sidearm. A sigh escaped his chest thinking that this fight should not have gotten to this point. All the contingencies in the world to ward off a terrorist attack could not match the incredible stupidity of one reckless cabinet member trying to get his sexual jollies with a man he’d just met. Hopefully, the president did shoot him at point blank range and had the Secret Service bury him in the rose garden.

  “You have a coded message coming in, Director Clark. Check your phone.” The co-pilot looked around his seat at Ben through a shaded visor attached to his $25,000 helmet. “Be there in twenty if we can see to land, sir.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Ben nodded as he retrieved his Enigma phone from inside his vest. Frowning at the screen, he once again realized how complicated the world had become. He remembered the rotary phone his mother had growing up and wished things could be that simple again. It was Vernon. A wave of relief washed over him. After reading the text, Ben quickly erased the message before one corner of his mouth turned up slightly in a show of satisfaction.

  ~ ~ ~

  Limping really wasn’t that much of a stretch for Tessa since she could barely put one foot in front of the other. Every bone and muscle in her body seemed to be screaming to stop and go to the local spa for a massage and makeover. Glancing down at her hands, she noticed several of her manicured nails were chipped or torn. Scratches, now covered in dried blood, itched along her arms. The blond hair had dried into cascades of curls that circled her slightly oval face and fell to her shoulders. Before leaving the woods, Tessa had unfastened two of her buttons and tied the bottom of her shirt into a knot where her midriff showed smooth white skin. Her ripped jeans, tight from drying onto her body, didn’t leave a lot to the imagination.

  The scent of sweat on her body horrified her almost as much as the metal gates swinging open and two guards pointing their weapons at her. She staggered, then groaned before lifting a hand toward them for help. Several colorful, unladylike words formed in her mind when they remained rooted to their position.

  Tessa tried stumbling to a fall. Nothing. Looking up at them from the ground, she noticed both men fixed gazes down her shirt. Pulling herself up for one last time she approached with all the false courage she could muster and fell against the smaller man. The bigger one slung his weapon as he muttered something to his partner. He put his arm around her waist to remove her embrace long enough for the small one to also reposition his weapon. Both spoke rapidly, in some kind of confused state, nodding toward the entrance to Global Navigation. Neither seemed concerned that their personal hygiene could repel a goat.

  Knowing her movements could get her into serious trouble she let her hand dangle down against the big guy’s crotch as she started to collapse. With unreasonable energy she pushed him away, taking a step and falling into the face of the little guy who appeared stunned at her proximity. She let her lips rest against his cheek as her hands went around his hips in a helpless movement of surrender. “Please,” she whispered. “I need water.”

  In seconds they had lifted her arms over their shoulders as they dragged her gently toward the Global Navigation building. The big guy circled her upper back where his fingers could spread out against her breast. The other did the same on her buttocks. Captain Chase Hunter was going to owe her big time for this. She hoped he wasn’t wasting time watching the little helpless act being offered up for him to sneak inside.

  When the doors of Global Navigation opened into the massive lobby the sweet, cool air of modern convenience flooded over her so quickly she could barely contain the feeling of relief. When they neared the plush, teal couches, Tessa sensed something else the two men had in store for her. She squirmed free, stumbling to the half wall where she hoped unrealistically to find a letter opener, flame thrower or grenade that might haphazardly have been left lying innocently to hurl at the men. After all, isn’t that how things worked in the movies? The knowledge that she hadn’t anticipated how this scenario would actually conclude sent waves of revulsion through her body.

  “Water!” she croaked, making a drinking sign. “Water!”

  Words of contempt passed between them. But in the end when she seemed to roll onto her chest looking over the counter, the two liked the exposure of her back and the roundness of her bottom enough to fetch a cup next to the water cooler some ten feet away. Tessa froze as she looked over into the eyes of Vernon Kemp smiling up at her.

  When Vernon had seen that they were bringing Tessa into the lobby he ducked down out of sight. He handed up a bottle of glass cleaner as he nodded toward her captors and pointed to his eyes.

