True Conviction (20 page)

“Well, they
do
say cell phones will kill you...”

“Look, if this
was
Pellaggio, you need to proceed with caution. He clearly has the means to get to you whenever he wants. And he definitely seems intent on killing you. Maybe you should—”

“Let me stop you right there,” I say, interrupting him. I reach over and take the IV out of my hand, causing a thin trickle of blood to drip down on to the bed sheets. I throw the covers back and swing my legs over the side. I put my feet flat on the floor, tentatively at first, and put my weight on them.

They seem to be working fine, so I commit fully and push myself off the bed and stand up, turning to face Clark.

“In the last two days, I’ve been shot at, mildly tortured, shot at
again
and now blown up. I’ve been thrown through a mirrored wall and I’ve had to see innocent people die horribly because of me.”

I walk toward him. He looks a little uncomfortable, which is fine by me. He needs to know who he’s talking to. He needs to know what’s going to happen now.

“Do you know why they call me Adrian Hell?” I ask him.

“Ah, no… No, I don’t,” he replies, even more uncomfortable now I’m standing almost nose to nose with him. The man in black at the back doesn’t move toward me.

“I live with a daily struggle to keep all my anger, and hatred, and horrible thoughts behind a locked door in my head. Occasionally, if people push me hard enough, they run the risk of that door opening. And if it does, what they find behind it is their problem to deal with. And God help them. Dark Rain is your problem now. And, frankly, you’re welcome to them. But Pellaggio has just blown my door off its hinges. