Sandstorm

by Alan L. Lee

  The smoker flicked his cigarette away and stiffened as he closed the distance hesitantly.

  “Dr. Mueller?”

  In perfect Farsi, Yadin said, “You expecting someone else?” He flashed a wry smile and pushed past the pair. Not waiting to be invited, he opened the rear door on the driver’s side of the luxury vehicle and threw his bag inside. His escorts didn’t move.

  Yadin was leaning against the open door.

  “Again, unless you’re waiting for someone else…”

  CHAPTER 46

  The engine of the compact reminded Alex it wasn’t built for speed, but he pressed anyway, his mind on autopilot.

  The names and faces of past associations once again nightmarishly ran through his mind. He knew why they were there, pointing a finger at him, their blank stares accusing him. The man who’d ordered their deaths had long ago been dealt with, but the executioner, with all his brutality, was unjustly still among the living. Dmitri Nevsky deserved to die, and Alex could have ended his life. He was that close. With his martial arts training and the element of surprise on his side, it could have been done in a matter of seconds. Clearly, though, he would have also been committing suicide. Nevsky had plenty of firepower around him. Survival wouldn’t have been an option, and despite his guilt-ridden feelings, Alex had no plans to die on this day. He wanted to be back at his ocean-side house on St. Thomas, rum and Coke in hand, trade winds soothing his spirit, and music from Bob James or Coltrane playing in the background. That symbolized a relaxing day, and it was the kind of day he’d been having until Nora came back into his life. Now the departed were back as well.

  “Hey, damn it, are you listening to me?” Mr. Green questioned impatiently. Alex snapped out of his daze.

  “What the hell is it?”

  Mr. Green displayed and aimed the small-caliber handgun Alex suspected was there all along. “Don’t forget who’s in control here.”

  Alex thought about violently veering off the road for a second, taking the gun from Mr. Green and then rewardingly smacking the barrel over his head. He let the thought pass. Besides, he couldn’t afford to stop, because he was sure they were being followed. It had to be Nevsky’s people, and they were good, keeping their distance. Alex wondered if a tracking device had been attached to the car, and then he remembered the briefcase in the backseat. Both the car and briefcase had been out of their sight, so either could easily have been tagged. The headlights appeared sporadically, but they were back there. Alex didn’t want to let Mr. Green know what he suspected just yet.

  “Yeah, you’re in control. You’re the guy with the gun.”

  Mr. Green was awfully glad he had the gun, because the big man was intimidating. “Now that my end of the deal is complete, you need to pay me the balance of what you owe me.”

  “Well, I can’t very well do that right at this moment.”

  “You can wire transfer the money, yes?”

  “I’ll have to make a call, but yes.”

  “Good, I have a computer where I’m staying. We can conclude our business there.”

  “Speaking of making a call, I’d like my phone back.”

  Mr. Green reached inside his pocket and placed the phone on the dashboard. Alex put it away.

  “Clever of you to lock the phone with a password. I should tell you someone has been texting you for quite a while. Perhaps you’re in trouble.”

  Alex let the observation pass without comment, but he fully intended to see who’d been texting Davis Lipton’s phone. His attention shifted to a more pressing problem. Alex noticed that the headlights were more prominent now, beginning to close the distance. He wondered about one thing in particular. Their business had concluded and they were allowed to leave, so why the tracking?

  It was obvious Nevsky hadn’t been pleased to see Mr. Green with a partner. Or had Nevsky’s memory finally connected the dots?

  CHAPTER 47

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Alex didn’t bother responding. Instead, he floored the accelerator and gripped the steering wheel tighter. In the rearview mirror he could see headlights gaining ground fast. They were less than two miles away.

  “Slow down, damn it! Are you trying to get us killed?” Mr. Green once again brought his gun out for show. “I said, slow it down.”

  Alex gave him a no-nonsense look before returning his attention to the road. “I sure hope you know how to use that thing.”

  “I do. Why?”

  “We’ve been followed since we left the airfield. I would suspect they’re Nevsky’s men. At first, it was a loose tail, but I don’t think they’re catching up to say we forgot something.”

  Mr. Green nearly pulled a muscle turning to glance out the back window.

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  Alex looked at him sarcastically. “Oh, Mr. I’m-in-charge, what would you have us do? Get out of the car, flag them down, and threaten them with your gun?”

  “Shit!” Mr. Green screamed, staring at his prized briefcase in the backseat. “I knew it was a mistake to bring you along.”

  Alex understood that this car wasn’t going to outperform the superior engineering behind them, so he had to come up with a plan of action now.

  “If you value what’s in that briefcase, I suggest you grab it now.”

  Mr. Green didn’t quite understand the urgency, but he did as suggested. His hand was barely around the handle when instinct forced him to use his right hand to brace himself as the car veered off the road and screeched to a stop. The seatbelt did its job of holding him in place, and when his head snapped back hard against the headrest, he saw that McBride was already exiting the vehicle. He also heard him shout, “You don’t have time to think! Get out of the car and start running into the woods!”

