Triple Threat
Page 15
He needed to get out of firing range. “Hang on, Kate.”
“To what? Your leg?”
“Just hang on.” He yanked the wheel hard right, tires screaming as they slid onto a side street.
The big sedan overshot the turn. It was braking to a stop when he lost sight of it. It would backup and follow them.
“What did you just do?” Kate sat up in the seat.
He let her remain sitting. “I’m trying to lose them before we hit the freeway. It’s only a short way ahead.” He cut left through an alleyway and gunned the engine, smashing a plastic garbage can. It flew over the top of his car. Apparently, it was empty.
Josh braked to a stop and cut the lights and engine. “Feel free to pray again, Kate. You know, pray that they’ll go by and won’t see us. Never mind. They just did.”
“Did what?”
“Went by.”
“So, what now?”
“We play hide and sneak.”
“You mean hide and seek?”
“No.” He hit the ignition and rolled out of alleyway without the headlights on and without using the brakes. Josh turned left, heading back to Kingsway.
He accelerated on the side street and slid onto Kingsway avoiding the brake pedal and praying there wasn’t a car coming.
But one car was coming. About three blocks down the side street he saw the now familiar headlights of the sedan grow larger in his rearview mirror as the vehicle flew toward Kingsway.
“They know what I’m up to, Kate. I guess we just head for Highway 1 and lead them on a high-speed chase to the border.”
“Do it, Josh. You’ve done great. Even if I was a little…ungrateful.”
Was that a smile on Kate’s face? She thought he had done something well? Something that might have come from crazy Kate’s repertoire of risky escapes.
“You saved my life, Josh.” She squeezed his shoulder. “There’s the on ramp. Let’s see what top-end looks like for your car.”
“There’s a limiter on the engine. Top end is 115 miles per hour.”
“What if you need to go faster?”
“The drive shaft flies apart and pieces of it penetrate the passenger compartment.”
“A hundred and fifteen sounds fine to me.”
“I thought it would.”
Several blocks behind them, the sedan skidded around the corner and onto Kingsway as Josh accelerated up the on ramp. The needle on his tach moved toward the red line at seven thousand RPM.
24
Katie leaned over and read the speedometer. “One hundred fifteen miles per hour Josh, and you’re close to the red line.”
“I know, but they are still gaining on us. There’s been no traffic since we crossed the toll bridge. But, if they catch us, we’re toast.”
She put a hand on Josh’s tense shoulder. “You can do this. Pretend it’s the last lap in a car race and you’re in the lead. What would you have to do?”
“Block them. Keep them from passing.”
“Do it. And keep on doing it. The lights ahead, on the right, are Surrey. Highway 13 is only five or six miles ahead.”
“But, Kate, that’s about four laps around a racetrack.”
“If it’s just the woman with a pistol, maybe we can make it.”
“They know were headed for the border, so they know which exit I’m taking.”
“Then it’s time for a little deception.”
“Great. First, I need to be a race car driver, and then turn into a magician and make my car go poof just before we exit.”
She squeezed his shoulder. “Or after we exit.”
“After?” He glanced at her. “You’re a genius, Kate.”
“That’s what they tell me. But sometimes I’m not so sure. We could sure use a cop right now. Where are they when you really deserve a speeding ticket?”
“Evidently, we’re not speeding enough. The sedan is making a move on us, and I’m at top end.”
“You played tight end on offense, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“So block the guy. Really hard.”
“You need to look back there, Kate. Tell me what that woman is holding.”
Kate swiveled in her seat and tried to identify the long object the woman had just poked out the passenger side window. “This isn’t good. I think she has an assault rifle. Maybe she dug it out of hiding after we hit the freeway.”
They both ducked their heads when a spray of bullets struck the rear of Josh’s car.
“I was right. But look, it’s only one mile to the Highway 13 exit. That’s only thirty seconds.”
“Hang on, Kate. I’ve got an idea.”
“Don’t wait too long. With another burst they could hit the gas tank or…”
“Yeah, or…”
Josh slowed as if planning to exit.
The sedan pulled close behind. A gun jutted out the passenger side window.
Josh hit the brakes. They skidded until he released the brakes.
The sedan slid end for end, the driver losing control in the panic stop to avoid a collision.
Now past the exit, Josh stomped on the gas pedal. Wheels squealed and clouds of smoke billowed from the tires as they accelerated down Highway 1.
“I’ve been watching the median. I think we can get through it without rolling the car. I’m going to cross over after we clear the hill ahead. They won’t be able to see us for a while. If we make—”
“If we make it?”
“Yeah, if…so maybe you should pray about that. Then we’ll head back toward the exit in the other lane with our lights out. If we’re lucky, we’ll pass them in a spot where the bushes in the median will hide us.”
An opening between bushes in the median appeared a short way ahead. “In about five more seconds, Kate.”
“Josh…if we don’t…I mean…I want you to know that—”
“Save it for later.” He stomped the brakes, slid for about fifty yards, then steered through the median.
