Ruthless Game

by Christine Feehan

  We're a go. Gideon, stay sharp.

  I've got you covered, Top.

  Javier took a step farther out into the street, a seemingly casual move, but he put himself in a better position to cover the driver and Malichai. Mack signaled his team forward, and they swept into the street, a rush of dark shadows, climbing into the back of the truck.

  Kane held position in the alley watching the street, another pair of eyes to keep his team safe. Rose, Rhianna, and Lucas joined the others, easily jumping into the back. Javier went up and over the hood to the roof, lying flat. Kane followed, leaping onto the roof and settling down, facing the back, his semiautomatic ready.

  Come on in, Gideon, Kane said.

  "Hurry," Wyatt Fontenot hissed.

  In truth only a few minutes had passed, but most of the town belonged to Cesar Lopez, and those who didn't were terrified. The last thing they needed was for someone to tip off the cartel czar with the news that a small army had invaded his territory. The pararescue team didn't want their hard-won covers blown, and Kane couldn't blame them. It was a dicey prospect living in the middle of a kill zone.

  Gideon leapt from rooftop to rooftop until he could jump to the top of the truck. Javier and Kane made room for him. Malichai slapped the back of the truck and raced around to jerk open the passenger door to hop inside, and then the truck was racing away. Kane watched the buildings flash by. Most of the residents were huddled indoors, knowing from experience that it was dangerous taking to the streets after dark. Even the teenagers were secure for the night.

  The safe house was located on the rise of a slope across from the Lopez estate. It wasn't above the Lopez property but rather just a few feet below with an expanse of undeveloped acreage between them. From the windows and balconies they had a good view of the luxurious dwelling. Joe was all business, recognizing the time crunch. He spread out the blueprint of the massive, sprawling home as well as maps and diagrams. A tall fence surrounded the residence complete with eight towers housing guards.

  "He's serious about security and has massive firepower," Joe informed them as they crowded around the long table to study the prints.

  "I assume there is a command room in the house?" Mack asked.

  Joe went back to the first blueprint. "Right here. Everything is controlled from this room. This is your biggest obstacle. Before you move in that house, you'll have to take out the two guards in there. From there they control firepower; the guards and can see everything. Cameras are scattered all over the estate."

  Mack turned to look at his team. "So we take that control room first. We shut it down, and everything else will go smoothly. Javier and Lucas, that's your job. You go in through the tunnel and get inside the house. You can't trip any of the sensors in the house. Get into that room and take them down without them seeing you if possible. I don't want anyone killed, Javier."

  Javier grinned at him. "You're spoiling my fun, Top, but you want sleeping babes, you've got it."

  Mack eyed him sternly another heartbeat or two before turning back to the blueprints spread out in front of him.

  "He's got regular patrols along the fence," Joe continued with the briefing. "Dogs. Seven of them, very vicious. He keeps them on the hungry side, and they don't like strangers. When his grandchildren are in residence, they're locked up except at night, and then they roam the grounds without their handlers. The patrols stay safe inside the double fence. The dogs have been trained to leave them alone."

  "You control the dogs, Kane," Mack ordered. "You'll have to do that even while you're taking out your assigned guard."

  Urban fighting meant endless contact with canines. It was a must that one of their members be able to control animals, and Kane felt fortunate that he had the gift. He nodded. "No problem. I can control animals and multitask." He'd done it enough times to be certain.

  "How many guards?" Mack asked.

  "At any given time he's got twenty rotating patrols with one guard manning each tower."

  "Ethan, you take the towers," Mack said. "You have eight of them to cover, so you'll have to be fast."

  Ethan, who could go straight up the side of any building like a spider, nodded, confident he could take out the eight guards quickly without detection. There was a long distance between each tower, but they could run like the wind when needed. As long as Kane controlled the reaction of the dogs, he was certain he would have no problem.

  "He keeps ten guards patrolling the fence line with ten off in the barracks," Malichai added. "The number is always the same."

