The Prize

by Vanessa Fewings

  “We fell through the trapdoor—”

  “Let’s talk about St. Joan.”

  My gasp revealed my connection.

  “My dad gifted her to Paige. Some fucker stole it from her home in Switzerland and somehow it ended up in London at Christie’s. Icon was the thief. I’m sure about that. Didn’t your father own that one?”

  “Maybe it’s not the same one.”

  “Something tells me it is.”

  My thoughts shoved me back to that day at Christie’s when I’d been escorted into the room where St. Joan was awaiting. This was how she’d made her way there. And this was how Tobias knew of her location. Icon stole her from Paige. Icon placed her at Christie’s.

  And now I knew for sure Icon had stolen her.

  Eli shrugged. “Dad wants his Titian back. Paige wants her St. Joan back.” He shortened the distance between us. “Know what I want?”

  I shook my head as panic rose.

  “Icon.”

  “I can get a message—”

  “Where is he?” Eli’s eyes filled with disbelief. “I mean, we’re talking about the other Mona Lisa here. How the fuck did he steal her?”

  “I just...”

  “This is the work of Icon. Who is he? I want a meeting.”

  “I risked my life getting that for you. Please, where’s Tobias?” I bolted toward the back of the suite and searched the other rooms. “Tobias?”

  “In here.” Eli’s voice carried from another room.

  Warily, I made my way in that direction with my thoughts scattered like fireflies in the blackest night—

  The door slammed behind me and Eli stood between me and the exit. There was a bed in here and the sheets were ruffled, and the wardrobe open and empty.

  “Come here. I’m hankering for some entertainment.”

  I snapped his hand away. “Don’t.”

  “Do you know what happens to the human body when it’s deprived of oxygen? You actually get high. Right now, your Tobias is flying high on hypoxia.”

  My throat constricted. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt him!”

  Eli knocked me backward and I slumped onto the bed. My screaming was muffled as his palm slapped to my mouth to silence me. His hand struck again. “Shut the fuck up.”

  My lungs fought for air—

  I bit his hand and he slapped me across my face again, and the shock of pain stunned me still.

  “Anything to do with Leonardo da Vinci is mine. If you see a da Vinci, you call me. If you hear of a da Vinci, you let me know. If you suspect a da Vinci is in your neighborhood, I want to know. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  He reached for my zipper. “Let’s have some fun.”

  I struggled, fighting with everything I had and managing to snap his hands away from my trousers.

  The door burst open—

  Abby flung herself at Eli. “Get off her.”

  He scrambled off the bed. “Sean!”

  She reached out and grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “Zara!”

  Eli grinned, as though he’d not just attacked me, and walked backward toward the door wearing that disgusting smirk. He spun around and ran.

  I staggered off the bed and bolted after him into the sitting room—

  Eli was gone.

  The Mona Lisa was gone too. Turning slowly, I saw his bodyguard slumped on the floor and moaning, and my gaze snapped to Abby.

  “The fucker deserved it,” she snapped. “What happened? Why are you in here?”

  I yanked away from her grasp and bolted out, sprinting down the hallway and flying between the open lift doors and striking my palm against the panel.

  The doors closed—

  Abby raced down the hallway toward me.

  “I’m sorry,” I called out.

  The doors shut before she reached me. These four walls closed in and my breaths rasped for air...

  When the elevator landed, I ran toward the revolving front door, bursting out to the street and scanning the faces for Eli or any of his men. Desperate for a sign of Tobias. My limbs felt like lead as I paced up and down, trying to look for a car or anything that would help me. Panic incapacitating me with the realization I’d messed up. I’d misjudged; I’d failed Tobias in every conceivable way. If anything happened to him I’d die from the agony.

  The sting where Eli had struck my face burned like fire and this whiplash proved my recklessness.

  I’d flown into the center of the flame.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  I’D MISCALCULATED WHAT the Burells were capable of.

