by Mary Alford
As the patrol cars grew closer, the driver of the car must have realized they were outnumbered. He shoved the car in Drive and burned rubber as he flew from the parking lot.
Kyle leaped from behind the cover of the SUV and aimed at the retreating car. He couldn’t let them get away. He’d gotten a good look at the driver and was almost positive it was Alhasan here in the United States. Everything he believed he knew about the terrorist had been turned on its ear. Nothing made sense.
The back window exploded and he could make out at least one man other than the driver as they whipped into traffic and sped through a red light, barely missing an oncoming car. Kyle mentally took down the license plate number, although he doubted it would help. The car was probably stolen.
With his pulse in panic mode, he hurried back to Ella. She’d risen from her hiding place and knelt next to the first man, securing his weapon. It was something he’d seen Lena do countless times as part of her training. Kyle felt for a pulse. It was weak and thready. He was fading quickly.
Kyle was reminded again how at times her behavior mirrored Lena’s, but he wouldn’t accept the possibility. He’d grieved for his wife for almost seven endless years. He’d been stuck in neutral, unable to move forward, still weighed down by the crushing loss.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a hard-edged tone invoked by his tormented memories. She slowly nodded. He checked the second man’s pulse to be sure. There wasn’t one.
He counted five patrol vehicles coming in hot as they surrounded them. The officers inside jumped from their cars with guns drawn.
“Drop your weapons now,” one of them, who was dressed in a police chief’s uniform, ordered.
Kyle immediately did as the chief requested. “Do what he says, Ella. They don’t know what’s happened here yet.”
She tossed the weapon as far away from the injured man as possible.
Tracy and the pastor rushed down the steps to where Kyle and Ella stood.
“James, stay back,” the chief warned.
The pastor didn’t listen. “Henry, this man is the CIA agent I told you about. The woman is Ella Weiss, the former pastor’s daughter. They didn’t do anything wrong. Those men attacked them.”
The chief sized Kyle and Ella up a second longer before he said, “Show me your ID.”
Kyle slowly reached inside his pocket and produced the required identification and tossed it to the chief.
After careful scrutiny, the chief motioned to his men, who immediately lowered their weapons.
“Call for a bus,” the chief ordered. “Looks like we have one severely injured and one dead.” He then spoke to Kyle. “You want to tell me what’s going on here, Agent Jennings?”
Kyle debated how much confidential information he should give away. Especially since Alhasan had proven he was more than capable of recruiting followers from all walks of life, even those sworn to protect, like his own team members who had betrayed them before. Abby had been a former Scorpion and she’d been persuaded to work for Alhasan.
Still, Kyle had a feeling he would need the chief’s help to protect Ella. In his mind there was no choice.
He took the chief aside, out of Ella’s hearing, to update the man briefly on what had taken place in Ella’s past, with her being held captive and not remembering anything. He then gave him the car’s description and the license plate number.
The chief motioned to one of his men. “Rick, get an APB out on the car, and you and your partner see if you can locate these guys. Take another patrol car with you. We don’t want dangerous criminals running loose in our town.”
“Yes, sir.” The young officer hurried to fulfill the chief’s command.
Kyle glanced at Ella. She looked as if she’d suffered a terrible shock and he had a feeling it was due to more than the firefight they’d just survived.
“Do you have a good description of this Alhasan person?” the chief asked Kyle.
“I do. I have a photo. I’ll send it to your phone.” The chief gave him the number and Kyle pulled up the photo of Alhasan.
Once the text went through, the chief said, “I’ll get this out to all the local law enforcement agencies. If he shows his face anywhere around these parts, we’ll nab him.”
Kyle lowered his head to hide his misgivings. As much as he wished he could be as confident as the chief, he wasn’t. “Alhasan is crafty. The CIA didn’t nickname him the Fox without reason. He’s managed to stay elusive for years. The fact that he’s in the US is disturbing. Something is in play here that we don’t fully understand yet. I appreciate your assistance on this, though. If we’re done, I’d like to get Ella out of here. After what happened, this church is a little too public, and until we have Alhasan in custody and know the magnitude of what he has planned, he could have men watching us even now, waiting to strike again.”
The chief nodded. “I think we’re done. Might be a good idea to have a police escort out of here, though, just to make sure you’re not followed.”
While the chief was only trying to help, having a police escort out of town would be like a flashing neon sign calling attention to themselves unnecessarily. “Thanks for the offer, but I think we’re better off on our own. I’m calling in my team for backup. If anything hinky comes up in the meantime, I’ll let you know.”
“If you’re heading out of town, the best route is Highway 7. There’s less traffic.”
Kyle did a quick check on his phone’s GPS. The route was a little out of the way, but he could make it work. “That’s fine.”
“The offer stands if you need it. I’ll call you when we have anything,” the chief said.
The EMTs arrived and the chief walked over to speak with them.
Kyle went back to Ella’s side. He considered how they were going to find another vehicle without raising suspicions.
