The Hunted Assassin (36 page)

Jaxon slipped his hands into his pockets, casually, and leaned against the wall. “You’re only half right, Perry. Pablo didn’t tell me who you really were, but he did leak out some hints about your inflections. Isn’t that absolutely sensational?” Jaxon asked, adding more inflection to the word.

“That’s all you were basing this on?” Evans asked. “My pretentious word choices?”

“That, and a number of other things that I’ve added up over time. It seems that you’ve been giving me just enough information to string me along. Then I learned that you’d given Camille specific direction to maintain contact throughout the mission, and that drove everything home. I’d already agreed to report to the director personally and any further communication beyond that would not have been sanctioned by the GSA.

“You traitor!” Howe said. “I’ve given you every opportunity for advancement, and this is how you repay me?”

“Oh shut up, you windbag. I should be in your position, and you should be—”

“But you have to earn this position. You’ve never given me reason for promotion. You’ve always been a follower and never a leader. This position—”

“Shut up!” Evans demanded, shoving the director to the ground.

Jaxon had to move cautiously if he wanted to keep everyone alive. He also knew that he couldn’t just outright kill Evans until Celeste was safe. As far as he knew, he could have Celeste at a completely different location and their weeks of tracking his movements could have all been a ruse.

“So, what’s your play, Perry?” Jaxon asked. “You don’t think that by simply eliminating Howe and myself that you’ll just be able to step into the director’s position, do you?”

“That’s exactly what I think, Jaxon. There are a very small number of people who know this place even exists, and as soon as I kill you both, I’ve eliminated the majority of those involved.”

“Aren’t you forgetting about Miles Oliver, Camille Parker, and Clay Francisco?” Jaxon asked, queuing his team into action.

Evans swung his pistol back and forth between the director and Jaxon. “Let’s just start with you two first and then I’ll track down everyone else and eliminate them with equal vengeance.” Evans continued pointing his pistol back and forth between the two men, as if playing eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

Suddenly, the front door burst open at the precise moment that Evans had his gun pointed at the director. The commotion startled Evans enough that he squeezed the trigger, driving a bullet into the director’s stomach. Howe screamed from the pain and dropped to the floor.

Just as swiftly, Evans pointed his pistol toward Oliver, who had dropped to the ground himself in a defensive posture and fired two shots in quick succession. Both shots went wide.

“Wait!” Jaxon said, pleading for Oliver not to return fire. “He still hasn’t told us where Celeste is.”

“That’s right,” Evans said, pointing his gun right at Jaxon’s head. “Celeste is the key, and unless your partner over there drops his gun, you’ll never know what has become of her.”

“Drop it,” Jaxon said. “Drop it now.”

Oliver reluctantly lowered his semiautomatic rifle to the ground. He shoved it to the side.

“Good boy,” Evans said, pulling the hammer back on his pistol. He pointed it at Oliver, and just when he was about to pull the trigger, a shot was fired from the rear entrance of the cabin.

Camille’s shot hit Evans in the shoulder, causing him to drop his gun. Jaxon sprung forward and plowed into Evans, taking him to the floor and pinning his arms behind his back.

“Quick, take a look at Howe. He’s been shot!” Jaxon exclaimed.

Camille rushed to the director’s side. He clutched at his stomach. “How bad is it?” she asked.

The director squeezed his eyes closed as he lifted up his blood-soaked shirt, exposing a bullet hole on the left side of his abdomen. Camille gently touched the side of the director’s waist and slid her arm around to his back. She pulled her hand out, and it was covered in blood.

“It looks like it was a through and through. If we get you some help fast, I think you’ll be okay.”

“There’s … a medical … room in the basement,” Howe said, fighting to get his words out.

“Without proper training, we wouldn’t know what we’re doing,” Camille said, pulling the director’s shirt back down over the wound.

“I might be able to help,” Oliver said, kneeling down next to them. “I had a little training as an EMT before coming on to the GSA. I generally get weak at the knees at the sight of blood, and knew right away that it wasn’t my desired career choice, so I changed. But, in an emergency like this, I think I can manage.”

By then, Jaxon had made his way to the group. “Well, you’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, Miles?”

“That’s right, boss. I feel it’s best not to reveal too much of one’s own being prematurely. Don’t you agree?”

“You got that right, boss,” Jaxon said with a wink.

As Camille and Oliver helped the director up, Jaxon returned to Evans for more information.

“Are you ready to talk yet?” Jaxon asked, standing above Evans, who was lying on his stomach.

“If you’re going to help him, why don’t you help me as well? Then I’ll tell you where she is.”

“Sorry, Brutus. You first,” Jaxon said as he rested his foot on Evans’ back.

Evans moaned in agony. “Okay. She’s down on sublevel six.”

“You mean she’s here?” Jaxon asked, incredulous.

“Yes, she’s been here the whole time. Nobody goes down that far and—”

“You fucking bastard!” Jaxon said, driving his foot harder into Evans’ back.

“Stop! You’re killing me.”

“You should’ve thought about that before you killed Lily and took my daughter.”

Jaxon removed his foot and headed for the basement door. Evans called after him.

“Aren’t you going to take me down? I’m bleeding here.”

“I tell you what, Brutus. If she’s down there and is okay, we’ll patch you up. But until then, you can lie there and bleed for all I care.”

Jaxon turned and walked through the basement door.

65

After stopping by the medical wing on the first sublevel, Oliver had already stopped the director’s bleeding. Confident that he was in good hands, Jaxon continued down the stairwell to sublevel six. Unsure if Evans had been completely truthful about Celeste’s location or if he was walking into a trap, Jaxon had his gun out just to be safe.

