Next Exit, Quarter Mile

by CW Browning

  Hawk reached the bike and got on, pulling the keys from his cargo pocket. The engine roared to life and he pulled out into traffic as sirens sounded in the distance, heading for the street behind him. A quick glance at his watch made him increase the throttle. It was time to contact Charlie and get back to Hermes.

  It was time to go back to Viper.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Stephanie watched as Blake disappeared into the black, glass-fronted office building that dominated the Corporate Complex. The development was located in a busy commercial area about twenty minutes from the race track. There were three office complexes in the development and Dominic's was the most impressive. Perfectly manicured easements planted with trimmed boxwoods, interspersed with cherry trees, flanked the front foyer while a courtyard of lush green grass separated the building from the ones on either side. Behind the office building, a man-made lake boasted a fountain and metal picnic tables that were shaded by large, old maple trees. A gravel walking path circumvented the lake, providing a tranquil walk for employees who were pre-disposed to exercise on their lunch breaks. It was early afternoon now, and the parking lot was full and the oasis behind the building empty.

  Stephanie glanced at her watch and leaned her head back against the headrest, her eyes resting on the front of the building. They agreed over lunch that she would wait in the car while Blake went and talked to Dominic. Blake didn't want to alarm him too much, he just wanted to get a feel for the man and see what he could learn. Dominic was less likely to feel threatened by a single FBI agent. Stephanie's lips twisted despite herself. That was Blake's argument over lunch, and Stephanie acknowledged the rationale behind it. However, she also fully understood that Dominic was somehow responsible for John's accident, whether directly or inadvertently, and Blake was well-aware of her feelings on that subject.

  She sighed and rubbed her eyes, her throat constricting as anguish welled up inside her. They were coming in waves, these overwhelming feelings of grief, and Stephanie was glad Blake wasn't here just now. She managed to remain composed while she told him over lunch that John passed away, but Stephanie knew that composure was very fragile. Blake knew it too, and his eyes were filled with compassion when he simply reached out and held her hands over the table. Somehow, that had been enough. Stephanie took a deep, shuddering breath now and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Now was not the time to grieve. There would be time enough later, when she was alone. Now, she had to concentrate on helping Blake find Dominic's drivers.

  Stephanie fished around in her purse until she found a packet of tissues. Pulling them out, she blew her nose and wiped her eyes determinedly. It turned out Blake already knew about the bombs. He found out last night from Michael. Stephanie frowned, turning her eyes back to the office building in front of her absently. Did Viper know that Michael was so involved? Probably, she admitted after a second. Viper seemed to know everything and share very little, like what was really in those bombs. Stephanie's lips tightened grimly. At least now she knew why Viper was so adamant about keeping Stephanie out of the terrorist side of the problem. A biological terrorist attack really did fall into her area of expertise, and Stephanie was honest enough to admit that Viper was more suited to finding the terrorist than she or Blake.

  She was still staring absently at the front of the building when movement around the side caught her attention. Stephanie raised an eyebrow and watched as a large man appeared, walking along the gravel path surrounding the lake. As she watched, the man stepped off the path and onto the cement sidewalk that ran between the office buildings. He was heading towards her and the parking lot, his hands in his pockets. Dressed in business casual slacks and a button-down shirt, he appeared to be an office worker out for a mid-afternoon stroll to clear his head. Stephanie tilted her head and studied him as he drew closer to the parking lot. Something about him was very familiar to her, something in the way he walked and the way he carried himself.

  She frowned and watched him, trying to place him. As he reached the parking lot and emerged from the shadows of the buildings, the sun caught him full in the face and Stephanie's eyebrows soared into her forehead. She knew that face well. She and John had had countless conversations with that man over the past three years at various times and during various investigations. He was one of Frankie Solitto's most trusted enforcers. His name was Stefan Delgado, and Stephanie could not think of a single reason why he should be here. Most of Frankie's business dealings were up near Trenton. While it was true that he had multiple interests in Philadelphia and Atlantic City, and even some small ventures in South Jersey, the bulk of Frankie's concerns were not here. So what was Delgado doing in Sicklerville?

  Stephanie's frown grew as she watched Stefan cross the parking lot and get into the passenger side of a black Cadillac Escalade parked in a front spot with a clear view to the very building she herself was watching. What was Frankie up to now? He hadn't been on she and John's agenda for over a year since they were moved to anti-terrorist investigations. Someone else was handling the organized crime world of Frankie Solitto now. As far she gathered, things had been fairly quiet in the Solitto camp lately. There was some talk that he was toning down his interests in an attempt to go legitimate, but John scoffed at the idea just last month. Solitto was an old-fashioned mobster, plain and simple, and leopards didn't change their spots.

  Her lips tightened thoughtfully and Stephanie shifted her gaze back to the building in front of her. Had Solitto taken offense to Dominic DiBarcoli? Stefan Delgado held a very specific place in Solitto's organization and it was never good if he was watching someone. That person usually ended up in a body bag soon after. Or was Stefan keeping Dominic in check? Was Frankie involved in the driving ring?

