“Get out of my way.”
“Make me.”
He was bigger than me, meaner too. I’d gotten the drop on him in Colombia, but this time I lacked the advantage of surprise.
I looked to the stage. Diane was gone. It took me only a second to make up my mind. Swinging to the side, I vaulted over a couple of rows.
“You’re a coward, Cyclone,” he called out. “You’re a damn coward.”
Ignoring him, I darted down the stairs and through the double doors. As I slid into the Great Hall, I saw Diane walking toward the exit. I tried to run after her, but the crowd gathered around me, peppering me with questions.
“Diane,” I shouted. “Wait.”
I pushed through the members, splitting the crowd. Precious seconds passed. Finally, I managed to break free.
“Hold on just a second.” The new voice caught me off guard.
Twisting to the side, I saw Walker. His face betrayed his aggravation.
I shoved him out of the way and moved forward. But the crowd expanded, trapping me inside. Straining my neck, I managed to get one final glimpse of the exit.
But she was already gone.
Chapter 8
The small skyscraper at the corner of 52
nd
Street and 2
nd
Avenue didn’t project importance. Even the light coating of raindrops that covered its exterior couldn’t shine its dull granite blocks, its curiously short columns, and its large, unadorned windows. But despite its unimpressive looks, the building somehow managed to command respect.
Walker stopped the Town Car in front of the façade. Twisting around, he stared at me. We hadn’t exchanged a single word for almost two hours. Not that I cared. I didn’t feel much like talking.
“Do I need to escort you inside?”
I shrugged. “Sorry Jim, I didn’t mean to waste your time.”
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Mr. Chase.”
As I stepped onto the sidewalk, rain poured down from above, stinging my face. Quickly, I maneuvered past some large planters and strode into the building.
At first glance, the lobby looked simple and elegant. The walls consisted of large granite blocks. Tall glass windows provided the space with a sense of openness. A stone fountain gurgled pleasantly from the middle of the room, pouring streams of water into a waiting pool below. The pool itself was brightly lit and I could see colorful fish swimming around inside.
But the lobby carried a darker side as well. Multiple cameras, whirring softly, scanned the room. Men and women, sporting hard, lined faces, milled about the area.
Looking around, I spotted a small circular desk. I hoofed my way across the marble floor and stopped in front of it.
A young woman looked up at me with a broad, confident smile. “May I help you?”
“I’m here to see Jack Chase.”
Her smile slipped away. Behind her, I saw two heavies straighten up and glance in my direction. Apparently, it wasn’t everyday that someone off the street came looking for the boss.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“I see. Well, if you leave your name and number with me, I’ll be sure –”
“He’s expecting me. My name’s Cy Reed.”
The heavies took a few steps forward, positioning themselves on both sides of the desk.
Frowning, the woman checked her screen. “I’m not seeing anything here. Perhaps you have the wrong date?”
“Not a chance.”
Her frown deepened. “Well, I’m not seeing…”
I noticed the heavies moving behind me. Suddenly, I had an epiphany. “Maybe he used my full name. Cyclone Reed.”
Abruptly, her smile returned. “Ah yes, Mr. Reed. I’m sorry about the confusion. Do you have your driver’s license with you?”
“I don’t drive. And before you ask, I don’t have any other identification either.”
The frown returned. She picked up a phone, punched in a number, and spoke softly into the receiver for a moment. Then she gave me a surprised look. “Mr. Chase will see you now.”
Slowly, almost reluctantly, the heavies drifted away. As they returned to their original positions, the woman printed out a visitor’s nametag and instructed me where to go.
I left the desk and walked through a guarded waist-high turnstile. Instantly, lights flashed and a loud buzzing noise burst into the air.
A third heavy stepped in front of me. “Sir, are you carrying any metal items?”
I looked down at my satchel and realized my gun and machete were inside of it. “Uh, yeah.”
“I’ll have to take them from you.”
“That’s not happening.”
He started to reach for me and then pulled his hand back. The heavy listened to his earpiece for a moment and then shot me a curious glance. “My mistake, sir. You’re free to go.”
