World War III (45 page)

A roar of laughter erupted from both Yuri and Sasha.

“I like your spirit, I really do,” said Yuri. “But, unfortunately I don’t have much time. So, here is what we are going do. Every time you lie to me, I will have my comrade cut you. The Triads use this form of torture in Asia, are you familiar with it?”

When Lex didn’t answer, Yuri continued. “The Triads would cut an enemy over a thousand times, avoiding any major arteries, so as to keep the victim alive as long as possible. Sasha here is an expert in such methods.”

“Go to hell!” spat Lex.

“Oh no my friend, it is you who are visiting hell tonight. Sasha…”

Sasha walked over to Lex and slid the blade of his knife across his arm, leaving behind a thin trail of blood.

“You’ve just experienced your first cut Mr. Mason,” said Yuri. “How many cuts you must endure is entirely up to you. Now, where is the information you stole from the United Nations office in Geneva?”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about!”

“I don’t believe you Mr. Mason.”

Lex shook his head in frustration and anger. He wanted so badly to kill these men, but lacked the means with which to do it. “I’m gonna kill you,” he hissed. “Especially you!” he added, looking straight into Sasha’s eyes.

“Yes, yes,” said Yuri. “I know how very much you want to be free right now. Oh yes, I can see the rage in your eyes. This can all end right now, it’s up to you Mr. Mason. Where have you hidden the stolen information?”

When Lex didn’t answer Yuri raised his hand, signaling Sasha to make another cut. He poured himself a glass of the wine and began eating the food Savannah had prepared, as Sasha went to work.

“This is good,” said Yuri, as he sliced the steak and took another bite. He ate some asparagus and began playing with his twice baked potatoes. After taking a few more bites, he pushed the plate away. “Now,” he said, pouring himself another glass of wine, “onto business. You are a secret agent of the Central Intelligence Agency, are you not?”

“No, I’m not,” said Lex.

"Don’t lie to me!” screamed Yuri, slamming his fist down on the table. “You are a government agent! And your codename is Condor. This is all information we already possess. If you lie again, I’ll have my comrade remove one of your wife’s fingers.”

“She’s not my wife!”

Sasha grabbed Savannah’s hand and forced it onto the table in front of her. He pressed his knife against her thumb and grinned at Lex.

“Just think,” said Yuri, smiling at Lex, “how bad your wife’s cooking will become when she’s missing her thumb.”

“No!” said Lex, struggling to free himself.

Yuri raised his hand, signaling Sasha to wait. “You have something to say?”

“I don’t know what you want from me?”

“I want the information you stole,” said Yuri, “and the names of everyone who’s seen it?”

“What information?”

Yuri finished his glass of wine and stood up. He grabbed the steak knife he’d used to cut his steak and sliced open Lex’s shirt. He pressed the blade to his chest and dragged it from his shoulder to his stomach. He then repeated the process, but in the opposite direction, drawing an X on his chest. “You will talk!” he screamed, when Lex grimaced, but made no sound.

“Screw you!” hissed Lex.

“Where did you hide the information?” asked Yuri, removing one of Lex’s fingernails. When Lex didn’t respond, he removed another and another. The torture continued for over an hour, but with little effect.

“Nothing,” said Sasha, after he’d finished searching the house.

“Why don’t you tell me what I want to know and end you suffering?” asked Yuri, as he pressed salt into the open cuts on Lex’s body.

Lex stared up into his captor’s face and smiled, “Piss off!”

“You’re tough,” admitted Yuri, “but not tough enough. Of that I assure you!”

“Someone’s coming,” said Sasha, as headlights flashed across the ceiling. “Just kill him!”

“We can’t,” said Yuri, “we need the information.”

“He isn’t going to break,” hissed Sasha.

“Everyone breaks,” said Yuri, “it’s just a matter of time. Secure her in the basement,” he added, glancing at Savannah.

Sasha quickly did as instructed and returned with two sets of keys. “Look,” he said, holding up the keys. “I found snowmobiles parked out back.”

