by Rebecca Deel
Excellent. Good to know the new toy worked. If he and Jon increased the speed, they could add it to the standard set of tools for Fortress operatives.
“Monitor internal communication,” Josh ordered. “Do we have eyes in the basement yet?”
“Almost.”
“Running out of seconds, Z.”
Less than a minute later, he hacked into the separate monitoring system set up for the basement area. He used a split screen, half focused on the other floors, the other on the basement hallway. Those were the only cameras in the vicinity of his team. Nothing mounted in the rooms off the main corridor, at least nothing he could access. His gut told him there was yet another separate monitoring system set up in the rooms.
The cameras showed four guards. “Two guards on each end of the hall.”
“Two entrances?”
“Affirmative.”
“Not on the schematics,” Jon murmured.
“You and Eli take the south entrance, Alex and I will cover the north. Z, we need a distraction.”
“Copy.” His attention shifted to the woman of his dreams as she took a series of pictures before changing position. His girlfriend wouldn’t like the distraction he and the others had agreed upon while she slept. It was risky, but like he’d told her, nobody noticed the guy in the wheelchair. At least he hoped they didn’t. If he was wrong, he had a few surprises ready and his teammates would ride to the rescue. Might not be in time, though. He had so much more to live for now than he had a week ago.
Remy turned his head, gaze locking with Zane’s. After a slight nod to assure Zane he’d protect Claire, the other operative returned his focus to the photographer.
“Moving now,” he whispered. Zane slid his computer into his secured chair pocket and made his way to the elevator. He’d noticed this elevator went down to the basement when they rode the car to the second floor earlier. Good thing. No way for him to make the trip downstairs alone. He hoped the clowns in the basement didn’t shoot him before realizing he wasn’t an obvious threat. Some of these guys were quick to shoot first, then ask questions if you survived.
Zane crossed miles of marble tile, nodding to a couple of the catering staff as they passed him. One acknowledged him, the other didn’t. During the remaining trek to the elevator, the hall stayed empty. “In position,” he whispered, glancing around.
“Go.”
Zane pressed the call button. When the elevator car arrived, he rolled into the metal box and prayed for the best. Once the doors closed, he pushed the button for the basement level. The car didn’t move. Great. This one required a key to access that level. He yanked out his lock picks. In under a minute, the car began to descend. “Get ready.”
“Copy.”
When the elevator doors opened, booted feet moved his direction. Adopting what he hoped was a pleasant expression on his face, Zane rolled from the elevator and came face to face with a guard in full uniform, down to the M16 over his shoulder.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“Whoa.” Zane raised his left hand, his right resting on the chair’s wheel. “Sorry, buddy. I was hunting for a bathroom. The ones on the first floor are occupied. I must have pressed the wrong button in the elevator. I meant to go to the second floor.”
“Impossible,” snapped the guard with a buzz haircut. He shifted an M16 off his shoulder.
Really? Overkill for close work. A handgun or knife worked better.
“The elevator doesn’t come to this level without a key,” the other man insisted.
Zane shrugged. “Somebody left a key in the lock. Guess that’s why I ended up on the wrong floor.”
Buzz Cut scowled. “There’s a key?”
He lowered his hand and backed into the car. “See for yourself.” Zane palmed his stun gun. As soon as the guard stepped into the car, Zane pressed the weapon against Buzz’s side. “Go,” he whispered as he stunned the guard. The man dropped to the floor, unable to control his muscles.
A quiet scuffle in the hallway was followed by silence. “Clear,” Josh whispered.
Zane rolled into the hall, Sig by his thigh. The other three guards were down. Eli and Rio zip tied their hands and feet together, then slapped duct tape over their mouths to prevent them from calling a warning to guards who might be posted in nearby rooms.
Jon hurried to the elevator, grabbed Buzz by his feet, dragged him from the car, and secured him as well.
“Ceremony is ending,” Remy whispered over the ear piece.
