WATCHING (45 page)

***

He should have told Georgia how he felt. He shouldn
’
t have waited, shouldn
’
t have agreed to take things slow. He shouldn
’
t have wasted so much damned time.
She
’
d been right under his damned nose!

Hopefully, he
’
d get the chance to show her exactly how he felt.

“
What
’
s our first step
?
”
Dan asked.
“
We go in or
...
”

“
He
’
s planning to shoot your girl. Probably while you watch,
”
Lorcan speculated as they pounded down the four flights of stairs to the basement.
“
What
’
s the floor-plan down there
?
”

“
Three rooms, computer mainframe in the smaller one, to the north. The heating and cooling is located in the larger one in the center. One main furnace, auxiliaries evenly on the right and left, plus back about twenty-five feet. Third room, southern most, is the backup generator
,
”
Dennis said.
“
Four access doors. The main one, one that leads into the computer room, on from the generator room, and one that leads to the back hallway
.
”

“
Back hallway
?
”
Hell asked.

“
Used for ventilation and maintenance. There
’
s a back-up emergency breaker box in there as well. For the whole building,
”
Dennis said, his tone turning considering.

“
Dan, disable the electricity to the basement. Backup lights will come on within ninety seconds,
”
Hell
caught the train of Dennis
’
s thoughts.
“
Disconcert him
.
”

“
I
’
ll get the girl,
”
Lorcan volunteered.
“
If you can keep him focused on you long enough for me to get behind them
.
I can get behind her. And I guarantee he won
’
t see me.
”

“
I
’
ll be right behind you, Hellbrook,
”
Dennis said, one hand on his Glock.
“
Ready to take out the bastard
.
”

Hell saw the trust and the fear in the older man
’
s eyes as they stared at him.
He nodded.
“
It
’
s the best plan we
’
ve got. Let
’
s go.
”

Chapter
56

****

“
Stephenson
.
”
Hell stepped inside the final door to the basement. Stephenson stood six inches behind Georgia, clutching his service weapon in a grip that trembled.

Her hands were tied, taut above her head. Her feet dangled above the floor, and Hell knew it had to be killing her injured shoulder to be hung like that. But thank God she was alive and whole and looking at him with a mix of hope
, relief,
and fear in her eyes.

“
Hellbrook
.
”
Stephenson
’
s tone was a combination sneer and question. That more than anything told Hell the man was close to losing his tenuous grasp of reality.

“
What
’
s this about, Roger
?
”
Hell tried not to look at Georgia
again
. Didn
’
t want the other man to see how terrified he actually was.

“
You know what it
’
s about
.
”
Stephenson wiped sweat from his brow, before motioning with his weapon for Hell to stay still.

“
There are several things it could be about. Why don
’
t we talk about this
?
”

“
No sense in talking. I
’
m being transferred. You know that? Dennis told me this morning. Fucking
Pittsburg
. Can you believe that shit
?
”

“
They
’
re a good office. Good reputation
.
”
Not like St. Louis, but Stephenson and his methodology would have fit well in the older, more traditional office.

“
Easy for you to say. Stop moving, princess
.
”
Stephenson casually grabbed one of Georgia
’
s exposed elbows, stopping her furious squirming. Her brown eyes met Hell
’
s, pleading in their depths.

“
So you
’
re pissed at Edward Dennis? Man, I can understand that. I
’
ve been there a time or thousand, myself
.
”
Hell took a cautious step in Stephenson
’
s direction. He could almost feel Georgia
’
s father crouching just inside the door behind him. Had Stephenson
seen
Dennis
? Had Lorcan gotten through the back hallway? It would all be a matter of timing on all their parts.
“
But what does
she
have to do with it? Punishing the daughter for the sins of the father
?
”

“
Dennis
’
little princess? She
’
s being offered my position!
”
Stephenson
’
s words lacked heat, but his gun hand shook.

“
I didn
’
t know that
.
”

“
Something the great Hellbrook didn
’
t know? I
’
m...shocked. I
’
m getting a lateral move while his daughter
’
s getting
a promotion
?
”
Stephenson asked the question of the room at large; Hell wasn
’
t even sure the other man had addressed him or Georgia, or someone only Stephenson heard.

“
She
’
s a good agent, too
.
”

“
You
’
d say that. I know about you two. Heard the mouse talking about it. You know what happens when you get involved with a teammate, Hellbrook? They die
.
”

“
Like Linda
?
”

“
Don
’
t talk about Linda
.
”
Stephenson
’
s breath caught. He stepped behind Georgia, pushed her until she swung slightly.

She tried to muffle her cry, but Hell still heard it. Still hurt for her.

“
Is that what this is about? Georgia and me
?
Hurting her to get at me?
”

“
You and the princess? Thought she hated you, thought she had decent taste. Instead...it
’
s the
Golden
boy
of the CCU and the
princess
of PAVAD. Nowhere for the two of you to go but straight up to the top
.
”
The anger was evident in Stephenson
’
s words. Hell
’
s hand tightened around his Sig.

