Colin said coldly, “You’re done, Jacob. When Curt hears about this, you’re as good as dead.”
Egan herded the group through the open door and into the wood drying room.
“Get in.”
“Not happening, my friend,” Colin said. Having readied himself for a second confrontation with the stranger, he spun around and attempted to drive a side kick into Egan’s chest. Egan saw the attack coming and stepped back. As the kick brushed past, he caught the punk’s foot in mid-flight and twisted it hard. Colin heard his ankle snap. He screamed and fell to the factory floor.
“My ankle!” he cried. “You broke my fucking ankle!”
Egan pointed to Jacob. “Get him up.”
Jacob stepped forward, grabbed Colin by the arm and tried to help him to his feet. Colin knocked his hand away. “Get the fuck away from me, coward!”
“Get in the room,” Egan said.
Colin hobbled across the threshold and into the large room with the rest of his gang.
“Move to the back.”
From the darkness the men stared at Egan. They had come to the factory to kill the girl and her brother. Colin’s plan had been to blood-bond them and seal their silence. As Egan closed the heavy steel door, they rushed toward it. Too late, the lock bar found the latch. The muted screams of the men were barely audible outside the massive kiln.
“You can’t leave them in there,” Lauren protested. “They’ll die!”
“She’s right,” Kevin said. “There’s no air. They’ll suffocate.”
“No loss,” Egan said. “The world will get over it.”
“No!” Lauren pleaded. “They have families, people who still need them.”
Egan double-checked the latch. It was secure. He turned to Lauren and her brother. “They came here with the intention of killing you both. You know that, right?”
“That doesn’t mean that we have to kill them,” Lauren said.
Egan stared at the siblings.
“Look, mister,” Kevin said. “My sister and I appreciate your help. We really do. But we can’t do this. You have to let them out of there. We won’t tell anyone about this. Not our parents, the cops, nobody. You saved our lives, so we owe you. But please, let them go.”
“The situation is a little more complicated than that,” Egan said. “I shouldn’t have intervened. All of you have seen things you shouldn’t have. That was my fault.”
Lauren stepped in front of her brother. “I don’t know what you’re doing here mister,” she said, “but I do know that if you hadn’t helped us when you did, we might not be alive right now. Let us help you. Whatever you need, we’ll get it. Food, clothes, a place to stay, we’ll take care of it. But you can’t let them die in there. You just can’t.”
The beating on the drying room door had stopped. Silence prevailed. Perhaps the men inside were coming to terms with their fate.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Egan conceded, having lost the staring contest with the teary-eyed girl. “All right. We’ll compromise. Get behind me.”
Lauren and Kevin ran behind Egan as he walked to the side wall of the kiln then watched as he spread his arms above his head and placed his palms against the wooden wall. The metal band on his wrist began to glow, the sections of the wall beneath his hands to smoke. Two explosions rocked the kiln room. Egan had blown holes in the upper part of the wooden wall. Screams came from inside the room. The banging on the steel door resumed.
“Whoa!” Kevin yelled. “How friggin’ cool was that!”
Egan stepped back and turned to Lauren. “There. They can breathe now. Happy?”
Lauren crossed her arms and stared defiantly at Egan, as if the incredible feat of controlled telekinetic destruction she had just witnessed had done nothing to impress her. “It’s a start,” she said.
Egan smiled. “You’re a stubborn young lady, aren’t you?”
Lauren puffed her chest, stood straight and tall and replied confidently. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Kevin said. “Try living with her.”
Egan listened at the wall of the wood kiln. Colin continued to yell at Jacob and Lenny, blaming them for getting him into their current predicament, threatening that ‘none of this was over’ and that all of them, as well as the asshole were yet to incur the wrath of his older brother, Curt, and the Sons of Satan. What Colin had neglected to share with his gang was that the only current member of the defunct motorcycle club was Curt himself, and that he would be safely locked away for many years to come. Lenny continued to weep.
“I have to leave,” Egan said. “It’s not safe for me here anymore.” He gestured to the locked kiln door. “You two will be fine. Those jokers aren’t going anywhere. Give me an hour, then go to the police.” He looked at Kevin. “Tell them they tried to hurt your sister, but you got the better of them.”
Lauren made a sour face. “Kevin? Going all Bruce Lee on those guys? Like anyone’s going to believe that!”
“Colin mentioned your dad’s friend is the Chief of Police,” Egan replied.
“Yup,” Lauren replied. “They’re besties.”
“Good. Then tell him. It’ll be your word against Colin’s. I’m sure he’ll believe you over the brother of Curt Thackery.”
“Where will you go?” Kevin asked.
Egan smiled. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” He fished the keys to the flower delivery van out of his pocket. To Kevin, he said, “Can you drive?”
“I’ve got my learners permit.”
“Good enough. There’s a van parked out back. Think you can drive it inside?”
“You bet!” Kevin said.
“Great.” Egan tossed him the keys. “I’ll get the door. Hurry.”
Kevin caught the keys and ran to the back of the factory. “Gimme a minute,” he yelled.
