“Over here,” Shields said.
“How is he?” Mia asked.
“Dead.”
“So, now what?”
Shields stood and shook her head. “Let’s see what we can get from this boat and then get the hell outta here.”
The two women searched for safes and other files. Cabinets, drawers, computers. They grabbed everything they could get their hands on. However, as they were about to leave, Shields heard a faint thumping noise.
“Do you hear that?” Shields asked.
Mia furrowed her brow. “Hear what?”
“It sounds like someone hitting a door or something, maybe down that hallway.”
Shields hustled toward a back bedroom and started hunting around the room for the source of the sound. Less than a minute later, she found a closet with a false back. Wasting no time, she kicked through it and found a man gagged and bound in a fetal position.
Her eyes bulged as she recognized him. “Sterling?”
He looked up at her and nodded. She quickly removed the handkerchief from his mouth and cut him free.
“Are you okay?” Mia asked as she entered the room.
Sterling appeared shaken, but stable. “That man is a monster.”
“He’s a dead monster,” Shields said. “Coward killed himself with some cyanide capsules.”
Sterling’s lips quivered. “He’s going to kill us all.”
“Let’s get outta here,” Shields said as she helped Sterling to his feet.
The trio rushed outside before Mia stopped.
“What is it?” Shields said.
“Security footage,” Mia said. “I need to erase it all.”
“Fine. Just hurry.”
Shields waited on the dock with Sterling. “You all right?”
“I’ll live, but that man is sadistic. I don’t know if I’m more surprised that I’m alive or that he didn’t eat me.”
“Good Lord. What a mess. At least he’s dead now.”
“There’s still a lot left to unravel,” Sterling said. “He wasn’t working alone, and I can almost guarantee you that Obsidian isn’t going to vanish just because he’s dead.”
“Then we still have plenty of work to do.”
Mia emerged from the yacht with a smile on her face. “Let’s go home.”
“Roger that,” Shields said.
She didn’t wait to get to their car before she called Hawk and left a message telling him that Sinclair was dead.
CHAPTER 35
38°35’52.1”N 77°24’11.4”W
HAWK GAWKED AT the hulking figure marching down the dimly lit corridor toward him. As the man’s face came into focus, Hawk relaxed and suppressed a smile. He shot a glance at Black and gave him a wink.
“Do we really need an escort down every hallway?” Hawk asked, feigning annoyance.
Big Earv shrugged. “Depends on if you want to make it out of here alive. You get caught walking around by yourself, there’s a good chance you might get thrown in a cell and never see the light of day again.”
“Show us the way,” Hawk said, gesturing toward a security access pad.
Big Earv waved his keycard in front of the panel, unlocking the door. He gestured for them to enter and followed behind his guests.
Hawk managed a smile as he passed some of the guards, keeping a running tally in his head. When they reached the interview room, one of the prison staff employees greeted them.
“Your client is waiting for you inside,” the man said.
Hawk didn’t even shake Blunt’s hand, even as the Phoenix Foundation director stared slack-jawed at the appearance of Black and Hawk.
“You made it,” Blunt said. “I didn’t have much hope that you’d—”
Hawk put a finger to his lips. He walked up to the camera positioned near the ceiling in the far corner of the room and snatching the wire out of the wall. Once the green light on the front of the device turned off, Hawk looked at Blunt.
“We’ve been in tighter spots than this, haven’t we?” Hawk asked.
Blunt nodded.
“And haven’t we always made it back?”
“Well, yeah, so far.”
Hawk slapped the table. “And I intend on keeping our streak going.”
“He’s right, you know,” Black said, pointing at Hawk. “We’ve been in situations that would make your head spin. Remember that time we were hunting Khalid Salib in the Nuba Mountains?”
“Don’t remind me,” Hawk said. “Now, I counted six guards. Still think we can get out of here, Big Earv?”
“Did you get the documents I sent you?” Big Earv asked.
“Yeah,” Hawk answered.
“Then that’ll give us a good chance. We can fool the first few layers of guards with those papers, but it’s near the gate where we’ll run into problems.”
Hawk looked at Blunt. “You stay with me once we run into trouble.”
“I can shoot, too,” Blunt said.
Big Earv chuckled. “I can remedy all your weapon needs right now.” He lifted his baggy shirt, revealing two guns he’d strapped to his chest along with several fully loaded magazines.
Blunt grunted. “I only see two guns.”
Big Earv handed the weapons to Black and Hawk before turning to Blunt. “I have a special one just for you.”
Big Earv produced a compact Glock 26 from the back of his belt and held the weapon out for Blunt.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Blunt said as he studied the weapon.
“I’m full of surprises,” Big Earv said. “Now, let’s look at the layout and prepare our path out of here.”
The foursome huddled over a map Big Earv spread over the table. He and Hawk worked together to form the best route out of the facility and back to the parking lot. When they finished, Black nodded subtly.
“I think this is good,” he said. “There’s only one major problem I see.”
“And what’s that?” Hawk asked.
“Once we get outside, what’s going to stop these guys from running us down in all their military vehicles just sitting around in the parking lot?” Black asked.