I walked ahead and entered an elevator. The panel consisted of just two buttons, Up and Down. I pressed Up.
I rode the elevator for a full minute before it eased to a halt. The doors opened silently and I stepped out into a corridor. Following it, I walked through a pair of clouded glass doors and into a small reception area that had all the personality of a dentist’s office.
A middle-aged man peered up at me from behind a pair of thick glasses. He appeared to guard access to a single metal door located on the other side of his desk. “Good afternoon, Mr. Reed. Please take a seat. Mr. Chase is just finishing up an appointment.”
I noticed plenty of magazines lying about the room.
Small Wars Journal
.
Jane’s Intelligence Review
.
Soldier of Fortune
.
My eyes shifted to the walls, which were covered with plaques, certificates, and framed newspaper articles. I walked over to the largest of the frames. The piece, a front page article for the Washington Post, was entitled “ShadowFire: Mercenaries or Heroes?”
The accompanying photograph showed Chase standing casually in front of a compound, staring into the sky. I skimmed through the text, skipping the parts about the company’s ongoing operations in the Middle East and its efforts to enter the anti-sea piracy market. One section in particular caught my attention and I leaned in for a closer look.
When confronted with their accusations, Mr. Chase laughed heartily. “My critics like to call me a death merchant,” he said. “But the truth is I’m just a businessman with a product, no more and no less. I don’t create the demand for it. I merely provide a service that attempts to satisfy that demand with as little…”
“I won’t give an inch.”
The muffled words drifted into the reception area, breaking my concentration. I pretended to keep reading, but the burgeoning fight behind the metal door occupied my full attention.
“We don’t need this kind of publicity,” replied an unfamiliar feminine voice. “ShadowFire’s in enough hot water as it is. Just make a deal with them.”
“Not a chance. Those leeches have bled this city dry for too long. I’m not going to stand by and let them continue to rip off the taxpayers.”
The metal door flew open and a short, stocky woman strode into the reception area, clenching her fists. Moments later, Chase poked his head out of the door and flashed me a smile. “Come on in.”
I stood up and followed him into his office. The room was small and sparsely decorated. Several oil paintings hung from the walls, depicting famous battles of American history. The solid wood floor looked dull and unpolished. A desk, completely lacking in papers of any kind, sat in the middle of the room, its singular prominent feature being an antique lamp. Behind the desk, I saw a bookshelf, a small refrigerator, and an old office chair.
As I sat down in one of the guest chairs, I noticed a securely locked glass case pushed up against the wall. Antique guns of all shapes and sizes rested on velvet pads within it. “I guess I should explain,” I began.
“No need. By the way, what do you think of my firearm collection?”
“Pretty impressive. The Colt Army Model 1860 is in particularly fine condition.”
“I didn’t know you were an enthusiast.”
I shrugged. “Chalk it up to coincidence. We used to have that exact same model on the mantle when I was a boy. It belonged to my third great-grandfather. He fought in the Civil War.”
“I see bravery runs in your family. My favorite is the Smith & Wesson Victory Model. A remnant of a simpler time, when war was considered a noble, necessary response to a dangerous world.”
“Speaking of a dangerous world, have you been outside lately?”
“Walker gave me the traffic report after you, uh, left. I understand it’s quite a mess out there.”
“It is.”
“The union bosses have this city in a death grip. They make far more than their nonunionized counterparts and yet, provide mediocre services. They’re protected from layoffs and practically unaccountable. Frankly, I’m sick of it.”
“The timing seems fortuitous.”
He gave me a shrewd look. “Do you think I planned it to facilitate your search?”
“Did you?”
He chuckled lightly. “So, other than traffic, I trust that your trip was satisfactory?”
I was annoyed at his refusal to answer my question. But that wasn’t the only thing that bothered me. Something else gnawed at my brain, something unsettling. “How did Walker find me?”
“What do you mean?”
“Out of all the places in the city to look, why’d he search for me at the Explorer’s Society?”
