by Wolf Wootan
Unfortunately for Syd, Sara decided to check Teresa’s room first while she was in the east wing. It was just four doors down the hall. She moved quietly toward Teresa’s quarters.
• • •
Down on the first floor, Primo wended his way to the east wing hallway, looking for any servants who might be there. He looked forward to torturing someone to make them tell him where the letter was. He didn’t know what the letter was, but he liked the torturing part. He knew the kitchen was back there somewhere. He had been told that there could be some Mafia soldiers here, so he had to be careful. He turned the corner with his Beretta leading the way and was surprised when he saw not a servant or Mafia soldier, but a man in camos holding an MP-5.
“Shit!” he said just before three 10mm lead slugs hit his face.
Gunny moved swiftly to Primo’s body and made sure he was dead. He was—most of his head was missing.
“Lexus team, this is Lexus One. I got one in the east wing, first floor. I’m preceding south to check the rest of this area,” announced Gunny.
“Gunny, Sara here. I’m checking Teresa’s room before going to Syd’s chambers. East wing, second floor.”
“Roger, Major. Be careful. We know there are at least three more of those bastards in here somewhere.”
• • •
As Syd watched for the oncoming killer, her eyes fell on the shield on which she had scraped her back. In the center of the shield was a small spike protruding from a green cross. There was blood on the spike.
No wonder that hurt so bad! A friggin’ spike! Well, I won’t die of blood poisoning. I won’t live long enough for that! If I can get behind that asshole, maybe the knife will be enough. Could he possibly walk right by me without seeing me? Not likely! Think, Syd!
Then a light bulb went off in her head! Sara had said all of the shields with green on them were entrances to the secret passageway! Could this be one? She looked behind the shield and saw the small metal ring.
Yes!
She turned and faced the wall, hoping her butt was not sticking out too far, and pulled the ring. The door slid smoothly open and she slipped in and closed the door, finding herself in complete darkness.
Thank you, Anna! You were always a better survivor than Syd! Now, let’s get that bastard!
She ran her hand along the wall and finally found the light switch, then switched on the dim lights. She ran a forearm over her brow to clear off some of the sweat. She finally noticed that her tee shirt was soaked through with sweat. She could not remember a closer call in her entire MOSSAD career. Of course, she was always well-prepared and well-armed then. She put the dagger back in the scabbard under her belt and tried to regulate her breathing. She was slowly calming down, but she wished Hatch was there to hold her and tell her everything would be all right.
Now what, Dr. Z.? What would Sara expect the notorious Z. to do now? Where is Sara? Did they get her yet? Do I go to the tower and get armed, or do I try and take this fucker out right now, before he can hurt anyone? Will he come back this way after he clears the hall, or go on to the east wing? God! Teresa’s room is over there! I can’t take the time to go to the tower! I’ve got to take him out now, somehow! Hmm.
• • •
Sara reached Teresa’s door and found it ajar, open about six inches. She could hear voices coming from the room. She checked her MP-5 and selected two-shot bursts, safety off.
Sonny had found Teresa alone in her room cowering on the bed. The explosion had frightened and confused her, and she had forgotten to lock her door. When she claimed to know nothing about a letter, he had hit her in the face and ripped her blouse off.
“Tell me where it is, cunt, or you’ll be very sorry!” he yelled in Italian.
“I can’t! I don’t know anything about any letter!” she sobbed, her arms across her bare breasts, her mouth bleeding.
“Well, we’ll see! I think I’ll fuck you first, then give you some real pain.”
He yanked her off the bed, ripped off her skirt and panties, and pushed her back on the bed, her legs dangling. He spread her legs and stepped between them as he unzipped his pants.
“That’s a nice looking pussy you have there, bitch. I’m going to enjoy this!”
“No, signore! Please no!” she sobbed.
Sonny pulled out his erect penis and looked down at Teresa’s spread legs with great anticipation, wanting to hurt her.
“Not today, or any day, shithead!” snarled Sara as she entered the room, furious at the scene she saw before her.