  The family who specialized in mass murder. Our rules were no match for their rigged game. This was never going to be played fair, though I had foolishly acted as though it was. Tobias had tried to protect me from all of this and that’s why he’d not wanted me at the ball last night.

  In a blur, I left the hotel and caught a taxi back to our Manhattan home that had been our refuge, the place where the seeds of our plan had been sown and now I regretted not talking Wilder out of it.

  After hurrying into the drawing room, I pressed my palm to get access to Tobias’s workshop. The door opened and I was let in. I sprinted down the ramp and between his workbenches and made a beeline for Jade. She sat on her charger.

  “Jade, I need you. Wake up.” I tapped the top of her.

  The drone rose from her base and hovered before me as that green power light flickered on.

  “Tobias is in trouble. Do you understand? You have to help me find him. Can you do that? I need you to help me find his equipment. This is an emergency.”

  Jade floated off toward the back of the workshop—all the way toward a chrome door.

  “Open it,” I ordered.

  It clicked and the door swung wide and I stepped through—

  What the hell?

  Lined up along the left-hand wall was a row of fifteen drones, and all of them looked exactly the same as Jade. Why would he need so many? The door slammed shut behind me, sending me into blackness. Arms out, I made my way toward the door.

  It was locked.

  “No.” I slammed my palms against the chrome. “Open the door.”

  In a flash of inspiration, I remembered Jade, the one on the other side of that damn door, could track Tobias with his wristwatch. I’d seen him talk directly into it and give orders to Jade back in Arizona. Tobias was connected to that drone.

  I turned and with outstretched arms fumbled for one of the other drones resting on that chrome shelf and hoped to God they worked. I tapped the first one I came to. “Wake up.”

  A green light flickered on the front.

  “Make me a coffee.” I said the first thing I could think of.

  Within the darkness there came the humming of the drone lifting. A green light floating in the dark and I followed it. There came a click and light flooded in from the open door. I burst out, following the drone, with panic reaching a fever pitch at the time I was wasting. It headed away and up the ramp.

  I ran to Jade. “Tobias needs you.” I bit back my anger.

  She hovered past me and into the room, and when she reappeared she was dragging a duffel bag. I knelt and unzipped it and peered in at the climbing gear, tool kit, a flashlight and all the gadgets a thief might need. Jade hadn’t locked me in there on purpose. She’d wanted me to find this and the door had shut by accident.

  “This is good.” I stared up at her. “Follow me.”

  Inside the satellite tracking room, I studied the control panel. “Turn this on, Jade.”

  The screen lit up. “Connect to Wilder’s wristwatch, Jade.”

  The images flipped from one screen to another until I saw New York projected via a satellite image in a gray-and-white blur.

  I tried to make out what I was looking at. �
��Show me where Wilder is at this very second, Jade.”

  The screen zeroed in until a small dot moved along Interstate 81.

  “Is that Tobias?” I snapped my gaze back at the screen.

  The image went blank.

  “No, no, no.” I held my hands together in a prayer. “Where did it go?”

  “Hey, sweetheart.” It was Tobias’s face enlarged on the screen and he was staring at me. He looked well with no sign of injury or expression of distress or anything to hint something was off...

  “Tobias, where are you?”

  He gave a warm smile. “If you’re watching this, it means I’m seriously indisposed. Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.”

  My mouth went dry as I realized this was a recording.

  “Get your passport. I showed you where it is. Ask Jade to call Coops and he’ll arrange for my jet to be at your disposal. I’ll meet you back in London. And, Zara, I love you, okay. I’ll see you soon.”

  “This is all my fault,” I called up to the screen. “Jade, you’re coming with me.”

  Dragging the duffel bag behind me, I made my way up the ramp and into the foyer, and on the way out remembered Tobias had the key fob for the Aston Martin. It was probably still in The Plaza’s penthouse. If I couldn’t get the car to start I’d have to think of something else and fast. Jesus, please don’t make me have to get on that motorbike.

