Reach For the Spy

by Diane Henders

  “Mike?” I choked.

  “Yes, I’m just putting you in the ambulance. Sit here.” He swivelled me around and lowered me onto a soft surface. The stretcher, I assumed. I heard the door close.

  “You’re going to be all right,” he assured me. “Here.”

  A cool, wet cloth pressed into my hand and I mopped at my face uselessly. The stinging pain didn’t abate and more tears poured down.

  “What about the others?” I gasped.

  “There’s another ambulance coming,” he said firmly. “Our first priority is to make sure you’re safe. Hold on...”

  A small electronic beep. He must be answering his phone. My guess was confirmed when he spoke.

  “Connor.” Alarm flared into his voice. “Hang on, we’re coming!”

  The ambulance rocked as he apparently rushed forward to the driver’s seat.

  “Aydan, I’m sorry, we have to go. Spider has collapsed, and there are no other ambulances available.”

  Fresh terror pierced my heart. “Go, go! Hurry!” I choked.

  I barely managed to keep my balance when he accelerated. “Wait, where are we going?” I demanded. “Spider’s in the park.”

  “No, that’s why I was here.” Connor’s voice was strained. “He got delayed. He was worried you’d be alone in the park, so he told me to come and let you know he was going to be late. He’s still at home.”

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I scrubbed frantically at my face. The burning was starting to dissipate, and I finally managed to squint my eyes open. My heart hammered in my chest.

  “Any word on the others yet?”

  “I wouldn’t know. We’re shorthanded tonight, that’s why I’m alone.” He swerved around a corner. “Tonight, of all nights.”

  “Did you see anything?” I persisted.

  Three shots. I was sure I’d heard three shots. And bodies falling. Oh, God.

  “Aydan, I’m sorry, I couldn’t see anything. I barely got you out.” He sounded so stressed that I shut up and worried in silence instead, still dabbing at my eyes and nose. At least I could breathe and see again.

  We slid to a halt in front of Spider’s small newly-purchased bungalow. Connor leaped from his seat and began to rummage in the back. “Aydan, I’m sorry to ask you, but can you walk yet? Can you help me?”

  I sprang up despite my still-wobbling legs. “Yeah, come on, let’s go!”

  “Hurry. He’s in the bedroom.” Connor was flinging equipment into a bag as he spoke, and I didn’t wait around. “I’ll be right behind you,” he called as I ran up the sidewalk to the front door.

  Unlocked. Thank God.

  I burst through the door, shouting Spider’s name. No response. A wild glance around the small house revealed a hallway to the left and I sped down it, glancing in doors as I went.

  In the last bedroom, Spider’s lanky body sprawled motionless on the floor. I dove into the room and skidded to a halt on my knees beside him. His colour was good and I gasped a breath of sheer relief when I felt his steady pulse. Connor’s feet pounded across the hardwood floor in the living room.

  “In here!” I called, my eyes still glued to Spider. He was unconscious, but at least he seemed to be breathing well. What the hell could have happened to him?

  I heard Connor behind me at last, and moved aside so he could kneel beside his friend. When he didn’t, I spared him an urgent glance. “Come on, hurry up.”

  “Aydan, we’ve got another problem.” His tone sent a chill down my spine.

  “What?” I demanded, on the verge of snapping completely.

  “The house is on fire.”

  Chapter 49

  “What?” My voice rose in a panicked shriek.

  “Come on, we have to get out, now!” As Connor grabbed my arm, I smelled the first whiff of smoke.

  “Help me.” I grabbed Spider’s arms. “Get his legs.”

  “No, we have to go. Now!” He yanked my arm. Already the smoke smell was getting stronger.

  I jerked my arm away. “No! Come on, we have to get him out!”

  “Leave him. There’s no time!”

  I shot him a single incredulous glare and seized Spider’s arms. I was dragging him toward the door when something in Connor’s voice stopped me.

  “Aydan. Leave him.”

  I turned to face Connor and my mouth dropped open at the sight of the gun in his hand.

  “Mike?” My voice felt lost in my throat. Dark smoke was beginning to collect on the ceiling. My eyes started to sting again.

  “Move.” He jerked the gun.

