by Eddy Will
The stocky guard in the door grumbled in what Anna thought to be Russian. And the guard who in his small mind had already violated her laughed and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say ‘whatever’. His greedy eyes did not leave Anna. The other guard spoke again, this time with more urgency and authority, his eyes pleading with his comrade. The animal shrugged again, contemplating his partner’s warning. Then he stepped forward closing in on Anna.
“Boo,” he said, his small eyes wide and aching to pop out his skull. Anna jumped in terror, but did not budge.
The animal finally stepped back and laughed. He winked at Anna before he left the cell and the door closed once again, locks firmly snapping into place.
Anna Jaeger was grateful for the solitude. She stood against the wall for a long moment, fighting for control over her emotions, her body trembling, her breath short and quick. She finally studied the tray sitting on her cot. It was a stout meal of meat and potatoes and gravy, a pitcher of water and a bowl of fruit. Not her first choice, it was too heavy and rich for her usual diet. She didn’t feel hungry, but she needed to eat. Whatever lay in wait for her in the coming days, she needed her strength. She sat on the hard cot and forced herself to eat. Her mind returned to the arriving helicopter and she wondered who had arrived. Wherever her prison was located, it was accessible by air. The place that held her captive had a landing pad for a helicopter.
Chapter 19
Beverly Hills, California, August 2, 2012, 11:34 AM
Todd Ashley had been sitting in the locked bathroom stall at his office, frozen in place, unable to move. His heart had been pounding in his throat, paralyzing his usually quick mind. His world had not only experienced a major crack, but the deep fissure threatened to break his world apart. Everything was going wrong and his sharp legal mind found no tools to confront the sudden challenges. He had thought it fun to play the bad boy, to rub shoulders with the underworld, but, for the first time, the hounds of accountability snapped at his loafer-ed heels, and he did not like it. The man, he so glibly had decided to ‘disappear’ in the distant mountains of Peru, had walked into the sanctity of his office looking for his missing wife. And although Todd Ashley the lawyer had figured that Jack Storm had no evidence that would merit an official charge, Todd Ashley the man understood that the world was not limited to the technicalities of a court of law. He was suddenly facing real life threats that would not disappear with nimble arguments exploiting loopholes in the words of the law. Storm was onto something and the longer he was allowed to dig, the sooner he would come up with incriminating evidence. And it did not matter whether that evidence complied with the rules of engagement in the world of attorneys. He solidly regretted his snap decision to stop Jack Storm immediately, regretted to have called in the goons to get Storm gone. It had only exasperated the mess. At this very moment a dozen Beverly Hills Police officers and detectives poured over the carnage in an alley several blocks away: twisted steel and a crushed Mercedes, but no driver or passengers to explain or answer questions. This did not happen in Beverly Hills and the investigation would be thorough and exhaustive.
But the worst part was that there was no sign of Jack Storm. He had not only eluded four of Ashley’s best men, he had also thoroughly demolished a luxury limousine in the heart of Beverly Hills. And God only knew where Storm was now. But of one thing Ashley was certain: Storm was not far and he would be back. Any doubts the mountain climber might have had about the veracity of his assertions had now been vanquished. For why would Ashley have called in the cavalry if he had nothing to hide? Yes, he regretted his hasty action.
He was less worried about his client, Maria Koshkova. He could handle her. No, it was the ugly face of the underworld he had played with that was raising its head. No longer an uncommitted acquaintance to crime and deceit, he was now married to it and getting divorced without losing his life was an improbable outcome.
Ashley left the stall and splashed cold water on his face. He stared in the bathroom mirror and the face that was looking back at him was frightened. It was the soft face of a middle-aged rich guy, who had never been in a fist fight, never had to run from bullies in the school yard, never had to get his hands dirty to pay the rent. If he could trade his fortune to undo his predicament he would walk across the street into the bank and order a cashier’s check this instant.
The lawyer cracked the door to the bathroom and peered down the quiet hallway, as if Jack Storm might be waiting for him. Seeing that the coast was clear he hurried to his office.
“No visitors,” he said to Valerie at the reception. ‘None. And if that lunatic comes back, call Security immediately.”
The young woman nodded slowly, her eyes wide, unsettled by her employer’s voice.
Ashley closed his office door and turned the lock. He leaned against the solid door and took inventory of his flashy office. Sunshine flooded through the tinted windows, taunting him.
His mind began to sift through the rubble of his broken world for options. He could get on a plane and leave, forever. Buy a nice place in the Caribbean somewhere, maybe a boat. He could retire instantly and permanently. He certainly had accumulated enough money to live handsomely for a hundred years. A dozen desperate clients notwithstanding nobody would miss him. He had no wife, no kids, no one to whom to explain his sudden life change. He imagined walking out of his office, telling Valerie he would be out for the rest of the day, then grab a taxi and tell the driver ‘to the airport and there is an extra fifty in it for you if you can make it quick’. He could be at Los Angeles International Airport in forty-five minutes. He would walk into Tom Bradley International Terminal and by a ticket with Air Caribbean and six hours later he would land in Bridgetown, Barbados. He could start a new life, he was young enough and rich enough. He had no roots, no sense of belonging, duty or obligation to Los Angeles. The sunny unencumbered beaches of Barbados sounded better and better.
