by Lisa Pietsch
He didn’t look up from his computer. “You’re late, girl.”
Sarah held back the urge to speak, to spit in Nikolai’s face and hold a forty-five to his head until he produced Vince.
It would be so easy. I could do it right now and nobody would give a damn.
The tactical Sarah won out. She kept her eyes down and walked tentatively like she had watched Bashira do in her home.
Calm down. We need to destroy this place and send a message. The last thing we need is to be hunted by the Russian mob for the rest of our lives.
Nikolai dismissed her as soon as she’d poured his coffee.
She left the room as quickly as she could and made her way upstairs, snapping pictures all the way. She made the beds as instructed but didn’t clean a thing.
The only thing I’m cleaning here is Nikolai’s clock!
Panic grabbed her by the neck and squeezed as she searched every room for Vince, but he was nowhere to be found. Her heart raced.
Breathe deep, Sarah. You don’t need to be one of those stupid movie chicks who gets nervous and stupid. Get a frickin’ grip.
She returned to the kitchen, careful to avoid the two thugs who were on their way out. The big one grabbed her ass as she walked, but she ignored him and walked a little faster to escape his grip.
Behind her and in an Australian accent, she heard one of the men speak. “Yeah, mate. She wants it again. When we finish with this Hennessee guy, I’m gonna fix her up.” They both chuckled as they walked away.
Sarah half smiled to herself.
Somebody’s gonna get fixed up all right. I’m gonna fix you up good, you son of a bitch.
Samara looked up from the dishes with panic in her eyes. “Don’t let him close to you.”
“He’s the one?”
Samara’s eyes welled with tears as she nodded.
Sarah locked that information away for later when she could use it and focused on the matter at hand. “Samara, he’s not upstairs.”
Samara looked back down at the dishes she was washing. “Then they’ve put him back in the cell.”
“The cell?”
“Yes, downstairs. The small storage room.”
“Was that where the men were going?”
“No, they are going to the village. They will be back soon, but you have time to check if you go now.” She pointed Sarah to a door off the kitchen that led downstairs.
Sarah’s feet barely touched the stairs, her steps quick and silent. It was a good ten degrees cooler in the basement. She snapped pictures every few feet but the lighting was poor, and she didn’t want to explain a flash if anyone was down there. She opened the first door she came to. It was a large windowless room with a table and a few chairs but nothing else. The next door she came to was locked. She said a silent prayer for Vince. It was answered when she heard a shuffle inside.
She leaned close to the door and hoped she wasn’t about to blow her cover by whispering into it. “Vince?”
“Sarah?” The voice was ragged but it was Vince.
Her skin went cold with relief and she placed the palms of her hands against the door to be just a few inches closer to him. “Thank God you’re alive!”
She heard footsteps behind the door. “Sarah, did they catch you?” His voice came from only inches away this time.
Sarah smiled. “No. I’m here to take you home.”
“Are the guys with you?”
Sarah heard a noise at the top of the stairs. “Shh…”
The Australian was clomping down the stairs. “He might be a little more willing to talk if we soften him up first.”
The guy thumping along behind him just chuckled.
Sarah hurried to the other end of the hall and ducked into a utility room containing the central air conditioner, an oil furnace, a large generator and two large water heaters. She swore silently as she strained to hear over the sound of the machinery. She cracked the door open and watched as the two men dragged a bound Vince out of the storage room and shoved him into the large, windowless room perfectly set up for interrogation.
Nothing like a crappy chair and a lack of daylight to really throw a body off their game.
Sarah knew she would have to walk by the room in order to get back up to the kitchen. She breathed deeply and steeled herself for what she knew she’d see.
~~~
Vince sat still as the smaller guy tied his hands behind him in the chair and Ian, the big Australian, taunted him with the possibility of another strike to the face with the butt of his rifle.
Was it Sarah? Was I dreaming?
Vince’s heart pumped double-time with excitement.
It was Sarah. They’re finally here. Too bad Nikolai was wise to my stalling. I might have been able to wait it out in comfort.
Vince’s mind shot back to reality when a massive fist hit him like a rocket in the side of his face. “Fuck!”
Ian laughed. “You’re fucked all right, mate.” He hit Vince again just for good measure.
Pain shot down his jaw and into his neck as his head swung to the left at light speed. He could taste warm, sweet blood and spit a mouthful of it on the Aussie’s pants, smiling at his handiwork.
Ian glared. “You think that’s funny?”
“Yeah, I do.” Vince grinned even though he could feel his own blood streaming down his chin.
“Oh, that’s a real belly laugh, ain’t it?”
Vince saw it coming and tensed his abdominal muscles before the fist made contact. He grunted with the force of the punch.
“Hey, girl. Come in here.”
When his vision cleared, Vince looked up to see the Arab girl at the door.
The Aussie had stopped her as she was walking by.
Her head was down as it always was. No doubt she thought she’d get a beating too.
Vince, well aware of his own situation, yearned to do something, anything, to help Bashira. He’d done plenty of bad things in his life, but the three things he couldn’t stomach were beating women, children, or dogs.
