Winter's Knight (17 page)

“How’s the view from the palace, Prince?” Clark asked, and Lucian glanced out the thick, heavily tinted window to peer across an empty side street and the expansive parking lot surrounding Haze. The club was inside a refurbished textile mill, and acres of concrete spread from its unsavory walls like a flora-eating disease. It was poorly lit, and there were no working security cameras within a mile radius. All the better for nefarious deeds done in the dark, and Lucian’s report onthe lack ofHaze’s defenses had beenthe tie-breaker in Clark and Kris’ debate as to where to take down one GaryBoehler.
“Serene, Sergeant,” Lucian replied, watching the unmarked black van barely visible in the gloomnear the club. Inside were Clark, Kris, Aaron, and Cale, waiting to ambush the man responsible for hurting Lucian’s beloved and killing possibly dozens more. Mr. Boehler was due to arrive at Haze at any moment for some recreational playtime. The idiot’s schedule had been simple to plot, and Lucian said another prayer ofthanks for the egos that made evilmendelusional.
“Peaceful here, too, your highness. How’re Lucky and Kato?”
Tim snorted and shot a middle finger in the general direction of the van. Lucian’s driver, Masaru Koyzumi, a skilled martial artist, marksman, and quiet man whom Clark loved to tease, merely waved just beyond the half-risen steel panel between the fore and aft compartments. The touch of a button could slam it home and engage iron bar locking mechanisms that protected bothdriver and passengers.
“They send their regards,” Lucian answered, enjoying Clark’s adrenalin-fueled banter despite himself.
“Tweedle Dee and Dum are doing fine, but the Britishinvader is gettingrestless.”
“Tell the old Rottweiler that we’ll feed him treats soon enough,” Lucian said. He could practically see Kris’ irritated expression, one with which he was now very familiar. The discussions about how this night should go had been long and lengthy, and Kris’ plans, while effective, usually ended in more death than Clark’s sensibilities liked or that Lucian cared to allow. Taking people alive was not the thug’s forte. Nor was caution. Or patience.
Intruth, Lucianwas growingrather fond ofKris.
“Message relayed and obscenities returned, your highness. My professional opinion is that he’s bitter over not getting to show us his full swing on the playing field.”
“Perhaps you should discuss that off-channel,” Luciansuggested.
“As you command, your Majesty,” Clark said, positivelygleeful. “Over and out.”
Lucian’s reflection smirked back at him, and he stared into the wintry night beyond the chilly car. He’d not seen another moving vehicle since they’d arrived. They were situated on the edge of the eastern parking lot, around the corner from the Members Only entrance. Employees and guests parked on the far side of the club. Afine mist of sleet had been falling off and on all evening, and Lucian was placing good bets that Gary would park close to the private door in an effort to come and go easilyand to avoid the weather.
The gamble was made surer by the line of construction cones that limited parking space options considerably. Upon their arrival, Aaron and Cale, outfitted in bullet-proofvests beneath the reflective garb of construction workers, had set out the cones, put up equipment, and played the part of lazy city workers to perfection. No one had even emerged from the club to ask what the hellwas goingon, and without windows or cameras to be external eyes, Lucian didn’t anticipate problems. The greatest thing about doing something illegal near a place like Haze was that no one would blink twice at a man being hooded and shoved into the back ofa van.
If there were any unforeseeable issues, they had backup plans in place, down to forged documents of consent to a very particular kidnapping fantasy. The optimal strategy, however, was to take out bodyguards and to nab Gary quickly and with minimal fuss and then transport the target to a secure location away from potential collateral damage. Lucian had faith in his men, though his ability to wait was wearing thinner by the moment. He checked his watch, saw a light in his interior coat pocket, and retrieved his cellphone.
Shea was calling.
“I should take this,”Luciansaid to Tim, who merely nodded and crossed off another solved clue. Shea knew Lucian was working tonight, as that’s what Lucian had told him, but Lucian didn’t want Shea worried or, worse, suspicious.
“Lucian,”he said bywayofanswer, firmbut kind.
“Hey.” Shea sounded just a touch hesitant. “How are things goin’?”
From the corner of his eye, Lucian caught headlights. The radio clicked three times, and Timsat at attention. The steel panel went up, but not before Lucian saw Koyzumi-san pull the slide on a nine mil. “As planned,” Lucian answered, and Gary’s Cadillac drove into the lot, started weavingaround cones.
“Good to hear it.” There were sounds of Shea flopping onto a couch, and Lucian smiled, picturing it clearly. “I wanna aska favor,” Shea continued. “For when you’re done with whatever job that’s had ya tied up for three days running.”
