Brady Hawk 09 - Seek and Destroy

by R. J. Patterson

  In a matter of seconds, the guards formed a circle around Hawk and Blunt.

  “I’d advise you to stay put,” one of the guards said.

  “Great advice, too,” said Petrov, who strode through the front door clapping slowly.

  Hawk cast a quick glace toward Blunt before turning an icy stare toward Petrov.

  “Two for the price of one,” she said. “Mr. Hawk, I can’t thank you enough for making this far easier for me than it was going to be. I have to admit that you do know how to make an entrance.”

  Hawk stopped and spun around, surveying the situation. Two dozen guards holding guns all trained on him and Blunt. Hawk’s options had dwindled to a prayer.

  “Talk to me, Hawk,” Alex said over the coms. “I’m flying blind here. There are no security cameras in that room.”

  “We’re trapped,” he said.

  CHAPTER 25

  Washington, D.C.

  PRESIDENT MICHAELS FUMED over the Supreme Court’s split decision, grousing about the outcome to one of his aides. After throwing several books across the Oval Office, Michaels calmed down and fell into his chair.

  “I swear I’m going to ruin Williams,” he said as he looked up at his aide. “She’s going to pay dearly.”

  “What exactly would you like for me to do, sir?” the aide asked.

  “Get out,” Michaels growled.

  Michaels waited until the aide left the room before moving. Surprised that Petrov hadn’t called, Michaels scrolled through his address book in search of one name: Frank Stone. He finally found it and dialed the number again.

  “We have some things to discuss,” Michaels said as Stone answered.

  “Apparently our warning wasn’t strong enough for Justice Williams,” Stone said.

  “That’s one way to put it, but we’ll have to wait and address it at a later time.”

  “You have a more pressing matter?”

  “Yes, and it’s not one that we can afford to have screwed up this time. No excuses. Do you understand?”

  “Don’t accuse me of not doing my job,” Stone said. “You were the one who told me only to scare Williams. I could’ve just as easily had them kill her that night.”

  Michaels bristled. “My orders were to persuade her to vote in my favor. Your persuasion didn’t accomplish the intended goal.”

  “I think I’ve established with you well by now that persuasion isn’t my specialty. I deal better when it comes to finite directives with results that are easier to measure.”

  “Take this order as a more permanent one with only a single outcome that will satisfy me,” Michaels said. “In other words, if you don’t fulfill the mission, don’t come home.”

  “Who’s the target?” Michaels asked.

  “Brady Hawk,” Michaels said. “I want him dead.”

  “Where is he?”

  “At the moment, he’s in Istanbul. Not sure if he’ll be there long—or survive, for that matter. But you better go and bring back pictures of his dead body. This is your final chance. Got it?”

  “Loud and clear.”

  Michaels hung up and then leaned back in his chair. He stared at the ceiling and pondered his next move.

  CHAPTER 26

  Istanbul, Turkey

  HAWK RAISED HIS ARMS IN THE AIR and stared at Petrov. He’d hoped for a clean getaway but would’ve settled for a messy one under the circumstances. Scanning the room, he realized he’d likely get neither. He stood in the middle of a tinderbox. One itchy finger was all that was between his hope of a miracle and utter annihilation.

  “Seems like you’ve won and congratulations are in order,” Hawk said.

  Petrov wagged her finger. “Mother Russia has won. I have simply fulfilled my role in a greater plan.”

  “So, now what? A bronze bust of you in Moscow or St. Petersburg? A university named in your honor?”

  “That’d be nice,” she said with a smile. “But I’d settle for a nice little home somewhere along the Black Sea. But enough about my retirement plans. Let’s discuss yours, which are limited at this point to either a quick death or a slow one.”

  “I was hoping you’d just let me walk out of here,” he said. “A little catch and release. Without me in your life, things wouldn’t be very interesting.”

  She circled Hawk, her heels clicking against the concrete floor.

