by Ronie Kendig
“You sure this is the right place?”
“Now why would I lie to you?”
“Two loaves and a block of cheese,” Téya muttered. Nobody had been here. Nobody was here. He’s pulling a fast one… “That’s your thirty pieces, huh? John, there hasn’t been anyone in this building in a long time.”
He grinned. “That’s what they want you to think.”
With a hefty sigh, Téya looked at Nuala. “Don’t give him the food till I come back.”
“Now that wasn’t the deal. I said I’d take you to them—”
“And you haven’t.” Téya motioned around them. “You took us to a building. I don’t see the family we’re looking for. And until I do…” She shrugged and navigated the swamp of papers, fliers, bills, and boxes.
This isn’t right. Nobody’s here.
But Noodle’s comment about believing the best in people niggled at her. Pushed her past the rank, dank entrance. “Smells like something died in here,” she called back to Nuala, who stood on the street, watching and clutching the bread bag.
The foyer stretched pretty far back, so far in fact that she could not see because of the darkness, though she could make out a few doors nearby. Stairs sat straight ahead then banked left and up over her. Easing her SureFire out, she also lifted her HK. The familiarity of this scenario—Denver—coiled around her. She’d come out of that with two black eyes and too many bruises to count.
Fool me once, shame on you.
And then The Turk chasing her down in Paris.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Which was why she was going into this armed and ready for the fight. “Johnny, you’d better be right,” she called. Over her shoulder. Then up the stairs, a glimmer of light at the top gave her a fragment of hope. “Carl and Sharlene Loring?” Her voice chased the cold shadows.
Swallowing, Téya moved to the stairs. Her boot hit the first step. This is not right. Alarms blazed in her mind.
“Téya! He’s running!”
She threw herself backward and out the front door.
Nuala was pulling herself off the ground. “He barreled into me and took the food.”
“I don’t think so,” Téya said, holstering her weapon as she spotted him racing around a building. She sprinted after him.
Down one alley and up another. Hustling down a flight of steps that belonged to what might have once been a nice little park setting. He sailed over a half wall like a track star. Téya was closing in on him.
“Johnny! Stop!”
He went left and vanished behind a building marked JEWELRY OUTLET. The kid was fast. He disappeared into a building.
Téya’s stomach clenched as she followed him through the lower level of a shopping center that had been converted into another market. He topped a vendor’s cart and Téya jumped over it. Someone shouted as several women screamed, but Téya wasn’t giving up this pursuit. He was going to answer some questions and he was not getting that food. Enough was enough. She wasn’t taking this lying down anymore.
Light shot through a dark hall, and she realized it was an exit to the outside. She darted that way, the hall, seeming endlessly long. When she broke into the open, she slammed into a wall less than three feet past the door. She groaned and stopped to get her bearings. Right was a dead end. Left… She bolted that way and it brought her out onto a main road. A half mile or so away, she thought she could see Noodle jogging out from another street.
Téya spun. Grunted and slapped a lightpost. “Augh!”
“Lose him?” Nuala’s voice carried faintly from down the street.
Hands on her hips, Téya turned circles, searching. “Johnny!” she shouted long and hard. He’d pay. For taking the food. For duping them.
“Hey,” Nuala said, trotting up to her. “We should get back. It’s getting dark.”
Téya nodded, looking around and realizing she had no idea where they were. Darkness meant trouble. And they were alone. “Stupid kid.”
“Actually, I’d say he was pretty smart. Capitalized on what we needed and wanted.”
“It was rhetorical, Noodle.”
“Sorry. I was trying to be funny.”
Téya coiled up her anger and nodded. “I know. Sorry, just—”
Crack!
Throwing herself around, Téya gasped. “Gunshot!”
Boom! Crack!
“The kid…” Guilt chugged through her. She’d never forgive herself if that kid was shot for bread and cheese. “C’mon!” Téya raced in the direction of the shots. A fence that towered over them by at least five feet confined the slums and poor to one side. She trailed that fence, listening, her hackles rising as she moved.
