by Mel LeBrun
Chapter 49
Fifteen minutes of silenced passed while Martin, Josh and Michael sat in the truck keeping an eye on the entrance of the Holiday Inn. Michael was tense, and that made everyone else tense.
“Heads up, guys,” Martin broke the silence as a black Mercedes approached from behind. He grabbed a map from the glove box and unfolded it in front of him while Josh and Michael ducked in their seats as it passed.
The car rolled past them and into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn. Someone got out on the passenger's side and darted into the hotel. A minute later, he emerged holding the envelope Michael had left at the desk. The car turned around and left the parking lot heading towards them.
Martin clumsily folded the map, intentionally obscuring the view as the car passed. Josh turned on the tracker while still lying on the back seat and watched the dot move on the screen. Once the car passed, Martin tossed the map to Michael and started the truck.
“What's the range on that thing?” Michael asked.
“About two miles, give or take,” Martin replied.
“Let's hope they don't board a plane,” Josh remarked.
“I'm not losing that drive no matter what,” Michael warned.
“Why doesn't this thing have GPS? Seems like a rather crude tracking mechanism,” Josh complained, still lying down.
“It's all I could get last minute and in the middle of the night. Didn't exactly have time to shop around.”
“It'll do what we need. Now, everyone just concentrate and stay alert.” Michael's patience was wearing thin. “Don't get too close. We don't want to spook them.”
A traffic light ahead of them turned yellow. The Mercedes and two other cars went through before it turned red.
“Josh, how far?” Michael's anxiety showed in his voice.
“Half mile, looks like they turned left up ahead.”
Michael tapped his heel on the floor as he stared at the light. He was ready to jump out of his skin when the light changed and they started to move again. Michael looked at the map while Josh continued to give out direction and distance. The distance between them had gone to over a mile, but they were quickly closing the gap. Soon it was back to a half mile, and they had a pretty good idea of where the car was.
“They're getting close to the highway,” Michael observed.
“Ahhh. I think they're getting on the highway!” Josh announced nervously. “They're pulling away fast!”
Martin picked up the pace. They were almost at the on ramp when they hit another red light. Michael was ready to lose his mind.
“Guys, we're gonna lose them!” Josh yelled. “One and three quarter miles away!”
“Just go!” Michael shouted.
Martin glanced in his rear view mirror at what looked like an unmarked police car. He was torn between not wanting to lose the tracker and not wanting to attract attention from law enforcement. They couldn't afford a police chase and he decided not to risk it. Michael envisioned himself throwing Martin from the truck and driving himself.
The light turned green and traffic started to move again. A few seconds later, they were on the highway. Martin hit the gas, trying to make up lost time.
“Josh, where are they?” Michael asked. Josh was silent. “Josh!” Michael turned around.
Josh wasn't watching the tracker and he looked like he was going to be sick.
“Josh?” Michael's heart sank.
“We lost them.” Josh swallowed hard. He looked down at the dead screen in front of him.
“No. Josh, don't lose it on me now. Are we heading in the right direction?”
Josh nodded. “They were heading this way when we lost signal.”
Martin had the pedal to the metal, hoping to catch up to them.
Michael was trying to keep it together. Flipping out wouldn't solve anything. “Josh, just keep an eye on the tracker for even a faint signal, okay?”
Josh seemed to come around. He sat up with renewed enthusiasm watching for any blip on the tracker.
Michael turned back around in his seat and watched the road. He didn't say anything to Martin. Right then, he was so angry he would've only raged at him for losing the signal. It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep from doing just that.
As Martin sped down the highway it started to seem hopeless. They could have pulled off, gone in a different direction.
“I got something!” Josh nearly screamed from the backseat. He probably would've jumped had there been enough room. “Two miles ahead. Looks like they've slowed down. Must have gotten off.”
“Next exit is two miles,” Martin informed them. “Probably got off there.”
Michael sat back in his seat and closed his eyes while he took a few long deep breaths. The stress and anxiety were almost overwhelming. He focused back on the road.
“Looks like they're heading east now. We might lose them again.”
“The exit is right here,” Martin said. “We won't lose them.”
They weaved their way through traffic heading towards the dot on the tracker. They were closing the gap again.
“This looks familiar,” Michael remarked.
“Yeah, it does,” Martin agreed.
Josh looked up to see what they were talking about. “Oh hey, we're right near the club!” He looked back at the tracker. “And it looks like they've stopped.”
They parked within fifty feet of the tracker and all stared at Niko's nightclub where they had just come from.
“Well, this was exciting,” Josh said facetiously.
All three men were a bundle of nerves. Jessica's life was riding on this being a successful operation.
“You think she's in there?” Martin asked.
“No. I'm pretty sure she was trying to say she was in a warehouse. Besides, I doubt they'd use some place so public. They're probably just trying to figure out what to do with it.” Michael leaned back and ran his hand up his face and through his hair.