Chase stared at me for a long minute. “We placed a homing beacon in your satchel.”
“Are you serious?”
“Please try to understand. I’ve invested a lot of time and money in this hunt. I can’t afford anything happening to you.”
“I’m touched.”
“If you want, you may remove it. It’s attached to your blade.”
I reached into the satchel and felt around. At the base of the machete, I felt a small, hard object. Peeling it off, I tossed it onto his desk. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m already wavering on this assignment. If you pull another stunt like this, I walk.”
“I understand. You have my word it won’t happen again.”
I nodded. “Now, before we proceed, I have one more question for you. What do you know about Ryan Standish?”
“Standish? That name sounds familiar.”
“It should. Beverly hired me to steal the cacique from him.”
“Ah yes, the crooked archaeologist.”
“Did you know he’s in Manhattan?”
“No, but I suppose I’m to blame. I have many friends within the Colombian government. As such, I was able to arrange for his deportation.”
“They moved fast.”
“My friends are powerful.”
I sat back. “I guess so. Well, I prepared a search plan. Are you ready to get started?”
“In a minute.”
“What are we waiting for?”
“Your partner.”
My lip curled in annoyance. “I work alone.”
“What if something goes wrong? What if you’re injured and need help?”
“That won’t happen.”
“Maybe not, but all the same, I’d like you to have someone watching your back.”
“You mean you want someone to spy on me.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, his eyes shifted. I followed his gaze to the metal door. As it opened, my muscles tightened.
“I know you two met before but let’s make it formal,” Chase said. “Cyclone Reed, meet your new partner. Beverly Ginger.”
Chapter 9
I barely controlled my anger as Beverly glided into the room. The last thing I needed was a partner, especially one who’d already Tasered me.
She sat down next to me. Crossing her legs, she stared directly at Chase. I glanced in her direction and felt my jaw unhinge.
Beverly wore a tight, white collared shirt, popped open at the top, highlighting her ample chest. Her black and white pencil skirt hugged her hips and tapered to her knees, accentuating her legs. A perfect French manicure peeked out of her open-toed high heels, one of which she swung back and forth, over and over, like a hypnotist’s swing watch.
First, she’d portrayed a victimized archaeologist. Now, she wore the attire and hungry look of a corporate executive. She was like some kind of sex-charged chameleon, changing her outfit and personality to match her needs.
And to seduce her prey.
I turned toward Chase. “You must be out of your mind.”
“I know there are some trust issues here but –”
“She lied to my face. She risked my life.” I raised my voice. “Then to top it off, she kidnapped me. Trust issues are the least of our worries.”
“I understand your feelings. But this is non-negotiable. You need a partner.”
I jerked my thumb at her. “And you think she’s the best choice? Does she have any experience conducting a manhunt? Does she know anything about the tunnel system?”
Beverly smiled. “Maybe not. Then again, I’m not an archaeologist either, but I still managed to fool a so-called expert.”
My blood boiled as I looked at her. “This isn’t some kind of game. I’m going to venture miles into a hostile, closed environment. There are no food sources and few places to access potable water. I can’t afford to expend time and energy babysitting you.”
“I’ve experienced every type of weather and terrain known to man. I think I can handle a couple of city tunnels.”
“In case it’s escaped your attention, the two subjects vanished for a reason,” I retorted. “Maybe a little-used tunnel collapsed on them. Maybe it was foul play. Regardless, if something goes wrong, there’s nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide. I’m dead and so is anyone unfortunate enough to be with me.”
I looked at Chase. “You already tried a manhunt. You already tried the police. You said it yourself back in Colombia…a solo operation might be the last chance you have to find Kolen and Adcock.”
Chase smiled.
The bastard. He’s actually enjoying this.
“So I did,” he replied. “However, Beverly’s still travelling with you. But you have my word that she won’t get in your way. Her responsibilities are strictly limited to observing your progress and reporting back to me.”
His tone indicated that the discussion was over. I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms.
“Good,” he said. “Now, let’s get down to business. You mentioned you’d prepared a strategy?”