by Riker, Becky
Slater’s heart rate increased.
“You having car trouble?”
Slater slid his sunglasses over his eyes, “I blew a tire, but the spare is flat. My wife is on her way with a different spare.”
“Okay,” the cop nodded and drove away.
Slater waited until the man had rounded a corner before turning in the opposite direction and sprinting back toward the school.
“That was fast,” Barnes commented as she rose, “Where did you park?”
“A mall,” he leaned over and rested his hands on his thighs, “about three miles.”
Barnes looked at her watch, “You’ve been gone for twenty-nine minutes. How fast did you run?”
He shook his head and reached into his pocket. Whatever he pulled out was apparently a master key for the school – or something that worked equally as well. He held the door for the women and followed quickly after.
“I cannot even get into my own apartment that quickly,” Hanbali commented softly.
“I’m surprised we didn’t set off an alarm,” Barnes whispered.
Slater moved ahead of them and held out his arm to stop, “The custodian is in the building. I’m sure the alarm will be reactivated for the night.”
Barnes leaned a little closer to drop her voice further, “Where is he, and how do you know he is in there?”
“I looked in the window, and it’s a woman.”
“How are we going to avoid her?” Hanbali was speaking more loudly than Slater would have liked.
He put a finger to his lips, “She was on the west side of the building which means we’re probably safe to go that way.
The trio watched the janitor move her cleaning cart into a room and then quietly slipped past her.
“I need a water fountain,” he announced as they moved toward the far end of the building.
Barnes reached into her bag, “I’ve got something better,” she handed him a water bottle. “Not cold, but immediate.”
He cracked open the bottle, “Who would think it would still be so warm out at seventeen hundred?”
Barnes waited for him to finish the bottle, “You need another one?”
He glanced over at Barnes. She had let her hair down, an act that drastically changed her appearance. Her rigid style no longer pulling her face back, she looked younger – softer. Her hair was wavy instead of straight as he expected, and it flowed past her shoulders by several inches. Slater thought the technical term for her its color would be chestnut as it had some hints of red in it, but he wasn’t positive.
He suddenly realized he had been staring and had neglected to answer her question.
He shook his head, “Save it.”
He threw the bottle in a nearby trashcan, “I’d like to find the latrine and a television set.”
“Are you missing your favorite television program?” Hanbali teased him.
“Just the news.”
Barnes didn’t like the idea, “If we turn on the TV, the custodian will hear and call the police.”
“So we wait until she leaves. Considering the distance she’s covered, I can’t think it will be too long.”
He was right. The custodian was out within fifteen minutes. Slater followed her, watched her enable the security system, and then disabled it once she was gone.
“Now,” he found the ladies again, “the news.”
Barnes had another objection, “Someone is going to see the glow.”
“We’ll find the media room – closed shades.”
“Shall we split up?” Hanbali asked.
“I don’t think so,” Slater shook his head. “We’ll find it soon enough together.”
It was in the next hall. Thankfully, it was connected to a network, and they had no trouble finding the proper channel.
Most of it was drivel, but the crime report came on, and all three viewers became more alert.
A woman’s voice came over the pictures that were flashing on the screen, “The shift manager, Eric Henning, said the only customer they had throughout the day was a short Chinese woman who spoke little English.”
“She seemed confused about how we rent cars,” he explained. “She said she would come back with her husband.”
“How did you happen to acquire the troop transport?” the reporter asked him.
“Someone called and asked how much it would cost to rent that. I told the guy we didn’t have one, but when he said he had just driven by and seen it, I thought, ‘Hey, I gotta see this,’ so I went outside to check it out. It was, like, right out there with the rest of the cars.”
“I suppose you’ve checked all your inventory to make sure they didn’t take one of your cars.”
Slater saw Anna out of the corner of her eye. She straightened.
“Yeah, when the police came in they asked me for records. There was an old Ford on the back of the building. Can’t figure why they’d take that one since we got nicer things. “
“Can you describe the vehicle?” she put the microphone back in the kid’s face.
Slater tried not to watch Barnes as she chewed her lip.
“Sure. It was a ’98 Ford Explorer. Tan. Been bumped around a little so it’s got dents all over it.”
“And the license plate number?”
The kid looked down at a sheet of paper he was holding, “I gave that to the cops too.”
He rattled it off.
Anna held up her fist in Slater’s direction. He bumped it with his own, a little surprised by her action.
The reporter kept talking, “So, do you get to keep the vehicle?”
Barnes laughed at the idiocy of the question. Slater watched her throw her head back in amusement. It had been easier to see her as a colleague when she was dressed like him. The gauzy dress she was wearing now was distracting him from his objective. He shouldn’t have asked her to change out of her ACU’s.
“No,” the guy responded as if he was disappointed. “The cops called the Army, and they were there in, like ten minutes. Then they came in and questioned me – kept asking if I had seen a tall brunette woman and a big guy. I told them I never saw nobody but the Chinese lady.”
Hanbali snorted at the man’s mistake, “Chinese.”