  Stephanie shook her head and reached into her purse to pull out her cell phone. Things just keep getting better and better, she thought, hitting speed dial on her phone. Now the New Jersey mob was involved. Fantastic.

  “Yes?” Alina answered with her usual short greeting.

  “When we went to Atlantic City, you met with Frankie Solitto,” Stephanie said, her eyes going back to the black Escalade. “What did he want?”

  There was short pause on the line and Stephanie knew she had caught Alina by surprise.

  “Why is this a question now?” Alina finally asked, her voice calm.

  “I'm sitting outside Dominic's office building,” Stephanie told her, “and Stefan Delgado is here. He's one of Frankie's main enforcers. I find that suspect, don't you?”

  This time the pause was a little longer.

  “Is he alone?”

  “No. There's at least one other with him,” Stephanie replied. “They seem to be just observing, but it's still not good.”

  “No, it's not,” Viper agreed slowly. “Don't mention it to Blake. I'll take care of it.”

  “Lina, the last thing we need is the Jersey mob jumping into the mix,” Stephanie said. “It will be hard enough to get the drivers to turn on Dominic. If Frankie's involved, it will never happen. We'll never get them to talk.”

  “I'll see what I can find out.”

  She disconnected and Stephanie sighed, slipping her phone back into her purse. A slow, dull ache was starting behind her eyes and she leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

  How much more complicated was this going to get?

  Alina set her phone down slowly, her lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed, staring at nothing in particular. What the hell was Frankie up to? She tapped her fingers absently on the counter as facial recognition software ran on one of the plasmas on the wall, comparing the three photos Michael sent of Asad and Co with security footage from toll booths across the south. She stared at the streaming footage without seeing it, deep in thought.

  It was some minutes later when her phone began ringing again. Pulled out of her reverie, Alina reached for it.

  “Yes?”

  “I've got good news,” Michael told her. “I just heard from my buddy in CBP. He’s c
aught up to your travelers.”

  “Where?” Viper asked sharply, rolling her chair over to the laptop further down on the counter.

  “North Carolina,” he replied. “He spotted them just outside Charlotte before he lost them again. They're heading Northeast.”

  Viper typed commands into the computer swiftly and the second plasma came alive with a new facial recognition search narrowing in on North Carolina and Virginia.

  “That's the best news I've heard all day,” she told Michael.

  “What do you want me to tell him to do?” Michael asked her. “He's willing to keep after them.”

  Alina finished typing and sat back in her chair.

  “He can go home,” she said after a moment. “I'll take it from here.”

  “You're sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “It's your rodeo,” Michael agreed reluctantly. “I'll let him know.”

  “Thank you.”

  Alina disconnected and rolled back to the first computer. After a minute of typing on that one, the first plasma screen flickered. The search stopped, then restarted with new parameters. Viper looked up at the two screens running simultaneous searches. Between both of them, she had blanketed North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. It wouldn't be long before she got a hit on Asad.

  Glancing at her watch, Alina stood and picked up her phone. She turned to the steps leading upstairs and pressed the button to open the door above her. There was nothing more she could do here until one of those searches got a hit. The kitchen island slid aside and Alina went up the steps swiftly.

  It was time to pay Frankie Solitto a visit.

  The man standing at the dark window overlooking the city below was dressed in his usual charcoal suit with a gray dress shirt. The suit jacket was draped over the back of the chair behind him and his shirt sleeves were rolled up, exposing forearms that were still firmly muscled. His hands were in his pockets and he stared down over the city, his brows drawn together in a frown. It wasn't often Charlie could be found in his office after the sun descended below the skyline, casting his city into the shadows he knew so well. Nighttime was when he got the most work done, whether it be in the glittering social circuit or darkened rooms in Langley. Now, looking down at the streets coming alive under the strident glow of the streetlights, Charlie sighed imperceptibly. He would be late getting started tonight, but it couldn't be helped.

  He turned from the window and glanced at his watch. He was just preparing to sit in the chair behind his large desk when a soft knock fell on the door. Charlie raised an eyebrow as the door opened and a large, bald head appeared, looking around the edge of the door.

  “You're here!” Harry exclaimed, his broad shoulders following his head into the office. “I was downstairs for a meeting and came up to see if you were around. I didn't really expect you to be.”

  He closed the door behind himself and walked across the office, twirling his cane while he studied his old friend.

  “I shouldn't be, but I got delayed outside the city,” Charlie replied, a rare smile creasing his face. “I just got back.”

  “You look tired,” Harry observed, propping his cane against the desk. “Have you eaten?”

  “I'll get something later,” Charlie said, seating himself and waving Harry into one opposite. “How's Homeland?”

  “Secure...for now,” Harry answered cheerfully, settling into a chair comfortably. “I'm glad I caught you. You're aware of what happened yesterday? In New Jersey?”

  Charlie sat back and steepled his fingers, his gray eyes serious above them as they regarded Harry.

  “Yes. It's very unfortunate.”

  Harry snorted.

  “Unfortunate?” he repeated. “It's a disaster. Have you talked to her?”

  “Today. She didn't mention it, and neither did I.”

  Harry stared at him.