“Oh?” Lucian asked, interested but with divided attention. Aaron, Cale, and Clark were already out of the van and at the fake construction site before the Caddy’s wheels stopped rolling. Clark had a cap, highcollared jacket, scarf, and reflective vest to disguise himself, and all of it covered a set of body armor that matched Tim’s. Lucian resisted the temptation to snort when he saw that there was no driver in the enemy’s car, just two bodyguards and Gary. The guards got out and left the vehicle unmanned.
Idiots. This would be far, far easier than any of them ever thought, and Lucian knew Koyzumi-san would be disappointed that he didn’t get a car chase.
“What sort of favor?” Lucian continued a mere heartbeat later, and he sawAaron waving down Gary’s brutes. He knew what was being said without needing to hear it: Hey man, ya can’t fuckin’ park here. Aruse, designed to get the victims closer and disarmingly irritated.
“I would like a Scene, Sire,”Shea said smoothly.
Entirely distracted, Lucian wrapped fingers around the door’s armrest. His pulse, completely normal while watching the violence unfold, doubled in speed with Shea’s single sentence. “You... come again?”
Outside, Aaron and Cale felled Gary’s men with electric current and then a dose of sedative to the jugular, and Clark didn’t evenhave to use force to open Gary’s door. In two seconds, Gary was Tasered, injected, hooded, and hauled onto Clark’s shoulder.
“A Scene from you for me, Luke. I desire you to bind me, use pain on me, and make me your own, Sire.”Shea took a breath. “Ifyouso wish.”
Lucian’s mouth worked without sound, but his instincts stirred. Though they’d not seen each other in a few days, they had spent plenty of time together in the past two weeks, and not once did Shea mention anything about wanting to take things further. Not until tonight, the last night on a job long in the planning, and though Lucian knew he’d given nothing away intentionally, he also understood what Shea could surmise from the unintended. “Of course I so wish, beloved,” Lucian said, not giving any mind for his audience. He watched Aaron and Cale shove limp bodies into the Caddy’s trunk, attaching a rig that would secure the lid to the undercarriage of the car. Meanwhile, Clark opened the rear of the van and crammed a bound forminside it. “Though one wonders about the timeliness of such a pleasing request. Missing me and fearingmylingeringabsence, are we?”
“Yes, Sire,” Shea said, and Lucian adored the earnest tones to the two-word phrase. “Very much so, especially since, in lieu of your presence, I seem to be entertaining a small army.” Shea sounded more amused than put upon. “They did seem to appreciate the hot cocoa I set out, but I’mgoing to have to make another runfor toilet paper.”
“Best make one of the soldiers fetch and carry,” Lucian said, chuckling and ignoring Tim’s look. Vehicle doors slammed and Koyzumi-san started the car and began to follow Kris’ lead. Lucian settled into the seat. “And I thought you could use the company, since progress at your current job site has been unfortunately stalled by city petitions, and you’d be all alone in the woods with nothing but your books, fire, and single shotgun.”
“Amazing how all of existence conspired,” Shea said dryly.
“Isn’t it?” Lucian replied. “Delightful when things work to my favor, and good of you to treat the members of Lion Security to chocolate.” Lucian paused, swallowed, observed Tim removing cell signal blackout devices froma bag on the floor. They weren’t yet in use, but they would be soon. “Even better that it afforded youtime to think onwhat youwant, myShea.”
“Willyoureturn, myliege, to do as I request?”
Lucian heard the plea for caution laced around Shea’s words; heard the desire for Lucian to stay safe and whole. “I will do my utmost, beloved, you have my word.”
“Thank you, Sire, then I shall await behind the battlements for your return.”
“And thus you please me greatly,” Lucian said affectionately, while Timloaded a clip into an automatic rifle. “We’llspeak soon. Good night.”
“Good night.” Shea clicked off, and Lucian stared at his phone’s screen for a long time before hitting the power button. Tim continued to load and check weaponry, handing Lucian a Colt to match the one alreadyholstered at Lucian’s side.
“How close are we?”Lucianasked.
“It is thirty-seven miles from the point of target acquisition to destination, sir,” Tim answered. He picked up an iPad and flipped through touch screens. “We are twenty-seven miles away, and two miles from our first holdingposition.”
Lucian grunted. “Where we’ll hope Clark got his pharmacologicalcocktailinthe correct dosage.”
“He knows what he’s doing, sir,” Tim reassured Lucian. “The injectible will wake the target up and has the added benefit ofinducinga state ofmild panic.”
“It does tend to make them easier to cajole,” Luciansaid mildly.
