Winds of Deception (Enigma Series Book 2)

by Tierney James

  “Where is your humanity?” One of the men was visibly shaken.

  Chase shook his head as his lips thinned. “Not one of my strong suits. The woman. Then I’ll get you out of here. One. Two. Three. Four.”

  The Egyptians all started talking at once. Two were begging so loudly tears ran down their face.

  “Five.”

  One of the men jumped forward. “There’s a room below. We took them there. They would be buried and forgotten soon enough.”

  “If you’re lying to me I will kill all your family and make you watch. Then I will lock your worthless ass in a cell with a film rolling for eternity how I killed them. Do you understand?” The man nodded his head so fast Chase thought it might pop off. “Is he telling the truth?” The others also agreed. “Take them out. This one goes with me.”

  “Yes. Yes. I show you. Then we leave.”

  Sam pointed the flaming torch toward freedom as the two remaining men awkwardly skittered toward the door Carter swung open and held against the wind. Just as they started through Carter stepped back. The wind caught the door and slammed it into the Egyptians, knocking them to the ground. They crab-crawled away as Sam leaned over them with narrowed eyes.

  “Have I told you today how sexy you are with a blow torch in your hand?” Carter put his shoulder into the door and opened it again. “Something about a woman and fire.”

  Sam gritted her teeth as the two Egyptians cautiously stood. “You really know how to turn a girl’s head.” Her bark could be heard above the dying wind. “I almost set them on fire you idiot.” The gas covered men were now shaking in terror as a returning FBI agent motioned them to follow him.

  Carter smiled at his partner. “I love it when you get excited. You know we could be making our own fire every day of the week.” The door closed behind them as they entered the darkness. “You’re not fooling me with the hard to get routine.”

  She whirled around as the light of the torch went out. He crashed into her chest. “I am never going to be with you, Carter, so shut the hell up.”

  “Guess you prefer the older guys.” Carter’s face was close enough for Sam to read the sour expression. “Since Tessa may join us from time to time you’ll have to abandon your Chase Hunter quest.”

  Shoving against Carter’s chest didn’t move him, only caused his smirk to reappear. “But hey. That’s good for me.”

  Storming off into the dark, she tried to catch up with the FBI agent who took her prisoners.