Big Earv dug into his pocket and retrieved a fistful of spark plugs. “They won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Let’s do this,” Hawk said.
Big Earv unlocked Blunt so he could get free of the table before handcuffing him again.
“That’s awfully tight,” Blunt said.
“I don’t want anyone to get the impression that you’re about to enjoy our brash escape,” Big Earv said with a wink.
“I hate you guys,” Blunt said.
Hawk laughed. “You just want a cigar.”
“And a bourbon.”
“We’ll fix that as soon as we’re out of here,” Hawk said. “By the way, I had some bourbon recently. It wasn’t half bad.”
“I’m not sure I believe you,” Blunt said. “Not with the way you’re always yammering on about how much better scotch is.”
“Perhaps I didn’t give bourbon much of a chance after the first time I had some.”
A faint smile spread across Blunt’s lips. “Maybe you are starting to come around.”
“It’s time, gentlemen,” Big Earv said. “Shall we?”
He banged on the door, signaling to the guard stationed outside to open it. Moments later, a buzz was followed by a click before a man ushered all of them into the hallway. First Black, then Hawk. Big Earv clung to Blunt’s biceps as they emptied out the room. They waited for the man outside to lock the door and then escort them to the next checkpoint.
“I must’ve missed the transfer order on this guy,” the man said. “Lawyers don’t typically come along for this sort of thing.”
Hawk straightened his tie. “And innocent people don’t typically get snatched up off the street for a crime they didn’t commit and whisked away to a CIA black site … but here we are.”
“That’s not exactly how it went according to what I was told,” the man count
ered.
“Of course that’s what you were told,” Hawk said as they came to a stop outside another gate. “If you’ve worked here for any amount of time, you ought to know by now that what you’re told doesn’t always align with reality.”
“Well, good luck because I can tell you this guy here is going to need lots of it.”
Hawk resisted the urge to cold-cock the man on the way out.
“Easy, easy,” Big Earv said under his breath, almost reading Hawk’s mind.
The group continued walking through the next guarded corridor and turned a corner before reaching another checkpoint. A bulky guard looked up from his clipboard as they approached.
Big Earv handed the guard transfer papers.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“We’re taking this prisoner out of here,” Big Earv said. “He’s headed to greener pastures, or so he thinks.”
The guard shook his head. “I don’t see anything on my list here about any transfers this evening.”
“Look again,” Big Earv said.
The man scanned the page before glancing back up at Big Earv. “Nothing here, I’m afraid.”
“Read the transfer order,” Big Earv said, pointing to the paper he had given the man. “Do you want to be the one to call Wallace?”
“And tell him what? That I let an unauthorized transfer happen on my watch?”
Hawk could tell the man wasn’t going to budge and knew the longer this charade went, the more their chances of escaping diminished. He reached into his briefcase and discreetly pulled out a syringe.
“How many more of the checkpoints do we have to go through?” Hawk asked.
“Just one more,” Big Earv said.
“Good,” Hawk said before jamming the needle into the man’s neck. He dropped his clipboard and grasped at the puncture spot. With Hawk cushioning the man’s fall, Black ripped off the access badge and removed the radio.
“Let’s keep moving,” Black said.
“Roger that,” Hawk said.
They opened the gate and wound their way down another corridor to the final gate. One guard stood on their side, while two more remained stationed on the other. Before they reached the guard, he was scowling and shaking his head.
“Nobody told me anything about a transfer,” he said.
“Here’s the order,” Big Earv said, holding up his piece of paper.
“I’ll need to get Wallace to sign off on this.”
“You want to piss him off this late at night over a signed order to move this prisoner?” Big Earv asked.
The man chuckled. “Wallace gets pissed off about everything. He’ll get mad about the color of the sky if he feels like it. I’d rather have him upset for calling him than for letting a transfer leave without full authorization, if you know what I mean.”
“I know what you mean,” Hawk said before whipping out his gun and shooting the man in the knee. He screamed in pain as he collapsed to the floor and dropped his weapon. Hawk kicked the man’s gun aside and then cuffed him to the gate bars.
Meanwhile, the other two guards drew their weapons.
“Put them down nice and easy,” Black said. “We don’t want anybody to die today.”
The men put their guns down. Just as one of them was about to place his weapon on the floor, he picked it back up. Black didn’t flinch as he shot the man in the hand, ending the potential threat.
“I said I didn’t want anyone to die today,” Black said, “not that I didn’t want anyone to get shot today.”
Hawk released the gate. Black and Big Earv hustled through and secured the other two guards. Blunt stepped over the first man Hawk had shot and hustled toward the exit.
“Now what?” Blunt asked.
“Alex,” Hawk said over his coms. “How are those security cameras looking?”
“Those hallways are on a loop,” she said. “Nobody will even know you’re out there.”
Big Earv gestured for them to follow. “This way.”
They all hustled toward a secure exit. He used his access badge to unlock the door, opening up into the parking lot.
“We need to hurry,” Big Earv said. “They’re going to find us out any minute now.”
They all rushed over to their vehicle as they piled inside, joining Alex. Bullets started pinging all around them, shattering glass.