Tires squalled.
Téya rushed forward, certain of her course now. She burst out into a wide open area—a rear loading dock for a warehouse of some kind.
Adrenaline exploded through her when she saw a man aiming a weapon at a white Land Rover. Just under the belly of the vehicle, she saw shoes. John. The person wasn’t aiming at the SUV, but at John. He’s going to shoot him. What was this? A street war? Had the bread and cheese gotten John into trouble?
Téya pulled out her Glock and took aim.
Shouts alerted the glut of men to their presence.
A weapon swung in her direction. Someone sprinted out from behind the vehicle, racing toward a building—John!
In her periphery, Téya saw the man fire at the teen. Then she registered Nuala aiming and firing. A man stumbled out of the shadows and onto the ground. Where did he come from? The other three ran toward the vehicle. But the one she’d sighted didn’t. He aimed. Fired.
Téya’s heart jammed. He was firing at John! She sighted. Eased back the trigger. The man crumpled. The van spit rocks and dirt as it sped down the alley, out of sight. Téya wanted to unloaded her weapon on it, but it’d be futile.
With a pat on her arm, Nuala rushed toward the fallen, her weapon ready. The girl was indefatigable. Until she slept. Tonight, Noodle would have nightmares.
Téya trotted forward, her pulse racing. “John?” she called out.
Nuala checked the man who’d fallen out of the shadows. “He’s dead.” She dragged him back into the shadows.
“What’re you doing?”
“Buying us time,” Nuala said. She tossed her jaw toward the other. “Him?”
Even as she knelt, something near the alley caught her eye. The bag of bread and cheese. She nodded to it. “Check on John.”
The man lay curled away from her, but she saw the dark circle spreading over his back
Careful of the wound, she turned him—and froze. Not at the wound. Not at the dark stubble lining the jaw.
Only one thing stopped her—the tattoo of the star-crescent.
Part 3: Hazardous Duty
VIII
Sam
Altitude: 34,000 feet
Unknown Date and Time
Cold steel bit into his wrists. Sam shifted where he sat—which is where, exactly?—and felt the cuffs make another greedy imprint on his arms. He gritted his teeth, noting the sound of chains scraping against metal. The vibrations worming through his entire body and the deafening roar of massive engines combined with the hollowing of his hearing warned him he was on a plane. In fact, his fourth one. If he’d been counting right. Then again, could be the same plane refueled and they’d placed him in different locations to confuse him. Aboard the first aircraft, he’d been strapped into a cushioned seat. They’d progressively gotten worse from there. Now, he’d been placed on a Globemaster in a strap seat on the uncomfortable-as-possible transport.
They’d cuffed him on scene, stuffed him in the SUV—but not before he spotted a glimpse out the heavily tinted windows of Solomon’s car hidden down the road. As soon as the door closed, he’d been hooded and taken to a chopper—a private one, he guessed—that ferried him to an airstrip. Nobody talked to him as they secured him into that first seat.
He knew two things from this little seek-and-find g
ame: One, they didn’t want him knowing his location or destination. But this wasn’t the first time Sam had been a hostage. He had survival skills beyond most men, probably even more than those holding him. And two, patience would deliver him to whoever was behind this kidnapping. Patience would help him connect the dots of this incident to Ashland.
Ash…
Faced with the very real possibility of seeing her again, maybe even face-to-face, fear streaked through him. Stabbed his confidence. Mutilated his courage.
What if she didn’t want to see him again? What if she was some sick psycho who used men and loosed them?
Sam snorted and shook his head. She might’ve been able to hide her real name, but there was so much about Ashland she hadn’t been able to hide. The meticulous attention to detail that spoke of someone aware…very aware of her environment. Of threats. The hunger in her eyes for companionship and understanding. The way she responded to his kiss. That wasn’t faked, not simply because she’d kissed him back or how she’d done that. But because of the heat of passion in her face. That wasn’t something a person could fake.
