Torque (34 page)

“The wait is almost over, Captain. How are
you situated?”

“Delta team was swapped out twice through the
night. The original team is now back on post. Of the four males
known to be in the building, we believe one is injured. So far, we
have not located the female hostage.”

“Let’s assume she’s in the forest with Fenn.
We’re committed to the incursion so what’s your plan of
attack?”

“We have snipers covering front and rear, and
they’ll maintain position until we black out the security cameras
and breach the gate. The team will move quickly down the driveway
and gain entrance to the house. Whatever goes down after that will
determine our response.”

“And you’ll keep in mind that one of the four
males is our guy, won’t you?”

The captain grinned. “My guys know to just
wing him.”

Lareault grinned back. “Whoever wings him
explains it to his wife.”

“Aye, sir. I’ll pass that along.”

CHAPTER
49

Rowan smacked the back of Jenner’s chair and
woke him up.

“Thought you wanted an early start.”

Jenner tried to cover. “I was just resting.
What time is it?”

“Nearly six. I’m just brewing coffee. Want
one?”

Jenner went to the window and peered out. It
was still dark but wouldn’t be for long. “Only if it’s ready.”

“Almost ready,” Rowan replied from the
kitchen. “We’ve no food so I’ll give you extra sugar.” He rinsed
out the mugs and waited for the carafe to fill.

“Are Tad and Chico up?”

“What?”

Jenner came out of the washroom. “Are Chico
and Tad awake?”

“No. I thought I’d let them sleep. They both
got beat up last night, and I don’t think Tad is in shape to do
anything except go to a hospital. He doesn’t sound so good.”

Jenner had to agree. “I’ll leave a note for
Chico to take him to Orillia.” He went into the security office to
look for a notepad. He glanced at the monitors. Nothing outside the
gate. Nothing inside the gate. A guard’s job must be so boring.

He found a pad and scratched a quick note,
then decided to grab a few more shells for the shotgun. He dropped
one and it rolled toward the desk. He caught it and straightened
up, and that’s when he saw the flicker. The street side camera
monitor had a moving shadow just on the left edge. A silhouette of
a person with an arm extended. The arm went up and the screen went
blank. Two seconds later and both screens were blank.

Shit.

“Rowan! We’ve got to get out of here.”

“Why?”

“The gate has been breached—probably cops.
Have you got keys to the ATV?”

Rowan entered the foyer with one arm into his
jacket, the lapel caught on his shoulder holster. “Yeah, I do. What
about the guys upstairs?”

“Chico! It’s a raid. Come on.” There was no
response. Heavy footfalls could be heard on the back deck. Rowan
opened the front door and ran down the steps to the ATV. Jenner
stuffed the shells in his pocket and grabbed the shotgun. There was
a crash and one of the glass doors by the deck shattered as he
entered the foyer. Jenner turned and fired from the hip, shredding
the blinds.

Rowan had the ATV started. “Jenner! Hurry
up.”

Jenner ran to the hall closet and pulled out
the attaché case. He tossed it into the back seat of the buggy.

“What’s that?”

“My pyjamas. Let’s go.” Jenner jumped into
the passenger side and saw a red dot dancing on Rowan’s jacket. He
swung the shotgun to the right and sent a hail of pellets into the
bush. The dot disappeared and the buggy lurched forward, spitting
gravel from its back wheels. Gunshots came from the driveway in the
direction of the gate and headlights flashed on the side of the
house. Rowan steered between the trees at the entrance to the
trail, then the ATV’s motor sputtered and stopped.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m not doing anything. It just
stopped.”

“Well start it.” There was a clang and whine
as a bullet ricocheted off the rollbar. The motor kicked in and the
buggy lurched again then began to pick up speed. Bullets whipped
passed them and Jenner tried to fold his bulk lower than the
seatback for protection. Rowan hunched over the steering wheel and
tap danced on the gas pedal trying to keep the engine from stalling
again.

“What’s the matter with this thing?”

“I don’t know. It started missing on the way
back, last night.”

“Has it got gas?”

“Half a tank.”

“Go faster.”

“If I go too fast it’ll stall.”

“At this junction, go right.”

“I was going to go right. Christ, who’s
driving this thing, me or you?”

