Ghosts of War

by Brad Taylor

I followed it as far as I could in the darkness, but couldn’t see where it came out next to the bottom of the castle.

  Aaron pointed and said, “That’s why we need you, Jennifer. The office is on the first floor—ground level where we came in, but we’ll start the climb two floors below that, and you’ll have to go one floor higher, because there aren’t any external windows to access on that floor.”

  The castle was vaguely illuminated with a scattering of outdoor lights, and I could make out the ancient stone of the walls. Jennifer studied her potential path in the dim light and said, “I can do that.”

  Shoshana smiled and said, “That was never a question.”

  I said, “Let’s get some sleep. We might need it.”

  We’d returned to the room and I’d tried to nap, but it seemed we’d only been in the room for about fifteen minutes before Shoshana had tapped my thigh.

  I looked at the window again and said, “Koko, you sure you can make that climb freehand with the rain?”

  She cinched the pack down and pointed to a window on the other side of the room. She said, “It looks like it’s coming south to north, and it’s only a drizzle. I’ll bet the walls on the north are dry.”

  Aaron said, “She’s only going about four floors.”

  “And what if the window’s locked? She’ll have to go higher.”

  “It’s not. I told you. The window was built centuries ago. Nobody thought it needed a lock. At any rate, if it is, she comes down, because that window height is the length of the ladder we had made.”

  I said, “You had the ladder made for that window?”

  He looked embarrassed and said, “Well, yes, when we first started studying how to access the castle. We didn’t know where the Torah was located, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t plan entry.”

  Shoshana handed me some thin gloves and a black balaclava and said, “Now we know where it’s located.”

  I took the items and she said, “No fingerprints, no pictures.”

  I said, “I thought there weren’t any cameras. You said they used roving guards.”

  Aaron said, “That’s true, but remember, we can’t terminate anyone. You meet someone, they’d better be able to remember it tomorrow.”

  I muttered, “Just great,” and Shoshana said, “Don’t worry. I’ve got a good feeling about this. You’re my lucky charm.”

  I said, “That instills so much confidence in me.”

  Aaron turned out the lights, then opened the door. Jennifer grinned and said, “Showtime.”

  I have to admit, her confidence was infectious, making me smile as well. Aaron said, “I do appreciate this. We’ll most definitely owe you one.”

  I exited onto the wooden balcony and said, “Believe me, I plan on collecting.”

  We slipped down the walkway to a narrow stairwell, keeping to the shadows and circling away from the bar in front. It was close to two in the morning, but no way did we want to run into some inebriated patron coming back to his room.

  We went through the parking lot, and I saw that none of the cars had moved, all still jammed together like a drunk valet had parked them. We reached the road and sprinted over it one by one. As I crossed, I glanced toward the castle and saw a black van, nose out, illuminated at the edge of the tunnel.

  Aaron was already lowering Shoshana over the side, letting her drop the seven feet to the path. I crouched against the wall and said, “There’s a new vehicle. Someone’s shown up since we arrived.”

  Jennifer came across, crouching next to me. Aaron glanced toward the castle and said, “Did you see movement?”

  “No. Headlights are off, but it’s definitely there.”

  Shoshana hissed from the far side, wanting to know what the holdup was. I looked at Aaron, then tapped Jennifer, getting her up on the wall. I leaned over, holding her hands, and she walked down three feet, looked up at me and nodded. I let her go.

  I turned back to Aaron to find him staring intently down the road. He came back to me and said, “What is your gut saying?”

  “It’s trouble.”

  “You want to abort?”

  I flashed my teeth and said, “And spend another night with your sociopath? No. We can handle trouble. I think it means we’ll have more active patrolling than we thought, even if it’s a cleaning crew. We just need to be on our toes.”

  Aaron took that in, then slowly nodded. He said, “I appreciate the honest answer. This was your chance to quit.”

