No Room for Error: A Lexi Carmichael Mystery, Book Seven

by Julie Moffett

My entire body started shaking. I couldn’t let myself go there now or I’d completely fall apart.

  Quon released the pressure on my cheek and I almost wept in relief, even with renewed ache. His footsteps moved back and forth across the room. The ship was rocking pretty badly and my stomach heaved. I wondered what would happen if I threw up. I almost smiled. It would serve Quon right if I hurled all over him.

  I realized he had stopped moving and I didn’t know where he stood. I listened hard for any sound of him, but the goon behind me was breathing hard. He was probably getting off on my discomfort and pain. I tried to brace myself for a hit from any angle.

  “You are his lover,” Quon suddenly said, his voice coming from my right.

  I kept my voice light, unconcerned. “One of many. You may be sorry you put all your eggs in one basket.”

  “Liar.”

  I tensed for the hit, but it didn’t come. My legs were shaking uncontrollably, but I tried to sound calm. “Actually, I’m not. In case you didn’t know, Slash is a really good-looking guy. And, well, you’ve seen me in daylight. Granted, I may not be at my best at the moment, but if you think a guy like him is exclusive with me, you’d be sorely mistaken. Think about it. You’re a man. I’m sure you see my point.”

  “Wrong answer.” He hit me hard across the face and nose, and agony exploded behind my eyes. I tasted blood. In a moment of inspiration, I let my head loll forward as if he’d knocked me out.

  He shook me a couple of times, but I didn’t respond.

  He released me with a hard jerk, then said something in Chinese, clearly in disgust. His footsteps slapped angrily across the room before the door opened and then slammed shut. The light flicked on.

  I kept my eyes closed and breathed through a tiny part in my lips. It wasn’t much of a reprieve, but at this point, I’d take whatever I could get.

  * * *

  Quon hadn’t returned for more torture. Apparently he was too busy plotting our getaway to China. At some point, he and an armed guard escorted me back to the cabin with Finn and Basia as we were nearing Lae, threw me inside and locked the door.

  Finn caught me before I collapsed. “What the hell?” he roared.

  Basia supported me from my other side and they helped me to the bed. “Oh, Lexi, are you okay? What’s happening?”

  I gingerly touched my cheek and winced. “Zico betrayed us. He turned us over to the Chinese.”

  “I figured as much,” Finn said, kneeling beside the bed, trying to examine me for any new injuries. “Shortly after you left, some goons came in holding guns and took the briefcase and my gun. What did they do to you?”

  I told them everything as quickly as I could, but we didn’t have much time. The boat had come to a stop and I presumed we were docking.

  When I finished, Finn stood, frowning. “Wait. Just wait. This is about Slash? The whole hijacking?”

  “Yes. The acquisition of the microchip is a major bonus, of course, but ultimately they wanted me so Slash would come to them and cooperate.”

  Finn shoved his fingers in his hair. “We can’t let you get on that plane to China.”

  “If you’ve got a plan to prevent that, I’m listening.”

  Heavy steps sounded outside our cabin and the door suddenly swung open. Two guys with guns motioned to us to leave the cabin. We filed out—Finn first, followed by Basia and then me.

  We climbed in single file up the ladder to where Quon was waiting for us. He wore the bag with the briefcase. The dock was nearly empty with just a few people milling about and was flanked by a row of trees and a small stretch of white beach. A white bus sat just beyond the boardwalk, engine running.

  We headed toward the bus with the guys with guns flanking us. Quon was in the back with me. I’d just calculated the odds of the three of us managing to overpower the five guys with guns at sixty-two million four hundred and forty-nine to one, when one of the guys suddenly went down.

  “Sniper!” someone shouted and all hell broke loose.

  My brain instantly recalculated the odds—factoring one bad guy down and someone shooting at the rest. The odds became much better at four hundred and ninety-seven to one.

