by Cara Carnes
“Bitch! Tell me!” The man thundered the orders into the phone.
“All I know is the funds were transferred to a Dark Web account. Let me see if I can trace the setup origin. So many people forget to bury their footprints when they set these up.” The woman muttered into the phone.
Kristof gritted his teeth. The woman was either certifiable crazy or brilliant.
“Okay, whoever set this account up is in Texas. I think.”
“Texas?”
“Yeah. A state in the United States?” The woman’s voice rose. “You know where that is, yes?”
The man threw the phone across the room. “Fuck!”
So much for the fake Russian accent. Kristof suppressed his amusement.
“Come,” the man ordered. He paused at the door. “We will be back in one hour with the interrogator. You’d better remember more about where those missiles were going.”
The door slammed shut. Fatima scrambled from the corner and vaulted toward him. Her chains rattled as she leaned forward. The ear com was in her hand. Pain spread through Kristof, but he forced himself as far forward as he could until their fingers grazed.
He took the com and put it into his ear. “I hope to hell that worked.”
“It did. We know where you are now,” Edge said. “But our nearest team is more than an hour away. We have a chopper inbound, but it’s also at least an hour away.”
Another interrogation. “I understand. I’ll keep their attention on me.”
“She’ll handle herself once she’s awake,” Edge said. “Don’t try and be a hero. Stay alive. We’ll be there.”
12
Addy sat up and grumbled. Stripped to her underwear. Great. She noted the chains and manacles locking her wrists and ankles to one another but was thankful that at least her ankles weren’t buckled to her wrists. Another thicker restraint coiled around her neck. All were mounted to the wall behind her, but she had more chain length than was smart.
Either they were lazy shits, had been in a hurry, or didn’t deem her much of a threat.
“She just woke.”
Her gaze tracked to Kristof’s voice. Shock rolled through her. Blood oozed from cuts along his torso and a busted lip. How long had she been out? Why had he woken so much sooner?
Fatima did an awkward elbow and knee crawl toward her. When she was almost there, she paused. “I have the ear thingy.”
When the hell had she gotten the com from Addy’s ear? And why?
“I had her hide it,” Kristof said. “Hurry. We’re low on time.”
Right. The Arsenal was likely tracking her location, especially if the com was still active. She’d add zero value to any conversation with Operations right now, though. She turned to face the wall and braced her bare feet on the stone wall.
“Addison,” Kristof said.
Dammit. She glared across the dank cell. “Don’t call me that.”
“We’re way past formalities here,” he said. He took a deep breath. Pain flashed across his face. “You need to talk to Edge. Now.”
“Fine. Bring it to me, but I don’t have anything of value to share right now. I need to focus on these damned chains.” The chain links were old, which meant they’d likely been there since God only knew when. Fuck. Logan was going to make her take a damn tetanus shot.
Breaking chains was highly doubtful. She picked up a large loose cinder block beside her and slammed it against the ringlet in the wall securing the chains. Metal, even rusted, might not break, but the eyelet very well might since the stone around it was older than hell.
“Mine are new,” Kristof said. “Are you okay? You didn’t wake as fast as us.”
Cause she’d stupidly breathed too deep way too late. Fatima ended her crawling trek and held out the ear com. Frustrated and more than a bit pissed that she’d been captured, Addy shoved it into her ear and then continued to tug on the chains mounted to the wall. Rusted metal versus crumbling stone versus one pissed off Addy. She was going to win. “I’m fine. Just a little pissed off right now. Give me a minute to assess my situation.”
“You assess. I’ll talk,” Edge said. “An interrogator is coming in fifty minutes to find out where the missiles are. They started in on Kristof for the money.”
Addy froze and swept her gaze back to Kristof. Damn. The last thing he needed was more injuries. Had he been injured beyond the surface level abrasions she saw? Worry halted her assessment a moment.
Head in the game, Rugers.
“He did well, better than I could’ve expected.”
“He was trained by the same people I was,” Addy said. “Though, I’d bet it’s been a few years since any of what he learned was used.” Not that a person tended to forget hells like what they’d endured during their “practice sessions.”
“You’d be surprised,” Kristof said from across the room.
Damn. Contemplating what he meant by that wasn’t an option. She needed to get them out of this situation. The last thing she needed to do was think about who would’ve imprisoned or tortured Kristof.
She wouldn’t let him get hurt more than he already had.
“He convinced them to contact a fake third-party financial broker for the transaction. He used Zoey’s old Dark Web email address and convinced them to provide a phone number for the broker to call them back.”
“And they did?” Talk about idiots.
“Not the sharpest tools in the shed,” Mary said.
“Either that or they were very desperate,” Jesse said. “How are you holding up, Red? We’ve got a lot of really worried and pissed off operatives out there looking for you.”
“I’m fine. Don’t…” She forced a breath. “Don’t patch me into them until we have an exfil strategy. They…they don’t need to hear what happens if the interrogator gets here before they do.”
“We’re forty-eight minutes away. So is he. The chopper is just over an hour out,” Mary said. “You were on the farthest edge of our search parameters.”