Sarah had been there. He was sure of it. If only she’d storm in, guns-a-blazing and save the poor girl from this bastard’s abuse.
Ian motioned toward Bashira. “Come here, little girl. I’ve got something big for you.”
“Come on, Ian. Let’s just finish him up and go.”
It was the first time Vince had heard the other guy do anything but chuckle.
Ian leered at Bashira. “We’ve got plenty of time. You want to go first?”
Chuckles shook his head. “Na, Ian, I don’t want any part of that.”
“Suit yourself.” Ian bellowed at the girl. “Get your ass over here, girl!”
Jesus, he’s gonna rape her right here. Fucking sadistic bastard.
Bashira crept slowly toward Ian. Her hands were tucked into her abaya as if she were trying to hide under the fabric. Her head was still bowed and Vince was grateful he couldn’t see her face.
She’s probably scared shitless and there isn’t a thing I can do to help her. Or is there?
“Hey, you stupid pig. Is that all you got? A couple punches are all you’ve got in ya, huh? Probably can’t even hang in a bar fight, can you?”
This time, Vince didn’t see the boot coming until it was too late. He heard a rib crack and flew backwards with the chair. He winced in pain as his head hit the hard concrete floor. He closed his eyes and took a few seconds to breathe. Relief washed over the pain when he realized the rib hadn’t punctured a lung.
Bashira is still in the room. Got to get the girl out.
Vince looked up and took a deep breath as he eyed the Aussie who was about to grab Bashira. “You kick like a girl.”
“Are you that stupid? Do you really want me to kill you now?”
“I don’t care what the fuck you do, you big fucking Nancy but this ain’t no spectator sport. Get that girl out of here.”
“Get the hell out of here and make me some coffee, bitch.” Ian pushed Bashira toward the d
oor and she stumbled.
Something strange about her registered in Vince’s mind.
Combat boots? Why is a poor Saudi girl wearing top of the line, lightweight combat boots?
Before he could work out the thought in his head, a truck that looked an awful lot like a fist hit him and everything went black.
Chapter Thirty
The Aussie and his sidekick locked Vince in the storage room shortly after Sarah left the torture chamber. She watched through the kitchen window as they hopped into one of the SUVs out in the yard and drove out the gate.
Sarah snuck back down to the basement and tried to talk to Vince again, but he was either asleep or unconscious. She listened at the door to hear him breathing and took small comfort in that.
If he were dead, they’d have dumped the body on their way into town.
Sarah walked around the house with a dust cloth and a camera most of the morning. Nikolai had almost caught her once but she stuffed the tiny camera in the cloth and scurried out of the room before he could speak to her.
When the Aussie and his flunky returned from their trip, Sarah stayed near Samara and did so for the rest of the day. It would completely compromise the mission if she had to kill somebody today. She couldn’t risk Vince’s life or Samara’s.
While Samara fixed dinner, Sarah kept a low profile doing laundry, scrubbing floors and thinking about the many ways she could make that Australian bastard pay for his expanding list of crimes.
When Nikolai had finished his dinner and the dishes were cleared and cleaned, Samara looked at Sarah with kind, aged eyes. “Do you have what you need?”
Everything but Vince.
Sarah despaired that the day might never end. “Yes. Can we go now?”
Samara nodded and seemed relieved as well.
Once they walked out of the compound and were out of earshot of the guard inside the gate, Sarah called Chris. “We’re on our way back now. Send somebody to pick me up.”
“Already ahead of you. Jason should be pulling up at your location any second now.”
Sarah’s mood lightened and she smiled as she looked up into an empty blue sky. “Christopher, did you Lojack me?”
“Girl, please. You know better than that. Lojack doesn’t have the juice to track you, but yeah, I’ve been following your signature. Can’t let anything happen to my best girl. Did you find Vince?”
“And you know better than to ask a question like that. Of course, I did.”
“What’s his status?”
“Alive.” Nothing more needed to be said. Sarah knew Chris would understand her simple answer and resolute tone and not ask for more details right now.
~~~
Jason hadn’t even stopped the truck before Sarah jumped out and jogged into the tent. A cool wave of relief washed over her. She could be herself here instead of playing the helpless Arab girl. She pulled the abaya off and flung it onto the floor of the tent as soon as she ran in. She pulled the phone out of her pocket and took it directly to Chris so he could download the photos and start mapping the interior of Nikolai’s compound.
Will was walking across the camp when Jason drove up and appeared by her side in seconds. Always cool, he sat beside her on the carpeted floor as she lit the cigarette she’d been dying for all day. Jason and Brian came in and sat in the corner with them.
She took a long drag of her cigarette, savored it as she collected her thoughts, and then started downloading the situation report. “They’re keeping him in a small cell in the basement. Today was the first day they worked him over. I’m pretty sure I heard a rib crack so he’s going to need medical attention. Other than that, he’s gonna be pretty banged up.”
Will rested a hand on her shoulder. “You saw them beating him?”
