by Barber, Tom
‘How long does it take him to get home?’
‘About twenty minutes.’
‘Well one of you gets to live until then. Who’s it going to be?’
Mark shivered. He looked over at his mother, helpless on the floor, her eyes pleading with the man with the gun.
‘Guess it’s you kid.’
Given Mark’s height, the man was slightly stooped over him. One arm was encircling Mark’s neck, the other holding the pistol. Mark reached behind him and suddenly grabbed the man’s balls, just like Dad had taught him.
Then he twisted as hard as he could.
The man with the gun screamed in pain. Not letting go, Mark ducked his head down then reared up hard, the top of his head hammering into the underside of the man’s chin like an uppercut. The man fell back onto the floor.
Shouting in pain and fury he lifted his pistol, aiming it straight at Mark.
‘Get down!’ a voice shouted.
In agony, clutching his groin with one hand, Finn was just about to pull the trigger when he heard the shout.
The kid hit the floor.
And behind him, outside the hall window, was Shepherd.
A pistol in his hands was aimed straight at Finn.
Oh shit.
Shepherd fired three times, smashing the glass of the window. The three gunshots thumped into Sway, laying him out and knocking the machine pistol out of his hand. His head lolled to the side, facing Beth who stared at him, their faces an inch apart.
His eyes were lifeless.
He was dead.
FORTY EIGHTChecking his rear-view mirror to ensure they hadn’t been followed, Bobby Rourke swung the van through the front gates of the farm and moved across the grass. He headed towards a crop duster parked there on the field, facing south. As he drove, he had his window down and heard what sounded like a massive explosion in the distance coming from a familiar direction.
The tip-off from Bleeker’s contact had been right. The camp did have surveillance on it. Sacrificing Wicks and the rest of the Chapter had been necessary to get out safely with the virus and it was a decision he hadn’t hesitated in making. The tip-off and decoy had bought him a small window which he needed to use. It wouldn’t take long for the Feds and pigs to realise Wicks didn’t have the virus.
Rourke pulled to a halt beside the light aircraft. Wicks and Drexler had got it out of the shed earlier and it was resting on the grass, ready to go, just as he’d ordered. The plan had always been to fly back to Texas, allowing them to pass over state borders with the canisters containing the virus stowed in the back. The original intention had been for him, Finn, Bleeker and Bleeker’s contact to be in the plane but Bobby was the only member of the foursome who’d made it. No matter. Plans changed and so did people.
‘Our ticket home,’ he said to Drexler, who nodded. He’d told her earlier about the tip off that police were watching the camp and his plan to send Wicks in driving the decoy, giving him and Drexler a window to escape. She’d agreed in a heartbeat, seemingly not caring that she’d originally been left out of the plan or about Wicks’ fate. That was why Rourke found her so useful. She didn’t have a compassionate bone in her body. She’d been brought up on a farm and had flown a duster before which was a bonus. He’d have a second pair of hands in the cockpit which could be useful.
They both jumped out of the van. Bobby didn’t know about many things other than guns and drugs, but he did know about crop dusters. This one was an Antonov An-2, somewhat of a relic but more than sufficient to get the job done. The plane was durable, light and was the largest single-engine biplane ever produced and still flying. The field was private, belonging to the old farmer Wicks and Drexler had shot and buried, but there was no security and no alarm at the gate. Having seen the place in day light, Drexler had told him here was enough of a runway stretch to get up in the air.
Drexler ran over to the plane, pulling open the cabin door. Rourke was already carrying one of the canisters to the doorway. Moving back and forth from the van, the two of them started loading the barrels, one by one. That task completed, they both jumped back into the car. Rourke fired the ignition, moved off and headed towards the entrance of the field. There was a scrapyard a hundred yards down the road. They’d abandon the vehicle there.
By the time anyone found it and made a connection, they’d have sold the virus-laden canisters and be out of the country.
In the shadows, Archer watched them go.