The shrill ring of the green phone on his desk tore him from his daydream. It was his direct and secure line reserved for special services. Ashley stared at the phone and after a moment picked up the receiver.
“Yes,” he said briskly, not caring who was on the other end.
“Tell me some good news,” the female voice on the other side of the connection said. It was Maria Koshkova and she wasted no time on introductions or pleasantries.
“It’s sunny and warm in Los Angeles,” Ashley said, buying time, his mind racing on how to proceed.
“Don’t be funny, Ashley, I am not in the mood. I just had my ass chewed out by my superiors and I am kicking that can in your direction,” she said. “The Huarez debacle is all over the internet and it took my boss four seconds to find it. In short, I need good news and I need it fast.”
Todd Ashley tried to imagine who Maria Koshkova’s superior might be, for the image of someone actually chewing on Koshkova’s ass involuntarily entered his mind. He was unable to find the humor. If Koshkova was in the business of abduction and human trafficking, then her boss was likely the end consumer or at least very close to the end consumer. In any event, he figured those entities to be serious players not to be trifled with or disappointed. The lawyer also understood that being chewed out was likely an understatement considering the stakes in play.
“You are in luck, Maria,” he said, deciding to lie. “Your ass may not be grass, after all,” he added, continuing the language of her metaphor.
“You are not funny, Ashley, for God’s sake,” she said. “Give me an update.”
“Alright, alright,” the lawyer said, struggling to appear at ease and in control. He had begun the lie and had to figure out how to complete it while giving away as few details as possible. “Jack Storm has been taken care of. You won’t have to worry about him anymore and your superiors can back off,” he said.
“I am glad to hear that, Ashley, for your sake and for mine,” she said, her relief oozing through the line.
“I can expect payment through the usual channels?” the lawyer
said. The last minute had just determined the rest of his life. He had lied to Maria Koshkova in order to buy time, for had he been truthful with her, the outcome would have been the same. There were no third chances with Maria. So, he might as well grab his fee and consider it severance pay.
“You will get your money, Ashley,” Maria Koshkova said and cut the connection.
He would have to disappear and Koshkova must never find him. He wished he had worked out an exit strategy long ago, but if had to be honest with himself, he never thought he would get caught and he never considered the consequences of not being able to deliver on a deal. These were not people satisfied with getting their money back for services not rendered. These people would exact a pound of flesh and that pound would likely include his heart.
He wondered how much time he had before Koshkova learned the truth. It could be weeks, possibly months. Once the lawyer had successfully removed himself from the equation, Jack Storm would be out of leads. But the fraught husband might go public, enlist a journalist in the search for his missing wife. And that could happen much sooner, days or weeks.
Ashley decided not to take chances. There was no time like the present. The lawyer walked to the tall windows and looked down on the street teeming with people and cars. It was time to leave the sinking ship.
Chapter 20
Carpathian Mountains, Romania, August 2, 2012, 11:35 PM
Anna Jaeger lay awake on the hard cot unable to sleep, a death row inmate on the night before her execution. Her mind was racing, but not a single thought stuck long enough to be considered. No matter how hard she tried to force her mind to slow and focus on thoughts she chose, her husband, for example, the reality of her impending doom at the hands of a sick monster crashed into her mind. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, aching to break through her ribs and flee its inevitable fate. She exhaled hard and sat up in the bright cell that had no light switch.
The door lock clicked. Anna’s eyes flashed to the door. The face of Animal appeared in the glass. Then the door opened and the burly frame of the man entered the door.
Anna sat frozen on the cot, staring at the brutal man.
Animal did not move from the door, but his eyes were more than busy. He licked his fat lips. Anna’s heart pounded hard and fast. She moved slightly on the cot, pulling her feet under her. Animal stepped into the cell, but only a couple of steps. He seemed to be considering his next move, considering the potential consequences.
“Just take the tray and leave,” Anna said quickly, sensing the man’s indecision. “They will kill you,” she said, having no idea if she was right. The man’s eyes narrowed, the thought occupying his small mind. Anna had guessed right and was sure the man would not risk his life for a quick role on a concrete floor.
She was wrong. The animal nodded slowly, then closed the cell door from the inside.
“No,” Anna said, her voice breathy and small. “Please, you don’t have to do this.”
The man took a step closer. Anna looked into the man’s eyes and saw his resolve. He had made up his mind, his base desire having won the argument against any reason that might have dwelled in his mind. Anna moved along the cot, her fingers crawling across the tray on her side. She found the handle of the fork and tucked it into her hand, wedging the small weapon against her body. She would not let the animal have his way. She would rather die, since she was doomed anyhow. With nothing to lose she became dangerous, just like a cornered rat will hurl its small body against a far larger animal, aiming its sharp little teeth at the throat of the impending threat. Anna crouched on the cot and moved into the corner of the cell, her back against the concrete wall. Nowhere else to go. This was it, she had reached the cliff in her nightmare. It was time to jump.
