Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1) (10 page)

BOOK: Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1)
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“No she hasn’t shown up yet anywhere, but the program is still running.” She told her.

“Let’s hope she shows up soon.” Liz said.

“Ok, I’m going to finish up here and I’ll see you in the morning.” She hung up and kept staring at the screen as a photo of Douglas Oleg appeared on the screen. He was a handsome man who was in his mid-40’s, with sandy blonde hair, and blue eyes. He was average height at five foot ten inches, but what she couldn’t get past was the dead look in his eyes.

Shelby looked at the time on the computer screen and saw that the evening had slipped into early morning. Amanda would be home fast asleep by now. She closed up her console and went upstairs to get some sleep before the mornings meeting.

When she got off on her floor, she looked at Max’s door and didn’t see any sign that he might be awake. She went into her apartment and grabbed her piece of cheesecake out of the fridge and sat down. As she took a bite, she contemplated what Liz would want to do with this new information.

She paused a moment before turning to her plate to take a bite which began a sensual journey across her tongue that only Max could rival. Why, oh why did he have to creep into her thoughts? She wondered what he was doing. She had left him after spending several hours in a state of sexual bliss. He made her feel things she had buried and never wanted to resurrect again. Yes, she had had a couple of relationships since that fateful summer, but with Max her entire body came to life.  She forgot who she was when he kissed her. Just thinking about him made her go all warm and sent electricity down her spine. She felt herself begin to get moist. Oh heavens, she concentrated on finishing her cheesecake before heading into her bathroom for a shower.

Chapter Fourteen

 

Everyone was already in the conference room when she walked in. She walked over to the buffet fixing her a glass of ice, grabbed a soda and snagged the last blueberry muffin. The only chair available was next to Max. She took a seat and kept her eyes on Liz as Max moved closer to her.

“Good Morning, I’m going to get right to the point. I informed John last night that Shelby found Agent Le at a club in New York. The name of the club is The Entropic Club and is owned and operated by Douglas Oleg. Shelby will fill you in on the rest and then we’ll discuss how we want to proceed.” Liz turned to her. She felt Max tense next to her as his leg ran the length of hers beneath the table.

She turned to everyone at the table opening the screen on the wall behind her everyone’s eyes moved to the face gazing back at them. “I ran our facial recognition software throughout our systems to see if we could locate Agents Le and Young at any locations that Hawk was known to frequent. Agent Le was caught on camera at The Entropic Club the night that she disappeared. She was going into the club, but there were no shots of her ever leaving the club that night. I did a search for a week prior to that evening as well as a week after she was seen on camera. There is no evidence of her leaving the location.”

She looked around the room and everyone was listening intently. Max never took his eyes off of her. She pulled up a new photo and continued. “Douglas Oleg is a Russian national that entered the US four years ago. He makes trips to Asia every few months. He has been connected to organized crime in both New York and Las Vegas. The Russian Mafia from what I have found doesn’t want anything to do with him. He came to the US after he made a mistake and one of their own ended up arrested. He is trying to branch out on his own here in the US. Apparently he thinks the land of opportunity is where he wants to make his new home. He has been arrested for prostitution but hasn’t had any long term stays in the pen.”

She turned to Max when he spoke. “I’m familiar with Douglas Oleg, but Young never gave any indication that he was involved in the case she was working. Le wasn't familiar with him.” His face grew tense, “I don’t like this, not one bit. He is a vindictive son of a bitch. He’s been collared for prostitution, but he has since worked his way into high price escort services. We haven’t been able to get him because he’s always been one step ahead of us. Several of his girls have come up horribly disfigured, missing or dead. He caters to the wealthy and whatever deviance they want. No matter what their tastes may be. It can range anywhere from normal to underage girls.” He scowled down at his hands and clenched them into a fist.

“Max we’ll work together and find the evidence you need to put him out of business and indict him for Agent Le’s murder.” Liz said.

Liz looked at Tabby and Jo, “I want the two of you to go to New York and make contact with Douglas Oleg. How you make contact I'll leave up to you. Shelby make sure they have all the equipment that they’ll need to get the evidence necessary for an indictment. Max, does he know what you look like?”

“Yes, but we can send Ross McCade up with Tabby and Jo.”

“Ok, let’s coordinate what we are going to do to help find Patricia Young. Shelby how much surveillance can you do remotely?”

“I’ve tapped into his security system, but there is a room in the back of the club that I haven’t been able to access as of yet.” Pulling up the floor plans to the club she pointed to an office in the back of the building.

“Jo you locate the room and find your way in. Tabby I want you to go in and locate Oleg and get close to him. Shelby can watch your back while Jo is locating the room. When she finds it Tabby, you are to steer clear of Oleg. I mean it Tabby. I’m sending both of you up there for a reason. You work as a team. Agent McCade can take up at the bar to observe the lounge area.” Liz emphasized this as Tabby, and Jo both had a habit of acting before they thought.

“I got it Liz.” Tabby mumbled and looked at Jo who nodded.

Shelby spoke, “I'll provide each of you with listening devices to place throughout the club. Jo once you gain entrance to the office; I have a small camera that you can place anywhere in the office. No matter where you put the device it'll show the entire perimeter and judging from the schematics of the building that room can’t be very big.”

John speaking to Tabby and Jo, “Ross will be going with you two, but he is going only as an official so that he can positively identify Patricia Young when she is found.”

Liz stood “Good; we’ll get everything organized and have a jet ready to go by this evening. I want to make sure that we get in there as quickly as possible. John, do you have anything you want to add?” She turned to John with a questioning look.

“No, as always you seem to have everything under control. Max, I'll make sure that Ross has the clearance to work with Liz and her team.”

