Smoke and Shadows (18 page)

Derek grabbed Viktor’s shirt and pulled him close until they were nose to nose.

“I would love to,” Derek said. “But I need your sorry ass to get my wife out of there. I understand your reasons, Viktor, but sometimes you need to trust us to keep our head on straight and do the job. Never withhold information about our women’s safety even for one damned second. Am I fucking clear?”

“Crystal,” Viktor returned calmly, looking Derek straight in the eye. His friend’s rage was barely under control.

“Marissa’s at AGS too?” Derek asked quietly.

“She is.” Viktor couldn’t allow himself to process his feelings for her right now. Responsibility weighed heavily on his mind. His agents on the field were vulnerable without datacenter support. The remaining AGS personnel were at their lowest defense right now. Olsen was a rookie, and Maia was far from a hundred-percent. But his thoughts always ended with Marissa. She was unpredictable. She better not play hero . . . ah, fuck, he was a hypocrite.

*****

“I’m going with you,” Marissa informed Maia as she pulled out her own gun and checked the chamber.
 

“What about me?” Sophie asked. “I can handle a gun.”

The other two women looked at each other.
 

“Sophie, stay here,” Maia said. “Derek will never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. Besides, we can’t risk you, um, shooting the wrong person.”

“I’m better than that,” Sophie sniffed indignantly.

For a moment, Marissa wanted to laugh. She walked over to the blonde woman and put a hand on her shoulder. “Sweetie, you brought Matsuda here. You did well. Let me and Maia handle the rest.”

Glancing back at Maia, she said, “Let’s roll.”

The darkened hallways were eerily quiet. They encountered three dead security guards that were struck down by assault rifle rounds. The breach was on the first subterranean level on the same floor as the datacenter. There was a hostile guarding the entry from the tunnels.

Marissa had heard rumors of the mythical underground labyrinth but never had the need to verify CIA records because her missions were usually overseas. Maia motioned for her to backtrack. She followed the Guardian toward the datacenter, stopping short of the clearing that comprised the sweeping state-of-the-art AGS command center.

“I count five hostiles in and around the area,” Maia whispered.
 

Marissa peeked behind a wall and recognized Rafiq and Ali. There were another three men with them who looked like ex-military types. Marissa sighted Tim and Holly. Holly’s hands were bound behind her back. Tim was stoically sitting in front of the control station with a gun trained on his head. Another security guard, plus Agent Olsen, were bound and sitting on the floor. Four hostages.

“Bring up the logs or I will shoot you!” Rafiq hissed at Tim. The analyst resisted another second before complying, his hands reluctantly typing on the keyboard.

“Pierce? Maia Pierce is alive?” Rafiq shouted. “Where is she?”

“I’m fucked,” Maia whispered. The redhead stood up and faced Marissa. Maia pulled her away from the datacenter. “Listen, I don’t think I can hide for much longer.”

“You’re not surrendering, are you?”

“I may not have a choice. Listen,” Maia repeated urgently. “There is an air duct surrounding the datacenter that can hold your weight. I will try to—”

“Maia Pierce!” Rafiq’s voice sounded over the HQ’s PA. “If you don’t show yourself in the next two minutes, I will start taking out your people. Starting with your analyst.”

“—I’ll distract him as much as possible,” Maia said.

“He’ll kill you, you know,” Marissa said. “He’ll kill everyone anyway.”

“I know. But I need to buy Viktor and the guys some time to move in.”

Marissa checked updates from her phone. The Hudson Building siege was over. She should call Viktor now. She hesitated earlier because the men were in combat and may be in hidden positions; a phone ringing would give them away. She figured that was the same reason she had not heard from Viktor yet.
 

“Sophie Lockwood and Anna Roberts. Where are they?” Rafiq’s demand froze the two women.

“They’re just support personnel. They are of no threat to you,” Tim explained, desperation in his voice.

“Maia Pierce, you’ve got one minute left,” the voice over the PA warned.
 

“Ali, go look for this Lockwood and Roberts. Get rid of them,” Rafiq ordered.

“No!” Tim yelled. “You don’t need to do this.”

Maia looked at Marissa urgently. “Tell Jack—”

“Damn you, Pierce. I’m not doing this with you,” Marissa said. “Do what you have to do. I’ll protect Sophie and the nurse.”