  I had no more time for calculations, because Quon dragged me behind a wooden crate, pressing a gun against my side while his men fanned out trying to find where the shots were coming from.

  Finn and Basia were across from me, huddled behind another crate and under the control of another armed minion. Finn and I looked at each other across the dock and he suddenly nodded at me. I had no idea what he was thinking, until the guy who was guarding them came up from a crouch, aiming his gun at the tree line. Finn gave him a hard shove and the guy stumbled out from behind the crate. Seconds later he went down, caught in the sniper’s view.

  Quon saw what happened and aimed his gun at Finn, but I grabbed his arm, so the shot went wide. Looping an arm around Basia, Finn swept them both off the deck and into the water below.

  Quon uttered a cry of frustration and yanked hard on my ponytail, pulling my head back. “You do something stupid like that again and I’ll kill you.”

  “No you won’t, Quon. You need me, remember?”

  Quon shouted something in Chinese and two of his guys returned to us. Quon dragged me to my feet, using me as a shield in the front with two of them in the back.

  He shouted to the tree line. “I don’t know who you are or why you’re shooting at us, but if even one more shot is fired, I’ll kill her. Now we are going to head for that bus. If you try to stop us or interfere with us or the bus in any way, I will blow her away.”

  We waddled toward the bus. I held my breath, but no one shot at us. I tried to put myself in the mind of the sniper and calculate the odds of knocking off everyone around me and still leaving me alive.

  When we got to the bus, Quon got in backward, still holding me in front of him. The other guys jumped on and we peeled out of the parking lot in a screech of tires.

  The Chinese guys were talking rapidly among themselves and one spoke into a walkie-talkie. He shifted in his seat and said something to Quon, who nodded. He was sweating profusely and looked shaken.

  He glared at me. “I may not kill you outright, but if you ever try anything like that again, I will hurt you in ways you can’t possibly imagine. Do we have an understanding?”

  I met his stare evenly. “I thought we weren’t playing games, Quon. I think it’s perfectly clear I will do everything in my power to undermine you, now and for the rest of my life, no matter what you threaten to do to me. Do we have an understanding?”

  His glare intensified. “When we get to that airplane, you’d better be a good girl and follow my directions exactly or that pain will start sooner than you think.”

  Quon barked an order to the guy in the front passenger seat and he spoke into the walkie-talkie. I presumed they were making takeoff arrangements with the pilot and crew.

  I stared out the window as the bus careened along the road. I thought of Finn and Basia and hoped they were okay. I had to believe that whoever had been shooting at the Chinese in that tree line would help them get to safety.

  We passed a couple of buildings before the bus finally screeched to a halt on a tarmac next to an airplane with the movable stairs already attached. The armed guys jumped out and surrounded the plane, keeping their guns aimed out.

  Quon pulled me toward him, keeping the gun pressed against my neck as we climbed off the bus. He held me as a human shield as we went up the stairs. No one shot at us.

  Quon gave an audible sigh of relief when we stepped into the cockpit. He lowered the gun, pushing me into a seat.

  “Get us the hell out of here now,” he snapped to the figure standing in the cockpit.

  The man turned around, and I cried out.

  Quon took a step back, surpri
se crossing his face.

  “Hello, Quon,” Slash said. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a very long time.”

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Slash launched himself at Quon. The momentum drove them both to the floor with a hard thud. He chopped at Quon’s hand, forcing him to release the gun. I considered trying to get it, but they were rolling around so much I worried about getting in the way.

  Although he was a hacker, Quon apparently knew how to fight, too, because he was having some success in defending himself from Slash’s blows. Quon nearly choked Slash as he brought his ankles up around Slash’s neck. Slash got his hands inside at the last moment and forced Quon’s legs open. Once free, Slash rolled and smashed his fist into Quon’s jaw several times, until Quon went limp.

  His face dark, Slash stood, dragging Quon up by his armpits. He yanked on the strap of the bag with the briefcase, pulling it over Quon’s head and tossing it at my feet.

