“What?” Tex and Liam chorused.
“There hasn’t been any movement.” Beast walked over to set the laptop beside Liam’s. “See the black truck? It’s been sitting out there for a while now.”
“How do you know it doesn’t belong here?” Amelia asked.
“It’s a gut feeling.” Beast kept his gaze on the screen. “But I’m rarely ever wrong about these things. Someone knows we’re here and they’re waiting for something.”
“Yeah—they’re waiting for us to lead them to the painting.” Barbie added. “As god’s my witness.”
Silence descended on the room and Amelia sighed and leaned heavily to Liam’s chest. It was as though they couldn’t catch a break. One step forward, three back—it had always been like that since they escaped the cabin.
“I could kill for a Doc cuddle right now.” She admitted softly.
Liam kissed her head. “Me too.”
“I have an idea.” A grinch-like smile broke the sniper’s face. “How about, when we’re ready to move out, I incapacitate our friends’ ability to follow?”
“Explain,” Beast said.
“Well, I am a sniper.” She thumbed over her shoulder. “My rifle comes with a silencer—it suppresses the sound and kill the muzzle flash. I take out the tires and plug a leak into the gas tank and that should give us enough time to get out.”
“I love the way you think,” Liam said. “We’ll go in tonight. Hopefully, we’ll get another clue as to what the hell is happening around here.”
Later, as Amelia laid in Liam’s arms, a feeling of dread descended over her. She trembled but Liam probably thought she was cold. He pulled the blankets up to her neck and drew her closer into his chest. Amelia pretended to be asleep, not wanting to worry him.
He kissed her forehead. “I’ll get you home, Hummingbird.” Liam said, his voice soft, cracking. “I’ll get you home safely, with or without the damn painting. I don’t care what happens to it. All I need is to know you’re okay. Everything else is not important.”
Tears filled Amelia’s eyes.
Still, she remained still, making the same promise silently to his heart.
Chapter 16
There is no place on earth more mind-numbingly quiet as Russia when all hell could break loose. Amelia was positive even as she allowed Liam to zip her into her clothes. The outfit was a little snug but it would have to do. She wiggled a little then reached back to tie her hair up. Once they were ready, they waited.
She watched in awe as Barbie put together her weapon then cracked the window a little. Amelia didn’t even notice when Barbie had pulled the trigger. But, in less than thirty seconds, she was once again dismantling her gun. Quick as lightning, the pieces were in her bag and Barbie began zipping it up.
Amelia made a mental note to ask Barbie to show her how she worked the weapon after they were finished. Before she could confirm her thought, the others were already gathering their bags.
“Let’s move!” Liam called, handing her a bag. “Amelia, I’m going to need you to keep up, got it?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The others piled out the door. Liam didn’t leave until Amelia was out. They used the back staircase and dipped out into the frigid air. The ride over to the address was a quiet one. Liam sat in the front with Beast and Barbie in the back with Amelia. The two of them talked in hushed tones, Barbie stared out the window but kept looking back.
“You got the tires, right?” Amelia asked.
“What a question?” Barbie grinned at her. “Keep in mind, if I ever miss, someone on my team doesn’t go home. I don’t ever want that on my watch. My boys will always go home.”
“I’m jealous of you,” Amelia said. “I feel like I’ve wasted my life.”
“How do you mean?”
“I want a team—boys who I protect. I mean—I have all this money and nothing to show for it. My life isn’t my own and the man I want…” Amelia looked toward Liam then leaned over to whisper to Barbie. “The man I want is right in front of me and I’m terrified I’ve ruined his life.”
“Has he been complaining?”
Amelia shook her head. “No. But he’ll find out I’m nothing like you or Lili and he’ll hate me.”
“You’re going to find out soon enough the caliber of man Wraith is. And when you do, you owe me a Canadian vacation.”
Amelia laughed.
“Now. Head in the game.”
“Aye-ay captain!” Amelia offered a mock salute.
