She finished wiping the blood from her eyes and decided she had no choice but to find her way back to the bazaar. She had to get back to Danny Mac. She looked down and saw the small blood droplets she had shed as she ran and followed them back to the road that finally looked familiar. She began to feel a glimmer of hope that all would be fine. She was vaguely aware of oncoming vehicles slowing approaching. A black sedan pulled even with her. The window silently descended.
A breathless, mechanical voice said, “Hello Inanna.”
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
Angelo pocketed his small surveillance camera and told Mrs. Gage, “Come on, we have to follow them.”
“We know where they are going, Angelo.”
Angelo smirked, “Yeah, I guess you are right.”
Mrs. Gage continued, “But this certainly changes things a bit. We need to reconnoiter with the others and decide our next moves. I don’t want to discuss this over the phone with Daniel. Let’s call them in and we will return to our operation’s base.”
Angelo wondered how and why this petite little woman thought and acted like a military leader. They made their way to their vehicle as Angelo called Danny Mac.
Danny Mac was breathless when he answered, “Angelo, Kenann is missing.”
“What? What happened?”
“I don’t know. I looked away for a few minutes and then when I turned back, she was gone and all I could see where those burqas everywhere.”
Angelo asked. “Is Mrs. James with you?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you now?”
“At a bazaar in front of the house.”
“Stay there, we are on our way.”
Angelo and Mrs. Gage wasted no time coming. With Mrs. Gage to stay with Granny, Danny Mac and Angelo began inquiring if anyone had seen anything amiss. It took a few minutes, but they were finally able to piece together what happened. Apparently, as Kenann looked intently for Danny Mac she was reprimanded by a woman for not following the tradition of ghadd al-basar (lowering the eyes). When she did not respond and walked away, the women became enraged and charged the children to defend the Prophet. One man was able to point in the direction Kenann fled as she was pursued by the children and women.
Danny Mac and Angelo ran back to the women to inform them of what had transpired, when a caravan of sedans pulled into the driveway of the house. Each pulled up to the portico in turn to dislodge the passengers out of the sight of the onlookers.
Danny Mac voice was steel, “I’m going after Kenann.”
“I’ll go with you.” Angelo said.
“No. Take the women back to the shelter.”
Angelo did not argue but as Danny Mac was ready to bolt, he touched his arm. “You need to know, my friend. Pierre was in that vehicle.”
“I know.”
Angelo did not question how he knew.
* * *
Jake jumped up from the monitor. He bent over to get a better look. His instinct was to run out of the room and alert someone, but he knew he had to pay close attention and record each detail of what was playing out in front of him.
It did not take Danny Mac long to track Kenann’s blood from the place where she took the hit on her head. He was able to determine the spot she stopped to gain her bearings and that she too had followed her own trail back. He could now distinguish the difference in the blood spatter on her return journey.
His blood ran cold as he saw the spatter on the roadway and knew it was where she had been forced into a vehicle. He began to run. He did not stop to think but ran through the gate and up to the door of the villa. He began pounding on the heavy door. It was opened by a large man in a suit who merely stepped aside as Danny Mac ran in.
* * *
The man spoke. “She is in this room,” and gestured with his arm. Danny Mac ran through the door and found Kenann sitting quietly in a chair staring straight ahead. He ran and knelt in front of her.
“Are you okay, baby?”
She did not answer but he caught the glint in her eye, and he knew. She was playing at something. He had only to go along.
He put his hands on her shoulders and shook her slightly, “Answer me. What did they do to you? Are you okay?”
From behind him Danny heard the sound of mechanical laughter and whirled on his heels. Pierre rolled into the room strapped into a wheelchair powered by a breathing tube. His face was contorted as he tried to control his own saliva. He wheezed and gurgled and then spoke through another device attached to his chair.
“This exceeds my own expectations. The gods have favored me with not one but two sacrifices for my enjoyment.”
“Crazy as ever, I see, Pierre.”
“Oh, you have no idea the depths to which my madness can go but you shall soon see. Inanna knows she has been a bad girl and must be punished. The shock of seeing me has rendered her helpless. Just the way I like her. Even though you stole her virginity from me, I shall steal her soul from you.”
“Pierre, I am warning you –”
“Warning me?” His maniacal laughter filled the room. Its mechanical nature did nothing to dispel the chilling effect.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Jake heard what was left of the group return and left his post long enough to open the door and hail them. They gathered around his chair as he related what he had seen. Carter was peeved that Jake had not contacted him sooner, but he figured he had that coming. What Mrs. Gage said affected him. He no longer had the power of the Pentagon behind him. This group cared not one whit about his combat action ribbons or his connections in Congress. He had better fall in line or fall out.
