“The civil war destroyed much of the downtown area. There are so many historic buildings that are just gone now. Your area is unique in that it retains much of the architecture you don’t see in the skyscrapers and modern buildings that have taken over the Beirut skyline. What I want to do is capitalize on what makes you unique.” He gestured at the tablet.
It was a sketch, but the artist had captured a bustling city street full of shops, flowers and in the distance the crystal blue waters.
“It’s not what you’re used to, but I want to make this the next step. An evolution. Create a tourist area, show off the culture, give people an authentic taste of what it means to be Lebanese. Clean up the water front. Do boutique style bed and breakfasts. I want to partner and create businesses with locals to make the area thrive again.”
“And earn money off our sweat?” Farez pushed the tablet across the table. “No.”
Carla bit her lip.
This was not going as well as she’d hoped.
SUNDAY. ABANDONED STORE, Beirut, Lebanon.
Hani strode down the alley way. The woman from that morning hovered in the doorway leading into the side of one of the buildings lining the street.
“Ieisha?” Hani hoped that was her name. She’d only said it under her breath after that meeting in passing.
“In here.” She waved him through the doorway into a dimly lit room.
Two men stood inside, yet more familiar faces from that morning.
“What’s going on? What is this?” Hani glanced from the men to Ieisha.
“It’s Farez.” She wrung her hands.
“What did he do?” Hani felt his stomach drop. He’d been forced to handle business for his boss, which meant not being around to press Farez into what the suits wanted.
“I think...” She glanced at the smaller man. Her husband? “Farez moved the man this afternoon. Again. After he got a phone call and spoke in English at length with someone... I think he’s making a deal that leaves out the rest of us.”
Hani nodded slowly. On the inside he was both thrilled and gutted. He seriously doubted that someone as goal driven as Farez would change his course. The man was all about bettering the community. It was all he talked about. But his neighbors, the ones in on this plot, weren’t listening. They were too afraid, worried about their futures and ready to act in their best interest.
Which was where Hani came in.
“It’s a good thing you told me. I was worried about this.” He turned toward the men. “Farez said things around me, things he doesn’t say around your people.”
“What should we do?” Ieisha stepped to the shorter man’s side and took his hand.
“Farez has been a good neighbor, but we all have needs.”
“Okay, do you know where Farez has the man? Jared?” Hani pulled out his phone.
“Yes. I brought them dinner,” Ieisha said.
“Good. Before we confront Farez, we need to secure the hostage. Can you three do that?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, where is Farez?”
“I saw him go into the old Toy Town building earlier,” Ieisha’s husband said.
“I’ll go see what he’s up to. You made the right decision. We’re going to handle this.”
Hani turned and brought his phone to his ear. His two buddies were on the fence about helping him resolve this situation. The way Hani saw it if they didn’t help they were dead.
“Hello?”
“Eessa. Don’t hang up. Is Tajamal with you?”
“Maybe.”
Hani’s temper flared. “Do you want to resolve this situation or don’t you? Where are you?”
“At a café, Sound Garden?”
“I know that place. Good. You’re close. I need you to come to me and bring the guns. I think we’re about to turn this around.”
After securing his friend’s assistance Hani headed toward the old Toy Shop. He wanted to see what Farez was up to if he was alone. Chances were Hani could dispose of Farez altogether, take over and wrap this situation up in short order.
The front of the store was dark and paper covered the windows, so he circled around to the back. Lights shone through the windows close to the ceiling in what would be the storage part of the building.
What was Farez up to?
Hani found a stack of crates and scaled them just enough to peer through the dirty, grimy windows.
Three figures sat at a table.
Two men and a woman.
Hot damn.
Ashton Khoury, in the flesh.
Hani glanced around the space, but the three people were alone. He hadn’t seen anyone out on the street keeping watch. The other five Americans weren’t around. But if Hani had Ashton and Jared, didn’t it make sense the other Americans would come to him?
Tonight was going to be epic.
11.
Sunday. Toy Town, Beirut, Lebanon.
Farez focused on keeping his face calm. He couldn’t give anything away to these people. It was the proverbial give an inch, take a mile situation. But...
How had he missed this stuff?
He’d been researching and looking into the potential that oil might bring to their community, but he’d missed everything else.
This report on fishing, if it was true, it would destroy his cousin’s fishing business. That in turn would mean local restaurants that served sea food wouldn’t have anything to cook. More businesses would close up. And then there were the reports, stories from other countries who were just as hungry for an influx of cash into their economy. People just like Farez who’d seen oil as their golden ticket, only to be skipped over.
Oil was an answer, but maybe it wasn’t the right one.
Farez laid the tablet down and folded his hands together.
This was a lot to process.
How did he sell the others on Ashton’s plans? How did he explain it to them?
He feared he was in too deep to back out now.
“Farez?” The woman splayed her hand on the table. “What if we agreed on a mutually beneficial way out of this situation?”
He leaned back in his chair.
