An Unlikely Hero (1) (39 page)

Tessa tried stumbling to a fall. Nothing. Looking up at them from the ground, she noticed both men fixed gazes down her shirt. Pulling herself up for one last time she approached with all the false courage she could muster and fell against the smaller man. The bigger one slung his weapon as he muttered something to his partner. He put his arm around her waist to remove her embrace long enough for the small one to also reposition his weapon. Both spoke rapidly, in some kind of confused state, nodding toward the entrance to Global Navigation. Neither seemed concerned that their personal hygiene could repel a female goat.

Knowing her movements could get her into serious trouble she let her hand dangle down against the big guy’s crotch as she started to collapse. With unreasonable energy she pushed him away, taking a step and falling into the face of the little guy who appeared stunned at her proximity. She let her lips rest against his cheek as her hands went around his hips in a helpless movement of surrender. “Please,” she whispered. “I need water.”

In seconds they had lifted her arms over their shoulders as they dragged her gently toward the Global Navigation building. The big guy circled her upper back where his fingers could spread out against her breast. The other did the same on her buttocks. Captain Chase Hunter was going to owe her big time for this. She hoped he wasn’t wasting time watching the little helpless act being offered up for him to sneak inside.

When the doors of Global Navigation opened into the massive lobby the sweet, cool air of modern convenience flooded over her so quickly she could barely contain the feeling of relief. When they neared the plush, teal couches, Tessa sensed something else the two men had in store for her. She squirmed free, stumbling to the half wall where she hoped unrealistically to find a letter opener, flame thrower or grenade that might haphazardly have been left lying innocently to hurl at the men. After all, isn’t that how things worked in the movies? The knowledge that she hadn’t anticipated how this scenario would actually conclude sent waves of revulsion through her body.

“Water!” she croaked, making a drinking sign. “Water!”

Words of contempt passed between them. But in the end when she seemed to roll onto her chest looking over the counter, the two liked the exposure of her back and the roundness of her bottom enough to fetch a cup next to the water cooler some ten feet away. Tessa froze as she looked over into the eyes of Vernon Kemp smiling up at her. When Vernon had seen that they were bringing Tessa into the lobby he ducked down out of sight. He handed up a bottle of glass cleaner as he nodded toward her captors and pointed to his eyes.

They shouted at her from behind. Slowly, she turned around to face them, startled to see that the big one had laid his rifle down and had begun to unbutton his pants. Swallowing hard, Tessa knew she had to do something unexpected to throw them off guard. Although her knees were shaking and bile threatened to choke her common sense, Tessa forced a smile and with one hand finished unbuttoning her shirt. Both men looked at each other in surprise and began to snigger like young boys at their first peep show. She’d left the small bottle of cleaner lying behind her back on the counter. Placing her right hand behind her, Tessa felt the grip before closing her hand around the trigger. She pointed to the big guy with one finger and motioned him to come to her, before spreading her blouse open so her lacy bra was fully exposed.

“Come here,” she teased licking her lips seductively, “so I can…” But before she could say another word, he had rushed her, burying his hands in her hair and yanking her to his mouth. When she began to fight, the big guy reared back to slap her only to be blinded by a spray of ammonia cleaner. When a swift knee to the crotch doubled him over, he managed to knock the cleaner from her grip. Tessa locked her hands into a fist, knuckles facing up before bringing it down so hard on the back of his neck that he crashed to the floor. Looking at her locked hands in wonder, Tessa found herself frozen with awe at what she’d managed to do. That little three day self-defense class Robert forced her to take just paid off—again. The sudden agonized groan jarred the small man into action as he bent down to pick up the dropped weapon.

“Down!” she heard Vernon yell. As she fell to the floor and Vernon jumped up to send a shot into the small gunman. The bullet hit his shoulder, sending him awkwardly to a sitting position. Dazed for only a second, he scrambled to reach for his dropped weapon. With all her strength, Tessa rolled to her knees, grabbing the bottle of ammonia cleaner and sprayed him long and hard, collapsing him backwards into a screeching fit. The rifle somehow made it into Vernon’s capable hands just as he knocked both men unconscious by directing a blow to the head with the butt of his gun.