Angelo filled in the group about Kenann’s attack in the bazaar and Danny’s pursuit of her. They surmised he had somehow figured out what happened and went into the lion’s den to get her. Unfortunately, the rooms above were not all wired for audio, so they were forced to interpret what they were seeing on screen.
Pierre appeared to be giving a long discourse. Kenann appeared to be in shock. Danny Mac continued to kneel next to her and hold her hand.
* * *
Judy and Andy had finished packing for their trip to London as the advance operating party, when Whittaker knocked on their door.
“You are needed, sir.”
Andy looked at Judy whose heart fell to her feet. He followed Whittaker to the small, secure command center Mrs. Gage had on the third floor. Mrs. Gage’s diminutive form filled the screen on the monitor.
“I am sorry, Andrew, but you and Judy will be needed here.”
“What is it Mrs. G.? Give it to me straight.”
“Pierre has Danny and Kenann.”
“We will be on the next flight. You can brief me then. Are they okay?”
“So far.”
“We will hurry.”
Whittaker was instructed by Carter to stay put. That rankled but he obeyed orders. He and CJ drove Judy and Andy to the airport.
“Watch after the kid.”
“You got it.” CJ said.
Whittaker wanted so badly to be getting on that plane. “Boss?”
“Yeah?” Andy answered.
“Bring them back.”
“Count on it.”
* * *
Everyone had left the room except Jake who continued to watch the monitors and Mrs. Gage who had just finished her call to Andy.
“Gabrielle.”
“Jacob, don’t.”
“Here me out. I have been a widow for several years. She was the only one, you know.”
“I understand Jacob. I should never have said such a spiteful and ugly thing to you.”
“You misunderstand, Gabrielle. I’m rusty.” He grabbed her hand pulling her onto his lap. Cradling her like a child, he kissed her with the passion of his youth.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
Jake raised his head. Mrs. Gage lay very still in his arms – eyes closed. Jake was quite satisfied in her response to his kiss. He waited.
With eyes still closed, “
It has been a very long time since I have been that surprised.” She slowly raised her eyes to his and smiled.
Jake released her to stand by his chair. “Well, it won’t be the last.” He took her shoulders and turned her around. He then swatted her on the behind. She jumped and moved toward the door looking over her shoulder with a smile.
Smoothing her hair before reaching for the door, she remembered the recent events and her face took on a steely determination as she opened the door.
“All right ladies and gentlemen, Council of War.”
She signaled her butler to assume monitoring duties. She leaned in as he passed, “Come get us at the slightest change.”
They gathered around the table.
Granny spoke first. “Can’t we just go get them through the panels?”
Jake explained, “We can, and we will, Moira, but we must use this to our advantage first. If we show our hand too quickly, they will realize the panels are there despite no obvious openings and take axes to the walls if they have to.”
“But won’t they just find the false basement?”
“That is the idea but –.”
“Come quickly Mrs. Gage.”
She jumped up as did the rest of the group. She saw immediately why Biggs had raised the alarm. Danny Mac and Kenann were being forced into the waiting cars.
Carter took control. “Come on Angelo get me out of here and after those cars.”
They wasted no time. Angelo went air born as he exited the tunnel. Since the outlet was so far from the original house, they held little hope of getting eyes on to follow. Mrs. Gage told Angelo they had turned right out the gate and assumed they were returning to the airport. Angelo headed there and prayed they were right.
With their current speed they arrived first and therefore positioned themselves strategically to observe incoming vehicles. They soon breathed a little easier. Angelo put two cars between them but had to break away when they were admitted to a restricted zone.
“What do we do now, Mrs. Gage?”
“They are securing private transport. Stand down until I make some calls.”
* * *
She called him back in about 10 minutes. “They have secured a small jet with a crew of 5. I am still working on their flight plan. Angelo, go into the airport and get as close to that private terminal as you can. I believe there is a nice vantage point from the KLM waiting room. As soon as you are there, report back in. Mr. Carter stay with the car. If Angelo needs to make a hasty exit you can pull up to the front and pick him up. Agreed?”
“Roger that.” Carter looked at Angelo and rolled his eyes. Angelo grinned and exited the vehicle.
Once he was in place, he called Mrs. Gage who promptly connected them to Carter via the car’s bluetooth. “What are you seeing, Angelo?”
“There is not much activity. Wait. I see what they have done. There are 3 people in wheelchairs being boarded on the jet. Any word on their destination?”
“Not yet. I do not want to jeopardize the integrity of my man in place at the airport by asking him to be too nosey. He will get the information, but he has to be circumspect. Do you have any contacts we might be able to utilize, Mr. Carter?”
“Can you patch me through on this thing?”
“Certainly.”
He gave her a number in the Pentagon. When they answered he gave his identifying numbers and was instructed to state the nature of his call. He was put through to his colleague at one of the military bases in Turkey. He provided some vague details of his needs and requested the flight manifest for a private plane leaving the airport now. Angelo was able to read off the tag number for the aircraft. Carter warned that discretion was of the utmost importance. The flight crew nor anyone associated with the flight could know they were being investigated. They waited on the line while the man searched for the information.