“Thank you, Mr. Henning,” she faced the camera. “Possibly, the reason the Army was asking about a tall brunette woman was because a woman posing as a colonel left Andrews Air Force Base with a troop transport today. Brent Jackson has the story on that. Brent?”
“Thanks, Theresa. I’m here at Andrews where they say a man and woman stole the very troop transport that was found behind the car rental store.”
The voice in the studio piped up, “Do they know who the man and woman are, Brent?”
“They are not sure about the woman, but, according to unofficial sources, the man is probably Captain Slater Reed of the US Army.”
Slater groaned at hearing his name. Someone had loose lips.
“The Army is refusing to comment on that, and they will not release a picture of Captain Reed, saying it could jeopardize national security.”
Desk woman spoke again, “Do we have, at least a description?”
“The woman is about five feet ten inches and one hundred eighty pounds. She has dark brown hair. Captain Reed is six-one, short black hair, and about two hundred pounds.”
Barnes’ mouth dropped open, “One-eighty?”
Slater laughed at the very bad estimate, “I guess that extra pair of pants really bulks you up.”
She started to smile at his response, but he spoke again.
“Either that or you should lay off the MRE brownies.”
She shot him a nasty look and punched his shoulder.
The male anchor finished the story, “Despite the Army’s lack of cooperation, the local police force is determined to find who deposited the troop transport at the rental store. Captain Reed should be assumed to be armed and dangerous. If you see anybody matching either of these descriptions, please call the number below.”<
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“I pity anyone matching those descriptions,” Hanbali said with a laugh.
“They nailed mine,” Slater grimaced, “I hope my mom isn’t watching.”
“She’ll be upset?” Hanbali guessed.
“She’ll record it and play it at family gatherings.”
“What’s the plan?” Barnes knew they had to keep moving forward.
“Sleep,” he surprised the women. “I think we could use a couple hours of it before we head out.”
“Here?” Hanbali glanced around the room.
“Yes, here,” he shut off the television and leaned against a wall, “You two go first. I’ll wake you up in an hour and a half, Barnes. We’ll trade off until twenty-two hundred. Then we can leave in the dark.”
Barnes was already succumbing, “Do you have your goggles with you?” she spoke through a yawn.
“I do,” he assured her, resisting the urge to reach out and caress her free flowing tresses.
Both women fell asleep quickly, so he had the freedom to admire Captain Barnes – Anna. The armed forces did their best to squelch femininity in their women, and with good reason. It certainly had no place in camp or on base. However, that practice meant it had been a long time since Slater had seen a woman dressed like that, looking like that.
Anna’s cheek rested on her hand. The other hand gently clasped the pistol on the floor next to her. She lay on her side, ankles crossed. Slater found himself entranced by how much hair she had formerly hidden in a bun or braid and under her cap. All those masses were now brushing her bare shoulders. The woman was undeniably beautiful, and watching her nearly took his breath away.
He made an effort not to stare at her, but his eyes kept wandering back to her peaceful countenance. Her lashes fluttered occasionally, causing him to believe she was dreaming. Just thinking about dreaming made Slater sleepy; he startled himself awake and looked at his watch. It was already nineteen hundred hours.
He reached over and touched the woman’s arm, “Barnes,” he squeezed a little.
She was instantly alert, “My turn?”
He nodded.
“I need to . . .um. . .stretch my legs first. Do you mind?”
He shook his head, “We passed one on the way here,” he whispered. “I’ll go with you.”
She looked at him in surprise.
“To the other one, Barnes.”
A soft giggle escaped her lips.
They got to the restrooms, and he handed her a small penlight, “Don’t turn on the overhead, keep this pointed down as much as possible, and turn it off if you can.”
Another laugh, “I never thought I’d see the day.”
They arrived back to the media room to see Hanbali was still asleep.
Barnes sat against a wall and watched as Reed fell asleep quickly. Poor man was probably exhausted from dragging two women around.
Hanbali woke up about an hour later, “I need to use the facilities,” she spoke quietly.
Anna pointed around the corner, “Did you see them when we came in?”
The woman nodded.
“I was in there earlier,” she had given Reed his penlight back. “It should be light enough from the window to see where you’re going in there.”
Hanbali smiled and waved.
She was back within five minutes.
“I can stay awake now,” she offered. “I probably should have been the first to stay awake since I slept in the car.”
Anna wasn’t sure if she could go back to sleep, but she nodded anyway, “Okay. Thanks.”
“Do I get a gun?” Hanbali whispered as she slid down the wall to sit next to Barnes.
The answer came from the not-actually-sleeping form of Captain Reed, “No – just scream if you need me.”
Both women smiled at that, and Barnes fell back to sleep.
Anna was apparently a heavier sleeper than Slater because he awoke and she did not when their whole world turned upside down. She was finally wakened by the feel of cold steel at her head.
“Don’t move a muscle,” the captor ground out.
“Put down the gun, Riya,” Slater’s low tone did nothing to calm Anna’s nerves, but maybe it was working on the other woman.
“I think not. It was trouble enough getting it away from your lady friend here.”
