Edge of Grey

by Phelps, J. C.

  Alan nodded.

  “At least my dad’s never kept me in the dark about anything. You mentioned rank. The only thing keeping my father from being in your father’s position was rank. Funny that you and I ended up on the same side,” he said.

  I caught his expression at that moment and it said just the opposite. He didn’t trust me.

  “I don’t believe we are on the same side,” I said.

  “What do you mean?”

  His pace slowed.

  “We aren’t on the same side, Alan. I no longer take sides. I’ve been screwed over too many times because I followed orders and believed in a cause. I do the job, I get paid, I move on. Since my father had White killed, I’ve been on my own and I will always be on my own.”

  “You truly loved him, didn’t you?”

  “That turned out to be complicated as well. I might have loved him, but he loved his company more,” I said.

  “Is that why you walked away from them?”

  “Yep. White set me out on freelance jobs away from the company and when our partners found out and weren’t appreciative he rolled and took their side. Screwed over again,” I said.

  “Sounds about right,” Alan said, his stance softening again.

  “We’re almost there,” he said and picked up his pace.

  Fifteen more minutes of heavy hiking and a cabin appeared through the trees.

  “Does everyone have a hidden cabin?” I asked under my breath.

  “Who else has a hidden cabin?” Alan asked.

  “Mayhaffy did,” I said.

  “When we get set up you should tell me that story. I’d like to hear about it.” Alan grinned.

  “I’m going to tell you what I told Jake. I don’t kiss and tell.”

  Alan’s nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed as he smiled wickedly.

  “We’ll see,” he said.

  We walked up the stairs to the cabin’s main entrance and I pulled out my pistol.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You sure it’s empty?” I asked nodding to an open window.

  “Damn,” he said and took his place on the opposite side of the door.

  “I’ll go in first,” he whispered and kicked the door open.

  I followed behind him and we were immediately confronted with an intruder. I had him down on the ground as soon as he got within reach.

  “Alex,” Alan said. “It’s Dad!”

  I knew it was Posner, but this gave me an excuse to throw him down. I’d seen the punch he hit Eric with and wondered what kind of chance I’d have if we went head-to-head. I used this to find out, but he didn’t fight back.

  “Good to see you,” Posner said as he stood up and brushed himself off.

  “What happened?” Alan asked.

  Posner’s lips pinched together somewhat so I knew he didn’t want to talk about this in front of me.

  “You got me into this. I have every right to know what went down,” I said.

  “Less than a minute after you left we were raided. I managed to get out of there, but I lost a lot of leverage by leaving the lodge.”

  He gave Alan a pointed look and the look Alan returned told me they’d lost something valuable by deserting the lodge.

  “What did you lose?” I asked.

  “Leverage, Ms. Grey,” Posner said.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “I was rarely on the need-to-know list over at White and Associates. Don’t know why it would be any different with you guys,” I said.

  Posner smiled at me and said, “Someday, Ms. Grey. Just not today. Alan, you know the plan. I’ve already dumped the accounts. We’ll be fine.” Then he redirected his attention back to me. “Ms. Grey. You’ve just become our biggest asset. I’ve been in touch with DeLange already and he’d like to speak with you.”

  “Am I here willingly or am I a hostage?” I asked.

  “Depends on you. So far you’ve been following the right script. Did you drop Joe at the airport?”

  “You could say that,” I said.

  “He got away,” Alan said.

  “I know your proficiency with a weapon, Ms. Grey. I believe you could have taken him at the airport,” Posner said.

  “You can thank your son for that decision,” I said.

  “I told her to let him go,” Alan said. “If she’d have fired we probably wouldn’t have made it out of there. We were surrounded.”

  Posner shook his head then took out a satellite phone and turned it over in his hands a couple of times.

  “DeLange is completely enamored with you, Ms. Grey. I’d go so far as to say he’s in love with you. He’ll do anything you ask of him. I’ve had him under surveillance for the past three months. You need to handle this delicately. Is that understood?”

  “Under surveillance?” I asked.

  “Yes. I hired a woman to get close to him. That’s how I know he’s in love with you. She’s gone out of her way to be the perfect woman for DeLange, yet he’s hesitant because of you. You come up in their conversations regularly. Strange, since you’ve not been in contact with him for months. When you call him, you’re going to let him know your allegiance has changed sides. I imagine he might object, but he will follow, at some point. If that doesn’t get him on our side, then you will become the hostage, as far as he’s concerned.”

  Posner led us outside the cabin then handed me the phone, instructed me to put it on speaker, and I dialed Colin’s number.

  “Alex?” He answered with unease in his voice.

  “Hey, Colin. How are you?” I asked.

  “What is going on, Alex? Mark Posner called me a while ago and said they have you. What does that mean? You okay?”

  He ignored my question.

  “I’m perfectly fine. I need to know where you stand, though.”

  “I stand with you. Always. You know that,” Colin replied.

  “Good. I might need your help soon.”

  “So Posner doesn’t really have you?” His voice held some relief.

  “Not entirely. I’m with Mesa now, but it’s by choice. You don’t need to worry about me. I promise.”

