Scarlet Angel (22 page)

Cortega’s brow furrowed. “What makes you say
that?”

“
As I said…” She smiled. “It’s my
job to know these things. Now, it was nice to meet you gentlemen,
but I have to run. And please, you can call me if you have any more
questions.”

She shook their hands and started down the
sidewalk.

Barnes’s grip was firm and he looked into her eyes.
“Don’t worry, we will.”

Scarlett turned and walked away.

* * *

Dax watched Scarlett disappear down the sidewalk.
The two Feds headed back to their car. He sat back down at his
computer and tapped a few keys. A window titled Frank Grendini
appeared.

He browsed the collection of net links and image
files, finally selecting a link. The link led to a Times article
dated seven years ago. The headline read, “UDI Security Guard
Sexual Assault Suit Starts Today.”

Scarlett was a very different person than her
younger, more innocent persona as Jillian. Dax wasn’t sure exactly
what happened to change her, and she was clearly not interested in
sharing. The problem was, Dax didn’t like secrets, unless he was
the one keeping them.

Chapter 34
Interrupted

There is a strange honor among people like me,
people who do what I do. It’s kind of like honor among thieves, but
with more sarcasm.

* * *

Scarlett felt at the tender spot behind her ear. The
skin continued to tingle, even a few minutes after the incision had
closed up. “I have to say, Dr. Smith, this knitting compound of
yours is nothing short of a miracle. It’s been barely five minutes
and the skin is completely healed.”

“
Yes, the dermal bonding agent is
quite impressive. Much faster than the foam we used on Mr.
Smithson.” The doctor looked down as he arranged his equipment,
revealing the balding crown on his head.

“
So, how long until I can use
it?”

“
Oh, anytime.” He closed his bag
and looked up at Scarlett. “The SubCutaneous Audio Transceiver
should already be feeding off your own bioelectrical energy. Now,
the range is not terribly far, only about a mile, but it can relay
across net towers. So as long as you are in a somewhat urban area,
you’ll be fine.”

“
Really? How’s it
work?”

“
One touch turns it on. Once it’s
on, tapping the skin will cycle through three commands. You can
give voice commands to set frequency and even replay recorded
conversations. One long touch terminates the call and puts it in
standby mode.”

Scarlett touched the back of her ear. “Um, okay...
Ah, here we are.” She called out a series of numbers.

A moment later she heard Dax’s voice.

“
Hey, Scarlett. What’s
up?”

She smiled. “Oh, nothing. Sorry. I misdialed.”

“
Um, okay. Whatever.”

Scarlett tapped her ear again and she heard a small
chirp signaling the end of the call.

Dr. Smith stood and smiled down at her. “So, I take
it it works?”

“
Like a charm.” She stood and
walked him to the door. Scarlett pulled out her eCash card and
transferred ten thousand credits to the doctor’s account. “There
you go, paid in full.”

The doctor smiled and shook her hand. “It was a
pleasure working with you again, especially under better
circumstances.” He turned and strolled out the door.

She reached for the handle when the doctor’s voice
stopped her.

“
Have you heard from him? The
grapevine’s been pretty quiet about him for the last couple
months.”

She just shook her head. Lingering thoughts about
Neil crept out of the hidden recesses of her mind. The emotions
were like a tidal wave she barely held in check. If she spoke, she
knew her voice would crack.

“
Well, I hope he’s okay. You call
me if you have any problems or need anything else.”

Scarlett swallowed hard and steadied her voice. “I
will.”

Dr. Smith turned and disappeared when Scarlett
closed the door.

* * *

Scarlett stared into her latte. She sat at a table
in the back corner in her favorite coffee shop. Jules had just
finished her shift and sat across from her, still in her
uniform.

“
You’re not being very
talkative.”

Scarlett shook her head at the sound of Jules’s
voice. She looked up and gave a weak smile. “Hmm? Oh, sorry. It’s
just... The time to do what I’ve been training for is almost here.
Dax thinks he knows where the data is, he’s just getting
confirmation.”