“Good,” agreed Yuri, as he sliced the ropes securing Lex to the chair and forced a gag into his mouth. “Take the supplies and meet me out back,” he instructed, tying Lex’s hands behind his back, as someone pounded loudly on the front door.

The Russians found a sled next to the snowmobiles and while Sasha tied the sled to one of the vehicles, Yuri stuck a syringe into Lex’s neck and tied him to the sled.

Lex’s vision turned blurry, before everything went black.

When no one answered, Mason kicked the door open. Although he had the key, the door was bolted from the inside. “Hello?” he called, as he entered the house, gripping his gun in his hand. Shiloh, Cleo and Ian followed, all with guns drawn and ready to fire.

Mason glanced at the dining room table and the candles burning low. He frowned, realizing that his wife had planned something special and once again, he’d ruined it all. “Savannah? Lex?”

“Are you sure they’re here?” asked Ian.

“The Hummer’s parked out front,” said Cleo.

“I’ll check downstairs,” said Shiloh, opening the door to the basement. Ian followed him down the stairs, where they found Savannah, bound and gagged.

“Mason, down here!” shouted Ian, as he checked the remainder of the basement.

“What happened?” asked Shiloh, removing her gag and cutting the rope binding her wrists.

“They took him,” gasped Savannah, when her mouth was free.

“Took who?” asked Cleo, descending the steps behind Mason.

“Lex,” cried Savannah. “They tortured him because they thought he was…” she hesitated, glancing at Mason and unsure of what to say.

“They thought he was what?” asked Ian.

“They thought he was me,” said Mason, finishing his wife’s statement.

“Why would they want you?” asked Ian.

“Because I have something they want,” explained Mason.

“Like what?”

“Information,” answered Mason, wrapping his arms around Savannah. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered, softly into her ear.

“How could they confuse you and Lex?” asked Shiloh. “It’s not like the two of you look alike.”

“No,” agreed Mason. “They probably don’t know what I look like.”

“They called him Condor,” offered Savannah, rubbing her wrists where the ropes had been.

Mason glanced at Cleo and noticed a single tear run down her cheek. “It’s going to be okay,” he assured her. “We’ll get him back.”

“I don’t understand,” said Ian. “Why are they after you?”

“Because I used to be a covert agent for the C.I.A. and they want the Intel Cleo and I acquired on our last mission.”

“And by acquired, you mean stole, right?”

“Something like that,” admitted Mason.

“What are they going to do to Lex when they realize he’s not you?” asked Shiloh.

“Kill him.” Cleo whispered the words so softly they were barely audible.

“That’s not going to happen,” said Mason. “How long ago did they leave?”

“Only a few minutes,” said Savannah. “I think they took the snowmobiles.”

Mason grabbed a set of keys dangling from a rack by the stairs and said, “I’ll get him back.” He turned and ran up the stairs, followed by Shiloh, Cleo, Ian and Savannah.

Mason opened the backdoor, leading to the last remaining snowmobile and was greeted with a barrage of gunfire. Splinters of wood slashed his face, as he fell backward and into the kitchen. “They’ve got us pinned down!” he screamed, as dozens of rounds riddled the house.

“Who does?” asked Ian, still confused by what was happening.

*******

“It’s not him,” said Bruno Salvador, speaking into the handheld radio, as he watched Lex and Savannah embrace one another before entering the house.

“Hold your fire,” instructed Snake Eyes. “Mason is the target.”

Snake Eyes was surprised when he received a call directly from President Hamilton, asking him to find Mason and retrieve the stolen Intel. This mission was already his top priority, but with the Commander and Chief in his pocket, he suddenly found limitless means at his disposal. “Get your men into position,” he added, speaking to Lt. Gardner, standing beside him.

In addition to bringing Bruno Salvador, Snake Eyes had also requested three Special Forces units, each comprising of a dozen highly trained soldiers. The man power he now commanded should be more than enough to subdue one rouge agent.

