Then the bell in the back of her mind started to ring.
Ugly? Scar on the side of his face. Bad breath!
Catherine sprung to her feet. “Merde!” She kicked off her shoes, bolted from the lounge and ran square into “Two Toe” Wynorski and Raymond Smyles.
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The hardy rap at the door jolted him from a light sleep, “Who is it?”
“It’s Eulon Rae. Mr. Smallcock,” came the reply. “Mr. Crudup would like to see you. He said it’s important.”
John slid out bed and crossed to the door, “Can’t it wait ‘till later?” he asked reaching into the suitcase.
“Sorry sir.”
“Right. Just let me get dressed,” John said and closed the case.
*****
“You!” Smyles gasped and grabbed a fist full of hair. Catherine cried out as he wrenched her head back. “I thought we’ve seen the last of you.” He tossed Catherine into Wynorski’s arms, “This bitch’s supposed to be dead.”
Wynorski roughly spun Catherine around and held her arms behind her back.
Smyles leaned closer and glared into her face. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Simultaneity Catherine high kicked Smyles in the jaw and slammed the back of her skull into Wynorski’s mouth. She then slipped from the big man’s grip and bolted down the corridor.
“After her!” Smyles bellowed.
Wynorski spat out a tooth and gave chase.
Catherine turned a corner and caught a glimpse of the large man behind her.
Merde!
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She turned another corner and ducked into the staff men’s room. She quickly dropped and examined the stalls.
No feet.
Catherine dashed into the middle stall and hopped up onto the toilet tank. Directly above her was an air vent. Catherine reached up and gently smacked the vent with the side of her fist until it popped off its brace. The muscles in her calves contracted as Catherine reached into the vent. As her fingers found purchase she took a deep breath and pulled herself into the air duct.
Wynorski charged into the washroom just as Catherine silently slid the vent back into place.
Looking around carefully, Wynorski moved toward the stalls. He kicked in the door on the first stall. Finding no one he repeated the action on the following two. Discouraged, the big man stepped back out into the hall. Catherine blew out a low breath. She then got her bearings and slowly crawled through the confining space. She reached a second vent and stopped. Wynorski stood in the hallway directly below her. Catherine bit her lower lip.
What the hell’s he doing?
As Catherine watched the big man scratch the back of his shaved head, dampness started to build up across her forehead.
I’m a sitting duck. All he need’s to do is look up. A bead of sweat rolled down the bridge of her nose and dropped before she could react.
Non!
Time seemed to slow to a stop as Catherine watched it fall toward the big man. The droplet struck him with a small splash behind the left ear. Wynorski twist his head around and ran his hand across his scalp. Catherine felt her chest tighten. Crap, crap, crap. Wynorski suddenly turned around and reentered the men’s room. Catherine cocked her head to one side and strained to listen. Wynorski had entered a stall. Catherine held her breath, then almost giggled when her ears caught the unmistakable sound of a toilet flushing.
*****
John forced himself to stay relaxed as Rae reached past him and opened Crudup’s office door. John entered and found the fat man pacing behind his 234
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desk. He was holding court for five mouth-breathers standing uncomfortably in a semi-circle before him.
Sitting silently on a wooden chain in the back corner, with her cane between her knees, was Nikita. Another guard stood behind her.
As Crudup barked at his underlings John tuned him out and looked at Nikita, wishing for a way to tell her who he had found here. She met his eyes for a moment, then turned away. John watched her for a moment longer. Nikita seemed very interested in Crudup’s bookshelf.
Better find out what happened. John glanced at Crudup and cleared his throat.
The fat man looked up and saw John looking at him. Shit! The Brit. He stopped his pacing and faced his staff. “We will continue this later. Return to your posts.”
The goon squad almost stumbled over each other as they exited the office. His face a bright red, Crudup slumped into his chair.
“Problem?” John asked with fetching interest.
