by B.V. Bayly
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gabriel arose early the next morning and found a clean set of cargo pants and a plain black T-shirt laid out for him. He piled his old clothes on a chair in the corner of the small room. Staring at them he realized that this was all he owned. Everything was either covered in dirt and blood or lost to circumstance. Was this his future – wandering from place to place, leaving no traces behind?
“Morning,” Nate interrupted his thoughts as he stepped into the room. “You sleep okay? You must have a lot on your mind.”
“Yesterday was a heavy day.” Gabriel plopped down on his bed.
“I bet.” Nate sat down on a chair.
“Why’d you never tell me?” He wanted to know. “I could have handled it.”
“You could have.” Nate sighed. “Not sure I could have.”
“What do you mean?”
“Gabriel, you don’t give up. You’re stubborn and a natural fighter.” Nate smiled at him. “If I told you about all of this – you would have been the first in line to sign up, especially if you knew about your father’s connection.” Nate shook his head. “Your mother would have killed me.”
Gabriel chuckled. It was true. All of it. “All I have is a bunch of dirty clothes … What does that even mean?” He sat down on the bed and pointed at the pile of laundry.
Smirking, Nate motioned towards them. “It means there’s more to life than just stuff.”
Gabriel nodded and sighed. “So, what now?”
“That’s up to you. Everyone needs to find their own path.” Nate shrugged. “I would like you to stay with the IP and me until we get a better understanding of what’s happening.”
Gabriel nodded in agreement. “You mentioned the chest yesterday.”
“We need to get it. You still have access to Adin’s apartment?”
“No, but I know my way around the place.”
“Good enough for me.” Nate stood up. “I’m hoping things will be easy. I figure we can enter the apartment through a service entrance. I have already arranged covers for us to get in… then we can just head straight to his apartment. In and out fast … no problems.”
“Wait. I’m going with you?” His heart skipped a beat.
“You got a problem with that?” Nate grinned at him. “Everyone’s looking for you. So, I figure that the best way I can keep you alive is to keep you with me.”
“You think Adin’s still there?” He held his breath.
“No.” Nate shook his head. “I expect they will try and trap us in the apartment and call for help once your thumb touches the lock.”
“Then why are we going?”
“The chest is important. It’s a key to something we need. If Cymru knew it was there …” Nate chuckled. “Anyhow, the best way to get out of a trap is to set one of your own.” He grinned slyly.
“I hope you have a plan?” He trusted Nate.
“I’ve called in a favor or two.” Nate winked and pushed him towards the door. “Let’s move.”
They travelled out of the facility in a plain white van, driving under a canopy of trees. The gravel road led to a gate with a small guard shack. Nate was quickly recognized by the guard and waved through. They passed two more checkpoints, increasing in size and defensive strength.
“Where are we?” Gabriel stared at the landscape of pine trees and thick brush.
“In the mountains, west of Denver.”
“So, this is what you do?” he asked after seeing the guards’ response to Nate at the security points.
“This is what I do.” Nate slowly nodded his head.
“I always thought you were a good rancher.” Gabriel opened his window, letting the smell of the woods fill the cab.
“I was. I am. It was my home.” Nate’s mouth tightened as they continued along the gravel road.
“Well, at least we’re together again.” He smiled and jabbed Nate’s arm.
Nate reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Absolutely, let’s not change that anytime soon.”
“You never talked much about the army.” The bumpy gravel road ended and they pulled onto a paved road heading towards the freeway.
“Not much to say. You learn to leave your memories behind. Leave them with the dead. Otherwise, you go crazy.” Nate half-smiled at him.
“I guess I never thought about it that way.” As a kid, Gabriel had loved to hear Nate’s stories – the glorious victories – but those were just stories. He left it alone. “What about starting at TERA?”
“I was a Ranger in the Army. The only real option after you leave is working security. I started with some small jobs … escorts, protection … little things. It’s all I ever knew, and I never thought to get a real job like your dad. Anyhow, I ended up at TERA as a regular and that’s when I met your dad.”
“That must have been interesting.” Gabriel smiled at the thought of their first exchange considering they were such opposites.
Nate laughed. “He was always on the move, couldn’t sit still. Half the time he never had permission to be digging around in someone else’s backyard, but it didn’t stop him. The pay was good, so I started to book more and more missions with him. I started to get to know him. What he was all about.”
“Sounds like he was a real pain!” He smiled widely at the thought of his Dad ordering Nate around.