Josh inclined his head toward the elevator.
Zane zoomed into the car and spun around to press the button for the first floor. The doors closed slowly and the car began to rise. While he waited, Zane shoved the stun gun into his pocket and concealed his weapon in the holster at his back. As soon as the door opened, he powered into the hall and to the lobby outside the ballroom. No point in returning to the ballroom since the chamber orchestra was playing the recessional music. Lilah and Wes were to greet their guests in a receiving line here in the lobby, then Claire would photograph the bride and groom, and the wedding party. If nothing went wrong, Zane should have her out of this compound in less than an hour.
His girlfriend cleared the ballroom doorway and made a beeline for him, unasked questions in her eyes. When she reached his side, Zane cupped the nape of her neck and kissed her. “Nothing yet. Game face, baby.”
With that whispered reminder, she assumed a calm expression on her face. Amazing. His girlfriend was a skilled actress.
Remy and Lily arrived with Claire’s equipment bags hanging from their shoulders. Their gaze reflected the knowledge of what he’d been hearing over the Fortress communication devices. No sign of Adam with a handful of rooms remaining. Would Collins move Adam because of the guests in his compound? No point. With a soundproofed basement and a keyed-access elevator, guests couldn’t stumble on the imprisoned operative.
His hands clenched, his only sign of frustration. There had been no indication in Collins’ communication, electronic or otherwise, that he’d moved the uncooperative prisoner to another place. A sick feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. Had Zane somehow tipped Collins off that he was monitoring the communications? Man, he hoped not. If he had missed an electronic footprint, then Zane would cost a very good man his life and break the heart of the woman he loved more than life itself.
Claire changed the memory card on her camera, trailed the back of her fingers down his cheek, and resumed work.
Two more rooms cleared in the basement. Both empty, though they contained unpleasant evidence of recent occupation. Zane wondered if one of the rooms was where Collins had murdered his former employee. Two left.
The bride and groom and their wedding party cleared the ballroom doors and formed a receiving line amid laughter from the women and backslapping from the men. Peter Collins walked from the ballroom followed closely by his bodyguards. His eyes glittered when he saw Claire.
Another room cleared. Nothing to indicate Adam had been imprisoned in the room. One to go.
Zane narrowed his eyes. Time to get the kingpin’s attention off Claire. “Congratulations, Collins. Your daughter is a beautiful bride.”
Surprise registered on the other man’s face. “Thank you.” The corners of his mouth curved upward. “She reminds me of her mother on our wedding day.” At that moment, Lilah called him to take his place in the line.
The sound of a gunshot registered over the ear piece. Zane longed to whip out his computer to see what was going on, but could only wait for word from one of the operatives.
A muffled moan came through the ear piece.
“I’ve got you, Adam.” Rio. “You’re going to be okay.”
“Thought you guys would never get here. What took so long?”
“We never leave one of our own behind, buddy. Are you mobile?”
Rio must have gotten a negative response because his next words were to Durango’s leader. “We can’t chance throwing him over a shoulder. He might have cracked
or broken ribs.”
“Quinn, Eli,” Josh said. “You’re the same height. Get him to the SUV. We’ll cover you. Z, I need eyes on the outside.”
“Hold,” he said. He needed a safe place to check his computer. But where? Ballroom. Zane signaled Remy to keep an eye on Claire and maneuvered around the edge of the crowd to the large room where hired staff were moving chairs to the sides of the room in preparation for post-wedding festivities.
He backed into the corner again and woke his laptop. A few keystrokes and a real time view of the external cameras popped up. A quick check of the basement hallway and he said, “Corridor’s clear. Monitoring outside. Gunshot?”
“Guard watching Adam.”
Now, to help his teammates leave the basement and house without guards or guests seeing them carrying a wounded man. Zane’s lips twisted. No problem.