“Good help is so hard to find,” Crudup said as he dabbed at his forehead with a tissue. “Please have a seat Mr. Smallcock. An item has come up that we need to discuss.”
John remained where he was, “I’m very tired Crudup. I’ve had an exhausting evening, as I’m sure you know. Don’t you ever sleep?”
Crudup gestured toward Nikita. “I must apologize for the hour, but I’m afraid your little Miss. Triska has been a naughty girl.”
John looked back at Nikita. She did not meet his eyes, but had a sly smile on her lips. John looked back at Crudup and raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“It would seem she beat up Chase,” Crudup explained.
John could not resist a smirk. “Beat ‘im up?” He looked at Nikita again.
“What brought this on?”
“Sir!” Nikita said in character, “That is personal.”
Smiling, John faced Crudup again. “If Tina ‘as ‘er reasons, then I support
‘er.”
“I see,” Crudup said. His piggy eyes examined John. Then he smiled,
“Super. You’re a lucky man, Mr. Smallcock. Good help is so hard to find nowadays. You can learn a lot about the integrity of your client when the faith between them and their help is tested.”
“I see. Fairy interesting,” John commented dryly. “But please note that I do not regard Ms. Trisk as simple ‘elp.”
“Uh, of course. I mean no disrespect,” Crudup quickly added 235
DAVID A. LLOYD
apologetically. Sweat beaded across his upper lip.
Inwardly John was relieved. We might just pull this off. “Good. Now if that is all I shall be returning to my room. Please do not disturb me until sunrise. Tina.”
Nikita rose to her feet, “Yes sir and thank you sir.”
John turned and discovered Rae blocking the door. The tall man’s eyes flickered over toward Crudup for a moment then he stepped aside.
“Thank you,” John said flippantly. That’s one crisis averted. Bring on the next.
Suddenly the door swung open and Smyles stormed in. He collided with John and both men staggered back.
Smyles’ jaw dropped. “You too! What the fuck is going on here Crudup?
Open house?”
*****
Catherine reached a Y in the duct-work and turned left. The duct then began to widen. She shimmied another ten meters before reaching a silver case planted weeks ago. Catherine thumbed the combination lock until it clicked and the case flipped open. Inside were her tools for the pandemonium to come.
Catherine caressed the black leather absently as her mind raced ahead. The time has come. It has all gone down the wire and is now between you and me.
Catherine picked up a small black box with a short antenna. When she extended the antenna, a small green light flickered on. Catherine placed her thumb over a small stud next to the light and whispered a short prayer. She then pressed the stud. A small red light replaced the green.
*****
Canisters, strategically placed by Catherine since her arrival, suddenly started spewing tear gas, while simultaneously an explosive charge ripped apart the building’s main generator. The sudden cut in power disabled all security and fire alarms and sent a coded message to a receiver in Sudbury. In seconds, Crudup’s perfectly controlled environment was plunged into total chaos.
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Smyles reacted first. He struck John in the throat, forcing the journalist to gag and stagger back. Nikita tried to move but the massive fist of her guard held her to her chair.
Rae seized John, pinned his arms behind his back, and slammed him into the wall.
Smyles was livid. “What the fuck is this?” he exploded.
“W-what are you talking about?” Crudup stammered.
Smyles pointed at John. “That asshole is a fucking television reporter!”
He swung his finger at Nikita. “She’s a fucking Russian fed”— he threw his hands up in the air— “and the favorite bitch you rave about is an undercover Mountie who’s supposed be dead.”
“W-w-w-w-w-w-what?” the fat man waffled. “N-n-n-no way. I had GeorgeI mean-Wynorski checked them out. They both cleared. All my girls cleared.”
“You didn’t check deep enough Screwhead!” Smyles grabbed John by the collar and wrenched him from Rae’s grip. “What the fuck are you doing here? Talk to me!” John remained silent and set his jaw as Smyles’ fingers circled his face. He dug his thumbs into the skin under John’s eye sockets.
“Tell me what you, her, and Wildman are doing here or I’ll pluck your fucking eyes out!”
