Lawson nodded. “Let’s make our calls and get some rest. I don’t have the energy to worry about anything else. I’m not nineteen anymore.”
“I hear that.”
King handed back the phone after studying the picture one last time. It was nice to have some brotherly conversation. It had been a while. It made him all the more happy that Kyle was on his way to Mexico. But it also made him anxious about how his closest friend was going to act when they finally spoke for the first time. King knew Kyle felt betrayed; he just hoped their long history together would trump all of that in the end.
King pulled out his phone and dialed Dbie. He’d learned long ago not to waste time worrying about things he couldn’t control. It’s what made him good at continuing forward, even when forward wasn’t really an option.
Chapter Thirty-Four
King woke from sleep when he heard Lawson on the phone. In the haze of a wonderful dream, he checked the clock; he’d been out for a couple of hours. Before he checked his phone to see if Sam and Kyle were close, he closed his eyes and lingered in the trails of the images he’d just watched behind closed eyes.
He didn’t understand why he kept thinking of Natalie. Maybe it was seeing old familiar faces that brought her to his subconscious mind. Maybe it was that since Cali had left, it was easier for his heart to find pictures of what it truly desired. On the other hand, maybe it was the fact that Natalie would know he was actually alive soon because of all the media coverage. The thought of being free to see her again could be opening his mind to the possibility of making the impossible a reality. Either way, the feel of her skin, the smell of her hair, and the taste of her lips were as fresh to him as the day he’d met her. And that was why he knew there was something special about her. At least to him.
King heard Lawson end his call with his partner. He rolled over and checked his phone. He’d missed a couple of calls from Sam and from Dbie. Both followed with texts. Sam was relaying that they’d landed, that Dbie had given her the address to the hotel, and that they would be there shortly. That was twenty minutes ago, so they’d be there in just a few minutes. King was both excited and anxious to see Kyle. He moved through his phone and dialed Dbie.
“There you are,” Dbie answered. “Everything okay?”
“Just getting some rest. Anything new on Scott Smith?”
King saw Lawson turn his attention to his conversation with Dbie.
“I was just about to call you again. And yes. I found a back channel into his redacted file.”
“What?” King sat up in his bed. Lawson moved over and sat on the edge of the bed across from him. “How? Redacted files are impossible.”
“Not when you helped drive the President of the United States and his wife to safety a couple of years ago.”
“You called President Gibbons?”
“Well, I called the First Lady. Beth and I talk a few times a week, so it wasn’t a big deal.”
“You do? How did I not know—okay, so what happened?”
“The first thing she said when I called was how awful it was someone would try to frame you like this. I knew right then she had discussed it with the President and he shared her thoughts. So I knew he would help. You should have called him first, X.”
“Maybe, but I used that card in Alaska. Didn’t think it would work again.”
“You saved his life. It’s a forever kind of card.”
“Okay, so I’m assuming he quietly got the redacted file to you without it being censored?”
“Yes. X, Scott Smith was a sniper for the SEALs. He’s the one who shot Brittany in that video. You know he is.”
King’s mouth must have dropped open because Lawson sat forward with wide eyes. “What? What did she find out?”
King let it process for a moment. He understood that it made sense Smith was the one who shot Brittany because he was a sniper, but why would the man who kidnapped her go through all the trouble of setting King up just to shoot her in the end?
“What I can’t figure out,” Dbie continued, “is how this has anything to do with you.”
Dbie was on the same page as King.
“Dbie, you’re the best. See if you can find a connection between this Scott Smith and Raúl Ortega. And more importantly, see if you can find a connection between Scott Smith and Senator McKinley. The two have got to intersect somewhere. Otherwise, why choose Brittany to kidnap? Why would Smith want to hurt me and Senator McKinley? There has to be something there.”
“I’m on it. That it?”
“I think that’s enough, don’t you?”
“Well, that depends,” Dbie said.
“On?”
“On whether or not you want to know where Scott Smith is right now?”
King stood on reflex. “You know where he is?”
“I found him on the St. Regis security cameras. Then I followed him with traffic cams throughout the city. Even saw where he took shots at a white van. Know anything about that?”
“Dbie, you just got a raise.”
“Good, I need a new car.”
“And I just bought you a new car.”
“You need to get into trouble more often then,” Dbie laughed. “I’ll text you the address. And I’ll tell you if he leaves.”
“You’re watching him right now?”
“No, but I’m watching a partial view of his driveway.”
“I love you,” King said.
“I know.”
King ended the call. Lawson stood.
“Dbie found out who killed Brittany. It had to be Smith,” King said.
Lawson began pacing the room like a lion in a cage. “Let’s go get him. Right now. We can’t let him leave.”
King recognized himself in Lawson. He, too, was ready to go.
“Sam and Kyle are almost here. Let’s just—”
“Have them meet us there,” Lawson said when he stopped pacing. “We can’t let him get away.”
Lawson was right. When you have an enemy’s location, you never hesitate. Especially when you don’t have to wait for orders.
“Mount up,” King said.