Egan walked to his former hiding place behind the wooden pallets with Lauren hot on his heels. He double-checked the area to ensure no indication of his presence in the factory would be detected.
“The receiving doors at the back are padlocked and rusted shut,” Lauren said. “You’re going to need to open it before Kevin can drive the van inside. Good luck with that.”
Egan raised his hand. The bracelet began to glow. He smiled at the girl.
“Oh yeah,” Lauren said. “I forgot. You’re Ironman.”
Egan smiled. “Something like that.”
Kevin ran back toward them as they stepped out of the room.
“Mister!” he yelled.
“What’s wrong?” Egan asked.
“Outside!” Kevin gasped, fighting to catch his breath. “Two police cars just pulled in. They’ve blocked in the van!”
84
A WAREHOUSE…
Screaming…
Pure energy, massive power, intensely focused…
“Jordan, are you all right? Jordan? JORDAN! Hanover caught his partner as she fell into his arms. He helped her into a chair.
“I can feel him,” Jordan said
“Feel who?” Chris asked.
“The killer.”
Jordan sat forward and placed her head in her hands. Her mind and body had been weakened from the interaction. She ached. The connection with the killer had manifested itself physically as well as psychically. “My hands feel like they’re on fire.”
“Relax,” Chris said. “You’re fine. Take it easy for a second.”
Jordan took a few deep breaths.
“Let me have a look,” Chris said. “Open your hands for me.”
Jordan gingerly opened her hands.
“Jesus!” Hanover called out. “I need a first aid kit over here now!”
Jordan assessed the damage. The assault had left her with first degree burns on both hands.
“You’re going to be okay,” Chris said. He held her hands in his. “I’ve got you.”
“The intensity of his energy is off the charts,” Jordan said. “I feel like I’ve been struck by lightning.�
�
From the comfort of his ocean side bench at Aliso Beach, Jason Merrick locked on to the commander’s brain neural interface and connected with his subject.
He saw the warehouse, observed the activity in the building...
Saw Egan and the teenagers...
Heard the cries coming from inside the locked room...
Nuisances, he thought. Unnecessary distractions standing in the way of the completion of the mission.
He issued the kill order.
85
TARAS VERENICH ANSWERED his phone on the first ring: “Verenich Law.”
“Who have you been talking to?”
“Marina?”
“Who the fuck have you been talking to?”
“Jesus, calm down. What are you talking about?”
“He knows everything! The girls, our routes… all of it! Do you have any idea what The Company will do to us if they even suspect that we have been compromised? They’ll kill us both and do it in a way that won’t be pretty. Do you want that to happen? Do you?”
Verenich paused. This was not the calm, cool, collected Marina that he knew. Nothing ever ruffled her feathers. Others were paid very well to do her ruffling for her.
“Tell me who called and what was said.”
“I don’t know who it was. But he knows everything about us. He said he’s been watching my son. Which means he’s in California. Which also means he’s probably been watching you.”
“I’ve been very careful, Marina.”
“Apparently not careful enough!”
Taras stood from his desk and walked to his office window. He observed the two men seated in the now-familiar silver Mercedes on the upper deck of the parking lot across the street from his office. When they weren’t there, they followed him from a distance as he went about his day.
He continued. “Marina, we both know The Company keeps its people under constant surveillance. There’s no way I could have talked to or met with anyone without you or your superiors knowing about it. If I had, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. I assure you that whatever was said to you did not come from me. I’ll help you, but you’re going to have to trust me on that. Now, what is this about your son?”
Marina was quiet. She collected her thoughts. Anger had gotten the better of her, which was not her way.
“My son, Ilya, is studying at Cal State University. He’s being watched.”
“Then assign a shadow detail,” Verenich said. “They'll watch over him, keep him safe.”
“Impossible. The Company would find out if I did that. They would want to know why I felt it was necessary to place my son under protection. They’d suspect a problem; maybe even think I was making plans to get out or turn over on them. No, I can’t do that.” A hint of panic had returned to her voice.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I’ve booked a flight to Los Angeles. I’m at the airport now. It leaves in thirty minutes. I need you to meet me at my hotel tomorrow at 1:00 P.M. I’ll take care of this myself.”
“Where will you be staying?”
“Downtown. The Ritz-Carlton.”
Verenich confirmed. “Very well. I’ll be there.”
“Good. I’ll email Ilya and let him know that I’ll be in town for a few days.”
“Would you like me to make any special preparations for your visit?”
“I’ll need a weapon.”
“That won’t be a problem.”
“I wouldn’t expect it to be,” Marina snapped. She hung up.
Taras slammed down the phone. “Bitch,” he said.
86
THE MIRRORED GLASS walls of Dynamic Life Sciences reflected the fire of the afternoon sun. The fronds of the palm trees which flanked the main security gate danced in the gentle breeze and shone in the sunlight and gave the illusion that the tree might burst into flame at any second.
Chief Jenkins slowed the Jeep as the security guard stepped out of his booth and raised his hand. Although the parking lot was full not a single soul was in sight.
Jenkins eased the car to a stop as the guard walked to his door.