Nate and Alex cleared the threshold of Adam’s cell first, followed by Quinn and Eli with Adam’s arms draped over their shoulders. Their wounded teammate tried to help, but leaned heavily on the other operatives. Rio followed close behind with his mike bag. Josh and Jon brought up the rear.
Zane also monitored activity on the outside. Still no change, an odd state of affairs he didn’t trust. Unless the other guards were absolute idiots, something held them back. Or rather someone. Why would Collins call off his security force? Maybe Collins believed he had Claire and her entourage where he wanted them. If so, he was in for a surprise. Zane refused to let Collins hurt Claire.
“At the top of the stairs, Z,” Josh murmured. “Can’t leave by the window. Adam’s hurt too bad.”
“French doors to the right exit to west lawn. Still clear.”
“Doesn’t feel right.”
“Yep.”
Lily broke in. “Your absence is attracting attention.”
“Can’t be helped. Keep him off me as long as you can.”
“Copy.”
He scanned the screen again, his gut knotting. Somewhere on or near the grounds, the security force waited. He felt it in his bones. Zane hoped Collins wouldn’t attack the Fortress operatives with over two hundred guests wandering the grounds. “Still clear.”
“Incoming, Z.” This from Remy.
Zane shifted his screen to one of the game programs he was writing when not on duty. This game was pretty boring and he’d been tweaking one sequence at a time to make it more exciting. Heavy footsteps drew closer. Zane glanced up to see Peter Collins bearing down on him.
“You’re missing all the action, Mr. Murphy.”
Action? Was he talking about the reception line or did he know about the Fortress rescue operation taking place?
“We’re fine,” Josh whispered.
Answered that concern at least. Zane’s eyebrows rose. “I ended up in the way of more than one person this evening. Figured your guests would have an easier time getting through the reception line without having to work around my wheelchair. As soon as the line thins, Claire is bringing the wedding party in here for the formal pictures. Seeing her work is the only action I care about.”
“I see.” Collins moved closer, trying to see Zane’s computer screen. “What are you working on, Murphy?”
“Game program.”
“A game?”
“Yeah, you know, a video game. Do you play them?”
The kingpin sneered. “I don’t have time for such foolishness.”
“Ah, but there’s money to be made in that foolishness. Just not with this program.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“It’s boring as dirt.” He indicated the screen. “I’ve been rewriting code while waiting for my girlfriend.”
“Show me.”
With a shoulder shrug, Zane turned his computer around so Collins could see the program in progress. He doubted the man knew anything about what he saw.
“Looks like gibberish.”
“Until you see the game that comes from the code.” He frowned. “When it works properly, which this one doesn’t.”
The wedding party returned to the ballroom. “There you are, Daddy,” Lilah called. “Time for pictures.”
“Of course, sweetheart.” With a nod to Zane, Collins followed the rest to the floral arch. Claire took the family pictures first which gave Zane a chance to turn his computer around and switch his screens.
The Fortress operatives were making their way to the edge of the compound, staying in the deepest shadows. Movement in the right quadrant drew Zane’s attention. “Bogeys approaching from the east.”
“How many?”
“Six.”
“Remy, Lily, can you approach from the rear? I don’t want to draw more attention than I have to.”
“Affirmative,” Lily whispered. She reached into one of Claire’s bags, pulled out another memory card, and handed it to her. While Claire changed the card, Lily said, “We’ve been working nonstop for hours. I need some water. May I bring you something? A snack, water?”
Claire smiled. “I’m fine. You and Remy take a break for a few minutes. Zane will help me.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You don’t mind, do you, babe?”
“Of course not, sweetheart. I’m working on the new game I told you about.”
She stood. “The one that will make you a million bucks?”
He grinned. “That’s the one.”
“Since I love to be kept in high style, I’ll try not to interrupt much.”