Barbie grinned but bounced Amelia playfully with her shoulder. “If you…”
“T minus ten minutes.” Tex’s voice blared through the ear piece Liam had given her. “Y’all set?”
“As set as we’ll ever be,” Beast replied.
Ten minutes flew by and soon they were trudging through bare trees toward the back of a massive home. It wasn’t an easy trek and at one point, Amelia thought for sure she’d done something to her ankle. But there was no room for complaining. These guys were doing this for her, trying to solve a mystery for her and figure out if her father was dead or alive.
With Tex’s help, Beast hacked into the security grid and they were able to get in and close the gate behind them. While Barbie and Beast remain as security and look out, Liam and Amelia went through the house, floor by floor, room by room.
She didn’t’ expect they’d find anything until they heard voices along a corridor. Liam pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for Amelia to remain quiet. She nodded and he snuck to the door and peeked out. When he stepped back, he held up two fingers. Amelia nodded.
Two men
Liam pointed to the right then the left.
One standing on the right—one standing on the left.
The voice moved closer to the door. Liam inched forward and Amelia followed, hunching down low. As one man came out into the doorway, Liam slammed a large fist into his face. He staggered backward and as he and Liam cleared the door, Amelia tackled the second man like a linebacker. She hit him hard, using her feet to give enough momentum and caught him in the side with her shoulders. The hit rattled her brain, but she couldn’t let it bother her. She couldn’t focus on the way her shoulders throb.
Once they hit the floor, Amelia punched him in the chest, but he slammed her hard sending her reeling back. Liam came to help but Amelia simple curled her legs forward, sat on the man’s midsection and sent a foot down into his forehead. Her assailant didn’t move.
Liam pulled her off him, but she ran back and kicked him hard in the ribs.
“Come on, Hummingbird.” Liam told her, urgency in his voice. “Do not use energy you don’t have to.”
Other voices could be hear echoing through the place now. Liam still didn’t pull his weapon. He moved like a soldier, precise, silent. She was having problems with the dim lighting of the hall, but Liam didn’t seem to have an issue. She moved silently behind him, holding against the loop of his pants. When he stopped suddenly, she crashed into his back. She released him.
“Stay here for a sec.” Liam whispered.
When Amelia nodded, Liam took off on a sprint. She peered around to watch as he slid across the floor like a baseball player to take out the legs of an armed man standing at the far door. It took mere seconds, but it was slow motion.
Other men came and Wraith handled them like a superhero—knocking men out, throwing a couple over rails. They landed with an ungodly thud. She winced. Before she could gather herself again, a man snuck up behind Liam with a rope and wrapped it around Liam’s neck.
Liam struggled against the hold but couldn’t seem to get out of it. Without thinking, Amelia grabbed a chair from the room she was in, tiptoed up to the man and brought it down over his back. The chair hadn’t broken like in the movies. But it had the desired effect. Liam was free and she ducked out of the way knowing he wouldn’t be pleased with what had been done to him.
True to form, Liam sent a high kick to the side of the man’s head then a
roundhouse to slam the attacker into the floor.
Liam winked at Amelia who smiled. “Come on.”
“You okay?” Amelia whispered.
“I will be.”
Eventually they made it to the top floor. In a large bedroom, a man laid motionless on the bed. Amelia didn’t understand how he could sleep through the racket of a war just one floor beneath him. When they stepped in, Amelia locked the door behind them as Liam walked around the side of the bed and used a flashlight to shine down into the man’s face.
He growled.
“What’s wrong?” Amelia whispered.
“I know this man…” Liam explained. He turned off the flashlight and shook the man after using his free hand to heft his weapon.
Nothing.
Liam punched the man who jerked upright in bed. Liam turned on the light so the sleepy man could see the weapon.
“Hello, Melora.” Liam’s voice was like the rumble of an impending storm. “It’s so lovely to see you again.”
“Wraith!” Melora grumbled. “How the hell did you get in here?”
