Fallen: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers Book 5)

by Nick Stephenson

  “Firing range twice a week,” said Jerome. “Not that he’s much of a shot, but we won’t have any problems.”

  “Glad to hear it,” said Hunter. “Don’t fire unless absolutely necessary. Let us do our jobs and we’ll keep you safe.”

  “Relatively speaking, of course,” Leopold added.

  “We’ll use the fence as cover and approach on foot,” said Kane. “Once Hunter’s team engages the targets, we’ll move in from the water. Everyone remember their training and we’ll be in and out.” She checked her watch. “We’ve got less than thirty minutes. Let’s move.”

  Kane and Hunter broke into a jog and headed for the fence. The others followed. Leopold strapped the P226 to his hip and took one last glance at Mary as he left.

  She said, “Try not to get shot.”

  “If I didn’t know better,” said Leopold, “I’d say you were worried about me.”

  “I changed my mind. Get shot all you want.”

  Leopold laughed. “See you soon, Sergeant.”

  “Good luck.” She leaned in closer, put one hand on his shoulder. “There’s something I wanted to say before... you know.”

  Leopold nodded. “Tell me when this is over.”

  Mary nodded. “Just try to keep your head down. I’ll be watching.” She pulled away.

  “I’ll be back before you know it.” He turned and broke into a run, fighting hard to keep a smile from spreading across his face.

  Chapter 70

  “THE COUNTDOWN IS set, sir,” said Hawkes, addressing Robert Blake from behind his desk. “There’s no going back now.”

  The colonel had gathered his team in Blake’s office for a final briefing, and the dozen-strong unit looked ready to drop. A full night’s work behind them, and they weren’t out of the woods yet.

  “Then it’s time we got ready to leave, gentlemen,” said Blake. “I want this ship prepped to move out in two hours. Make the necessary arrangements.”

  “Yes, sir.” Hawkes turned to leave, but stopped short as a piercing siren filled the office.

  Blake swore and turned on his computer monitor. “Colonel, I thought you said your men wouldn’t be followed.”

  Hawkes shook his head. “I had tabs on them, sir. I didn’t register any tails.”

  “Then how the hell do you explain this?” Blake turned the monitor so the colonel could see.

  “That’s not possible, sir.”

  “It’s very possible, colonel,” said Blake, “as you can plainly observe.”

  On the computer screen, Hawkes saw a team of emergency response officers approaching on foot, moving fast. They were carrying automatic weapons and wearing body armor. There looked to be two men wearing plain clothes.

  “Someone screwed up,” said Blake, through gritted teeth. “But I don’t have time to deal with that now. Make this go away.”

  The team snapped to attention, all signs of tiredness vanishing in an instant.

  “Grayson, get a team up on deck,” said Hawkes. “If these bastards set foot on this boat, I want you to mow them down. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir.” He turned to the others and picked out six men, then turned and headed for the door, one hand already on his weapon.

  Blake stood up, fists shaking. “We’ve got less than twenty-five minutes to make this work. Get this boat moving; I don’t care what you have to do, but we’ll have to finish this from a new location.”

  “Sir, maybe we should abort,” said Hawkes. “If they’ve located us, more will follow.”

  “We will not abort!” screamed Blake. “I’ve spent too many years waiting for this moment. Take those bastards out and do your job, Colonel!”

  Hawkes flinched, but managed to keep his composure. “Yes, sir.”

  “And get the hell out of my office.”

  The colonel nodded and left, taking the remainder of the men with him. As they reached the corridor, he stopped.

  Kowalski was the first to speak. “Sir, what are your orders?”

  Hawkes took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “This is it, gentlemen. Do-or-die time. They won’t be looking to take prisoners here.”

  “Works for me, sir.”

  “Good man. I want you to get the engines ready to go. Then, take the men upstairs. Grayson will draw the intruders inside. I want you waiting. Understand?”

  “And you, sir?”