  I rested my palm on the outside panel to lock the front door and Jade floated alongside. After pressing my thumbprint on the Aston Martin keypad, I was relieved it clicked. I yanked open the passenger door and gestured for Jade to float inside. She settled on the front passenger seat. When I looked up, several early morning joggers were staring at the drone with their jaws slack in surprise.

  “She’s a pet.” I threw the duffel bag into the trunk and hurried around to get in.

  Although driving on the other side of the road was going to be challenging, I reassured myself I’d get my confidence up and the car was an automatic, after all. I’d driven his car in LA. That hadn’t been a disaster and with the painfully slow traffic I’d not be going too fast at first. I hoped the car transporting Tobias was also slowed by the rush of commuters.

  I pressed my thumb onto the key panel just as I’d seen Tobias do. The Aston Martin purred awake and I breathed a sigh of relief that Tobias had seen to it I could drive this. I sent silent thanks his way for his forethought. I strapped a seat belt around Jade and then pulled on mine.

  “Bring Tobias Wilder’s location up on the GPS, Jade.”

  I’m coming for you, hold on.

  The tracker flashed awake and went through a series of screen changes.

  If Jade was wrong she’d direct me farther away from where I could help Tobias. All I had was his technology to rely on. I’d observed him interact with his devices and they’d always interpreted what he’d requested whether it was to bring him a drink or clean up broken glass or hail a helicopter at a moment’s notice. Never had this need for his tech savvy been more vital.

  Abby had witnessed Eli’s attack and by now she’d have reported that to the authorities, I was sure of it. She had solid evidence on how dangerous he was. I felt dreadful that I’d run out on her like that but after what she’d seen Eli do she’d probably be on the hunt for him too.

  The blip slid up I-81.

  I had never imagined that trusting in one of Tobias’s AI units would ever be an experience I would have to contend with. Even though she was quiet and still, Jade brought some comfort, and I wondered if this was why Tobias had created her, because in some way she pushed aside the loneliness. She certainly provided some comfort for me.

  “Jade.” I glanced her way. “If anything happens to us you must find and destroy the painting you created. Understand?”

  The only response was that green light flickering which was no response at all, really.

  “I know it seems harsh,” I reassured her. “But in our world only real things can exist.” I cringed at how that might have come over. “I mean, when it comes to art.” Me caring about an AI’s feelings proved how damn tired I was. “You know my dad once threw a boiling hot cup of tea over a fake. That brown liquid and heat just ruined that painting, and I still can’t get the image out of my mind. It wasn’t real though. Someone was pretending it was and in there was the problem.” There, I’d sufficiently explained that away to my inanimate friend and proven to myself just how stressed I was to rattle on about nothing to nobody.

  Within half an hour I was out of the city and heading north, and if Tobias’s captors kept going they’d be in Canada. I’d never be able to cross the border. Fatigue soaked into my limbs and caused my stomach to churn as nausea welled.

  I breathed another sigh of relief when the dot stopped. Judging from the map I was fifteen minutes away from their current location. My frantic speed had made up the lost time between us. I turned my headlights off and rolled along the road with its tree line of a private estate.

  In the distance, I made out a country shingle colonial mansion that was surprisingly small compared to Burell’s other homes. I didn’t want anyone to hear the engine so I pulled onto a grassy bank to park behind several trees.

  I leaped out and popped the trunk. Rummaging in the back inside the duffel bag, I grabbed what I might need. Days ago, Tobias had shown me how a few of these contraptions worked and I’d been filled with annoyance and not believed I’d ever need these skills.

  I considered the many scenarios for when entering a home. No, this was not happening. I wasn’t trained for this. If I messed up, I’d place Tobias in terrible danger and possibly...

  Focus. Get him out of there.

  This was the nightmare I’d never seen coming.