His vehicle bounced over a small drainage ditch and shot up the rise into the westbound lanes, lanes which were dark ahead for as far as he could see.
Josh cramped the wheel hard left and mashed the pedal to the floor, executing a half doughnut on the pavement. He cut the lights.
Katie took a breath. “We made it?”
“Yeah. I saw a scene in a thriller movie where somebody did that.”
“But they couldn’t have done it any better than you just did.”
“No. In the movie, Kate…the guy got killed.”
Her shadowy head turned toward him. “After what you just did, you aren’t allowed to call me crazy anymore.”
“They say if you want to learn, learn from a master. Hey, they just passed us going at least a 120 and I don’t think they saw us.”
She stared at Josh, her mouth open, but unable to utter the words she wanted to yell at him. This was probably what it felt like for him in Whistler, when she dragged him through one hair-raising event after another.
Josh took the Highway 13 off ramp and gave her a couple of strange glances. “Kate, I know what you’re feeling.”
A few moments ago, yeah, maybe he understood that. But Josh’s heroics had saved them and had rooted this man still more deeply into her heart. Katie was falling hopelessly, helplessly for Josh. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. If things didn’t work out for them, her heart would be—she couldn’t dwell on that now. They needed to get to the border and get protection. But first, she needed to call Agent Peterson.
As Josh sped down Highway 13 toward the Lynden border crossing, Katie pulled out her cell phone.
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Katie scanned the straight stretch of highway behind them. “There’s no one following us, Josh. I’m calling Peterson now. We need protection and we’ve got to get the FBI involved to shut down this operation before they pull the trigger.”
“The cat’s out of the bag, Kate. It might force the terrorists to start the attack now. But Peterson
’s not going to be happy about—”
“I know.” She paused before pushing the call button. “I’ve never so blatantly disobeyed his orders.”
“What about at Key Arena?”
“That was different. But I did point the business end of an AK-47 at him once.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Josh glanced at her. “You’re not, are you?”
“No. But somehow crossing the border into Canada seems a lot worse.”
“It wouldn’t if you were the person on the business end of the assault rifle. Just call him, Kate. We’re only about five minutes from the border.”
She pushed the call button and waited for the reaction of a man whose disobedient understudy was waking him at 1:30 AM to deliver the wonderful news about her violation of his orders, and an imminent terrorist attack that could kill millions of people. Katie shuddered as she pressed the green call icon.
Four rings and she hadn’t been transferred to voicemail yet. After the fifth rang, a raspy, sleep-filled voice spoke. “Peterson…and this had better be really important, Katie, or—”
“Just listen for a minute. You can get mad and do anything you want afterward. But hear me out first.”
The voice went from sleep filled to sharp edged. “I’m listening.”
“Josh and I detected more terrorist communications.”
“But you promised—”
“And you promised you would listen, first.”
“Blast it! Katie can’t you ever…” There was a long pause. “OK. I’m listening.”
Katie took a deep breath and explained how she and Josh had found the Whistler duo in Burnaby. “There were indications they were switching to a peer-to-peer network for communications and that they were going to launch the attack. The only way we could determine the nature of the attack was to—”
“To hack them.” Peterson growled. “I’m the godfather of two cute twins and a world-class hacker.”
Katie decided to wait for him to end his rant before she dropped the bomb.
“Just tell it to me plain, Katie. What have you done, and what did you find out?”
“I got on the Wi-Fi and—”
“Wi-Fi? Where are you, Katie?”
“Headed south on Highway 13 about three miles from the Lynden border crossing.”
“Blast it all to blazes! You’re in Canada! I’ll have you arrested at the border—”
“Not unless you hurry. At the speed Josh is driving—”
“Are you being chased?”
“We were. But when they pulled out an assault rifle, Josh—”
A loud expletive blasted through her cell phone. She jerked it away from her ear. “We got away…at least for the moment.”
“Stop at the border, Katie. I’ll call them and have you two protected there.”
“But the scale of the attack is—”
“Tell me about it when I get there. I’m taking the chopper. I’ll be at the Lynden crossing in about an hour and a half. Can it wait that long?”
“Yes. We can wait that long, but not any longer.”
“Good. When you reach the border, don’t leave. Mind the police. I’ve got to call them now.” Before the call ended, she heard Peterson muttering something about handcuffs.
Josh used both hands to steer through a sharp curve, and then took her hand. “It didn’t go well, did it?”
“Actually, I thought it went really well. All except for the stuff he mumbled about handcuffs.”
“Great! They’re going to arrest us at the border. If that happens, you can forget your career with the FBI.”
She looked at Josh and flashed him a smile. “That’s exactly why it won’t happen. Peterson wouldn’t end my career before it even started. He’s the one who promised me a job.”
“One of these days, Kate…” He squeezed her hand, “…you’re not going to escape from one of your escapades smelling like a rose.”
She returned his hand squeeze. “I’ve never been into roses. Sweet, white lilies maybe, but—there’s the border. Better get in the middle lane. And let me handle the police.”