Marissa scurried away toward the medical facility.

Her heart thudded wildly when she heard Maia say, “I’m here, Rafiq.”

She waited for a gunshot. None came.
 

Marissa barrelled into the medical bay.

“Where’s Maia?” Sophie asked.

“Rafiq has her,” Marissa said shortly. She whipped out her phone and punched Viktor’s number.

“And you left her?” Sophie asked angrily. Marissa ignored her and turned her attention to the nurse. “How’s Matsuda?”

Before the nurse could answer, Viktor’s terse voice answered the call.

“About fucking time you called.”

“Was kinda occupied,” Marissa replied. “Shut up and listen. I’m outta time. The men came in from the tunnel at the datacenter level. There’s a guard at the tunnel, and I suspect it’s also booby-trapped. You guys need to find an alternate way in. They have Tim, Holly, Olsen, Maia, and a security guard. I’m counting six hostiles, maybe more. They may have guys stationed at each exit.”

“Copy that—”

Footsteps caught Marissa’s attention and she quickly whispered, “Quiet, someone’s coming.” She left the line open. She signaled for Sophie and the nurse to hide.
 

Marissa flattened her body against the wall, hiding behind a cabinet. The doors to the medical bay slid open.
 

A man cursed in Arabic. Ali spotted Matsuda lying unconscious on the bed.

Before he could inform Rafiq, Marissa made her move.

 
She drew her KA-BAR from her boot and jumped on Ali’s back. She clung like a crab, her legs squeezing his sides, her arms around his neck, one hand over his mouth and the other about to slice through his jugular. He managed to block her, his hand digging into the knife as he struggled to push it back.

Oh, Shit
! Marissa thought. Ali scuttled backwards and slammed Marissa repeatedly against the cabinet until she lost her hold on him and fell on her back. He aimed his AK-47 at her, but she managed to flip on her side as he fired and missed her. Ali screamed in frustration, realizing he had it set to single shot. Before he could rig it to fully automatic, she swept her leg under him and sent him crashing to the floor.
 

Marissa grabbed the fallen KA-BAR, straddled Ali, and with both hands plunged the knife down, but he caught her wrists. His injured hand was weak, but he was still strong as she struggled to dig the knife through his eye to scramble his brain. The blade was turning toward her and was hovering close to her neck.
 

Marissa started shifting away, and just when she thought she’d have to pull back completely, a shot rang out and Ali’s head jerked back, his hands on her wrists fell away.
 

Marissa glanced up and saw Sophie holding a gun, the muzzle still smoking.
 

She pushed away from Ali and walked to the blonde scientist. Grabbing the gun by the barrel, and lowering the muzzle, she leaned in and said, “Do you know it’s dangerous to fire a gun in a room full of oxygen tanks?”

Sophie blinked at her in confusion.

She grinned. “Great job, Sophie.”

“Marissa!” Viktor’s voice yelled loudly through the phone.

Shit
. She forgot about him.
 

*****

Viktor was ready to come out of his skin. They were still a few minutes out from HQ and he had repeatedly told Nathan to floor it. Stark’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel as they listened to the sounds of the fight over the phone. Every time Viktor heard a gunshot, he feared the worse. So when he heard Marissa’s snarky drawl to Sophie, he felt relief and anger, which seemed to be his standard reaction when it came to her.

“Marissa!” He was annoyed as hell.

“I’m here, Viktor. Sorry, I was—”

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. Ali’s dead.”

“We’re five minutes out. Stay put.”

“I need to get to the ventilation duct around the datacenter.”

“And—what—do you plan—to do—exactly?”

“It’s obvious.”

“You can probably get off two shots before you get one of our own killed.”

“Maia’s on the floor. I know she’s not a hundred-percent, but this is our only chance.”

Viktor contemplated her plan and glanced briefly at Nathan who said, “She’s right.”

“We’re running out of time, Viktor,” Marissa said. “Rafiq may discover the alternate visitor’s log for the CIA. Do you have a plan on how to come in undetected?”

“No.”

“So I’m your only person inside that can do anything.”

“Yes.”

“I guess I better get to work. Where’s the armory?”

“Second level, near the last situation room.”

“That’s near the opening to the tunnel. There’s a hostile guarding that area. I’ll have to make do with what I have. Where’s the best access panel to the ventilation system?”