He’d killed the Merc’s headlights long before he approached the farm and had parked the vehicle fifty yards back behind some cover. Neither of the two doctors wanted to be left behind, so the three of them had scaled the fence, shielded from view by the farm buildings, and ran forward using a large shed as cover.
Dr Kruger’s suggestion and Rach’s report of the missing farmer had been right on the money. Up ahead, lit up in the lights of their own vehicle were Rourke and Drexler. Archer recognised her immediately as the woman who’d smashed his nose in Tonic. From their hiding place in the shadows, Archer and the two doctors had watched the pair finish loading a crop duster with what looked like canisters. When that had been done, they’d climbed back into their vehicle and swung out of the airfield, driving off down the track leading away from the farm.
They’d left, but they’d be back soon, no question.
With the vehicle momentarily gone, Archer motioned for the two doctors to follow him. The trio moved out from behind the shed, running across the flat grass towards the biplane, which was parked facing the long dark stretch of field ahead. When they arrived, Kruger ran to the side cabin door; he pulled it open and peered inside as Archer kept his eyes on the entrance to the field, making sure Rourke and Drexler weren’t on their way back.
‘Detective,’ Kruger whispered, beckoning him over.
Archer ran to the plane and stuck his head inside. He saw a large tank at the back, six canisters stacked in front of it in a neat cluster.
‘They must contain the virus,’ Kruger said. ‘That must be what they had Frankie working on at the lab.’
He stepped back so Maddy could look inside.
'Jesus,' she said quietly. ‘There’s gallons of it.’
'It’s OK,’ Archer said. ‘When they come back, I'll drop them and we'll secure the plane.'
‘Not here,’ Kruger said. ‘They’ll see us the moment they get back. The headlights will light us up like we’re on stage.’
Archer realised he was right.
'Get inside. The moment he checks his cargo, he gets a Sig Sauer in the face.'
Rourke and Drexler had just dumped the van at the scrap yard. Jogging back, they turned into the field and were running towards the plane when they heard the faint sound of engines in the distance. Rourke turned and saw ten or so headlights approaching, coming down the track. Drexler went to grab her pistol, but Rourke caught her hand.
‘Relax,’ he said. ‘It’s good.’
The lights grew brighter as a gang of bikers pulled into the airfield and drove straight towards them, the engines on the bikes growling in unison. Rourke and Drexler shielded their eyes from the glare and the ten bikers came to a halt in front of them both. They killed their engines, then what had to be the leader kicked down the stand, stepped off his bike and walked towards them.
'Who the hell are they?' Maddy whispered, watching from a window inside the plane.
Archer and Kruger looked out beside her.
'What do we do?' Kruger asked.
Archer pulled his cell phone but there was no signal. He had one pistol with seventeen rounds. Sneaking another glance through the window, he saw the bikers were armed with sub-machine guns, pistols and sawn-off shotguns. He saw the group talking, but couldn’t hear what was being said. He started thinking fast, desperately searching for a solution.
If he confronted Rourke, Drexler and the bikers it would be twelve on one. Their gunfire would shred him, Maddy and Dr Kruger to pieces.
They were trapped.
'So are we good?' Rourke asked.
The leader of the outlaw gang nodded. ‘I’ve arranged protection at your refuelling points. You won’t have any problems.’
‘ATF and the police will be searching for us. Can you handle that?'
The man nodded, jabbing a thumb at his men. 'We all live off the grid. Won't be hard to kill some pigs then disappear.'
'You'll get your money by the end of next week.'
The two men shook hands.
Then Rourke and Drexler turned, heading for the plane.
The rear cabin was a muddy brown colour, a series of seats towards the front and a large tank for pesticide or water at the back. Archer, Maddy and Kruger were huddled behind it, hidden from view. Peering round the edge of the tank, Archer watched Rourke and Drexler climb into the cabin, pulling the door shut. For a horrible moment, he thought they were going to move down in their direction, but they went the other way and settled into the cockpit.
