Criminal Alliance

by Angi Morgan

  There are more important things on our plate. Like how do we get free and prevent a domestic terrorist strike. Yeah. That.

  Rushdan Reval took the keys and opened the driver’s door. “You both have twenty minutes. Deploy and get back to Hangar Four,” Reval told Sal and the kid. “You know we won’t wait for you, Andrew.”

  Deploy what?

  “Don’t worry. I could do this in my sleep,” Andrew answered.

  Deploy what?

  The algorithm, naturally. Andrew must be the programmer. She’d already pushed and twisted the handcuffs, making her wrists raw. There was nothing in the back seat of a police vehicle to help her. She wasn’t wearing anything useful—not even shoes.

  Andrew shoved Wade to get him moving. To where? Too many unanswered questions. After nearly drowning, admitting that she worked with Wade and that she loved him...there was little chance Rushdan would release her.

  She needed the handcuff key and had no idea even where to look. The kid Andrew had snapped the metal bracelets on her, but maybe—just maybe—Rushdan had kept the actual key on his person.

  Rushdan got behind the wheel and was joined by the pilot. Curious. Andrew and Wade ran across the field to a group of buildings.

  “Where are we going?” she asked through the police cage.

  “We’re leaving. For good. After this show there won’t be a need for any more petty moneymaking schemes. My clients will know what we can do and will be paying anything I ask.”

  “Aren’t we leaving in the helicopter?”

  “Why would we do that, my dear? It’s so much nicer to fly in a private jet. Especially to South America. You’ll love it there.”

  “You aren’t going to kill me?”

  They didn’t travel far. Across a large parking lot from the building where Wade and the kid were entering. It was too dark and too far to read the name on that building. But by looking above it as she was escorted from the car, she could see a tower.

  It must be a control tower for private and cargo planes. By accessing this system, Rushdan could gain access to the main air traffic control network for DFW.

  “You’re going to crash planes? Are you crazy?”

  “By your standards, most definitely.” He yanked her along with him through a small door the pilot had already unlocked.

  “Please don’t do this, Rushdan. So many people could be killed.”

  “I won’t be doing anything except living the high life in Costa Rica or Buenos Aires or the Mediterranean. I haven’t really decided.” He made his signature disgusting sound as he sucked his teeth open to a smile.

  * * *

  SHOWING THAT HE was entirely out of shape, Andrew uncuffed Wade’s hands while continuing to huff, puff and curse as they ran. They waited on a security guard to open the door and then the nerd placed the white Stetson on Wade’s head. It sat on the crown instead of his forehead, obviously not fitting.

  “Doesn’t seem to be my size.”

  “No one cares. You tell the guard we’re here to serve this warrant.” The kid pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket. “Don’t worry. It looks real and is for one of their people on duty tonight.”

  “And what if he says no?”

  Andrew fingered the handgun holstered on his hip. “Convince him or he dies now. And then your girlfriend, of course.”

  “You feel like a tough guy? A big shot? Shooting that cop back there is the action of a coward.” He waited for his words to rile Andrew.

  They apparently did, but as the kid started to unholster his weapon, the door opened. Andrew held up the fake warrant, but he remained silent.

  “I’m Texas Ranger Wade Hamilton and this is my partner. We’re here to serve a warrant on...”

  “David Liteman.” Andrew flicked the fake warrant.

  “Before you object,” Wade cautioned the guard and took a step inside, removing the ill-fitting hat. “We know this is a highly unusual situation. But we wouldn’t have been allowed on the grounds if it wasn’t all cleared. Right?”

  “Somebody should have called me,” the guard grumbled. “But hey, it’s only my job. What do I know about protocol?” He turned his back on them and went to his desk. “Nobody ever tells me anything.”

  Wade entered, followed by Andrew. He could take this kid at any point. There wasn’t anything tough about him. He was just plain more experienced and knew what opportunities to watch for. The kid didn’t.

  Point in fact, he could have disarmed the kid coming through the door.

