by Laura Scott
Battling a wave of frustration at Sun’s stubborn streak, he quickened his pace. It wasn’t until he’d caught sight of the breakfast café that the tension in Mack’s chest eased a bit. When he entered the restaurant and saw Sun unharmed and sitting in a booth near the kitchen, his muscles relaxed.
His annoyance had masked his fear of Sun being hurt or killed as quickly and easily as Chandler had been.
As he wove through the crowded tables to join her, he realized how much he cared about her.
Far more than he wanted to admit.
* * *
January 19 – 9:11 a.m. – Chicago, IL
Jarek had lingered over his breakfast, dreading the task before him. Which had resulted in his taxi being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
As the taxi crept closer to his condo, his stomach twisted painfully. Was he crazy to return here? How on earth would he convince his neighbor, William Kratz, to sell him his gun?
When the driver stopped at yet another red light, Jarek figured they were close enough. He leaned forward to capture the driver’s attention.
“Sir? Would you mind letting me out here?”
“Sure.” The driver punched the button to display the fare.
“Thank you.” Jarek paid in cash from his dwindling reserves, adding a nice tip, then pushed open the passenger side door and climbed out. The cold wind made him shiver.
Or maybe it was the wild idea he’d decided to undertake.
Jarek knew he couldn’t simply walk up to his brown brick condo building and stroll inside. First, he needed to figure out if the Asian man he’d seen at the airport was hiding nearby.
Not as easy to slink around in the bright light of day, for either of them.
At least Jarek knew the area as he’d been living here for over thirty years.
Hunching his shoulders against the wind, he made his way down one of the side streets, one that paralleled the condo building. His busy gaze flicked from one potential hiding spot to the next.
Praying this wasn’t another giant mistake.
* * *
January 19 – 9:16 a.m. – Chicago, IL
Hana lost sight of the dark-haired North Korean after getting through customs, which had taken less time than she’d anticipated. She’d played her role as an older woman so well that an airline employee had approached with a wheelchair, offering to take her through.
“Thank you,” Hana said as she sat heavily in the chair. Being pushed by the employee was a risk, but at this point, speed was more important than remaining hidden.
The Chicago airport was large, similar to London’s. Being whisked through the airport by the female employee had felt liberating. As if she might be able to get away without being caught by the North Korean after all.
Who knew? Maybe she’d been mistaken about seeing him on the plane. For all she knew, the North Korean was still in London searching for her.
At least that’s what she sincerely hoped for.
By the time they’d reached the baggage claim, Hana was ready to make her move. She lifted a hand. “Miss? I’d like to use the restroom if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, of course.” The female employee instantly veered off in a different direction, pushing her toward the women’s room.
“Thanks again.” Hana stood with more agility than she’d displayed earlier, smiling broadly at the employee. “You’ve been so kind, but I think I can manage by myself from here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive, but thank you again.” Hana had taken a few moments to convert her Euros to American dollars after getting through customs, so she gave the woman a five-dollar tip.
“Thank you and have a wonderful day.” The female employee turned away, taking the wheelchair with her.
Hana quickly slipped into the restroom and began shedding her disguise. Without a change of clothes, there wasn’t much she could do, but removing the molded plastic from her mouth, getting rid of the makeup, and taking down the scarf changed her outward appearance enough that she felt confident leaving the airport and standing in line for a taxi.
Standing outside with her large handbag over her shoulder made her feel a bit vulnerable, but her turn came quickly, and she slid gratefully into the taxi. “Where to, lady?” the driver asked.
“A condo at 2701 Wilton Avenue.” She still remembered Jarek’s address and could hardly believe she was actually here in Chicago.
“Okay.” He started the meter and pulled into traffic.
As the airport grew smaller behind her, she let out a deep breath. She’d made it into the United States for the first time in thirty years.
Now she only had to worry about Jarek’s reaction to seeing her after all this time.
* * *
January 19 – 9:33 a.m. – Washington, DC
Sun tried to ignore Mack’s woodsy scent as he crowded next to her in the booth so that they could both see the computer screen.
They’d ordered fruit and yogurt for breakfast to keep up appearances. Sun wasn’t at all hungry, still seeing the bright red blood surrounding Chandler’s body, but Mack had made quick work of both of their meals before opening the sat computer and inserting the USB drive into the port.
The problem was that Chandler had password-protected the drive, so Mack was doing his best to hack into it without ruining any of the data.
“What do you think is on here?” Sun whispered.
Mack glanced at her. “I’m hoping the original transcripts of the chatter mentioning the nuke.”
She scoffed. “I’m hoping for more than that. I already went through those transcripts, and we need additional information to help find this thing.”
“Anything is possible,” Mack admitted as his fingers flew over the keys. The screen looked like a bunch of gibberish to her, and she was once again grateful to have Mack partnering with her on this case.
For more than just his superior computer skills.
Her phone rang, and she recognized Jordan’s number. “Did you find something on our Allan?”