  Okay, climbing harness, just in case. Spare rope hooked across my chest. If I got caught wearing this getup I’d be in bloody trouble. Gritting my teeth with tension, I continued to pull out what else I’d need and clipped each item onto the belt including a flashlight, wire cutter and a pick for a lock.

  I opened the passenger door and leaned down to get Jade. “Take me to Tobias.” I unclipped her seat belt and she floated out.

  My heart leaped when a small metal arm protruded from her side and she pointed to the house. Maybe, I mused in the craziest part of my brain, she missed her boss? It was obviously the same area of my brain that had gotten me into this mess.

  She floated beside me as I made my way toward the mansion. There were three large SUVs parked outside with blacked-out windows. This sinister convoy gave me hope I was in the right place. Tobias had to have been transported in one of these.

  Peeking through a window at the front I observed the stylish decor. It seemed like it had been decorated with a woman’s touch. Maybe this was one of Paige’s homes? It would make sense for Eli to bring Tobias to a place that wasn’t his father’s or even his.

  What I vaguely remembered from what Wilder had taught me was the garden lights could come on at any time, even in the day should motion be detected. I’d noted the skylight as I’d approached and felt a sick feeling that would be my only option. Trying the front door was reckless. Yet entering through the roof was suicide, surely?

  With Jade above me, I reached up and hooked my fingers through her base. Tobias had told me he exercised with her like this by doing pull-ups and she was capable of carrying his weight. This was the mother of all experiments because I had no idea if he’d been joking.

  Jade supported my weight.

  I let go and knelt to draw in deep breaths, rallying my courage to pull off the most demented stunt of my life. No, that was me coming to the States, I mused darkly. Next time stay at home. Order takeout like a nice chicken tikka masala. Read a good book; something by Jane Austen or J.K. Rowling. Why not read it in the bath? With a bloody big glass of Chardonnay.

  Screw it—

  I rose to my full height and
wrapped my fingers around her base again. “Entry point is the roof, Jade. Don’t fucking drop me.”

  With my legs dangling and my body fighting this drag of gravity, I felt the rush of air blasting my face and the strain in my hands was agony as they trembled with the tension of being carried up and up and up...

  These were the longest seconds of my life.

  My feet met the roof and I let go and crouched—I was really doing this.

  I was breaking into a private home off the meager intel I’d gathered from a drone that couldn’t speak and wasn’t able to convey meaning. This was a practice in trust like no other. Ironically, the trust I’d always sought was coming from a machine. A device Wilder had created. I wondered if he took Jade with him on his adventures too.

  I pointed to the skylight. “I need to get in there.”

  I’d always wondered how Tobias cut the glass of the Burells’ rotunda in Amboise. It wasn’t a power tool as the police had reported, it was Jade who was providing a demonstration of her laser skills as she cut a hole in the glass big enough for me to get through. Out of her bottom protruded a suction cup and it connected to the glass and tugged the central piece out and placed it carefully to the side. There was no time to gawp in wonder at this impressive technology.

  Grasping Jade’s base again I used her to lower through the hole and glanced down as I descended.

  Two men appeared beneath me.

  “Stop,” I whispered.

  The drone held me halfway between the ceiling and the ground hovering over them. My hands were numb. My heart banged furiously against my rib cage. I drew strength from Wilder. He’d tell me to breathe slowly to endure the pain, to center myself, to calm, and he’d tell me it was all worth it.

  The way of Icon.

  I recognized one of Eli’s bodyguards who had attacked Tobias. There was too much pain in my fingers to feel the relief of being in the right place. They went in separate ways and I was lowered to the ground. I let go of Jade before my feet hit the carpet, and doubled over, hugging the pain out of my hands.

  Then hid in an alcove.

  Following Jade’s lead, I trailed after her toward a staircase. The sound of a television came from one of the rooms. A morning talk show with an audience from the sound of it. With my back against the wall I hurried down, alert and ready for anyone who might try to stop me.