The wedding party laughed at that, with the exception of Collins. From what Zane observed, he didn’t enjoy anything but his daughter. Too bad about that. In his experience, a good sense of humor made life bearable. Helped him stay sane after he landed in this chair. If you couldn’t handle life’s challenges with a sense of humor, you were destined for misery.
Collins watched Remy and Lily’s progress, motioning for one of the bodyguards to follow.
“Remy, company,” Zane whispered.
“Not for long.”
With the number of people in and around the mansion, it would be hard for the bodyguard to keep track of the Doucets who were skilled at getting lost in crowds. Lily learned the art in her earlier life as a street rat in Nashville. Remy had been no slouch at the skill before partnering with Lily. Now, he was nearly as good.
Claire arranged multiple shots with Collins and his daughter, several with Lilah, her father plus Wes and his parents. When Collins grew impatient, she released him. “Thank you, Mr. Collins. I think that’s all I need from you. Don’t go far, though. Lilah might have pictures she would like to take with you. After all, this is a very special night in her life, a night you made possible.”
“Z,” Josh whispered. “Ready to engage.”
“No bogeys.”
“Remy, wait for my signal.”
Once his order was acknowledged, Josh instructed Nate and Alex to fall back with him and Jon. Between the four of them and the Doucets, they hoped to take down Collins’ security detail quietly. The last thing the Fortress operatives wanted was to engage more of Collins’ people. Every skirmish heightened the chance of an innocent bystander being hurt in the crossfire.
“Quinn, Eli, get Adam to the plane. Remy, Lily, go.”
The Fortress operatives melted into the shadows to wait for Collins’ security team. Zane frowned. How did Collins discover they were on the grounds? As far as Zane knew, no alarm was raised. No chatter over the communication channels. Maybe a hidden camera in Adam’s cell, one not tied into the main system. Maybe one of the guards raised an alarm. Whatever the case, Collins knew they were here. The kingpin was up to something, but what?
Collins’ men slowed as they reached the corner of the house, a blind spot for them. The leader signaled his men to wait. Weapon out, he checked around the corner, then motioned his men forward.
“Here they come,” Zane whispered.
Remy and Lily prowled behind the last two men and took them down. The other four turned, weapons ready. Josh and the rest of the operatives quickly dispatched the remaining men
.
“We have company,” Quinn whispered. “At least ten, maybe more.”
“Position?” Josh asked.
Eli fired off their coordinates.
“Z?” This from Remy, an inquiry about his and Claire’s safety.
Zane already knew what Claire would say if he gave her the option of choosing her own safety over her brother’s. “Go.” Right now, Collins was occupied. Adam was the most vulnerable. Zane figured Claire had fifteen or twenty minutes left before she finished. Might be wise to nudge her along. He closed his computer lid and slid it into the protected pocket. At this point, their teammates were beyond where Zane could help. All he could do now was give them as much time as possible to get Adam clear.
He scooped one of Claire’s bags off the floor and found her second camera. He doubted she needed it, but it gave him an excuse to be close enough to deliver that verbal nudge.
Zane draped her camera strap around his neck and crossed to Claire’s side. “Ready for this camera now, love?”
“How did you know?” She turned with a smile. “Thank you.” Claire handed him her camera, her gaze locking with his, questions gleaming in her eyes. She closed the gap between them and kissed him lightly. “What is it?” she whispered against his lips.
“Hurry, baby.”
“Ten minutes.” She turned around and took several shots of the bridesmaids with Lilah and the groomsmen with Wes, positioning the groups with precision. Finally, she lowered the camera. “Lilah, any other pictures you want? We’ve covered the shots I normally take for weddings.”
“I don’t think so. How can I ever thank you for stepping in like this, Claire? I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“You would have found someone to document your day.”
“True. None of them would have wrought the Walker magic, though.”
Claire shook her head. “No magic. With subjects as photogenic as you and Wes, another photographer would have created a beautiful, memorable album.”
“I compensated her well for the inconvenience, sweetheart,” Collins said, his tone clipped.