Hellfire- The Series, Volumes 1-3

by Leigh Barker

  She shook her head sadly. “You do know they run special awareness courses for men who talk to women like that?”

  “Cool,” he said, “book me on one. I could do with a refresher, I’m getting a bit corny.”

  Before she could say what jumped into her mind, Congressman Bernstein came out of his office to the right of Rachel’s guard post, looked around and saw them sitting in the waiting area, as if it was a surprise they should be there. He put on his campaign smile and strode over.

  They stood up and Ethan shook the extended hand. A firm, slow shake intended to convey integrity and confidence. Hackneyed, but it worked.

  “So, what’s so urgent I have to interrupt my meeting?” He glanced back pointedly at this office. “Not that I’m complaining. I was with some stuffed shirt from my hometown. Thinks he has special access just because he bankrolled my election.” He showed his teeth as if he’d sucked a lemon. “He’s wrong, of course. This is, after all, a democracy. The democracy.”

  Ethan glanced at Kelsey, who was trying not to react. “Just what Special Agent Lyle here always says. Isn’t it, Special Agent Lyle?”

  She cut him with a look before switching to the blank expression of a focused professional. She put out her hand and waited for Bernstein to notice it and shake it. Limply.

  “Is there somewhere we can talk?” she said.

  He looked around as if thinking about it. “Do you drink coffee?” He flicked the question away with a gesture. “Of course you do. It’s the curse of the government employee, is it not?”

  She didn’t know if that was a slight or just a statement of fact, and let it go, it was true, after all.

  “Then let’s go have coffee.” He turned back to the desk. “Please tell Reverend Sampson that I’ve been called away on urgent… national security business.” He didn’t know how true that was.

  Rachel smiled broadly at Ethan as he followed Kelsey and the congressman out into the wide corridor, and he gave her a playful wink. She giggled and he exited as quickly as he could, without being obvious. There was a woman who was going to allow some man to be very happy.

  He increased his pace to catch up with the congressman, who was now arm in arm with Kelsey.

  Good luck with that.

  Melissa was crying, but she’d been crying quietly for an hour, while she’d pretended to drink her coffee.

  She’d slipped out to the little Starbucks around the corner from the office to think. She’d thought, and it had hit her like a fist.

  She’d been used. Christian had used her. It was almost too painful to admit. But she was no fool, even though she’d been behaving like one. Like a lovesick teenager. She’d wanted it to work so badly, she’d overlooked the things she didn’t want to see. Like murder. She looked around quickly in case someone had heard that thought, but the place was busy and nobody was paying her any attention.

  He’d called her and told her to meet him at Congressman Bernstein’s office, and God forgive her, she was going to go. Every ounce of sense told her to run away, to tell someone what she suspected. She knew her suspicion wasn’t new, it was why she’d called Marjorie to apologise for taking advantage of their friendship. She’d known something bad had happened even then. And now it was going to get worse. But she was still going to him. And knew she was. He controlled her at a level she didn’t understand. Whatever he said, she would do. It made her head spin. She was already in too deep. Why oh why had she allowed herself to be so stupid?

  He had led her like a dog on a lead. Used her like a foolish girl.

  It was too much of a coincidence. She’d given Christian the names of the committee members who opposed his bid and now they were being killed. Christian had killed Senator Wakeman. She’d provided the information, and that made her responsible. Wakeman had been a bit of an ass and a bully, but he was a dedicated politician who believed in what the country stood for. And he was dead because of her.

  She’d told him about Congressman Bernstein’s opposition, and he’d said he had something for him. A cold shiver ran down her spine. She knew what that something was.

  But why did he want her to be there at Bernstein’s office? To implicate her? To make sure she couldn’t tell, even if she wanted to? But that didn’t make sense, he must know how hopelessly… she couldn’t even think it. Until it thought itself. How hopelessly in love she was. She wouldn’t go. She would call 911. She would… do nothing. How could she? They would ruin him. Imprison him. Or worse. Then she would never see him again. The pain screamed through her mind like a tumbling fire.