Jules’s eyes widened. She pushed some stray brown
hair behind her ear. “Well that’s good, isn’t it? You’ll be finally
able to move on, right?”

“
Maybe.” Scarlett knew her
monotone response would prompt more questions from Jules. Instead,
Jules surprised her.

“
But it’s not really what you’ve
been training for, is it? Stealing some data? I mean, that’s just
the job that came with the training.”

She looked up again. “Not really. No, you’re right.
That’s not what I’m after, not in the end anyway. This won’t be
over until Derrick is dead.”

Jules nodded.

Scarlett’s commpad chirped, signaling a call. She
pressed the answer button. “Hey, Dax. What’s—”

“
Get out now. Zinchenko’s coming
for you. He’s got men, some real badasses and he’s on his way.”
Dax’s words came so fast they were barely intelligible. His voice
quivered with fear.

“
Whoa, Dax. Take it easy. Slow
down and tell me what’s going on. He doesn’t even know where I
am.”

Jules’s face wrinkled in confusion.

Dax’s breath was labored. “No. He does. He forced
Mickey to hack the security feed networks. He knows exactly where
you are. He... He killed Janson.”

Scarlett’s jaw tightened. “Jules get everyone out
through the back. Zinchenko’s coming for me, here.”

Her friend’s mouth opened, but no words came.

“
Jules, now.”

Jules blinked. She jumped from her chair and started
yelling to the coffee shop’s patrons. Within seconds they were
filing through the kitchen.

Scarlett stepped over to the window. “Dax? How about
you? You okay?”

“
Yeah, I’m on lockdown. I’ve got a
cam on the two feds, but so far nothing.”

“
Good.” She looked up one side of
the street then down the other. “You keep that place bottled up
tight until I get there.” A black car turned the corner. “Shit,
they’re here. Gotta go.”

Scarlett ended her call and looked around the shop.
Jules poked her head out from the kitchen and gave a thumbs up.
Scarlett nodded and waved her away.

She crouched behind the booth furthest from the
door. Through the distorted reflection on one of the displays, she
watched three men enter the shop. Each of the men withdrew compact
submachine guns from their coats.

The man in front tapped a small earpiece. “The place
is empty, boss. She’s— Yessir. Yessir. Got it.”

He tapped the earpiece again and let his gaze sweep
across the shop. “Mr. Zinchenko would like to have a word with you.
No tricks or nothin’. Just a little sit-down.”

Scarlett thought about Janson and let her logic
succumb to her rage. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When she looked again, the three men were all looking away from
her.

Her hand reached back for the plasma pistol strapped
to her back but she stopped.
No reason to give away my ace just
yet.

Scarlett rose up and stepped around the booth. She
snatched two French presses from the nearest display. She launched
herself at the men, hurling the coffee makers ahead of herself.

All three men turned to her, their guns following a
second later. They flung their arms up to guard against the flying
French presses. The coffee makers flew over their heads and smashed
against the far wall.

Scarlett sprinted low to the ground. She slammed
into the left-most thug, shoving her hand into his throat. The
impact lifted the man off the ground. She brought him back down
onto a table.

The man’s eyes were closed. Scarlett didn’t bother
to check if he was unconscious or dead.

She slid her other hand down and over his, taking
control of the gun. She fired two short bursts. The other two thugs
fell to the ground.

The coffee shop was quiet. A stray bullet casing
rolled from the table and hit the floor.

Scarlett bolted to the door and yanked it open.
Stepping out into the sunlight, she took aim on the black car in
the middle of the street.
You son of a bitch.

Something whined in Scarlett’s ear. Her eyes flashed
wide and she flung herself backward. A brilliant flash of green
streaked across her vision. Half blinded, she swung her weapon at
her attacker. The two weapons collided, sending them both
clattering to the sidewalk.

Scarlett blinked, clearing her vision just in time
to see a large fist coming at her. She dodged to the side and
jumped back.