“There are three possibilities. Karen Allan, Allan Stokes, and Sean Allen.” He went on to give her the spelling of each name. “Apparently, they are all employed in our information technology area.”
“Okay, I guess it’s better to have three than none,” Sun said with a sigh. “Thanks, Jordan. Anything else on Chandler?”
“He was declared DOA, which you already suspected. Yates is fielding calls about him and hasn’t mentioned the planned meeting with you and Mack.” Jordan paused, then added, “I’m worried about this alleged bomb. With the way people are dying, I think the threat is very real.”
“I know, me too.” Sun watched as Mack continued working the computer. No way would she have the patience to hack into a computer program. “Jordan, you didn’t mention the USB drive to Yates, did you?”
“No. I figure there’s time for that at some point when you find out what information is on it. I take it Remington hasn’t gotten into it yet?”
“No, but he will.” She didn’t have to force confidence into her tone, she believed wholeheartedly in Mack’s skills. “We’ll keep you posted on what we find.”
“Please do. Stay safe, Sun.”
“That’s the plan. Later.” She pushed the end button and tucked the phone back into her pocket. She stared at the computer screen. “How much longer?”
“As long as it takes.” Mack’s calm tone set her teeth on edge.
Sun took a sip of her water and tried to be patient as the three names Jordan gave her swirled in her head. Karen Allan, Allan Stokes, and Sean Allen.
Which one had Chandler meant to implicate?
* * *
January 19 – 9:52 a.m. – Chicago, IL
Jarek had remained hidden behind the brown brick building housing his condo but hadn’t seen any sign of the Asian. Or anyone else that appeared to be watching the place.
But the sick feeling in his stomach hadn’t lessened one bit. If anything, the
knots had only gotten worse.
How long should he stay out here? It seemed as if he’d been watching forever, but he knew it had been just over thirty-five minutes.
Was there some protocol for this kind of thing?
No, he was being ridiculous. He hadn’t come all this way to stand beneath a tree. He needed to head inside and buzz William’s unit. The man was retired from his career as a banker and had confided in Jarek of his plan to trace his roots. Apparently he spent hours on those ancestry sites running down genealogy leads.
Jarek took a deep breath and tried to shake off the impending sense of doom. He’d get in and out before the Asian could catch him.
He hoped.
Still, he waited another agonizing fifteen minutes before forcing himself to leave the shelter of the tree. He went up to the front of the building with his key in hand. His back felt exposed as he used the key to access the building. Once inside, he pressed the buzzer for William Kratz’s unit.
“Yes?”
The sound of his neighbor’s voice was like a balm to his ragged nerves. “Will? It’s Jarek Zeman. I need to see you. It’s a matter of life and death.”
“Life and death?” Will echoed in alarm. “Well then, I guess you’d better come up.”
“Thank you.” Jarek took the stairs to the second level. His and Will’s condos were located across the hall from each other, and he slowed, approaching Will’s door with apprehension.
What if the Asian was in there right now, holding William at gunpoint waiting for Jarek to arrive? He tried not to be so paranoid, but his footsteps dragged as if an unseen force was holding him back.
Rather than going to William’s door, he went across the hall to his unit. Twisting the door handle, he expected it to be locked the way he’d left it, but the knob turned without a problem.
Every instinct in his body went on red alert. Whirling away, he silently left the way he’d come. Calling himself every kind of coward, he burst outside just as a taxi pulled up.
Run! He picked up his pace but then gaped when he saw Hana emerge from the taxi.
Hana? Here? His mind whirled, and then he rushed forward. “Get back in the taxi.” He barely acknowledged her but pushed her back into the seat.
“Why? What’s going on?” Hana asked.
A gunshot rang out. He ducked into the taxi. “Go, go!”
The driver hit the accelerator, and the taxi leaped forward. A quick glance behind him confirmed the Asian was there, watching them drive away.
Chapter Eleven
January 19 – 10:12 a.m. – Chicago, IL
“Get out of my taxi!” The driver fumbled with his phone. Sensing he was about to call 911, Hana plucked it from his grasp.
“I’m sorry, sir, but you must take us far away from here.” Her voice was kind yet underlined with steel.
“Hana? W-what are you doing here?” Jarek’s voice was full of confusion.
“Looking for you.” Despite the dire circumstances, she smiled. “It’s been a long time, Jarek.”
“I want you people out of my taxi!” The driver was swerving all over the road as he kept glancing at them over his shoulder.
“Take us a few kilometers more please, then we’ll get out,” Hana promised.
“I—am I dreaming?” Jarek stared at her in a way that made her think he might be in shock.
Then she saw the dark stain on the sleeve of his jacket. “You’ve been hit?”
“Huh?” For an English professor, he seemed to be at a loss for words. He reached up and touched his sleeve, then frowned at the blood stain. “I don’t feel anything.”
She took a moment to examine the wound more closely, relieved to note it wasn’t deep. The bullet had grazed along the edge of his arm, causing only a flesh wound.
It could have been so much worse.