Chapter 50
Milovich was sitting on the patio of his penthouse suite sipping wine. A platter of cheese and fruit sat next to him on a glass table. He was relaxing and enjoying the view when his giant bodyguard and constant companion stepped beside him.
“They have it,” he announced.
“Good.” Milovich turned to him. “Get our friend on the phone. Let's see if he can get someone to decrypt it. I do not want to do anything until I know it's the real thing. I do not trust Cailen.”
Milovich's bodyguard stepped forward while dialing. He handed the phone to Milovich as someone picked up on the other end.
RICK HAD just sat in his car in the parking garage to head home when his phone rang. He put his briefcase on the seat next to him and nervously answered.
“Hello, my friend,” Milovich said cheerfully.
“Uhh. Hi,” Rick replied anxiously. “What can I do for you?”
“I need help decrypting something.”
“Um, I'm not sure I can help you there. I don't think you want to use anyone here at the CIA.”
“Find me someone who doesn't work at the CIA,” Milovich replied, somewhat irritated.
“I ... I don't know anyone who can do that.” Rick was desperately trying to come up with a reason he couldn't help. He was panicking and his brain was struggling just to function.
“What about the girl?” he blurted.
“What girl?” Milovich asked suspiciously.
“Jessica Nickoli. You have her, don't you?”
“How do you know this?”
“The police report. They said a woman was taken away by two men with Russian accents. I assumed you had her.” Rick's hands were shaking violently and he was sweating so much the phone kept slipping. He kept wiping his palms on his pants attempting to dry them off.
It was silent for a minute and Rick became fearful of what Milovich's reaction would be.
“Not a bad idea. In the meantime, I want you to find someone who can do it in case the girl doesn't cooperate. Underst
and?”
“Yes sir. I'll get working on that right away, sir.” Rick was eager to end the call. Milovich hung up and Rick went limp in his seat as he let out a huge sigh of relief. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt like any moment it would burst through his ribcage.
DMITRI WAS standing in the upstairs office of the warehouse looking down at the guards playing poker when a melodic tone filled the air. He turned towards his cell phone on the desk.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Dmitri. How is everything going?” Milovich greeted him.
“Same. I do not think she knows where the drive is.”
“Ah. I have it.”
“You do?”
“Well, I have what Cailen wants me to believe is the drive. I'd like to make sure.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“I'm not going to do it. You are. Convince the girl to decrypt it so we can make sure it's the real thing.”
“What if she refuses?”
“Get creative. Make it a group effort if you want.” An evil grin crossed Milovich's lips.
Dmitri frowned and ran his fingers through his hair. “You got it, boss.”
“I'll send someone over with the drive.”
“Send a few. If this man is as good as you say he is, there could be trouble.”
“You worry too much.”
“Maybe.”
“I'll send three men. That should be more than enough to make you feel safe Dmitri.”
“Thank you sir.”
“How did she like our merchandise? Have you given her any more?”
“She was not too happy. I was about to give her another shot in a few minutes.”
“Very good. I'll check in with you later.”
“Yes sir.” Dmitri looked down at the floor as he lowered the phone and pressed end. He closed his eyes and sighed.
JESSICA WAS resting with the mostly melted ice pack on her face when Dmitri walked in and made her talk on the phone to Michael. She couldn't relax afterward.
Having given up on the ice pack, which at this point only felt a little cool rather than cold, she was pacing when Dmitri came back in the room. She stopped when he entered. He didn't say anything, but he didn't look happy. Her heart beat fiercely when she noticed the syringe in his hand.
She backed away as the other guards filed in.
“Don't do this,” she pleaded.
They wrestled her onto the bed and held her down. She screamed while struggling in vain. Pleading with Dmitri not to do it. In a minute, it was over. Her whole body relaxed and she just lay there.
Dmitri told the guards to leave and close the door. He stood over Jessica on the bed. Once the door was shut, he knelt down beside her. She refused to look at him. She hated him for what he was doing to her.
“Listen to me,” he said. “This is very important. We have the drive.”
She turned her head towards him and tried to focus her eyes on him.
“I don't believe you.”
“You will believe it soon enough. Vlad is sending it here with a few of his men.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I am to get you to decrypt it so we can verify it is the real one.”
“I won't do it.” She turned her head away from him.
“I know.” He paused, waiting for her to look at him again.
She didn't.
“If you do not agree, they will kill you.”
“They'll kill me … once I decrypt it, … so what's the difference?”
She spoke slowly, as she was in a fog from the drug.
“Time.”
“What?” She looked at him.
“It will buy you some time.”
“For what?”
Dmitri shook his head and looked down. “I don't know.”
Jessica didn't say anything. She wasn't in a hurry to die, but she also couldn't bring herself to help them knowing they would just kill her anyway.
“You don't actually have to do it. Just agree and then stall them.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Think about it.”