“Sorry, sir. We’re closed,” the guard said.
Jenkins checked his watch. “Seems a little early to be shutting down for the day. What’s going on?”
“Evacuation drill,” the guard replied. “Company requires us to do one every year in the event of an emergency. Keeps everyone on their toes.”
“Makes sense,” Jenkins said. “I guess you can never be too careful, especially given what you guys do here.”
“Sir?”
“I mean, it’s pretty high-tech stuff, right?”
The guard placed his arm on the roof of the Jeep. “Is there something that I can help you with Officer?”
“Actually,” Jenkins said, “it’s Chief. Corona Police.” He tapped the department emblem on his car door. “Says so right here.”
“So it does,” the guard replied.
“Who’s in charge here? I have a few questions.”
The guard leaned closer and read the nameplate on Jenkins lapel. “Like I said, Chief. We’re closed.”
“It won’t take long. Ten, fifteen minutes tops.”
The guard folded his arms. “Exactly what part of evacuation drill don’t you get?”
Jenkins took off his sunglasses and tossed them onto the passenger seat. “I need to speak with one of your employees.”
“Then I suggest you come back tomorrow.”
“See, that just doesn’t work for me,” Jenkins replied. “Here’s why.” He pointed down the road. “I have an active crime scene back there that’s really fucked up. I’d share the details of it with you but I’m pretty sure you’d soil those crisply pressed pants of yours on the spot. Right now, I’ve only got two leads. One of them my guys are following up on as we speak. The second is what brought me here. So as much as I’m enjoying your company, I’m going to ask you for the second and final time. Who’s in charge?”
The guard smiled, tipped his hat, then turned away from Chief Jenkins. “Have a good day, Officer.” He headed back into the guardhouse.
Jenkins called out. “Does the name Dr. Jason Merrick mean anything to you?”
The guard stopped.
Jenkins opened his door and stepped out of the Jeep. “I want to talk to Merrick.”
The guard walked back and faced him. “This is a military facility, sir. We’re in lockdown. You need to leave. Now.”
“Lockdown,” Jenkins repeated. He stared at the guard. “You just told me this was an evacuation drill.”
Caught in the lie, the guard did not respond. Jenkins pressed him. “It can only be one or the other,” the Chief said. “Which is it? Lockdown or evac?”
The guard relaxed. “I can’t help you.”
“Can’t or won’t? And you still haven’t answered my question.”
“I could lose my job.”
“Oh, there’s no could about it,” Jenkins said. “Interfere with my investigation for one more second and I’ll guarandamntee you’ll lose your job.”
Above the gate a camera panned, whined, and focused. The guard looked over his shoulder. The security team stationed inside the front desk had taken notice of the activity at the main entrance. A voice sounded through the guard’s walkie-talkie.
“Main One, communications check.”
The guard answered his radio. “Go for comms check, Main One.”
The front desk security officer sounded concerned. “Everything okay down there, Noah?”
“Yeah, we’re good,” the guard replied. “Just a friendly visit from the local P.D.”
Jenkins looked up at the camera and waved.
“Copy that. Give them our best.”
“Will do.”
The camera panned away from the gate.
“Nicely handled, Noah,” Chief Jenkins said. “So…”
“We’re in lockdown,” Noah replied.
“Why?”
&nbs
p; “We had a problem this morning. A poisoning or something like that. It happened in Dr. Merrick’s lab. I arrived late for my shift, so I didn’t get the full story. They shut the whole place down. I’m under strict orders to make sure no one enters or leaves.”
“How bad was it?”
“Two dead. Research scientists. They worked with Dr. Merrick.”
“Was Merrick hurt?”
“Don’t know. We can’t find him.”
“What does that mean, you can’t find him? You guys lose scientists around here on a regular basis?”
“I mean just what I said. As far as we can tell he’s not in the facility. He’s somewhere off campus.”
“So no one’s around?”
“Just security and the E.A. team.”
“Where’s the rest of the staff?”
“Everyone’s been bussed to JFTB Los Alamitos as a precaution until Environmental Assessment and Hallier give the place the all clear.”
“Who’s Hallier?”
“Colonel Hallier. He’s with DARPA. Dr. Merrick and his research team report to him.”
“Hallier’s with the Department of Defense?”
“Yeah.” The guard was getting even more nervous. “Look, Chief, I’ve already told you too much and probably way more than I should have.”
“You did the right thing, Noah.”
“This can’t come back to me, okay? If I’m ever asked, I’ll confirm that we spoke. But we never had this conversation.”
Jenkins offered his hand. The guard took it. “We’re good. I appreciate your help, Noah.”
“Sorry I couldn’t help you find Dr. Merrick.”
“It’s all right. We’ll track him down.” Jenkins climbed into his Jeep and shifted the car into reverse. Noah walked back to his post.
“Hey, Noah,” Jenkins called out. “Just one more question.”
Noah turned around. “Yeah?”
“What kind of car does Merrick drive?”
The Jordan Quest FBI Thriller Series: Books 1-3: The Jordan Quest FBI Thriller Series Boxset Book 1 Page 35