  Horrified comprehension flooded me. Three shots. Three bodies falling. And Connor hadn’t been affected by the tear gas.

  “Mike, no!” I couldn’t believe it. I had to be wrong. “What are you doing?”

  “What do you think? You’re going for a ride. Webb’s going to take the fall. And I’m going back to work at Sirius tomorrow morning as a dedicated employee. Move it, or I’ll shoot.”

  I gaped at him for another second before desperate defiance took over.

  “No. You won’t shoot me. You need me alive.”

  The smoke was getting thicker. Panting with terror, I couldn’t seem to suck enough air into my lungs. My throat prickled and burned.

  “True. I’ll shoot him instead.” He pointed the gun at Spider’s head.

  “No!” I fell to my knees beside Spider, trying to block the shot.

  “Then come on. Now!”

  I doubled over, rocking. Tears slid from my stinging eyes again. “Just let me say goodbye.”

  I turned my back on Connor and bent over Spider as if in the throes of grief.

  And carefully freed my baby Glock from its holster. The one thing Connor didn’t know about.

  “Hurry up.” Connor coughed. The room was beginning to fill with smoke. “That attached garage is full of accelerant. The whole place’ll go up in a few minutes.”

  Okay, I could hurry up. I spun on my knees and took two smooth shots. I knew I wouldn’t miss.

  Connor’s body began to topple, two dark holes in his forehead, but I was already turning back to Spider.

  I grabbed his wrists and dragged him toward the door. Thank God for slippery hardwood. A lungful of smoke made me double over coughing. My eyes teared up and my nose ran.

  I almost threw up again as I shoved Connor’s flaccid body aside to make a way for me to drag Spider past. The smoke was so thick I had to bend double to breathe and see where I was going. In the living room, my knees gave out and I sprawled beside Spider on the floor, gasping.

  Stay low. I crept forward on my belly. A few inches. Pull Spider behind me. A few more inches. Thank God for hardwood. A few more inches.

  In the heat and darkness of the smoke, panic engulfed me. I was lost. Completely disoriented. Even lying prone, I couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of me. I pushed my face to the floor in a desperate search for clean air while my breath wheezed in my constricted throat. The distant crackle of flames spurred me on. I dug my toes into the hardwood and pushed forward another inch.

  A bolt of agony shot through my outflung arm. With difficulty, I focused on the large boot that had crushed it. Strong hands pulled at my grip on Spider’s wrist. A muffled voice bellowed in my ear.

  “Let go! Let go!”

  “NO!”

  Smoke seared my lungs and coughing threatened to rip me in half. Hard hands gripped my bruised arms and legs.

  Coolness on my face. Warm lips on mine.

  “Come on, Aydan, breathe!” I caught a glimpse of Tom’s tense face before I jerked into a ball, coughing helplessly.

  “Spider,” I gasped between paroxysms.

  “The man who was with you?”

  I nodded, still choking. An oxygen mask materialized out of nowhere and covered my nose and mouth.

  “We got him. Is there anybody else in there?”

  I yanked the mask aside. “Don’t go,” I gasped. “Acc
elerant.”

  Tom’s eyes widened and he turned to shout at the scurrying figures in the driveway. They fell back only seconds before the garage window shattered and enormous gouts of flame belched out.

  A bulky figure loomed up out of the darkness and I recognized Wally Nodell’s handlebar moustache. “Where the hell are the paramedics that drove the ambulance?” he demanded. “We have to get this guy to the hospital. He’s not waking up.”

  “Inside,” I croaked. Sick horror spread over Tom’s face. I squeezed his callused hand. “Already… dead. You couldn’t... have helped...”

  “Don’t talk. Just breathe.” He held the mask over my face.

  Wally spun around. “You. You.” He jabbed his finger at two of the men. “Bring the stretcher. Tom, you’ll drive. Take him first.” He jerked his thumb at Spider’s still form. “Come back for her, then get back here ASAP. We’re going to need everybody we’ve got.”

  I struggled into sitting position. “I can ride in the front. Save you a trip.”

  Tom started to shake his head, but Wally overrode him with a nod. “Do it.” He strode away.