  “Is he upstairs?” Andrew asked.

  “Yeah. Where did you think he worked, here at my desk? Elevator is around the corner, but if you don’t want him to see you coming, the stairs are back this way.” The guard pointed back over his shoulder.

  Andrew walked into Wade’s back. Okay, that was another place to disarm him. Throw one punch and the kid would be out cold. He steadied him, waited for him to turn around and followed him to the stairwell.

  Yeah, kid, I’m following you, not the other way around.

  Once in the stairwell, Andrew seemed to realize he was vulnerable. He waited until Wade passed him and then left two stairs between them.

  “What do you need access to?” Wade asked. “Are we going up to the control windows?”

  “Not if there’s computer access outside the room.”

  “Like from the supervisor?” Wade pointed to the sign just under the second-floor symbol.

  “That should work.”

  “Where did you get the idea for this malware thing anyway? You that smart, Andrew?” Wade held the door open, hat still in his hand and waited for the kid. “I mean, you seem smart and all. But no one does stuff like that alone. Right?”

  “Smart?” He waited at the top step. “I take exception to that description. I opened your sealed court records in less than a minute. This algorithm took me years to develop. The sophistication of the decryption capability is insane.”

  “You developed it all by yourself? That’s hard to believe.”

  Andrew pulled his handgun. “Oh no, you don’t.” He waved the barrel, indicating Wade should go through the door first. “Why do you want to know about me?”

  “Hey kid, I have no clue about computer viruses. Nothing like that. None of it’s my cup of coffee.” He shrugged, taking a step into the second-floor hallway.

  “Coffee? It’s your cup of tea, you ignorant cowboy.” Andrew relaxed his direction with the gun, dropping the barrel toward the floor.

  Just another opportunity for someone of Wade’s experience. And now that he knew Andrew was the programmer...

  Wade tossed the Stetson to the kid, whose natural reaction was to catch it. Then Wade grabbed the kid’s arm and used his momentum to flip the gun backward behind Andrew. He turned, pinning him to the open stairwell door, lifted his elbow hard into the man’s chin and heard the gun drop to the floor.

  Then for good measure, Wade pounded his fist twice into the kid’s solar plexus, knocking his breath from him. He dropped him facedown to the floor. Out cold. Wade rolled the kid over, grabbed hold of his collar and slid him across the slick linoleum floor to the elevator.

  “But I don’t drink tea.”

  He frisked the kid, looking for a phone. Nothing except a flash drive, which he pocketed. He pulled Andrew onto the elevator. He hated doing it, but if was going to save Therese, leaving this guy with the incompetent guard was his only option.

  “What the hell is going on? Did he fall?”

  The guard stood and moved while Wade jerked on the kid, sliding him through the elevator doors. He’d seen an empty office on the way to the stairs, which would be a good place to lock this terrorist up.

  “Look, I don’t have time to explain. Call 911 and get this man to a secure—”

  “Help me,” Andrew whimpered.

  Wad
e couldn’t finish the sentence. Words and thought left him as something slammed into the side of his head. He hadn’t seen it coming. Nothing.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Damn blind spot floated through Wade’s mind as he rolled in pain. Blurred vision. Pain. Cool floor against his skin. More pain.

  “Yeah, this is Randy Allister in the northwest tower. I need help. I ain’t kidding. This is the real thing.”

  Wade used his arms in an attempt to push himself to an upright position. It didn’t work.

  “Tell ’em not to come in hot. A woman’s life depends on it,” Wade said. But he didn’t know if the guard listened to him.

  Randy Allister seemed to be dancing around the room, gun drawn in one hand, radio in the other. Wade managed to roll over and the guard seemed to move faster or maybe there were two of him. He lifted his hands, trying to calm the inexperienced guard down.

  “Listen to me, please.” Wade covered his left eye, eliminating the double vision. “Randy, I’ve got to get to Hangar Four.”

  “You ain’t going anywhere, man. I brought you down, imposter.”