“Yeah. No way big, old, dumb Joshua West could handle them.”
“I think a sweet young woman will evoke more sympathy.” She grinned at him.
He gave her a coy smile in return. “You’re sweet, Kate. Very sweet.” He pulled up to the guard station. “But, despite that, you’ll have to pretend really hard to look innocent.” Josh rolled down the window. “Good luck.”
Kate was already out of the car and walking to the guard’s window…and drawing a serious scowl from the man in the booth.
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When Katie rounded the front fender of Josh’s car, the policeman in the booth stepped out with his hand near his weapon. “Stop! Now!”
“Sir, there are two armed terrorists chasing us. You need to—”
“No. You need to stop…and keep your hands away from your body.” He pulled his weapon and nodded toward Josh. “Out of the car. Stand beside her, now.”
Josh opened the door and slid out.
Katie glared at the policeman. “Are you trying to get us all killed? There is a middle Eastern jihadist group who’s after us.”
Josh stepped to her side.
The man scanned Josh for a moment. “Why should I believe either of you?”
“Look at the back of my car and the windows.” Josh stuck a thumb at his rear window.
“For all I know, this could be the result of a drug deal gone bad.”
“Look,” Kate huffed. “This is a serious matter of national security.”
“Yeah, right. What would a kid like you know about serious matters of national security?” His tone was cryptic. The man simply did not believe them.
Josh blew out a blast of frustration. “You had better bite your tongue or you’ll seriously regret this.”
The man raised his weapon part way. “Are you threatening me?”
“No. Just anticipating what Special Agent Peterson will do if you don’t—”
“Am I going to have to arrest you two?”
This guy was really dropping the ball. He hadn’t even asked for identification. “If a black sedan pulls up, you won’t live long enough to arrest us.” She glared at the man again.
“The only danger I see is you two.”
Josh shook his head. “Kate, that’s about what I would expect from an organization that let a terrorist cross the border and nearly kill a PhD candidate at UW.”
The look on his face said he had finally heard them. “What do you mean about letting a terrorist cross the border?”
“I wouldn’t have a clue.” Katie’s voice was laced with sarcasm. “I’m just a dumb blonde kid.”
The frown on the man’s brow grew deep. “Who are you two?”
Finally, he was getting to where he should have started.
Katie nodded to Josh. “He’s Joshua West and I’m Katie Brandt. We’re both PhD candidates at—”
“Brandt?” The officer’s eyes widened as recognition lit his face. “The Key Arena incident? You?” He nodded at her, raised his eyebrows, but lowered his weapon.
“Both of us,” she said.
Josh grinned at the man. “If you multiply your IQ by two, you might give her a little competition. But watch out for her karate moves. You just don’t mess around with Kate Brandt.”
“You should take your own advice, Josh.” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
“Officer Brannon…” Two heavily armed policemen approached from the large building on the U.S. side of the crossing. “We’ll take these two off your hands. No charge. The FBI is on their way here in a chopper, and we need to keep these two safe. It’s a serious matter of national security.”
The Border Patrol officer’s gaze darted between her and Josh. “So, you were telling the truth?”
Katie gave him a hands-up shrug. “Yes. But you had better watch out for a black sedan with a man and woman in it. They have handguns and a
t least one assault rifle. They want us dead and you too, if you get in their way.”
“Take them and good riddance.” He waved them away with his hand.
The two Border Patrol agents took her and Josh into the building and placed them in what must have been a search or interrogation room.
One of them stood outside the door with an assault rifle. The other stuck his head in before closing the door. “Peterson just called in. He’s a little less than an hour out. You’re safe in here, but we were told not to bug you. Can I get you anything?”
“Do you have any coffee?” Josh asked.
“Yeah. But it’s the kind some people call black tar.”
“We’ll pass,” Katie said. As the door closed, she focused on Josh.
He smiled warmly at her.
Katie’s nearly relaxed heart started a slow acceleration.
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“You know, we make a pretty good team, Kate. What we did tonight could save a lot of lives.” Josh gave Kate the warmest smile he could muster.
She returned it, looking up into his eyes. “I know, Josh. That’s why I think God had a purpose in bringing us together. I think it began with the Key Arena incident. Maybe even before that. What do you think about that?”
Her eyes, her face, everything about Kate was beautiful, but her beliefs kept getting in the way. “I don’t think that’s what’s happening here.”
Her gaze became more intense, penetrating.
His mind seemed turned inside out, exposed to her. He wanted to hide, but the only thing available to hide behind was an argument.
Her smile had turned to a frown. “But don’t you think it’s possible?”
“Possible? Yeah, maybe. Probable? No, Kate.”
“So you really don’t believe in God?”
This was a sensitive issue with her, but he needed to be brutally honest. “I’m not sure about God, His role in this universe, about any of that.”
“You did ask me to pray several times during…you know.”
“That was just desperation. Not intellect.”
“But you’re not a Hawking or Dawkins follower are you?”