“That’s what I like to hear!”
Chapter Thirty-Five
After King called Sam telling her about the situation with Scott Smith, then texting her the address, he, Lawson, Zhanna, and Jack jumped back in the van and took off. It turned out Sam and Kyle were closer to where Scott Smith was staying, so they rerouted and were about to arrive. King and crew had another six minutes to go because they’d made a pit stop at José’s “secret” apartment. They were able to procure two more AR pistols with three extra mags. King also found two extra mags for his Glock, one of which he emptied the bullets from so Lawson could have a full mag for his Sig.
Lawson was driving, and Jack was in the back making sure all the guns were locked and loaded. Zhanna was helping Lawson navigate, and King was on the phone with Dbie.
“No, X, nothing has changed at all. The bike is still sitting out front.”
“Anything more on Smith?”
“No. Hey, X?” Dbie said.
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Don’t you think you should call Director Lucas? Now that you have the laptop clearing you of the videos and we have what we do on Scott Smith?”
“What do we have on Scott Smith, Dbie?”
She was quiet for a moment. “Nothing concrete, I suppose, but an awful lot of coincidences, don’t you think?”
“I don’t think they are coincidences, but because nothing is proven, there’s nothing I can say to Lucas.”
“Then call President Gibbons, X. This is your life on the line here. More than that, this is your legacy. If something happens to you in Mexico City, this may all be pinned on you. It’s hard to sit back and watch that be a possibility when there is something you can do.”
“I’m not calling the President.”
Dbie didn’t let up. “You saved his life in Kentucky, X. Then you saved his presidenc
y when you didn’t let the virus make it to the lower forty-eight from Alaska. You might think you’re square because he helped you obtain some information on your mission, but I assure you he doesn’t think you’re even. According to Beth, he will never think he’s done enough for you. He’s probably already been up Director Lucas’s ass for hesitating to believe you didn’t do this. JUST CALL HIM!”
“ALL RIGHT!” King matched Dbie’s intensity. “Jesus. You are a pest.”
“Squeaky wheel gets the oil, my dad always said. Now call him.”
“Keep an eye on Smith.” King ended the call.
“That got animated,” Lawson said. “What now?”
King shook his head and opened the phone. Dbie had already texted him the number he needed to get the President on the phone. “I guess I’m calling the President.”
“Oh, you roll like that?” Lawson said.
“Guess so. I’m going to put it on speaker. If there’s anything I forget that he may need to know, help me out.”
Lawson nodded. “You got it.”
King dialed the number. He had no idea what President Gibbons knew about the situation, but he didn’t have time to get into specifics. As he had learned over the last year, he and Gibbons spoke the same language, so Gibbons would understand the need for brevity.
“Candace Mitchell,” a woman answered.
King recognized the name. She was the President’s chief of staff.
“Hi Candace. It’s Alexander King. Can I speak to the President, please?”
“Alexander King? As in the traitor on the news?”
Lawson made an “oof” face, as if that one hurt. King rolled his eyes.
“Yeah. That’s the one.”
“I can get you to the CIA Director or the head of the DOJ, but the President isn’t going to take your call. He can’t be associated with you right now. No matter your history with him.”
“That your executive decision you’re making for him?”
“It is. So don’t call back.”
The call ended.
“That went well,” Lawson said.
King dialed Dbie.
“That was quick,” she answered.
“You gave me the chief of staff’s number.”
“Yeah, Beth said it would be the only way to reach the President. He’s in foreign policy meetings until late tonight.”
“Yeah? Well, she denied my call. Hung up on me.”
“Shit. Okay. I heard she’s tough. I’ll have Beth call her. Stay by your phone.”
King ended the call.
“Who is this Beth?” Zhanna said from the backseat.”
“The First Lady. We should be getting a call back real soon.”
King’s phone rang, but it wasn’t the President. It was Sam.
“Hey, Sam, you guys there?”
“When was the last time Dbie looked at the traffic camera pointing in Scott Smith’s direction?”
King didn’t like that question. “Just a minute ago, why?”
“Either a lot has changed in the last minute, or she is watching taped footage, because there are three vehicles parked outside along with a motorcycle where Smith is staying. We just now drove by.”
“Damn it, okay. Give me a minute. The President is calling me. I’ll explain later.”
King ended the call by answering the incoming one. “Hello?”
“Mr. King? It’s Candace Mitchell. I have the President for you.”
King didn’t speak. Candace didn’t sound too happy.
“X? That really you?”
“It is, Mr. President. Good to hear your voice.”
“Don’t do that. It’s Bobby to you. And I bet it’s good to hear any ally’s voice at this point. Look, I know you’re in a tight spot. I don’t need to know what happened, I just need to know how I can help.”
“In short, I need you to talk Director Lucas down. I need him and his people helping me find who’s behind this, not wasting time hunting me and my friends down.”
“Okay. Anything I can give him to help that along?”
“I know who killed the senator’s daughter.”
“He the man in the redacted files?” President Gibbons said.
“Yes. We know where he is and we are about to ruin his night.”