Sarah took a long drag and nodded. Frustration knotted her stomach. “There was nothing I could do without compromising all of us and putting him in more danger.” Tears pushed for release and she blinked hard. It wasn’t a hopeless sadness bringing the tears. It was anger and frustration at not being able to stop the abuse inflicted on Vince. She was engulfed by a wave of damning thoughts.
I just watched. I didn’t stop it from happening.
Will interrupted her moment of self-condemnation. “You did the right thing, Sarah. You’re right. It would have been a clusterfuck if you’d done anything to stop them.”
Sarah looked up into Will’s baby blue, empathetic eyes. She rubbed her face, wishing the memory to go away. “I know, but I felt every hit as if it were me.”
He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “I know, Sarah, but he’s a tough nut. He’ll get through this. We just need to make sure we have all the information we need. Did you get pictures?”
Sarah took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and balled her fists a few times to get a grip on her thoughts.
That’s enough of the pity party bullshit, Sarah.
Chris spoke as he continued tapping away at his computer. “Yeah, I’m putting it all together here.” He looked up at Sarah. “Check this out and make sure I’ve got it right.”
Sarah moved closer to Chris so she could see his computer screen.
He’d done some 3D imaging magic and reproduced the entire house and compound in virtually no time at all.
Once Sarah confirmed that Chris had it all correct, Will examined every foot of the compound and made notes on his legal pad.
No more than an hour after Sarah had arrived, Will began briefing the assembled crew on when and how they’d attack the compound. A contingency plan was set in case Vince was in mortal danger, but, if he could last the day, the whole thing would go down at sunset the following evening.
Chapter Thirty-One
Her second morning in Nikolai’s house and her anxiety was eating at her from the inside out. Sarah huffed as she picked up the pitcher of water and placed it on the tray.
Samara nodded to her. “Patience.”
Sarah took a deep breath and steeled herself. She’d see Vince soon.
He is still alive.
Sarah stopped outside the heavy wooden door of the interrogation room. The sound of someone inside being beaten made her ache.
Oh, God, make it stop.
She knocked on the door a little more forcefully than she should have. Wishing the banging on the door would make the beating stop.
“Get in here!” The door flew open and the large man with the Australian accent and blood on his shirt gave her an evil grin that made her skin crawl.
What else has he done to that poor girl? Bashira was so happy to not have to come here.
Sarah lowered her eyes and quickly entered the room, placing the tray on the table off to the right.
Vince’s breaths came in heavy rasps. She looked up and saw what she had hoped she would never see. Vince was bound to a chair. His head and face were bloody, bruised and swollen. His shirt was nothing but rags held together by a few threads.
Sarah’s blood boiled. Her face grew hot and her need to rip somebody open with her bare hands grew with every gasp from Vince’s lungs.
I swear I’ll make them pay for this.
After a few beats of her heart that seemed like forever, Vince looked up at her.
She suspected he wouldn’t recognize her. Changing her eye color from green to brown and her much darker skin color would throw anyone off.
Vince took several deep breaths as he studied her face.
Sarah felt two hands grip her shoulders. “Thank you, Bashira. I could use a little break from this work.”
A break? How’s about I break your arm, you son of a bitch?
Sarah tried to demure from his grip but he held tight.
“Why don’t we go back to my room and you can wash this blood off me.”
Oh, yeah, you’re a smooth one, aren’t you?
Sarah dropped a glass as a pretense to get away from his iron grip. She tried to kneel to pick it up.
“Clumsy, bitch. Leave it! I said I want to take a break.”
He threw Sarah against the table, and she suddenly knew exactly what he had done to Bashira. The reason her family wanted Nikolai and his people gone was all too clear when Sarah felt the Australian’s hard shaft against her buttocks.
The fire of rage inside her burned furiously. Options ripped through her mind as he fumbled with his belt. There was a Ka-Bar knife in her boot and several on her legs. It would take little effort to reach one and castrate the rapist standing behind her. The forty-fives were just a few inches from her sweating palms. She could blow this bastard’s head off in two seconds flat. But how would she and Vince get out? The compound was crawling with people today. She’d seen, from the kitchen windows, hired guns, and muscle loading and unloading trucks inside the compound walls.
Sarah knew she had to stay calm. She had to find a way to put this guy off. She had to find a way to make Vince understand that they were here to free him.
The bile that burned in Sarah’s stomach gave her the edge she needed. She started coughing as hard as she could. When she put her hand over her mouth, she forced a finger so deep into her throat that breakfast had to heed the call. The coughing caught the Aussie off guard and he stepped back. Sarah took the opening and turned as though to fall into his arms just as a stinking mess of hummus, feta and olives flew from her mouth. His boots were covered in an instant.
Yes!
Sarah’s head flew back with force as a huge hand flew at her from the left.
She stumbled and fell to the hummus, feta and olive covered floor, and she was never so happy to be sitting in a pool of her own vomit. Her head was splitting. The Aussie had really smacked her hard, and she saw stars intermingled with the vomit. She stole a sideways glance at Vince.
He was watching closely with a look of concern on his face.
Sarah winked.
Vince’s swollen eyes opened as wide as the swelling allowed.