  I hoisted myself on the wall, looked down to determine the drop, then said, “I’ve never quit anything in my entire life. And lord knows I would rather face some Stormtroopers who can’t shoot than your damn wife.”

  Before he could answer, I let go.

  Aaron landed softly five seconds later. He said, “Okay, everyone knows their positions. Jennifer first, get the anchor in, me next, then Shoshana, Pike last.”

  We’d all talked about this endlessly, but I understood he was reaffirming the fact that it was his Op. He was in charge. I nodded, and we took up a slow jog down the path, the drizzle settling on us until we broke past the castle itself. True to Jennifer’s prediction, it was dry, the stone blocking the weather.

  We ran by the tunnel, the van right above us, then reached the back of the castle, with Aaron stopping at a modern drainage pipe running from the face of stone and down into the valley. We took a knee and Jennifer tested the pipe. Shoshana said, “Told you. This will be a cakewalk. You have your own ladder for the first two floors.”

  Jennifer glanced up at the pipe and the ensuing climb, then looked at me. I said, “Too late now. Unless you can’t do it.”

  She grinned and said, “You know I can do it. Last chance to back out.”

  I fist-bumped her and said, “Then let’s go.”

  Before I could stop her, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, saying, “See you at the top.”

  She leapt up on the pipe, scrambling like a monkey in a zoo. In seconds, she was two floors up, and began climbing using the rock of the castle. Satisfied, I returned my eyes to the team, seeing Shoshana staring intently at me. I said, “What?”

  “You never would have let her show affection like that before.”

  “So? What’s your point?”

  “I’m just studying. Trying to decide what part of the relationship I want to be.”

  I looked at Aaron and he rolled his eyes, the patient uncle with the kid who wouldn’t quit annoying him. I said, “The husband-and-wife mission is over. Nobody cares what your marital status is anymore.”

  The nylon ladder rolled down, slapping on the stone right between us. Shoshana said, “I’m not talking about the mission. I’m talking about life.”

  I looked at Aaron again, and he pretended to be engrossed in testing the strength of the ladder, studiously ignoring the conversation. He found it strong and began climbing. I took the bottom rung and pulled it taut, giving him a solid platform instead of a swinging mess. And getting me away from the conversation with Shoshana, just like he’d done.

  The ladder quit shaking and I glanced up, seeing it empty. I said, “Your turn, Carrie.”

  She grinned and said, “You have no idea what to do with Koko. You’re just like Aaron.”

  She said it like she’d discovered something profound about the human condition. I said, “Get on the fucking ladder. Why do you always do this right before a firefight?”

  She pulled herself up on the rungs and said, “I appreciate you helping. It means a lot to me and Aaron. I just wanted to say that in case this goes bad.”

  Incredulous, I looked up at her and said, “I thought you said this was going to be easy?”

  She started climbing after I drew the ladder taut and said, “No. I said you brought luck. I’m not sure this is going to be easy, but I’m positive it will be worth it.”

  In s
econds, she was out of earshot, climbing past the floors. I felt the ladder go slack and looked up. She was gone. I began the climb myself, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

  18

  I reached the sill of the ancient window, the glass open wide, strong seams of iron between the opaque panes. A foot-long hunk of granite extended out, giving me purchase. I pulled myself up and swung inside, dropping lightly to the ground. We were in a room with velvet ropes on the doors, the interior full of archaic renaissance furniture and massive murals on the walls. I saw Jennifer crouched to the left of the window, her job pretty much done. All she had to do was wait; then, after all of us had escaped, she’d drop the ladder and free-climb back down.

  The two Israelis were near the door, listening and looking like bank robbers with the balaclavas over their heads.

  Jennifer smiled at me, pumped with adrenaline after the climb. I grinned back and patted her Lycra-covered thigh, whispering, “Hero of the day again.”

  She said, “It was easy.”

  I turned serious. “This goes south, you get the hell out of here. Don’t wait on me or anyone else. Get out and down.”