A low rumble rippled beneath their feet, followed by absolute darkness.
*****
The ceiling vent popped open and a black leather boot emerged, followed by a lithe woman clad entirely in black. She dropped to the floor, bending 237
DAVID A. LLOYD
her knees to absorb the jolt.
There in the dark hall she stood, feet planted firmly, her breath coming hard. The leather catsuit clung dangerously tight to her muscular physique like a second skin. Gripped sensuously in her hand was a H&K 9mm submachine gun. Spare magazines were in her thigh pockets and the Bowie knife was strapped to her right calf. A pink Beretta was sheathed in a leather holster over her left kidney.
Catherine had a pink bandanna tied around her head.
She quickly scanned the storeroom. There was no one about. This area was usually empty this time, and tonight was no exception. Catherine retrieved the plastic rebreather from her belt and fastened it over her nose and mouth. Alright, chick. Time to do some damage. Catherine flicked off the safety on the H&K and began her quest toward her target with the death of one man on her mind.
*****
The room plunged into absolute darkness.
John pulled free and slammed his brow into the row of butterfly stitches across Smyles’ forehead. The ugly man screamed at the impact. John spun and slammed the flat of his hand into Rae’s face. The tall man remained impassive.
“Oh shit,” John muttered, then kicked the colossal guard in the crotch. Rae’s eyes slowly crossed and rolled up into his head. He teetered for a moment then slumped to the floor and laid still.
Just then the emergency lights flickered on and shot deep red shadows across the office.
Nikita!
John whirled around prepared to confront Nikita’s guard and Crudup, but discovered both Nikita and Crudup had disappeared and her guard on the floor with a crimson pool spreading from his throat. What the hell? Next to his body was Nikita’s cane. Its brass head was missing. John picked up the cane and discovered it was hollowed to sheathe a blade.
“Uh...”
John dropped the cane and turned, fists clenched. Smyles remained on the floor motionless. Blood flowed from his reopened wound. As John stepped closer Smyles’ eyes snapped open.
“Boo!” he said and fired his boot heel into John’s testicles. 238
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John cried out and stumbled back onto the desk. Smyles was instantly on his feet and formed a boxer’s stance. John rolled off the desk and unsteadily mocked the ugly man’s movement.
“You’re dead Riel!” Smyles vowed, “I will fucking kill you with my own bare hands!”
John flashed a crooked grin, “You’ve tried once before Smiley.”
Successfully bated, Smyles threw a sloppy left hook. John blocked it with his right and hammered his left into Smyles’ side.
“Fuck you!” Smyles stumbled and bellowed. He then suddenly spun and delivered a round house kick to John’s midsection.
Caught unprepared, John reeled back and struck the side of Crudup’s desk. His arm snagged the corner and several stitches torn away. John cried out and crumpled to the floor cradling his shredded arm.
“Losing it Johnny-boy?” Smyles mocked, “You picked the wrong-!”
The ugly man’s jaw dropped as a .38 snub-nose revolver appeared in John’s fist.
He squeezed the trigger twice.
*****
Puzzled with the image she was seeing Madhuri increased the gain on the top left monitor. It showed a person dressed head-to-toe in black leather racing down a hall with a machine gun, “Holy!” she said as the definition improved. “This is getting serious.” Madhuri picked up the video-phone. She was about to punch in 911 when a police cruiser sped past. Madhuri replaced the receiver and peered out the back window. Several more cruisers sped past, followed by an armored personnel carrier. None of the vehicles traveled with their light or sirens activated.
“Eek,” Madhuri said and scurried into the driver’s seat. “What the hell did you do, John?” she muttered starting up the van. Then, grinning like a maniac, Madhuri floored the gas pedal and raced after the invasion force. 239
43
The passageway was dark and dank. The dampness in the air started her old wounds throbbing. Just another bitter reminder of the torture and humiliation she suffered at the hands of these people. Slowly her fingers felt along the clammy brick wall as she tightly clenched the small bloody blade. She halted as the sound of gun fire echoed behind her. John? Nyet I must not stop. Please be careful John Riel. She continued following the secret passage behind the book shelf she saw Crudup slip into as soon as the trouble started and tightened her grip on the blade.