Blunt groaned as he took a shot to the arm.
“Dammit,” Hawk said as he roared out of the parking lot. “Is he all right?”
“Nicked him on the arm,” Alex said. “Blunt has always been a wuss.”
“You take that back,” Blunt said, shaking his fist at her. “I eat nails and drink black oil for breakfast.”
“Apparently, getting shot doesn’t deflate his ego,” Black said.
“Or his sense of humor,” Big Earv added from the passenger seat.
Hawk watched in the rearview mirror as Alex and Black patched up Blunt.
“Do you want me to kiss it, too?” Alex asked.
“I’m not afraid to hit a girl,” Blunt said.
Alex laughed as Hawk pulled onto a dirt road, following directions from Big Earv.
“We’re almost there,” Big Earv said, indicating an SUV up ahead.
When they reached the other vehicle, Hawk skidded to a stop, kicking up dirt. The five hustled over to Big Earv’s SUV, which he emphatically said that he would drive.
“I know where we can get the old man as good as new again while hiding out for a few days,” he said, whipping the SUV around in the middle of the road. “And they’ll never find us unless we want to be found.”
“Under the circumstances,” Hawk said, “that sounds like a fabulous plan.”
CHAPTER 36
Sydney, Australia
FALCON SINCLAIR REGAINED consciousness but remained still. The storm that was raging outside as he tossed the pill into his mouth had subsided as an eerie quiet had fallen over his yacht. He listened to make sure that it was no longer occupied by the woman who attacked him. And while she may have seemed like a mystery to him, she wasn’t. Christina Shields had been on his radar for a while, and he wasn’t about to forgive her soon for trespassing on his boat in an attempt to kill him.
He eased to his feet and then reached underneath the kitchen sink for a gun strapped to the inside of the cabinet. After searching the cabin, he moved outside and scanned the area. Two agents lay dead, face down in the water, bobbing on the gentle tide drifting in.
Sinclair cursed under his breath before retreating to his suite inside the yacht and calling the authorities to report the murders. As he relayed the particulars to the woman in dispatch, he searched the security footage during the time of the attack but found nothing. He slammed his fist on the desk and let fly a few more choice words.
Within five minutes, the police showed up. Sinclair ambled onto the ship’s deck and greeted the officers.
The lead investigator introduced himself as Detective Wilder.
“As you can see, we have a killer on the loose,” Sinclair said, looking down at the water.
“You knew these men?” Wilder asked.
“They were my bodyguards.”
“Bad day at the office. So, when did this happen?”
“Maybe a half-hour ago,” Sinclair said.
“Did you witness their murders?”
Sinclair shook his head. “I was asleep in my bedroom. But whoever did this was a pro. All of the footage from my security cameras was wiped remotely.”
“Any idea who would want to hurt you like this?”
Sinclair chuckled. “Do you know who I am? I’m Falcon Sinclair. It could be any one of a billion people who hate Falcon Enterprises and what we do to make this world a better place. Asking me to narrow it down by my enemies is like asking me to count the number of granules in the Sahara Desert. It’d be pointless, and frankly it’s not worth your time.”
“Then we've got nothing to go on?”
“I don’t know,” Sinclair said as
he threw his hands in the air. “You’re the professionals. I must confess I’m not familiar with how these types of investigations work. It’s rare for any member of the public to get too close to me without my handlers around, much less come onto my property with armed guards.”
“Well, sir, I have to admit that this looks rather strange. You have a pair of dead bodyguards in the water, yet you slept through it all and didn’t get injured. It doesn’t seem like they were after you. Are there any valuables missing from your yacht?”
“That’s the odd thing,” Sinclair said. “I didn’t see anything that was stolen. I did a cursory examination of the ship, and everything looks to be in place.”
“Mind if we have a look around?” the other detective asked.
“Actually, I do. We wrapped up a party about an hour and a half ago, and the place is a mess. If I do note something that was stolen, I’ll let you know.”
“What were these blokes’ names?” Wilder asked.
Sinclair answered the rest of Wilder’s questions while the other detective took pictures. The two officers fished the dead guards out of the water as Sinclair looked on.
“If you need anything else, please contact my office,” Sinclair said. “I’ll be happy to assist you in any way possible.”
He retreated to the office in his yacht and fetched his phone. Seconds later, he was on the line with the new U.S. Secretary of Defense, Clive Blackwood.
“I don’t believe I’ve had the chance yet to thank you for this opportunity,” Blackwood said.
“It’s well-deserved,” Sinclair said, rolling his eyes.
“Thank you again. So, what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
“We’ve got a problem, Clive. Namely, a Phoenix Foundation agent named Christina Shields. Are you familiar with her?”
“I’m aware of her, yes.”
Sinclair flicked his lighter and ignited a cigarette. “She tried to kill me tonight.”
“What did you say?”
“I said she tried to kill me.”
“Where are you?” Blackwood asked.
“In Sydney. She tracked me to my yacht and threatened me.”
“How’d you get away?”
“A little trick I learned a while back from a good friend. She scurried off, but not before she killed two of my guards.”
Final Strike (A Brady Hawk Novel Book 21) Page 17
