Labyrinth (11 page)

And then she was at the door.

Grabbing at the doorknob, she turned and fell into the next room.

Kessel
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Chapter 11

He was surrounded by three large and angry-looking Doberman pinschers, their sleek black fur ruffled and bunched as their muscles shifted. A fourth dog lay dead near Kessel, its neck at an abrupt angle.

Annja frowned. How had he gotten this far into the maze? Was there another way through it?

“Kessel!”

He glanced up even as one of the dogs made a lunge at him. Kessel batted it away with a huge paw of his own. The dog scampered away, but not far. They thought they had Kessel cornered, and while he might have killed one of their own, there were still three of them to tear him apart.

Annja could work her way past Kessel and the dogs. They’d shown no interest in her so far, after all. Once she got past them, she’d be free to continue on. And that would mean she wouldn’t have to deal with Kessel when this was over. She didn’t relish the thought of having to fight him.

But Kessel didn’t necessarily deserve to die being ripped apart by wild dogs. He hadn’t actually killed anyone today. Greene had. As far as Annja was concerned, Kessel just might be the best of the three villains holding Fairclough.

Only just.

Annja started forward as she heard a low growl from behind her and turned.

Another dog squatted in the corner. And this one was bigger than any of the others. Judging by his girth, he ate better than the other dogs. He was probably the alpha male of the pack, which is why he’d sent his soldiers in first—before he moved in for the kill.

But now Annja was here and he was reacting to the threat she posed.

Or the threat she posed as soon as she yanked her sword out.

If the dog was concerned about the blade, it showed no sign of fear. How could it? Annja reasoned. There was no way such a dog would have ever risen to power in the pack if he’d shown the slightest hint of emotion.

Even in the face of staring down an armed human, the dog menaced Annja. It began to growl, a lower vibration from deep within its belly, moving up through its throat.

Annja didn’t want to have to kill the dog, but neither did she intend to end up being mauled and eaten by it, either. Had Fairclough stocked the maze with these beasts and kept them underfed for just this purpose?

She was rapidly growing weary of Fairclough’s mechanisms for keeping his old book safe and secure.

There were so many better ways he could have done this, she thought.

When the alpha dog attacked, there was no hesitation. It simply shifted and shot at her, fully committed and without any pause. One moment, it had been standing completely still. In the next, it was charging Annja faster than she could draw a breath.

Annja pivoted as the dog sailed past her.

Dammit, she thought, he’s not giving me much of a choice here.

The dog came at her again and, this time, Annja tried to smack it with the flat of her blade. She caught him on his flanks, but the dog barely whimpered at the hit. He landed, skittered away from Annja, then turned and came racing right back at her.

Annja shook her head. Don’t do this, she wanted to yell.

Ravenous as it appeared to be, despite its girth, the alpha dog would need to provide for its soldiers or risk being unseated from his position of power. And that meant that it would attack any viable target.

And Annja was viable.

So was Kessel.

The alpha dog rounded on her again, intent on snapping for her neck.

Annja had no choice.

She backpedaled and then cut quickly, severing the dog’s head and just barely sidestepping a gush of blood that erupted from the stump. The dog’s body crashed to the floor and lay still. Its head landed across the room, closer to Kessel.

There was a moment of stillness. The three dogs snarling at Kessel stopped. One of them nosed the decapitated head, sniffing around it. Annja heard a curious sound that was a combination whimper and growl.

They’ll either break for it here, she thought, or another dog will try to take the alpha’s place.

She hoped it would be the latter.

Kessel glanced at Annja and his eyes widened when he saw the sword. So much for keeping that a surprise, she thought. Oh, well, she’d deal with it when she had to and not before.

Another dog nosed the alpha’s head, then sniffed the first dog that had nosed it. There were more growls. A whimper.

And then all three ran down the corridor away from Annja and Kessel.

Annja let out a pent-up breath. She didn’t want to have to kill any more dogs today.

“That was close,” Kessel said.

She whipped her head up. “Uh, I thought you didn’t have a tongue.”

Kessel grinned. “Yeah, well, that’s not exactly accurate.”

“No shit.” Annja kept the sword handy. “You feel like explaining that one to me?”

Kessel shrugged. “Not much to explain. It was necessary to make it appear as if I didn’t have a tongue. Greene’s much more trusting when he thinks there’s no fear of anyone letting his secrets out.”