“Couldn’t have been farther away if you tried,” Jesse said.
“Which means we need to exfil ourselves and hole up somewhere until the cavalry comes,” she said. Or go through another interrogation with an expert interrogator.
“That’s the plan. Your chains are rusted?”
“Yeah and the wall is crumbling stone masonry,” Addy said.
She slammed the cinder block onto the ring once against. Stone around it crumbled. Just a few more hits. Pain ran through her shoulders and along her arms.
Addy set her makeshift weapon down and focused on breathing. Sweat dampened her brow. “It’ll give. Eventually. How many targets are on-site?”
“I’ve only seen three so far, but one mentioned others coming with the interrogator,” Kristof said.
Great. Just what they needed. More Mandrake assholes to kill.
“Is this Mandrake? That’s what I am suspecting,” Addy asked.
“That’s our assumption as well. We’re using the info we gathered thanks to Kristof’s move earlier. HERA should churn out some more soon.”
Addy picked up the block. She had to get loose from the damn wall. She couldn’t do anything about the manacles locking her wrists together or her ankles, but she could damn sure get away from the wall.
She glanced over at the cart near Kristof. “Any chance one of you can reach that thing?”
“I tried and can’t,” Fatima said.
“I couldn’t earlier, but it’s closer now.” Kristof winced as he tugged his way toward the cart.
“Don’t hurt yourself trying. I can’t carry your ass out of here and deal with her too.” Addy glared at Fatima. “You in on this?”
“No.” The woman crawled toward Addy again. “Let me help pull.”
“You pull as hard as you can while I hit,” Addy ordered. Fatima nodded.
Her muscles ached from the hard strikes of the block against the metal, but the bits of wall around the ring continued to crumble away until her target loos
ened. She wrapped her hands around the chains below where Fatima gripped them. Together they tugged. Paused, then tugged again.
Fatima grunted as they both tumbled backward when the ring was freed. Sweat dampened her skin when she collapsed against the cold floor.
“I’m loose,” Addy said into the com. Truth told, she hadn’t expected that Hail Mary to work, but she wasn’t about to kick back and relax while waiting to be tortured.
“Now what?” Fatima asked. “If I get free too, we can work on Kristof’s.”
“There’s not enough time.” Addy sat up and eyed the heavy chains as she stood. Their weight pulled against her neck and arms and legs. The latter would be useless in a hand-to-hand combat situation.
If the three guards entered with the interrogator, she’d have to take out four combatants, likely all of them armed. They weren’t good odds, but she’d done it before. But there wouldn’t be just four targets. Every contracted interrogator she’d ever worked with always had at least one personal guard. So, five. Maybe more.
Damn.
As if reading her thoughts, Mary spoke. “I know you’re one of our best hand-to-hand combat operatives, but it’s not worth the risk. We’ll be there. Stall them.”
Addy’s gaze cut to Kristof. She could take an interrogation, but they wouldn’t be focused on her unless she gave them reason to be. A new plan formed in her mind. “Okay. You’re right.”
“I don’t like that tone,” Jesse said.
“If this goes sideways, make sure my team isn’t the first in,” Addy said.
“Addy,” Mary warned.
“Promise me, Edge.” She used her friend’s operative name as a reminder that she was a handler right now, not a friend. She had to do what was best for the teams, not just one person.
“We’ll get there.”
Yeah, they would. Addy just hoped she was still breathing when that happened.
“Help get me loose. I’ll fight with you,” Fatima said.
“She’s all we’ll need,” Kristof said. Amusement filled his voice and drew Addy’s attention to him. He grinned. “I actually laughed when I came to and saw those old chains. Their length. Their first mistake was underestimating you.”
“No.” She got to her knees. “Their first mistake was taking us.”
Addy looked down at the frightened woman. Sweat beaded along her face. “Can you fight?”
“Well, no. I never have to. That’s what the hounds are for.”
“Hounds?”
“Guard dogs. She rarely goes anywhere without them and at least six heavily trained men,” Kristof said. “They’re the fires of hell.”
“Right.” Addy headed toward Kristof. The chains rattled and scraped against the floor as they dragged behind her.
They’d make decent weapons if she couldn’t find anything else. The only problem was the fact her ankles were shackled together. She crouched in front of Kristof, whose gaze swept down her bra and panty-clad body.
“Green lace suits you,” he said.
“Only you’d take the opportunity to check me out right now.”
“I always take any chance I can get.” Kristof winced and shifted. “Fatima kept the com safe. Edge said to have her hide it.”
That sounded like Mary. Always ten steps ahead. “They’re after the missiles?”
“And the money Hummingbird apparently stole back, along with everything else in their bank account. They aren’t very happy.” Kristof winced as he shifted again. “They got the money back thanks to Zoey.”
“Zoey’s on the com?” Why hadn’t Addy heard her?
“She’s shredding through everything her worm is pulling in from that last transaction she just did,” Mary said. “Jesse and I are point on your exfil.”
