Traitor Games

by Sidney Bristol

  “We don’t have a lot of time,” Mr. Grant said.

  “Where will that put us?” Noah asked.

  “If all goes well, you’ll be in a storage room just off the hall where they’re conducting the hearing. Two-nineteen. This afternoon is the closed-door session. It’s your only window to avoid media coverage.”

  Noah moved first, opening the box like a book on wheels. “I’ve been in tighter spots. Come on, Lily.”

  She watched him fold himself so that he sat on one half of the case.

  Now it was her turn.

  She took Noah’s hand and mirrored his pose, facing the opposite direction.

  Tight fit indeed.

  Grant grabbed the handles and looked down at her. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  He pulled the case shut, squeezing her and Noah together and cutting out all the light. In the darkness a hand grasped her calf.

  Gravity shifted for her as the case began to roll. They were on their way. There was no turning back now.

  “Something you wanted to say earlier?” he said in a soft whisper.

  “Should we be talking?” And her nerves were getting the best of her.

  “Probably not. When has that stopped me?”

  She could picture him smiling.

  His thumb rubbed a circle against her calf.

  If not now, when?

  “Okay.” She sucked down a breath and reached for his hand. “Not the way I pictured saying this but if we die, or worse, the one thing I’d regret would be not telling you…thank you.”

  Inwardly she groaned.

  Thank you? That was not what she wanted to say.

  “Best decision of my life. It led me here, trapped in a box with you.” He twisted his hand around to link their fingers. “Truth is?”

  “I love you,” Lillian blurted, her voice more of a squeak than a whisper.

  Noah’s hand stilled.

  Silence met her statement.

  The bump and drone of the wheels was loud enough it drowned out Lillian’s heart racing.

  “You had to be first, didn’t you?” Noah sighed and pulled her hand until she leaned forward. “I love you, too, Lily. And that’s what scares me. It’s what’s always scared me.”

  Fingers brushed her face then her lips.

  She wished she could see him right now, that she’d had the luxury of falling for this man in her own time and way. But life had thrown them together and it could just as easily rip them apart.

  …

  Monday. Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.

  Noah held tight to Lillian’s hand. He should be listening, thinking through their next steps, but the only thing in his head were her sweet words.

  I love you.

  If she’d said that last night he wouldn’t have gone on this crazy mission. The chances of them getting out of here were slim. More than likely, they’d be at a CIA black site before night set in.

  Now he had everything to lose.

  The silence drew on. It was warm and stuffy in the box. Soon they’d have to get out or risk running out of enough oxygen for both of them.

  There was supposed to be some signal that they should begin. That it was time.

  “Noah?” Lillian whispered.

  A clock began to chime somewhere nearby.

  He didn’t know what time it was, but their window was closing.

  Noah reached up and fiddled with the interior latch. Then the floor gave way. Or more accurately, it rolled apart, dumping Noah and Lillian on the hard floor with its token carpet that might as well be concrete.

  “Ow,” she whispered.

  He shoved to his feet, glancing around the plain beige room illuminated by a single security light. Stacks of chairs lined one wall. Equipment boxes were along another. Some kind of storage room.

  “Here.” He offered Lillian a hand.

  She accepted his help, studying the room with just as much interest. “Where are we?”

  Voices rose in volume just on the other side of an old door.

  Noah looked at Lillian. She turned her head, eyes wide.

  “What time is it?” she whispered.

  “Almost time.”

  The clock finished its chime.

  Somehow they had to pull this off without drawing attention to the closed-door session. While they wanted the government’s attention, they didn’t want to cause an international incident with what they were about to do. The ripple effect was already going to be bad enough.

  Lillian crossed to his side.

  “You ready?” he whispered.

  She nodded. “You have the thumb drive?”

  “Right here.” He patted his pocket.

  She reached out and took his hand.