He stood up.
“But don't agree too readily or they will get suspicious.”
He walked to the door and looked back at her before opening it and stepping out.
Jessica wondered why Dmitri was helping her. Could it be he had a conscience? How could he, after what he had just done to her? She couldn't reconcile his behavior. He had a point though. If she could delay being killed, she should do it. She couldn't be rescued if she was dead. She tried to decide what to do.
Chapter 51
Outside Niko's, the guys had been waiting for more than twenty minutes for any sign of movement on the tracker.
“It's on the move,” Josh called out.
Martin started the truck and Michael sat up in his seat. Three men exited the club and got into a dark blue BMW parked on the street outside the club. The car pulled out into traffic and Martin pulled out a few cars behind them, determined not to lose the signal this time.
They followed the car out of the city. As traffic thinned, they backed off, relying mostly on the tracker. Michael kept his eye on the map while Josh called out direction and distance.
“Looks like they're heading for an industrial area,” Michael observed.
The car stopped and Martin pulled the truck off the road and parked. “Go the rest of the way on foot?” he asked.
“Josh and I will go. You stay with the truck in case they go on the move again.”
Martin nodded. Michael grabbed a backpack from the back, threw it over his shoulder and started walking. Josh was right behind him.
Dmitri waited at the door as the BMW parked in front. He greeted the men as they walked inside. “Are you sure you weren't followed?”
“There was no one behind us. We made sure,” the driver responded confidently. He smiled and handed the flash drive to Dmitri.
“The boss told us to tell you that if there should be any trouble, the girl is to die before being allowed to escape.”
Dmitri looked up at him, but didn't say anything.
The driver grinned. “He also said we could have a little fun.”
The other men started smirking. The man Jessica had beaten up earlier leered back at the door.
Dmitri looked around. “Not until the drive is decrypted,” he said loudly and forcefully. He looked at all the men to make sure they took him seriously. “I want three men guarding the perimeter.”
“We can do it,” the driver offered.
“No. These fools have done nothing but play poker all day.” He turned to the four other guards. “Three of you get outside now. And don't stray too far. I want you close in case something happens.”
One of the men spoke up. “Is this really necessary? They said no one followed them.”
Dmitri promptly pulled his gun, cocked it and stuck it in the man's face. “Are you questioning me?”
Everyone else backed away.
The man immediately regretted opening his mouth.
“No, sir.”
“Do as I say. Now!” Dmitri shouted.
All four guards rushed for the door. The last one there reluctantly had to stay behind.
Dmitri wasn't one to tolerate insubordination. His demand for obedience propelled him to his trusted position in Milovich's organization. He ordered the remaining man to fetch Jessica from her room.
AS MICHAEL and Josh got closer to the signal, they became more cautious. The roof of a warehouse was visible just over the top of a grassy hill. They crawled the last of the way to the top of the hill overlooking the warehouse. The BMW was parked outside along with a van.
The warehouse was huge. On the front side were two extra large garage doors, big enough to drive a large truck or trailer through, and then a regular door near the corner of the building. There were large windows on two sides of the warehouse, but a couple were boarded up and the rest were purposefull
y made cloudy so no one could see inside.
Michael grabbed a pair of binoculars from his bag and scoped out the building. He couldn't see anyone outside. He handed the binoculars to Josh.
“Can't see in the windows,” Josh pointed out.
“Yeah.”
“You think this is it?”
“It's a warehouse. I'd say there is a good chance she's here.”
“Someone's coming out. Three men.” Josh passed Michael the binoculars. “Same ones from the BMW?”
Michael looked at the men as they started to spread out in different directions. “No, it's not.” He lowered the binoculars.
“So it's safe to say there are at least six men,” Josh concluded.
“Yeah, at least that many.”
“I don't think we're going to get visual confirmation that Jessica is here.”
Michael sighed.
“If we're wrong, I don't know how we could recover.”
Josh frowned. “Why don't we check around the building. Maybe there's a window that's not cloudy or boarded.”
They were in luck. One of the windows on the other side had a corner broken out. It was a small opening, but it gave them a glimpse inside. Michael pulled out the binoculars again. He had a great view of the floor and the edge of some crates.
“Well,” Michael looked at Josh. “I'm willing to bet this is where she's being held. I'd like to watch for a little longer to see if we can get a visual.”
“Sounds good to me,” Josh agreed.
“Why don't you go back and get Martin. Should probably bring some weapons and ammo with you. I have a sniper and assault rifle in the truck.”
“Oh, there's no way I'm leaving you here alone to try and get a visual.”
Michael glared at him. “Excuse me?”
“I know you. You see her and God forbid she's being mistreated, you're gonna want to go running in there like some crazy cowboy and end up getting yourself killed.”
“I'm not going to do that.” Michael brushed it off.
“Well, I'm not going back. So either you can go or we can just sit here.”