by Mike Ryan
Lawson passed Raines in the hallway without saying a word, who then went into Cain’s room.
“Hey, buddy,” Raines greeted with a handshake. “You look…good.”
“Liar,” Cain laughed. “So I see your chat with Shelly went well.”
“Uhh, yeah.”
“Could it have gone worse?”
“I guess it could’ve. She could’ve stabbed me, shot me, chopped my fingers off, and then blew off my legs,” Raines joked.
“Well there’s something to look forward to,” Heather added.
“I’m actually kind of surprised I made it down here in one piece. I guess I had it coming.”
“She just needs to be mad for a little while. She’ll come around eventually,” Cain stated.
“I don’t know about that. I don’t blame her. That’s why I didn’t really argue. I betrayed her trust. In this business we trust very few people, if any. When that happens it’s very difficult to get back.”
“I can try talking to her if you want,” Heather offered.
“I appreciate that but I think she just needs to sort it out for herself for a while. I’m not looking to get back to where we were right away and jump into her bed. Right now I’d just like for us to be civil towards each other.”
“Time heals all wounds so they say,” Heather said.
“So it does. Just look at you two,” Raines replied. “So you two are back together again I take it?”
“Yeah. I was pretty foolish trying to push her away from me all those times,” Cain said.
“We all have our weak moments I suppose, don’t we?”
“So they got you on anything yet?”
“I’m going after what’s left of the Specter group that’s on the run.”
“Thought that’s what they were bringing me back for,” Cain said.
“Well, I guess I’m on point until you return. Who knows, maybe I’ll eliminate them all by the time you get back,” Raines said.
“Don’t get greedy. Save Sanders for me,” Cain smiled.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Heather looked at him concerned; worried that revenge on Sanders would consume him.
“Be careful, Eric,” Heather told him.
“Yes ma’am,” he nodded. “I’m afraid I won’t be here by the time you get back from surgery so I just wanted to wish you good luck with your recovery.”
“You’re leaving already?” Cain asked.
“My plane leaves in a few hours. Just take your time with getting healthy. Don’t rush. I’ll take care of things,” Raines said.
“Trying to hog all the fun for yourself huh?”
“Make sure he doesn’t go too fast,” Raines said to Heather.
“You really think I’ll be able to stop him?”
“Probably not. I would be just as anxious if it were reversed.”
“I’m more worried about you being out there without me backing you up than me coming back too quickly,” Cain said.
As soon as he was done visiting with Cain, Raines headed back up to Lawson’s office, where he found her hard at work. She had numerous folders laid out on her desk, shuffling papers back and forth between them. Raines knocked before entering. Lawson looked up briefly before going back to her work. Raines sat down and waited for her to finish. After a few minutes of being ignored, he finally spoke up.
“I know this is difficult for you, but the sooner you go over the mission with me, the sooner I’ll be out of your hair,” Raines told her.
“Fine. Your first target is Frederick Booth. We last had him pegged in Italy.”
“Is he still there?”
“We’re not certain but we think so. We have a contact there named Enrico Vasari. He’s a tour bus operator. He gave good intel to our previous agent in the area who was able to corner Booth somewhere in Florence. We lost contact with him and then we received word our agent was dead.”
“How long ago was this?” Raines asked.
“A few days ago.”
“And no word he’s been on the move?”
“We’ve got no hits on any of his passports or aliases and no chatter about him moving anywhere. That’s why we believe he’s still there,” Lawson explained, handing him a file.
“Any idea if he’s with anyone?”
“We just don’t know. He could be by himself. Or he could have an army with him.”
“When do I leave?” Raines asked.
“Your plane leaves in three hours.”
“Good thing I didn’t unpack yet.”
Raines took another minute to look over the information he had in case he had any more questions. Once he was satisfied with everything he got up to leave, Lawson stopping him once he reached the door.
“Eric,” she said.
“Yes?”
“Be careful.”
Raines smiled and nodded his head. He grabbed his bag and immediately went to the airport. He hadn’t even checked into his hotel room yet so leaving so quickly was not an issue for him. It was something he’d gotten used to.
Chapter 3
Cain woke up from the surgery, his eyelids fluttering quickly as he tried to sight of his surroundings. He felt someone holding his hand and slightly turned his head to the left, seeing that pretty face of Heather’s looking at him. He smiled at her.
“You’re as beautiful as an angel. If I didn’t know better I think I might’ve died and went to Heaven,” Cain joked.
Heather smiled, somewhat relieved that he still had his sense of humor. “How do you feel?”
“Feels like someone hit me with a hammer.”
“I’ll get the doctor and let them know you’re awake.”
Heather returned a minute later with Dr. Ellison, who was happy to see his patient coming to.
“Mr. Cain. Glad to see you’ve rejoined us. How are you feeling?”
“I don’t know. It hurts. A lot. But I feel different,” Cain answered.