“Hunting vampires now, Carter?” the man asked with a chuckle.
“What are you talking about?”
“Your plane is going to a small airstrip in Brasov, Romania. That’s Transylvania, my friend.”
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
They were once again around the main table in the hidden shelter. They had discussed going back up to the main house, but no one wanted to go. Mrs. Gage did allow the staff to return where there were better facilities for preparing meals.
“I’ve contacted my friends in Romania and they will have several people on standby at the airport in Brasov. They will follow them and see where Danny and Kenann are taken and be able to report to us.”
“Shouldn’t we be going?” Granny asked.
“We will my dear. But I need time to secure transport, lodgings and see to other logistical factors.”
“I’m sorry Gabrielle. I’m just fretful. And I don’t need to be. Those kids are in God’s hands. He will take care of them.”
If anyone noticed Carter’s eye roll, they did not acknowledge it.
“Since Judy and Andy were changing planes in Vienna, I have instructed them to stay there while we regroup. There is no need for them to come here when we will be leaving ourselves soon. I have made accommodations for them in the Bridal Suite at a lovely hotel near the park and asked them to consider it a wedding present.”
“He is on duty, madam. Did you consider consulting his boss before you planned his schedule?”
“Do you want him to travel here?”
“Well, no.”
“Do you need him to be somewhere else?”
“Well, not right now.”
“Do you have a problem with me footing the bill for their lodging?”
“All right, you’ve made your point. But I would appreciate being consulted.”
“The same way you consulted me in Memphis?”
Carter opened his mouth to rebut and was unable to come up with a plausible come back. Everyone held their peace during this exchange knowing Mrs. Gage would more than hold her own. When Carter remained quiet, Mrs. Gage continued but with a more deferential tone.
“What are our suggestions for the next steps?”
Carter looked as if he was going to remain silent. But then his countenance changed, and he began to contemplate. No one interrupted him. Finally, he spoke.
“Angelo has confirmed that Pierre remains at the head of the order in light of his protection by the ‘presidential guard’ if you will. So, once again, we have been able to infiltrate the top echelon.”
“I would hardly call abduction an infiltration.” Jacob countered.
“The end results are the same.”
“If we had planned to do that, we would have sent them in with comm devices.”
“And if we had, they would have been discovered in the first ten minutes. The last time Danny and Kenann were in their hands they had no reason to search them. They won’t make that mistake again. This serves our purposes nicely.” If Carter felt the animosity in the room, he chose to ignore it.
He continued. “Danny and Kenann are resourceful. They will hold their own till the cavalry arrives. Our next task is to establish a base camp near enough to work but not so near as to arouse suspicion.”
“I am way ahead of you on that, Mr. Carter.” Mrs. Gage smiled at him.
“I had no doubt, madam.” And allowed himself to smile back. A tentative truce was being formed.
“What have you arranged?”
“Since we have been speaking, I received a text as to where the kids have been taken. It is a castle high in the mountains above Brasov. A private residence no doubt owned by the order. My staff took the liberty of securing a resort chalet nearby. The Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania are becoming known for their skiing and winter sports activities. I will have snow mobiles and all-terrain vehicles on site as well as a private helicopter for surveillance.”
“Excellent. Perfect. We can scour the hills under the guise of tourists. And once we have a firm plan in place, someone will need to be captured so we can inform Danny.”
All voices ran
g in unison, “I’ll do it.”
Carter was both intrigued and uncomfortable at the loyalty and love this group held for each other. They were all talking at once, building their case for why they should be the one to go.
“Enough!” he commanded. “We will decide that later. First, we must have a plan to pass on to him. That will best be developed once we have the lay of the land, literally, in Transylvania. Agreed?”
All assented.
* * *
Andy and Judy made their way through the picturesque streets of Vienna. Andy asked the cab driver to make a stop at St. Stephens Cathedral along the Danube. He had always loved that area of the city with its beautiful bridges and architecture. The cathedral filled the sky above them as they looked up from the plaza before it.
Judy marveled. “It was so sweet of Mrs. Gage to do this for us.”
“Yeah, and I bet Carter had a fit.”
“Screw Carter.”
“Judy!”
“I’m sorry. He gets under my skin.”
“Well, he is your husband’s boss, so play nice.”
“My husband.” She smiled up at him. He returned her smile.
“Let’s go get some ice cream. I know this great little shop that sells Italian Eis across the bridge.” He paid the cab driver and dismissed him. They held hands across the wide bridge reveling in the early fall day in Vienna.
“I can’t believe that hotel suite. I will never stay in anything so posh again.” Judy gushed.
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