The Warning

by Michelle E Lowe

  Rivera lowered the phone and turned to the frightened men who’d overheard his brief conversation. “Get up. We need to go.”

  Lee’s cell phone nearly vibrated off his desk before he caught it. “Lee Gaiman.”

  “Lee,” Sakura said. “Have you seen the footage I sent you?”

  He sat at his workstation and shook his mouse. “No, I was watching your coverage on that kid’s arrest. Good work.”

  “Click on what I sent,” she ordered. “You’ll never fucking believe what’s on it.”

  “Language, Yoko,” he scolded. “We’re the press, not dirty-mouthed sailors.”

  “Just click on it.”

  He spotted the e-mail icon when the screen brightened, and clicked on it. He waited for both pieces of footage to download and clicked play. “Okay, what am I watching here?”

  “Wait,” Sakura said. “And keep me on the line.”

  Sakura waited patiently as Lee viewed the video files. She could hear the voices of the mayor and the other men before Lee gasped. A few more minutes passed and there was a thud, then the phone shuffled.

  “Oh, God, it’s the mayor,” he said. “Is this real? Tell me it’s real.”

  “Oh, yeah,” she confirmed. “And there’s more. Click on the other video.”

  The mouse clicked.

  “Holy shit,” he exclaimed out of character. “That’s Nikolai Crowe!”

  “Language,” she said. “I need you to have both pieces edited and ready by the time I get back to the station.”

  “No problem. How long do I have?”

  “Fifteen, twenty minutes.”

  “It’ll be ready.”

  “And Lee,” she said before she was disconnected. “Don’t let anyone, especially that news hog, Jen Washington, see it. This is my story, and I’ll be the one to expose it.”

  “Got it. See you when you get here.”

  She pressed END and turned to Kenny at the wheel.

  “This will be my night to shine,” she said with a grin.

  Chapter 25

  Mayor Hiroshi Sho arrived at the Midtown North Precinct within a half hour after Knox’s disturbing visit. He’d called Osborn ahead of time, letting him know he was coming and that he didn’t want to be seen. His Town Car was allowed into the police garage, where Osborn waited.

  “Mayor Sho,” the chief greeted him as the driver opened the back door. “What brings you here? You didn’t say over the phone.”

  Sho approached him aggressively. “I want to see him, Howard. Now!”

  Osborn gaped at the request, but nodded. “Follow me.”

  Nikolai was half-asleep on the cot, surprised he could sleep in the first place. After everything that had happened, though, it amazed him that his body hadn’t already given in to exhaustion. His back ached; the painkillers he’d taken on the train had worn off and the cops had confiscated the bottle. He’d hoped he would fall asleep before the pain came creeping over him. Perhaps he could even sleep through his own execution.

  “Nikolai Crowe.”

  He opened his eyes to the gray bricks inches from his face.

  “Get up.”

  He turned toward two men standing by the bars. “Mayor Sho?” he said, slowly sitting up. “Didn’t expect to ever meet you. Your own daughter never wanted to see you, much less introduce us.”

  Sho turned to the police chief. “Leave me alone with him.”

  “If there’s anything you need, just call. I won’t be far away.”

  “Fine,” Sho replied bitterly.

  Osborn turned to Geiger and Cooper, standing nearby. “Let’s go.”

  They left, leaving Nikolai alone with Sho. Nikolai approached the bars and stopped a foot from them. He stared for the first time at the father of his beloved—the man behind her death. He said nothing in return, only crossed his arms. He knew he had it in him to do serious damage to this man if he wasn’t trapped in a cell.

  Sho finally spoke. “So, you’re claiming innocence. Why?”

  “You of all people ought to know why.”

  “You lying little bastard, you know damn well you killed her. You were seen in her apartment today. Don’t deny it, not to me.”

