by Jill Meengs
I wondered if Chase had suspected who was involved or if he just recognized this Baron guy now that he had seen him.
“I guess when you have been in this business as long as I have, it is easier for anonymity to go by the wayside. I’m very interested in knowing who you are, as well as exactly what you are doing with her,” the Baron said.
Chase’s response was more silence.
“I see. Well, I have my suspicions on both. Now, you sir will stay here, and she is coming with me.” He kept the gun pointed at Chase while motioning me forward with his other hand.
I balked, looking at Chase, who nodded reassuringly.
“It’s going to be okay. Just stay calm. Go with him,” his eyes flicked down to my waist then back to my face.
His glance kick-started my brain. He wanted me to move so he could get my gun.
Playing the part of the helpless female, I gave Chase a timid look. “Okay, I’ll go with him.”
My voice trembled with emotions I wasn’t feeling while my eyes told Chase that I was ready. I took a nervous step forward, moving at a slight angle to bring myself closer to him. The Baron smiled disdainfully with his eyes locked on Chase.
Maintaining my mask of fear, I took another erratic step forward then stumbled. Presumably, I faltered from a combination of fear and ineptness. In reality, it was carefully executed to bring me close enough to Chase that he could reach the handgun concealed at the small of my back.
As I went down, I felt the gun being yanked from my waistband. Shock and anger flashed across the Baron’s face. A split second later, shots rang out from both directions. I hit the ground hard, rolling for cover. I tensed my body in anticipation of bullets hitting me. None did.
Hiding behind a chair, I was not that far from the doorway. The Baron had ducked behind another chair in the far corner. Chase was crouched behind the sofa. Chase squeezed off a couple rounds in the Baron’s direction.
“Get out now!” he shouted over the sound of the gunfire. He popped off a few more shots to provide cover for me.
Without further encouragement, I ran flat out through the door to the stairs. I took the steps two at a time as thoughts flew through my mind. What should I do? Should I go back? Should I run to the hotel? Should I go for help? Who could help me?
At the bottom of the first flight of stairs, I used the handrail to propel myself in a half circle to the top of the next set. In mid-swing, I smacked squarely into someone’s chest, knocking them backward.
The collision was so violent I lost my grip and pitched forward. As I was falling, I automatically let my body go limp. I bounced twice before flopping on top of the person who was now lying on their back at the base of the stairs.
Dazed, I moved so I was straddling the individual I had run into. The stairwell was dim, but I could discern that person on the floor was a well-built man dressed in dark clothes. He had jet-black hair which stood out in sharp contrast to his pale skin. While stunned, he was not unconscious. A pistol was clutched in his right hand.
The sight of the gun was all the catalyst I needed. If he was heading up to that room with a weapon, he was not a friend. Standing up, I stepped around the guy as I grabbed for the gun. My attempt to snatch it out of his grasp failed. Not wanting to stick around while he reoriented, I ran down the last flight of stairs as fast as I could. He stood up, cursing harshly in a language I couldn’t understand.
Leaping over the last few stairs, I raced down the hallway toward the door we had entered. The man behind me shouted something up the stairs in his foreign tongue. If the Baron answered, it was drowned out by another round of gunfire. When the shots ceased, heavy footsteps were pounding down the stairs after me.
The sound of a person chasing me spurred me to greater speed. Going out the door to the alley, I charged toward the nearest street. At the corner, I dared a glance over my shoulder. Someone emerged from the doorway. They looked in my direction just as I navigated the turn.
With my arms pumping hard, I was running faster than I ever had before. Another look stolen over my shoulder confirmed that, although the man was coming after me, he was further away than I had anticipated. Whatever the reason for the lead, I was grateful as I crossed the street in front of the cafe. I knew that I could not outrun him forever. Dodging a tree on the sidewalk, I urgently searched for an escape route or a place to hide as I ran alongside the cathedral.