They both strapped on their seatbelts and started clicking buttons to fire up the engine and rotors, running checks at the same time.
The crop duster sputtered as the engine started to burst into life.
Rourke and Drexler were ready to fly.
With three passengers they didn’t know about in the back.
FORTY NINEFive minutes later the plane was in the air and climbing. Behind the tank, Archer watched Rourke and Drexler in the cockpit. He glanced to his left. Beside him, Maddy looked scared whilst Dr Kruger was looking at him for silent guidance. Archer gave them both a thumbs up. He felt his stomach tilt again as they gained altitude.
He would have to put a gun on the pair. Take their weapons and force them to land the plane. It wasn’t the best plan but he couldn’t think of a better alternative. He took a deep breath and reassured himself. The radio was working. They had plenty of fuel and Rourke’s Roller PD file had said that he owned a farm. He knew what he was doing in one of these things, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to get in the air in the first place. He’d know how to land it, assuming that he didn’t want to kill them all.
Peering around the tank, Archer saw that both of them had their head-gear on, completely distracted and unaware of their uninvited guests. He stepped out from being the tank, his Sig held tightly in his hands. Beside him, he looked at the six canisters, a pesticide hazard sign slapped on the side.
Quietly, he crept towards the cabin, his pistol trained on the back of Rourke’s head.
He had to give it to them. They were smarter than then they looked. Using Sway’s brother as an alibi when Jacobs was killed. Sending a decoy to the estate so the ATF and the NYPD would be tailing the wrong van. Flying over the State borders. This was never about terrorism. This was about money. The whole time they’d been here, they’d separated themselves from their Chapter and done their own thing. The Chapter’s presence was just a diversion. Keep attention off what they were doing. And law enforcement had taken the bait. It was only by luck and intuition that Archer was here.
With the sights of his pistol on Rourke, Archer heard Agent-in-Charge Faison’s words echo in his mind.
The most intelligent criminals put distance between themselves and the crime.
Even if they get caught, it’ll never get traced back to them.
And suddenly, Archer paused.
Something from earlier had been bothering him all night, It had never settled with him all day. It hadn’t rung true when he’d first heard it and it still didn’t now.
Dr Tibbs.
When everyone had him fingered as the missing link, Archer hadn’t been convinced. Neither had Maddy and he trusted her instincts.
He was such a quiet, gentle guy, she’d said. I can’t believe he’d do this.
Then Jacobs’ phone had rung and everyone had forgotten what she’d said. But she was right. Mixing with neo-Nazis seemed totally out of character for a quiet scientist who was a loner.
The most intelligent criminals put distance between themselves and the crime.
Even if they get caught, it’ll never get traced back to them.
Archer froze.
Comprehension dawned.
And he realised a second too late that he’d been played.
He went to turn, but felt the cold barrel of a pistol press up hard against his neck.
‘Drop the gun,’ Kruger said, his finger on the trigger.
Archer glanced to his left. He saw a Beretta 92. Behind it, Kruger’s cut-up, bruised face had hardened.
He wasn’t looking for guidance anymore.
‘Drop the gun,’ he repeated.
Behind him, Archer saw that Maddy was unconscious, bleeding from a cut to her head. Kruger had levelled her the moment Archer turned his back.
‘Drop the gun,’ he said again. ‘Or I blow your brains out.’
Archer felt the cold metal pressed in behind his ear. He didn’t have a choice. He dropped the Sig and it clattered to the cabin floor of the plane.
Kruger whistled and Rourke and Drexler turned.
Archer saw astonishment on their faces. Rourke said something to Drexler, then undid his belt and moved down into the belly of the plane as she took over the controls. Archer stayed motionless, the barrel of the pistol driven into the side of his neck.
‘Holy shit,’ Rourke said to Kruger, genuinely surprised. ‘How long have you been there?’
'We got in when you dumped the van.'
‘I sent Wicks to come and get you, but he said you had two pigs outside your apartment. I thought you were staying in New York?’