  Carter turned back to go inside. He wasn’t going to leave Chase and Zoric on their own if they needed an extra pair of hands.

  ~~~

  Chase headed toward the end of the room where trucks once parked for service. Now it was empty except for a flatbed truck used in parades. The floor, smeared with a wet mixture of oil spills, rain and now gasoline, felt slippery.

  The hostage got a shove if he slowed. Zoric brought up the rear.

  Holding his hand out for Carter to stop at the door, Chase wanted someone to be at the top of the stairs to escort them to safety if things went sideways. He nodded and held up a flashlight as he propped the door open.

  “Down there.” It was the Egyptian. “Now can I go?” Zoric jammed his Uzi into the man’s kidney. A groan of pain echoed down the steps. A shove started him forward into the darkness.

  Chase pulled a small flashlight from the FBI jacket he’d secured from the car. The beam was dim but when shaken, offered enough light to allow safe passage. The smell of dampness and gasoline assaulted their noses as they reached the bottom of the steps.

  A sound in the corner drew their attention. The beam of light jerked in that direction. Bound and gagged on the floor, lay Jake. His eyes were wide open until the light forced them shut. He squirmed violently as if that would somehow make a difference. They did not rush to assist.

  No sign of Tessa. The first thought in Chase’s head was his prisoner lied.

  The Egyptian shivered at the cold and nodded for them to move forward as his eyes started to scan the recesses of darkness. The moment Chase wondered why his prisoner appeared uneasy; the sound of someone else in the room caught his attention.

  In the instant they stepped forward, their feet hit something slick. The Egyptian prisoner fell face down at Zoric’s feet, tripping him up so that he staggered toward the bound man on the floor.

  “Tess…” Before Chase could finish her name a large metal container smashed into his face causing his flashlight to fly into the air. He staggered backwards as someone shined the light into his bruised and battered face. “Damn it! Get that out of my face!” He demanded knowing that Tessa had taken his light.

  In the next second he felt arms around him in a grateful embrace. Chase didn’t have time to savor the feeling of her hair beneath his chin or the heaving of her breasts against his body. With one hand he touched his ear wig and with the other he managed to encircle the woman that continued to excite and mystify him.

  “Got’em. On our way.”

  Tessa released him and ran back to her uncle who Zoric managed to free with his knife. The Egyptian prisoner started up the steps at a run when Chase reached him in two steps and grabbed his ankle with a jerk. He fell down against the step with a thud.

  “Not so fast.” Chase pulled him back down the steps on his stomach. The hostage tried to grasp at anything to stop the pain as he was dragged down to the floor. “I’m not finished with you.”

  Zoric helped Jake stand, but knew right away, that something was wrong.

  “I think I got a couple of busted ribs, boys.” Jake sounded almost nonchalant. “I’m pretty sure they broke my arm.” He nodded at Tessa. “They were getting a little rough with her. I wasn’t going to stand for it.” She put her arm around him to assist with his walking.

  “Oh, Uncle Jake. They could’ve killed you.”

  Zoric slung his Uzi and helped Tessa with Jake’s weight.

  Chase grabbed the prisoner by the collar and jerked him to his feet, although he slipped in the solution Tessa had spilled on the floor. He finally managed to stand and tried not to look at Jake.

  “That’s the fella that wanted to take advantage of Tessa.” Jake spit out the words as he tried unsuccessfully to lunge forward only to be held back by Zoric and Tessa.

  Chase tensed as he shook the prisoner then kicked him in the butt so hard he sprawled head first into the wall.

  With a groan he turned around and faced the light shining in his face.

  “What did he do, Tessa?” When she didn’t answer, Chase’s eyes shifted to her with such deadly intent, she shuddered with fear. “Tessa,” he demanded.

  “He tried to touch me. When I kicked him…”

  “He knocked her down.” Jake tried to pull free only to be pulled back by Zoric.

  “Let’s go. Those explosives are wired to blow by remote.” Chase nodded toward the stairs. The prisoner pushed off the wall and stepped forward. “Not you.”

  He panicked. “I did what you asked. You can’t leave me here.”

  “Watch me.” Chase started up the stairs and felt the man hurry forward. With one swift swing he turned his gun to hit him upside the head, sending the man staggering down to the floor.

  “I can tell you who gave the orders. I know who hired us. They intend to do your government harm,” he begged. “I can help you find them before they continue the killing.”

  Chase paused half way up the steps. “First tell me who planned this?”

  “Your government man.” He edged back up the steps; both hands gripped the hand rail for support. “And someone more powerful.”

  “Who?” Chase let the Egyptian walk up a few more steps.

  “When I get out. The explosives will go off soon. We must hurry.”

  Chase nodded then shoved him up the steps before catching up with the other three.

  Carter yelled. “Let’s go.” He waved as a flash of lightning lit up the night behind him.

  In that instant the Egyptian darted for the
side of the room and grabbed one of the guns taken off the dead mercenaries earlier in the evening. He aimed it at the three and laughed. In the next instant he pulled the trigger and Jake fell. Tessa’s scream smothered beneath the rumble of thunder that shook the building. His weight pulled her to the floor.

  Zoric swung his Uzi around, but not before the Egyptian fired three more shots into Chase’s chest. The team leader dropped to his knees as Zoric turned and emptied his weapon into the Egyptian. The Serbian started to reach for Chase, but was waved off.

  “Get her out!” He panted like a man that had run a race. “Now. I’ll take care of Jake.”

  Tessa jumped to her feet. “No. I won’t leave you. Zoric do something.” She reached for Chase who put his hand on his heart. The last bolt of lightning had snuffed out any electricity available for the building. He looked at his hand to check for blood but fell to a sitting position without determining how long he had to live.