  “Believe it or not, Mr. Hawk, I prefer life to be less interesting. Whenever people do exactly what I say, I find that my stress level goes down. But when you are around, somehow I’m constantly on edge. So, I’ll decline your proposal, which puts us back to what I originally asked you—quick death or slow death?”

  Hawk shrugged. “Dealer’s choice.”

  “Very well then,” she said. “But before I make my decision, there’s something I want you to see.”

  Petrov turned and nodded at one of the soldiers, who pressed a button on the side of the wall. A large screen dropped down from the ceiling along with a camera. Next, a row of lights flashed on. Petrov moved toward the middle of the room.

  “Keep those two over on the side. I don’t want them in the shot,” she instructed, gesturing toward Blunt and Hawk.

  She pulled out her smart phone and began dialing. Seconds later, a video conference feed appeared on the screen with a simple name beneath it: Michaels.

  After a few seconds, the screen blinked alive and President Michaels was sitting in the Oval Office, hunched forward, his elbows resting on the desk, hands clasped together.

  “Ah, Katarina, how are you? I’ve been expecting your call.”

  “I’m sure you’ve been looking forward to it too given your failure to uphold your end of the bargain.”

  Michaels winced. “Unfortunately, this isn’t Russia. In a democratic republic, sometimes things don’t end up going your way.”

  “Your type of government isn’t an excuse,” she said. “When you promise results, you should deliver. Now, you’ve put me in a less than desirable position.”

  “I’m sorry about that, Katarina. Is there any way I could make it up to you?”

  “Since you asked, I’m willing to give you one more chance.”

  “Just tell me what I need to do.”

  Katarina laughed mockingly and turned toward her guards. “American men are so weak.”

  “What was that?” Michaels asked.

  “Never mind. Here’s what I’m going to need you to do: Convince the Federal Reserve to disband on their own and place temporary decision-making power back into your hands.”

  “Disband? You can’t be serious? There’s a better chance that Kim Kardashian would—”

  “Shut up,” she said. “You asked for one more chance. I’m giving it to you.”

  “But how am I supposed to convince the entire Federal Reserve to give up all their power and disband? They already hate me as it is.”

  “Good,” she said. “Then you won’t lose any friends over the deal since they loathe you so. I hate losing friends.”

  “How quickly do you want this done?”

  “I’ll give you three days,” she said.

  “Three days? Are you out of your mind? These are busy people. There’s no way I can schedule meetings that quickly with all of them.”

  “I can’t hold off initiating the one world currency any longer than that. But to assist you in this manner, I’ll have my office send over some compromising material on all the board members momentarily.”

  “I’m not sure that will still be enough time, but I’ll try.”

  “A skillful politician could have this wrapped up in a day.”

  Michaels loosened his tie. “Fine. I’ll do my best. What about our other little problem?”

  “Firestorm?”

  “More specifically, Brady Hawk.”

  “Consider him taken care of.”

  “So, he’s still alive?” Michaels said. “I thought you were going to handle him.”

  “I’m always mopping up after you, Mr. President. For
someone who claims to be the leader of the free world, you are quite terrible at your job.”

  She grabbed Hawk by the collar and dragged him into the picture.

  “Satisfied?” she said.

  Michaels’ face lit up when he saw Hawk.

  “Excellent,” Michaels said. “Just make sure that bastard is filled with lead as quickly as possible.”

  “It will be my pleasure,” she said. “I’ll see to it personally. Three days, Mr. President. Three days or else the United States will be left behind as the world forges ahead into a new era of economic prosperity.”

  She tapped her phone and the overhead screen went dark before ascending up into the ceiling along with the camera.

  “So, it’s going to be a quick death,” Hawk said.

  “Oh, no,” she said. “It’s going to be slow and painful. And you’re going to wish our paths never crossed.”

  She looked at a couple of the guards.

  “Attach them to the pipe and get me a knife,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

  Blunt looked at Hawk as the guards ushered them back toward the pipe and started securing them.

  “This was your big rescue plan?” Blunt asked softly. “Didn’t you get the message I sent you?”