  They stood in silence, listening to the voices in the hall die down as senators gathered then the Intelligence Committee hearing called to order in the next room. The clock continued to tick.

  Five minutes.

  Ten.

  It was time.

  Noah pulled the door open and peered out.

  The hall wasn’t the main one where media would congregate waiting for news. Kevin or Jesse would be out there, waiting in the wings, should they be needed. The narrow corridor was empty. Metal double doors led outside and would be their primary means of escape. But right now they wanted to get into the hearing room.

  Noah drew both guns. He was the muscle in this equation. It was up to Lillian to get through to a room full of people with agendas that something more important was going on.

  Lillian kept pace with him. They approached the small door leading to the room where Dave Campbell was currently being questioned. Lillian reached out and grabbed the door by the handle then paused.

  “We’ve got this,” he whispered.

  “I know.” Fear and hope mixed with something else in her gaze. Love? “Let’s do this.”

  She opened the door.

  He stepped over the threshold and took the four stairs up to the hearing room floor.

  Their entrance was in truth an exit. The small door opened up into the narrow space just behind the backdrop for the Senate Intelligence Committee. During an open hearing, cameramen would be crowded into every available space. The fifteen members of the committee were arranged in a half circle on leather, swiveling thrones seated at a temporary bench, the front disguised by fabric hanging to the floor.

  Noah took a step forward and saw Dave Campbell seated at a desk, his hands folded in front of him while the gargantuan room stretched behind him empty of press and important attendees. Even the Secret Service was absent.

  At that moment Dave’s gaze skipped to Noah and they locked eyes.

  The old, crafty dog didn’t even twitch.

  “Go,” Lillian whispered.

  Noah stepped out from behind the backdrop, guns up.

  “What? What’s the meaning of this?” one of the men bellowed through the loudspeaker.

  “Don’t move,” Noah barked. “And don’t think about calling security. Anyone opens the doors and you’ll regret it.”

  “He’s right.” Lillian came to stand at his side, one hand on her hip. “So we’re all on the same page, there are six explosive devices in this room. You call anyone and we’ll use them.”

  It was a lie. At least the part about using them. The threat had to be real for someone like Dave to take it seriously.

  The committee chair, a man by the name of Diego Hernández, stood with his hands up. “No one is calling anyone.”

  Noah side-stepped until he could see all fifteen senators. “Senator Hernández, I happen to like you, so do me a favor and sit your ass back down.”

  “Mr. Campbell, join the senators, please.” Lillian advanced on their target, wielding her own weapon.

  “Lillian Matthews and Noah White.” Dave stood, buttoning the top button of his jacket. “Come to kill me just like you killed my predecessor?”

  “Stop talking or I’ll do us all a favor a
nd put a bullet in you now. Or is that what you want?” Lillian stopped a dozen paces away, keeping her distance from the old dog.

  “They’re here to clean house.” Dave projected his voice, speaking over the uneasy mutters from the senators.

  Noah spared the man a glance. “Don’t make me ask you to cooperate, Dave. You won’t like me.”

  “Mr. Campbell?” Hernández said, his voice wavering.

  Dave looked from Noah to Lillian then back to Hernández. Dave didn’t want to comply. Did he know what they were about to do?

  Probably not.

  The guy’s ego had to be massive to attempt to pull this off.

  Dave stalked around the desk and strode over to stand in front of the senators, arms crossed over his chest. “Are we ready for the firing squad now?”

  “Shut up,” Noah snapped. He lowered his voice, speaking for her ears’ alone. “Knock ’em dead.”

  “I realize you’re all wondering what’s going on.” She holstered her weapon at her hip and presented her empty hands to the senators. “We tried to decide how best to approach this situation—”

  “You’ll be hanged for this.” One of the older men on the committee leaned forward, his lips curling in disgust.

  “Shut up,” Noah barked.