  Her smile faded and I said, “Shoshana’s not nearly as confident as you thought. I don’t know what they know, but they’ve lied to us from the start. Just get out.”

  She nodded, then said, “What about you?”

  “I’ll pull my security position, but trust me, if this thing goes sideways, I’m right behind you.”

  She nodded again, saying, “See you in a few. Don’t do anything stupid.”

  This time I was the one who leaned in. I pecked her on the cheek and said, “Too fucking late for that.”

  I duckwalked toward the door, sliding my balaclava over my head and seeing Shoshana staring at me again. I reached her and whispered, “What now?”

  “You kissed her.”

  “No, I didn’t. I was whispering in her ear about what a pain in the ass you are. I didn’t want you to hear.”

  Aaron chuckled and said, “Okay, we’re going down one floor. Everyone remembers the floor plan, right?”

  Shoshana and I nodded. He said, “We get down there, and Pike provides security to our rear. Shoshana and I will access the door. There are four security guards on this floor, but only one on the trunks in the admin area. We reduce him as a threat, then pop the locks to the door and get the Torah. We come right back to you, and we’re out of here.”

  I said, “Sounds good. Let’s get it done.”

  He nodded and slipped out the door, Shoshana right behind him, moving down a wide hallway lined with portraits of old dead guys. I brought up the rear, feeling naked without a firearm, but understanding the fact that if I had it, I’d probably use it. And I could handle anyone who showed up.

  We kept to the wall, sliding against it to a large staircase. Aaron slipped down it, the carpet muffling his steps, reaching the next floor. We paused at the base, and Aaron whispered, “Left.” He pointed at the wall across from the staircase, a point where I could dominate anyone coming and going, and said, “You, there. Shoshana, on me.”

  I slipped across the hall, taking up a position in the shadows, the winding staircase in front, the opening to the castle lobby on my left. I watched them slink down the same hallway we’d entered earlier in the day, then pulled out my lead-filled sap.

  Anyone entered, and I had to take them out, but not permanently harm them, which wasn’t exactly a perfect science. And because we had luggage that had been X-rayed every step of the way, Aaron hadn’t even brought a Taser. I only had my hands and a lead-filled weapon from a bad mafia movie.

  I sat still, breathing through my nose and constantly scanning left and right, waiting on their return. I expected to hear shuffling footsteps. What I got was a gunshot, loud and echoing down the hallway. Then two more.

  Shit. What happened to no guards being armed?

  I slid toward the hallway, my head swiveling behind me, keeping the entrance in sight. Keeping my ability to provide security for any follow-on force. I ducked around the edge and saw six men in castle security uniforms dragging two trunks, two other men on the floor, both with their necks bent at unnatural angles. Behind a pillar next to the wall were the Israelis, trapped in the hallway.

  A man advanced, pistol held with both hands, blasting away at the pillar they were hiding behind. Closing in close enough to ensure no escape. I reacted without thought, springing up and racing into the hall.

  The man saw me coming and rotated his weapon toward me, causing me to instinctively slide low on the marble, regretting my choice. Before he could squeeze the trigger, Aaron leapt from behind his cover, snatching the man’s gun arm and rotating it in a circle like a pretzel. The bone snapped, causing the man to scream, and Aaron flipped him on his back and hammered his face with a straight punch. The other men started firing and Aaron flopped back behind the pillar.

  I scrambled in beside him and said, “What the hell is going on? There’s a damn army here.”

  He said, “I don’t know. We saw the dead guys in the hallway, then the door burst open before we could retreat and those assholes came out shooting. They’re getting away with the Torah.”

  I peeked around the pillar, drawing rounds from the remaining men and snapped back. I said, “It’s gone. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  Shoshana said, “That isn’t happening. No way.”

  I heard a guy shouting orders, and it wasn’t in Polish. It was some weird language that I didn’t immediately recognize. Shoshana did, though. She listened to the commands being given, and glared at Aaron with fire. She said, “We’re not leaving without the Torah.”