Distinct and obvious, the descent pushed aggravation through his veins. Would this stop be one of many more? He’d tolerated a lot already, but his fuse wasn’t endless.
Tires screeched against the tarmac, jolting him forward as the engines and the reverse thrusters slowed the aircraft.
Ashland…sure hope you’re at the end of this journey. The thought of her not being there lit that fuse. All he’d put up with. All he’d endured. The punches. The way they’d walked him into a wall more than once.
As the craft taxied, boots thudded across the steel floor.
Sam stilled, focusing on his environment. More than one person coming. His mind played a quick mini-movie of him yanking free of the chains and breaking some noses then sprinting off into the sunset. Right. That would work in Hollywood. Not so much in real life. As the plane quieted, the chains around him rattled and a heavy whine filled the air. He guessed that a rear-loading door had been opened.
Grabbed by each arm, Sam was hauled to his feet. It was too much to hope they’d remove the hood. They guided him, steel vibrating through his shoes as he shuffled like a maximum security prisoner. No light filtered through the hood, so he used that to guess darkness had fallen. The familiar whine of a rear-loading tail filled his ears.
“Step,” someone said gruffly.
Sam went a little more tentatively and felt himself on a decline—the ramp he’d predicted. Shards of light stabbed through the fabric. Not sunlight, but bright lights emanating from certain locations. Had to be dark.
“Watch—”
Sam struck something. Tangled his feet. Hands chained to his feet, he pitched forward unable to break a fall. Hard grips yanked him backward, along with a chuckle.
He had the distinct feeling he’d been tripped—intentionally. Clenching his jaw, he pulled himself straight. For Ashland. I’m doing this for Ash…. Wind tugged at his clothing and pressed the hood against his face.
“Where is he?” someone shouted, his voice muffled by the dying engine noise.
“He’ll be here,” the man holding Sam’s right arm said. Voice gruff. “Eyes out.”
“Spend too much time and there will be questions. Can’t stay much longer.”
“You will if you want to get paid.”
“Since when have you been someone’s lapdog?”
The hand around his bicep tightened; the talkative guy was ticking off the thug.
“Hey,” someone said just before Sam was guided to the right. The engine noise quieted some more, both as they cut it off and as the distance grew.
The hood was yanked off, along with a clump of hair that felt like fire prickling his scalp. Sam winced and cringed then immediately devoured his surroundings. Yes, it was dark. Sun had gone down. Lights on the tarmac revealed things that stepped into its beams but shadowed that which stood between Sam and the source. Taking in everything, he did his best to gain orientation. In the distance a smattering of multistoried structures stuck out of a semi-mountainous terrain. Thick copses of trees lined the hills. Far away but still visible, a hillside was lit up with golden lights. Sam’s gaze rose to the top of the mountain that towered over the rest to the ruins.
No way. The Acropolis? What the heck am I doing in Greece?
Téya
Roma Slums, Greece
1 June – 1840 Hours
There was something strangely beautiful about this man. Of course, mostly because he lay unconscious at her knees. But with his dark hair and stubble lining what looked to be a strong jaw—not to mention the curious star-crescent inked on his left cheekbone…
He moaned and shifted, his brows knotting.
Téya pressed her hand to his side, eyeing the puddle forming beneath him. I am so dead. I shot The Turk.
Nuala’s gasp drew Téya’s gaze up. The girl’s pale wide eyes echoed the panic banging through Téya’s chest. “We have to get out of here.”
Swallowing hard, Téya glanced down at the assassin. It didn’t make sense. He stood out in the open. “I can’t leave him here to die.”
“Yes, you can. He would’ve left you. In fact, he almost did.” Nuala squatted and caught Téya’s arm. “C’mon. If his people come…”
“How many assassins do you know who work with people in the field? They have a mission. They take care of it.” Téya couldn’t move. Couldn’t stop staring at the man who’d plastered her face all over the underworld to get her killed. And here, she’d taken him out. “I can’t leave him here, Noodle.” Her words hardened her resolve. “Help me get him up.”