About halfway down the side of the enormous building, I recalled the entrance to the cathedral that we had passed earlier. I knew that it was just up ahead, set back in a courtyard, and had massive twenty-foot-tall doors. Off to the side of the main doors, there had been an inconspicuous standard-sized door that blended in with the surrounding stonework. While there was no chance I would be able to open one of the main doors, I might be able to open the much smaller door.
If I could get inside, there could be places to hide. There might even be someone that could help me. At the very least, I could cut across the building to find another way out. All of this flashed through my mind instantaneously before I made my decision.
Without missing a step, I swerved toward the wall. Gathering myself, I leapt as high as I could up onto the gate. Gripping the substantial posts with both hands, I braced my feet on the iron. I was more than halfway up, but still had several feet to climb. Using every ounce of strength I had, I scurried to the top.
With my hands on the uppermost crossbar, I swung my leg up for a foothold, careful to avoid impaling myself on the pointed ends of the posts. Once I was positioned properly, I swung myself upward, using my foot as the anchor. At the zenith of my swing, I kicked my feet out, vaulting over the top.
As soon as I landed upright on the cobblestone courtyard, I sprinted to the small door. It was locked. Backing up for a running start, I charged forward to kick where the latch met the doorframe. The door shuddered, but didn’t open. The sound of running feet on the pavement lent greater urgency to my task. I kicked the door again. This time it gave a little under the pressure, but remained in one piece. The footsteps slowed, and then stopped directly behind me.
My pursuer had reached the gate. He appeared truly taken aback to see me on the other side of the fence inside the courtyard. Our eyes locked. Seeing him clearly for the first time, my entire body went numb. He was the man we had seen entering the cafe earlier.
The look of disbelief on his face was quickly replaced with one of lethal intent. He started to scale the fence. Facing the door, I drew all the power from the core of my body and put it into a final kick. This time there was a loud pop. The door had splintered at the latch and swung open. It hadn’t started its backswing before I rushed through, banging it shut behind me.
There was deadbolt at the top of the door that I slammed home. I found a heavy, wooden chair a few feet away and, dragging it in front of the door, wedged it at an angle up against it. I knew this wouldn’t stop him, but perhaps it would give me a few extra seconds.
I was in a small corridor that appeared to run the length of the building. I looked up and down the hallway, unsure where to go. The door behind me suddenly shook violently on its hinges as the man rammed into it.
Springing to life, I raced down the hall to the right. Behind me, the man continued to try to force the door open. Several turns took me deeper into the building before I heard the door finally collapse with an ear-splitting crack.
I continued to sprint blindly through the building, passing doors and turns and ignoring stairways. Going up or down would effectively trap me. What I needed was a way out.
I was now in the main part of the church. The enormous stone pillars supporting the ceiling rose up several stories. Graceful arches, incredible stonework, and amazing artwork were everywhere. Preoccupied with trying to find a way out, I was blind to the magnificence surrounding me. Spotting a small door on the other side of the room, I raced across the large chamber.
Footsteps echoed behind me as I reached the door. Looking up, I saw he was all the way acr
oss the vast room. I shut the door between us, but found no lock. I was in a large courtyard with rows of orange trees planted in a perfect grid pattern. There was a small fountain in the center of the space. While it was probably lovely for an afternoon in the sun, it provided zero camouflage.
A gated entrance to the street was on the far side of the courtyard. I knew my time had run out. I needed to hide and hope the man kept going, or that Chase would come find me.
On my left were several large, heavy-looking wooden doors. I made my way to the first one. The handle didn’t budge. The next door opened, so I slipped inside. I looked futilely for a locking mechanism. There was a key hole on the antique door handle, but no key. I spun around to get my bearings. I was in a large storage room filled with hundreds of objects of varying sizes.
