Blood Relics (A James Acton Thriller, #12)

by J. Robert Kennedy

  “Well, you’re not getting one from me,” replied Dawson as he rose and hurried along the hedge toward the back of the house, the loading of the ambulance and several cars continuing only yards away.

  Dawson stifled a laugh as Reading rebuffed Niner as well. “Don’t look at me with love in your eyes.”

  When Dawson reached the far corner of the hedge he had a clear view of the rear of the house, no one in sight and several doors appearing unguarded. Reading and Niner reached his position and he pointed to several gaps in the hedge that allowed access to the backyard featuring a large pool and tennis court.

  “Keep low and fast. We need to clear those gaps without being seen. We’ll go side-by-side so there’s only one thing to see at a time, not three, understood?”

  Nods.

  “Then let’s go.”

  Reading took up position to his left, Niner to his, and Dawson motioned for them to advance. The three men quickly passed the first gap, almost ten feet wide, Dawson keeping an eye on the activity to their right, his heart pounding a little harder until the hedge blocked his view once again. The next gap was at the rear of the house, out of view of those in the parking area, meaning the only risk now was anyone inside the house that might be looking.

  “There’s a door,” whispered Reading. “It’s not much farther than the next cover.”

  Dawson nodded, Reading right. He turned to Niner. “See if you can open it, watch out for alarms.”

  Niner nodded and sprinted toward the door.

  And was immediately lit up by several security lights on motion detectors.

  Shots rang out moments later.

  Laura bolted upright in her bed, immediately regretting it as excruciating pain raced through her body. She grabbed at her stomach, resisting the urge to lie back down, her movement then only needing repeating. Another burst of gunfire eliminated any doubt as to what she had just heard and she realized her time had come.

  Either they’re eliminating witnesses, or someone’s here to rescue me.

  Either way she knew she wasn’t safe just lying in this bed.

  Swinging her legs over the edge, her bare feet touched the cold ceramic floor sending shivers up and down her body. Reaching under the pillow she retrieved her phone and Heinrich’s car keys then tentatively pushed the curtain aside revealing an empty lab.

  Out the doors and to the right.

  She took a step toward the doors when she felt something tug at her arm. She looked and cursed, the IV needle still inserted, connected to a stand with a dextrose drip. Stepping back toward the stand she nearly collapsed with the pain, reaching forward and grabbing the metal contraption, steadying herself.

  She looked at the base of it, on wheels, and rather than free herself, instead grabbed it with both hands, using it as a support as she slowly made her way to the doors that should lead to the hallway Dr. Heinrich had described.

  Another stab of pain radiated through her entire body causing her to gasp aloud as she slowly slid down the IV stand toward the floor.

  I can’t make it!

  Dr. Heinrich looked toward the rear of the house as the security team raced toward the blazing lights, somebody shouting about intruders. Gunfire erupted, several short bursts, causing him to jump into the back of the ambulance, Herr Kruger sedated on a stretcher, his wife holding his hand. The doors slammed shut behind him and within seconds the ambulance pulled away, every single bump in the gravel driveway being felt, shocks apparently an afterthought in the design.

  His phone rang and he answered it after grabbing onto the side of the stretcher for balance.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s Dietrich. I’ve got it!”

  Heinrich’s eyes popped wide as he looked over at Mrs. Kruger. “The spear? Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely. And I’ve got a sealed jar that’s supposed to have a sponge used to clean his body.”

  Heinrich shook his head as he looked at the failing man’s vital signs. They were weak and thready. If he had any hope he would have to be exposed to the blood without delay. “When can you get the relics to me?”

  “We’re in the air now, should be landing in less than two hours. How long will it take for you to do your part?”

  “More time than I think we have. We’re evacuating to the backup location now; there’s intruders on the property.”

  “The police?”

  “I don’t know, I didn’t see them, but there’s gunfire.”