  “I’m okay,” I reassured Tom. My eyes and throat still burned, but the coughing had subsided.

  He helped me carefully to my feet and lifted my arm over his shoulders while he supported me with an arm around my waist.

  “Just take it slow,” he cautioned.

  By the time we’d made our way around to the front of the ambulance, Spider’s stretcher had been loaded into the back. Tears streamed down my face, and I wasn’t sure if they were from smoke or tear gas or emotion.

  I trembled helplessly in the seat. The tears wouldn’t stop. Kane, Germain, Spider. They might all be dead or dying. My mind refused to deal with any of it. I wrapped my arms around my body and folded over as slow numbness descended.

  “Aydan, stay with me!” Tom’s hand shook my shoulder.

  “I’m okay,” I mumbled. “Don’t worry.”

  “Aydan!”

  “I’m fine.”

  When we arrived at the hospital, I pulled myself upright and opened the door. By the time my feet touched the ground, Tom was already beside me. I looked up into his sky-blue eyes and collapsed into him.

  I could’ve stood up if I’d wanted to. I just didn’t feel like it. Besides, I needed a hug.

  His arms were tight around me, my bruised ribs screaming at the pressure. He lowered me gently to the ground, shouting over his shoulder, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I just kept holding onto him until they pried me loose and loaded me onto a stretcher.

  I opened my eyes to Hellhound’s ugly face. He smiled and stroked his hand over my hair. “Hey, darlin’, how ya doin?”

  I smiled back, the sight of his homely features warming my heart. “I’m okay,” I whispered.

  Sudden fear drove through me as memory returned. I bolted upright. “Spider! Is he...”

  “He’s gonna be okay, darlin’. Ya saved him.”

  “What about Kane and Germain?” The question slipped out before I could stop it, and I cursed myself for the spasm of pain that twisted Arnie’s face.

  “Aydan, John’s dead,” he rasped softly. “Ya know that. Ya went to his funeral, remember?”

  “I’m sorry, Arnie, I know. I just...”

  “It’s okay, darlin’. Why don't ya lie down for a bit.” He pressed me gently back onto the pillow.

  I clutched his hand. “What are you doing here? I thought you left yesterday. How long was I out? What day is it?”

  “It’s okay, ya were only out for a little while,” he comforted. “It’s still Thursday. I tried to leave yesterday, but the goddam piece a’ shit timing belt shredded about twenty miles outta town. Hadta get towed back here an’ wait for the fuckin’ belt to get shipped up from Calgary so the garage could fix it. I been at the hotel.”

  “But how did you find me here?”

  “I was over jammin’ at Eddy’s tonight when a coupla the guys got the call an’ hadta drop everything to go to the fire. Somebody said they saw ya gettin’ pulled out. Ya know how that kinda shit travels in a small town.”

  He leaned over and kissed me. “Ya had me worried there, darlin’.”

  I grinned at him. “You know you don’t have to worry about me. Only the good die young...” My voice trailed off at the sudden sick realization that it might be true.

  We exchanged a twisted smile.

  Urgency hammered at me. Those shots in the park...

  “Arnie, do you know if Dr. Roth is working tonight?”

  “Yeah, she was in here a few minutes ago.”

  “Would you mind getting her if she’s not too busy?”

  “Sure thing, darlin’.” He rose and left.

  A few minutes later, Dr. Roth stepped into the cubicle and pulled the curtain closed behind her. I motioned her closer to the bed, and her eyes sharpened as she bent down.

  “What is it?” she asked softly.

  “Have you heard from K... Germain?” I whispered.

  “No. Should I have?”

  “Oh, God.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Somebody needs to go over to the park right away.”

  By the time I reopened my eyes, she was already texting, her face grim. “Where, exactly?”

  I described the clearing as best I could as her fingers flew. “Should we send a tactical team? Ambulance?”

  “I... don’t know. It might be too late for that. But I don’t know.” I buried my face in my hands.

  “Don’t worry.” She patted my shoulder. “Just rest. We’ll deal with it. I’ll keep you posted.”

  As she whisked out of the cubicle, Hellhound returned to his post in the chair beside my bed. I clung to his hand and he eyed me with concern. “Darlin’, it’s okay, you’re safe now.”