Sonny turned in surprise, his erect member now clearly in Sara’s view. The two 10mm slugs blew it off and what was left of it flew across the room. Sonny screamed in surprise and agony as blood gushed.
“What did you do, cunt?” he groaned in English.
“Just wanted you to die as a eunuch, asshole!” Sara answered as she put two more bullets in the bridge of his nose.
“Another one down, Gunny,” Sara broadcast.
Then to Teresa she said, “Grab a robe or something to cover yourself, then let’s get the fuck out of here! I need to find Syd!”
• • •
Tony finished his search of the first floor’s west wing, finding nothing. He started up the stairs to join Roberto on the second floor. He had not heard Gunny’s or Sara’s silenced MP-5s fire a few minutes earlier, so he had no idea how much trouble his people had already met.
• • •
Shadow-4 put Hatch and Coffer on the tower at 6:10 P.M., one minute before Tony started up the stairs. Bill Coffer was armed with his sidearm and MP-5, and several stun grenades. Hatch had his SigPro and ankle gun. They both wore headsets and Coffer advised the Lexus crew of their arrival on the tower. Hatch was frantic over not being with Syd to protect her.
“You go down the stairs, Bill. I’ll go down the secret stairs and exit on the second floor and check Syd’s and Sara’s rooms. Keep in touch,” said Hatch.
“Wilco, Hatch,” said Coffer, and he was gone.
On the Lexus network, Hatch asked, “Where are you, Sara, Lexus One?”
“I’m just leaving Teresa’s room, Hatch,” replied Sara. “She’s OK, just shook up. The fucker tried to rape her!”
“Moving to first floor, west wing, Hatch,” replied Gunny.
“Roger. Bill and I are coming down. Look sharp! Anybody seen Syd?”
“No.”
“No.”
Hatch’s heart skipped a beat as he slipped into the secret passageway and started down the steep stairway, taking the steps two at a time.
• • •
Syd finally decided she had to try and take the stalker out with her dagger—and the element of surprise. She was afraid she didn’t have time to climb to the tower and back before he did damage to someone. Of course, she had no idea where he was. Where in the hall was he? She finally decided to move toward the north stairs. She went to the next secret door and took several deep breaths. She unsheathed her dagger and put her hand on the latch and lifted it, letting the door open a couple of inches. She flipped off the lights and moved the door slowly open another three inches. She could see or hear nothing. She spotted a suit of armor immediately to the left of the door. She slipped out of the passageway and looked around the armor. Roberto was just exiting the King’s Chambers, muttering to himself. He started toward her position. She closed the door behind her and snuggled against the suit of armor, breathing shallowly and sweating again. Roberto was walking faster now, sure that there was nobody on this floor. As he passed Syd’s position he caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, but it was too late. Syd moved quickly and the sharp edge of the dagger opened his throat up, hitting bone. She pushed him away so the gushing blood would not get on her. She walked to his prone body and plunged the dagger into his heart. She picked up his gun and checked it out. It was a 9mm Beretta fitted with a silencer. She felt a little safer now. She reached down and withdrew the dagger from Roberto’s lifeless body and wiped it clean on h
is pants.
“I should mark you with a Z, asshole, but I won’t,” she said to the corpse as she sheathed the dagger.
Using the suits of armor as cover, she started making her way toward the north stairs as Tony was making his way up them.
I wonder where Sara is.
• • •
Hatch reached the second floor and eased the secret door open a few inches and listened. He heard nothing so he eased out into the hall and plastered himself against the wall. His SigPro was in his right hand, safety off. He intended to check Syd’s room, hoping she had locked herself in there. He peered around the suit of armor and saw a form on the floor just beyond his chamber door. His heart skipped a beat again and his breath caught in his throat.
Shit! Could that be Syd? Damn them! If they’ve hurt her I’ll feed them their balls!
He moved quickly toward the body in the middle of the hall, throwing caution to the wind, just as Tony got to the top of the stairs. Hatch looked closely at the body and determined that it was not Syd. He let out a sigh of relief.
Syd could have done this, but there is no ‘Z.’ Where the fuck is she?