“Why am I not surprised you’re involved in this?” Liam asked.
“Ivan Melora?” Tex asked through the earpiece.
“The one and only,” Liam replied.
“Want me to get Wolf on this?” Tex asked.
“Not yet.” Liam eased a little closer.
Melora took that moment to lounge at Liam. Without emotion, Liam shot him in the left shoulder. Melora hit the bed like a sack of potatoes. “I’m running out of time. So each question I ask and feel you’re lying to me, I’ll add another bullet hole.”
It seemed Melora didn’t believe Liam, so he tried again. Liam fired once more into his right shoulder.
“Wraith,” Amelia walked around to stand by his side.
“It’s the only language an animal like him understands.” Liam replied without taking his eyes off the bleeding man. “Now, where is the painting?”
“What painting?” Melora asked.
Liam lifted his gun once more and Melora seemed as if he wanted the bed to open up and swallow him.
“I don’t know!” Melora screamed. “I swear to God.”
“Don’t bring god into this!” Amelia snapped.
“I had it here and after my party a few weeks ago it was gone.” Melora admitted. “I’ve been looking for it ever since. My guys found it in Omsk a couple of days ago but now it’s gone again.”
“How did you find out about the Lala?” Amelia asked.
“Storogenko, Vladimir Storogenko.” Melora stuttered. “I overheard him talking to some American one night at a restaurant. I mean, a painting so valuable—I’d be a fool to let him keep it. Now, come on, man, call me a doctor.”
Liam tilted his head. “This American—what did he look like?”
“Like her,” Melora said motion toward Amelia.
“What?” Amelia asked, leaning over to peer at the injured man.
“Black. American.” Melora gritted his teeth. “I’ve told you what I know! I don’t want to bleed to death. My doctor is speed dial four. I know you and I have never seen eye to eye, but you gave me your word.”
“I’ll be coming back for you. Right now is just not your time.” Liam told him then nodded to Amelia.
She quickly grabbed the phone, hit the four button and pressed it to Melora’s head.
When Melora finished speaking, Liam led her out the room after unlocking the door. Quickly, they headed back through the house then out the door to meet up with Beast and Barbie. Back in the van, they exhaled.
“So?” Beast asked. “Do you think he was lying?”
“I don’t know.” Liam answered while pulling his gloves off. “Maybe he is. A black man in Russia should stand out like a fucking sore thumb.”
“And what’s the crack about him looking like me?” Amelia asked.
“The underground is a shady place, Hummingbird,” Barbie said. “But it’s also very inclusive. People generally don’t see skin colour if you have enough money and can get them what they want. It wouldn’t be hard to miss him. Besides, Melora would be dumb to lie to Wraith. He knows what would happen if he did.”
“I’m getting the sinking feeling if we find the Lala, we’ll find my father’s body.” Amelia snuggled into Liam’s side. “A part of me don’t wanna find it.”
“I know.” Liam kissed her head. “But it’s the only way to make this all stop.”
Chapter 17
Once more, the entire group switched accommodations. This time, Barbie’s boyfriend, Crash, had a friend he met travelling who owned a house about four streets over. After Crash called in a favour, they all headed over, ensuring they weren’t being followed.
It wasn’t a big change, but it was necessary.
“I think we’ve been doing this all wrong,” Wraith said, pushing his food around on his plate.
“What do you mean?” Amelia asked.
“It seems both Meloroa and Storogencko and his mysterious American are after the Lala, right?” Wraith asked, pushing his plate to the side. “None of them know each other—they just want the painting. What if, we wait until one of them finds it, then relieve them of it?”
“But how will we know who has it and when? All we’ve been doing is going around in circles.” Amelia rubbed her temples.
“Not really. We have some information we didn’t have before.” Wraith exhaled. “We’re closer to it now than we were leaving Canada.”
“That’s going to take forever,” Barbie said. “We don’t have much leave time left and we can’t leave CIRO for much longer.”