“What if we paid the ransom? Not the two billion you asked for, but something you can split up between families who need the assistance? Ashton and I talked, and we think where we went wrong is that we didn’t have anyone in the community talking about the plans. We need to find people like you—but not you specifically—who could be the mediator between us. All Ashton wants is to make this work for everyone.”
Farez bit the inside of his mouth.
That was a way out.
A chunk of money they could split up, help everyone along. He could tell the others he drove a hard bargain. Sell them on it.
Farez propped his elbow on the table and stared at Ashton. “If I did that—”
The back door banged open.
He turned as Hani and his two buddies stepped in, guns raised.
“What is the meaning of this?” Farez said, switching to Arabic. He shoved to his feet and turned to face the three men.
These kids had been more trouble than they were worth.
“Trying to cut us out, old man?” Hani glared at Farez.
Farez glanced between the three. They’d jumped at the opportunity to kidnap without hesitation. They were dangerous, and now they were angry with him. He had to tread carefully.
“I’m trying to resolve the situation.” He held up his hands and toned down his voice. “We’re discussing payment. Peacefully.”
Anger seethed in Hani’s eyes. “I think what you’re really doing is trying to take all the money for yourself.”
The other two men with him spread out.
The only clear exits were into the store front or up through the apartment overhead.
“Farez?” Carla whispered in English. “Get Jared. We’ll be okay.”
“Shut up,” Hani barked and took a step forward.
“What’s your price?” Ashton sai
d, speaking up in Arabic.
“Everything,” Hani snarled.
“Money? I can get it here in a minute.”
Farez glanced over his shoulder and saw Ashton take his phone out of his pocket and tap the screen, activating a phone call.
“Stop. Stop that right now.” Hani took two more steps forward.
“Easy.” Carla stepped to the side of the table. The other men were mostly ignoring her, likely because they didn’t understand her. But Farez saw her reach inside the purse she’d brought. “Everyone just needs to calm down.”
“They don’t understand you,” Farez told her.
“Yeah? You sure about that?” She glanced at him then Hani. “I’d like to stick my foot so far up your ass you taste last season.”
“Carla,” Ashton said between clenched teeth.
“They’re going to kill us.” Farez swallowed.
“What are you saying? What did she say?” Hani demanded.
“Nothing? No clue? Well, that’s good.” Carla turned to face Farez and Ashton. “Run. Okay? Go. Get Jared.”
She turned and brought up her arm and fired something from a bulky, black gun. Hani began screaming.
Farez didn’t wait. He wasn’t a real hero. He rushed through the side entrance, taking the stairs up to the apartment two at a time. Once he reached the landing, he crawled out a window and onto the fire escape ladder leading out and to the other side of the building.
He leapt to the ground and took off running.
Farez had to fix this.
He burst into the back door of his spice shop and stared at the empty chair where he’d left Jared Moss.
The now empty chair.
His hostage was gone, and he’d just left his only allies at the mercy of the very thugs he’d hired to do this job.
SUNDAY. TOY TOWN, BEIRUT, Lebanon.
Vaughn gunned the motorcycle and leaned forward over the handlebars. He’d never carjacked anyone before, but he’d also never been this desperate to follow an errant client.
Carla had no idea what she’d gotten herself into.
“The phone signal is close. You’re almost there,” Melody said through the comms.
He’d been driving around aimlessly, working toward the area where the rest of the team was focused on, without luck. Moments ago Ashton called Melody directly. It was impossible to hear what was going on, but it gave him a destination.
“Turn right and you’re there. Looks like the second building on your right. Jamie is three minutes away. The rest of the team is ten minutes out.”
Vaughn swerved around a familiar black town car waiting at the curb then whipped the bike around the turn, his back wheel skidding. He vaulted off the bike and let it crash to the pavement.
He had a job to do.
Cold fury coursed through his veins as he drew both of his handguns from the mob holster under his jacket. He was one against an unknown number of hostiles with at least three assets to secure, possibly more.
What could go wrong?
The paint over the second door was chipped from age. He pulled on the handle and the door swung open with a long low creak.
Raised voices drowned out his entrance.
Darkness swaddled the store front, but he spied light seeping around a curtain at the back.
A man spoke, his voice rising in volume and pitch. Demands Vaughn couldn’t understand because they weren’t in English.
He reached up an unmuted his comm. “In the building, unknown hostile targets.”
“Be careful. Back-up is on the way.” Melody paused for a breath. “Grant wants you to wait.”
A man’s scream and the sizzle-pop of electricity spurred Vaughn into action.
“No can do,” he said and flung the curtain aside.
One man darted through a doorway.
A young guy lay on the floor writhing as volts traveled down two cables from a police grade stun gun being wielded by none other than Carla.
Another man men rushed in, but Ashton wielded a metal chair like a bat, defending himself and Carla.
The last man dove at Carla, knocking her to the ground.
It all happened in an instant, everyone moving, vying for control.
Shit.