“Sounds like you’re doing okay to me. Won’t that solve all your problems?”
“It would if I thought Scott Smith was the one who was trying to frame me. Or should I say the only one. But he’s not. He doesn’t have the FBI connections to be able to pull off something that happened to Sam at the airport.”
“Okay, then what can I give Lucas to help you?”
“I need to know why Scott Smith would want Senator McKinley to suffer the loss of a daughter. And I need him to try to find out what someone with FBI connections and Scott Smith have to do with each other. If the two are even connected.”
“Well, I don’t know if it has anything to do with this Scott Smith, but Senator McKinley himself has FBI connections. He’s the chairman of the FBI Oversight Committee.”
King’s head was starting to ache. “Okay. Well, since it was his daughter who was killed, I doubt that has anything to do with me or Sam’s incident at the airport, but I also know from experience never to rule anything out. All right. If you can, just get Lucas to hone in on why Scott Smith could hate Senator McKinley, who could have pulled the FBI stunt at Dulles airport, and if any of those things have any connections down the line to Raúl Ortega.”
“I can do that,” the President said. “But don’t you want me to see who, if any of them, has ties to you? You did have a truckload of dope at your horse farm in Kentucky.”
“I think finding that out will have to be on me while I’m down here with Ortega. But it never hurts to ask.”
“Speaking of asking, next time, X, call me first. I know you have the country’s best interests at heart. Your call is never a bother. I wouldn’t be here without you.”
“I’d say the same about you,” King said. “But I’m pretty resilient.”
They two of them had a short laugh. Then Dbie’s number came up on his phone as an incoming call.
“I have to go, Bobby. Thanks for the help.”
“Give ’em hell.”
King switched over to Dbie’s call.
“Xander! Something’s happened to Sam! I think they’re—I don’t know—you have to get to them!”
King’s stomach dropped.
“Dbie, calm and tell me what happened.”
“I don’t know what happened! I was telling her that I didn’t see the cars in the driveway on my end, just the motorcycle, and then I heard this loud noise. Then—nothing!”
“We’re right around the corner!”
King ended the call. “Toss me one of the ARs,” he told Jack. “Everyone grab a gun and a backup. Smith tapped the traffic camera with the view of where he’s staying. He put a video on loop. Sam said there were a couple of cars there. They were just in an accident or something.”
Lawson turned right in the direction of their destination. They were coming from the back side, and it didn’t take long to see what Dbie had heard. About a block away, there was an overturned car just off the left side of the road.
“There!” King pointed.
Lawson floored it, and the van wobbled as it turned out on the main road. As they moved closer, King could see tiny sparks in between some headlights about a hundred feet from the car that was turned on its side. Sam and Kyle were taking fire.
“Slam them, Lawson! Zhanna, you and Jack cover me while I get Sam and Kyle!”
Lawson pressed the pedal down as they approached two cars in the middle of the road. The glass splintered in the middle of the van’s windshield as the bullets were turned on them. King ducked and moved to the driver-side backseat. Zhanna was in the seat across from him, her window already rolled down with her gun out the window.
Then the van made impact. The crash threw King into the floor, but his hand
was on the handle by the time Zhanna began shooting beside him, and he was out the door. Gunfire echoed through the air. King didn’t look back; he knew the three of them in the van were capable. Only a few steps toward the overturned car and King could see Sam holding her gun on him as she took cover.
“It’s me!” King shouted. “We gotta go!”
As the words left his mouth, he noticed two sets of headlights coming toward him on the road. And they were coming fast. Scott Smith or Raúl Ortega—whoever was in charge—had already called for reinforcements.
The mission had just turned from assassination to all-out war.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The two vehicles speeding King’s way came to a screeching stop about twenty-five yards in front of him. That was when Kyle popped up, and for the first time in over two years, King locked eyes with his best friend. The circumstances for a reunion could not have been worse, so King had to focus on keeping Kyle and Sam alive so he and Kyle could get a redo when all of this was done.
“Get to the van! I’ll cover you!”
Sam and Kyle ran past him as gunmen exited their vehicles. King had an AR pistol with a thirty-round magazine in his hands. He brought the Trijicon red dot optic up to his eye and pulled the trigger over and over again to lay down suppressive fire. He moved back and forth between targets to ensure all the gunmen had to take cover behind their doors. Then he heard his friends return the favor of cover fire from the van, so he turned to join them.
He watched as Lawson waved him forward from the driver’s seat. King ran for the open side door and dove through onto the floorboard, sliding in beside the two captain’s chairs that made up the second row. Kyle slammed the door shut, and Lawson hit the gas pedal. The van slid sideways off the road; then Lawson corrected it and sped away from the two vehicles King had just held at bay.
“Xander, we still have the plane at the airport,” Sam said. “Let’s get the hell out of this war zone and regroup when we can put things back to our advantage.”
King wasn’t expecting that. At no point when Sam had mentioned they were coming via private jet did he ever think of using the plane to escape.
Alexander King Thriller Series: Books 1-3 Page 59