“
Maybe so. But we both knew we would be replaced eventually. Younger, smarter agents. It
’
s how the business works. This is not how it should be dealt with
.
”

“
Easy for you to say. Think I don
’
t know what it
’
s going to do for your career? Cozying up to the princess and her daddy? Dennis is the king now with Washington. Great Creator of PAVAD. You
’
ll only benefit by screwing his daughter
.
”

“
Stop cheapening it, Roger
.
”
A hot rush of anger fought with the reasonable tone Hellbrook knew he had to keep. He ruthlessly suppressed it.
“
There
’
s much more between
Georgia and me
than that petty shit
.
”

“
No
?
”

“
No. I couldn
’
t care less who her father is. I
’
m with her because I want to be with her. No one else. I can
’
t imagine being with anyone else
.
”

“
You love her
?
”
Stephenson ran the barrel of his weapon down Georgia
’
s arm. Experience had Hell not reacting, though it was one of the hardest things he
’
d ever done.

“
Yes. I do
.
”
And he did. He
’
d realized it the moment he knew it wasn
’
t her lying bleeding on her dining room floor. Realized what his life would be like if she wasn
’
t there
every day
. He took another step forward as Stephenson stepped behind Georgia.
“
You know what it
’
s like to love a woman you work with, don
’
t you, Roger
?
”

“
Stay where you are, Hellbrook. It wouldn
’
t be a good idea for you to move
.
”

“
Why? It
’
s obvious you plan to kill her, kill me. Probably take out Ed Dennis next? Do you honestly think I
’
m going to let that happen
?
”

“
And how are you going to stop me? I
’
m mildly curious. We
’
re both intelligent men, after all
.
”
Stephenson used Georgia
’
s body as a shield; Hellbrook knew that Dennis and the other men wouldn
’
t be able to get a clear shot
with her between them. Where was Lorcan?

“
Contemporaries, yes. We
’
ve worked together a long time. I have to admit though, this surprised me. Didn
’
t think you had it in you
.
”
Hell stepped further in the room. Stephenson grunted and Hell stopped moving.

“
Have what
?
”

“
A major depressive episode like this. What was the trigger? Georgia and I? The transfer? Maybe it was Agent Shanks death? Being rejected by Dr. Bellows
?
”

“
Don
’
t talk about Linda
.
”

“
Why not
?
”

“
Because none of you are fit to mention her! She was a damned fine agent!
”
Stephenson jerked Georgia closer, sliding her bound wrists along the pipe he
’
d tied her to. She kicked back with her uninjured leg, drawing his attention more fully on her. Hell watched Stephenson
’
s grip tighten on the gun as anger filled the older man
’
s face.

“
Georgia! Stay still
.
”
Hell barked the words, fear making his voice harsh.
“
Roger, let her go. You have to know that it
’
s only a matter of minutes before the rest of the whole damned Bureau find their way down here! What the fuck do you think to get out of this
?
”

“
Absolution!
”
Stephenson yelled, jerking Georgia
’
s hanging body closer.

“
What the hell for? Linda Shanks? Did you kill her
?
”
Hell shouted back.

He had to get the man out from behind Georgia. Had to get him where Georgia
’
s father could line up the shot, get him away from Georgia so Lorcan could get her out of the way.

Hell softened his voice to disconcert Stephenson.
“
I never met her. Tell me about her. What did she look like
?
”

“
Why do you care
?
”
Stephenson asked, stepping out from behind Georgia, rage turning his face a florid purple.
Linda
. Linda
was clearly
a
trigger.

“
Tell me why a woman like Linda Shanks would want a man like you? Tell me why she chose you
.
”
Hell stepped closer to Georgia, sensing
Dennis
stepping closer to the door.

“
She never even hit your radar. She was beautiful, perfect. Nothing like the pampered princess here
.
”
Stephenson shook Georgia with his free hand. She once again kicked out at him. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder. Toward the back entrance to the basement. Hell watched her look up at the rope binding her wrists. She was planning something. The barest hint of a shadow passed behind Georgia and Stephenson. Lorcan.
Had Georgia seen the other man?

“
Let
’
s strike a deal, Roger. You speak about Georgia with respect, I
’
ll do the same for Linda. I think that
’
s a fair bargain
.
”
Hell tried to keep his tone soothing without patronizing. He didn
’
t know exactly what would set Stephenson off again. With Georgia so vulnerable next to Stephenson, Hell would not risk it.
“
Tell me what she looked like
.
”

A long moment of silence passed, and Hell doubted Stephenson would react.

“
Hazel eyes. Soft and compassionate
.
”
Stephenson
’
s voice dropped until Hell almost couldn
’
t hear him over the sound of the rushing pipes around them.

By Hell
’
s estimation, Dan had almost had enough time to reach the power source. The lights would be going down any moment. Hell needed to get Georgia out of Stephenson
’
s line of fire, somehow.

“
Hazel, like Jules
?
”
Georgia asked.
“
Jules has hazel eyes
.
”