  I shook my head. “Wow. You could have just shot him, you know.”

  Slash assessed me, relief apparent in his eyes. “I know. But it wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying. I can’t tell you how good it is to see you, cara. How badly are you injured?”

  “Despite my hideous appearance, I’m fine.”

  “He hurt you.”

  He looked so furious and terrified, I tried to keep my voice light. “Honestly, the conversation with Quon wasn’t much fun, but I don’t think he broke anything that wasn’t already broken.”

  Nope. That hadn’t helped. I saw murder in his expression. I put a hand on Slash’s bicep. “I’m okay, really. Some of these injuries are from the plane crash. I’m not exactly looking my best.”

  His expression softened as he leaned over and gently kissed my cheek. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight. Thank God you’re alive.”

  I wished I could throw my arms around his neck and hold on to him, but we still weren’t out of danger. For now it had to be enough to just stand near him.

  There was a cry from the bathroom. “Hey, is everything okay out there?”

  “Stand by, please,” Slash said.

  I gave Slash a confused look. “Who the heck is that?”

  “That’s a couple of FBI agents in the bathroom.”

  “You locked the FBI in the bathroom?” My mouth dropped open.

  “I didn’t lock them in. They agreed to remain there, as a personal favor to me, so I could have a private welcome meeting with Quon.”

  “That was a private meeting?”

  “That was the best kind of meeting and one that was in their best interest not to see.”

  The coldness of his expression chilled me as he stared at Quon. “Well, you’d better tell the agents to come out,” I said. “There are more armed Chinese guys outside.”

  “It’s okay, cara.” Slash shifted his hold on Quon. “The rest of the security team should have secured them by now.”

  I went to the window and peered out. Sure enough the Chinese were already on the ground being cuffed by several men in dark jackets. Hooray for the FBI.

  I looked over my shoulder at Slash. “What took you so long to find us?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you technological problems?”

  “Seriously?” My eyes widened in disbelief.

  “Seriously.”

  “I can’t wait to hear all about it, but Finn and Basia are still at the dock. We have to make sure they’re okay.”

  “They’re safe.”

  Relief swept through me. “Oh, thank goodness. Who was that at the dock? The FBI?”

  “No. I only had a small security detail with me and they are all here. The dock encounter was not an official part of the plan. I had a couple of friends helping me out there.”

  I lifted an eyebrow. “Friends?”

  A smile touched his lips.

  Quon moaned as he came around. Blood pooled at the corner of his mouth where it had made contact on several occasions with Slash’s fist.

  Slash looked down at him. “Let’s go, Quon.”

  A dazed and frightened expression crossed Quon’s face. “Where are we going?”

  “Outside. It’s time for more of our professional discussion in private.”

  “No. Don’t kill me.”

  Slash ignored his protests and wrangled Quon out of the airplane hatch to the top of the staircase. Before descending, Slash glanced over his shoulder at me. “Tell the agents they can come out of the bathroom now. I’ll be right back.”

  I didn’t know where he was going and what exactly the “discussion” would entail, but it was out of my hands now.

  I headed toward the bathroom. “Don’t worry, Slash. I’m not going anywhere.”

  * * *

  Slash told me the FBI had arranged for a pilot to fly the plane with us in it to Port Moresby where the plane would be confiscated by authorities. ComQuest had been notified of our rescue, as had Elvis and Xavier. Basia and Finn were reunited with us on the plane before take-off, along with Slash’s two friends.

  I recognized the first friend the moment he stepped onto the plane.

  “Tito!”

  I stood there gaping at him until he crossed the distance between us and crushed me in a big hug. “Hey, Lexi. How are you? I haven’t seen you since Rome.”

  Tito was here all the way from Europe. My mind worked to process that. “What are you doing here?”

  Tito jerked his thumb toward Slash, who leaned against the hull, arms crossed watching us. “Well, Nico invited me to an all-expense-paid holiday in Jakarta to hang out with him while his girlfriend was busy working. Sounds good, yah?”

