“What brings you to Queens?” his father asked. “I haven’t seen you in weeks.”
“I have a client meeting at noon.” Seth nibbled on a corner of dry toast, washing it down with slightly curdled milk. He really had to get his father out of this death trap. “I wanted to drop in and see you.”
Donald pointed to Terra with his cigarette. “Who’s the broad?”
Ignoring Terra’s shocked expression, he replied, “That’s Terra. She’s an intern at my firm. We’ve just come back from visiting clients in the Northwest. New York is our next stop.”
“How are you getting around? I didn’t see a hire car out front.”
“Our firm is keeping their purse strings tight after the last financial crisis, so we’re using public transport.”
And stolen vehicles.
Donald grunted a response and drew his gaze to Terra again, who matched his stare with a friendly smile. “Where’s Trix?” he asked. “I miss watching her peach round ass wobble to the kitchen to get my coffee.”
Seth swallowed the lump in his throat. “She passed away, Dad. She was killed by a hit and run driver last week. Fucking coward left her in the middle of the street.”
“Geez, I’m sorry to hear that, son.” Donald took a puff on his cigarette and patted Seth’s knee lovingly, blowing smoke out from the corner of his mouth. “I hope you catch the culprit.”
“I will.”
Donald grinned. “You’re never short of pretty young ladies. Did you know Terra before the accident?”
“What? Terra and I are not—”
“I’m not senile yet, Seth. I see the way you look at her. I don’t blame you. She’s a hot piece of ass.”
Clearly holding back the need to speak her mind, Terra walked into the kitchen with her empty coffee mug.
“Dad, you gotta stop acting like a dirty old man,” Seth scolded. “You were never like this when Mom was alive.”
“You know nothing about our marriage, boy. Your mother and I had troubles like any marriage, and her sickness stripped her of any sex drive. I was forced to look elsewhere.”
“Okay! I don’t want to hear the rest of it. I get it.”
“So you’ve never…?”
“No, Dad!”
Donald took another suck on his cigarette. “So tell me the truth. Why did you visit me? I’ve seen you more in a month than I have over the last three years.”
Terra re-entered the living room and sat down, locking eyes with Seth. They needed their next move urgently. “Dad, do you still own that cabin where we used to spend summers in Montana?”
Donald’s face brightened with euphoria. “I have fond memories of that place. Your mother was at her best in those days. Yeah, I still own it. Why do you want to know?”
“I have leave owing to me and I would like to take some time away. Can I stay there for a few days?”
Mischief glistened in Donald’s eye. “Will you be staying there alone? There’s an attractive king sized bed in the master bedroom.”
Seth cleared his throat. “I may ask someone over momentarily to keep me company.”
His father smiled and stabbed the butt of his cigarette into a glass ashtray. “Good. The cabin’s yours.” He leaned forward and patted Seth’s knee. “You’ve always made me proud, son. I would like to know all the juicy details when you return.”
***
“Your father doesn’t know I’m staying at the cabin, does he?” Terra asked as they drove through the lush forests of Montana. Through the thickened tree line, grand snow-capped mountains pierced the sky. Deer hung back in the safety of the shadows watching the stolen Chevy pass by.
“Oh, he knows,” Seth replied with a smirk. “My father isn’t as senile as people make him out to be.”
“So do you think we’ll be safe out here? I don’t think I can keep on running.”
Seth gripped the steering wheel, staring at the road unfolding in front of them. This was his last resort, the last stop before surrendering to Spencer. If he and Terra could survive out here unnoticed for as long as they could, they might have a chance of making it out alive. The cabin was isolated, tucked away in the belly of the forest. He hoped they were safe for now.
“No one will be able to find us. We’ll be devoid of all modern luxuries—internet, GPS, satellite, hot water, and internal heating.” He turned to her and grinned. “Do you think you can survive without logging in to Social House every five seconds?”
“For your information, I once camped out in the Siberian wilderness with a group of animal activists living off raw wolf meat and berries. I was so detached from society that I had trouble integrating back into it. Living under a tarp for six weeks does something to you. So, yeah, I think I can handle it.”
“I’ll leave the fire building to you then.”
Seth caught sight of a flash ahead of them, buried in the depth of the bush. He slowed the car until they were crawling, studying the area through narrowed eyes. When he saw the flash again, he recognized it as a sniper scope. He’d seen too many, and been behind too many.
“What is it? Terra asked. “Do you see something?”
He shifted the car into gear and increased their speed, racing toward a bend in the road. Terra gripped his arm, though he didn’t feel her nails digging into his flesh. “Seth, what the hell are you doing? Slow down!”
Moments before impacting a metal barrier, he slammed his foot on the brakes. The car fishtailed and squealed to a halt. Seth tore the door open and exited with lightning speed, running into the woods, Terra’s screams echoing around him.
“Seth!”
He swam through the thick undergrowth, catching movement feet away from him. He pulled out his pistol and pointed it at the hunched body hiding behind a shrub. “You gave your position away, did you know that? The sun is sitting at a two o’clock, so its rays reflect off the scope. Who are you?”