“Opposite end.”
 

“Got it. I’ll call you when I’m in position. I’m setting my phone on stealth, so I may not pick up any updates from you immediately. I’m also sending Sophie and Nurse Roberts to the bunker with Matsuda.”

“Copy that.”

The AGS vehicle pulled into a side alley where Viktor knew was a blind spot for HQ’s outside cameras. The Silver Escalade with Jack and Derek parked behind them. The two MDI men immediately disembarked from their vehicle and jogged to the passenger side of the Explorer.

“Any updates?” Jack asked.

“Rafiq has Burns, Nolan, Maia, Olsen, and a security guard hostage,” Viktor said. “Sophie, a nurse and Matsuda are heading to a bunker.”
 

Jack raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. Relief flickered in Derek’s eyes, but his face remained stoic.

“What’s the plan?” Jack asked impatiently.

Before Viktor could reply, the LCD display that was mounted on the dashboard started blinking.
 

“It’s from the datacenter,” Nathan said.

Viktor nodded to accept the feed and motioned for the other men to move out of camera range.
 

The screen filled with Rafiq’s smug face.

“Mr. Baran, I must applaud your cunning in keeping Agent Pierce’s survival off the grid.”

“I’m learning your methods.”

“Ah, cloak and dagger. The old way is more reliable, isn’t it?”

“Get to the fucking point.”

“I’ve already told you. I want the codes to all the classified information in your database.”

“What are you after? What do I have that is so important to you?”

“What do you have that you need to protect with military grade encryption?”

Viktor remained silent.

“Your agent NOC database and client list. I expose them. No one will ever trust to work for you or hire your services again. I told you—” Rafiq’s expression turned sinister “—I will destroy you.”

“The people you want to destroy have nothing to do with your hatred for me,” Viktor said. His eyes flickered to Jack, who was ready to go ballistic, and Viktor was thankful to Derek for calming his ass. “I cannot give you what you want. I can offer myself in exchange for your prisoners. Do as you want with me.”

Rafiq appeared to be considering this.
Yes, you bastard
, Viktor thought.
Take me on, and you’ll discover that I’m your worst nightmare.

“No,” Rafiq said finally. Viktor’s heart thudded against his sternum when he saw Rafiq rack the slide of his gun, aiming it at Maia’s head. “The codes, Mr. Baran, or I make sure Ms. Pierce will not have a miraculous second chance. A head shot is ninety-nine percent fatal.”

“Don’t give in, Viktor!” Maia yelled. “You swore to protect all Guar…”

One of Rafiq’s men backhanded Maia.
 

Fury clawed up his throat even as he grew aware of the scuffle in his peripheral vision.
Keep their heads straight, yeah right
. Nathan had joined Derek in keeping Jack from interfering.
 

“Damn you, Rafiq,” Viktor rasped. “I can’t give them to you.”

His eyes met Maia’s on the screen. “I’m sorry, Maia.” She nodded and smiled sadly. He wasn’t going to survive the consequences of this decision. He just knew it.
 

The image of a 12-year-old Katerina Luski flashed before him. A frightened red-haired girl emerging from under the table, trustingly wrapping her arms around Viktor’s neck as he ferried her away from the carnage of her home. Viktor’s right hand gripped the dashboard as he tried to keep his face resolute, but he was beset with the bitter irony that he had saved Maia that day only to sign her death warrant nineteen years later.

“Perhaps you don’t think I’m serious,” Rafiq said.
 

Viktor held his breath, not letting go of Maia’s gaze. He would face this with her and not turn away like a coward. He wouldn’t survive this, but he would own it.

Rafiq swung the gun away from Maia and shot Holly Nolan in the head.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Nooooo!” Jack’s anguished bellow reverberated through the alley. Viktor watched McCord sink to his knees, back hunched over, with his hands on the pavement. Thankfully, he had hit mute from their side.

“You’ve got half an hour to decide,” Rafiq said before ending the transmission.

Viktor slammed out of the car and stalked to the three men. He dragged Jack up to his feet.
 

“He didn’t shoot Maia,” he told Jack. Viktor didn’t feel any relief with his words. Someone was still dead from his decision. A young bright future snuffed out by the whims of a madman.