  Hawkes smiled grimly. “If they get past you and Grayson, they’ll have to deal with me.”

  Kowalski nodded and headed off, taking the rest of the men with him. Hawkes waited until he was alone, then unholstered his sidearm and checked the magazine.

  Ten rounds. One in the chamber. Whatever happens, nobody’s taking me alive.

  With one final glance around him, Hawkes headed out.

  Chapter 71

  LEOPOLD GASPED FOR breath as the team reached Thanatos, his lungs burning. The two-hundred-foot sprint from the BearCats would have been enough to get his blood pumping on a good day, but after a sixteen-hour flight and with an extra fifteen pounds of body armor weighing him down, the results were disconcerting.

  Hunter raised a fist up ahead and the unit halted, weapons raised, a stone’s throw from the hull of Thanatos. Leopold glanced around. The ship appeared deserted – no activity that he could see and no lights on inside.

  “Any chance of waiting for air support?” said Leopold.

  Hunter turned round, his expression passive. “Even the director of the FBI doesn’t have that sort of pull. You’re lucky to have us as it is.”

  “It’s not that I’m not grateful...”

  Hunter ignored him and turned his attention back to his men. “This is it, fellas. We’ll be vulnerable on the ladders, so let’s get this over with before they spot us. On my mark. Three, two...”

  Leopold noticed the others tense up.

  “One!”

  Hunter broke into a run and headed for the ship. The rest of the team followed, keeping pace. Hunter reached the side of the hull first and launched himself onto the nearest rung before hauling himself up faster than Leopold would have thought possible.

  The other SWAT officers were close behind. Leopold reached the ladder last, a little after Jerome, and took a moment to look up. He guessed around forty feet to the deck, maybe a two-minute climb. He took a deep breath and started moving.

  Chapter 72

  MARY FIDGETED IN the front of the BearCat, her fingers drumming on the center console. Marshall sat next to her in the passenger seat. He kept quiet. They had an open comms link through to the RTCC and the audio fed through to the speakers.

  “I’ve got a satellite in position for the next thirty minutes,” Walters said, her voice coming through a little distorted. “Hunter’s team has reached the ship. They’re boarding now.”

  Mary drummed her fingers a little harder. “Any signs of life?”

  “Negative, Sergeant. No movement.”

  “I’m not even sure if that’s a good sign,” said Marshall. “Maybe we’re in the wrong place.”

  “Or maybe they’re just walking into a trap,” said Mary. “Once they’re on deck, there’s nowhere else to run.”

  Marshall didn’t reply. Director Ward’s voice came through the speakers.

  “Jordan, you there?” he said.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Sorry about the hard call. Kane insisted on leading the operation, and based on her experience...”

  “Don’t mention it, sir.”

  “Well, for the record, if it was me, I’d want to be out there too.”

  Mary decided to change the subject. “Any new intel for us, sir?”

  “I’ve spent the last eighteen hours on those damn files,” said Ward, “and something just isn’t adding up. Robert Blake just appeared out of nowhere. We’ve got zero intelligence on him prior to his disappearance. That kind of slip up just isn’t normal.”

  “What do you think it means?” asked Marshall.

  “It’s almost as though somebody’s e
rased him from the records,” said Ward. “But I’ll be damned if I know how that could have happened.”

  “Maybe Blake did it himself,” said Mary. “If he can get inside the FBI, maybe he can erase records. He had access to the servers, who knows what else he could have done without us knowing.”

  “Normally, I’d agree with you. But the only problem is, these are physical copies. Printouts. They’ve been locked in storage for nearly twenty years, and nobody’s had access. The only possible explanation –”

  Another scuffling noise. “Sir, sorry to interrupt,” said Walters, “but we’ve got movement onboard. It looks like our hosts are coming out to greet us.”

  Mary stopped drumming her fingers and sat up a little straighter. “Can you see how many?”

  “Negative.”

  “Any noise on the radios?” asked Marshall.