  "We'll each take a guard inside the fence as soon as Ethan gives us the signal that the tower guards are down," Mack said. "I'll send each of you to a position, and we'll go at the same time. No shot can be fired. I don't want any weapons used. Put them to sleep with the darts."

  "There are ten guards," Malichai pointed out. "We can't go in with you. We can't take any chances of ruining our covers."

  Mack nodded. "We understand, but we're down three."

  "Two, Top; once I'm finished I'll be able to take a guard out," Ethan reminded.

  Mack flashed a humorless grin. "Sorry, Ethan. I didn't mean to leave you out of the fun. Thought maybe you'd need a rest."

  "Don't insult me, Top."

  Mack laughed and then sobered, resuming their meticulous planning. "Rhianna, you and I both can use teleportation if necessary. Hurts like a son of a bitch, but we don't have any other choice. We'll both take a second guard. You up for it?"

  Rhianna nodded curtly.

  Rose raised an eyebrow. "Teleportation? Is that for real? I've heard of some extraordinary gifts, but none of the women I grew up with could do that. Levitate, maybe, but teleportation?"

  Rhianna shrugged. "It's spotty. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and it's always wrenching and pain . . ."

  "Dangerous." Javier was looking at Mack.

  Rose caught a glimpse of those flat, cold eyes and shivered. Javier had a way of looking without a single hint of emotion, as if he'd gone to another place and he was capable of anything. Kane dropped a hand on Rose's shoulder, spreading warmth through her.

  "Everything we do is dangerous," Mack said evenly, ignoring the overt threat. "Teleportation is not exact, but it will get the job done. Rhee, if you prefer another method, we'll work it out."

  Rhianna tilted her chin, not looking at Mack but keeping her large, liquid eyes on Javier. "I have no problem with it, Top."

  Javier didn't so much as glance at her. "You'd better not have a problem with it."

  Mack turned his attention back to blueprints, ignoring the little byplay. Rose looked around at the circle of faces. None of Javier's team seemed concerned. The same thing couldn't be said of the pararescue men. They appeared uneasy. She shrugged off the goose bumps and leaned forward to study the plans.

  "His remaining soldiers are housed here in this building." Joe shoved the first blueprint aside and pulled a second one up. "Two stories and they have an escape tunnel that connects with the tunnel from the main house leading to this exit here." Again he pushed aside the blueprint to pull out a meticulously hand-drawn map.

  "So those guards have to be disposed of as well before we enter the house."

  Joe nodded. "The tunnels aren't guarded. We've gone all the way to both the main house as well as the barracks. The doors leading into the structures aren't locked or guarded either. Lopez has gotten a little sloppy with his security. He's used to everyone fearing his reprisal--even the government. The tunnel in the main house exits into the control room. The control room is bulletproof. When you go through that door into the room, you'll be vulnerable. Both men inside are armed to the teeth, and they won't be sleeping."

  Javier shrugged as if men armed to the teeth were of no consequence.

  "No killing, Javier, you have to get in and put them out without them seeing you or knowing anything is wrong," Mack said. "That's essential to the plan."

  "No worries, Top," Javier said and winked at Lucas. Lucas grinned back a
t him.

  They reminded Rose of two mischievous boys about to play a game they both knew was off-limits but they wanted to play anyhow.

  "This is a hell of a time for you to choose to go after Lopez," Joe said. "This weekend was the big family reunion . . ."

  Kane grinned at him. "We know. Thought this was a perfect time to pay them a visit."

  Malichai shook his head. "You're all a little nuts. He has an enormous family. Right now, in the house, his two brothers and their spouses along with children and bodyguards are present. A grandfather. Cesar's two daughters, their husbands and children, and his son with his wife and daughter. All of them have personal bodyguards. They're all involved in the family business. Don't discount his wife, who looks sweet but would blow you away as fast as he would to keep her position."

  "That's what we were counting on," Kane said. "A clean sweep."

  "You were waiting for this." Joe made it a statement.