“He was. He kept taking us into rough areas, one after another. No island paradises for him. But then we found the ore and things started changing – real fast. One day he said to me ‘This is a mistake … I never should have dug this stuff up.’ He was so mad at himself. Everything shifted in his mind. He started misdirecting shipments – setting up hidden caches of ore all over the place. He started lying on reports … I had half a mind to turn him in, but I trusted him. Things caught up to us quickly though. I was put on another team by Cymru and, a couple of weeks later, his accident happened. I should have stayed with him.” Nate went silent.
“You miss him?” Gabriel stared straight ahead to the road.
“Of course. A couple of days after his death I got a letter from him telling me what he needed me to do. He knew it might happen. I left TERA and came to the ranch. He was certain Cymru would direct some kind of punishment at the family. I’d be damned if I was going to let anything happen to your mom or either of you boys. Years went by and nothing happened. Cymru didn’t make a move on anything at the ranch, but he watched it like a hawk for years. Once I felt you all were safe, I started looking into things. I remembered your dad mentioned his relationship with Dr. Osho … so I tracked him down and signed up for the IP.”
“Why did you do it? Why didn’t you just stay with us … I mean, I know you stayed, but you could have left it alone.”
“I could have, but I wanted to continue what your dad had started with the IP.” Nate kept his eyes focused on the road. “You live a life like I do long enough, you crave that feeling. Standing up for something bigger than yourself. That was what your Dad was doing. I guess I didn’t want to lose that.”
They travelled the rest of the way in silence. The lights of Denver winked on in the distance as the sun set. Gabriel thought of Adin as they moved through the busy city. The streets were full of hurried people finishing their day-to-day lives with no thought of the ore and the horrors it caused. He envied them. Would he ever get the chance to lead a normal life again?
They pulled into the Ion Pinnacle apartments and entered through the service entrance. A guard approached the driver's side window.
“Ignore the guard.” Nate grabbed an ID badge from the dashboard and handed it to the guard. “How you doing?”
Gabriel looked out the window, trying not to make eye contact with the guard.
“Your ID matches the appointment. How long do you plan on being?” The guard handed him back the badge.
“An hour? You never really know working with these optic lines.” Nate shrugged at him.
“I’ll mark down an hour. If you go over, you need
to come back and see me for more time. Who’s that with you? The book didn’t mention another person.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. He’s one of the apprentices.” Nate’s voice sank to a whisper. “Boss’s kid. Pretty useless. Didn’t have much of a choice.”
The guard nodded. “Alright, just be quick. Keep it under an hour. Otherwise, security will come looking for you. You can go ahead once we scan the truck. Second floor service elevator will be unlocked.”
“Second floor. No problem.” They pulled ahead onto the scanning platform as the guard walked away.
Nate removed a pistol from the bag beside him. He dismantled it in seconds, handing everything to Gabriel, but the clip. “Put them in the glove box.”
Gabriel followed the instructions, dumping the metal pieces into the small space. “Done.”
“Stay put.” Nate jumped out the door and hollered at the guard. Gabriel twisted around in his seat to see Nate waving at the guard.
“Hey!” The guard rushed out of the shack, yelling at him. “You need to stay in the truck during the scan!”
“Sorry!” Nate shrugged. “I just wanted to make it an hour and a half, to be safe. Saves me from coming back down here.”
“Fine, whatever. Get back in the truck.” The guard pointed to the vehicle and stomped back to the shack.
“What was that all about?” Gabriel asked as Nate got back in the cab.
“The scan would pick up the bullets in the clip, and the gun for that matter, but now it will just look like machinery parts.” Nate kept his eyes on the side mirror.
“What did you do with the clip?” Gabriel fidgeted, twisting to see the guard shack again.
“Stop moving and face forward.” Nate poked at him. “The clip’s on the ground outside.”
Gabriel stared straight ahead. “What?”
“Relax, I’m going to pick it right back up, once the scan is done.” Nate popped the door open and stepped out.
Gabriel couldn’t help but turn around and watch.
“Hey man, you know what? An hour is fine.” Nate hollered at the guard.
“Sir! Get back in the veh –” The guard looked down at the screen in front of him. “You’re fine, just go.”
Nate jogged back towards the van, popping down for a split second and jumping back into the cab. “Piece of cake.”
They drove up the concrete ramp and looped around the structure, pulling into a large parking area. The space was painted in yellow, with the number two all over the walls. Nate pulled the van into a stall close to the elevators and quickly reassembled his pistol. They exited the vehicle and walked briskly to the service elevators. Gabriel tried to stay calm, but his nerves were tense. Nate punched a key code into the panel on the wall, opening the two steel elevator doors. Inside, another panel rolled out near the elevator’s holographic buttons. Its small blue screen outlined a hand.