  “Now would be as good of a time as any, Samuels,” Hawk said.

  “Had to get all my weapons ready,” Samuels said over the com.

  Seconds later, Samuels repelled from the ventilation shaft and started shooting. The gunfire momentarily distracted the guards, who had to turn their attention to the back door. An elite team of Army Rangers under the direction of General Van Fortner stormed into the room and started shooting.

  Hawk ripped free from the bindings and helped Blunt get away before sprinting for cover behind several crates stacked near one side of the room. Offered a gun by one of the soldiers, Hawk grabbed it and began looking for Petrov.

  “Where is she?” Hawk asked.

  Blunt peered into the room filled with smoke and gunfire, which had started to die down.

  “I don’t see her,” he said. “Wait, I think that’s her over in the corner.”

  “Where?” Hawk asked, his nose burning from the smell of gunpowder.

  Blunt pointed. “Right there.”

  Hawk turned his steely gaze toward the place Blunt directed him. Before Hawk could put Petrov in his sights, a flash bang exploded in the room. More chaos and confusion. Hawk put his hand on Blunt’s back and the two stayed low for a few seconds while waiting for the smoke to clear.

  “Samuels!” Hawk said, peeking up to see his fellow agent gasping for air in the middle of the room. “I’ve got to pull him out of there.”

  Blunt took a fistful of Hawk’s shirt and pulled him back.

  “You can’t. He’s already gone, Hawk.”

  “You don’t know that. We could save him.”

  “Petrov is going to get away if you don’t move.”

  Hawk crouched low as he re-entered the line of fire. He grabbed Samuels by the ankles and pulled him back toward the line the Rangers had formed.

  “Get him some help, will ya?” Hawk said to one of the soldiers.

  The soldier nodded.

  Hawk then counted in his head. Ten seconds had elapsed since the last bullet shot.

  “What’s going on in there, Hawk?” Alex said over the coms. “Can you give me some kind of update? I’m flying blind here.”

  “I think we’ve eliminated all the hostiles, except for Petrov,” he said. “But I’m going after her now.”

  CHAPTER 27

  HAWK SPRINTED AFTER PETROV, slipping into the stairwell that led up to the obscure street level entrance Alex identified on the plans. As Hawk ran, he wondered about Samuels’ status. Even though he’d only been a part of the Firestorm team for just a few weeks, Hawk had taken to him, if only for the fact that he was blood kin to Alex. Samuels had made a heroic move—Hawk only hoped it wasn’t a costly one.

  Meanwhile, Hawk tried to stay focused on the task at hand, keeping pace of Petrov as he refused to lose sight of her. She’d dashed around several corners but had been unable to shake him. She paused for a few seconds to ditch her shoes, allowing Hawk to gain more ground briefly. But she quickly rebuilt her lead running barefoot.

  “Alex, are you still with me?” Hawk said.

  “Of course,” she said. “But before you ask, her phone is off. I can’t track her.”

  “Well, stay close by,” he said. “I might need you soon.”

  “Roger that.”

  Despite Petrov’s winding route through the city to evade capture, Hawk figured out where she was ultimately headed. He figured he’d go to the same place, too—the Grand Bazaar.

  The vast network of covered streets packed tightly with shops would give anyone a fighting chance to disappear. After a few minutes, Hawk’s suspicions were confirmed when Petrov entered the Grand Bazaar at the Nuruosmaniye Gate. The market hadn’t been open more than an hour but was already bustling with local shoppers and curious tourists. Vendors lined the major thoroughfares, hawking goods outside their shops. Several shopkeepers grabbed Hawk forcefully by his sleeve in an attempt to pull him inside their shop. Keeping his eyes focused on Petrov, he resisted and kept moving forward.

  As Hawk closed in on her, she made a sharp turn and approached a pair of police officers. She waved her arms frantically and then pointed at Hawk. The officers looked right at Hawk, and one of them started speaking into his radio.