  ~~~

  Dropping his weapon Zoric jerked her around to face him then threw her over his shoulder like a sack of flour. She tried to escape but he began to run for the door where Carter kept yelling “Hurry.”

  Just as Zoric ran through the door Carter took a step inside. He knew he had to try and reach Chase. Another bolt of lightning hit the building, sending sparks through the windows. They fell to the floor and ignited the gasoline sending up a wall of fire. Throwing up an arm against the sudden flash of light, he felt a hand grab him by the collar and pull him backwards. It was Sam.

  “Are you crazy? You can’t go get him!” Sam yelled over the rumble of thunder. He started in again and she wrapped her arms around him in desperation. “No. Carter, it’s too late. I can’t lose you too.” He pushed free and turned to see the main floor ablaze. Sam hooked her arm through his and pulled with all the force she could muster. “This is going to blow. Pull yourself together.”

  Carter nodded and started to run with his hand tightly on Sam’s arm. The rain started dumping on them as they reached the director and the others who made it out safely.

  ~~~

  Tessa eased off Zoric’s shoulder and started forward only to be slammed down to the ground when an explosion made everyone duck and cover. She staggered back to her feet and into Zoric’s embrace as tears flooded down her face. Her screams fell silent above the sound of breaking class and finally another explosion that caved in the front part of the building.

  Watching the destruction swallow the Enigma team leader, Director Clark’s face twisted in rage. The others came up to stand as helpless onlookers. It wasn’t a feeling they were accustomed to. Somewhere in the distance a siren faded in and out as the thunder storms rolled over the burning building.

  Only Tessa openly wept. Her body convulsed with grief for an uncle who had always been a part of her life and a heart that burst for a love that would never be discovered.

  Chapter 29

  The three men stood silent, waiting for the sound of cleansing. When the explosion rattled the door, the Speaker of the House smiled before exhaling. He nodded toward the door for his mercenary to lead them out as he pocketed the cell phone which sent the signal to detonate the explosives.

  Amon shook his head in disgust as the speaker showed no remorse for leaving American citizens to either be burned to a crisp or smashed to unrecognizable pieces by fallen beams, bricks and concrete that rained down upon them. The thought of his own men being left behind would haunt him forever. He should have known the speaker wouldn’t let anyone survive the tale of deception.

  “And Americans call us monsters.” Amon’s voice sounded bewildered. “You should never have told the old warriors you were working with us. They could have escaped.”

  “What’s done is done.” The speaker pulled his collar up closer to his face.

  He’d taken the windbreaker from Tessa when Amon’s men took her away. Running a finger over her bare shoulder, the speaker regretted for a moment having to destroy such a lovely creature. Then she’d spit on him like a rabid dog and hurled insults that reflected poorly on his mother.

  When he insisted the man holding her take advantage of the situation, she refocused her attention on getting free. It only managed to inflame an already interested jailor. Her uncle succeeded in jerking free and landing a few punches only to receive a beating of his own. Seeing Wakefield shoved down the stairs gave him a feeling of dusting his hands of a dirty problem. Unfortunately Amon intervened on Mrs. Scott’s behalf and ordered the men to return to their duties after securing their prisoners.

  “I want nothing more to do with this.” Amon pushed past both the speaker and his mercenary and got behind the wheel of the car. “All hell is going to come down on my people if there is a connection. You didn’t follow the plan and now I am vulnerable.”

  The speaker fastened his seatbelt as his man shut the car door and got in the backseat. He sighed. “Things change. You can still be the hero in this. Drop my friend off at Union Station.”

  Amon shifted his eyes to the rearview mirror to look at the dangerous man in the backseat. His words were of no comfort. “I can find my way to the airport. My plane doesn’t leave for Mexico City until late afternoon.”

  The Egyptian continued to stare into the mirror and thought his passenger resembled Satan. A nod to him was given before he started the car. “And how could this possibly be good for me?”

  The car moved out and accelerated. “Simple. Drop me off a block from the FBI and I’ll walk in.”

  “And be picked up on all the cameras? No thank you.”

  “Then you pick a spot and my friend will leave me his burner phone. I’ll call in. When I’m picked up, I’ll tell them the kidnapper wore a Star of David. That will get them buzzing. Ditch the car and go wherever you planned to go in the first place. Egypt will still be in the clear and I’ll still make good on my promise to continue funding your corrupt government.”

  “And the evidence?”

  “Exploded or incinerated. If help was on the way they were too late. Maybe we managed to take a few of those Secret Service bozos out if they made it inside.”

  Amon frowned over at the speaker as he sped through a blinking red light. “Those ‘bozos’ laid down their life for you every day.”

  “Don’t get all touchy feely, Amon. If I remember right, you had one of them killed across the street from my house.”