  She stood up quickly, almost knocking the coffee out of a fat businessman’s hand. He probably swore at her, but she didn’t hear him. It was early afternoon. What was it Christian had said? She barged a couple of tourists out of the way and almost ran across the sidewalk.

  She would talk to him, get him to stop. He said he could wait a little while. But how long was that? An hour? A day? Would he have done it yesterday? Yes, if Bernstein had been in when she’d called Rachel.

  She hailed a cab, but it ignored her. Another approached and she stepped in front of it. The driver stared at her and stopped after a moment’s hesitation.

  Ten minutes later she was walking along the long, straight corridor on the first floor of the federal building at the east end of Constitution Avenue. To Congressman Bernstein’s offices.

  Her mouth was dry and her heart was beating so loud she was sure people could hear it as she passed. She looked around. There was no alarm, no paramedics, no SWAT. The congressman must still be—there was Christian walking towards the office.

  She stopped dead and the woman behind her had to execute a body-swerve a quarterback would’ve been proud of. She swore too, but Melissa didn’t hear that one either.

  She ran as quickly as her inappropriate high-heeled footwear would allow and caught up with him as he reached for the door handle. She clutched his arm.

  He gave a start that he tried to hide, then looked down at her hand on his arm and frowned, then switched on the charm. “Darling, you came. You remembered I need your help with the gatekeeper.” He nodded towards the closed door.

  “I’ve come to stop you doing something stupid,” she whispered.

  He raised his eyebrows. “And what would that be?” He looked around casually to make sure they weren’t attracting attention. “I’m here to speak to the congressman, that’s all. But you know that.” He watched her for a moment. “I don’t understand.”

  “I know what you’ve done. What you intend doing,” she said. “If you have any feelings for me at all, come with me. We can talk.”

  His smile faded and his flashing dark eyes turned hard and cold.

  Ethan saw Kelsey glance back with a look that said save me, but he just slowed down a little and let her and the congressman have their space. And he’d need an response when she reminded him about his shenanigans with Rachel.

  They were already seated at a little round table in the cafeteria when he joined them and ordered black coffee from the quiet young waitress.

  “I’m intrigued to know what NCIS wants with a lowly congressman from the Midwest.”

  Ethan let Kelsey take the lead and just listened. The man was a consummate politician, showing attentive interest in his listener while all the time talking himself up. It was hypnotic.

  “NCIS is the premier federal agency in my book. You guys do outstanding work for our boys… and girls—” He shared a big, toothy smile that would have glinted had it been an advert. “Your agency is at the forefront in my role as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.” The toothy smile again. “One of many I’m involved in directly. In addition to those to which I provide expert technical advice.” He sighed. “I wonder how I manage to do my demanding day job managing the purchase of complex hardware and systems for our brave boys… and girls in all those far-off places, where they are called upon every day to rise to a challenge many would say is—”

  “Do you know Christian Carte
r?” Kelsey said, and fluttered her eyelashes, just to mess with him.

  Ethan watched the false frown while he searched his memory, which was no doubt full of important people he’d met, who were even now eager to be in the presence of this august personage.

  “Carter, you say?” He gave the waitress a quick nod as she placed the coffee on the table and backed off.

  “Christian Carter,” Kelsey reminded him. “Diem Corporation. They supply… want to supply some sort of IED sensor to the government.”

  He picked up his mug of coffee and sniffed it, then glanced at the departing waitress, but decided not to say whatever he was going to.

  Ethan guessed it was probably something to do with missing chicory, butter, nutmeg, or some other such weirdness, and drank his strong, black coffee without comment.

  “Yes, I remember Carter.” He sipped his drink, pulled a face and put it down. “Their device was… less than a hundred percent effective, shall we say.”

  “Yes,” Kelsey said, with a quick frown at Ethan, “that’s what we heard.”

  Message received. And ignored.