They made the curve, which gave them some
shelter from gunfire. Jenner sat up and reloaded the shotgun. Rowan
found that at three-quarter throttle, the ATV would trundle along
at a steady rate. More or less.

“Do you know where this trail goes?”

“No. Do you?”

“No.”

== == ==

Huddled beneath the blanket, Fenn and Kim
had been warm enough if not entirely comfortable. Their sleep had
been light and sporadic. A single bird chirped somewhere nearby and
Fenn knew it signaled a half hour to the first glimmer of sunrise.
His ass was numb. He had to stand up.

“Kim.”

“Yeah?”

“Time to move.”

“’kay.” She leaned forward and he eased
himself from behind her.

Oh, man. The parts that were sore last night
were stiff this morning. He cranked the flashlight and located the
water bottles. The water was really cold although the grit had
settled. There was a large raisin and nut chocolate bar in the
pack. He offered it to Kim.

“The espresso machine is busted and the
breakfast chef called in sick, so if the limo’s late I’m going to
be really pissed.”

“Don’t talk to me about limos.”

Oops. Way to go, Fenn.

“How are you feeling?”

Kim sat on a bench and finger-combed her
hair.

“Tired. Okay, I guess.”

“Today’s the day it ends.”

“I hope so.” No emotion.

“Have a drink and I’ll go refill the water
bottles.”

“I’ll come with you. I have to wash my face.
Actually, let me go first, I have to, you know.”

“Take this in case you need it later.” Fenn
kept a couple of green garbage bags in the pack. They doubled as
makeshift ponchos in cold or wet weather. He gave one to Kim and
tucked the other into his pocket.

Handfuls of icy water from the river’s edge
rinsed the tiredness from their eyes. As the sky brightened they
walked along the rocky beach until it met a path that skirted
inland. Here the river dropped through turbulent rapids and the
path was a portage point to the next stretch of beach lower
down.

They were heading back to the hut when Kim
said, “Do you want these?” She pulled Fenn’s car keys from the
pocket of his jeans. The jeans had been long on her so Kim had
turned up the cuffs.

“Okay.”

“What about this?” She held up the little
gold amulet.

“That’s Guido.”

“Guido? How’d you come up with that
name?”

“He told me.”

“Uh-huh.

“Perhaps you should hang on to him.”

“What for?”

“Luck. Guido will look after you.”

“I don’t need a Guido. I’ve my own good luck
charm, right here.” She held up her little gold cross as if to ward
off tiny vampires.

“I’ll pit Guido’s powers against that thing
any day of the week,” said Fenn, taking the figurine.

“And how’s Guido working for you so far?”

“About the same as your hero, I reckon.”

“Yes, but mine will see me on a cloud,
roasting marshmallows in the afterlife, while you and your little
pagan friend are roasting in the fires of Hell.”

“Don’t listen to her, Guido, “ Fenn said,
patting his breast pocket. “Some people just can’t be saved.”

Kim was about to retort when Fenn said, “Did
you hear that?”

She had. Far off and muffled, it had been a
definite boom. Then there was another, louder, followed by several
pops. Gunfire.

Kim put her hand on Fenn’s arm. “I don’t
suppose that’s duck hunters.”

“If it is, the ducks are shooting back.”

“Do you think the police have arrived?”

There was another possibility but Fenn
decided not to mention it. “We should start heading back. The cops
are going to be looking for us.”

The gunfire had ceased and they soon got
their first positive sign. Back on the path, they were a hundred
metres past the initial rising curve of the switchback when a
helicopter made a low pass overhead. It wouldn’t see them beneath
the tree canopy but they waved their arms at it, anyway. If the sun
came out they could flash something reflective at it. Like the
CD.

Fenn slipped off the pack and knelt down.
That damned piece of plastic might be good for something, after
all.

CHAPTER
50

Bailey followed protocol. Stand to one side.
Smash the glass. Wait for the reaction.

Boom! There it was.

“Delta 1. Shot fired at officer. Responding
with flash bang—now!” A lightning bolt cracked in the living
room.

Knock ‘em on their ass. Lead with the
firearm.

“Delta 1. Armed suspect exiting at the
front.”

