Doubling Down

by Bianca D’Arc

  She knew intellectually that they were highly trained and professional soldiers, but she still worried over their safety. Bullets didn’t discriminate. Even an amateur could get off a lucky shot that would take down a pro.

  Zack and Jay had decided to tackle Renvil first. Zack’s late-night research had uncovered where to find the elusive Emilio Renvil this afternoon, and they made sure they’d be on hand to catch the reclusive billionaire’s attention. They secreted themselves inside the close, private hangar that housed one of Renvil’s fleet of small jets, and waited.

  Not long before sunset, a car with darkened windows drove into the hangar, the door closing behind it before anyone stepped out. An armed guard came first, his head swiveling and nose twitching in a way that made Jay and Zack wary.

  “Tighter security than I expected,” Jay sent to Zack silently.

  “There’s something odd about them, too,” Zack observed. “We need to keep on our toes here. That one seems to be looking for something. Almost as if he’s sure someone’s here.”

  “Maybe we’d better show our faces, then,” Jay suggested. “I’d rather keep this on a friendly footing, if we can.”

  “Dangerous,” Zack said.

  “Fortune favors the bold,” Jay shot back. “I’ll make contact. You back me up.”

  “Always, bro,” Zack promised. “Be careful.”

  With that final warning, Jay stepped out into the dimly lit hangar and deliberately cleared his throat. Instantly, several small arms were aimed at his chest. Shit. Those guards of Renvil’s had cat-like reflexes.

  “Hello,” Jay said, speaking loud enough to be heard throughout the hangar without shouting. “I’m looking for Mr. Renvil.”

  “Who?” the closest guard, the one who’d been sniffing around as if he smelled something amiss, tried to bluff.

  “Nice try.” Jay perched one hip on a handy tool cart, moving no closer to the car and giving himself quick cover if needed. The tool cart was made of steel and housed more steel tools in its packed drawers. Ducking behind it was about the best cover to be had in the hangar at the moment. “I’m Jay. I’m a friend of Becky Guthrie, manager at Chez Nous, which Mr. Renvil owns, though he uses the name Livern on the paperwork. Clever, that. Took me a while to crack the trail, but I got there in the end.” Jay nodded toward the car and the man still sitting within. “Now, all I came here for is a little chat. I have some information your boss will be interested to know, but I’d like to see him face to face and be certain I’ve got the right person with whom to share my intel.”

  “I’ve got a line of sight into the car. Renvil looks interested,” Zack reported. Jay knew Zack had a high-powered scope on the weapon he’d chosen for this job and could likely see every hair on Renvil’s head from his hidden vantage point. “He’s coming out.”

  A man in his prime exited the vehicle and looked directly at Jay. Somehow, Jay had thought Renvil would be older. Maybe paunchy. But this guy wasn’t either of those things. He looked like a sharpened blade in an even sharper suit. Damn. He had killer eyes. Jay recognized the look of a lethal predator, but Renvil’s obvious strength seemed to be tempered by intellect. That was good. They could work with a thoughtful man.

  “Mr. Renvil. A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Jay said, nodding politely but not moving from the tool cart. He would make no sudden moves with Renvil out in the open. His henchmen might have itchy trigger fingers, and Jay didn’t want to do anything to set them off.

  “Jay Capra, quarter heir to the Foster Electronics empire,” Renvil acknowledged, surprising Jay with knowledge he’d thought was a closely guarded secret. “Where’s your friend, Zack? I suppose he’s hiding somewhere in the hangar. My intel says you two are seldom seen apart.”

  “You are well informed,” Jay replied after a moment, deciding to go on the offensive. “But did you know Roberto Salvatore is targeting Becky because of the access you gave her to your offshore accounts?”

  Renvil seemed to stiffen the slightest bit.

  “He didn’t know,” Zack echoed Jay’s own thoughts.

  “What else have you discovered?” Renvil said after a moment’s pause. There was a slight shifting among his men as they lowered their weapons. Jay didn’t straighten or make any move to go closer. If Renvil wanted to get closer, that was his call, but at least he was listening.