On the far wall was another door. Going through it, I found myself in a similar cavern- like room filled with more items. Most of the objects in this room were covered in large drop cloths, which gave it an unnerving ambiance. There was no other door. I crossed to some windows on the far wall, but they had bars on them. My only real hope now was that the man would bypass this room entirely.
Dawn wasn’t far away. I figured that with the sun the church would come to life. It would be much harder for him to hunt me down if there were people around. I looked for the best place to take refuge, settling on the corner right of the door. It was very dark in that spot and there were several large objects that would provide cover. It was also close enough to the door that I might be able to sneak past him if he did enter the room.
Inspired, I pictured the handles on the main door that opened to the courtyard. They were half circles set close together. If I could find something thin and strong, like a piece of metal pipe, I could use it to lock the door from the outside. Now I just needed to find a suitable tool.
Quickly and quietly, I searched until I located a long piece of cast iron that might have been part of a railing at some point. Whatever it had been before, it was exactly what I needed now. Twirling it in my hands, I noted that it would also make a decent weapon. I stopped to listen with the iron bar gripped firmly in my hands. Hearing nothing, I went to the corner I had picked out as my hiding spot.
I hunkered down between a piece of furniture and the wall. It was dark enough that it was difficult to see everything in the room. I concentrated on slowing my heavy breathing so I wouldn’t be heard.
Crouched in the shadows, my thoughts turned to Chase. What happened in that room after I ran out? I had to believe he was fine if I was to keep going. I couldn’t allow myself the luxury of breaking down right now.
Alone in the shadows, I inhaled musty air. Now that I wasn’t fleeing madly, I had time to consider what was going on. The man chasing me was obviously working with the Baron, but was he the only one? The man’s presence at the cafe, his tenacity, and his skill all indicated he was the notorious Vlad.
I was tired of not having the answers. I was tired of running. I wanted to finish this. I gripped the piece of iron tightly. The possession of a decent weapon was bolstering as I waited alone in the darkness.
Was the door ajar? Squinting in the poor light, I tried to determine if my mind was playing tricks on me. I couldn’t be sure, but the door looked like it was partly open. When I had entered the room, I was positive that I had shut it completely.
I closed my eyes, and willed myself not to breathe. My heart beat frantically as adrenaline pumped through my veins. Things like this didn’t happen to people like me. Things like this weren’t supposed to happen at all.
A faint noise broke the oppressive silence. I pressed up against the wall feeling the deep chill of the stone spread through my body. That sound, while barely audible, was enough to tell me that I was not alone. Somehow, he had made his way into the room without my knowing it. That noise was a mistake. I knew he would not make another.
I had to outmaneuver him. He was good, he was very good, and if he hadn’t been trying to kill me I would have admired him for that. The only question now was if I could be better.
CHAPTER 17
THE IRON BAR came up in a defensive position as I waited. I needed to know where he was before he figured out where I was. Naturally, I was focused on the area I thought the noise had come from. When that yielded nothing, I scanned the room systematically. Again, I came up blank. It was just too dark to see anything clearly. Since my current method was not working, I attacked the problem from a different angle. If I were the bad guy looking for someone in this room, what would I do?
After a moment’s contemplation, I decided that I would try to think like my prey. I assumed that, since he hadn’t shot me already, he wanted to take me alive. If I wanted to capture someone in this room, I would want to figure out where they were hiding, and sneak up on them.
To do that, I would need to determine where the best hiding spots were, then eliminate them one by one. I visualized Vlad making his way covertly around the room. What mattered most was how he would approach this spot. I would come at it from the far side using the furniture as cover. The entire scenario of how he would attack, my reaction, and his counter move formed solidly in my mind.
I processed all of this in a matter of seconds. Prepared, I calmly waited. When I heard him on my left, my response was immediate. Needing accuracy above all else, I focused on placement rather than power. I swung the piece of iron where I knew his gun hand would be. The bar hit flesh with a horrible thwacking sounding that sent his weapon flying. The man grunted harshly in pain. I reversed my swing, aiming this time for his head.