  He stroked my hair, and I loosened my grip with an effort of will and tried to relax against the pillow. “I know. Thanks.”

  I let my eyes gradually drift closed and feigned sleep while I strained my ears for sounds outside the cubicle.

  Long minutes later, my eyes flew open at the soft swish of fabric. Dr. Roth stood at the foot of my bed, wearing a troubled expression.

  I smiled up at Hellhound. “Thanks for coming, but you don’t need to sit with me. Why don’t you go back to the hotel and get some sleep?”

  “You might as well,” the doctor agreed. “She’s in no danger, but we’ll hold her overnight just as a precaution.”

  “I can stay if ya want,” he offered.

  “No, that’s okay. Go back and get some rest.”

  His shrewd gaze flicked between the doctor and me, and comprehension filled his eyes. He nodded and rose. “See ya in the mornin’, then, darlin’.” He frowned slightly as he squeezed my hand. “Take care.” He shot Dr. Roth a suspicious glance as he left.

  She bent over the bed to whisper. “There’s nobody at the park. Nothing but signs of struggle and an empty tear gas canister.”

  “Any blood?” I didn’t really want to know, but I had to ask.

  “No.”

  My breath went out of me in a rush of relief.

  “What happened?” she demanded.

  “Stemp and K...” I bit off what I was going to say. Kane was still officially dead as far as I knew. Please, God, don’t let him really be dead.

  “Stemp and Germain were there. Somebody tossed tear gas. I heard shots and bodies falling. Then Mike Connor snatched me.”

  She stiffened. “Mike Connor? The paramedic?”

  “Yes. He was a sleeper agent for Fuzzy Bunny.”

  She jerked upright and snatched out her phone. “Where did you see him last?”

  “He’s dead.”

  Her shoulders eased and she stared down at me, frowning. “Where’s the body?”

  “Inside the house. Probably burned beyond recognition by now.”

  Her frown deepened. “You set a fire to cover your tracks?”

  “No. He set the fire. He planned to leave Clyde Webb inside.”
>
  “You need to be debriefed as soon as possible.” She turned and swished through the curtains before I could stop her.

  Chapter 50

  I spent a miserable night, dozing and waking at the slightest sound. Dr. Roth still hadn’t managed to track down Germain by the time she left at the end of her shift. Worry gnawed at me while I tossed and turned.

  At six A.M., I caught myself looking at my watch for the umpteenth time. I groaned and rolled over, resisting the urge to bury my head under the pillow. I had to get out and start looking for Kane and Germain.

  Despite my momentary lapse of faith when Germain had turned his gun on Kane, I still believed he was one of the good guys. I knew exactly what it was like to discover an apparently dead man still living and breathing. Hell, I’d pulled my gun on Kane, too.

  The swish of the cubicle curtains made me jerk upright. Cold fear pulsed through my veins at the sight of Stemp’s expressionless face. He was flanked by two armed men, their eyes darting alertly around the cubicle, hands hovering near their weapons.

  “Get dressed,” Stemp snapped. “You’re being discharged.”

  Frantic half-formed plans darted through my brain while I gaped at him. Safest to stay here and make a big fuss. No way I was going with him. I was just opening my mouth to scream when he spoke again.

  “Now. Or he dies.” He twitched the curtain aside to reveal another large man holding Spider by the arm. The gun was only visible because I knew to look for it. The busy hospital staff would never notice. Spider’s face was bone-white.

  I slowly swung my feet over the edge of the bed, yanking the gown down in an attempt at modesty. I had half-expected Stemp to make me strip while he watched, but he nodded shortly. “That’s better. We’ll be right outside. Don’t try anything.”

  He withdrew and pulled the curtain across. I tottered to the locker, my heart pounding. By the time I’d dressed slowly, my mind was still devoid of any useful strategy. If Stemp was here and Kane and Germain were nowhere to be seen, then my plan was utterly destroyed. Stemp and Connor must have been working together. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

  My stupidity had cost Kane and Germain their lives. Would probably cost Spider’s life. And ultimately mine, after hours or days or weeks of torture.