“You can use my car,” Tracy offered and held the key out to Kyle. “I have a spare at my house. It would be no trouble at all. I’d like to help Ella in any way I can,” she added when Kyle hesitated. Tracy seemed innocent enough, and yet he knew better than to let his guard down for a minute.
“That’s awfully kind of you, Tracy,” he began, only to be interrupted by her.
“Agent Jennings, Ella’s parents were good friends and I’m so happy to have her back home where she belongs. Her parents would have wanted me to help,” she said with a watery smile.
He glanced at Ella and then asked, “Are you sure we’re not inconveniencing you? You’ve been more than generous already.”
Tracy shook her head. “No, not at all. It’s the white one over there.”
Kyle took the key and smiled gratefully. “Thanks for this.”
Tracy nodded with tears in her eyes then stepped close to Ella and hugged her tight once more. “It’s going to be okay. I promise you, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to in time. If you do your part.”
Ella jerked away as if the woman had struck her. She stared at Tracy as if searching for some hidden meaning behind her words. He couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for her to trust anyone, himself included. He knew she didn’t like being touched. The scars on her body were evidence of horrible things she’d endured.
“Ready?” he asked, but she didn’t answer. Together they walked in silence to the compact car close by.
Kyle wasn’t about to let Ella out of sight. She was their only lead to Alhasan and his organization. While she didn’t remember anything useful now, at some point she might be able to provide them with valuable information that would lead to his capture.
They drove through the light evening traffic until they reached the outskirts of town. It was up to him to keep her safe, and his hands tightened on the wheel. He hated working blindfolded without knowing what he was up against. The enemy could be anywhere, including... Kyle glanced El
la’s way.
No, it couldn’t be. Ella was the victim here, surely. She’d suffered so much. Her injuries weren’t faked.
What about Stockholm syndrome?
It would certainly fit. Ella had been tortured and no doubt brainwashed enough to be a victim of Stockholm syndrome.
He shoved his doubts aside and did a quick check on the GPS to verify the correct turn was up ahead. The road was gravel and full of potholes and it seemed as if the weather had decided to play its part, as well. The snow came down harder now and he was no closer to having the answers he needed to protect Ella and hopefully save Sam and his team from certain death.
Kyle couldn’t have felt more discouraged. As much as he wanted to trust her fully, he couldn’t. Not until he was certain where her allegiance stood.
He tried one more time to get through to her. “Ella, after what happened back there, you have to see they’re coming after you full force. I need you to talk to me. I don’t know what your reasons are for hesitating, but I want to try and understand. Help me, Ella. Help me save your life.”
She stared straight ahead without answering and Kyle could no longer hide his frustration. He went for broke. “He’ll keep coming. He won’t stop until you’re dead. Whoever you think you’re protecting, it won’t work.”
She flinched and he realized he’d struck a nerve. “He’s using them to gain your cooperation. Even if you do what he wants, he’ll kill them and you. You can’t trust him to keep his word.” He stopped and added gently, “I know it’s hard to tell the difference between the good guys and bad anymore, but I promise I’m one of the good guys. Tell me what he wants you to do, Ella. Who’s the target?”
Her face crumpled at those words and tears she’d held back for so long flooded her eyes. “You are,” she whispered through trembling lips. “You’re the target, Kyle.”
FOUR
Disbelief shot through his body like a bullet. Kyle wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly until he saw the anguish on her face. Nothing had prepared him for this. It felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under him and he struggled to wrap his head around what she’d said. He was the target? His first instinct was to say it was impossible, but a far more disturbing thought kept him quiet.
She’d drawn her weapon on him in the desert, her intentions unclear. She hadn’t been honest with him from the beginning...and she’d been highly trained by someone. All things seemingly confirming his worst suspicions that Ella might be an enemy agent. He’d just never thought she was out for his blood.
She was clearly protecting someone close to her, which made her desperate, and desperate people could be talked into doing things they normally wouldn’t consider.
Kyle forced his attention back to the road. “I think you’d better explain,” he managed while trying to hold a steady tone.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw her run the heels of her hands over her eyes, but the tears wouldn’t stop. It was as if a dam had broken somewhere down deep and her story of pain was finally unfolding.
“He told me he’d kept me alive for a reason,” she said without emotion. “I had a job to do. As long as I did my part he’d...let me live.” She’d hesitated just long enough for him to realize she wasn’t telling the whole truth—and that was a huge problem. Sam and his team’s chances of survival were slim at best, and Kyle was desperate to know why Alhasan was here in the United States.
“But I think it was all a lie,” she continued.
Kyle swallowed his regret at what he had to do. She needed him to be strong, not to interrogate her. But he needed answers.
“It’s okay, I know it’s hard,” he said. “What do you mean it was all a lie?”
The wariness in her eyes confirmed she still didn’t fully trust him not to hurt her, and that was a bitter pill to swallow. He’d done all he could to convince her he was worthy. The rest was up to her.