  They shouted at her from behind. Slowly, she turned around to face them, startled to see that the big one had laid his rifle down and had begun to unbutton his pants. Swallowing hard, Tessa knew she had to do something unexpected to throw them off guard. Although her knees were shaking and bile threatened to choke her common sense, Tessa forced a smile and with one hand finished unbuttoning her shirt.

  Both men looked at each other in surprise and began to snigger like young boys at their first peep show. She’d left the small bottle of cleaner lying behind her back on the counter. Placing her right hand behind her, Tessa felt the grip before closing her hand around the trigger. She pointed to the big guy with one finger and motioned him to come to her, before spreading her blouse open so her lacy bra was fully exposed.

  “Come here,” she teased licking her lips seductively, “so I can…” But before she could say another word, he had rushed her, burying his hands in her hair and yanking her to his mouth. When she began to fight, the big guy reared back to slap her only to be blinded by a spray of ammonia cleaner. When a swift knee to the crotch doubled him over, he managed to knock the cleaner from her grip. Tessa locked her hands into a fist, knuckles facing up before bringing it down so hard on the back of his neck that he crashed to the floor. Looking at her locked hands in wonder, Tessa found herself frozen with awe at what she’d managed to do. That little three-day self-defense class Robert forced her to take just paid off—again. The sudden agonized groan jarred the small man into action as he bent down to pick up the dropped weapon.

  “Down!” she heard Vernon yell.

  As she fell to the floor and Vernon jumped up to send a shot into the small gunman. The bullet hit his shoulder, sending him awkwardly to a sitting position. Dazed for only a second, he scrambled to reach for his dropped weapon. With all her strength, Tessa rolled to her knees, grabbing the bottle of ammonia cleaner and sprayed him long and hard, collapsing him backwards into a screeching fit. The rifle somehow made it into Vernon’s capable hands just as he knocked both men unconscious by directing a blow to the head with the butt of his gun.

  “Mrs. Scott.” Vernon smiled slinging his new weapon. “Sorry about the shot. I aimed for his head. Need a little more practice on the firing range, I guess.” His voice sounded matter-or-fact. Carefully, he placed the other AK-47 on her shoulder. “Did I mention you’re my hero?”

  Tessa looked from Vernon to the bottle of ammonia to the unconscious men on the floor. She’d never been someone’s hero before.

  Looking at Tessa’s open blouse, Vernon blushed enough that she quickly fixed the problem. “Help me get these guys behind the counter. Want to hurt them some more before I tie them up?” She felt her eyes widened. “That was a pretty big risk you took. If anything happened to you Chase would have my hide.”

  “Chase!”
she stammered looking out the door.

  Vernon began dragging the big guy and welcomed Tessa’s assistance when she grabbed the other hand. “He’s in. Came in through the back. Saw him on the monitor. All security is down except where I want.”

  After securing both men and shoving them into a large cabinet, Vernon rubbed his hands together as if dusting them off. “Can you use that rifle?”

  Tessa shook her head ‘no’. “I went paintballing once. Is it the same?”

  Timidly, Vernon stepped closer and demonstrated with his gun. “Kinda. Robert take you?”

  She shook her head. “Girls night out actually.”

  “Don’t tell Carter. He’ll try to meet your lady friends.”

  “They’re all married with kids.”

  “He won’t care. Now let me show you a few things just in case.”

  The just in case scenario, delivered another punch to Tessa’s nervous system as she contemplated the possibility of dying before telling her family how much she loved them. The constant question of why me kept returning to her brain when time allowed her to take a deep breath. She didn’t realize her breathing had escalated until Vernon timidly touched her shoulder, drawing her eyes up to examine his freckled face.

  “You’re doing great, Mrs. Scott.”

  Tessa reached up and patted his hand. “Call me Tessa. Mrs. Scott makes me feel like an old lady.”

  Before Vernon could stop himself, he said: “A hot old lady.” Their eyes met suddenly as Vernon awkwardly pulled his hand away from her shoulder. “Sorry. That didn’t come out right.”

  Tessa grinned. “You just made my year, Vernon. I’m going to remember those words for a very long time. Thanks.” She couldn’t help but notice Vernon square his shoulders a little more as he pulled his chin up confidently. She guessed knowing his comment would be remembered by the fairer sex was an ego boost.