  "We have ears in the cartel, and we knew the family reunion was taking place," Mack admitted.

  Malichai swung around. "You have someone on the inside?"

  "Working their way up, just for information. Nothing big." Mack dismissed it.

  "We've tried for three years to penetrate the inner circle," Joe explained. "They're getting more violent. At first the wars were against each other with few civilians caught in the cross fire, but since el presidente declared war on them, Lopez has gone after the police, the military, and recently political figures. Decapitated bodies thrown in the streets, killings at the police stations, kidnappings, and now car bombs. It's war," he declared. "We could use a little help."

  Mack frowned at him. "I thought your unit dealt with terrorist activity."

  Joe didn't respond, and Mack grinned at him. "I see. Running weapons to our little bomb-happy friends."

  "As I said, we could use help."

  "One thing at a time. We get through this, and then we'll talk," Mack decreed.

  Malichai and Joe exchanged a long, frustrated look. "If you make it through."

  Mack grinned at him. "We'll make it. I have every confidence in my team."

  Rose looked from the papers strewn out on the table to Rhianna and the men surrounding her. There were a lot of variables, and in her experience, the more variables, the less the chance of success, yet they all appeared confident. They were a tight team and relied heavily on one another. Whitney would have said that was their weakness. She thought he was wrong. She thought their reliance and belief in one another was their true strength.

  "We'll do this in six phases," Mack said. "Phase one, Kane gains control of the dogs. Phase two, Javier and Lucas take the control room. Phase three, Ethan takes out the guards in the towers. Phase four, we take out the ten guards in the fence. Phase five is the guards in the barracks. We have to complete each phase to gain the main house. Any fail, and we abort and go home. I want you all coming home."

  His team gave him brief, humorless grins in acknowledgment of the order.

  "Javier and Lucas," Mack said, glancing at his watch, "you're up. We do this by the numbers. Stay safe. I'll be royally pissed if anything happens to either of you. Wait until you get the go-ahead from Kane and then get in there."

  Javier and Lucas grinned at each other. "Got the message, Top," Javier said with a small salute. He and Lucas left the room without further discussion.

  "Kane, make your way to the fence and keep those dogs calm."

  "On it, Top."

  Kane's hand brushed across Rose's face briefly as he stepped away from her. She felt the impact all the way to her toes. For a moment their eyes met. Her heart shuddered in her chest. She loved him with everything in her. Every cell. Every breath. Be safe.

  You too, sweetheart. You know I won't make it without you.

  He jogged away from her. She felt Rhianna's gaze on her, but she didn't look up, needing to compose herself. It was important to set aside all emotion and just get the job done. She couldn't think about Kane going into a dangerous situation, or that if anything happened to either of them, Sebastian would be without a parent. At least she knew Jaimie would take care of him and the team would protect him. She shoved all that aside and took her place outside, waiting for the go-ahead from Kane.

  Kane was impossible to detect in the dark. Like Javier and Lucas, he disappeared, a mere ghost in the night, sliding easily and silently from one shadow to the next. A dog rushed the fence, and a guard turned toward it and then looked outward. The dog calmed, whining a little and turning in a circle before lying down and panting. The guard frowned at the animal and resumed walking his route. He was in between two high chain-link fences, away from the dogs, but able to see inside the estate as well as outside. On the flip side, he had little or no cover for most of his route.

  Kane inched closer to the fence, reaching out to all the dogs in the compound. There were two on the far side, a great distance from him, and much more difficult to control. When they began scenting strangers, it would set them off if he wasn't able to command them. It was essential to gain domination over them. He had to stretch his range to include them. Both dogs were resistant to the manipulation. He fought for supremacy, ruthless now, aware of time slipping away. They had to be in and out before dawn.

  Phase one complete. Javier. Lucas. You have a go. Good luck.