Because they could handle shit going sideways—as it likely would. There was a strong chance Addy wouldn’t figure a way out before the interrogator arrived, which meant she and Kristof and Fatima would have to endure enhanced interrogation until The Arsenal team arrived.
“So, this is Yesim’s crew?” Addy asked. “I thought it was Mandrake.”
“No. Fake Russian accents,” Kristof said. “Too trained for Yesim.”
“And the fake accents leave your dad out too.”
“Probably.”
“But why would Mandrake be after money we sent to Yesim’s crew?” Addy asked.
“That’s one of about a hundred questions we need answered,” Jesse said. “The man leading Kristof’s first round of questioning reacted very strongly when he found out the security team hired to protect the missiles had an account originating from Texas.”
The Arsenal was the only high-end crew in Texas and only those in the private paramilitary arena would know that.
Definitely Mandrake then. No one else was ballsy enough to take on The Arsenal. Son of a bitch. They were cockroaches who refused to die or scurry back wherever the hell they came from. Addy continued assessing Kristof’s injuries.
“I’m fine. Nothing that can’t wait. Get with Edge and get a plan.”
Addy paced the small area, acclimating herself to moving with limited motility along the ankles. The links restricted movement, but not entirely. She studied the ceilings, the corners, and the door.
“I know you want your team protected from what might happen, but they need to know you’re okay,” Jesse said, his voice a low whisper filled with concern.
No.
Empathy.
He’d been her. For six months he’d endured a violent hell few would’ve survived.
“Give them the calm they need and refuel them to get there as soon as they can,” he said.
“Okay.” Addy sat on the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. “Let me know when they’re patched in.”
“We can hear you,” Beast said. “You okay, Red?”
“I’ve been better,” she admitted. “I’m glad I chose the lacy underwear, though, since they stripped us of everything else. Apparently green is my color. Remind me to stock up on more when we get home.”
Humor offered a bit of levity to the conversation—or so she hoped. When you’d been in as many rough situations as she and her team had been, you learn to deal however you can.
“Your team’s fifty-eight minutes out from the cellphone’s location. There are no paths or roads to expedite entry from what we’ve found,” Jesse said. “It’s thick woods and you’re in an underground bunker from what we can figure out.”
So almost impossible to find even with the tracker buried in her arm. If Kristof hadn’t worked in a cellphone call over the money to triangulate a better location…
Focus on what is workable. Find a solution.
“I got loose from the wall. My chains are older than Lavrov’s are. We won’t be able to get him loose without a key. They’re coming back in an hour, which was probably ten minutes ago. I don’t think that conversation round will go well.”
“Fuck,” Beast said.
“I’ve got this. You know I do. We’ll hold out until you all get here.”
“We’ll get there, Red,” Shep said.
“Kristof thinks only three are on-site right now, but more are coming. Run this by the numbers. Don’t take shortcuts trying to get to me. Establishing a perimeter and clearing the bunker takes priority.”
“Fuck priority,” Thunder growled. “The other teams can handle that while we get to you.”
“The missiles?” She stood and rescanned the cell.
“Secure for now,” Edge said.
“You aren’t alone, Red. We’ll find you,” Beast promised.
“I know you will. You always do.” Addy pulled out the com and handed it back to Fatima.
She studied the woman’s chains and realized they were in the same shoddy condition as hers had been, and they were equally long. A plan formed in her mind. “I have an idea, but it’s a risky one. If you help, it might not end well for either of us.”
“Doing nothing will end worse.” Determination glinted in the
woman’s narrowed gaze. “What is it?”
Addy chuckled. This had to work. She had no doubt her team would find her, but they couldn’t afford to wait. There was no telling what the next visit would entail.
Addy’s pulse quickened when the door creaked open. She remained curled as she’d been before. Fatima was crouched against the wall.
Most of her fighting power came from her legs, but they were almost useless since they were still manacled together at the ankles. But almost was good enough since she had the element of surprise on her side.
She hoped.
They entered with two in the front, one in the back. A fourth entrant followed carrying a large duffel bag.
The interrogator.
A short, slight figure entered behind the man. Though the person was shrouded in all black and wore a ski mask, the curves along her body were distinctive. A woman? Surprise stilled Addy’s breathing.
Interesting.
And unexpected.
“I was not told there were three,” the interrogator said.
“The other two are useless.”
“Hardly. They’re incentive,” the man replied. His gaze swept to Addy.
She opened her eyes and glared up at him as he drew to halt near her. She spat on his shoes. “You’re wasting your time. I won’t tell you anything.”
“Interesting,” he replied. “That means you have something worth knowing. Who is she?” His gaze returned to the three men fanned out around Kristof.
“His guard,” one of them answered. “Iriana Duprinksy. She fought in the underground for a couple of weeks, but she’s a woman. Weak. She knows nothing.”
“Did you interrogate her?”
“No.” The second man approached. “We were told to focus on Lavrov.”
The interrogator shook his head and set his duffel bag down. Eyes blacker than death peered at Addy. “Amateur hour is at an end. Tell me what you know, and I’ll kill you quickly.”
“Go to hell.” Addy sat up, keeping her body against the wall to hide the loose ring.