“I’m sorry, Jarek.” Hana couldn’t help but wonder if the North Korean had already known her destination and had somehow beaten her to it. She’d gotten only a brief glimpse of the man with the gun, but he’d definitely been from the country of her birth. “You being in danger is my fault.”
“No, it’s the other way around. I’m the one who put you in danger.” Jarek wiped the blood from his fingers with a tissue. “The gunman had been aiming at me.”
With an abrupt move, the taxi driver pulled over and hit the brakes, hard. “Get out!”
Hana huffed. “Fine, but if that man catches up with us, our blood will be on your hands.”
“Now!” The taxi driver was not taking no for an answer.
Hana paid the man in cash, providing a tip despite his behavior. After all, it wasn’t entirely his fault. Most taxi drivers would be upset over being shot at.
“Better for us to find a new ride anyway,” Jarek said, pushing his door open. Cold air filled the vehicle.
The moment she and Jarek were out of the car, the taxi driver took off, barely giving her time to shut the door. She grimaced, looped her bag over her shoulder, and took Jarek’s arm. “Come, we must keep moving.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.” Jarek still seemed stunned by her presence. “After all this time, you’re really here.”
“Yes. Now please, we must find another taxi.” As they were still in a residential area, she wasn’t sure hailing another taxi was even possible. “Do you have a number to call?”
Jarek shook his head. “I ditched my phone after the gunman found me the first time. Not that it’s helped much.”
The first time? She glanced up at him as they continued walking briskly down the street. She had her disposable phone, but without a number for the taxi service, it wouldn’t help them. At the next intersection, she followed when he turned right. Her recent work must have been what started this cascade of events. “How many attempts have there been, Jarek?”
He shook his head and placed his hand over hers where it rested in the crook of his elbow. “Later. Let’s focus on finding another taxi.”
Hana knew he was right, the North Korean was likely already hot on their tail. But if the gunman wasn’t the same man who’d followed her from Geneva, which is what Jarek implied, then who was he?
Another comrade from the regime? If so, how many? How many people had the regime sent to kill her and those she loved? Her attempt to do good things, to right the wrongs, had backfired in a big way.
She swallowed hard and huddled close to Jarek. At the next intersection, he turned left. A taxi was at the stoplight, and he waved his uninjured arm to flag the driver. The taxi idled for a moment as they both climbed in.
“Take us to Union Station please,” Jarek said.
The driver nodded and pulled into traffic. Hana glanced through the back window, searching for a sign of the gunman.
She didn’t see him but sensed he was out there, somewhere. Ready for the perfect opportunity to pounce.
Jarek was wrong, the danger was all about his association with her, not the other way around.
Depressing to realize that if something bad happened to Jarek Zeman, she only had herself to blame.
* * *
January 19 – 10:19 a.m. – Washington, DC
“I’m in.” Mack looked at Sun with a surge of satisfaction. She was sitting with her chin in her hand, her eyes closed as if sleeping. “Sun? You hear me? I’m in!”
“Huh?” She pried her eyes open. “I’m awake.”
“Hardly.” He smiled at how adorable she looked, not that she’d want to hear it. “I can access the files on the USB drive.”
She straightened as the implication sank deep. “That’s great. What did Chandler have on there?”
Good question. “I’ve only started to check them out. There’s a large audio file that I believe might be the original transcript, but there are other documents uploaded as well. It’s going to take some time to review them.”
Sun glanced around the restaurant. The breakfast crowd had waned, and it was too early for those looking for lunch. “We need to find another place to han
g out for a while. We’ve already been here too long.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” He clicked on the keyboard. “Give me a moment to finish transferring the data from the drive to the computer.”
“I’m glad you’re working with me on this,” Sun admitted softly. “I’d be dead in the water on this case without your hacking skills.”
Her praise warmed his heart and made him think once again about kissing her. Which was becoming a bad habit. Staying focused was important if they were going to find and abort the nuke.
He stared at the screen, mentally urging the computer files to transfer more quickly. When the last file was complete, he quickly ejected the USB drive and shut down the computer. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Back to the Chevy?” Sun asked as she left cash for the server.
“Yes.” So far his instincts had been right on. Capitol Hill had not only been the area where the disposable phone had pinged off the tower but where Chandler had been murdered, not to mention his overhearing the American speaking North Korean.
But now they needed time to review their new intel. To see if they could get another lead that would reveal the location of the nuke.
“This way.” Sun turned in the opposite direction from where the parking structure was located, but he understood her plan was to avoid being followed. He covered Sun’s back as they made their way down one street, then another.
He didn’t see any sign of the man with the black knit cap or the blond who’d disappeared into the Capitol building. But that didn’t mean there wasn’t someone else watching from afar.
Their trip to the parking structure took twice as long as it should have. Sun glanced at him with a cheeky grin. “Don’t forget our bet.”
She took off up the stairs, leaving him little choice but to follow. Sun won, but they were both breathing hard as they reached the sixth level. Sun headed toward the rusted vehicle, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“Let me check it out first. Just in case.”
She blew out a breath and nodded. “All right, give me the computer.”