  Hawk glanced at Petrov, who shot him a satisfied grin before she started running again.

  Turning his back on the officers, Hawk started running back along the main street. He immediately cut down an adjacent street that led back toward Petrov’s direction. Ducking into one store, Hawk hastily overpaid for a shawl and wrapped himself in it before returning to his pursuit.

  He’d managed to avoid several officers, who still appeared to be intent on finding him, but he lost Petrov.

  Where could she be?

  Hawk had been to Istanbul several times, though he’d never been thrust into a situation that required extensive knowledge of the city. Taxi cab drivers and public transportation handled getting him where he needed to go. Knowing Petrov like he did, Hawk figured she would try to cut off any potential public relations nightmare and would need to get out in front of a workplace shooting at The Chamber’s main offices.

  “Alex,” Hawk said over the coms, “can you still hear me?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I’m still tracking you.”

  “Great. I need your help.”

  “Tell me what you need this time.”

  “If you were needing to get out of the bazaar and find the nearest television station, where would you go and what’s the fastest way to get there?”

  “Give me a second.”

  Hawk continued moving along the outside of the bazaar, scanning the streets for any sign of Petrov. But she was gone.

  “Come on, Alex. I can’t lose her.”

  “I wouldn’t do it on foot. I’d use a ferry. There’s a terminal a few blocks from you that would be ideal. You could get to a couple of TV stations easily—and the international airport is on the west side of the Bosphorus.”

  “You’re a genius, Alex. Now, tell me how to get there.”

  Alex gave him directions and Hawk didn’t hesitate. He raced toward the Sirceki ferry terminal five blocks away. However, when he was within two blocks of the location, he spotted Petrov walking hurriedly in a throng of people moving along the sidewalk. Periodically, she glanced over her shoulder as if she were still looking for Hawk.

  “Found her,” he said to Alex.

  “Be careful, Hawk. You know how dangerous she is.”

  “This is going to end today.”

  Hawk increased his pace and followed her onto the ferry headed across the Bosphorus for the Harem terminal.

  Less than five minutes after Hawk bought a ticket and got on board, the ship’s crew began to initiate the departure pr
ocess. They removed the ropes tying them to the dock and drew in the pedestrian and auto ramps. The engines chugged to life and the ferry wasted no time in putting distance between itself and the terminal.

  Hawk hunkered down on the automobile deck and considered his next move. He needed to coerce her somehow into a private place. Hawk kept his head down but his eyes focused on the ferry passengers. After several minutes, he located Petrov and started following her. She sat down several times but wouldn’t remain in any seat for very long, getting up and pacing around the deck. She constantly scanned the room and glanced over her shoulder.

  Hawk followed her for 10 minutes before she got up and decided to go below the passenger deck. Continuing her nervous behavior, she wove her way through the cars lined up and ready to depart. Most of the cars’ owners had joined the other foot passengers above. Hawk raced around the outside of the deck and positioned himself near the set of stairs she was likely to use. There was a janitorial closet around the corner from the stairs, which Hawk discovered was unlocked.

  He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, waiting for Petrov. She eased her way through the cars, keeping her head on a swivel. But Hawk remained invisible right up until the moment he grabbed her by the arm.

  Petrov gasped and her eyes widened. Hawk shoved his free hand over her mouth and shoved her into the janitorial closet.

  “It’s over,” he said.

  “It’s not over until I say it’s over,” she said, reaching for her gun.

  Hawk reacted quickly, hitting her arm with such force that she dropped her weapon.

  “No, it’s over, Katarina.”

  “I will scream. People will come running. I will tell them that you tried to rape me.”

  “You will be dead before anyone arrives,” he said. “Everyone will see a woman who tragically took her own life.”

  She glared at him for a few seconds before relaxing her shoulders, a sign that she had admitted defeat.

  “Killing me won’t stop what’s already been set into motion,” she said. “The one world currency will become reality. Your children and your grandchildren—if you live that long to see them—will all speak Russian. You will see.”