“Mrs. Scott!” Vernon smiled slinging his new weapon. “Sorry about the shot. I aimed for his head. Need a little more practice on the firing range, I guess.” His voice sounded matter-or-fact. Carefully, he placed the other AK-47 on her shoulder. “Did I mention you’re my hero?”

Tessa looked from Vernon to the bottle of ammonia to the unconscious men on the floor. She’d never been someone’s hero before.

Looking at Tessa’s open blouse, Vernon blushed enough that she quickly fixed the problem. “Help me get these guys behind the counter. Want to hurt them some more before I tie them up?” He watched her eyes widened. “That was a pretty big risk you took. If anything happened to you Chase would have my hide.”

“Chase!” she stammered looking out the door.

Vernon began dragging the big guy and welcomed Tessa’s assistance when she grabbed the other hand. “He’s in. Came in through the back. Saw him on the monitor. All security is down except where I want.” After securing both men and shoving them into a large cabinet, Vernon rubbed his hands together as if dusting them off. “Can you use that rifle?”

Tessa shook her head ‘no’. “I went paintballing once. Is it the same?”

Timidly, Vernon stepped closer and demonstrated with his gun. “Kinda. Robert take you?”

She shook her head. “Girls night out actually.”

“Don’t tell Carter. He’ll try to meet your lady friends.”

“They’re all married with kids.”

“He won’t care. Now let me show you a few things just in case.”

The
just in case
scenario, delivered another punch to Tessa’s nervous system as she contemplated the possibility of dying before telling her family how much she loved them. The constant question of
why me
kept returning to her brain when time allowed her to take a deep breath. She didn’t realize her breathing had escalated until Vernon timidly touched her shoulder, drawing her eyes up to examine his freckled face.

“You’re doing great, Mrs. Scott.”

Tessa reached up and patted his hand. “Call me Tessa. Mrs. Scott makes me feel like an old lady.”

Before Vernon could stop himself, he said: “A hot old lady.” Their eyes met suddenly as Vernon awkwardly pulled his hand away from her shoulder. “Sorry. That didn’t come out right.”

Tessa grinned. “You just made my year, Vernon. I’m going to remember those words for a very long time. Thanks.” She couldn’t help but notice Vernon square his shoulders a little more as he pulled his chin up confidently, knowing that his comment would be remembered by the fairer sex.

“We better get moving.” Vernon nodded toward the corridor. “Let’s kick some butt!” he grinned as if doing so would reassure his charge.

Taking a deep breath, Tessa nodded and slung her weapon on her bruised shoulder, trying not to show the pain that shot up her neck.

Essid paced angrily as he slapped one of the Global Navigation people on the back of the head. His voice had lost that unnerving coolness. “What do you mean the computer is locked? Fix it!”

“I’m trying,” he stuttered nervously. “Someone has gotten into the main frame and locked me out.”

Essid stopped his pacing and stared at the twenty men and women sitting at the conference table under the watchful eyes of Mansur and Honey Lynch. Half of them were Russian, the visitors that were to celebrate the joint venture with the Americans in creating the lifesaving isotopes. The others, scientists and board members of Global Navigation, perspired nervously as they appeared to wait for some rescue operation to begin. At first knowing that Global’s security people and lobby secretary now remained in a similar state of control at another location, crushed any thought of resistance. After hearing someone had managed to lock down the computer the hostages appeared to cling to some ridiculous ray of hope of rescue. He could see it in their sideway glances to each other.

The Haskin boys sat near the frosted windows. Exhaustion and fear had taught them to remain quiet. Their eyes diverted when he looked their way. A smile spread across his face, knowing they now had experienced enough traumas to render them useless to American society. Their plans to make the world a better place probably would never materialize thanks to the fear swallowing them. Years of American style therapy definitely loomed in their future provided they were alive at the end of the day. He noticed a wet spot on the young one’s shorts last night after he and Honey had their fun in front of them. He had wanted to complete their love making there but Honey insisted on the bedroom. It wasn’t like her to be modest. Killing the Scott family made her a little crazy he guessed. Hopefully she wasn’t developing a conscious. That trait could get an assassin killed. What a waste that would be.