The figure stood slowly with its hands up and stepped into a ray of sunlight. Seth didn’t recognize the dark skinned man. He was dressed in a black blazer and pants, cradling a camouflaged sniper rifle in the crook of his arm.
“Who are you?” Seth repeated.
When the man didn’t respond, Seth clicked the safety off his weapon. “How did you find us?”
Someone approached from behind and he turned to see Terra standing timidly at a safe distance. To his surprise, she carried one of his Uzis. “What’s going on, Seth? Who’s this?”
“I don’t know. He won’t answer me.”
“I’m not telling you my name,” the man finally said. “I have one goal and I’m going to achieve it at any cost.”
“Did Spencer Hack send you?”
“I don’t know who sent me. I only accepted an open call on this contract.”
“How did you find us?” Seth asked. “My tracker was removed.”
The man shrugged. “I was given direct coordinates where to find you. I was informed of the make and model of the vehicle you boosted from New Jersey. As I said, I have only one goal.”
Terra approached with her gun drawn. “Tell me how much we’re worth.”
The man jerked his chin toward Seth. “He’s worth three mill and you four.”
“The bounty sure is high.” Seth lowered his weapon. “You can kill us right now and make seven million credits. What proof of our deaths do you need to bring back?”
“Your heads.”
“How many more hit men are out here looking for us?”
“Don’t know.”
When Seth pulled the trigger, the shot sent a flock of birds fleeing into a neighboring canopy. The man’s body flopped onto the forest floor, blood pouring from a gaping hole in his forehead.
Terra gripped his arm. “Why did you do that? He was going to tell us important information.”
Seth slipped the pistol back into its holster and lowered to his haunches, fishing through the man’s pockets. “He was going to tell us stuff we already know. We’ve probably been followed from day on
e by dozens of contract killers. Spencer is resourceful. He has spies everywhere.” He pulled out items as he located them: a packet of gum, a gas station receipt, a candy bar, and a disposable cell phone.
“Who was he?”
“That’s not something someone tells you ahead of time, Terra. I don’t recognize this man.”
“How are they still tracking you when I removed the tracker from your wrist?”
“I’m not sure. There must be another way.” He searched through the phone, finding no text messages or recent calls. He tossed it over his shoulder despairingly. “Shit. He must’ve equipped the phone with a virus to delete all information once making a call or sending a text. Anyone could have sent him.”
“It’s possible it was Spencer?”
“Very likely.” Seth stood up, brushed his hands on his jeans, and headed back to the car. “Let’s go before more of them find us.”
Terra pointed to the body, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth. “What about our friend? Won’t they find him?”
Seth looked back. The man’s body was well hidden and could lay undisturbed for days until someone or something found it.
“He’s a faceless contract killer, Terra. There’s many more where he came from. Spencer does a daily check in. If he hasn’t heard from him, he may release a search party. That’s a big but. Anyway, a cougar will make a meal out of him tonight, I’m sure.”
When she still didn’t look convinced, he took her hand and led her away from the body. “Just leave him behind. I’m not keen on becoming cougar food.”
They reached the car in silence and drove on for another five miles. They pulled up to a decrepit timber letter box positioned in the ground at an angle. The number ‘fifty-two’ was painted onto the wood. A dirt driveway snaked deeper into the property.
“This is it,” Seth said, steering the vehicle off the road. “It’s been twenty years since I was here last. I hope the old girl still lives up to my memories.”
“What’s the point of staying here if they know where we are?” Terra asked.
“Montana’s a big place. I can’t explain why that guy back there knew our position even though this cabin is off the grid. It’s not even listed in the phone book.”
They drove up the driveway, and a log cabin came into view, shadowed by large pine trees. A shredded tarp covered the front porch, billowing in the wind. Empty beer bottles littered the front garden, and an old pickup truck rotted away in a metal shed.
“Looks like some teenagers found this place before us,” Terra remarked. “Look at all those bottles.”
Seth shook his head. “Teens didn’t do that. My father took up the drink after my mother died. He was a mean drunk. It’s what drove us apart.”
He parked the car and exited, casting a glance to the sparkling lake lapping at the shore. He used to swim in it every morning as a child, running down the jetty and leaping into the water. For a fleeting moment, Seth forgot what bought him back to his childhood home—betrayal and rebellion.
Terra remained at the car, one foot in the door frame, a hand on her hip.
He’d never brought Trix here, too frightened of the demons it possessed. Now he had new demons to fight. Seth closed his eyes and allowed the dying rays of sunlight to warm his face. If things had gone differently, this would be the place he’d retire and raise a family. The cabin’s history was dead and gone. It was time for a new era.
Terra stepped up beside him. “It’s beautiful out here. So quiet and serene.”
“It won’t be for long. It’ll be dark soon and the temperature will drop.” He checked his watch. “We have two hours before darkness falls. Let’s clean this place a bit. I hope the fireplace still works.”
Chapter Fourteen
Spencer hated the smell of freshly spilt blood. It infused into his hair, clothes, and pores, stifling him. When he committed his first murder all those years ago, the metallic stench of blood made him hurl, now, he only worried about it staining his favorite suit.