  Dietrich cursed. “If it were police you’d know. It’s that damned Professor Acton and his friends. Where’s Professor Palmer?”

  “We had to leave her behind.”

  There was a pause then a chilling reply. “I want her dead.”

  Heinrich’s chest tightened as he turned away from Mrs. Kruger who was now listening intently. “You don’t need to do that. You have what you were looking for. Let her be.”

  The phone went dead.

  Niner hit the deck as two shots cracked behind him, the lone guard who had rounded the corner first dropped by one of his team. He didn’t bother looking to see who, instead jumping to his feet and sprinting toward the door, their hoped for element of surprise shot. Time was of the essence, Professor Palmer now in serious danger. Reaching the double doors that led to the side of the large stone patio, he kicked hard at the center, his entire body left ringing as what were obviously reinforced doors didn’t budge.

  He tried the handle.

  The door opened as Dawson and Reading arrived, their weapons covering both directions, Dawson squeezing the trigger twice before all three were inside the house. Niner pointed at the door. “Lock it, it’s reinforced.”

  Reading turned the lock, Niner rushing through the large living area toward what looked like a hallway.

  A startled woman in a maid’s uniform came around the corner and screamed, begging in German not to be hurt. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into the room. “Do you speak English?”

  She nodded, saying nothing to prove it.

  “Where’s Professor Palmer?”

  She shook her head, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

  “The woman that was shot, they would have brought her here two days ago.”

  “Ahh, the Fräulein! She upstairs in lab.”

  Niner didn’t bother telling the woman that Professor Palmer was definitely a Frau. “What room?”

  The woman’s eyes lost focus for a moment as she thought, suddenly pointing toward the stairs to the right. “Upstairs, third door on left.”

  Niner pointed to a bar on one side of the room. “Get behind there and stay down until the police arrive.”

  She nodded but didn’t move. He pushed her toward the bar, it enough to get her in motion as Dawson and Reading covered the door leading to the hall.

  “Ready?”

  Dawson nodded. “Let’s go!”

  Niner took point, rushing up the stairs two at a time, all the while his Glock 22 extended in front of him, covering the angles, making sure they didn’t walk into a bullet. As they reached the second floor he turned to see two men rush into a room about half way down the hall, guns drawn.

  He counted the doors and cursed.

  Third door on the left.

  At least a dozen gunshots rang out as he charged forward.

  Laura had no choice but to tear the IV from her arm, the stand now a hindrance on the steps. She took a glance back down the long hall to see two men enter the lab and open fire, another man rushing to join them, the fog of pain she was in separating him into three blurred forms then a single cohesive one repeatedly.

  I have to keep going.

  She grabbed the railing with one hand, her wound with the other, ignoring the fact it was now soaking wet, her stiches torn. She knew if she continued she would most likely die.

  But she had no choice.

  Those men had just entered her room and fired, probably through the curtains her bed lay behind.

  Dietrich Kruger had obviously ordered he
r death.

  Leaning heavily on the railing she stumbled toward the ground floor, rounding the first landing as another burst of gunfire was heard above.

  Her knees gave out and she fell forward, her hand on the railing breaking her fall slightly, but the force too great for her to hold on. She lost her grip and tumbled down the remaining dozen steps, her cellphone and the keys sliding across the marble floor she came to rest on.

  “Help me.”

  But her voice was barely a whisper.

  Reading burst into the room to find Niner standing over the bodies of two men. They were in some sort of lab, well-equipped but deserted, with no sign of Professor Palmer.

  “Laura!” he cried as he spotted a set of rollaway curtains, a large number of bullet holes leaving him to think the worst. A pit formed in his stomach as he tossed the nearest one aside, resisting the urge to close his eyes and protect himself from the sight of another dead friend.

  But all he found was an empty bed.

  Thank God!

  “She’s not here,” he said, quickly searching the entire lab for any place she may have hidden herself, finding nothing.

  “There’s some blood here,” said Niner, pointing at the floor near the door. “It looks like someone was dragged.”