  “What about White and Associates?” He asked.

  “They were my dad’s deal, not mine. You know they screwed me over as soon as White died, there’s no place there for me anymore. Can I count on you, Colin?”

  “Of course, Alex. Are you coming home? Can we get together?”

  Posner took the phone from me and turned it off speaker. He told me to go back inside and Alan followed.

  I heard Posner say, “You’ve spoken to her. Can I count on your cooperation?”

  “Is there a man on the planet you’ve not wrapped around your little finger?” Alan asked me as soon as we got back inside.

  I turned toward him and saw he had his weapon drawn.

  I let out a deep sigh.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. I’d say there’s at least one,” I said as I pointed at him.

  “What’s your plan?” He pressed.

  “To get out of this alive. What’s your’s?”

  “The same.”

  He started to close the distance and I fought not to back up. I needed to get him within grabbing distance.

  “You think DeLange is as enamored with you as my dad seems to think?”

  “No. I don’t,” I said. “But, I do think he’s got my back if I need him to. He knows who shot the Admiral.”

  Alan was almost close enough.

  “He knows?”

  “Of course he does. The .50 cal is my signature weapon. Colin’s not stupid.”

  I reached for Alan’s gun and managed to knock it out of his hands. It skittered across the floor and Alan had me down before the Glock stopped sliding. He sat on my chest with his knees on my arms. There was no way I could lift him off. He was too heavy.

  “Didn’t think you’d take the opportunity I gave you. Impressive, Ms. Grey. But not impressive enough. I’ve got you down. What do you do now?”

&
nbsp; I was seething and I couldn’t think, and my shoulder was killing me. I hoped he didn’t break my stitches again.

  “I’m sick of you sticking your weapon in my face,” I said.

  “I recognize the signs of being on the run, so I believe that you’ve cut ties. Being on the run hones your skills and I’ve been on the run for more than ten years. You think you can best me? That’ll never happen. I just want you to realize that.”

  He stood up and offered me a hand. I refused and rolled to my feet, putting myself between him and his weapon. Then I drew my own.

  “What the hell is going on in here?” Posner came through the front door. “I had to cut my call short.”

  “I’m about to leave. That’s what’s going on,” I said.

  “You can’t do that, Alex,” Posner said.

  “My father’s one of those men,” Alan grinned.

  “What men are you talking about, Alan?” Posner asked his son.

  “She’s got you so tightly wrapped you can’t think straight,” Alan said with a shrug.

  “That’s just gross,” I said and immediately regretted it. Posner slapped me so hard I fell to the ground and saw stars.

  He recovered Alan’s weapon and had it at my head.

  “Ms. Grey,” he said. “I suggest you take what you can when you can. Right now you can either be a partner or hostage. Either way you’d be better off being polite and respectful. So far you’ve been given every benefit of the doubt. Do you want me to start getting suspicious?”

  I still had my weapon in my hand, but I didn’t raise it.

  Posner took my silence for cooperation and instructed me to holster my weapon. I did and glared at Alan, who winked at me.

  “Just wanted to give you a taste of what we’re capable of in case you’re entertaining other ideas,” Alan said as his father handed him back his Glock. “I’m not the only one who can protect himself.”

  “Get comfortable.” Posner pointed to the couch. I staggered from the floor and practically fell onto the couch. Posner had a hell of an arm.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  I FELT DAZED FOR A GOOD fifteen minutes before my head started to clear again, but my shoulder was still hurting. I didn’t see or feel any blood so I didn’t think Alan ripped my stitches out again, but I wanted to go check it, just in case.

  Alan had taken a seat across from me on a chair and watched me for at least fifteen minutes before I stood up.

  “Now what?” he asked.

  “Bathroom,” I said.

  Alan stood up and led me away from the living room toward a hallway. The bathroom was the first door on the left.

  “Hurry up,” he said.

  He let me shut the door, but I didn’t trust him not to open it so I sat on the toilet before I slid my t-shirt off my shoulder and pulled the bandage off. Everything looked intact on the front so I stood to check the stitches on the back in the mirror. I pulled the bandage off only slightly and it was still stitched up. I reached over and flushed the toilet and started to wash my hands just as Alan opened the door.

  “I said hurry up.”

  I looked around for a hand towel and didn’t see one so I walked up to Alan and wiped my hands down his chest. He watched me with a grin. He was obviously getting some kind of sexual pleasure out of my actions.

  “Damn. Now I’m dirty again,” I said.

  Alan grabbed my wrists and pushed me up against the wall.

  “Wait until Dad leaves and then I’ll show you dirty,” he whispered into my ear.

  I slowly rubbed my knee up his inner thigh and started breathing heavier. It did the job. He didn’t protect himself so I kneed him in the groin and then again in the face when he doubled over.

  “Hands off, Alan,” I said. “I’ve chosen partner, not hostage, and I already told you I won’t be manhandled.”

  I turned around and saw Mark blocking my way.

  “You going to hit me again, Mark?”

  “No, Alex. You aren’t the only one who needs to show some respect.”

  He let me pass. Maybe Alan was right and I did have some kind of hold over Posner. I didn’t feel like pushing my luck at the moment. I was still hurting.