“Do I need to –” Gabriel hovered his hand over it.
“No. I don’t want them on to us yet.” Nate slipped on a black glove covered with small wires and metallic pads.
The palm of the glove touched the screen and emitted a series of clicking sounds. The screen turned green. Nate removed his hand, leaving an imprint of a palm and fingerprints on the screen.
The panel flashed the image and replied with an automated voice. “Welcome, Josh Harper.” The screen listed the name of a cable optic company and an employee number.
“Neat.” Gabriel whispered and pushed the button for the eighth floor.
Nate stepped out into the hallway first. Gabriel followed. The hall was completely empty. He looked up and down the halls, getting his bearings. “This way.”
He led Nate through a series of hallways until he found the door to number 871.
Nate pulled an electronic lock kit from his bag. “Alright, let’s see how well you remember things. Pop the lock.”
Gabriel smiled. Nate was always trying to keep him on his toes. He popped the panel on the lower edge of the door handle, attaching each of the leads to the wires just inside. A touch on the screen, and the scan started. He waited as it broke through the system and unlocked the door. As the lock on the apartment opened, Nate slowly opened the door with his foot. He slid inside and he moved through the apartment, weapon drawn. Gabriel shut the door behind them and stared around the room, a tight knot in his stomach. Adin wasn’t there.
“Where’s the box?” Nate tucked the pistol back into his bag.
“Ah … back bedroom on the right.” Gabriel pointed towards it.
Nate disappeared down the hall.
Gabriel studied the floor to ceiling glass wall just off the den. It had been fixed. Perfectly. There was no evidence that he had broken through it. His mouth hung open. He slowly moved through the kitchen. The counters, the sink full of dishes. Everything was the same as it had been when he left. Nothing had moved. A bowl sat on the counter with hardened food in it. It was the last thing Gabriel had eaten, before TERA showed up. Spinning around, he looked for something new in the room – some kind of change to prove that Cymru had left Adin alone. His heart sank. Where was Adin?
“Let’s go.” Nate headed straight for the door, bag in one hand and the strongbox in the other.
“Wait!” He shook his head. “Everything is the same … This is the same bowl of food I left here.” He pointed at the dish. “They took him.”
“Forget about it …,” Nate said harshly. “We need to get ready!”
“No, they took him.” He moved towards the hallway, his voice increasing in volume. “I thought that if I left, they would leave him alone. If I was gone, then Cymru wouldn’t touch Adin.”
“Gabriel!” Nate’s voice rose. “We know they took him – we’ll get him back.” Nate pulled on the door. “They’ve locked down the apartment. They know we are inside.” Nate dropped the chest and dug through his black duffle bag. “Time for the trap.”
“What … I …” Gabriel rushed to the door and pressed his thumb into the lock. “What do we do?”
Nate smiled as he found what he was looking for. “My job. I need you to focus. Try to act normal … A guard is going to come through this door in three minutes.”
“What? How do you know that?”
“Like I said, a trap within a trap.” Nate pulled out two small black bars that were about a foot long each. He placed one over the door frame; the other he set on the floor just far enough away for the door to swing open easily. “Time to charge them.”
A high-pitched sound resonated in Gabriel’s ears, but quickly disappeared. “What are those?”
“Sonic disruptors.” Nate carefully flipped the switch on the unit stuck over the doorframe. “Once they charge – in about a minute – whoever walks through this door is going to get blasted by a powerful sonic wave. Basically blowing their ear drums and knocking them out.”
“What about us?” He stared at Nate, wondering whether or not to cover his ears.
“As long as we are on this side of the device, we’re fine. Just be ready.” Nate moved behind the kitchen counter and knelt down. Gabriel dropped down beside him, but Nate shook his head. “I’m hiding. You need to look normal so they come inside.”
Gabriel’s head felt scrambled. “Right.” He tried to stay focused but wanted to know more about Adin.
“How long have you known?” He stared at the door, waiting for it to swing open.
“Ten days.” Nate’s voice was quiet behind the counter.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He could feel the sting of tears on his eyes.
“Because I don’t know whose side he’s on. I couldn’t risk you trying to contact him. I’m sorry. It just had to be that way.”
He breathed deeply, his chest quivering as he fought to keep control of his emotions. “We need to find him.”
“We haven’t stopped looking.” Nate shifted as the door lock clicked from the outside. “Get ready,” he whispered.
The door swung open. Two guards rushed in be
side each other, barely fitting through the doorway. A pop echoed in the room and Gabriel’s ears started to ring. The two men dropped to the ground instantly. Nate popped out from behind the counter, rushed over and disarmed them both. Gabriel joined him, unsure of what to do.