  Reading looked at the smudges and nodded. “Or someone dragged herself.”

  Dawson cursed. “We’re going to have to search the entire place, room by room.”

  Niner looked at the blood on the floor. “If she’s bleeding, she might not have much time.”

  Reading felt himself tense up.

  “Then let’s stop wasting it.”

  Laura looked up as footsteps rapidly approached. She didn’t care who it was anymore, the pain too great, her strength quickly waning. If they wanted to kill her, she didn’t care, her spirit having been crushed already today with the news the doctor had given her only hours before.

  “Fräulein! Are you okay?”

  Laura looked up to see the German hausfrau that had been bringing her meals since her arrival, even helping her go to the bathroom. The woman had been a godsend and if there was anyone in this house besides Dr. Heinrich she’d want to see right now, it was her.

  “Helena,” she whispered, the woman dropping to her knees, helping Laura to a seated position. “I need you to get me out of here.”

  The woman nodded, helping Laura to her feet then throwing her arm over her shoulder. They began to walk when Laura stopped and pointed.

  “Keys, phone.”

  Helena steadied Laura against a wall then retrieved the two items, stuffing them in the pockets of her apron and resuming their walk toward a side door just beyond the stairs.

  “Dr. Heinrich’s car,” gasped Laura, Helena nodding her understanding as they stepped into the night, several cars racing from the parking area filled with panicked staff. Gunfire behind them spurred them toward the modest green Fiat parked near several BMW’s and a Mercedes.

  They stumbled toward the car, the progress slow and painful, but they finally made it, Helena unlocking the car and helping Laura into the passenger seat. Once inside, Helena rounded the car as Laura gasped in pain, both hands now pressing against her wound, her hands soaked with blood. Helena started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, putting it in gear and hammering on the gas, apparently as eager to get away as she was.

  “GPS. Hospital.”

  Helena looked at Laura then at the dash mounted GPS, tapping the display, unsure of what to do. She cranked the wheel to the right and accelerated as they reached the road, the house now behind them. Helena returned her attention to the GPS, one hand on the wheel, the other trying to operate the unfamiliar GPS.

  Laura began to black out, the pain simply too great, when she looked up at the road and cried out as the car drifted across the lanes, Helena not paying attention.

  The car rolled into the ditch, tossing Laura’s body toward Helena then onto the roof as the car slid to a halt. She looked over at Helena, lying on the roof beside her, her neck twisted, eyes wide as they stared into nothing.

  “No!” moaned Laura as her world turned to black.

  Church of Santa Maria del Gradaro, Mantua, Italy

  James Acton grabbed his phone, answering it immediately, praying it was Dietrich with word that his wife had been released. They had been waiting for almost two hours now while the police questioned everyone involved, Giasson smoothing things over when it had been discovered their intention all along had been to hand over the relics. He was exhausted and running purely on adrenaline, unsure of how much more he could take.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi Jim, it’s Hugh.”

  Acton’s shoulders slumped. “I thought maybe you were Dietrich.”

  “Sorry to disappoint. We’ve secured the Kruger household but there’s no sign of Laura.”

  Acton felt his stomach leap, the last of his hope cleaved from him.

  He said nothing.

  “She was definitely here. We found her hospital bed and some of her clothes but she’s gone. They must have taken her with them. An ambulance left earlier with a sick man, we assume Herr Kruger, but we’re pretty sure she wasn’t in it.”

  “But you can’t be sure.”

  “No, we can’t. But I don’t think they’d put her in an ambulance with him. The police are beginning to block off all roads in the area. If we’re lucky, they’ll catch them in their net.”

  Lucky.

  What a horrible word.

  Lucky. Lucky if they’ll find my wife. Lucky if she’ll still be alive. Lucky.