  I made my way to the kitchen and Mark followed me.

  “What are you doing?” he asked as I checked the refrigerator.

  “Looking for food.”

  The refrigerator was empty so I moved to the cupboards.

  “Just canned and dried food up here,” Posner said.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked.

  “I could eat. Can you cook?”

  “Yes.”

  I pulled several items out of the cupboards and went on the hunt for a can opener.

  “What’s going on in here?” Alan came into the kitchen.

  I looked up and saw he was holding a tissue to his nose that was covered in blood. I must have done that with my knee.

  I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped and caught a strange look exchanged between father and son. Mark raised his eyebrows as if to say, “I told you so,” and Alan gave him a slight smile back.

  The men took seats at the table and watched me work for five minutes before they started talking. I was hoping they’d give away the plan, but they talked about the past and Mark lectured Alan for a good ten minutes on how he shouldn’t have been apprehended in the first place.

  As I listened, I made a loaf of bread. They didn’t have any yeast, but they did have baking powder. I’d have to make do. Then I mixed up some beans and seasoning for a chili without meat.

  When it was done, I took a taste and was pleased with my concoction. It had been a long time since I’d cooked much of anything and a very long time since I had to make do with what I had on hand. It was relaxing because it reminded me of my times up at our cabin.

  When the bread finished baking, I dished up three bowls of chili and gave everyone a slice of bread.

  Mark and Alan were skeptical, but as soon as they tasted it I got praises from both of them.

  “I think you missed your calling, Alex,” Mark said.

  “I don’t think so. Cooking is okay, but I love my real job.”

  I patted my pistol in its holster.

  I ate just enough to kill the hungry feeling and put my bowl in the sink, but both men ate two bowls each and most of the heavy bread.

  “Better get those dishes done,” Posner said.

  I looked at Alan and said, “They’re all yours, buddy.”

  “She cooked,” Mark said to him.

  Alan wasn’t happy to have to do the dishes and it made me smile.

  “So what are we going to do for the few days we are going to be here?”

  “You and Alan can find something to do. I’m leaving. I have work to do. Alan knows the plan. All you need to do is follow his orders. Is that understood?”

  “You’re telling me Alan’s the boss,” I said.

  “Yes, Alex. That’s what I’m saying.”

  “Great,” I said and went to the living room with Posner following me.

  I’d been straining my ears for any kind of activity outside. My partners should have been here. I pulled out my Mesa phone and Posner asked me who I was going to call.

  “No one. I was just checking service up here. I’d like to check my accounts,” I said.

  “No service up here and even if there was, the house is protected.”

  “Protected?”

  “Yes. No signal comes in or goes out of the house. It’s blocked.”

  “Good idea. Metal shielding?” I asked and tossed the phone down on the coffee table.

  “Yes.”

  That must be why my partners hadn’t shown up yet. My signal was blocked. Still, if they had been monitoring it, they would have seen the signal right up until the moment I stepped into Posner’s cabin. If they didn’t show up soon, I’d find an excuse to get outside.

  I nodded and went to the bookshelf on the far wall and pulled out a book at random. Then I sat down on the c
ouch and pretended to read.

  Posner left Alan and me alone less than an hour into my pretend reading session.

  “Dad’s not here to protect you anymore,” Alan said as I listened to Posner’s vehicle driving off.

  “I don’t need his protection,” I said.

  “I’d like to see what you’re made of. You up for some sparring?” Alan asked.

  “Where? In here?”

  “No. Outside,” Alan said.

  “It’s dark outside.”

  “The colors didn’t get around to training you to fight in the dark yet, either? They must have had you around for window dressing.”

  “Think what you want,” I said.

  “You wanna show me what I should be thinking?”

  Alan nodded toward the door.

  This was a good excuse to get outside, but I wasn’t sure I could take him. I didn’t expect him to follow any rules of combat when we sparred, especially outside in the dark.

  “Let’s go.”

  I stood up and tossed the book down on the couch. At least, this would give my partners the chance to locate my GPS signal. If they were even looking. I wasn’t sure they were actively searching for me since they hadn’t shown up at the lodge in time. I’d pressed the button and stalled for a long time, but they still didn’t get there. I didn’t even know who had raided the lodge. It could have been some government agency.

  Alan’s nostrils flared and he led me outside. Thankfully, there was quite a lot of light coming from the moon.

  We squared off and he came at me with fast punches. I managed to block them all, but if he was holding back at all, I was in trouble.

  I remained on the defensive and watched as he worked up a sweat.

  “You’ll never win if you don’t fight back,” he growled.

  I didn’t answer him, just studied his moves.

  He rushed me and I jumped up and met his rush with both of my feet in his chest and did a back flip using the momentum he’d provided. It knocked the wind out of him and he slowed his approach.

  I let him come in closer, but his reach was longer than mine and I misjudged. He managed to hit my injured shoulder as I tried to dodge. It sent waves of pain through my entire left side and I let my guard drop for a split second. He didn’t miss it and rushed me again. I allowed the pain to get the best of me and I dropped to the ground and rolled behind him.