  “Salvatore really hates your guts for some reason,” Jay started out easy, feeling his way. “He set up all the recent robberies in the business district in order to cover his planned abduction of Becky, which we stopped. Twice.” Jay let that sink in before continuing. “They wrecked her house, but I’ve already begun upgrades and repairs. More importantly, his goons came back to the restaurant last night and demanded that we hand over Becky, or else some unspecified consequence would befall us. Frankly, I doubt they have the firepower to take us down, but Becky shouldn’t have to live in fear like this.”

  Renvil looked away, for a moment, then his gaze snapped back to Jay. “You’re right, of course. I’ve found Miss Guthrie to be a trusted employee, but I thought her connection to me well enough hidden. I see I was wrong, and for that, I’m sorry.” He ran one hand through his immaculate hair, disheveling it a bit, which oddly comforted Jay. Renvil looked more human and less like a plastic figurine, perfect in every way.

  “Question is, what are you going to do about it?” Jay prompted the other man.

  “I will pay for the repairs to Becky’s house, to start,” Renvil said immediately.

  Jay shook his head slightly. “That’s not really an issue. I’ve already got it covered.”

  “Nevertheless, I will reimburse you. The problem was caused by my carelessness. I will pay for the repair.” Jay didn’t argue but waited for what Renvil might come up with next. So far, he hated to admit, he was impressed by the guy. “I will change my banking information today. Within the hour. Becky will no longer have the access I gave her. I’ll find another way to move the funds I occasionally need transferred. And I’ll personally call Salvatore and let him know that, even if he manages to get past you and get to Becky, having her will do him no good.”

  Jay found he liked the decisive nature of this man better and better. Too bad he was probably a criminal. Try as he might, Jay hadn’t been able to really discover what Renvil’s business was all about. It looked shady, in places, but there was no definitive proof of criminal activity. Could he really be a good guy? Jay wasn’t sure.

  “That sounds reasonable,” Jay replied. “Thank you.”

  “Since it’s clear the Livern persona is compromised beyond redemption, I believe I’ll be getting out of the restaurant business. Miss Guthrie has been a faithful and valued employee. Do you suppose she’d like to have the restaurant?”

  Jay was shocked but tried not to show it.

  “I think she could figure out what to do with it, if such a thing were possible. How much do you want for it?” Jay could bankroll the endeavor. He just had to see if Becky wanted to keep the place. He’d never really talked to her about whether or not she enjoyed her job so much that she’d want to own the place herself.

  “You misunderstand me.” Renvil smiled faintly and looked down in a disarming manner. Jay wasn’t fooled one bit. “I would give it to her. Free and clear. My way of apologizing for putting her in jeopardy. I assure you, that was never my intention. I thought the Livern persona was untraceable. I’m going to have to learn what went wrong there and plug the leak.”

  Jay was intrigued by this man of mystery enough to take a chance. “If you’re on the level and not some kind of human trafficker or something, I might be able to help you there. But I would need to know you’re not on the wrong side of the law before I agree to assist.”

  “The law?” Renvil chuckled. “Human laws are too flexible, sometimes, I find. Don’t you? But I can assure you that my actions are governed by a higher authority than man’s law.”

  Oh, shit. Was this guy some sort of religious freak? Jay didn’t like th
e sound of that. He kept quiet, waiting to see what Renvil would say next. This was make-or-break time as far as Jay’s opinion of the man went. He doubted they’d ever meet again face to face.

  “Since you mention human trafficking, I will tell you why Salvatore is so upset with me. I put an end to a slavery ring he had running, kidnapping young women from western countries and selling them to the highest bidder in the east. He would do it the opposite way, too, though less frequently. I find this practice appalling, and I put an end to his supply chain and transport routes. That’s why he wants to cripple my business in lieu of killing me himself—which I’m sure he’d do, if he could get to me. As you see, my people are hard to get past, though the fact that you and your partner have done so impresses me greatly.”