  “Not only will I deny it, but there’s proof that it wasn’t me. Don’t stand there trying to scare me into confessing to a murder I didn’t comment.” The rage fumed inside him. He was sick of being blamed of Jade’s murder. Having the very man who’d ordered her death accuse him as well only tipped him over. “Why did you come here?” he asked with a slight shrug. “Did you come to convince yourself that your hands are clean?”

  Sho’s eyes grew wide before narrowing. “You better watch what you say to me, Crowe. You have no idea what I’m capable of doing.”

  That threat had little effect. He didn’t care about himself. He wanted to hurt the man who’d taken Jade from him—even if he couldn’t do anything but make up a story to do so. “I slept with your stepson,” he said bluntly.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I slept with your stepson,” he repeated more deliberately. “Back when he was my teacher in college. My grades were slipping so I hooked up with him to save my ass—so to say. Must’ve been good for him, ’cause I had the highest grade in the class.”

  Sho gaped at him. It took a few attempts before he managed to get anything out. “But … you’re not gay.”

  “No, but who doesn’t do a little experimenting in college?”

  “It’s a lie. You’re just saying that to upset me.”

  Nikolai tightened his arms over his chest and stared at Sho unblinkingly. From the deep sound of air sucking into Sho’s nostrils and the slight twitch in his left eye; it looked like the mayor just might believe him.

  Sho took a step back and glanced around the holding room. There were only three other cells, each one vacant. Without another word, he left.

  Nikolai pressed on his back as the pain climbed his spinal column.

  Osborn waited for the mayor at the top of the stairwell as Sho climbed the steps, his face flushed. Obviously, something horrendous had happened between him and Crowe.

  “I want you to hurt him,” Sho growled. “Do you understand me, Howard? Shut off the cameras and make him pay for what he’s done to my family.”

  He liked the sound of that. “We could do more than rough him up.”

  “Excuse me? You better not be implying what I think you are.”

  “I … er … I just meant …”

  “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. But I do want him to suffer every single day until he’s strapped to a table and pumped full of sodium thiopental.”

  Osborn slumped with disappointment. He’d prefer Crowe be removed from the face of the earth. It was a burden having him alive.

  “Do you understand me, Howard?”

  “Yeah,” he answered grimly. “It’ll be taken care of.”

  Sho glared at him a moment longer before walking past him. “Oh, and Howard?” he added over his shoulder. “If Crowe does die tonight, I’ll hold you personally responsible.”

  Rivera opened the door and checked the hall before he turned back to the men behind him. “Let’s go,” he said, propping the door open with his back.

  Crawford and Novak exited the hospital room and followed Rivera’s direction toward the door that led to the stairwell.

  “Are they really coming to kill us?” Novak whispered.

  “If Knox says so, then, yeah,” he replied, keeping an eye out.

  Dressed in a short hospital gown with bandages wrapped around his head, Crawford padded barefoot over the cold tile. The hall was vacant, but Rivera didn’t worry about him calling for help. With people on their way with intent to kill, he was the only one who could protect them.

  The stairwell was six doors away and Crawford picked up his pace to reach it. Rivera yanked him back. “Wait.”

  “What?”

  He thought about running for the exit but he’d already heard the ding of the elevator. It could just be
a staff member.

  Most likely that’s what it was. He’d only spoken to Knox a few minutes ago. Even so, if the mayor was aware of what Knox knew, a powerful man like him could have anyone, including the police, come after them. With that in mind, he herded the men into the nearest room and quietly shut the door just as the elevator opened.

  Agent Van McLean stepped off the elevator into the hallway. He looked down the long corridor to his partner, Ashton Zimmerman, who exited from the other elevator. They headed toward Room 29.

  They’d been stationed at the hospital the entire night with orders to do away with Crawford and Novak the moment the green light came through. Before that could happen though, Crawford’s face had to return to normal. He couldn’t look like Crowe when his body was discovered. The plan was to move him into the ICU for the treatment of malaria, then give him a lethal injection. They were then to follow Novak to his home, where his death would appear as though he’d died interrupting a burglary. Now the plan had suddenly changed. They needed to act fast to tie up the loose ends.