  “As I said,” Lillian continued without batting an eyelash, “taking matters into our own hands was the only reliable way to ensure you heard us out. What we’re going to share with you can’t be made public. It puts not only our country at risk, but others, and all because of this man. Dave Campbell.”

  “What are you getting at, miss?” Hernández spread his hands, his focus now transferred to Lillian.

  “I’ll show you.” She walked out of Noah’s line of sight.

  He knew what she was doing. They’d talked this through. A flat-screen TV sat on one side of the room. She’d pivot it to point at the senators before powering it on and plugging the thumb drive in to display on the screen.

  While she did her part, Noah watched the senators, where their hands were, which ones appeared scared or angry. All the while Dave stared at him.

  The old man probably thought Noah was the real risk because of the guns. He more than anyone should know bullets only did so much damage. It was intel that ruled the world now.

  Lillian came to stand just inside Noah’s peripheral vision. Tall. Strong. Beautiful. She was the real threat.

  “Last year I was brought onto a team. A team with one goal in mind.” Lillian’s head shifted just a bit and Noah was willing to bet she stared at Dave. “To uncover the threat imbedded in our own intelligence agencies. A group who call themselves SICA. One letter for each of the founding members. Daphne Salas. Dead. Brent Inwood. Presumed dead. Dave Campbell. Very much alive. And Timothy Astbury. Also dead.”

  That part was completely guesswork based on data Carol had gathered. It sounded damn good when Lillian said it, though. Even Dave’s eyes widened.

  “This group uses our own resources against us, which Dave here has allowed and enabled because he reaps the reward.” Lillian began a slow pace across the room away from Noah.

  “How would I do that?” Dave snorted and dropped his hand.

  “I can show you.” Lillian pivoted toward the screen. “Last night we took possession of one of SICA’s laptops issued to a Hector Martinez. With Hector’s cooperation we were granted this view inside SICA’s network.”

  Noah tuned Lillian’s words out. He knew what she’d say, the pauses she’d make for dramatic effect. It was all rehearsed. The longer this went on, the more dangerous their captives would become. Especially Dave.

  The minutes ticked by.

  One senator after another began asking questions and Noah could begin to see Dave unraveling. It was the way he shifted from foot to foot, the fewer arguments he threw out. The quieter the man got the more certain Noah was that Dave was feeling the noose around his neck.

  Was Dave closer to the senators than he’d been before?

  Noah frowned at the senator just behind Dave, a hot-headed older man with almost no hair and a tendency to scowl. The senator sat back, arms crossed and a sour look curving his mouth.

  “Lily?” Noah’s gut tightened.

  She kept talking, her hands working as she spoke. Those who listened hung on her every word.

  Dave dropped to his knee and reached behind him.

  Noah had a split second to decide what to do.

  Did he shield Lillian?

  Or did he fire at the fifteen people who could stop this madness and hope he hit Dave?

  Noah dove for Lillian, wrapping his arms and body around hers. They crashed to the floor as shots rang out.

  …

  Monday. Outside the Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.

  Irene tapped her hands on the van’s steering wheel. There were too many people milling around, waiting for news or an opportunity for a scoop.

  What would happen if one of those journalists turned their cameras on this van?

  “Relax,” Mitch muttered.

  “Normally that’s my line.” She chuckled. “Should they be done by now?”

  “Who knows?” Mitch reached over and hooked his fingers in hers.

  The hat and scruff really didn’t disguise him. But then again, Irene would know his sweet face anywhere. Every time she looked at him her heart did funny things.

  And here she thought she’d never love again. Not after losing her baby and her husband leaving her. Mitch made her believe in more than just the greater good again.

  When this was over, if they got away, she intended to make up for so much lost time with this man.

  “Look.” Mitch leaned forward and frowned.

  Two black SUVs whipped around a corner of the Hart building and out of sight.

  Irene’s gut clenched. “Something’s happened.”

  “We should go.”

