“OK, OK,” Hanna replied. “I suppose without that link, their security firm can’t monitor the systems. Right, upload is complete. Now remember, although nothing about you will cause red flags, you still need to stay out of the cameras field of vision. This firm pride themselves on old fashioned eyeballs watching the screens, they claim it as one of their unique selling points. I would love to see their operation. They must employ warehouses full of people.”
“Did we bring Troll along and no one told me?” Deni joked.
“Ha-de-Ha,” Hanna responded. “I don’t talk THAT much.”
“This’ll do, Deni,” Valerie cut in. “Keep the speed and I’ll roll out when this car passes.” She pointed to the hovercar heading up the street from the opposite direction.
“OK,” Deni acknowledged. “Stay safe.”
“Here we go.” When the other car came alongside them, she opened the swing door and rolled out onto the adjoining pavement. She continued the roll, over the two metres of permacrete, until she was under the bushes lining them. On her elbows and knees, she crawled under the thick bushes to the three metre wall behind.
“I’m at the wall,” she reported. “The bushes are very close. I won’t be able to do this silently.”
“Street and garden is clear,” Hanna told her. “I’m in the city’s camera network as well as the ones inside. Nobody’s about. Make as much noise as you need to. I’m shutting off the energy spikes. You have fifteen seconds from my mark. After three. Three, two, one. Mark.”
On Hanna’s last word, Valerie leapt up. She felt the thick branches scrape along her body as she blasted through them. Her hands caught the top of the wall and gripped tightly. In one smooth motion she pulled herself up and over, dropping silently to the ground in a crouch. More trees and bushes surrounded her and ahead she could see the wide expanse of open grass. Her Legion combat goggles instantly adjusted to the change in environment.
“I’m in and I have a clear view of the house. Where is everyone, Hanna?”
“The two servants have retired to their quarters and your mother-in-law is in the library. No one else has arrived.”
“OK. I’ll go in through the playroom. Unlock and kill the security on one of the windows.”
“That’s right next to the servant’s quarters. Isn’t it a bit risky?”
“It’s also the closest entry point to my position. There isn’t a lot of cover across the lawn.”
“Alright, you’re the boss. I’m sending the camera locations and the highlighted window to your goggles’ HUD.”
A number of dots appeared across the house on Valerie’s Heads Up Display. They were coloured red, amber and green to denote if they were looking in her direction. One of the playroom windows there was now a bright pink outline.
“Got them. Do you have a pattern on the cameras?”
“Erm. Yes. My system just gave me the run down. I’m numbering them for you.” Beside each of the coloured dots a number appeared. “How long will it take you to get to the window?”
“Ten seconds.”
“OK, it’ll give us an extra three to play with. There’s a camera inside the playroom. I‘ve selected a window that has a nice big sofa just inside. You should be able to get under cover before it swings back to you. Don’t forget to close the window behind you.”
“Give me the count, Hanna.”
“Once camera five goes amber, wait for five seconds and then run. Here we go... Five, four, three, two, one, Now!”
At full speed, Valerie sprinted forward, her boots barely touched the ground she was going so fast. The window popped slightly ajar when Hanna unlocked it, saving Valerie precious seconds. Pulling it open she hopped through, swung it shut and ducked behind the sofa with two seconds to spare.
Inside, it was dark and silent, the door to the servant’s quarters tightly shut. The only sound she could hear was her own steady breathing.
“Floor is clear, Valerie. No obstructions. The door leads to one massive reception room. By hades, that’s bigger than our flat on Blaze. I’m not talking about the old one either. I mean the one over the Sun.”
“Hanna.”
“Sorry, Deni’s right, I’m turning into Troll. MIL is still in the library. You taking the stairs?”
“Yes, they’ll put me right outside the library. What are you doing with the camera inside?”