Liz turned “Tabby and Jo come with me down to the basement, and we will get your gear together. Shelby set up normal surveillance on Douglas Oleg. We can all meet back here this afternoon for one last briefing before Tabby, Jo and Ross leave for New York.”

Shelby stood and waited for Max to follow her, but he paused, “I need to talk to John for a minute, but I’ll be up as soon as I’m done.”  She nodded and walked out of the office.

Max watched her leave then turns to John. “Are you sure about getting them involved in this?” he asked.

“Max this is the one thing I am sure about. Come with me.” He followed John out of the conference room and across the lobby. Liz was waiting for them by the security desk. She led them over to the opposite side of the elevators to a hidden door in the marble wall. Liz placed her palm against a glass plate and the marble door pushed in and slid open. Behind the door was an elevator opening awaiting their entrance for them to descend down under the TAG complex.

When the elevator stopped, the doors opened to a long hallway with several doors. They walked down the hall to the last door on the left. Liz entered a code into the keypad. When the door opened, light illuminated the room in front of them. What Max saw made his jaw drop. It felt as if he had walked into a Victoria Secret store. There in front of him was an array of corsets and other garments. He looked over at John who didn't seem surprised by what he saw.

Liz stopped and turned to him. “Max I’m aware that this isn't conventional to what you know, however, what you see in front of you is state of the art protection that I provide to all the members of my team. Each corset that you see is designed out of Kevlar material and lined with a microscopic titanium chain maille that will not only protect the wearer from a bullet but from being stabbed during hand to hand combat. It covers all major organs in the body. With the exception of a kill shot straight to the head, this is the best protection that I can provide to the members of The Athena Group. No one outside of our group knows anything about this. Each corset is designed based on the assignment that they will undertake.” She stopped for a moment to let him take in everything that she said.

Max couldn’t help but gape at her, but he was impressed. He watched as Tabby and Jo walked over as each picked up a corset out of their displays and underneath the displays were two sets of drawers. They each opened a drawer and inside were several types of weapons. He saw several different caliber Glock and Sig Sauer hand guns as well as different types of knives. The weapons ranged from hand guns and assault rifles to switch blades and scabbards. John walked over to him. “Impressive, isn’t it?” he asked as he smacked him on the back.

“Yes, I have to say it is. How long have you known about this?” Max asked.

“I’ve known about it from the conception of TAG.” He smirked with almost a sad smile.

“John, how long have you known Liz?”

“I’ve known Liz for a long time.” he said as he looked at her with longing.

Once Tabby and Jo were finished packing their weapons and armory, they walked out of the room. Max could only follow. He was intrigued by what he saw, and as they walked back down the hall towards the elevator, he noticed several other doors along the hall and wondered what they hid behind them.

They arrived back at the lobby, and Liz gave Tabby and Jo their final instructions before they left to go upstairs to finish preparing for their trip. Liz told John that they would meet him at the airport this evening. Everyone went their separate ways, and Max went off to find Shelby.

Chapter Fifteen

 

He found her sitting at the controls of her computers. He took a moment to look at her and saw that she in her comfort zone here. He could definitely tell this was her space with all of the computers and monitors.  Her hair was twisted up in place with a pencil exposing her creamy neck. Her fingers were moving, lithely across the keyboard as she worked. Looking at the monitors he saw some images that meant absolutely nothing to him. He could tell that it was some kind of coding, but he didn’t know what it was. He saw the monitors that held the cameras for TAG and stopped when he saw the apartment he was staying in on the screen and realized that it appeared that there was no part of the complex that wasn’t under surveillance.

“Shelby! What the hell is that?” He demanded, pointing to the screens.

She whirled around when she heard him yell. She hadn’t heard him enter, which wasn’t like her. She always knew when someone entered her domain. She followed his gaze and realized that he saw the cameras on her floor and the horrified look on his face. Well crap! He knows that there are camera’s on all the floors.

“Max it’s not what it looks like. We have cameras on all the floors with the exception of the sixth and seventh floor which belong to Liz. There are cameras in every apartment and in each room. However, dependent upon how your card key is programmed, those cameras deactivate when you enter your room. Your card has been programmed so that when you enter the apartment the cameras turn off.” He looked at her skeptically.

“Why didn’t you tell me there were cameras everywhere?” he asked accusingly.

“Max I don’t tell anyone about my security. It’s not smart for me to be forthcoming with the information. You should know that, and I am responsible for not only the computer network, but for the security system within TAG of which I take very seriously.” She couldn’t help but raise her chin at him in defiance.

“You’re right Shelby.” Raking his fingers through his hair as he let out a sigh. “It just surprised me when I walked in and saw the apartment up on the screen. I was afraid that yesterday afternoons distraction had been recorded.”

She blushed momentarily, “No Max, they weren’t. Trust me when I say that isn’t something I want on video.”

“Oh, is that so? I think that watching it would be an enjoyable experience.” He winked when he sat down in the chair reaching up he ran his fingertip down the center of her nose.

She stared at him a moment, “Max, what you are doing to me? You distract me whenever you are around. I’m the one that is always so level headed, but you enter the room and it all goes haywire.” Waving her hands around her head in a helicopter motion. “I just don’t understand. Give me computers and security systems, and I’m in my element, but I have no idea what to do with you.” Her eyes were wide with self-doubt.

Max pulled her chair so that her knees rested between his legs. “Shelby, I’m sorry I disappeared so long ago. Please, believe me when I say I had no choice.” He tipped her chin up and looked deep into her eyes.

She wanted to forget where they were, their past and what they were supposed to be doing, but she couldn’t. Clearing her throat she pushed her chair back over to the console and pulled up the information on Douglas Oleg. Max moved closer to her in his chair.

BOOK: Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1)
2.17Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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