Black Ops Chronicles: Dead Run (27 page)

***

Tuesday, April 29
^th
, 8:09 a.m., the home of Dr. Charles Smith, Salt Lake City, Utah
:

Levi took an instant liking to Dr. Smith. A small, meticulous man, Smith had sharp brown eyes, a smile that only reached them occasionally—but was well worth the wait when it did—a quick mind, soft hands, and an ironic sense of humor.

“Tony’s clever, but he’s smug,” Smith said. “And the smug part makes him vulnerable. When ego gets in the way, people make mistakes. And you stop him by thinking of what he hasn’t thought of yet.” He flashed Levi a grin. “You look like a bright young man. You shouldn’t have a problem second guessing Tony.”

“I don’t feel very bright. I didn’t even know he’d come after Tess until I got back to Salt Lake City, and by then it was too bloody late.”

“You didn’t know because you don’t know Tony. I’ve known his family since he was fourteen. I lived in the apartment next door to them all through medical school and my residency. Tony has a serious inferiority complex, though he hides it well. It stems from being the oldest son of a domineering mother, whom he could never please. And now in Jonas’s organization, Tony knows that he’ll never be—I believe the expression is ‘Made.’ He’ll always be an employee, never a boss.”

Smith poured a mug of dark brown liquid from a small pot on the desk. “Coffee substitute.” He held out the pot. When Levi shook his head, Smith grinned. “I know. It tastes rather like cardboard. I just use lots of sugar,” he said, adding several spoonfuls to his cup.

“Anyway, when Jonas transferred Tony from his staff to Nick’s, Tony most likely saw it as a demotion. I believe that was when he decided to bring Nick down as a way to get even with Jonas. After all, wasn’t it Tony who came up with the drugs-and-terrorists scheme?”

“That’s what Nick’s men said,” Levi confirmed. “But Tess really didn’t have that much contact with Tony, and she isn’t the type of person to make someone feel inferior. Even if she doesn’t like them. I mean, she’s not the least unkind.”

“Yes, but I imagine her rejection of him when he made that pass at her was a serious blow to his ego. Especially if she was kind about it.” He tapped a finger on the rim of his cup as he talked. “When Tony approached her at that party, I doubt he saw her as anything special. He was probably only after a quick fling, nothing more. Had she accepted, he would have bedded her and forgotten her as just another conquest. But she refused him—not what he expected.

“And yet she accepted Nick. Now, Tony believes he’s far superior to Nick. Better looking, smarter, sexier, you name it. So when Nick—ten years younger and so inferior to him—swept in and stole her, it hurt. Tony blew the whole thing up in his mind until she became every woman who’d ever betrayed him. He probably blamed both her and Nick, but mostly her.”

Smith drained his cup and poured another. “After all, in his opinion, all women are whores and bitches.”

“So everything that’s gone wrong after she said ‘no’ is
her
fault?”

“Absolutely. You wouldn’t expect a man like Tony to blame himself for his own mistakes, would you?” Smith sighed and shook his head. “Added to that, Tess is a strong, independent woman with a touch of vulnerability that makes her utterly charming and approachable.”

He met Levi’s gaze then smiled. Sympathy radiated from his eyes. “Ah, I see you’ve got it bad. But Tony wouldn’t have seen the qualities in her that you do, only that she seemed attainable, but wasn’t. At least not to him. And now, she’s still alive despite how hard he’s tried to kill her. Not only that, but because of her, you went to Baja and kicked his butt.” Smith paused for another quick grin. “He’d have hated that.

“Then there’s our church doctrine. He’s not a Mormon, but you can’t live in Utah and not pick up some of the teachings. We believe a woman’s place is in the home and that she should be obedient to her husband—her righteous husband, that is. But for a misogynist like Tony, it’s an excuse for abuse.

“Of course, this is all conjecture, but knowing Tony, I think it’s valid.” He waved a hand at his certificates on the wall. “I’d be willing to bet my medical degree that Tony’s the one who convinced Nick Tess had to die. He probably suggested she knew too much about their operation—though from what you’ve told me, it’s obvious she had no knowledge of it—and that if she told his grandfather, Jonas would send an assassin after them.”

Levi shifted in his chair. “Jonas isn’t like that,” he protested. “He never ordered anyone to take out Nick—or Tony, for that matter. And though he made it clear that if I had to kill Nick to save Tess, he’d accept that, it wasn’t his first choice.”