“Barbie is right.” Beast added. “We’re going to have to figure out something before we can—”
“Guys!” Tex shouted as the screen came alive.
Amelia must have been stunned because her fork clattered from her fingers to the plate. She swore under her breath then glared at Tex on the screen. “Oh my God, John Keegan, what the actual fuck!”
“Um…” Tex blinked at her.
“You scared the crap out of me!” Amelia chastised. “Ugh!”
“My bad!” Tex smiled.
But everyone, aside from Amelia, knew he didn’t mean it. Tex got a kick out of popping up wherever and whenever he could.
“I come bearin’ news,” Tex said. “Hopefully that will make up for me scaring you, Amelia?”
“Do you know how to bring a man back from the dead, so I can kick his ass?” Amelia asked.
“Can’t say I do, but if it’s on a computer, it’s only a matter of time!” Tex joked.
Amelia glared at him. “Anyone ever told you, you’re a dick?”
“All the time!” Tex laughed boisterously. “But you gatta adore me.”
Though Wraith could tell Amelia wanted to stay mad at Tex, twitches of laughter stole the corners of her lips. She picked up her fork and looked away from the screen.
Wraith smiled.
Yup. Hummingbird would fit into this group perfectly.
“What did you find?” Wraith asked.
Tex cleared his throat and began typing. Almost immediately his face slid to the top right-hand corner of the screen and security footage took up the rest. It was a bit grainy but still a bit watchable.
“This man tried to sell the Lala to an art dealer in the Presnensky District.” Tex explained. “The dealer, well I saved his life a couple of times. Even though I’ve been telling him not to worry about it, he insists he owes me favours—so, I called one in. I asked him to be on the lookout.”
“Can you ask him to contact this person, pretend to be interested so he’ll come back?” Barbie asked. “We could be there waiting for him.”
“Great minds and all.” Tex gave her a corny gun salute.
Barbie giggled. “Aww, stop.”
“How far is the Presnensky District from here?” Amelia asked.
“About fifteen minutes.” Wraith replied. “I say Amelia and I go in and Beast…”
“Don’t worr
y, brother.” Beast winked. “We got you.”
Quick as a flash, Tex had an answer and the trap was set. They quickly headed on the road again. They hadn’t had time to go over the lay of the land. Wraith hated heading into any job blind. But they didn’t have a choice. He shifted into his seat, trying to clear his head. Amelia seemed to have steeled herself against the situation we were in. She didn’t so much as flinch as sped along.
Wraith said nothing. Honestly, he wouldn’t know what to say. Instead, he leaned over and kissed her cheek, nuzzled her with his beard then kissed her again. She smiled.
The moment they parked, Beast and Barbie went wide. The area was desolate, except for lamp posts. Wraith figured shady business deals must always be done at nights or with little light as possible. It struck him as strange someone would still be in the office, but he didn’t question it.
They entered and it seemed Tex’s friend had left word they would be coming. Security let them up the elevator and soon they were standing in a posh office.
“Thanks for coming,” the man said. “I am Aleksei Nagchek. I heard from Tex the painting was hot. I did not wish to have it in my collection.”
“You always work this late?” Amelia asked.
“Usually. Single—nothing to go home to.” Aleksei explained. “Plus, I have a huge glitch in my newest software. Can’t exactly sleep when the deadline his hovering over my neck like a guillotine.”
Amelia nodded.
The set up was simple and by the time the seller stepped through the door and recognized what was happening, Beast and Barbie entered behind him and Barbie quietly locked us in.
“What is this?” The man asked looking around.
“We’re going to have a little talk about your merchandise,” Wraith said.
Their visitor jumped about a foot in the air, but Wraith merely gripped his shoulder and shoved him into a chair. He pulled the bag from the man’s hand.
“You can’t!” The man hollered.
Wraith barely spared him a glance before removing the canvas from the bag. He unfurled it and stretched it out on the table. The others gathered around it and stared down.
Wraith (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) Page 14