“She hasn’t moved much in the last thirty minutes. I’ve built a loop and I’ll slot it into place before you enter. I couldn’t do the whole house. It would use too much bandwidth and increase the risk of getting caught. When you exit the playroom, go behind the pillar two metres in to your left. There’s a blind spot there and you can wait for the next opening.”
“Count it off.”
“Nine seconds... Three, two, one. Mark.”
In moments Valerie was right where Hanna told her to go. With her back to the pillar she could see into the playroom. While behind the sofa she didn’t take it in, but now she realised it had that too clean look of a room unused. Tom’s siblings were a similar age to him. His parents decided they wanted to have three children within a five year span, so they could grow up together. Both Tom’s sister and brother had had their children over twenty years ago. None of them had kids of their own yet, as far as Valerie knew, so the playroom sat unused.
It was a small thing but it tore at Valerie’s heart. It should be bright and full of light and laughter from Daphne and Bobbie. The tears threatened to come again. She was only able to hold them back through an immense force of will. Hanna’s voice came over the com and gave her a welcome distraction.
“I’ve found our gap. You need to do this in one go, with two pauses. First is precisely two metres, straight out from the base of the stairs. One second and no more. Second pause is on the second landing for one second again. MIL is sitting in her chair to the left as you enter the library. She will have her back to you. I’ve based the move on how fast you crossed the lawn so don’t hold back. Ready?”
“Ready.” Valerie acknowledged and steadied herself.
“Three, two, one. Mark!” Dashing round the pillar, Valerie was at the base of the stairs, in the precise place, when Hanna barked. “Stop.” The pause was fleeting. “Go.” Launching herself forward, she took the stairs three at a time and froze in place. “Stop.” Pause, half a breath. “Go.”
She moved like a ghost, with no noise, and then she was in the library with the door shut softly behind. She didn’t want to turn her head, but in the end she had to. The woman sitting, laid back in the chair, hadn’t reacted. Her attention was all on the open book in front of her. Valerie could just see the top of the old fashioned paper hard copy Renee Doherty preferred over a datapad. She always said she couldn’t get the true meaning of a book unless she read it on paper.
It was an irrelevant thought, only giving Valerie more time before starting the conversation. She switched off her com and steeled herself harder than ever before a battle.
“Hello, Renee.”
Valerie’s mother-in-law leapt out of her chair, caught in utter surprise. When she saw the intruder she froze, her eyes widened in shock.
“Eleanor! How? Where? You’re dead! That’s not possible.”
“It’s me Renee. I... I survived the explosion. That...” Valerie couldn’t say it, not here. Not to this woman, who lost almost as much as Valerie.
“Tom? The children?” The sudden hope in Renee’s voice ripped at Valerie’s heart. She made herself shake her head.
“No. They... They didn’t survive.”
“How... How can you be sure if you’re here now?”
“I was there. I saw it happen. I saw...” Again Valerie just could not find the words, but her meaning came across. Renee sank back into her chair and covered her face with her hands. Knowing exactly how she felt, Valerie walked over and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Get off me! It was you, wasn’t it!” Renee flung Valerie’s hand away. “You got Tom involved. You s
et the bomb!”
“No! I..” Valerie stopped what she was going to say. She owed this woman the truth. “Yes, I set the bomb-” Renee launched herself at Valerie, nails extended like claws and in that moment, Valerie saw herself mirrored in this woman. This is the face she hid. Catching Renee by the wrists, Valerie held her back as gently as she could. The other woman fought with all her strength.
“Stop it! Renee, stop! I didn’t kill Tom! I would never hurt him or the children! They were my life! Yes, I set the bomb, but it was after they were killed. Murdered by a hired hit squad!”
Mercifully Renee stopped struggling and went limp in Valerie’s arms. Tenderly she lowered the woman back down onto the chair. Kneeling in front of her, Valerie took her hands in her own and found she didn’t know what to say.
For a long time they stayed there in silence.
“You’re wearing the coat,” Renee said in the barest of whispers.