“Yes sir,” said Lt. Gardner, turning and signaling for his men to disburse. They immediately disappeared, fading into the night.

Bruno watched patiently, as the minutes passed. Waiting was his specialty. In his line of work, patience usually meant the difference between life and death. He didn’t care if Mason showed up in five minutes or five hours, just as long as he showed up. As a private contractor, Bruno was only paid if and when the target was successfully eliminated. He’d already missed one opportunity and had no intention of missing another. After all, he had a reputation to uphold.

Bruno watched, as the Russians entered the house and began interrogating Lex. He was mildly curious in regards to their methods and wished he could see more clearly, but knew better than to relocate. Over an hour had passed, when he saw a set of headlights approaching from the west and felt a flicker of hope.

The vehicle came to a stop in front of the house and three men and a woman disembarked. After knocking on the door with no response, they broke it down and entered, guns drawn and ready.

“It’s him,” said Bruno, into the radio.

“Wait for my command,” said Snake Eyes, watching from a distance.

“The Russians are escaping,” said Bruno, watching as they climbed onto snowmobiles and drove off.

“Let them go,” said Snake Eyes, “Mason is the target!”

“Are you sure?” asked Bruno, hoping for a bonus kill.

“Stay on target!” hissed Snake Eyes. When he saw Mason open the backdoor, he shouted, “Fire!”

The still night exploded into a roar of thunder, as Lt. Gardner and his men opened fire.

“Fool,” hissed Bruno, as Mason dove for cover, disappearing from his scope. He’d have had a clean shot if Snake Eyes hadn’t jumped the gun.

“Kill them,” shouted Snake Eyes, into the radio. “Kill them all!”

Mason swung the door shut, as bullets thudded into the wall around him. “Spread out!” he shouted, as he pulled Savannah close and shoved her to the floor.

Ian dropped to his knees and crawled to the living room, peering out the window. “There’s dozens of them!”

Cleo took a knee beside Mason and Savannah, and began firing into the night. “There’s too many!”

“Take as many as you can with us,” shouted Mason, returning fire.

Shiloh joined Ian at the front window and the two men began shooting at shadows moving in the dark, as soldiers circled the house. “We can’t hold them off forever,” he shouted, noticing the soldiers getting closer.

“They’ve got grenades!” shouted Ian, shooting one of the soldiers, as he was about to throw a grenade through the front window.

What seemed like hours were only minutes, as a barrage of gunfire turned the house into Swiss cheese. As suddenly as it started the firing stopped, and the night grew eerily quiet.

“Come out with your hands up Mason!” shouted Snake Eyes, and we’ll let your family and friends go free. If not, we’ll blow the house down around you! You’ve got five seconds to decide!”

“Maybe I should,” said Mason.

“Don’t be a fool,” hissed Cleo. “You know damn well they’ll kill us all. And probably torture us to get ya to talk. Is that what you want?” she asked, glancing at Savannah, who sat shaking in the corner.

“You’re right,” said Mason. “Go to hell!” he shouted into the night. “It’s better that we die together,” he added, pulling Savannah close.

“Attack!” shouted Snake Eyes, and the night erupted once again. The soldiers advanced on the house and were about to unleash a bombardment of grenades, when Lt. Jon Sawyer and his company of Marines arrived out of nowhere and engaged them from behind.

Caught between gunfire coming from the house and from the Marines, Snake Eyes and his men scrambled for cover behind their vehicles. Realizing the battle was lost, he ordered his men to attack the house one last time. “No matter what, the target must be eliminated!” he screamed into the radio, as he climbed into a black suburban and started the engine. Glancing in the rearview mirror as he sped away, he saw several of his men riddled with bullets, as they attempted a final assault on the house.

After seeing Snake Eyes flee from the battle, Bruno quietly slipped away into the night. Although he wanted a payday, he knew there’d be other opportunities and could afford to wait.