“Did I make the wrong decision giving you this responsibility? How could you betray me?”
Dawson quivered at his feet, spitting globs of blood onto the floor. He cupped his broken nose with trembling hands. “I’m-I’m sorry I betrayed you, sir. It won’t happen again.”
Spencer massaged his injured fist and walked back to his desk, dunking his hand into a bowl of ice. The initial shock of pain pacified the rage in his gut.
“I’ve tried to be lenient toward you, Dawson, and help you when you obviously can’t help yourself. When I’m told you’ve gone behind my back and helped Seth Langdon that pisses me off. I thought I could trust you.”
“You still can.”
Spencer slammed his hand down onto the desk so hard Dawson leapt into the air. “So tell me why you fucking helped him in Richards County? We had him and the broad in our sights. He would’ve been captured that night. What did you tell him?”
Dawson stood and reached out for the book case for support. The front of his shirt was stained in red. “It was a scare tactic, sir. I told him you’ll never stop hunting him and he must come forward if he wants to survive. He’s panicked.”
“He told you this?”
“Can’t you see it? Joca’s been tracking their movements. They are spontaneous and lack direction. He doesn’t know where to go. He’s trapped.”
“Langdon isn’t a mindless drone, Dawson,” Spencer said, opening up Seth’s employee file on his computer. His kill list was the longest he’d ever seen in the company’s history. “He’s my best and that’s what scares me. I try and stay one step ahead of him but he’s resourceful.”
Dawson gingerly pressed a finger to his nose. He winced. “What’s Joca doing about it? I thought he was sending contracts out to pin Seth down.”
“I want Joca undisturbed at this time. This is possibly the biggest contract the company has even seen. I’ve opened it to all parties so he has a lot to monitor. Just do your job and keep me informed whenever Seth makes contact.”
Dawson’s eyebrows snapped together. “You’re not angry at me for breaking protocol?”
“If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” Spencer sat in his rhino hide chair and his bones groaned in protest. “Keep an eye on him. I don’t know what he and this woman have planned. I merely want to talk to Langdon. Is that too much to ask? If he makes contact, convince him to come back to me uninfluenced.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Has he been using any portals?”
Dawson shook his head. “Not since he killed Peter South in Dallas. Seth’s main use of transport has been stolen vehicles and rail. I can put activity on all portals if you wish.”
Spencer waved his hand in the air as if shooing away a fly. “Negative. It will hinder my other operatives. Give Langdon full access to the portals.”
“Aren’t they activated by the chip in the agents’ wrists? No one can go through them without one.”
“Not necessarily. The portals were designed to do a full body scan of everyone who enters it. Langdon’s scan will be on file. You’re the IT expert, Dawson. Figure a way out to activate the portals to accept Langdon’s vitals.”
Dawson still looked confused. “May I ask why are you giving him full access? I thought you didn’t want him to get away.”
“I don’t,” Spencer replied. “I’m giving him the illusion of escape. All this time, Langdon’s been avoiding the portals because he thinks they’ll give away his position. If I give it to him, he’ll believe he’s eluded me and lower his guard. I want to strike when he’s least expecting it.”
“I’ll start working on calibrating the portal system right away. Is there anything else?”
Spencer flipped open his cigar box and picked through them. He’d purchased them four months ago during a trip to Cuba, waiting for an opportune moment to savor them. He closed the lid and pushed them away. Now wasn’t the time. He’d light one the moment Langdon’s head was on a spike.
“Leav
e me, Dawson. I want updates on the hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
The smell of freshly brewed coffee eased the tension in Joca’s chest. He got up from the desk and stretched his arms over his head like a cat, welcoming a feeling of euphoria. It felt good to move about after sitting for three hours straight.
Walking over to the coffee pot, he poured himself a mug and sat back down at the desk. On his screen flashed the last known location of Seth Langdon and Terra Bloom. A red dot pinpointed their position in the mountains of Montana.
Joca chuckled as he imagined the pair trying to work out how they were still being tracked despite removing Seth’s wrist chip. As criminals and agents outwitted the technology, he had to ensure the agency had the upper hand.
All location tattoos imprinted on target’s bodies were now mixed with molecular trackers so it was virtually impossible to remove unless they stripped the skin. Joca predicted Seth would extract the tracker first thing so he needed another precaution. There was no way Spencer would willingly allow Seth and Terra to escape his grasp for good. Since the moment they left the factory in Oklahoma, Joca had known their movements down to the second.
The vibrating of his cell phone dragged his attention from the computer screen. He reached over to answer Spencer’s call.
“Sir, good evening.”
“Do you have any news on Langdon?”
“Yes, they’re currently in the Montana Mountains, three klicks from a town called Crescent. There’s been no movement on their location for a few hours, sir.”
“What’s out there?”
“Not much really. The town’s nothing special. I sent an agent out there a few days ago and I haven’t received word from him since.”
There was silence on Spencer’s end for a few moments. “Does Langdon have any ties in the area? Family or friends?”
“Negative. I found no record of any settlements or properties in Montana. What are you thinking, sir?”
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