He was still looking down at the body when Tony raised his weapon and aimed it at Hatch. Hatch looked up and had a feeling of déjà vu. He remembered holding Kat’s dead body in his arms as the Stasi agent drew a bead on him. He didn’t freeze as he did in that plaza in West Berlin, though he knew he was in big trouble. He moved to his left and began raising his SigPro, hoping he could avoid taking a fatal hit before he got a shot off. Then, he saw a shape step out from behind an armored warrior of yore and shoot the man in the left eye. The force of the bullet threw Tony back down the stairway. The shape spun around toward Hatch and crouched, gun at the ready, and Hatch’s heart leaped!
“Syd!” he yelled as he ran toward her. “Don’t shoot! It’s me!”
She smiled as she saw who it was and safetied her weapon. He swept her into his arms, pushed his boom mike out of the way, kissed her on the mouth, then held her in a bear hug, rocking back and forth.
“God! I thought I’d lost you!” he mumbled in her ear, his heart pounding.
“I heard that, Hatch!” Sara’s voice said in his earphone. “Where the fuck are you! I take it you found Syd!”
“Yes, she’s fine! Two more bad guys down, thanks to Syd! We’re near my chambers in the west hallway,” he broadcast.
Sara came around the corner at the south end of the hall with Teresa cowering behind her, a thin cotton robe covering her nakedness. They joined Hatch and Syd and Syd put an arm around Teresa.
“You OK, kid?” Syd asked.
“Thanks to Sara showing up when she did. I’m scared though. Is this over yet?”
“I think so,” replied Hatch. “We’ll make sure, though.”
“Bill,” Hatch broadcast, “there are four bad guys down, but get some men and sweep the castle—every nook and cranny. We’re going to the small dining room now.”
“Wilco, Hatch,” replied Coffer from the first floor where he had joined Gunny. “Carmelo and Lexus Seven and Eight are here now. We’ll start a sweep now, and check on Gina.”
Hatch hugged Syd again and kept his arm around her as they all headed for the stairs.
“Where the fuck were you, Syd?” asked Sara. “I was looking for you. I called your room, but you didn’t answer. You had me worried. Shouldn’t have, I guess. I assume the one with the slit throat is yours, right?”
“I’ll tell you all about it after I get another drink. I spilled my first one, you know,” said Syd with a wan smile, her heart still pounding.
• • •
While Coffer and his Lexus team searched the castle, Hatch, Syd, Sara, and Teresa fixed drinks in the small dining room. Syd opted for Stoli on the rocks this time, her nerves jangling. Syd related her story and Sara told hers while they gulped their drinks.
Syd said to Hatch when there was a lull in the conversation, “I hope you punished Bocca good for this. That’s the worst experience I’ve ever had, and poor Teresa should not have had to endure what she did!”
Hatch looked into her eyes and saw the mixture of sadness and anger there.
How does she know about Bocca? No one here except me knows I was there!
The look on Hatch’s face ripped at Syd’s heart.
I can’t beat him up over that now. I’m just so happy I shot that bastard in time or we wouldn’t be sitting here now. I’m just glad everyone is safe! I’m not up to game playing now.
“No one told me, Hatch. We just think alike. You did exactly what I would have done. How did it go?” Syd said with a smile, putting her hand over his.
Hatch related what had happened at Bocca’s place, including his threat to Lucchese.
“I hope the son of a bitch bled to death!” exclaimed Sara, referring to Bocca.
Coffer and Gunny entered the room accompanied by Carmelo, and Hatch invited them to fix themselves a drink. The castle was clean and Gina and the servants were safe. They had locked themselves in when they heard the explosion. The bodies had been collected and put in body bags, and the blood was being cleaned up.
Hatch said, “Involving the police in this would be counterproductive, Bill. Just have the bodies dumped somewhere in Bocca’s area. The police will assume it was gang-related. We don’t need the police looking into our business here, or wondering why we are so well armed. They won’t do anything about Lucchese anyhow. They’ll just be a pain in the ass.”