I am coming for you murderer.
*****
“Merde!”
Catherine had stormed into a corridor full of half-dressed panic-stricken guests screaming in the dim blood tinted light. Then, right on cue, the tear gas billowed through a floor vent at the far end of the hall. Oblivious of the woman with the gun the crowd backed away from the gas, then turned and ran.
Catherine pointed the weapon into the air and squeezed off a couple of rounds to help them along. “So far, so good,” she said as the crowd began to clear. Catherine smiled under her rebreather. “You go girl.”
Trotting along quickly, Catherine reached the set of double doors that opened into the grand ballroom. This was the fastest and most direct route toward Crudup’s office. It was also a perfect spot for an ambush. Catherine 240
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pressed her shoulder to the push bar. It did not budge, “If it’s not one thing…”
she muttered and stepped back. Catherine, nibbling on her lower lip, threw a roundhouse kick that shattered the locking mechanism. The doors flew open with a crack that echoed throughout the large, seemingly vacant room. Catherine froze for a split second. Do it chick! and she charged into the grand hall.
It began.
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The Kieran Crudup Estate
South of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
02:38 hours 02 September, 2020
“Where the hell did that come from?” The riot-geared Mountie yelled. He pointed at the van rolling through the gates behind the police assault force.
“Christ!” Burton cried. “Come on.”
Burton and two heavily armed Mounties raced toward the van and blocked its way. Madhuri stopped and rolled down her window.
“Madhuri Sahni, Officer,” she said as Burton approached, “Canada-World News. What’s happening here?” she asked innocently.
“CWN?” Burton said, “Who’s your V.J.?”
“What?”
“Video Jock? Who is he?” Burton snapped.
“Riel, John Riel.”
“Shit!” Burton exchanged a look with the other two Mounties then stepped closer to Madhuri. “Where is he?”
Madhuri remained silent.
Burton pointed at the chaos that was the Kieran Crudup Estate, “He’s in there, right? Right?”
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Raymond Smyles dove from the office and into an onslaught of people fleeing the Estate, “Shit!” he hissed and pressed himself to the wall. “What the fuck is—” His nose then detected the tear gas. “Shit!”
Smyles yanked a handkerchief from his pocket and held it over his mouth and nose.
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As the end of the passageway was a light. Nikita Triska shifted the blade from one palm to the other as she stepped closer to her denouement. 244
47
Holding the .38 tightly in his fist, John Riel stepped over the guard’s body and moved toward the door Smyles disappeared through. 245
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Catherine Wildman charged into the grand ballroom, ducking around wisps of tear gas drifting up from the floor vents.
Then her bell started and in her peripheral vision Catherine spotted one of Crudup’s goons appear from behind a table. He almost had his Uzi semiautomatic to bear when she took him out with a single burst from the Heckler
& Koch.
Poised on the top platform of the stage a second goon, armed with a .44
Magnum, squeezed off two rounds. The first chewed up the floor between Catherine’s feet. The second whistled past her ear as she dove behind an overturned table. Catherine sucked in a breath from the rebreather, then rolled to her feet and squeezed off a burst. The goon’s knee caps burst with a bloody spray and he fell from the stage screaming. The gunman’s cries ended abruptly as he struck the floor.
Catherine whispered a payer and continued her charge.
*****
The tips of her long tapered fingers touched a cold surface. Nikita stopped and with both hands felt the obstruction before her. She discovered two groves running vertically a meter apart. Half way down on her left Nikita felt a handle, and then realized the light she thought was in the distance was only defused through a tinted window in the door before her. Nikita shifted the blade in her hand, then pulled the door open and slipped through. What she saw her mind could not accept.
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