  “You brought down an authentic Texas Ranger. But I’ll forget all that if you just let me get to Hangar Four.”

  “No way. Capturing you might save my job.”

  “You mean because you let us in the building to begin with.”

  “Yeah, well. They’ll forget that part when I show ’em I captured you.”

  Wade rubbed the side of his head, vision clearing a little. “I doubt that. You’re letting the real bad guys get away.”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Andrew screamed, trying to get up and away from Wade.

  “Tell you what, Randy. We’ll both sit here in your custody if you just get on the horn and ask the cops to check out Hangar Four.” If Wade couldn’t get to Therese, maybe other cops could.

  “No! You can’t!” shouted Andrew. “He’s...he’s trying to trick you. I watched him shoot one of you in cold blood. He’s still lying out there.”

  Wade used his heels to slowly push himself to the wall next to the desk during Andrew’s yelling. He didn’t want to injure the guard, but he had to get to Therese.

  “You can both stay right where you are until the DFW cops get here. They can decide which of you is lying and which is telling the truth.”

  “Listen, Randy. What would it hurt to ask your friends not to flash their lights on the way here? I’ll wait.” He stuck his hands behind his head. “I won’t give you any trouble.”

  “He’s right, Randy,” Andrew moved to the same position. “Be the hero and save this woman’s life. She’ll die if the terrorists see the cops.”

  “Terrorists? What kind of terrorists? Is something going to blow up?” Randy began nervously shifting back and forth, mumbling the word terrorist with each step. His movements and chanting made Wade’s headache grow exponentially.

  “Just get on your radio and call it in.”

  “No! Don’t listen to him,” Andrew shouted, drawing Randy’s attention. “They’ll kill her.”

  Wade took advantage of the moment and pulled his jeans leg up over the boot with the Love Field guard’s weapon. He’d grown used to the weight and almost forgotten it was there until feeling it while lying next to Therese earlier.

  If he was lucky, neither the guard nor Andrew would see him remove the handgun. Not that his luck had been holding during the past two days.

  The radio squawked and Wade used the distraction to pull the gun. Andrew jumped up, sliding feet first, using the guard’s ankles like second base. He popped back to a standing position gun in hand.

  Wade stood covering his bad eye to search for the radio.

  Andrew roared, dipped his head and charged. He crashed into Wade. The force took both of them rolling into a watercooler stand but they both managed to hold on to their guns.

  Back on the floor, they were at a standoff, pointing the guns at each other.

  “Find your radio, Randy!” Wade shouted, keeping his gun on Andrew. Then told the kid who pointed the gun at the guard, “Don’t do it. Put it down.”

  The guard crawled on all fours. Andrew’s barrel vacillated between Wade’s head and the back of the guard.

  “Got it!” Randy raised the radio in the air.

  The reverb of the shot rang in Wade’s ears as he saw the poor guard spinning to the side from the force of the bullet. Wade pulled the trigger. He couldn’t allow Andrew to fire again.

  Wade’s aim was true.

  Andrew’s eyes were wide and fixed, staring at him as if he didn’t understand what had happened.

  “Oh my God. I’ve been shot. I’ve been shot,” Randy kept chanting.

  Wade stood and removed the gun from Andrew’s death grip. He went to the guard’s side, taking the man’s free hand and placing it on the wound.

  “Keep pressure on it like that. Good. I’m sure someone heard the shot and will be downstairs to help you.”

  “Are you guys really terrorists?” Randy asked.

  Wade grabbed the radio and turned for the door. “He was.” He stopped and pulled his badge from Andrew’s belt. “This is mine.”

  He pushed the door open with his shoulder. “This is Texas Ranger Wade Hamilton. Cars approaching northwest DFW, refrain from lights and sirens. Possible terrorist with hostage at Hangar Four. Be aware am on foot and armed. Ambulance needed at tower. Officer down. I repeat, officer down. Don’t run code.”