  Mary checked the auxiliary input channel on the stereo system. “Nothing. Walters, can you –”

  A screech of static feedback cut Mary off midsentence.

  “We’ve got shots fired!” said Walters. “Hunter’s team has engaged.”

  Mary swore. “Marshall, get Kane on the radio. Tell her to get her ass moving.”

  “On it.”

  “Walters, keep that damn satellite overhead. I’ll need you to call in backup to this location. Director, you think we’ve got enough probable cause for that air support now?”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Ward hung up.

  “I can give you another twenty-five minutes,” said Walters. “I’ll try and get you more.”

  “Do it.” She turned to Marshall. “You got Kane?”

  “On the line.” He held up the radio mic.

  “Kane, you copy?”

  “Loud and clear, Jordan. I heard shots fired.”

  “Hunter has engaged. Repeat, Hunter has engaged. Move out.”

  “I read you, Jordan. Radio silence.” Kane switched off her comms channel and the line fizzed with static.

  Mary felt her pulse quicken. She had the sudden urge to jump out of the car and take her chances onboard Thanatos with the others. If anything happened because she was stuck in here...

  “You’re right where you need to be,” said Marshall, apparently sensing her mood. “You can’t help them if you get killed. Which is what will happen if you go out there now.”

  “I understand the logic, Marshall,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “I’m just saying...”

  “How about you keep it to yourself? Those aren’t your friends out there getting shot it. I can do without your pep talks.”

  Marshall sighed, but stopped talking.

  Finally, thought Mary. I thought he’d never shut up.

  Chapter 73

  LEOPOLD FLINCHED AS the first rounds screamed past his ear and slammed into the deck behind him. Hunter’s team responded instantly, making a break for the nearest cover – a sheltered gangway that led to the stern of the ship. Jerome grabbed hold of Leopold’s sleeve and dragged him after them as another burst of rounds exploded from somewhere above.

  Jerome threw Leopold forward as they reached the gangway, and Leopold almost fell into Hunter as he and his men regrouped.

  “So much for the element of surprise,” said Hunter.

  Jerome nodded. “I made two of them. They’re up on the bridge.”

  “Anyone hurt?”

  “They’re trying to funnel us into a trap,” said Jerome. “Nobody’s that bad a shot.” He looked at Leopold. “Well, nearly nobody.”

  “I agree,” said Hunter. “We can’t stay here. We need to find a place to hole up and keep them occupied.” He glanced around. “If we can get up to the bridge, maybe we can hold it long enough for Kane’s team to do their job.”

  “You want us to go at them head on?” said Leopold.

  “They won’t be expecting it.”

  “Yeah, there a reason for that.”

  Hunter ignored him. “There’s an access door a little further down.” He pointed down the gangway. “It should lead up to the bridge.”

  “How do you know for sure?”

  “I don’t. But there’s no time to argue.” He turned to his men. “Let’s move!”

  They reached the access door at a full sprint, and Hunter wrenched it open. They spilled inside, Hunter taking point. He held up a fist.

  “Nobody move,” he said. “I think I hear something.”

  Leopold glanced around. The room was dimly lit, leading through to a corridor a few feet ahead. He strained his ears, listening out for any signs of movement, his SIG Sauer suddenly feeling heavy against his hip. He unholstered it.

  “Don’t fire unless you have a clear shot,” whispered Jerome. “If you get a ricochet you could wind up killing yourself.”

  “I wouldn’t want to spare them the trouble, I guess.”

  “Area looks clear,” said one of Hunter’s men. He stood a few feet ahead checking the corridor.

  Hunter nodded and waved the others forward. Leopold watched them file through into the hallway, and started to follow. Jerome put one hand on his shoulder.

  “Hang back,” he said. “This doesn’t feel right.”

  “Is it supposed to?”

  “Just give them a second.”

  “To do what? If –” Leopold never got to finish.