  She knew that was what they’d agreed. If the appointed getaway window closed, everyone went their separate ways. And yet, were they really going to leave this all resting on Noah’s and Lillian’s shoulders?

  Irene glanced at Mitch and found him staring at her.

  “Let’s wait to hear from Jesse or Kevin,” he said.

  Irene squeezed his hand.

  Just then a figure in a blue hoodie darted out from the crowd and knocked on the sliding door of the van. Irene punched the unlock button and they twisted to face Jesse.

  “Someone fired shots in the Hart building. They’re trying to say it was a fuse blowing, but that was gunfire.”

  “Shit,” Irene muttered, her heart pulsing in her throat.

  It really was time to leave, and yet she couldn’t make herself turn the van on.

  …

  Monday. Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.

  Lillian stared down the barrel of her gun at the man who’d orchestrated this hell all while keeping pressure on Noah’s wound while he struggled to keep his arms up. Why had he dove for her like that? Her vest would have taken the hit.

  Dave barely blinked. He was a snake with legs. An imposter.

  Hernández stepped into her line of sight, hands up. “Everyone take a breath.”

  “Get back, Senator. These criminals will face justice.” Dave shifted his weight forward.

  “Don’t you take one step.” Lillian didn’t recognize her voice. So much anger she couldn’t allow herself to feel.

  Noah’s arm wavered. He was tough, but they’d been going for days without rest and now this?

  “All right, enough of this.” He handed her the gun in his left hand and pulled out what looked like a key fob.

  “Noah—”

  “Senators of the Intelligence Committee, you’ve seen enough to make a ruling and determine whether Dave Campbell is indeed the upstanding member of the intel world, or if he’s the cancer we need to cut out.”

  “Or what?” the antagonistic senator who’d armed Dave demanded.

  “Or I press this button.”
Noah elbowed her away and slowly got to his feet.

  Lillian followed. She didn’t like where this was going. “Remember we told you there were bombs?”

  Hernández focused on her. “I thought you wanted to do this democratically?”

  “Senator, we want this done right, but if it has to be done wrong, we’ll do it.” She glanced at Dave. He was the head of the snake.

  “You don’t have bombs,” Dave said.

  “Want to bet on that?” Noah smirked.

  Dave’s gaze slid to her, then Noah and the fob.

  What was he thinking? Use the bomb to get rid of everyone who knew the truth? Paint Lillian and the others as the worst terrorists ever?

  “Where would you hide a bomb here?” Dave turned his back on them.

  “Stop. Stop right now.” Lillian crossed the floor.

  Dave kept walking, almost straight to where Lillian knew one of the four devices was hidden. “It would have to be close.”

  “Lily—”

  She was almost on top of Dave. “I said stop.”

  He whirled faster than she’d expected from a man of his years, snatching her by the wrist. Lillian yelped and twisted, but he was strong. She brought her other hand up, the one with Noah’s gun, but he batted it away.

  Dave swung her arm so the gun pointed at the desk. Senators scattered. He squeezed her hand and the gun went off.

  She brought her knee up, connecting with soft tissue, and ducked away.

  A second shot resounded over the yelling.

  Lillian staggered back and watched Dave’s arms windmill as he crashed to the floor, blood seeping into the white fabric of his shirt.

  “Back to your seats,” Noah snarled.

  “It’s beeping,” a woman said, her shrill tone rising through the din of voices.

  “Fucking hell. Goddamn it.” Dave writhed on the ground, hands clutching his stomach.

  A wound like that wasn’t immediately fatal.

  “What’s beeping?” a man asked.

  “It’s beeping!”

  Lillian saw a chunk blown out of the senators’ table. Right where the bomb should be.

  “Noah!” She rushed toward the sound and dropped to her knees. The digital face blinked, numbers counting down. “Noah? We’ve got a problem.”

  “Move.”

  Noah’s color was wrong. He grit his teeth and blood covered his hands. He couldn’t do this. It took everything for him to remain standing.