  ~~~

  The flames engulfed what was left of the warehouse. The rain did little to quench its thirst for destruction. The wind fanned flames to an adjoining building as first responders began arriving. Distant rumbles of thunder went unnoticed as the Enigma team stood looking into the darkness. Tessa let Zoric pull her body against his and circled her waist as if he were afraid she’d escape and head toward the flames. They all stood with an almost robotic stance.

  The Liberty crew shook their head in disbelief, knowing one of their own perished in hopes of saving them. Their shoulders slumped and they found they needed to lean on each other for support.

  Even the surviving Egyptians looked on in horror. The realization they might have ended up on the bottom of a concrete pile if the Americans had not arrived, brought home they had been duped. They also knew that the rest of their days would now be spent in some place called Guantanamo.

  Smoke swirled toward the survivors as search lights flooded the exterior of the wreckage. The smell of a burnt disaster made several of the team cover their faces, but their bodies stayed ridged with anticipation.

  Director Clark jumped forward as his hand went to his ear.

  Enigma eyes turned to him in confusion.

  The director’s eyes squinted as he stepped forward again. This time several others touched their earwigs.

  Tessa felt Zoric push her aside as he ran forward. Then the others started toward the flames.

  She ran after them, not knowing the sudden emergency, but only that she must follow.

  Figures appeared like ghostly aberrations, staggering through the smoke. A m
an cradled another body in his arms. His uneven steps continued from around the side of a wall that looked like an accordion fan. Tessa recognized the spot where she’d been dragged from a car. Her legs picked up speed and without knowing why, she started screaming his name.

  “Chase! Chase!”

  He carried her uncle like a baby even though he was wounded. He managed to clear the danger area by the time Enigma reached him. Tessa’s uncle was taken from Chase’s arms and she somehow knew paramedics would look after him. Zoric tried to grab his friend but Chase reached out to Tessa.

  “Chase.” She caught him in her arms as he fell to the ground pulling her down with him. His chest, covered in blood, spoke of no tomorrows. “Oh Chase. Open your eyes. Open your eyes.” The nightmare she’d dreamed each night unfolded into reality.

  With great effort he opened his badly swollen eyes. His twisted nose and soot covered face exposed blood trickling at the corner of his mouth. Lifting his hand his fingers touched Tessa’s face.

  “Closer.”

  “Don’t you dare leave me, Chase. Don’t you dare. Do you hear me?”

  “I need to tell you how I…” he licked his lips. “I feel.” He closed his eyes.

  In the first hint of morning’s rays, Tessa thought his lips appeared blue. “You’ve got to live.” She bent down and whispered a promise into his ear. His dark eyes opened as his hand fell to his side. “I…”

  Zoric pulled her back so paramedics could reach him. Grim faced, they took his battered body to a waiting ambulance. “We’ll go to the hospital as soon as we finish up here, Tessa. Your uncle was badly hurt, but alive.”

  “How did they survive?” Tessa let Zoric hold her as she laid her head on his shoulder.

  Sam and Carter walked up.

  “They must have made it out the back where we came in.” Sam pointed into the chaos. “Looks like they hid behind some concrete barriers stacked a few feet from the door. Probably saved them.” Sam nodded toward the fire. “How’s Chase?”