“And who would want to do that?”

Kessel smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a special agent with the FBI.”

Annja eyed him. “You’re with the Bureau?”

“I am.”

“Prove it.”

Kessel laughed. “As if. I don’t carry a badge around with me, Annja. I’m deep undercover. Something like that would get me killed. Greene wouldn’t even hesitate if he suspected me.”

“How long have you been under?”

“Two years.”

Annja shook her head. “That’s a hell of a long time.”

“Tell me about it. I almost forget what it’s like to have a conversation sometimes. My throat gets all raspy, too.” Kessel rubbed his throat and looked at Annja. “You don’t seem as surprised as I thought you’d be.”

Annja shrugged. “I’ve known my fair share of Feds.”

Kessel smiled. “Well, at least that charade is over. I’m glad you know I’m one of the good guys.” He hesitated.

“What’s the matter?” Annja asked.

Kessel pointed. “So, where’d you get that sword?”

“We can talk about that later.” Annja looked around, but the dogs didn’t seem to be coming back anytime soon. “What happened to you after the floor gave way in the table room?”

“I fell,” said Kessel. “Landed in some murky pool filled with nasty biting fish of some sort. I had to swim through a long tunnel to get out of it, but fortunately, I’m used to doing things like that blindfolded.”

“You are?”

“I was a Navy SEAL before I joined the Bureau.”

Annja nodded. “That accounts for the size of your upper body. All the swimming. You’re not the first SEAL I’ve known before.”

“You must run in some pretty strange circles, Annja.”

She laughed. “I sometimes think I don’t have any friends who would even know what normal is.”

“So, what now?”

Annja pointed down the corridor. “We go on, obviously. Fairclough’s running out of time. We’re three hours in and I have no clue if we’re anywhere near the center of the maze.”

“That book could be anywhere,” Kessel said. “Did Fairclough give you any indication whatsoever about its location?”

“Said I’d understand the maze better when I got in here. But damned if I can figure it out. I expected something a lot more mentally taxing. But so far, it’s just been about physically being able to handle the challenges he’s thrown at me.”

Kessel laid a hand on her shoulder. “Well, he wasn’t throwing them at you, per se. He designed this in case thieves broke in and wanted the book.”

“Yeah, but I have to think of it as being aimed at me so I can try to figure it out better. If I just view it as a security system, then it doesn’t make much sense. Fairclough wanted me for some reason—almost as if he knew I’d be the only person who might have a shot at getting the book.” She frowned. “That sounds awfully pretentious.”

“Kinda does,” Kessel said. “But it also makes sense.” He sighed. “I know Greene was pretty upset when Fairclough demanded he get you to come here.”

“You’ve been undercover for two years and you still don’t have enough to arrest Greene?”

“Well, not until today. Him murdering that guy Jackson was enough, obviously.”

“So how come you didn’t?”

“Because you decided to imitate a bird,” Kessel said. “I was just about to reveal myself when you took off. I couldn’t let Greene chase after you.”

“You got the getaway van, though.”

“Yeah, better to help him than risk him putting a hole in your head like he did with Jackson. Besides, I still had Fairclough to worry about.”

Annja wasn’t sure if that made a whole lot of sense. Two years was an extremely long time to be undercover. Maybe Kessel was having a harder time shaking it off than he thought he would.

She’d have to watch him to be sure he really was what he claimed.

Otherwise…

She blinked, realizing again how exhausted she was. Kessel eyed her.

“You okay?”

“I’m tired as hell,” Annja said. “Traipsing through some weird underground maze isn’t exactly how I saw my vacation playing out.”

“Sorry you got wrapped up in this. Fairclough’s insistence that you be brought to his home set Greene back on his heels, but he’s determined to get at that book.”

“Why is it so important to him?”

“You heard what Fairclough said. Supposedly there’s some hidden code within its pages. That’s what Greene wants. He’s convinced that possessing the book will enable his plans for future terrorism.”

“Well, he’s already ruined my vacation,” Annja said. “So I guess the least I can do is make sure he never gets his hands on the book, huh?”

“I like the way you think.”

“You don’t know me well enough to say that,” Annja said. “And you might just change your mind before this is all over.”

“As long as you don’t run me through with that giant sword you’ve got somewhere.”

Annja stopped him. “Let’s pretend that doesn’t exist, okay?”

“Little late for that, don’t you think?”