  He didn’t blame Reading for the choice of words, it was after all just a word, but for some reason it struck home as the situation seemed more dire than ever. The police were at the Kruger residence and the occupants had been forced to flee. Would the move cause the death of Dietrich’s father? If it did, would Dietrich blame him? If he did blame him, would he take it out on Laura?

  “You have to find her, Hugh. She’s all I have.”

  Two miles from the Kruger residence, Outside Paris, France

  Laura woke, her entire body aching, the pain in her stomach a dull throb. She looked about, disoriented, it taking a few moments before she realized where she was.

  On the roof of an upside down car.

  She looked out the window but all she could see were the sides of the ditch they had flipped in, the walls high, but there was something else. Turning her head slightly she gave a little cry of dismay when she saw the entire front of the car had slid into a culvert, the chances of them being seen from the road near impossible.

  “James, help me!” she whispered as she laid herself back down, staring at the body of the woman who had tried to help save her. She reached out for her hand, to try to provide some comfort to the newly departed soul, but didn’t have the strength for it, her arm instead collapsing, her fingers catching on the pocket of the woman’s apron.

  Causing her cellphone to spill out.

  A spark of hope gave her a momentary surge of energy as her fingers crawled toward the phone. Holding her thumb against the sensor, the phone activated and she tapped the screen several times, speed dialing James and putting it on speaker.

  The phone only rang once.

  “Laura!”

  “Help. Me.”

  She passed out before she could hear the reply.

  Reading sat on the rear bumper of their 4x4, Dawson and Niner standing nearby as they awaited any word on Laura or the Krugers. His phone vibrated on his belt and he unclipped it, looking at the call display.

  “It’s Giasson.” He swiped his thumb. “Hello, Mario, any news.”

  “Laura called Jim, he’s on the phone right now with her but she’s not speaking. We need you to trace the call!”

  Reading snapped his fingers, getting Dawson and Niner’s attention. “We need to trace a call being made to Jim’s phone, now!” Dawson got his phone out, quickly dialing as Reading gave Niner Acton’s number. “It’s Laura, she called him
but isn’t saying anything.”

  “They’re still connected?” asked Niner as Dawson began to talk to someone.

  “Yes.”

  Niner’s eyes narrowed. “Whose phone?”

  “Huh?”

  “Whose phone did she use?”

  Reading stared at him for a moment then jumped up as he realized why Niner was asking. “Mario, did she use her own phone?”

  Muffled words were exchanged on the other end. “Yes.”

  Reading smiled at Niner, nodding.

  “Then let’s use the equipment in the back!”

  “Mario, I’ll call you back. We’re going to track the cellphone signal from here.”

  “Okay, keep me posted.”

  Reading clipped his phone on his belt as he climbed into the driver’s seat, Dawson in the passenger seat still on the phone, Niner in the back with the equipment. The best Dawson’s contact was probably going to provide would be a cellphone tower, but with the equipment Niner was now activating, they might be able to pinpoint her exact position.

  If they had enough time.

  He started up the engine and turned the truck around, heading down the driveway, several police officers shouting at them to stop.

  We’ll sort it out later.

  “I’ve got it!” exclaimed Niner. “Hang a right at the road.”

  Reading cranked the wheel, the tires chirping as they gained traction on the pavement, spitting loose gravel at the officers stationed at the foot of the drive, several jumping into their cars to give chase.

  “Keep going straight, the signal is getting stronger.”

  Reading looked in his rearview mirror and cursed, the flashing blue lights behind him starting to close in. He pressed a little harder on the accelerator as the dark countryside flew by. He didn’t want to miss anything but in a moment of clarity he realized he shouldn’t be worried, it was Niner doing the looking, and that was purely at radio waves.

  He pressed harder, at least now maintaining the distance.

  “Stop!”

  Reading slammed on the brakes, the vehicle shuddering to a halt as Niner jumped out, Dawson, still on the phone in a whispered conversation, joining him. Reading put the vehicle in park and stepped down, the police cars in pursuit rapidly closing the distance.