“You and I know that. But people like Nick tend to project their own emotions and propensities on others. Because an assassin would’ve been Nick’s first response, he assumes
it’s
Jonas’s as well. Add to that, Nick also has a warped sense of a woman’s place—even worse than Tony’s—and it’s a recipe for disaster.”

“So what is Tony likely to do now, and how do I stop him?”

“I can’t give you specifics, of course, but I can tell you it will be an indirect approach. First off, I’ll bet the sketch he left behind is a false clue. If it was a real clue, he would’ve destroyed it. So he won’t try to attack her at the estate or at your apartment. He’ll try to get her completely away from you. And you stop this by warning her not to believe anything a stranger tells her.”

Smith paused, stared at the wall a moment. “For example, if someone gets word to her that you or Jonas
have
been in an accident, and they need her to come to the emergency room, she should call the hospital to be sure this is true before she leaves the house.”

“Yes, I see your point. Okay, I’ll warn her.”

“Tell her not to take anything for granted.”

“That’s good advice, Doc. Thanks. Anything else?”

“Yes.” Smith cleared his throat. “If he gets hold of her, the kill won’t be quick or painless. He’ll want to make her suffer.” He studied his fingernails. “Violence is against my religion, but I’m a realist.” Raising his eyes, he met Levi’s gaze and held it. “Tony won’t stop until she’s dead. If you truly want to protect her, you’re going to have to kill him.”

CHAPTER 20

8:17 a.m., the country estate of Jonas McKenzie, outside Salt Lake City, Utah
:

Tess had just come back to her room after breakfast when the intercom buzzed.

“You have a call on line three,” the butler said. “A Mary Brown.”

“Thanks, Ralph.”
Mary Brown
? Tess shrugged and pushed the button on her phone. “Hello?”

“Hold just a minute, please,” said a female voice.

Then a male voice came on the line. “Hello, Tess, remember me?”

“Tony?”

“You remembered.” He sounded pleased. “Are you alone?”

“Yes,” she whispered as fear raked its claws down her spine. “How’d you know I was here?”

He laughed. “Where else would Komakov stash you to protect you? And speaking of your little buddy, where is he?”

At the sneer in his voice, anger rose up and swallowed her fear. “Did you call just to insult Levi, or do you want something?”

“I want you, Tess,” he told her with a sinister chuckle. “You see, I tracked down your CIA friend and took him prisoner.” At her horrified gasp, his laughter increased. “Yes, I figured you were hot for him. You wouldn’t have been so angry with him otherwise. I also saw your tears when he left. So after I got away from the house I went after him. It took me awhile, but I got him.”

Oh, God, no
! “Max?” The lump in her throat made it hard to speak. “Is he all right? Don’t hurt him. Please.”

“He’s fine, but whether he stays that way is pretty much up to you. It’s you I want revenge on, not Max. I’m sure he couldn’t help himself when it came to you. Neither could Nick. Or Komakov. Men are just fools for you, aren’t they, Tess?” He sounded so vicious, she didn’t respond. Couldn’t. He waited a few brief seconds then continued. “So what’s Max’s life worth to you? Will you toss him aside like you did all the others, or will you
trade
yourself for him?”

“How do I know you even have him, or that he’s still alive? I want to talk to him.”

“No dice,” he snapped. “Not on the phone. I promise you he’s alive. For now. If you want him to go on living, you’ll meet me.”

“And you expect me to believe you’ll let him go unharmed if I do?”

“Let me put it this way, bitch.” He spat the words at her. “You damn sure better believe I’ll kill him if you don’t. And I’ll make him suffer before he dies.”

Oh shit, oh shit
.
What do I do
? She still wasn’t sure Tony had Max, but she had no clue how to check. And she couldn’t take the chance he was bluffing.

“You still there, Tess?”

“Yes. What do you want me to do?”

“You’re going on a little trip,” he said. “Grab your toothbrush and call a cab. Go to the Salt Palace Convention Center on West Temple. To the payphones on the main floor. Wait there. I’ll call one of those phones. And don’t waste time. If you’re not there when I call, Max is dead. Any questions?”

“No.” Tess could hardly get the word out. She cleared her throat. “I’ll be there. I’ll leave right now.”