  Zimmerman pulled his gun and went inside the room, while McLean kept watch on the outside. Seconds later, Zimmerman reappeared and shook his head.

  “Check the doors that way,” McLean ordered, taking out his radio.

  Zimmerman went left, while McLean headed right.

  “He’s gone,” McLean reported into the radio.

  “Copy,” a woman replied on the other end.

  They searched each room. Patients occupied a few. McLean entered a room and interrupted a surgeon examining a woman’s breast job. They both looked at him, and with a loud shriek the woman threw a sheet over herself.

  “Can I help you?” the surgeon asked.

  McLean backed out of the room without a word.

  Steps came into the room after the door opened. It was dark with the exception of a dim glow from the streetlights outside. The footsteps stopped at the end of the short foyer by the closet wall. After a few seconds of tense silence, whoever it was left.

  When the door closed, Rivera lowered his gun and let out a breath of relief. Crawford and Novak, who were leaning against the closet door, did the same. For the moment, they were trapped, but once the coast was clear, they could make their escape.

  Nikolai paced his cell while rubbing his back. He tried sleeping, but the pain wouldn’t let him. It wasn’t until footsteps caught his attention that he stopped. The sight of Geiger and Cooper made him jump. Geiger waved his badge over the scanner. Neither of them carried guns or wore their police belts, so he didn’t think they’d come to finish him off. Even so, he knew he was in big trouble. His heart pounded, on the verge of exploding. He backed toward the wall as the cell door slid open.

  “This is a taste of what the remainder of your life will be like from now on,” Geiger said, entering first.

  The officers stood on either side of him. Nikolai trained his sights on the open door behind them and made a run for it. He knew he couldn’t escape, but he tried anyway.

  Cooper caught him as he ran by and slung him around to face his partner, locking his arms under Nikolai’s and holding him. Geiger slipped on a pair of brass knuckles. Nikolai tried breaking free, but his stomach caved in as Geiger sank a fist into his gut. He wanted to collapse, but Cooper’s hold kept him on his feet. Geiger struck him across the face with his other hand.

  He was at least grateful the man hadn’t hit him in the face with the brass knuckles. That would have shattered bones, disfiguring him for life. He might even have to drink food through a straw and he wasn’t in the least curious as to what liquid steak tasted like.

  Blood pooled in his mouth when he hit the ground. When he tried standing, they kicked him in the side. The officers’ steel-toed boots were like a dull blade stabbing him. He dropped flat, helpless. He could do nothing but curl up in the fetal position as the kicks and punches kept coming.

  He thought of the only thing that could carry him through this brutal assault—Jade. Her lily scent, her gentle hands, and the light in her eyes. He held onto those memories. No matter how hard each strike was, he never let them go.

  * * * * *

  Rivera decided to take a chance and peek outside the room. When he saw no one in the hall, he signaled the men to follow, and they rushed toward the stairwell. With his gun in one hand, he opened the door and aimed it down the stairwell. There was no one in sight, and so they headed down the steps, moving slowly and cautiously.

  His phone beeped and he checked it to read a text message.

  “What does it say?” Novak asked nervously.

  “Knox is here. He’s waiting for us. Come on.”

  Knox parked near the stairwell Rivera would exit from and stood by the car, waiting. A strong feeling of another presence came over him as he replaced his phone in his pocket. The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he swung his weapon around. He stopped cold when the barrel found someone.

  “Detective Knox.”

  “Good evening, Miss Yu,” he said calmly.

  The woman stood unwavering, aiming her own gun at him. He knew not to underestimate her; she was a lethal killer. “Getting sloppy.”

  “I could say the same for you,” she said cynically. “If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead right now, but I wanted to say goodbye to one of the few men I respect.”

  “I’m flattered. But, in case you haven’t noticed, I have a gun on you, too.”

  “I’m willing to bet my life that I’m a better shot than you.”