  Before I could reason with her, she sprang up, running toward the men in a zigzag pattern, the hallway stretching out in a funnel of death.

  One trunk was being dragged into an elevator, the other right behind it. Aaron shouted at her to stop, and the men began shooting. Shoshana was miraculously missed with the first salvo. She realized her stupidity and slammed behind the next pillar in the hallway, this one much closer to the enemy, the angle leaving her dangerously exposed.

  Aaron grabbed the pistol from the man he’d killed and rolled into the open on his chest, blazing away at the group and drawing their fire off Shoshana.

  Aaron got off four rounds, dropping one man, but then he was hit, causing a sharp scream. I leapt out and grabbed his leg, pulling him back behind the cover of the pillar and seeing blood on his shoulder.

  Jesus Christ.

  This entire mission had gone to complete shit.

  I grabbed the pistol from his hand, checked the chamber for a round, then rotated around the pillar. I shouted, “Shoshana! Back here. I’ll cover.”

  I pumped two rounds down the hallway, hitting one man in the gut, and then my weapon locked open, the magazine empty. The man I’d hit fell into the elevator and the other men slapped against the wall, then realized I was empty. I dove back behind the pillar as they returned fire my way. The elevator doors closed, and two men remained. They saw their opening and charged Shoshana, trying to get an angle around her pillar.

  I heard a noise behind me, and whirled, ready to kill. Jennifer appeared, sliding down the wall at a rapid pace. Ignoring my order to get the hell out at the first sign of trouble.

  I locked eyes with her and shouted, “You got Aaron!”

  Nothing more.

  The two men down the hall closed within striking distance, and Shoshana had a choice: die curled in a ball, or attack. She chose the latter.

  She leapt on the closest man like a lion on a gazelle. As weak as his firearms skills were, his hand-to-hand ability was far worse. He was no match for her. The second man danced around the two, frantically looking for a shot, but unsure if he could hit whom he needed to.

  Giving me time enough to reach him.

  19

 
He heard me coming at the last second and rotated with his weapon. I’d never had the chance to use a superman punch, feeling such a thing was ridiculous, but it worked here. I launched myself in the air and cocked my arm. I saw the barrel turn and my fist exploded out with over two hundred pounds of muscle and pure adrenaline behind it. His head snapped back like it had been hit with a cinder block, and he dropped.

  I landed on his body, got my footing, then turned to the other fight. Shoshana had her man on the ground, legs wrapped around his waist and his head trapped in her arms. I leapt up to help her, and she jerked harshly. I heard the snap, his body going limp, giving up everything in a final tribute to her prowess.

  I grabbed her shoulder, and she whirled, swinging a fist. I slapped it aside and said, “It’s me! Stop it, it’s me!”

  At that point, Shoshana did something weird. She pulled up the dead man’s sleeve, exposing a tattoo, then cursed. She stood, enraged, and said, “We need to get the Torah from those fucks.”

  I said, “Aaron’s hit. Let’s get out of here.”

  The words were like dropping ice in boiling water, cutting her anger. She sprang upright and said, “What? Where?”

  I turned back to the hallway, pointing at Jennifer putting pressure on Aaron’s wound. Shoshana gasped and started to move toward them when the second elevator dinged. The doors opened and two men spilled out, within a foot of us. Both hesitant and confused.

  Shoshana went into combat mode, snatching the pistol from the unconscious man at her feet and smashing the closest guy in the skull with the barrel. He staggered into the wall, holding his head, and she sprang back for a shot. The second man jumped like he’d been hit with an electric current, and she began to squeeze. In the span of a microsecond, I realized they held no weapons.

  They’re the real castle security.

  I slapped her gun arm and the round went harmlessly over their heads. I spun her away, then lashed out with my boot, catching the first guy full on in the face as he was crouched over in pain, snapping his head back into the wall and laying him out. The second had his radio up, screaming into it. I swept his legs out from under him, then hammered his temple. His body went limp.