“Oh yeah,” Tim agreed. “Between the drugs and Kris, I think the target will be eager to call off whatever securitymight be at our destination.”
Lucian glanced at Tim’s loving hold on his M4 carbine. “And should something go wrong with doing this the easyway...”
Tim’s smile was without any trace of amusement; a bare flash of teeth. “One can always hope for fireworks, sir.”
Lucian’s musings about how Tim and Clark in the military in the same unit might very well stop wars and annihilate small countries were cut short when the car swerved into an alleyway on the outskirts of the city. Lucian knew that the van was ahead of them; the reflection of taillights gleamed wet and demonic off the icy cinder block walls to their left and right. Tim slid across the seat to watch out the bullet proof glass, keeping an eye behind them as much as possible while theysat inthe steelcage.
“Team one to team two, next phase is a go, over,” Kris’ voice said fromthe speaker next to Lucian’s leg.
“Affirmative team one,” Lucian answered, and he sat back to wait. That was the hardest part -- the waiting. His nerves never came during action or critical moments, but theyliked to spike duringthe downtimes. Lucian had entirely too many minutes and sometimes hours to worry for his men, mull over their objectives, and to ponder his own arrogant insanity at orchestrating suchchaos.
Lucian’s way of coping with the stress, however, was highly effective and hadn’t changed in years. He breathed, he counted, and he visualized Shea. Lucian pictured his friend and now lover and, apparently, soon to be submissive, laughing or sleeping. He concentrated on how Shea swallowed a mouthful from a bottle of beer, tryingto recallallthe details ofworkingthroat and scruffy cheeks. The images were never sexual, always benign, and never failed to calm Lucian in any storm. For Shea was not only the perfect symbol to remind Lucian why he worked to make his city safer, Shea was, and always had been, the reason Lucian did most things inlife.
One-hundred-sixty-two deep breaths later, the radio clicked. “Your highness, this is Sergeant.” Clark’s voice was accompanied by background yelling. “Goldilocks has cried wolf, and we are set to move.”
“I hate it when he mixes his metaphors,” Tim said around a grin.
“Well done, Sergeant,” Lucian replied. “At your leave.”
The car began to move again, sliding by dumpsters, empty barrels, and piles of trash to emerge onto a twolane side street. “Twenty-four miles to the next holding point, sir,” Tim said, returning to his position across fromLucian. He scanned his iPad. “Daniel tells me he’s in position and so is Officer Sorenson, and so far there’s been no activity on landlines at our destination. Too damned bad that we can’t track cells.”
“We’ll do what we can.” Lucian leaned forward, tucked the second Colt into a side sling.
“That we will,” Tim agreed. “And Clark’s guys watchingthe street access point informme that two cars have left via the maingate. Theycounted four men.”
“Whichleaves at least four stillonsite.”
“That we know about, yes, sir.”
“Anythingelse ofnote?”Lucianasked.
“No, sir. I’llkeep youposted.”
“Thank you.” Lucian spent the remainder of the drive focused on the plan. It was more difficult than Lucian would have ever imagined to keep Shea’s request out of his brain, but Lucian comforted the eager pieces of himself that were dying to concoct something suitable for his beloved by reminding them there would be time later. After the mayhemcould come the reward, but not untilthe night’s goals were completed.
City faded into country and turned into forest. The mob’s safehouse that acted as Gary Boelher’s residence, which was also where Shea had spent torturous hours at the hands ofmonsters and where girls starved for options and trained into corners met their deaths, was in the middle of nowhere. Kris had provided extensive details of the estate and its surrounding twenty acres of land. He knew the security details, the rounds the staff made, the floor plan, the weak points. He’d shared the knowledge, and Lucian’s menhad memorized it, used it to strategize their attack.
The car stopped next to a massive tree trunk, the depth of night obscuring any other visuals. Tim picked up the innocuous black box that could blank out cell phone and radio signals within a five-hundred yard radius and grabbed the walkie-talkie. “Team bravo to teamalpha, report, over.”
“Lone Ranger says we’ve cleared two more sheep,” Clark replied, and Lucian subtracted another two goons fromGary’s arsenal.
“Roger that,”Timreplied.
“Good to go, here, Lucky.”
Tim nodded though only Lucian could see him. “Countdown begins on my mark.” Timput his finger on a switch.
“Roger.”
Timtook a breath. “Mark.” He flicked a knob and immediately hit a button on his watch. “We’ll give them thirty minutes to do the sweep, sir. If they’ve not reported back to us in that time, I’ll attempt reconnaissance to determine ifwe rescue and abort.”