“What? No!” Nuala knelt opposite her. “Are you insane? We leave him. Now.”
“No.”
Nuala tugged her back. “John. We have to find John. Remember? And we have to get out of here. It’s almost dark.”
“If he dies, his life is on my conscience. His blood on my hands.” Téya flashed her eyes at her friend. “You realize what that means? How many people will be after me now if he dies?”
“We have no car, no way to get him out of here.” The voice of reason, Nuala only told the truth, but it angered Téya that her friend wanted her to walk away. “And think about it—Trace will kill you himself if you take him back to the hotel.”
Right. So not back to their hotel. That shortened the distance necessary to transport him. She had combat medic skills, so…. Téya scanned the buildings beyond the ten-foot fence. Barely visible was a store of some kind. Next to it loomed an office building. Behind it, another building peeked out, its brick darker, older. Fire escapes. A blinking sign hung on the corner, flashing a price and THE AEGEAN HOTEL.
Perfect.
“Help me get him up.” Téya moved to his head.
“Are you insane?”
“Yes,” Téya said. “I just shot the assassin who tried to have me killed, and now I want to make sure he doesn’t die.”
“So he can finish the job he started in Paris?”
Téya cradled his head against her shoulder as she slid her arms under his. “So I can find out what I did to make his hit list.”
“Right,” Nuala said, moving toward his legs. “Because he’s just going to tell you that. There’s no chance he’ll wake up after you save his life and put a bullet in that pretty, stupid head of yours.”
Téya glowered.
“Fine. But I’m not bringing flowers to your funeral.”
“They’ll only die anyway.” Together they carried him down the alley toward a section of broken-out fence. Backs aching, arms quaking, they hurried across the street. Almost to the curb, Téya spotted a police car coming toward them. Her heart hammered as they scurried into the shadows of the building.
The cruiser slowed and a bright beam of light exploded, shattering the darkness. Téya sucked in a breath as they pressed into a doorway.
“Ugh. His blood is sliding across my arms,” Nuala whispered with a tinge of disgust.
&n
bsp; The cruiser moved on, but Téya’s arms were rubbery now. “Stay here. I’ll get a room then come back.”
Nuala’s eyes widened in the dark alley. “What? No way. I’m not staying with—”
But Téya sprinted off. As she rounded the front of the building, she checked her clothes to make sure she wasn’t covered in blood. A small smudge at the bottom of her shirt glared back at her. Quickly, she tied the corner in a knot, like some ’80s throwback, and stepped into the lobby.
Thank God Trace and Boone insisted they carry their passport and money. Contingencies… Bet Trace wouldn’t see this coming. Téya went to the barred window, having to press closer than she’d like as a couple tangled in each others’ arms and mouths stumbled past. Suppressing a shudder, Téya asked for a room. “First floor, please—if you can.”
The man eyed her. “What you doing on this side of town this late?”
With an impish smile, she shrugged. “You know…”
“A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be here. You want me to call you a taxi?”
“No,” Téya smiled. “I’m meeting someone.”
He clucked his tongue. “You are too good for him if he makes you come here.”
Okay, dude. What’s with the lecture? Can I get a room or not?
He slid the check-in book across the eight-inch ledge. Téya used her left hand, which would be messier than her right and illegible, and signed. Handed over the money in exchange for the key, along with lectures on taking more pride in herself and not ruining her life on a loser who’d bring such a pretty girl to a place like this.
She hurried down the hall and slid the key into the door on the right. Inside, she rushed to the window. Though the window had locks, they weren’t unlockable. Well, not technically. Téya kicked the lock free of the jamb and slid open the window. She climbed out and ran down the alley.
She came around the corner and found herself staring down the business end of a weapon. Arms up, she met Nuala’s pale eyes at the other end. “Easy.”