The man closed in on his prey, his eyes clouding with anticipation, his tongue protruding slightly. ‘Now’, Anna thought.
Anna flew from the cot and hurled her body at the approaching animal. Her mouth wide open, teeth showing, she roared in rage and anger, the sound of her voice giving her courage. Confusion flashed across the man’s pockmarked face. He had not expected a frontal assault. Anna’s left hand shot forward, aiming at his face. The man was quick to react, bringing up two thick arms to block the attack, but exposing his torso in the process. Anna’s right hand shot forward from behind her back, the fork flashed in the light. She plunged the four prongs into the man’s chest just below his sternum, burying the fork in the man’s solar plexus. Anna was surprised how easily the fork entered the man’s body, she had picked the weak point of the chest and the fork had pierced the man’s flesh like butter.
The small eyes of her would-be rapists widened in surprise and terror as he gasped for air that would not come. His big arms flailed looking to grab the woman who had just killed him. But Anna stepped back quickly in horror and fear, her eyes affixed to the death struggle unfolding only steps away. The man tumbled backwards, sucking air in vein, the ruptured solar plexus unable to do its job and expand to fill the lungs with air. The man stared at the fork sticking from his chest and his stubby fingers grabbed at the utensil and pulled it from his body. But the damage was done. It was too late, the membrane was pierced irreparably. Panic struck the dying man, forgotten the base desire that had consumed his mind moments earlier. He turned and stumbled for the door, but his legs gave out and he fell, hitting the ground hard. Anna stood frozen as the life drained from the rapist, his limbs twitching, refusing to let go of life. And then it stopped. He just lay there, dead.
Anna moved quickly, giving the body a wide berth and ran from the room that had been her prison. She hurried along a deserted hallway, bright fluorescents lighting her way. She ran past locked doors and along hallways, in a desperate search for a way out of the maze, for a way out of the building. It would not take long before someone found the dead man and they would be looking for her. She reached yet another long hallway, but this one was different. The concrete walls were painted white, the lighting less stark and the doors leading off the hallway had more intricacies to them. One of the doors stood open and light spilled into the hallway. Anna slowed her pace and quietly approached the open door. She listened for signs of movement but hearing nothing she peeked inside and saw what appeared to be a control room. Maps hung on the walls and black computer screens sat in a neat row against the rear wall. Anna stepped into the room and scanned the maps on the wall. She almost gasped. The writing on the maps was Russian, she could not read the words, but the map showing the largest area was of Eastern Europe or at least parts of it. This made sense with the Cyrillic letters. She made out what she guessed would be Romania or maybe the Ukraine. That part of the map had been transferred in larger scale to a second map. In the center a large swatch of green had been scribed in red ink. At the center were structures, a small village or farm maybe. Then it struck her. She was at the center of the map, in the center of the red bordered piece of land.
She was looking at her hunting grounds.
Anna studied the map searching for a way to get past the red line and away from the buildings. She figured the marked land to be maybe fifty miles from the center in all directions. Her heart sank, yet her mind focused on the map committing as much detail to memory as her terrified mind would allow.
She had to move.
Fear propelled her forward. She had to find a way out and she had to get away from this room. She instinctively understood that this was the last room her captors would have wanted her to see. She finally knew where she was and the knowledge was not comforting. In fact, it was terrifying. She was worlds away from home, in one of the most rugged and remote parts of Eastern Europe. Even if she found a way out of the marked hunting area, it could be days or weeks before she found help.
Anna hurried from the map room and ran down the hallway. She soon found a staircase leading up to the main floor. She remembered the journey she had taken earlier to meet the woman who disclosed Anna’s fate to her. Anna jumped the steps two at a time and stopped at the top
landing. She listened for sounds on the other side of the door. There was no sound, yet she hesitated and had to remind herself that the only way out was forward. There was no turning back. Anna opened the door and found herself in yet another hallway. This one was carpeted and the walls displayed a long rows of paintings depicting hunting scenes. At the far end of the corridor was a door above which glowed a green light, the other end of the corridor ended in a large foyer and the massive front entrance doors. Anna chose the shortest route to the outside and to freedom. She ran for the door with the green light. She turned the lever and pushed hard, but the door did not move. Instead, a piercing alarm activated, screaming its high pitched warning throughout the building.
Anna pushed again, she threw her weight against the door in near panic, but the heavy door separating her and the outside would not open. It was locked and alarmed.
Anna abandoned her plan and raced the other way. It was only a matter of moments before someone would find her. She entered the foyer, looking for another way, when doors to the foyer opened. Two guards entered the lobby and seeing Anna startled the men just long enough for Anna to make a move. She spun and ran for the staircase.
One of the guards yelled a command and the guards ran after the escaped prisoner, one of them hurling his body at Anna’s legs. Anna jumped in the air, the guard missed his target and crashed to the floor. Anna reached the steps and raced up the curved staircase, the second guard hard on her heels. She was half way up the long stairs when a woman appeared at the top landing. She was dressed in a black uniform, her long brown hair pulled into a ponytail. She was athletically built.