“How so?”
“I’m not sure,” he said, struggling to find the right description. “Lighter almost.”
Ellison smiled. “That’s a good sign. The pressure’s gone so you should feel some relief.”
“Can I get out of here now?”
“Wow, that was earlier than even I had predicted,” he laughed. “No, you’ll have to stay a few more days. It won’t be long.”
After Cain and Ellison were done talking, Heather called Lawson to let her know that he made it through the surgery. There were still a few tests that had to be done, but she was very upbeat about his condition.
Florence, Italy—Raines had been in Italy before, though only briefly, but he’d never been in Florence. It was a city rich in history. It’s the most populous city in the region of Tuscany, along with being the capital, with over a million people residing in the area. It was also considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. Currently, tourism is the chief economic industry of the city. The city is famous for its buildings, architecture, and art. It houses numerous museums, churches, art galleries, and religious buildings.
Raines flew in to Florence using the Pisa International Airport. Eager to get to work, he skipped checking in to his hotel and went straight to find Vasari. He went to the location Vasari was supposed to be working and waited for Vasari to appear. After waiting an hour he saw a man getting into a bus. Raines took a picture out of his pocket to compare and confirmed that it was Vasari.
Vasari was busy looking at some papers and never noticed Raines coming toward him. Raines walked in front of the bus and quickly went in, closing the door behind him as he took a seat behind the driver. Vasari was startled as he could tell the stranger wasn’t some tourist or someone who was lost.
“Can I help you?” Vasari nervously asked.
“You can. I need whatever info you have on Frederick Booth,” Raines answered.
“Who are you?”
“My name’s not important. You gave this information to someone recently. Unfortunately this man has turned up dead.
I’ve been sent to rectify that mistake.”
“You’re the U.S. agent?”
“Yes.”
“I have not heard about his whereabouts in the last several days. Before that he was living in a church a few minutes from here,” Vasari told him.
“A church?”
“Yes. I am not sure of the connection myself but he was there.”
“Not alone I’m sure. Who’s he have with him?”
“At least two that I know of. Possibly more but I cannot say with much certainty.”
“Thanks,” Raines said, putting some money in the man’s shirt pocket.
“Be careful. As I told the previous agent, the church is protecting him. You must proceed with caution.”
“Where’s this church at?”
“If you go down the next street, go eight blocks down, turn right, three more blocks, turn left, it will be on the right. Saint Martin’s.”
Raines nodded in acknowledgment and tapped Vasari on the shoulder as he exited the bus. Raines started walking toward the church Booth was staying and began formulating a plan along the way. He figured he could barge in and force the situation or he could just sit back and survey it for a while. If he barged in, there was no way of knowing if Booth was still there, or how many men he had with him. If he waited and staked it out, he could wait there for days without seeing anything, which would seriously delay him if Booth had already moved on. As he got closer, he made the decision to wait. He wasn’t usually the kind of agent who kicked ass first and took names later. Raines always wanted as much information as possible before making a move of any kind. That’s how he’d survived as long as he has. He got within a block of the church and walked around the perimeter, surveying potential spots he could watch from without being seen. There were several big problems though. The church was so massive that no matter what side he was on he couldn’t see the other sides. He could possibly see the front and side, but the other side and back weren’t visible from any location. Raines’ other problem was that there were so many tourists going in and out that it would be tough to pinpoint Booth. Now he could see why the last agent got killed. There was no other way but to go in there. He’d have to be smart about it though. He then went back to his hotel and started to formulate a plan. He contacted Lawson to give her an update on what was happening. They did some brainstorming to come up with something that wouldn’t get Raines killed.
“So have you come up with anything yet?” Lawson asked.
“Yeah. I walk in the front door and ask where Booth is.”
“I mean something that won’t get you killed.”
“You’re concerned for my safety and well being? I’m touched,” Raines said.
“Don’t be too touched. I’m more concerned about Booth killing another agent and escaping without us knowing where he’s going.”
“Oh.”
“Let me see where the next available agents are and I can see if I can swing them your way.”
“Do you really think there’s time for that?” Raines asked.
“You can’t go in there alone. It’s too risky. You need backup.”
“We don’t have time to wait a day or two for other agents to arrive. Booth could be gone by then if he isn’t already.”
“And if we lose you because you’re being impatient then we’ll lose him anyway,” Lawson argued.
“I have an idea that I think might work.”
The following morning Raines left the hotel and went back to St. Martin’s. He had what he thought was a pretty good plan. At least he hoped it was. He figured it was either so brilliant that he could have Booth in custody before the day was over or it was so stupid he’d probably be killed in a matter of minutes. Raines thought it was a chance worth taking though. He stood outside the churches walls and simply looked at the massive structure, wondering how it could be harboring a wanted fugitive. After pondering it for a few seconds he went inside. He found someone that worked there and asked to see the priest that was in charge. He was told that Father Marino was the person he was seeking but he was currently engaged in other business. Raines showed a badge and said he was in law enforcement and had important business to discuss. He asked if he could wait and was led Marino’s office. Raines walked around the office, looking at everything that was visible to see if there were any clues for the taking. He came up empty though. He waited for about ten minutes before Marino was able to meet with him. Upon meeting, they shook hands and sat down at a desk across from each other.