Vaughn waded into the conflict. He couldn’t risk firing his weapons, not with Carla and Ashton in the thick of it. Vaughn grabbed the man kneeling over Carla by the back of his shirt and threw him off her. There wasn’t time to check her for injuries or help her up. It was only a matter of time until the third was on his feet and then it would be three on three, and Vaughn only had confidence in himself.
“What’s happening?” Melody asked. “Jamie ran into a road block.”
“Vaughn!”
He whirled and saw the third man poised with his gun against Ashton’s carotid artery.
Out moved, out gunned and out played.
Both the downed man and the third were too far away for Vaughn to get his hands on. If either Vaughn or the attacker fired, they might kill Ashton.
“Check mate,” Vaughn growled and held up his hands.
“What?” Melody demanded.
“Hope the others get here fast.” He let his guns dangle from his index fingers.
Carla pushed to her feet and backed toward him. “Ash?”
“Stay there, Carla.” Ashton held up his hands. “Farez was going to get Jared. Find Jared then worry about me. Understand?”
The man holding Ashton jabbed his gun against Ashton’s neck harder.
Ashton then began speaking Arabic.
“What are you saying, man?” Vaughn stared at Ashton. “Don’t do anything stupid. Help is almost here. Mel?”
The downed man and his companion gathered behind the third. They spoke back and forth, Ashton replying or interjecting. The man was at gunpoint wheeling and dealing?
“I don’t know where Jamie is. The others are five minutes out,” Melody said.
“That’s not going to work.” Vaughn reached out and swept Carla behind him with one arm.
This wasn’t going well.
The man who’d been tasered shoved past Ashton.
Vaughn reacted. He whirled, grabbing Carla, and dove through the side entrance. Bullets hit the concrete, sending shards flying. They hit the ground, and he rolled, getting a hold on his weapons, just in time to watch the three men rush Ashton out of the building.
“Hostiles are on the move with VIP asset.” Vaughn shoved to his feet.
“Don’t lose sight of them,” Melody said.
Carla stared up at him, her face pale.
He reached down and grabbed her hand. “Come on.”
Vaughn dragged her to her feet and to the rear entrance. He peered out into the darkening night.
“Stay close,” he said over his shoulder.
The four figures hustled down the alley.
Vaughn hunched and stuck close to the building. If the rest of the team didn’t arrive soon, they’d lose Ashton, on Vaughn’s watch.
The group rounded the corner.
Vaughn sprinted to catch up and close the distance.
He skidded to a stop and peered around—just in time to see Ashton forced into a van.
“They’re getting away. Blue van, license plate...” He squinted. The doors shut, clearing his view. He rattled off the plates. “I can pursue. Get the bike...”
“Negative,” Melody said. “Is Jared there? Do you have Carla?”
“Yes to Carla.” He glanced back at her. “Where’s Jared?”
She stared up at him, her eyes so big he could fall into them. “Farez was going to move him. Keep him safe.”
“Fucking hell,” he muttered and turned back to watch the van motor off into the night.
“Grant and the others are arriving any moment now. Switch channels while I get Jamie to rendezvous with you. I still have a cell signal from Ashton. He might be able to follow it.”
“Copy that.” Vaughn pulled the comm out.
Anger bubbled up i
nside of him.
He’d trusted Carla. He thought they’d shared something, but clearly it was just him.
She should have trusted him with this mad, crazy plan.
“What are we doing?” Carla asked.
“We are doing nothing. Come on.” He adjusted the channel of his comm and began walking back to the store. He wasn’t yet ready to talk to the team, so he kept the earpiece in his fist.
They had no idea who they were dealing with or what they wanted. These new players were unknowns, and they hadn’t even nailed down who the first guys they were dealing with were.
“Vaughn?” Carla followed along behind him.
He ignored her and pushed through the doors back into the shop.
Chairs were overturned.
Carla’s purse lay on the floor its contents scattered.
“Talk to me,” she demanded.
He strode across the room to get away from her.
Whatever they had it was all in his head.
How stupid had he been?
He kept doing this, getting lost in her and it blinded him.
“Vaughn?” Carla’s voice cracked.
He whirled to glare at her. “What?”
She opened and closed her mouth.
“What do you want me to say? You ran off with no security, no tracking devices and got into trouble. What should I say to that? I thought we had trust.”
“You wouldn’t listen.” She threw her hands up. “None of you would listen. It could only be your way.”
“We know what the hell we’re doing, Carla. You don’t fucking know anything.”
“The hell I don’t.” The fear burned up in her eyes until they flashed with a fire that matched his own. “I had Farez ready to make a deal and end this. I was right.”
“Yeah, well, who’s right now? It’s not you.”
“And it ain’t you either.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you always a dick when you’re wrong? Or is it just because we slept together? Sticking your dick in it doesn’t mean you own it, you know?”
“Wow!” Riley barked as he stepped through the arch.
Vaughn’s stomach dropped as he watched Riley then Grant and the others enter the storage area of the shop. From the wide-eyed looks, they’d heard everything Carla said. How could they not? She wasn’t exactly quiet.
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