Essid stepped up behind the bald man at the computer, noticing that he flinched and tucked his head to avoid another slap. “Well?” He sucked in his breath and let it slowly escape to regain calm. When the middle aged man slightly lifted his hands in helplessness, it was all Essid could do from knocking him out of the black swivel chair. Fortunately for him, the frosted door swung open and two of the truckers entered with three of the Enigma team.

His heart thumped with pleasure, seeing Nicholas Zoric, the old Jericho Crawley and an extremely beautiful woman with a bruise on her cheek. “Where are the other two?” he said distracted by Sam’s lovely figure that he eyed openly. As he reached out to touch her cheek, Sam turned away and snarled. Essid laughed good-naturedly. “Spirit! Honey, did you see that? She is like you.”

Sam spit on the floor. “I’m nothing like her.”

Honey grinned sardonically and slid her bottom off the glass conference table, approaching Sam nonchalantly. “You kill, just like me.” Her Irish accent came through all of a sudden. “No difference. You think because your government sanctions the lives you take you are better?”

“I kill only to protect the lives of others.” Sam leaned toward Honey, nearly touching Honey’s nose with hers. “You are one psychotic bitch,” she growled through her teeth. In that instant Honey landed a fist on the bruised cheek, staggering Sam back into the door. Sam resisted touching her jaw, but opened her mouth as if to stretch it back into place.

“I see you ladies have met before,” Essid grinned. “Perhaps I can watch the two of you fight to the death when this is over.” He slapped his hands together. “Yes! I would very much enjoy that! Mansur, my brother, will watch with me,” he said throwing out his arm toward Mansur holding an AK-47 pointed at the hostages. “I think my brother does not like you, Honey,” he said turning his eyes back to the computer man who desperately worked to save the day before looking back at to the truckers. “Do not keep me waiting! Where are the other two; the one they call Carter and the red headed kid?”

The truckers met eyes before stammering a reply. “I came ahead to find you. Carl and Joe took the prisoners.”

Essid stepped toward them suddenly and pushed his face into theirs. “So where are they now?”

“Joe took them to the john.” Carl tried to sound confident.

Essid threw up his hands in frustration. “Idiots! You better hope that is all they did.” He saw Zoric grin like the devil he portrayed before guiding Mr. Crawley to a seat. “You! Why do you smile?”

Zoric reached for Sam and pulled her to his side. She did not resist. “You’re screwed. Leaving Carter and ‘that kid’, as you called him, with your brainless trucker was the beginning of the end for you and your little fiasco.” Putting Essid on edge made escape easier.

Essid frowned and grabbed his radio to contact the four guards below. A soft crackle then a jovial voice came across the airways. “Joe here! On my way up. Sorry about the wait. Had to knock some heads to get them movin’.”

Essid clicked off and let his narrowed eyes move to the other truckers. He pulled out a nine millimeter from inside his black vest. The truckers took a step back as sounds of shock came from his hostages. “I hate incompetence.”

“Hold on there,” Al said lifting his hand up level with the barrel of the gun as if doing so would magically protect him from a bullet. “Joe said they’re on their way up.”

“Your stupid trucker friend is not capable of controlling special agents of the United States government, especially if they’re working under,” Essid looked over at Zoric and Sam, “Captain Hunter. Am I right, Honey?” She took a step back, knowing what would inevitably take place. The room exploded with screams, chairs being shoved back and a few sobs of terror when Essid pulled the trigger, blowing a hole in Al’s chest. Carl, the other trucker caught his buddy in his arms by accident before slinging him aside to try and escape the room. Another blast rattled the room as he too, fell victim to Essid’s twisted sense of reprimand. Two guards standing outside the door kicked the door open, ready to defend their leader if need be. Their dark eyes went from the bloody corpses on the floor to Essid lowering his weapon to his side. He nodded at the dead impatiently for their speedy removable as he turned his attention back to the bald man at the computer, who now hunkered down by his chair. With only one lifted eyebrow, Essid forced his hostage back to work at the terminal.