“I agree,” said Carmelo.
“I’ll handle it,” stated Coffer.
“Are Gina and her people going to be able to do dinner tonight?” asked Sara.
“Yes,” answered Carmelo. “She’s business as usual. She said eight o’clock. That OK with everyone?”
“Sure,” grinned Hatch. “There’s still some serious drinking to do.”
“I think I’ll go shower and change clothes before dinner,” said Syd. “Besides being soaked in the sweat of fear, I think I peed my pants at some point.”
They all laughed, releasing some of the tension they all felt.
“I’ll take Teresa back to be with Gina,” said Sara. “She shouldn’t be alone right now.”
The group started disbanding and Hatch followed Syd up to her room. She stripped off her wet tee shirt and sat down on the couch to take off her sneakers.
“I guess we should talk,” said Hatch quietly.
“Fix me another Stoli on the rocks first, please. I’m so relieved that we’re both alive—that everyone’s OK. I’m in no mood to bitch at you now,” she answered in a tired voice. “You really don’t owe me any explanations about what you do, you know.”
“Somehow I feel that I do. Thanks for being there to save my life, by the way. That asshole had the drop on me, but I thought that body was yours at first and it freaked me out.”
“I’m glad I was there, like you were for me at The Blue Grotto. I couldn’t let him shoot you—I’d really miss you,” she smiled. “Right now I just want you to hold me for a minute.”
She stood and he took her in his arms, holding her tight, saying nothing for a moment.
Then he finally said, “About the Bocca visit: Carmelo says you’re going to cut me off because I didn’t tell you about it.”
“Cut you off what?” she asked.
“Sex.”
“You’re kidding! Why would I do that? Why should I punish myself? That punishment must have been invented by frazzled housewives or frigid women! If I wanted to punish you, that wouldn’t be the way I’d choose,” chortled Syd as she stepped back and stripped off her bra. “Besides, it’s not my place to punish you for anything. It would please me if you could learn to be honest with me, but I understand you must do what you think is right. Now, how about a shower? I’m no friggin’ frazzled housewife and I’m horny as hell!”
She went to the bathroom and stripped off her jeans and panties and turned on the shower. Hatch followed sheepishly, but greatly relieved that she had n
ot made a big issue of his deception.
• • •
After their delicious shower, Hatch dressed and went to retrieve his briefcase while Syd did her nails. Hatch thought that her sexual gyrations had been more tender than usual—almost loving. Syd had thrown on a light shortie robe, and had added ice to her Stoli so she could sip it while her nails dried. She was beginning to unwind from the tense action earlier in the evening. The great sex in the shower had worked its magic on her.
Hatch returned with his briefcase and sat next to her on the couch, a grin on his face. He poured himself a Stoli on the rocks, took a sip and opened his briefcase.
“What’s with the shit-eating grin?” giggled Syd. “It must have been as good for you as it was for me.”
“Oh, yes, it was! You were superb!”
Hatch took out the expensive, long leather case and put it on the table in front of her.
“Something else I didn’t tell you about: I took some time today to buy you a present. I hope you like it,” he said, with the silly grin still on his face.
“Wow! How sweet of you! You took time out of your clandestine day to think of little ol’ me?” she said in a girlish voice.
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“No need for the sarcasm. Please open it.”
“This isn’t a guilt present, is it?” she laughed. “If it is, you may want to take it back, because I’m not mad at you, as you should know after our shower.”
“No,” he lied. “I haven’t bought you a personal gift yet, and I decided I would like to. That’s OK, isn’t it?”
“Why, of course. Open it for me, please. My nails aren’t quite dry.”
He opened the case and revealed the bracelet. She leaned closer to get a better look at it and her breasts fell out of her loose robe. Personally, Hatch thought that was a much more beautiful sight than the bracelet.
“It’s gorgeous, Hatch! Those aren’t real diamonds and emeralds are they? Shit! What’s wrong with me? I forgot who you were for a moment!” she babbled, overwhelmed by the beauty of the jewelry.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“It’s too much, Hatch! I can’t accept anything like this!”