Even with her enhanced hearing Valerie barely caught it. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
Renee lifted her head. Tears were running down her face. “You’re wearing the coat he got you for your birthday.”
Looking down at herself, Valerie took in what she looked like for the first time. Dark trousers, pistols holstered on each thigh, dark top and the dark overcoat Tom gave her for her birthday. She didn’t look anything like the woman Renee’s son married.
“It was the last thing they ever gave me. I’m never without it. How did you know?”
“I helped him design it. Bespoke Sergei Lavrov.”
“Yes. I didn’t know. I guess he didn’t have time to tell me.”
“What happened that day? You said you were there.”
“It’s not easy, I..” It didn’t matter how hard it was, she owed it to this woman. Taking a deep breath Valerie reported it as though she was briefing a Senior Officer on a mission.
“We finished opening the presents. While Tom played with the kids in the lounge, I went into the kitchen to make muffins. A few minutes later, two armed men came through the front door. They had a kill order on Tom. It was obvious from their movement; no hesitation, no shouts he was under arrest. Their guns were up and as soon as they caught sight of him, they opened fire. They were so keyed up for their attack, they didn’t realise Tom had Daphne on his back and Bobbie in his arms. All three were dead in seconds.
“The next thing I know, I’m kneeling by their bodies. The men tried to arrest me. I think they were in shock at killing the children. I killed both of them. I went outside and killed the two other members of the team. They were all off-duty officers of the Zeus Police. After saying goodbye to my family, I drove the police aircar into the house, detonated its electron cell and made my escape.”
“Why? Who would send killers after my son?”
“I don’t know yet. That’s why I’m here. It has something to do with the Sandy Shores project and someone stealing from Arnold Ison, Lateef Crowder and Darby Pope. Tom found out about it and they killed him for it, but before I get into that, I need to tell you the rest.”
Over the next two hours, Valerie told her mother-in-law everything that had happened since she entered the tunnel under her house. Valerie didn’t miss anything out, including her true identity. There was only thing she couldn’t bring herself to say. She was responsible for Furioso. Renee didn’t know who she really was and Valerie couldn’t bring herself to tell her.
Renee sat there in complete silence, letting Valerie tell the story uninterrupted. Now she was finished, Renee spoke quietly.
“So you’re not really Eleanor Zantolas?”
“No.”
“You’re Valerie Carter, formerly a Major in the Legion Commando Devil’s?”
“Yes.”
“And you weren’t allowed to tell Tom or anyone else who you really were.”
“No.”
“Because you’re a one of a kind super soldier with no parents.”
“Yes.”
“Did you love my son?” The question caught Valerie by surprise. This time she didn’t hold back the tears, but let them fall freely.
“Yes. With all my heart. I wanted to tell him, I really did. I hated lying to him, but it was only a name. I never, ever lied when I told him I loved him.
Renee sat there and Valerie felt like she was being weighed and measured. With anyone else she would not care about the outcome.
“Get up, girl.”
“Eh?”
“Get off your knees and sit down properly.” Valerie did as she was told. “Better. You know I lost my husband in an accident when Tom was only a teenager?”
“He told me.”
“What he didn’t tell you, as he never knew, his father was killed. Like Tom, he was murdered for someone else’s greed and now they have taken my son and grandchildren.” Valerie sat back. Of all the things she thought would be said here and now, all the scenarios she played through countless times, this was not one of them.
“Are you going to keep going?” Renee asked. “Are you going to find who was responsible?”
“Yes.” Valerie couldn’t help the cold from entering her voice. The eternal freeze of deep space was back with every word. “I’m going to hunt them, I’m going to find them and I’m going to kill them. Anyone who profited from it. Anyone who had a hand in it. Anyone who turned a blind eye. It’s what I do.”
“Good.” Renee used an almost identical tone and gave herself a visible shake before asking more normally. “Now, what did you want from me?”