  “But what has this got to do with me?” Bernstein asked. “But of course I am at your service. I pride myself on always doing my duty for my friends in law enforcement. In my time on the Hill I’ve always gone the extra mile to ensure our brave agents—and by that I mean boys… and girls like you—get all the support and encouragement I and my fellow congressmen… and women can provide. Because, as I have always stated, loudly and on the record, it’s only through our combined efforts, working as a team, sharing a vision and striving towards the ultimate goal, as only God-fearing Americans can, that we will bring about the end of—”

  “We think he’s going to try to kill you,” Kelsey said.

  Ethan was sorry she’d cut him off, it was really stirring stuff. And he liked the way it made her squirm in her seat.

  Bernstein’s jaw was frozen open in mid-pontification. He closed it with an effort, it preferring to be in its natural state, on the move.

  “Why would he want me dead?” he said, when he could find his voice again.

  “You opposed his bid,” Kelsey said.

  “But the members’ votes are confidential.”

  Ethan chuckled and Bernstein looked at him questioningly.

  “Heard of Edward Snowden?” Ethan said, and took a pull on his coffee.

  “Of course.”

  “Then you’ll know nothing’s secret, and the more secret it’s supposed to be, the more likely it is to go public.” He glanced at Kelsey. “What’s that word young people use?”

  “Viral,” Kelsey said.

  “Yeah, your best secrets are the ones that go… viral.”

  Bernstein’s face was pale. “That’s what happens when you allow unfettered access to every fuckin’ thing on the Hill.” He turned to Kelsey. “Excuse my French, ma’am.” He looked back at Ethan.

  Kelsey caught Ethan’s eye and mimed ma’am?

  “We should implement more stringent controls,” Ethan said. “Stop folks just wandering in off the street and demanding to see any damn thing they like. Then splashing it all over that Twatter thing.”

  “Twitter,” Kelsey said.

  “You’re right on the money there, son,” Bernstein said. “We’ve nickel and dimed our security into a place where we’re wide open to any aggressor, foreign and domestic. And enough should be damn well enough. I’ve said it often, and I’ll say it again. Freedom of information has a price, and right now that price is too damned high.”

  Kelsey had Ethan fixed with a steady stare, bordering on a glare. Don’t do it.

  “Right,” Ethan said, catching her look. “When I was in the marines, anybody leaked information to the enemy was a traitor. And got put against a wall and shot.”

  “Amen to that,” Bernstein said, slapping his hand on the table and getting a worried look from the young waitress. “I am on record as saying the death penalty should be the mandatory sentence for anybody spying on the activities of the federal government.”

  “At the very least,” Ethan said. “We vote our representatives into office to make the right decisions for us, not so they have to watch their backs and second-guess everything they say in case it’s published in some rag or Internet blag.”

  “Blog,” Kelsey said.

  Bernstein leaned over and slapped Ethan’s shoulder. “Spoken like a true patriot, son. God knows we need more Americans like you.”

  “One is more than enough,” Kelsey said, and caught the congressman’s quick look. “We have to get you somewhere safe, sir.”

  “I’m safe here.” He waved a hand to encompass the cafeteria. “This is a government building on Capitol Hill. Nobody is going to waltz in here with an AK-47 and a grudge. Christ, it’s not like some unimportant little high school someplace! This is the cradle of our democracy!”

  “Jesus!” Kelsey said, coughed and raised her hand. “Jesus will watch over those who believe in him.”

  Ethan was impressed. Good catch.

  “But we should maybe give the Lord a bit of a hand,” she said.

  “No, I won’t hear of it,” Bernstein said, standing dramatically and spilling his coffee. He looked over at the waitress and pulled an oops! face. “I have meetings to attend this afternoon, meetings that will be pointless without my presence.” He shook his head emphatically. “I won’t be driven from my duty by idle threats.”

  “They’re not idle, sir,” Ethan said. “We believe Carter had Senator Wakeman killed.”