‘This doos was sniffing around,’ he said, the gun into Archer’s neck. ‘Thought I'd hitch a ride.'
Rourke looked at Archer. ‘Is he a pig?’
‘Yeah.’
‘So kill him.’
Kruger shook his head. ‘Not here. The bullets will put holes in the cabin.’
Rourke tilted his head and saw Maddy lying unconscious on the floor. ‘OK. Wait till we’re over countryside. Then throw them both out.’
Kruger suddenly pistol-whipped Archer hard, knocking him to the floor of the plane. Rourke grabbed a set of handcuffs from Archer’s hip and cuffed his hands behind him to a metal hand-hold. He also took the time to hit Archer in the face several times afterwards, his fists smashing into his already busted nose. That done, Rourke gave him a final kick, then turned to Kruger.
‘We’re on course. I set up the first pit stop in North Carolina.’
Kruger nodded, then took a seat across the cabin from Archer. Rourke kicked Archer again, then headed back to the cockpit. Archer spat blood out of his mouth and looked across at the South African doctor.
The expression he’d worn all day on his beaten-up face had changed.
All trace of his friendliness was gone.
It had been replaced with a menacing stare.
‘You son of a bitch,’ Archer said.
‘It’s a miracle we even made it here,’ Kruger said. ‘I’ve been watching all of you run around like morons all night.’
‘You’re a part of this?’
‘Of course. I set it up. Do you know how much this virus is worth?’
He jabbed a finger at Rourke, up front in the cockpit with Drexler.
‘I needed someone to package and transport it. Figured I might as well hitch a ride. Luckily you made the connection with the farm after I fed you the pesticide idea. You were quick, I’ll give you that.’
Archer glanced at Rourke. ‘How the hell do you know him?’
Kruger grinned.
He undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled it open.
Archer saw a thick black Swastika tattooed on one pectoral.
On the other was an SS.
Stuttgart Soldiers.
‘Surprised?’ Kruger said with a grin.
Kyle Gunnar’s voice echoed in Archer’s mind, a missed warning from earlier in the day.
You’d be surprised who some of our members are.
Suddenly, all the missing pieces of
the puzzle started to fall into place.
‘You were the one who told Bleeker about the virus?’
Kruger nodded.
‘He introduced me to them,’ he said, jabbing a thumb at the cockpit. ‘At a rally two weeks ago. We had a plan, but then Bleeker got greedy and double-crossed us. Kidnapped me and stole the vials. He wanted it all for himself. I think he was going to kill me at the house just before you and your friends showed up.’
Archer thought back. It all started making sense. In the dark plane, he saw the South African grin.
‘You piece of shit. You planted the cell phone at Tibbs’ apartment.’
‘Very good. Pay-as-you-go, so no connection to me. All I had to do was clean off my prints, visit Will on Thursday night then drop it on his floor before I left. He must have found it, stowed it in the drawer and framed himself.’
Kruger pointed his pistol at Maddy.
‘Anyway, be thankful you got an extra few hours. You both should have died at the lab.’
Archer didn’t respond. He was thinking back through the day, cursing himself at what an idiot he’d been.
‘When Gunnar walked past at the Bureau this afternoon, you ducked down. Put your head in your hands like you were upset. But you were covering up. You knew he’d recognise you and wouldn’t be able to hide it.’
‘Very good. But what a shame. You’re too late. You’re going to die. And what a tragedy about your friend at the lab. His coffin will be the size of a tinder box.’
Archer spat blood from his mouth again, glaring at the neo-Nazi doctor.
‘Easy now,’ Kruger said. ‘At any moment, I can open that door and throw you out. I could do it right now.’
The two men stared at each other. Then Kruger checked his watch. Archer glanced to his left and saw Maddy still slumped on the floor. She was out cold. Blood had slid down her face from the wound from the blow to the back of her head.
Kruger suddenly whistled at the cockpit. Rourke heard him and turned. Kruger beckoned for him to come down, so Rourke left his seat and walked down into the cabin.