  “Hamilton, stand down. Team is on the way,” a voice he recognized told him. Recognized as one of the men making decisions about this operation. But Steve Woods had no clue what was actually going on.

  Wade dropped the radio and covered his bad eye to limit the double vision. He couldn’t be sure which hangar was number four, but directly across the concrete lot—large enough for two 747s to pass—sat an empty police car.

  He had to get to her. So he ran.

  * * *

  THERESE PROPPED HERSELF on an old desk in the corner of the cramped hangar. The airplane took up most of the room. Rushdan and the pilot hadn’t threatened her since she’d gotten inside.

  They also hadn’t seen her pick up a paper clip before she parked herself here. While she fiddled with the handcuffs behind her back, she watched the clock above the door click off the seconds toward twenty minutes.

  Maybe they’d forget about her. She wished.

  “What happens if the kid can’t get it done?” the pilot asked while removing the blocks from in front of the wheels of the plane.

  “He’ll do it. This is his crowning achievement. He’ll get it done or die trying.” Rushdan leaned against the plane’s stairs.

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. The kid is a bit trigger-happy.”

  “He does get a bit...excited.”

  “It’s getting close to time. We going to wait?”

  “No. I have what I need. Tested or not, my copy of the algorithm will bring me millions.” He laughed. “I told him twenty minutes. If we wait longer, the authorities might find his mistake near the helicopter. Go ahead and open the doors. Let’s get in the air.”

  The pilot pushed a button and the doors began to creak open.

  “And don’t forget Therese,” Rushdan added before climbing the steps.

  The pilot waved his hand at her like he was directing traffic. It was her signal to join them on the plane. She stared at him.

  “Move it.”

  “You don’t have to do this. There’s no reason to take me with you.”

  “The boss wants you around, so you’re going. Now get up the stairs and buckle in.”

  “Kind of hard to do with the handcuffs.” She popped off the corner of the desk and turned around to show him.

  “Nice try. It’ll give the boss a reason to get close. Come on.” He gave her a hard push toward the plane.

/>   The metal rungs of the ladder hurt her bare feet and keeping her balance wasn’t easy without her hands. But she stepped inside the small plane, climbing into the seat closest to the door.

  God, she hated feeling helpless. Or maybe it was hopeless. She’d had her fair share of pity parties, but she’d never felt as alone and lost as at this moment. If they took off...

  The pilot crawled in behind her, then into the seat to fly.

  “Is this it?”

  “What do you mean, my dear?” Rushdan answered as if it were any ordinary day. He moved past her to the front.

  “You’re just going to fly away, taking me along for the ride? Why?”

  “I have patiently waited for you to come around, Therese. I hate that you allowed yourself to be taken in by the ranger. I guess he fits every girl’s idea of a dream man, doesn’t he. I can see why you liked him, so I’ll forgive you.”

  “Forgive me?”

  “You’re mine now. You belong to me. Wherever I go, you go.” He moved from the front of the plane, stopping at the seat opposite her.

  “You’re crazy,” she whispered. And then a little louder, “I don’t belong to anyone. Especially you.”

  “I disagree. Once we get to South America, you’ll be dependent on me for everything. Water, food, clothes, protection. You’ll be grateful then.”

  “I’ll never be grateful, you sicko. Who would be grateful to their kidnapper?”

  A loud noise from outside the plane got their attention.

  “That must be Sal or Andrew. Looks like you’ll have company back here after all.”

  Body slams, crashes and sounds of a fight grew louder as Therese searched out the windows of both sides of the plane. It had to be Wade. More thuds and metallic slams—someone being thrown into the hangar door.

  “Sal? Andrew? What’s going on?” Rushdan yelled.

  “Pull up the steps, boss. We gotta get out of here,” the pilot yelled from up front.

  Therese Ortis’s family had not raised a helpless girl. She’d never be a woman who was dependent on any man’s whim. Especially this terrible, sick man. Her eyes met Rushdan’s across the aisle, then darted to the staircase.