“According to Aamir and Bjorn Pomykala, Tom had files on Sandy Shores. Something they wanted but couldn’t find. It can’t have been in the house or Tom’s office. They would have found them or at the very least, evidence they were destroyed. Did Tom give anything to you? Ask you to hold onto anything?”
“No, I...” she sat back. “That makes sense now. After it all happened, the police searched this house and all the other Doherty properties. They said they were looking for any connection Tom may have left with the Rebels. Yet they never questioned any of us. At least not seriously. They were looking for those files and I think I may know where.”
“Where?” Valerie asked.
“When we were out looking at the designs for your coat, Tom took us to the St Lukes bank in San Isidro Square. He opened a new safe deposit box there.”
“What did he put in it? You didn’t recover it?”
“I completely forgot about it until now, so no, and I didn’t see him put anything in at the time.”
“Chances are they must have it by now.” Valerie said dejectedly
“Maybe, maybe not. He didn’t use his own name. He opened it under Tom Zantolas.”
“He used my original cover identity?”
“Yes.”
Valerie thought furiously. “Then it might still be there. The Zantolas ID was picked because there are so many of them. If you didn’t know where to start looking, you would drown in informational overload. Tom, that was brilliant.”
“If he went back and put what you are looking for in.”
“True, but at least it’s something. Speaking of safe deposit boxes. Did you recover our family one?”
“Yes. Everything came to me. You had no relatives and both of you left everything to the children. With nowhere for it to go, the executor ruled I would inherit.”
Valerie couldn’t help but smile slightly. Renee was almost apologising and in all that happened, it really didn’t matter.
“Don’t worry about it, without Tom and the kids, I really didn’t have anyone aside from the Legion. I think they have enough of a budget to get by. Inside there was a wooden box. Do you still have it?”
“Yes, of course. It’s right here.” Renee went over to one of the book shelves and sitting unnoticed, was a dark, handmade wooden box. On its lid was carved Daphne & Bobbie. Renee handed it to Valerie before sitting down again. “It’s locked and I didn’t have the key. I knew it wouldn’t be difficult to get someone to open it for me
, but I never felt right about it and kept putting it off. It’s been sitting up there untouched since it was given to me.”
Gently stroking the names on top, Valerie could feel the tears again.
“Tom bought this on our honeymoon. He spent months learning to carve. When each of the kids were born he added their names.”
“I’m glad you’re here to take it back, then.”
Valerie stood. “Thank you, Renee.”
“You’re welcome, Eleanor.” Standing Renee drew Valerie into hug, much to her surprise. “Don’t be a stranger and if you need anything, call me.”
“I... I can’t. It’d put you in danger, but I’ll have a friend of mine set you up a secure mailbox. It’ll always be empty and while it is, you’ll know I’m alive. If there is anything in there...”
“I understand. Make them pay.”
“Of that you can be certain.” Stepping away from Renee, Valerie reactivated her com. “Ready to walk me out of here?”
There was silence on the other side for quite a few seconds.
“What? Yes! Right, OK. Let’s see. Erm. Ten Seconds. On my count from three.”
Valerie nodded to her mother-in-law and slipped out the door on Hanna’s mark.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Any kickback from the Dealers and Pimps?” Valerie asked Cracker from the passenger seat, as he drove the car.
“No, Guv, they all got the message loud and clear. My people pop in on them regularly, just as we’re doing today, to keep an eye on them.” Valerie was riding with Cracker to see how he was managing. It may not be a true example, he would be trying to look as good as possible, but she learnt a long time ago, how to spot the difference between a bit of polish and only doing it to impress the Boss.
“Who’s next?”
“Scott Hopwood. Pimp in Rabea Street. Keeps his girls and boys in pretty good shape, even before you got here.”
“I remember him. Seemed to like what I proposed.”
“I’m pretty sure he took is as law, but yes, he agreed with it. Likes to think he can get more by kindness than the stick. Proved it too. His Whores always have gotten some of the best prices.”
Crusade For Vengeance (Dark Vengeance Book 2) Page 11