“What does he want you to do, Ella?” he prompted.
She shifted in her seat so that she could look at him. “He wants me to integrate myself in with...you and then kill you.”
Kyle couldn’t make sense of it. Why did Alhasan want him dead so badly? Uneasiness rippled through him. “Why me specifically?” he asked and watched her shut down a little more. He was still working with half the puzzle.
“He just said you were part of the Scorpions and you needed to die.” She stared straight ahead, her tone cool.
She knew about the Scorpion team. That would explain how she had his name. Seemed to recognize him.
“He told you about the Scorpions? What did he say?” Foolish question, but he wanted to hear what she knew.
“Just that they were CIA and had been in the way for a while.” Still staring ahead, she fed him more half-truths. There was no way Alhasan would risk exposing his entire operation just to get back at Kyle. There was more to the story.
While his thoughts double-timed with possibilities, he realized he need to get word to his comrade Jase Bradford as soon as possible and tell him what he’d learned.
He glanced briefly at the woman by his side. He’d need to make the call without Ella listening in. As much as he wanted to trust her, with her still keeping secrets, he couldn’t. Taking unnecessary risks wasn’t an option.
“Is this the same man who took you?” he asked Ella.
Startled, she nodded. “Yes...at least I think he’s the one who took me. He claims to be, but it’s been so long and I was badly injured when I first arrived at the prison. I almost died. I’ve lost time. Memories. I’m not even sure I’m the person he told me I was.”
That admission jerked his concentration to her once more. She wasn’t sure she was Ella. He stuffed down the promise those words carried and asked, “What did he tell you about your past?”
“Just what you and I both know. That my name is Ella Weiss and that I was a missionary before I was captured...” Her wobbly voice trailed off. Emotionally shaken, it was a moment before she could go on. “He told me he killed the rest of my team and that he’d kept me alive for a purpose. But what if he lied about everything, Kyle? What if I’m not Ella Weiss at all? What if I’m really a killer?”
Her admission hit a little too close to his line of thinking for comfort.
“Don’t let him get in your head,” Kyle told her. He couldn’t imagine the things Alhasan would have said to convince her to do his bidding. He’d tried to break her physically and emotionally. He hadn’t succeeded. The real woman was still in there, buried beneath years of pain.
Kyle glanced in the rearview mirror and spotted a car coming up quickly. He’d only seen their tire tracks behind him. No one else had been on the road recently and the car seemed to have come out of nowhere.
His fingers tensed on the wheel. Immediately, Ella picked up on his tension and glanced behind them.
“Do you think it’s him?” Fear was laced through her tone.
As much as he would like to reassure her, he couldn’t. “I don’t know. Get down low so he doesn’t see you. The sooner we get off this road and out of sight the better.”
Still, Kyle couldn’t afford to lead them to the lake house if they were being followed. He slowed so he could get a better view of the approaching vehicle. Nothing about it stood out as threatening, except the driver was going much too fast for the pitted road. As the car drew closer, Kyle noticed the man behind the wheel appeared to be the only one in the car.
The man honked several times in irritation at Kyle’s slower speed, then roared into the oncoming lane and passed them, missing their car by inches. Kyle swerved toward the shoulder to prevent being sideswiped.
As the car sped by, he got a quick glimpse at the driver. His CIA training worked to his advantage, and through the dark and snowy conditions Kyle was able to see that the man appeared light-headed, and possibly mid-to la
te thirties. Nothing about him or the car sent any alarms up beyond the man’s reckless driving.
“It’s probably nothing more than an innocent traveler annoyed with our slow speed.” His hopes at reassuring Ella failed miserably. As she sat up in the seat and turned toward him, he saw she was as white as a sheet.
When the car was completely out of sight, Kyle eased onto the gravel road that would take them to the lake house.
“We’re almost there. That man may not be a threat, but we have no idea how many people Alhasan has working for him in the area.”
She sucked in a breath. “How did you know his name?” She stared at him with the same distrust he’d seen in the desert.
He had to find a way to gain her trust. “My team has been watching him for years,” he told her. “He’s done some terrible things, Ella. He’s taken lives. Hurt a lot of people. He has to be stopped.” She shivered visibly at his ominous tone and suddenly stared at him as if she’d remembered something important.
“What is it?” he asked and prayed she would believe in him enough to confide.
“Nothing.” She shook her head and turned away and he felt as if he’d lost a huge battle. What was it going to take to get her to have faith in him?
“Ella, you can trust me. I will protect you. I’ll call in the rest of the team. They can be here by morning. We can take you someplace safe and out of Alhasan’s reach.”
She whirled on him with fresh terror in her eyes. “No. I don’t want you to call them. You can’t do that, Kyle.”
He didn’t understand her reluctance to have him bring in the team. “We can keep you safe—”
“I said no.” She didn’t let him finish. Yet it was his reaction that was most alarming. He didn’t want her to walk away. “Why? Tell me that at least,” he asked, trying to understand her reluctance.