  Bernstein sat back down. “My God!” He pulled himself together. “No, I will finish my day. That’s what the voters would expect of me.” He stood up again, carefully. “If you wish, you can return and escort me home at seven o’clock.”

  “Your choice,” Ethan said, and stood up beside him, six inches taller and a good foot narrower than the politician.

  Kelsey was frowning at him and nodding towards Bernstein.

  “We’ll come back and collect you at seven, sir,” Ethan said, and waved him on his way.

  Bernstein nodded once, turned and strode away, with a last look back. A look that might have been dissuade me.

  It was ignored.

  Ethan sat back down and picked up his coffee.

  “We can’t just leave him here,” Kelsey said.

  “He’s in the cradle of our democracy,” Ethan reminded her.

  “And what sort of protection is that?”

  “This place has some of the best security in the world,” Ethan said.

  “Could you get to him here?” she said, still looking at the departing congressman.

  “In about three seconds flat,” Ethan said.

  “Then so can Carter’s man. Or I’ve got to assume that.”

  “What was it you said about assume and asses?”

  “Don’t start,” Kelsey said. “You’ve had enough fun for one day, don’t you think?”

  “Come on,” Ethan said, and headed for the double doors through which the ample congressman had charged, off to do his duty by the voting public. Before he had them hanged for treason, or for not agreeing with him.

  “Where to?” Kelsey said, following. “Or do you want to go and bait the poor man some more?”

  “No,” Ethan said, “I want to go and capture Carter.”

  “What about Bernstein?”

  Ethan smiled a slightly evil smile. “He look like a goat to you?”

  She stopped walking. “You can’t be serious?” she said, but she was talking to a closing door.

  Rachel gave Ethan a big smile as he approached the desk.

  “Back so soon?” The smile broadened and her dark eyes crinkled to join in the fun. “Some people would say you can’t keep away.”

  “And some people would be right,” Ethan said, then took out one of the NCIS cards Kelsey had given him. “Nothing to worry about, Rachel, but if you see anything odd…” He put the card on her desk and tapped it with his finger. “You know, anything
that doesn’t fit, you give me a call, right?”

  She looked at the card, then at Bernstein’s closed office door, and her furrowed brow creased even more.

  Ethan looked across at the door, gave Kelsey an almost imperceptible nod and turned back to Rachel. “So, what is it?”

  She looked up at him as if surprised. “Oh, nothing. I think.” She looked at the door again. “It’s just that Melissa was just here.”

  “Melissa Bates?” Kelsey said. “From Wakeman’s office?”

  Rachel nodded. “Yes.”

  Kelsey and Ethan exchanged a look.

  “And funny thing,” Rachel said, “we’ve known each other for years, being nursemaids to politicians, but she didn’t even acknowledge me.”

  “Was she alone?” Ethan asked, though he knew the answer.

  “No, she was with a man, a strikingly good-looking one, if I say so.” She looked quickly at Ethan. “Though a bit too… corporate for my taste. I prefer my men to be a little more… lived in.”

  It was a compliment, but Ethan didn’t hear it, he was drawing his Sig and heading for the office door with Kelsey moving out to his right and pulling her Glock.

  “What is it?” Rachel said, her voice strained.

  Ethan turned and put his finger to his lips, then pointed at the door and waved her out. She didn’t need it in writing. Seconds later she was gone.

  Ethan waited for Kelsey to get into position on the opposite side of the door, away from the woodwork, and tapped it lightly.

  There was a delay before Bernstein answered. “Not now, Rachel, I’m in a meeting.” Another pause. “And I can’t be disturbed.”

  Ethan stepped up in front of the door and mouthed a silent countdown. On zero he kicked it in.

  Christian was sitting in a straight-backed chair in front of Bernstein’s desk with his briefcase partially open on his lap. Melissa was standing at the side of the desk and turned sharply as the door burst in and slammed against the wall, followed a moment later by Ethan and Kelsey, their guns drawn and leveled at Christian.