  “Why is he so sure I’m here?” Zack groused in Jay’s mind.

  “Maybe he’s just guessing,” Jay theorized.

  “You might as well come out.” Renvil raised his voice a bit to be heard throughout the large hangar. “I know you’re secreted among the objects opposite my car door, but whether you’re behind the black and yellow tool caddy or the wheel cart behind it, I cannot tell.” Renvil peered into the dimly lit hangar to Jay’s right.

  “How in the world?” Zack asked Jay in confusion. “I haven’t moved a muscle. No way he saw anything.”

  Jay didn’t doubt it. They were both trained to stay absolutely still when necessary, for however long was necessary, to get the job done.

  “Sensors?” Jay asked aloud, wondering if he could get Renvil to admit to how he knew where Zack was while buying some time. “Infrared?” If Renvil wanted to leave no witnesses, chances were the moment Zack came out of hiding, his people would open fire.

  “Something like that, but not detectable to even your advanced technology. It’s something I developed over the years. Alike in some ways to the special gifts I suspect you and your partner possess.” Renvil just kept coming up with shockers, but Jay did his best not to rise to the bait.

  “Not sure what you mean but allow me to introduce you to Zack. If you don’t mind, he won’t lower his weapon until we’re certain of your intent.” Jay made a deliberate hand motion, just to keep up the fallacy that he and Zack were nothing more than well-trained soldiers.

  Zack popped out from behind the big yellow and black tool caddy as Renvil smiled. Zack didn’t have his weapon pointed at anyone, but it also wasn’t at rest. In the blink of an eye, he could still rain hell across the hangar.

  “Ah,” Renvil said, meeting Zack’s gaze across the distance. “Allow me to introduce you both to Zara.” A woman moved into view behind Zack, her weapon in plain sight.

  Holy shit. She’d gotten the drop on Zack. No way.

  “Who the fuck are these people?” Zack demanded silently of Jay, disgust in clear in his tone as he lowered his weapon.

  “And her brother, Zander.” A lithe, muscular young man slunk out of the shadows beside the jet, with a clear line of sight from his weapon to Jay.

  “Fuck.”

  “You can say that, again.” Zack groused.

  “You see, if I’d wanted you dead, you would already be that way, but I find you two very intriguing,” Renvil went on, as if his people didn’t have the drop on both Jay and Zack. The ball was very much in his court at the moment.

  “We work for Uncle Sam,” Jay made clear. “And occasionally freelance for a good cause, but we won’t be blackmailed or bribed into doing things for you, if that’s what you’re after.”

  “A laudable position, but your warning is unnecessary. I already have many agents all over the world. I merely wanted to let you know that I am not without resources equal to or better than your own in some respects, but even the best of my resources failed in regards to Becky. For that, she—and you—have my sincerest apologies. I would never have used her for the transfers if I thought it would put her in danger.”

  Renvil took a few steps closer so Jay could get a better look at him. The dude had weird eyes. They were sort of yellow-gold. Jay had never seen anything like them before. The color almost glowed in the dimness of the hangar, but that couldn’t be. He had to be seeing things.

  “We appreciate that,” Jay said, just to keep the conversation going. So far, nobody was shooting, which was good. He wanted to keep it that way.

  “You wanted to know what side I was on. If I was one of the good guys. While I can’t claim to fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way, like yourselves, I do my best to stop evil wherever I can, whenever I see it. Ending Salvatore’s slaving became important to me when he started to prey upon people I consider under my protection. I would do it, again, even knowing it would earn me an enemy who would come after me in ways I had not expected.”

  Renvil stepped even closer. He was now only about ten feet from Jay, and his eyes were clearly not of this world. Were they some kind of funky contact lens he used to scare people? Increase his legend? Jay thought theatrics like that were kind of juvenile, but he’d come across warlords in far-flung part of the world that liked good theatre to keep their people in line. He didn’t think Renvil was the type to need such things, but then again, Jay’d had a hell of a time getting any personal information on the man at all.