“I understand you’re from the law enforcement community?” Marino asked.
“I am,” Raines replied. “I’m not supposed to say from where but I’m sure you can make a pretty accurate guess.”
“So what can I do for you?”
“I tend to be blunt and honest and get straight to the point so I won’t beat around the bush or play some type of game to get the information I want.”
“OK?”
“Frederick Booth. We know he’s here and we know you’re shielding him. We haven’t figured out why yet but that really isn’t my concern,” Raines told him.
“I can assure you that I haven’t the faintest idea of what you’re talking about.”
“Father, I’m not really in the mood to engage in a debate about it. There’s been one agent of ours killed here already.”
“I am sorry for that.”
“I’m not here for you or your apologies,” Raines said. “Your reasons for helping him are yours and not my concern. My only concern is apprehending him as quickly as possible. He’s a dangerous man and a wanted fugitive that needs to be brought to justice.”
“Justice? What justice? Yours?” Marino asked. “There is only one that is supposed to give justice.”
“Well until that day arrives I guess I’ll just have to do my part.”
“And if he was here as you suggest, the reasons for shielding him as you put it, may not appear to be what they seem.”
“Things usually aren’t.”
“I would say there are many reasons for doing the things that we do. They may not always make sense to those who aren’t privy to all the information.”
Raines stood up and put a piece of paper down on the desk for the priest.
“What is this?” Marino asked, reading the address that was written on it.
“I’m staying at the Waldorf Astoria. Room 913. I’ll be there until tonight.”
“And why would I have any use for this?”
“Because I expect that you’ll contemplate our conversation and at some point, you’ll do the right thing and give me the information I’m looking for,” Raines said before walking to the door.
“What makes you think I will? Or that I wouldn’t just give this to this Booth person that you’re seeking?”
“Trust, Father. Trust.”
Raines left the office and walked straight out of the church. Everything went exactly as he thought it would. Marino’s defiant stance proved to Raines that Booth was there somewhere. It was such a big place though that finding him there would be near impossible. He’d have to get Booth to come to him. He was counting on Marino giving Booth his address and him paying Raines a visit. He figured Booth would have to try and take him out since Raines knew where he was. The only thing he didn’t know, and it could’ve been a big problem, was how many men Booth had with him. But there was no way of telling until it was time to battle. And Raines was as ready as he ever was for that.
Once Raines got back to the hotel, he got an idea on how to even the odds a little if Booth brought more men with him. He immediately sought out an employee at the main desk.
“Will you be working all night?” Raines wondered.
“I’m here until ten, sir,” the employee replied.
“Here’s my problem…I have a very dangerous job and I think at some point today I may be receiving a visit from some very unsavory characters. If you see a group of rough looking men come in and head straight for the elevator for the nint
h floor, I’d appreciate an immediate phone call,” Raines stated. He reached into his pocket and took out a hundred dollar bill, offering it to the employee.
The man took it and nodded. “It’d be my pleasure, sir.”
Raines smiled. “Do a good job and there’ll be another one of those before your night’s over.”
“How will I know when I see them?”
“Trust me. You’ll know.”
Raines went up to his room and got himself ready for some visitors. He had three guns with him that he put silencers on. One for each hand plus a backup that he put in the back of his pants. Now all he had to do was wait. While he waited, he called Lawson to let her know how it was going. If Booth really was in hiding at the church, Raines was sure he’d get paid a visit relatively quickly. Booth couldn’t afford not to. A few more hours went by without a peep. Raines looked at the time hitting four o’clock just as the phone rang. He quickly answered.
“Four men just got into the elevator for the ninth floor,” the desk person told him.
“Thank you.”
“Wait…there’s a fifth guy waiting down here in the lobby.”
“Thanks again.”
Raines went over to the sliding door that led to the balcony and opened it slightly. He then went into the bathroom and turned the shower on. Then he proceeded into the bedroom and turned the TV on, making sure it was loud. He put a couple pillows in the middle of the bed and pulled the covers over them. Raines was doing anything he could think of to give himself an advantage. Even if it gave him an extra second, any pause that the intruders made, it could be the difference that he needed to survive. He closed the bathroom and bedroom door before sliding under the bed. A few minutes went by. Raines went through the probable chain of events in his mind. He pictured how he’d kill each man, going from room to room. It helped to relax him so he didn’t over think things. His concentration was interrupted a minute later as he thought he heard the front door opening. He patiently waited for someone to come through the bedroom door.