“Good girl. I’m looking forward to seeing you again. And Tess? Come alone. Or else.” With that, he hung up.

She stared at the phone, her mind numb with horror.
Oh God, I have to save Max
. Although she hated to admit it, she still loved him, and she couldn’t let him die in her place. Fighting down her panic, she struggled to come up with a plan.

She’d have to meet Tony alone. No question. She wouldn’t risk Max’s life. But that didn’t mean she had to go unarmed.

Sprinting down the hall, she dashed into Levi’s room. She’d seen him stash a half dozen guns in there when he moved her to the estate. From the closet shelf, she took the small, twenty-five caliber pistol he called a pocket gun. Compact and lightweight, but sturdy, it fit snuggly in her hand. She checked the clip. Full. Naturally.

Back in her bedroom, she called for a cab then grabbed a pen and paper from the table by the phone and scribbled a quick note. Her hands shook so much she could barely control the pen.

Levi
, she wrote.
Tony called. He’s kidnapped Max and wants to exchange him for me. I know you won’t approve, but I have to go. It’s my fault Max is in this mess in the first place. Please, please don’t come after me. This isn’t your fight. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. Forgive me. ~ Tess
.

Placing the letter in an envelope, she sealed it, wrote Levi’s name on the front, and hurried off to find the butler.

“Ralph, would you give this to Levi when he gets back from wherever he went this morning?”

“Certainly.”

She ran back to her room, shoved the gun, a change of clothes, her toothbrush, and wallet in her backpack, and dashed outside to catch her cab.

***

9:13 a.m., the country estate of Jonas McKenzie, outside Salt Lake City, Utah
:

Levi stormed into Jonas’s study and dropped Tess’s note on the desk.

Jonas picked it up and read it in silence, his wrinkled old hands trembling. “Holy Mother of God!” When he looked up, his eyes were pleading. “You’re going after her, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I am.” Levi took several deep breaths, fighting for control. “I need you to send out feelers to crime families nationwide. Tony may not even be in Utah, and we’ve got to find him. Ralph said Tess took a Yellow Cab, so I’m going to call their main office and find out where the cab dropped her.” He headed for the door. “Call my cell phone as soon as you have any information.”

He called Yellow Cab from his car. They put him on hold. His mind screaming with frustration, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. When the cab company official came back on the line, he said the driver had dropped Tess off at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Levi drove as if the world was exploding in his rear view mirror. But when he got to the Salt Palace, she wasn’t there. He showed around the picture of her he kept in his wallet and questioned several people who’d seen her—mostly men who’d noticed only her, not where she went. At last, he found a janitor who told him that Tess had gotten a phone call at the payphones on the main floor and then asked him where she had to go to find a cab.

***

9:32 a.m., Salt Lake City, Utah
:

In a cab heading toward her next destination, Tess clutched her arms across her chest as dread for herself and fear for Max consumed her. She closed her eyes, thinking of the call she’d gotten in the Salt Palace.

“We’re going to play a little game,” Tony had told her when she answered the phone. “I want to be sure you’re not rescued. Komakov’s only a passable skip tracer, but I can’t afford to be careless.”

“As long as you don’t hurt Max,” she’d responded, “I don’t care what you do.”

“Good. Good. And don’t worry. I’ve got no quarrel with Max. Now, catch another cab and go to the Intermodal Hub—to the payphones there—and wait for my call.”

She fretted over what Tony had said about Levi being a skip tracer. Did that mean he could follow her? She’d asked him not to, but he wouldn’t listen. She could only hope Tony’s game would keep Levi from finding her. Tony would kill him if he tried to save her—he was probably lying in wait right now, hoping to shoot Levi in the back. Wasn’t it bad enough she’d gotten Max involved? She didn’t want to lead Levi to his death, too.

Travelers crowded the Intermodal Hub. Tess could hear one of the payphones ringing. She fought her way through the throng and grabbed the receiver.

“Well done,” Tony said. “There’s a ticket waiting for you at the Amtrak counter. One way to Omaha, Nebraska.”

She glanced at the display boards. “From what I can see, that train comes through here at four in the morning.”

“That’s true for the regular train. But they’ve just added a second train for the season,” he said, his voice smug. “That one leaves in about twenty minutes. I got you a sleeper cabin. Stay in it as much as possible. I don’t want people to notice you on the train. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Now, before you get to Omaha you’ll come to Lincoln, Nebraska. Get off in Lincoln, wait by the payphones in the station, and I’ll call you with further instructions. Got that?”