As he approached the stairwell door leading out into sublevel six, Jaxon leaned his ear against the door and listened intently for any sounds.

Silence.

Jaxon gripped the door handle and twisted. A slight tug and the door swung open. Cautiously, Jaxon popped his head through the doorway and quickly scanned the environment. It was a dimly lit corridor that plunged a dozen feet away from the stairwell before it veered to the left. There was nobody else in sight.

A crackle in Jaxon’s ear startled him.

“Where’d you go, Jaxon?” Camille asked.

“Down five levels. Approach with caution. Radio silence.”

“Got it,” Camille said. “I’ll cover your rear.”

Jaxon proceeded down the dungeon-like passageway, slowing his pace as he approached a corner. He paused to listen.

Silence.

Instinctively, Jaxon pulled the hammer back on his gun and rounded the corner.

There were two security guards on either side of a single door at the end of the corridor. Neither of them noticed Jaxon approach. At first. As he neared, the closer guard caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye and reached for his gun. It was too late, though, as Jaxon fired, dropping the guard to the ground.

The sudden clamor caused the second guard to move much more quickly. He already had his hand on his pistol grip and was bringing it up when Jaxon’s second bullet pierced the guard between the eyes. He dropped next to his partner.

“Jesus, Jaxon. Was that you? I could hear the gunfire in the stairwell,” Camille said in Jaxon’s ear.

Jaxon remained silent. He moved forward and rested his hand on the door handle. With a deep breath, he twisted the handle and walked through.

The room was similar to his temporary bunk several levels up. A toilet and sink hung from the wall to the side. There was a Bureau across from the door, sitting next to a single wide cot.

Sitting on the bed was Celeste. She sat there, staring back. She appeared to have been reading a book and had a startled look on her face from all the commotion.

Tears of joy almost overcame Jaxon as he finally saw her face. He checked himself and quickly extinguished the waterworks.

“Celeste? Are you okay?”

Celeste dropped the book and raised her legs up in front of her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “Who are you?” she asked, staring intently at the gun in Jaxon’s hand.

Jaxon quickly holstered his pistol and raised his hands up in the air. “It’s okay. I’m here to rescue you. I’m not going to harm you; I’m not going to let anyone harm you.”

Celeste rocked back and forth as she stared at Jaxon. Her eyes welled up, and she began to cry.

Jaxon rushed to her bed and kneeled down beside her. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

“I’m … fine. They hurt me a little, but I’m just scared. Is my mom, Lily, okay?” she asked, wiping her tears away.

“I’m sorry, Celeste, but Lily didn’t make it. I’m sure that she fought to give you a chance to get away.”

Celeste began to cry even harder.

Seeing the pain and anguish on her face tore deep into Jaxon’s soul. It became increasingly more difficult to keep his own emotions in check.

“Hush, hush,” Jaxon said, trying to soothe her pain. “It’s going to be okay. I’m here now, and I won’t let anything hurt you ever again.”

Celeste stared at Jaxon quizzically. “Who are you?”

Jaxon heard footfalls echo in from the corridor, and he instinctively reached for his weapon. Seeing Camille approach, he dropped his hand away and focused on Celeste.

“I’m Jaxon. Did Lily ever tell you about me?”

Celeste sniffled and wiped more tears away. “N-no,” she said, continuing to stare at Jaxon curiously.

“I’m … I’m your father, Celeste,” he said.

Shocked awareness came over Celeste’s face, but she remained seated on the bed. Jaxon instantly regretted telling her the truth so quickly. He hoped that he hadn’t just made a big mistake.

“Celeste? Are you—”

Before he could finish speaking, Celeste sprang from bed and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing. Jaxon felt her tears fall down his neck. He held her for a long time, unable to hold his own tears back.

Their silent reunion, precious for them both.

66

Jaxon and Celeste walked out of the stairwell into sublevel one. Camille had already retreated to give the two of them some privacy to reconnect and was standing next to Oliver just outside the medical room.

As he approached, Jaxon spoke. “Hey everyone, I’d like you to meet someone special. This is Celeste, my daughter.”

Camille reached out and took Celeste’s hand warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sweetheart. I’m so happy that you’re okay. You’re all that Jaxon’s talked about for the last three weeks.”

Celeste smiled shyly. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

“Hi. I’m Miles. Your dad here is one lucky guy to have found you once again,” Oliver said, shaking her hand.

Celeste smiled and nodded.

“How’s the director?” Jaxon asked.

“I patched him up as best I could. But thankfully, being the head of the GSA has its privileges; they had a chopper ten minutes out. The medics just got here and are in there with him now,” Oliver said. “He said that he wants to talk to you right away.”

Jaxon nodded and looked at Celeste, contemplating whether he should leave her just yet.

“Go ahead,” Camille said. “I’ll watch after her. We can have some girl talk while you’re gone.”

“Oh, great,” Jaxon said as he hugged Celeste before walking into the medical room.

Two medics were attending to the director lying on the operating table. One of them looked at Jaxon as he approached. “You shouldn’t be in here,” he said.

“No, it’s okay,” Howe said. “I need to talk to him. Come closer, Jaxon.”

Jaxon did and stood near the head of the table.

“So, quite a mess, wouldn’t you say?” Howe said through gritted teeth. “But I would’ve appreciated a little more heads up before you made your move.”

“I couldn’t have been sure, director. Not until that instant. We were fairly certain it was Evans, but it could have been you all along throwing everyone off your scent as the mole. I had to do this on my terms.”

The director moaned slightly as one of the technicians sutured the bullet hole. “Regardless, that’s not exactly how we do things at the GSA. You, above everyone else, should’ve known that.”

“I understand, sir,” Jaxon said, opting to take the reprimands from the director without question.