With a loud thud, the metal made contact with his skull, knocking him to the floor. With Vlad momentarily immobilized, I raced out the door and through the adjacent room. Just when I reached the outer door, loud thrashing noises erupted behind me. Vlad was up and trying to find me.
Outside, the predawn air was chilly enough that I could see each breath as I exhaled. Slamming the door shut, I shoved the iron bar through the two handles to lock it. As soon as I jammed the bar home, Vlad yanked on the doors from the inside. They were pulled with such force that I sprang back several feet. With the bar in place, they remained closed despite Vlad continuing to yank on them as he cursed in what sounded like a mixture of languages.
Unsure what to do, I backed up until I was in between the fountain and the gate. Movement by the cathedral caught my eye. Someone was approaching at a dead run. Nowhere to go, I turned to face the solitary figure coming toward me in the gloom. When his face was visible, I almost collapsed.
It was Chase!
He checked the courtyard to make sure I was alone before racing to me. “Jordan!” His voice practically vibrated with the same relief I felt.
Everything else momentarily forgotten, I crossed the cobblestones to meet him next to the fountain. He cradled my face in his hands.
“I…” He stopped because he didn’t have the words.
I shook my head because words weren’t necessary.
If it hadn’t been for the assassin less than fifty feet away desperately trying to escape the trap I had made, I could have stayed like that forever. Vlad reminded us of his presence by crashing so hard against the door, the wood buckled. With this last, unsuccessful attempt to gain his freedom, he let out a frustrated, inhuman howl.
That was all Chase needed to fully understand the situation.
“We have to get out of here.” He hurried us to the gate that opened to the street.
It was at this point that I noticed that Chase didn’t have a gun.
“I ran out of ammunition,” he said when he saw me staring at his empty hands.
I desperately hoped that Vlad hadn’t found his gun after I knocked it out of his hand.
“Let me give you a boost.” Chase interlaced his fingers to make a step with his hands as he had done in Barcelona.
I placed my left foot into his cupped hands. At the same time, Chase stood up, lifting his arms and helping me reach the top of the fence. Gripping the high
est bar, I adjusted myself so I could leap to the other side. Before I could swing myself over, I heard the click of a gun hammer.
“Stop!” a voice commanded. “Come back down now. We have unfinished business.”
Frozen, I looked down at Chase. I didn’t know what had transpired in that room after I left, but it had not resulted in the death of the Baron because he was standing behind us with a pistol.
Chase was mouthing the word “Go!” to me.
I shook my head in defiance. I would not leave him again.
Letting go of the fence, I landed softly on my feet next to Chase. Together we turned to face the Baron.
“Step away from the gate. We wouldn’t want to attract any attention now, would we?” His tone was casual. “Slowly now, let’s not do anything rash like before,” he cautioned, backing up so we would not get too close.
Chase moved forward with his arms raised just above his waist to show that he didn’t have a weapon. I mimicked him. The Baron had backed up until he was next to the fountain in the center of the courtyard while we were just in front of it. He flashed a confident smile.
With a loud snapping sound, the barrier keeping Vlad at bay shattered. He sneered as he walked through the debris from the decimated door toward us.
This was the first time I got a clear look at him. He wasn’t very tall, maybe six feet, with a heavily muscled body. The look in his eyes was cold and hard. I supposed he was handsome in a Neanderthal type of way with dark wavy hair, a beard, and thick eyebrows. To me, he looked like the killer that he was.
It was obvious he wasn’t armed. He was bleeding from a gash on his temple and his right hand hung red and swollen at his side. Vlad circled around the fountain so he was behind us. Chase shifted his stance so he could see both men at the same time. The Baron motioned me forward, which caused Chase to step in front of me. The Baron responded by pointing his gun directly at Chase. There was nothing for Chase to do but shoot me a helpless look. The Baron gestured for me to come forward again. With no other choice, I complied.