“Yeah, I got it. Ticket to Omaha, get off in Lincoln, wait by the phones.”

“Great, Tess. See you tomorrow.”

Tess went to the counter and picked up her ticket, glad Tony had gotten her a sleeper. At least she could cry in private. She bought some sandwiches and sodas to take with her and went out to board the train.

***

At the Intermodal Hub, Levi showed Tess’s picture to the clerks at the ticket counters and found out she’d picked up a prepaid ticket to Omaha. On a train that left half an hour ago.

“Bloody hell!”

He could probably catch the train. But since no one still at the station had seen Tess once she left the ticket counter, he couldn’t be sure she’d even gotten
on board
.

Checking the credit card used to purchase the ticket, Levi discovered it was billed to Nick’s penthouse—worthless for tracking Tony.

As he walked back to his car, pondering his options, his cell phone rang.

“Yeah?”

“Have you found her?” Jonas asked.

“No. I tracked her to the Intermodal Hub where she picked up a ticket to Omaha, but I can’t find anyone who saw her get on the train. Tony could’ve told her to pick up the ticket and then take a commuter train or cab to somewhere else.” His voice broke with pain and frustration. “I just don’t know, Jonas. I can’t chase the train and risk losing her here.”

“I haven’t found anyone in Utah who’s seen any sign of Tony. If he’s here, he’s very well hidden. But I don’t really think he’s here. This is my home base. Too many people here know me and would help if I asked.”

“You’re probably right. Okay, keep checking other states. Especially check with anyone you can in Nebraska and see if you can get a line on him there.”

“What’re you going to do?” Jonas asked.

“I’m going to contact my plane crew and head out to the airport so that when we find her, I can get there in as little time as possible.”

“All right, I’ll get everybody on it right away. I’ll have someone meet the train in Omaha just in case, but I don’t really think she’ll show up there. Even if she did get on the train, Tony could’ve told her to get off anywhere along the line.” Jonas paused for a moment. “I think I’ll have Gloria fax a picture of Tess to every station the train stops at on the way to Omaha and offer another reward for information. If she is on the train and gets off anywhere before Omaha, we should hear about it.”

Levi felt a brief stab of hope. “That’s great. Thanks, Jonas.”

Sliding behind the wheel of his car, Levi wondered if Tony was dumb enough to think he’d let Tess die without avenging her? Maybe so. Not many people knew how much she meant to him. But Tony would find out. No matter how long it took, he’d pay for this.

As he drove to the airport, Levi thought about what he’d learned from Dr. Smith. Take nothing for granted. Pulling out his phone, he called the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and asked to speak to Tom Davis.

“Levi,” Davis said. “Well, um. This is a surprise.”

Levi heard the caution in Davis’s voice and had to smile. “Don’t sweat it, Tom, I’m not collecting on any favors. Yet.”

“That’s good to hear. Even though I know we owe you.”

“And I can just imagine how much you hate that. Listen, have you heard from Max? I’ve got a source who says he’s been kidnapped.”

“
Kidnapped
? Where’d you hear that?”

“I don’t have time to explain, Tom. Just tell me what you know.”

“I don’t know where you got your information, but Max has been transferred to The Farm. He’s an instructor there now.”

“A desk job? You’re kidding! And you’re sure he’s okay?”

“Yeah. Well, no, actually. I’ve been trying to reach him for several days. He’s been on leave and hasn’t been answering his phone lately. But he hasn’t been kidnapped. At least as far as I know.”

“When’s the last time you talked to him?”

“It’s been about a week. He’s still broken up over that girl, but he won’t go talk to her. I thought he was just tired of me nagging him about it.” Davis hesitated. “Maybe I should call The Farm and see if he’s at work today.”

“Yeah, I guess maybe you’d better.”

***

Tuesday, April 29
^th
, 6:50 a.m., Lincoln, Nebraska
:

Her eyes, and brain, blurred with exhaustion, Tess waited by the payphone in the station, fighting the fear that had robbed her of sleep most of the night and trying not to think about the dream she’d had when she’d finally drifted off. It had been filled with horrifying images of men dressed all in black, spraying the air with bullets. She only hoped the dream was a reflection of her fears and not a foretelling of what was to come.