Anna’s eyes shot to the bare spot next to her.
Hanbali addressed Slater, “I know you think you can pull your gun from your bag, take aim and shoot me before I pull this touchy little trigger, but do you really want to risk Captain Barnes’s brains on that chance?”
“What do you want?”
“First of all,” she stood back, “I want you to scoot your sweet little fanny to the center of the room,” he did so as she spoke, “Then I want Barnes to find the duck tape in your bag. I know you’ve got some, and with as many things as she’s gotten from there, I’m guessing she knows just where it is.”
Anna stood up carefully and walked toward the bag. She was not a great shot, so she didn’t bother trying to grab the pistol from behind the bag. She reached in and located both things she was looking for.
Slater didn’t bother speaking, but Anna had to ask, “Why are you doing this, Miss Hanbali? We’ve done nothing but try to protect you.”
“And I appreciate it, but I don’t think you realize just how valuable my information is. Do you really think the US is the only government that wants it?”
“Now what?”
“First you can tape up his hands. Start at the wrists and go half way to the elbows,” her grin and tone both wry, “That’s how our friends in the Taliban taped me up the night before you heroes showed up. It really hurts after a while.”
Anna began slowly, grateful that Hanbali was standing in front of them.
“And don’t think of taping him loosely. We both know he can get out eventually, but we don’t want it to be too easy.”
“Now,” she instructed the man, “scoot closer to this television cart and lie on your back.”
He did so.
“Tie his legs to the cart,” she smiled. “If he wiggles around too much, he just may pull the thing over on himself.”
Anna taped him securely.
“I can see you value your life more than his,” Hanbali sneered, “or, at least more than this mission you’re on. Not surprising since this isn’t exactly your cup of tea.”
Anna frowned.
“You requested her,” Slater spoke up.
Hanbali laughed, “Don’t tell me that’s just occurring to you right now, Captain Reed.”
“I suspected it was something like that.”
“It wasn’t her, in particular. That was just a stroke of luck. I requested a woman, and I got her.”
Anna felt a wash of betrayal, “Why?”
“You’re a distraction,” Hanbali was so nonchalant about it that Anna wanted to slap her. “I was upset at first when they chose you as the woman. How could a woman like you attract the good Captain’s attention?
“But then I remembered his reaction when he found out you were the pilot for our trip back into Afghanistan.”
Anna frowned.
Hanbali answered the unasked question.
“Captain Reed was distressed by the news. I wasn’t sure what had happened between the two of us, but I knew I could capitalize on it.”
Anna’s heart sank further. Reed didn’t even want her as a pilot.
“If you had simply gone along with the contingency plan, you could be done with me now.”
Anna glanced down at the man lying on his back to gauge his reaction. His jaw was set, but he didn’t even blink.
She rose and looked down at the other woman. She held out her hands, “Okay.”
Hanbali laughed, “You think I’m putting down this gun to tape you up? No. You must come with me.”
“Leave her,” Captain Reed spoke from his position on the ground.
“It’s interesting, really,” Hanbali looked between the other two, “m
ost men have preferred me over you. Tall, manly, aggressive women may be the military’s type, but I flatter myself that I’m more used to male attention than you.”
She glanced down at Reed, “Except him. He, strangely, prefers you.”
“It’s because she has character,” he surprised Anna by saying.
“Oh,” she laughed, “so it was her character you were admiring while she slept tonight.”
He didn’t respond this time.
Anna wondered if Hanbali was implying that Reed found her attractive.
“Now,” she pointed at Anna, “pick up my bag and get outside with it.”
Anna did as she was told, knowing Reed wouldn’t be long behind her.
Hanbali took the bag once they were outside.
“I know you won’t be able to get back in the building, and it will take Reed at least ten minutes to get out of that mess, so I’m guessing I’m about home free.”
Anna wondered if the woman truly thought she was going to get away.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she held up the pink cell phone, “I took this. I was surprised you had such a girly looking phone, frankly.”
Besides having all her personal numbers and information on that phone, Anna had private military and government numbers stored. They all had some sort of code, but it wouldn’t be too difficult to figure out.
“Of course, I can’t have you following me.”
Anna braced herself for the shot, willing her eyes to stay open.
Hanbali made a sound of derision, “Do you think I would shoot you? Out here? I am not stupid, Captain. I do not wish to bring the local officers into the search.”
She pulled a knife from the folds of her dress.
Anna’s eyes widened, but she didn’t have time to respond before Hanbali crouched and slammed the blade through Anna’s foot.
Anna fell back against the building, holding back a scream. Hanbali shrugged and took off at a brisk walk.
Slater darted from the building just as Hanbali rounded the corner.
“That way,” gasped Anna.
He had started off, but the tone of her voice when giving directions brought his attention back.
She saw the look on his face.
“Go,” she wheezed as she waved at him, “go!”
He was back with Hanbali before Anna could count to ten. The small woman was kicking and thrashing, but she was no match for Captain Reed’s vice like grip. His hand covered her mouth tightly despite her attempts to bite him. He set her down and circled her throat with one hand.