  He wanted to protest this crazy maneuver, but as the trailing car’s headlights began to illuminate his position, Mr. Green pushed himself free. Twenty seconds later, the sound of tires screeching and doors slamming shut echoed in the night. Agitated voices barking in Russian followed. Alex looked over his shoulder as he ran. As best he could tell, there were three of them. His question of how heavily they were armed was answered almost immediately, as two of them sprayed the area with machine gun fire. Alex crouched behind a huge tree and told Mr. Green, who was behind him, to do the same. From the muzzle flashes, Alex could tell the two men were advancing as they fired. They weren’t seeking targets as much as they were attempting to provide cover fire for the third man to move ahead much faster in an attempt to locate their position.

  The rapid fire was now concentrating to their right, so Alex instructed Mr. Green to move fast. Even over the crescendo of gunfire, Alex could hear the man’s accelerated breathing. It was a clear sign Mr. Green wasn’t cut out for this, but the adrenaline would serve him well, force him to keep moving. They continued to run at a good clip when Alex suddenly stopped and held out his arm to halt Mr. Green’s movement. The gunfire had ceased. When Mr. Green was about to ask a question, Alex placed an index finger to his lips—the man’s breathing was already making enough noise. At this juncture in the woods, all they could hear was nature. Leaves and tree branches rattled in the wind, and the native calls of insects surrounded them. Alex figured the Russians had stopped, attempting to get a fix on them by listening for footfalls.

  Alex slowly dropped down and searched for a rock. The lead Russian was close. Mr. Green’s hand was trembling badly as it snugly held onto the handgun he assumed gave him so much authority. Alex just hoped he wouldn’t give their position away or stupidly dislodge a round.

  It took a couple of stealthy passes, but Alex found a baseball-sized rock. He scanned as best he could the land and obstacles to his left. There was an opening suitable for his intentions, but in order to not alert the man canvassing from his right, he resigned himself to achieving a less-than-desired result. If he tried to throw the rock with too much force, he ran the risk of his clothing making too much noise or of exhaling air with a s
ound that would betray his position. A huge tree trunk gave him ample concealment. He slowly wound up his arm and let the rock fly high in the air. It landed about twenty-five yards away, and the aftereffects provided the symphony he’d hoped for. Once the rock disturbed a bit of brush, rolling a bit as well, to indicate movement, a flock of birds got spooked and noisily flew away. What followed was rapid automatic gunfire in the direction of the noise. The man to Alex’s right took off in a sprint, firing into the darkness too. He passed Alex just a few feet away. The firing continued, and Alex took off in the man’s wake, careful to establish a position on a line directly behind him. Alex quickly closed the distance, and he accelerated more once he saw his perfect opportunity. Alex was close enough now to hear the man’s breathing, and at the same time, the man slowly began to realize someone was on his heels. Still running, he turned his head to see if his suspicion was correct. It was more than Alex could have hoped for. The man’s direction gave Alex leverage. He reached out with his left hand and firmly grabbed the side of the Russian’s face. The next move was more a credit to football than to his survival training. He kept driving with his legs for optimum force, and with all his weight, he slammed the man’s head into the trunk of a tree. If not for the automatic fire, the sickening sound of a pumpkin being dropped from high up would have given him away.

  Alex retrieved the man’s weapon. The next part would be tricky. With darkness as his cover, he continued to run in the direction of the rock he had thrown, emulating the fallen man’s hurried movements. Alex even fired a round. Once again he found refuge behind a thick tree, and he decided this would be the best place, because going any further exposed him to wide open spaces—an easy kill zone. In the midst of the excitement, the blood pumping, the thrill of the hunt, he decided to utilize a little trickery. He’d find out soon enough if it would work. Speaking rapidly and as if slightly out of breath, Alex bellowed in Russian, “Good shot. Good shot. We got them both.”

  He heard the other two men congratulate each other as they continued their approach. Alex hoped they’d relax their weapons.

  “Where are you, Grigory?”

  “Straight ahead,” Alex responded, exposing part of his body just long enough for them to establish his position. They were close enough now that he could make out their faces. At that point, Alex stepped fully from behind the tree, the 9 mm ready. The two men were at ease, their weapons down by their sides. When their eyes adjusted and realized it wasn’t Grigory, there was a panicked pause before they tried to react. Alex never gave them a chance to respond. Aiming at this proximity ensured each shot would be perfect. It only took two bullets, one for each forehead. The pair fell in unison, as if synchronized dying were a sporting event.

  CHAPTER 48

  “If I were you, I’d get that idea out of your head.” Alex was dead serious as he addressed Mr. Green. They stood between the two vehicles on the side of the dark road, only a few feet apart. “You’ve got a suitcase full of money and you’re alive to spend it. Cut your losses and move on.”