  Tito had called Slash “Nico” since the two of them had worked together at the Vatican. I looked over at Slash, who grinned and shrugged.

  “Except there was no holiday,” Tito continued. “Instead the minute we arrived, it was a security operation all the way. He had me and Giorgio on sniper duty.”

  I shook my head, confused. “Who’s Giorgio?”

  As if I’d summoned him, a dark-haired man stepped into the cabin. He looked like a male model with wavy, dark hair, a broad chest, blue eyes and a square, unshaven jaw. Dressed in a tight white T-shirt and jeans, he headed straight for me. He took my hand and pressed a lingering kiss on it.

  “I am honored to finally meet you,” he said in accented English, looking deeply into my eyes. “The beautiful, enigmatic Lexi Carmichael.”

  His white teeth sparkled and his face was so perfect that I could only stare in wonder.

  “Ah, ah...” I stuttered, my train of thought completely leaving the station without me in it.

  “Careful, Gio,” Slash murmured.

  Giorgio laughed and, to my astonishment, pulled me in for a hug. “Ah, I’ve long wondered about the woman who has stolen my brother’s heart so completely. And now I finally get to meet her.”

  I pulled back, snapping my fingers. “Giorgio. Wait. You’re Slash’s younger brother.”

  He released me and gave a small bow. “The one and only.”

  Basia fanned herself. “Oh, my. Do you have any more brothers, Slash? Because I’m not sure my heart can take it without advance notice.”

  I struggled to get my mind around it. “Wait. Slash invited you to Jakarta, too?”

  Giorgio nodded. “Who can say no to a weeklong stay in Jakarta? I came because I always do what my older brother tells me to do. Except when it involves women. Then I have my own methods.”

  Tito clapped Giorgio on the back. “Gio is a member of the Italian special ops. He’s a much better shot than me, so a lot of that fancy shooting at the dock was mostly his.”

  “Well, I certainly appreciate the effort.” I said. “Thanks for not shooting me.”

  Gior
gio laughed and shot a glance at his brother. “I like her.”

  Slash walked over to me, slid an arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head. “Good. Just as long as you remember whose girl she is.”

  I leaned my head against Slash’s shoulder. “All yours,” I said.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Slash sat next to me on the airplane, his hand on my leg, as we took off for Port Moresby. Before takeoff, we’d been interviewed by the FBI and plied with food and drink. Despite my certain dehydration and hunger, I was only able to manage a little food and water. But I kept the water bottle in my lap taking sips as often as I could.

  Slash wouldn’t leave my side. He kept touching me, as if to remind himself I was really there. He’d been somewhat quiet since he’d returned from his “discussion” with Quon.

  When I asked about Quon’s fate, Slash said it had been taken care of and I shouldn’t worry any longer. His frown indicated the subject was closed and off-limits.

  “What’s important is that we’ll have an ambulance standing by to take you, Basia and Finn to the hospital when we land,” he said.

  I wasn’t going to have any part of that. “You can take me to the hospital for observation, Slash, but I’m not staying there for any extended period of time. I need to get to Jakarta. I have to finish this for Elvis and Xavier. It’s that important.”

  “Your life is important.”

  “I know, and you just helped save it. But I’m not going to let the Red Guest stop this process. I’m serious.”

  Slash stared at me as if figuring a way to argue and then kissed my forehead. “Okay, but if you’re going, then we’re going. ComQuest is just going to have to bring me up to speed. But an initial trip to the hospital is non-negotiable. Otherwise, it’s no deal.”

  “Deal, but then we’re heading on.”

  “I’m going to Jakarta, too,” Finn leaned forward, apparently listening to our conversation. “If she’s finishing it, so am I.”

  “Me, too.” Basia leaned over Finn’s shoulder. “We’re a team. No way you guys are leaving me behind now. I can translate just fine with one arm.”