  A deafening burst of gunfire from nearby, and Leopold heard someone cry out in pain. He saw one of the SWAT officers thrown backward past the door opening. He hit the floor, hard. Didn’t get up. Hunter shouted something, but his words ended up lost in the cacophony.

  Leopold ignored his better judgment, gripped his handgun a little tighter and edged forward as another blast of gunfire sounded from somewhere outside. There was another cry of pain, but he didn’t recognize the voice. He felt Jerome grab hold of his sleeve.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Leopold turned his head. “I can’t just leave them out there to die.”

  “You go out there, you’ll be joining them.”

  “I don’t care; this is all my fault.”

  Jerome yanked him backward, held him fast with both hands. “Listen to me, he said, pulling Leopold close. “This is not your fault. You are not Robert Blake. You are not going to die for him. You understand?”

  Everything went silent.

  Jerome relaxed his grip a little.

  Leopold strained his ears, but struggled to pick out any sounds of movement as a high-pitched ringing blocked out everything but the beat of his own heart. A shadow moved somewhere behind them.

  He looked up at Jerome. “Looks like we’re about to test that theory.”

  Chapter 74

  HAWKES HEARD THE call come through from Grayson and hauled ass back to Blake’s office. Kowalski and his men had got the engines and navigation primed and ready – Thanatos was good to go.

  Not a second too soon.

  Hawkes reached the office and burst through the door, out of breath, not bothering to knock. Blake sat behind his desk, as usual. He appeared to be checking the monitors, and looked up as the colonel approached.

  “Sir, they’ve taken out the SWAT team,” said Hawkes. “There were two survivors.”

  Blake glared back at him. “I told you to take them all out.”

  Hawkes took a moment to catch his breath. “Sir, I think you’re definitely going to want to speak to these two.”

  Chapter 75

  LEOPOLD FELT SOMETHING hard jab him in the base of the spine and he stumbled forward, almost tripping over the stairs as he climbed up towards the top deck. Jerome glanced back at him from above, a look of concern on his face. A dark bruise had formed underneath his right eye.

  It was six against two, and Leopold knew they were beaten. No weapons, no chance. His father’s men had forced them into a corner and Hunter had taken the bait. He and his team had paid dearly.

  “Keep moving,” one of the armed men said. He and his companions were dressed in plain cloth
es, but it looked as though they had lightweight armor beneath their jackets. They each carried submachine guns and sidearms – MP5s and Glocks.

  “Up here.” The apparent commander shoved Leopold forward as they reached the top of the stairs. “Take a right.”

  “Listen, fellas,” said Leopold, feeling his jaw throb where one of them had hit him. “I think maybe we got off on the wrong foot.”

  “No talking,” the commander said. He shoved Leopold again. “In here.”

  They reached a solid oak door at the end of the corridor and one of the men stepped forward and opened it. He waved them forward.

  Leopold followed Jerome inside.

  The room was spacious and well furnished. Tall windows took up most of the far wall, presenting a panoramic view of the harbor. Six other armed men stood off to the side, hands resting against their weapons. One of them was grinning. An ornate desk stood against the side wall. One man stood next to it, a well-built military type with cropped hair, and another sat behind a set of computer monitors. Leopold felt his heart skip as he recognized the face.

  “You’re supposed to be dead,” said Robert Blake, his scarred features forcing themselves into a smile.

  Leopold kept still. “I could say the same about you.”

  “I’m glad you’re here to see this. I’ll save you the usual rhetoric, except to say that there’s nothing you can do.”

  “A shame. I usually enjoy the bad-guy speeches.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you.”

  “I assume you’ve figure out how this ends,” said Leopold. “You can’t run from this.”

  “I’ve been running for the last twenty years. This is my final stand. Today will be my legacy.”

  “I’d rather you left me a grandfather clock or something.”

  His father laughed. “I told you before, this is a game you can’t win,” he said. “I’ve been two steps ahead from the beginning. You’ve been outmaneuvered and outplayed.”