Shaking her head, Scarlett took another step back to
size up her opponent. Her gaze started at the man’s black boots and
followed up his six-foot tall frame. A brown leather jacket covered
his form-fitting armor and the bulk of his muscular body. His short
blond hair was parted just to the left over his chiseled jaw and
penetrating green eyes.

The man rubbed his forearm and looked her up and
down. He spoke with an upper-class English accent. “You’re the one
causing Mr. Zinchenko so much trouble? I can see why.”

Scarlett smiled. “So, you’re the next lackey he sent
to get his ass kicked?”

“
My name is Devan. I’m telling you
so you’ll know who killed you.”

“
Aw. How sweet.” Scarlett’s smile
disappeared.

Chapter 35
Mercy

Mercy is the mark of a great man... or woman. It can
also get you killed.

* * *

Scarlett looked the man before her up and down. In
some ways, Devan was just like Neil, selling his skills to the
highest bidder. But, staring into Devan’s eyes, she saw the
difference—Devan relished his work, was excited by the kill. He was
little more than a sociopath. At least Neil had a heart buried
somewhere under his strange sense of duty

Devan grinned. “You have spirit, little girl.”

“
You have no idea.” She nodded at
the black car on the far side of the street. “He knows I’m going to
kill him after this, right?”

“
That’s assuming you
survive.”

“
Betting against me is long odds,
and probably not a wise decision.”

Devan smiled. “That’s a bet we’re willing to take,
love.”

We?
Scarlett felt the hard end of a muzzle
tap against the back of her head.
Shit.
She raised her arms.
“So, you’re the distraction?”

A hand reached into her back holster and pulled her
gun free. Another English accented voice whispered in her ear.
“That’s right, darling. I am the main attraction.”

“
And you are?”

“
Why, I am Markus, of course. I
would have thought you’d heard of us. Maybe your bit about Neil was
all bluster.”

The names and accents suddenly registered for
Scarlett. Devan and Markus were on the list of hitmen and thieves
Neil suggested she avoid. Neil had labeled them as arrogant,
psychotic and dangerous.

“
Oh, no. I’ve heard of you. Just
didn’t think Zinchenko would go so cheap.”

She had been ready to take on Devan, but dealing
with his brother at the same time changed the situation
dramatically. Her attack needed to be quick enough to surprise both
brothers.

Markus tapped his gun against the back of her head.
“Cheeky girl.”

Scarlett twisted to her left and back. She jabbed
her elbow into Markus’s gut and her arm exploded in pain. His body
armor was like hitting a brick wall.

She reached for her elbow. Markus grabbed a fistful
of her hair and threw her aside. Scarlett stumbled across the
sidewalk until her forehead bounced off the plate glass window of
the coffee shop.

Sparkles danced across her vision. Through bleary
eyes, she saw Markus level his gun at her face. Scarlett kicked
wildly at the weapon. Her foot connected, sending the gun into the
street.

Rage flashed across Markus’s face. He cocked his arm
back.

Scarlett, already in motion, dodged under his fist.
She planted one foot on the wall and shoved off, driving herself
into the man’s chest. Her shoulder erupted with pain from hitting
his armor, but she pushed on.

Her momentum pushed Markus back. Her shoulder
screamed in pain again as his back slammed into the streetlight
pole. A split second later, the pole rang from Markus’s head
hitting the steel surface.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Devan with his
plasma pistol aimed at her. Scarlett dove for Markus’s gun. She
landed hard on the asphalt and rolled, coming up into a crouch with
the weapon in hand.

She squeezed the trigger twice, sending one shot
into the wall and one into Devan’s shoulder. Devan jerked back and
growled. Scarlett glanced at Markus who was shaking his head. When
she looked back, Devan’s face was a mask of anger and pain. He
raised his weapon and fired.

Devan’s weapon exploded. He screamed and cradled his
scorched and bleeding hand.

Scarlett blinked in confusion until she realized the
weapon must have been damaged when it hit the ground earlier. She
stood and sidestepped to the storefront window. Alternating between
Devan and Markus, she kept her weapon leveled. “Now, you two listen
to me. I’ve got no beef with either of you. I just want
Zinchenko.”