“Delta 2. I have two suspects boarding an
ATV. One target acquired.” Another boom. “This is Delta 2. I’ve
been hit.”

“Officer down. Requesting assistance.”

“Sit tight, Delta 2. We’ll be right
there.”

His sniper rifle slung over his back and
Glock 22 pistol gripped with both hands before him, Bailey checked
each room on the first floor.

“Delta 1. I’m moving up to the second
floor.”

“Right behind you, Delta 1.” And they
were.

By 6:06 a.m. the house, garage, and vehicles
had been searched and the occupants that had been left behind,
discovered. No resistance there. Bailey went to check on Shryer.
The assailant had got off a lucky shot. Shryer had also been lucky.
Just a few pellets had struck him in the hand and arm. Bailey gave
his buddy a pat on the shoulder and went to find the team
leader.

Raised in Bancroft, Ontario, Bailey had cut
his teeth hiking trails and tracking game in terrain like this.
With clearance from the captain he would set out immediately after
the two suspects in the woods. Frank Bloomfield overheard the
request and butted in.

“Officer Bailey is aware that the two
suspects have a head start, on an ATV, isn’t he?”

The team leader squared himself to the
sergeant.

“We do have an ATV coming, but Officer Bailey
not only exceeds our rigorous training standards, he also runs
marathons for fun.” He turned back to Bailey. “Find someone who’ll
keep up, and stay in contact with us. The chopper reported movement
a few kilometres east of here. We’ll keep you updated.”

Bailey thanked his captain and went to locate
Gil Sutton. Gil was no marathoner but he did have good
endurance.

== == ==

It seemed like every time Rowan depressed
the gas pedal to climb a small rise in the trail the motor would
sputter and quit. And Jenner blamed him for it. He’d deflected
Jenner’s last comment by showing some interest in the attaché
case.

“A little security,” was all the explanation
Jenner would provide. The trail, in its snakelike way, had been
angling toward a gorge. From what he could see, after this next
rise, it would start to descend into the valley.

Daring to add pressure to the pedal, Rowan
built up speed to take the hill. The motor began to cough but kept
going. Twenty metres to the crest. Ten. Five. The buggy gave a
lurch and the motor quit just as they reached the top. He put it
into neutral and the momentum kept it rolling. Jenner turned to
look at him but didn’t say a word.

The ATV picked up a little speed on the down
slope. Without the rasping motor it was actually a nice way to
travel, like one of those scenic rides at a theme park. The trail
snaked into the gorge and as Rowan straightened from another tight
bend Jenner pointed and said, “What have we got here?”

Rowan braked to a stop and drew his pistol.
Jenner stood on his seat, shotgun at his shoulder, and leaned on
the crossbar of the roll cage as if on safari. Their game was
crouched in the middle of the path.

“I like the new look, Chas,” Jenner said,
eyeing Fenn’s kilt. Then to Kim, “Always good to know who wears the
pants in a relationship.”

Rowan chuckled and stepped off the ATV. Both
Fenn and Kim straightened up from bending over the pack. Fenn had
the CD in his hand. Kim took a step toward the trees, panic clearly
written on her face.

“I wouldn’t,” said Jenner, aiming the
Remington at her legs. “In fact, you guys get on your knees or I
cripple you both. And hands high.”

He stepped down from the seat and walked
toward Fenn. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.” Jenner
brought a set of handcuffs out of his pocket and turned back to
Rowan. Rowan was doing something in the back of the buggy.

“Rowan. Get out of there!”

“What the hell is all this?” Rowan had a
bundle of cash in his hand.

“I told you. It’s security. Now put it
back.”

“What kind of security?”

“I’ll explain later. Here.” Jenner tossed
Rowan the cuffs. “Put these on Blondie.”

“Her? Why not him?”

“Because Fenn’s not coming with us.”

Jenner moved behind Fenn and plucked the CD
from his hand. “Though I must say that you’ve been quite generous
lately, Chas. You’ve brought me money, a car, your girlfriend, and
now the disc. If you’d been so cooperative at the start, there’d
have been less trouble for all of us. And you have been
trouble
.”

He emphasized the last word by driving the
butt of the shotgun between Fenn’s shoulder blades. Fenn collapsed
onto his elbows, his arms tingling and unresponsive.