  A pinch of fear pricked his soul. Keiko Yu was an accurate sniper. There was no chance he matched her.

  “You were sent here to kill Crawford, huh?” he surmised. “How does it feel being the mayor’s lapdog?”

  She snorted. “I thought you would have figured it out by now.” Then she turned serious. “You should’ve stayed away. We’ve gone to great lengths to shut you out and keep you safe.”

  He knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “Osborn and I took a huge risk setting you up for Mason’s death.”

  “Set me up? That can’t be; Osborn wants me dead.”

  “No,” she protested. “You saved his life. He couldn’t bring himself to kill you. Believe it or not, I don’t want you dead, either. Like I said, I respect you for the work you’ve done. That’s why I killed Mason instead of you.”

  “You killed him?”

  “Yes,” she admitted without remorse. “I was in the factory, hidden above you in the rafters. Mason never saw it coming. He believed he was there to kill you.”

  “To kill me?”

  “Mason was disposable.”

  Taking Mason down with a single shot while she’d been in the rafters was true talent. She might have worn night vision goggles, but Mason had been a moving target, and she’d taken him out with a handgun.

  “And Jade?” he asked. “She was disposable as well?”

  Yu swallowed thickly. “Yes.”

  He knew Yu’s history with the Sho family. She’d always been part of Jade’s life and had watched her blossom into a beautiful young woman. Yu had been like an invisible parent, always there but hardly noticed. Yu had even been there to watch Jade come into the world.

  And she’d been there with the knife at the time she breathed her last breath.

  “Why?” he asked. “What did she hold over Hiroshi’s head that he had to kill her?”

  “You really don’t know what’s going on, do you?”

  What is it that I don’t know?

  “I was the one who called the repairman at her apartment to unlock the window, but he ran and got himself killed because of it. I was also appointed to take care of his brother, the landlord, but I let him be for when the time came.”

  “For when the time came?” he asked, confused. “What do you mean by that?”

  She smiled. “For when the time came for you to find him.”

  “Lower your weapon, Miss Yu,” Rivera ordered.

 
She shifted her attention to him. Behind Rivera were two frightened men.

  “Now, Miss Yu,” Rivera said. “I will shoot.”

  She turned back to Knox. He could tell she wouldn’t surrender. “Don’t,” he said softly. “It doesn’t have to end like this.”

  She smiled again and made her move. She could have pulled the trigger, but she turned on Rivera.

  Both he and Rivera opened fire, striking her in the back and head before she could even pull off her first shot. When she went down, Rivera rushed to her, keeping his gun ready. He used his foot to slide the weapon away. As he checked for a pulse, Knox lowered his gun and approached. Rivera turned his chin up to him and nodded that she was dead, and Knox picked up Yu’s gun.

  Rivera stood. “What is it?”

  He studied the gun before handing the weapon to him. “She wanted to say goodbye,” he said, walking away.

  Rivera inspected the weapon. The safety had been on the entire time.

  Chapter 26

  Knox opened the back door for Novak and his patient. After he closed it on them a bang blasted through the air, followed by the whiz of a bullet skimming by him.

  “Jesus,” Rivera shouted from the driver’s side. He pulled his gun and took aim.

  Knox snatched his own weapon from its holster and whipped around to Agents McLean and Zimmerman. He and Rivera returned a volley of shots, sending both agents running for cover behind parked cars.

  “Get inside!” Knox ordered.

  McLean fired over the roof of a car. The side window of Knox’s car shattered as Rivera jumped in the driver’s side. Novak and Crawford dropped to the rear floorboards, covering their heads.

  “Come on!” Rivera shouted, cranking the engine and reaching to open the passenger door.

  A bullet grazed Knox’s shoulder, tearing his jacket. He counted his blessings for his second close call as he took aim at McLean and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit McLean’s shoulder, then Knox turned his weapon on Zimmerman, backpedaling for the gaping door, and continued firing until he fell backwards into the passenger seat. “Go! Go!”