  Mr. Green was calculating his options. “But I have to return to my hotel.”

  “Are you just trying to get killed? Nevsky’s men were sent to silence you and me and get the money back. He’s going to be beyond upset when they don’t return. Your hotel would be the first place I’d look.”

  “He doesn’t know where I’m staying.”

  “So no one knows your hotel?”

  Mr. Green had a distant look on his face as he thought about the question. “Only the Iranians,” he confessed.

  “The same people associated with the ones loading the plane back there?”

  “I would assume so, yes.”

  “And you don’t think—”

  “No, they wouldn’t set me up,” Mr. Green was fast to respond. “They’re supposed to pick me up later today and take me to Iran.”

  “What?” Alex said, shaking his head. “Why? I was under the impression your part of the deal ended back there.”

  “They want assurances the product is good. They’ve been valued customers, and I’d like to keep it that way. Besides, they say the president wants to meet me and offer his thanks.”

  Alex had to think fast. He didn’t like the idea of being exposed on the road like this. There was the possibility Nevsky had already sent backup.

  “So you’ve met with the Iranians before?”

  “On occasion. But most of our transactions have gone through intermediaries. Besides,” Mr. Green patted the suitcase, “they owe me money. A lot more than what is in here, I might add.”

  “Again, you and money. Look, I’m trying to talk some sense into you. Live to make a deal another day. In this world, I’m sure there’ll be others.”

  “What are you suggesting? Are you trying to steal my profit?”

  “There won’t be a windfall if you’re not around to spend it.”

  Mr. Green was about to slide inside his new Mercedes. “I suppose I should thank you. As a token of my appreciation, I’ll waive the rest of the fee you owe me.” He threw the suitcase onto the passenger seat and positioned himself behind the wheel, searching for the controls to adjust the seat.

  “The Marriott,” Alex called out.

  “What?” Mr. Green leaned his head out the window to hear.

  “The Marriott. That’s where you’re staying.”

  The pistol was back in Mr. Green’s hand as he slowly emerged from the vehicle.

  “If I know that, what makes you think Nevsky doesn’t?”

  Mr. Green pondered the situation. The performance he’d just witnessed in the woods wasn’t lost on him. Besides, McBride was also holding a weapon.

  “I have backup.”

  Alex checked the road and, thankfully, there were no headlights in either direction. “If you mean the man sitting on the bench outside the cathedral, I wouldn’t count on it.” There was a glimpse of disbelief on Mr. Green’s face.

  “He’ll be fine. What I’m trying to get across to you is that you’re in way over your head at this point. You need to step aside and get lost. Tonight, you got very lucky.” Alex understood that included him as well.

  Mr. Green put the pistol away with an affirmative nod. “Perhaps you are right. There will be other opportunities.”

  “Good. Now, tell me about the Iranians again. You said they’re coming for you?”

  “Yes, I’m supposed to be picked up sometime this afternoon.”

  “Do you have to take anything with you? Provide them with anything?”

  “No. I suppose in case something goes wrong, they want me there for my expertise.”

  “Goes wrong?”

  Mr. Green hunched his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. “Aside from being introduced to the president, I was told I would be part of something spectacular.”

  “And you have no idea what that something is?”

  “Not a clue. I asked, but they didn’t tell me anything more.”

  “All right,” Alex said as he turned to get into the compact. “Remember. Don’t go back to the hotel.”

  “But I have things there I need.”

  “Come back late tonight. It should be safe by then. I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to disappear for a while. Your life may depend on it.”

  Alex started to ease into the compact but remembered one more thing. He walked back to Mr. Green’s new set of wheels. “I almost forgot. Take all the money out and throw the suitcase away. There’s a very good chance it has a tracking device in it.”

  Mr. Green stared at his bounty as if it were an unfaithful lover. When he looked back, Alex had the car back onto the road.

  The rush of the past few hours had kept him going, but now Alex’s body was telling him it needed to shut down. He tried not to listen, because there was much to be done. For the drive back into Tbilisi, he kept his mind sharp by concentrating on one thing.

  How he was going to kill Dmitri Nevsky.

  CHAPTER 49

  Alex star
ed at the hotel room clock, but the numbers didn’t really matter. If he had to get people out of bed, too damn bad. The inconvenience came with the job.

  From Sara he’d learned Mr. Green was in all likelihood Victor Janko, an engineer of Czech descent. Confirmation had come from Langley. She’d also gotten Alex up to speed on the other documents he possessed and his Swiss bank account numbers.

  When Nora handed him a cup of coffee, he noticed how apprehensive she seemed. This whole ordeal had to be tearing her up inside. Someone she considered a dear friend and who’d been her mentor was dead. As a result, her life was in turmoil. Her seeking him out, after the way he’d so emphatically ended their relationship, was proof that she was truly at the end of her rope. And now, the pain she felt for involving others was hard to hide. On several occasions, he caught her looking at him with worried eyes.