  “Perhaps you can tell me how he figured out my link to the restaurant?” Renvil asked, his voice almost mesmerizing. Jay shook himself mentally. Was this guy some kind of hypnotist?

  “Perhaps I can,” Jay said, trying to keep Renvil friendly. “But I don’t give out intel to just anyone. Especially not someone with your shady reputation.”

  “Ah.” Renvil leaned back, his forward motion stilled, his intensity draining palpably away. Then he gave Jay a sidelong look and smiled faintly. “Reputations are tricky things. I prefer to keep mine in doubt so as not to appear either one thing or another. I can see, in this case, however, that stance is working against me. How about this?”

  Renvil reached into the pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a card. He took a moment to scribble something on the back then handed it to the guard closest to him—the guy who had been sniffing the air as if he could smell where Jay had been. The man walked up to Jay and handed over the card.

  “Call the number on the back. I think you will recognize the office. Tell the clerk the code name Whitechapel, and they’ll put you through. Maybe after you hear it from a source you know, you will consider calling the number on the other side—my private line—and telling me how you were able to make the connection. If so, I will be in your debt for the information. I work hard to keep my dealings private, and if someone like Salvatore was able to discover the link to Livern, as did you, then clearly, my protocols aren’t up to snuff.” Renvil backed up a pace and glanced toward the waiting jet. “Now, I really must be on my way. It was good to meet you, and I hope I’ll be hearing from you soon. Tell Becky I’m sorry, please. I’ll take care of things from the air, and she should be clear of any of my accounts within an hour or two. Salvatore will be the first to know, I promise.”

  “You seem well informed. I assume you have our contact info. Please have someone drop one of us a text to let us know when it’s done,” Jay requested even as Renvil started turning away.

  “You have my word,” he said, taking a moment to meet Jay’s gaze a final time.

  And with that, Emilio Renvil left, taking all his guards with him.

  Chapter Eleven

  As Jay and Zack watched Renvil’s jet take off into the twilight sky, they knew their job wasn’t completely done for the evening. They still had one more stop to make.

  “Are we losing our touch?” Jay asked out of the blue as they got into the vehicle they’d left parked, hidden, on the other side of the airport fence.

  “You mean how they got the drop on us back there?” Zack asked, shaking his head. “I don’t think so.” He was silent a moment then switched to telepathic speech, so no one could eavesdrop on what he was about to say. “Do you remember that Spec Ops unit we worked with a few years ago? Those g
uys who all retired around the same time and moved to Washington State?”

  “John Marshall and his guys? Yeah, what about them?” Jay was silent a moment. “Wait. You mean you think the folks we just dealt with were like them?”

  “That Zara had the same look in her eyes,” Zack told his partner. “I never knew what it was about those guys that made them so different, but you know there were all kinds of weird rumors.”

  “They were just that good,” Jay argued. “Better than anyone else. Any other team. That caused a lot of rivalry and weird shit to be said.”

  “But what if it all wasn’t just bullshit? What if they really were different. Like us. People say a lot of weird shit about our teams, too, and we both know at least some of it’s true,” Zack replied.

  “You think they’re telepaths?” Jay sounded unconvinced as Zack put the car in drive and headed for their second appointment of the night.

  “No. Not telepaths. Not like us. But there is something different about them. And whatever it was that made that team of guys different, I think it was the same thing we just encountered with Renvil’s people.”

  “But not Renvil himself,” Jay said, sounding sure of his words.

  “What makes you say that?” Zack wanted to know.

  “Could you see his eyes?” Jay responded with a question of his own. “When he got close enough that I could see them clearly… Zack, man, they weren’t normal. Fuck. They weren’t even human.”

  “Some kind of lenses, you think?”

  “I considered that, but I don’t think he’s the type to put on a show. That was real, man. Real and freaky as hell.”

  Jay subsided as he began checking over his weapons. They’d each carried more than just that which was visible, but thankfully, they hadn’t had to use them with Renvil. Their next stop might not be as congenial.