  Both men slipped into the tunnel and began moving fast, nearly running in an almost crouch. The tunnel was narrow with a low ceiling and no lighting. It was very dark, almost black, but both men had excellent night vision. There was no hesitation where the tunnel branched off, connecting to the barracks. They continued along the main passageway until they came to the entrance.

  Using hand signals, they stood to either side of the door listening for movement inside. A chair creaked. There was a rustle of papers. Lucas pointed to his left. Javier nodded. He laid his hand gently on the door to keep it from making a sound as Lucas pushed the nozzle of a hose just under the door, not enough to go through all the way, but about halfway through the thickness of the door itself. It was enough to fill the room with gas. Both donned masks. The idea was to allow the gas into the room slowly so neither man realized there was a problem. The formula used was one of Jacob's inventions. They'd long ago dubbed him the "mad scientist" with his laboratory and chemicals. He provided all sorts of fun stuff for them to use when blowing things up or, like this, an odorless gas needed to put the two men to sleep. The gas couldn't be fast-acting but had to be gradual, so they yawned and grew sleepy, not suspicious. Gradual took precious time.

  Javier counted off the minutes. Time slowed down to a crawl. This kind of combat took nerves of steel. He waited quietly. Lucas didn't so much as move a muscle. They were both used to living in the shadows of the night, and stillness was a big part of that. Something heavy hit the ground. There was a grunt, and then silence. Another minute, and the chair creaked and rolled, hitting the wall with a thump.

  Javier gave the thumbs-up sign but waited another three minutes before cutting the gas to the room. They opened the door with caution. A body lay on the floor only a few feet from dozens of screens. An armory decorated one wall, every kind of weapon that might be needed to defend the Lopez stronghold. A second man was slumped down in his chair, wedged against the wall. They didn't touch either man as they leaned over the desk to peer into the screens.

  Phase two complete. We're in control, Javier reported.

  Mack looked at Ethan. You're up. Those guards are on the lookout. They can't see you or the tower guards going down.

  I'm on it, Top.

  Ethan crawled on his belly through the grass. This would be the longest wait. He had to scale all eight towers and one by one, take out the tower guard without detection. The towers were straight up and down with no real finger-or toeholds so even Gideon couldn't help, and he was the second most adept at climbing.

  Ethan slipped out from cover and began the slow journey to the nearest tower. He crawled across the dirt and grass, out in the open
, blending--as did all GhostWalkers--with the terrain. The tower was straight up, and he flexed his fingers, slipped out of his special shoes in order to use his toes as well. Top needed fast, so he'd use both. He had microscopic hairs on his hands and feet, and each of those individual hairs had smaller hairs, or setules, each with a triangular tip. Because of the hundreds of contact points, the setules allowed him to climb nearly any surface without fear of falling. He could support 170 times his own weight.

  He went up fast and silent, climbing inside the tower and hovering above until the guard bent toward his coffee mug. He dropped down, inserting the dart quickly and retrieving it nearly in one motion. True to his word, he was fast and efficient, changing attack as needed, but eventually working his way from tower to tower without detection. The last guard was lifting a pair of binoculars to look at the tower across from him, aware that he couldn't see any of the other guards. He was reaching for his radio when Ethan darted him, hanging off the edge by only one hand.

  Phase three complete.

  Mack looked around at his team. "Let's do it. You all know where to go. Get in position and let me know. We can't mess this one up. We have to make this work."

  His team flashed him looks that told him they were up for the job, and they melted away into the night, working their way up the slope to lie just outside the fence in the space their assigned guard patrolled. Rhianna and Mack positioned themselves between the two roving guards each of them was supposed to take down.

  Mack waited patiently for those the greatest distance away to give the word they were in position. Phase four was extremely dangerous. One miss, and they might as well go home. Everything depended on complete secrecy, a simultaneous attack. To orchestrate such a feat was nearly impossible--unless you had the men and women in your unit he did. He had faith in them. He glanced to his left where Rhianna waited. Teleportation was difficult under the best of circumstances. She would have to shoot her dart and send herself to the next station, ready to fire again. There could be no warning raised.