Nate slipped off a silver disk from the back of one guard’s head, sliding it behind his own ear. “Apartment breached, searching the premises.” Nate impersonating the guard. He gestured for Gabriel to help him collect all the electronics on the guards.
Silently, he frisked the men, looking for anything he recognized and handing them to Nate who dropped them into a reflective black bag he had pulled from his vest.
“Moving to back bedrooms.” Nate continued to impersonate the guard.
“What now?” Gabriel mouthed the words.
Nate pointed him to the door. “Target is barricaded in. Give us a couple of minutes to collect him. He’s alone.”
Gabriel poked his head into the hallway – it was empty. He called back over his shoulder, still trying to be quiet. “No one.”
Nate slipped off the silver disk and dropped it into the strange black reflective bag. “Alright. We got payment. Grab the chest and let’s move.”
Gabriel didn’t understand what Nate was talking about, but he knew the hall was full of cameras. “They’re going to see us.” He hoisted the strongbox in his arms.
Nate looked down at his watch. “Not in 26 seconds. The whole floor is about to be hit by a jammer. It should disrupt the video feed so we can slip past. Won’t last long though, maybe two minutes. We need to get to another floor where the elevators aren’t locked down.”
Gabriel waited as Nate counted down the last five seconds and signaled for them to leave. They sprinted down the hall, keeping close to together. Another two hallways, a right then a left and they were there.
“Damn it!” Nate shook the door handle. “The jammer may have locked us in.” He dug around in his black duffle bag.
“What now?” Gabriel put the chest down on its side.
“Give me a second.” Nate pulled out a strange looking roll of tape. He ripped three pieces of tape carefully off of it. He covered each of the large hinges on the door and placed a final piece beside the handle. He tossed the roll back into his bag and pulled out a strange flashlight. It glowed blue across the surface of each piece of tape – and each one began to bubble.
“Grab the chest!” Nate pointed at it and stood back from the door.
“What’s that smell?” Gabriel’s nose twitched. The air had become thick with a horrid odor.
“Our way out.” Nate pointed at the hinges.
The tape – some sort of acid – was eating its way through the wooden finish of the door and in no time had started to work on the steel hinges and lock. After waiting another couple of seconds, Nate began forcefully kicking the door – hammering it again and again until it buckled. A final blow and it came crashing down into the stairwell.
Nate walked over the broken door. “Stay close to me!”
He vaulted down the stairs, taking several at time. Gabriel struggled to keep up, the chest swinging awkwardly back and forth in his arms as he aimed for each step – trying not to trip. He made it down two floors and caught up to Nate who was peeking into the hallway behind the steel door.
“Looks like one guard on this floor.” Nate glanced at his watch. “He’ll pass back this way in about 30 seconds.”
“Then what?” Gabriel sat on the steps, to catch his breath, the chest resting on his knees.
Nate didn’t say anything and disappeared behind the steel grey door.
“Wait!” Gabriel hopped up and caught the door with his foot.
Nate sprinted down the short hall and met the unaware guard in the middle of the hallway. Without missing a step, Nate slipped around behind the guard – covering his mouth. He accurately drove his right heel down on the man’s knee, resulting in a sickening crunch. The guard dropped to the floor in pain, toppling over on the broken knee. Nate caught the man’s neck in a chokehold and held him until he passed out, then dropped the man to the floor and continued towards the elevator. “Keep up!”
Gabriel reached the elevator and set the chest down. Nate grabbed his hand, pressing it awkwardly against the blue screen on the elevator panel. The screen flashed red. Locked.
“Damn, they acted quicker than I thought.” Nate slammed the wall of the elevator. “We’re locked in.”
“What do we do now?”
“Let me think.” Nate tapped the button to close the door of the elevator.
Gabriel’s patience was disappearing. Voices filled the hallway. Nate put his finger over his mouth, signaling him to keep quiet. Both of Gabriel’s hands were clenched, his nails digging into his own skin as they waited, trying to be invisible to whoever was outside the elevator doors.
The elevator suddenly began to descend.
“Thank God.” Gabriel looked up at the numbers counting down. He grinned at Nate who pulled a pistol out of his bag and pulled back the slide.
“Someone else is moving the elevator.” Nate readied himself, pointing his gun at the doors.
“Not good.” Gabriel wasn’t sure what to expect. He took a deep breath and readied the ore. A wave of heat rolled across his body.
The doors opened with a ding to a concrete underground. Nate held his gun to the face of the guard standing in the doorway.