  “You didn't....what kind of game are you playing now?” he demanded. “We can't just pretend that Viper's long-ago beau didn't just up and die! She's got to be furious.”

  “If she is, she's hiding it well,” Charlie said, lowering his hands and shrugging. “She sounded no different yesterday and today than she ever does.”

  Harry stared at him, his brows knit together.

  “Could she not know yet?” he wondered. “Has she been out of town?”

  “I think it's safe to assume that she knows,” Charlie replied. “She was at the hospital yesterday.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I've got tracking software on her. All my assets have it. It keeps things clean.”

  Harry shook his head.

  “I don't like that she doesn't seem to be addressing it,” he murmured. “If she's keeping it all bottled up, we're in for one hell of an explosion.”

  “Yes, well, I'm rather banking on that,” Charlie said obscurely.

  Harry looked up at that.

  “Have you found the threat?” he asked. “Is it as bad as we thought?”

  “It's about what we thought it would be,” Charlie replied, getting up and walking over to the windows again. “Viper was right from the start. They're in the country and they're targeting the East coast.”

  “And Viper herself?”

  “No intel yet,” Charlie said, sliding his hands in pockets and staring down into the streets. “I don't think they know she's stateside, but I don't have confirmation on that. For now, we're working on the assumption they know she's here.”

  “Do we know what their plan is?” Harry asked.

  Charlie glanced at him and turned to go back to his chair restlessly.

  “Yes. They're planning on detonating some bombs,” he told him. “We don't know how many or where they will be. Viper's working on it now.”

  “I've haven't heard any chatter about anything like that,” Harry said, leaning forward. “Are you sure?”

  “No one's heard any chatter,” Charlie said matter-of-factly. “All the usual channels are silent.”

  “How is that even possible?” Harry demanded.

  “I don't think anyone knows about it except Al-Jibad's group,” Charlie replied. “I think they've kept it quiet. They know we have ears everywhere. They have a very specific plan and they're not willing to jeopardize it.”

  Harry shook his head and scowled.

  “What kind of bombs?” he asked after a moment.

  “Ones that have to be assembled,” Charlie answered. “They've been transporting them in pieces.”

  “I can get my people working on it,” Harry offered. “Do we have any guesses on locations?”

  “Not yet. As I said, Viper is working on it.” Charlie looked at him grimly. “When I have locations, I'll take you up on that offer. That is, if we don't get to them first.”

  Harry raised an eyebrow.

  “Is that a possibility?” he asked in surprise.

  “With Viper?” Charlie chuckled. “Anything is possible.”

  “That's true enough,” Harry agreed, his lips curving reluctantly before he sobered again. “You know, if she's focused on this issue, we just might dodge a bullet with John Smithe,” he said thoughtfully. “You told me once that you needed Viper without any distractions. It sounds like you've got her, despite John's untimely passing.”

  “It does seem that way, doesn't it?”

  Harry looked at him sharply.

  “I know that tone,” he murmured. “You still have reservations?”

  “Don't you?” Charlie countered.

  Harry grinned suddenly.

  “I've always got reservations when it comes to Viper,” he retorted, “but she's never proven them valid. All we can do is wait. Does she know who caused his accident?”

  “I believe so,” Charlie said.

  Harry grunted.

  “That could get sticky then,” he admitted. “We do have one ace on our side, though.”

  Charlie glanced at him questioningly.

  “Oh?”

  “Hawk,” Harry told him.
“He'll keep her in check. She won't make mistakes when he's there to see them. Their old competition is still going strong.” He glanced at his watch and reached for his cane, pushing himself to his feet. “I have to go. I'm meeting a Senator for dinner. You'll let me know if you need me?”

  Charlie nodded and stood, holding out his hand to Harry across the desk.

  “Of course.”

  Harry nodded, gripping his hand firmly, and then he was gone, the door closing softly behind him.

  Charlie watched him go before turning to walk slowly back to the windows. He stared out into the night, lost in thought with his hands buried in his pockets. Harry was right about one thing; they had dodged a bullet with John's untimely death and Viper's non-reaction to it. However, Charlie knew that reprieve would be short-lived. If he knew his asset, and he knew her well, Viper had simply placed John's death on the back burner. Once Asad was dealt with, Viper would go after John's killers with impunity and without restraint. It was only a matter of time.

  Twenty minutes later, he was still standing there, staring at nothing, when his phone beeped to remind him of an appointment. Startled, Charlie glanced at his watch and turned from the windows, reaching for his suit jacket.

  It was time to get back to work.

  Chapter Forty

  Alina glanced at her watch and suppressed a faint sigh. She had been shown into the sitting room over ten minutes before and was still waiting. She shook her head and moved to the window overlooking the side yard. If Frankie didn't show up soon, she was going to become seriously annoyed. Alina pondered the pros and cons of going to look for him, but dismissed the idea a moment later. There was a reason she came through the front gate and had herself announced. Irritating her host by not respecting his privacy at this juncture would defeat her purpose.

  The door behind her opened and Frankie Solitto entered alone, closing it softly behind himself. He looked across the room and smiled.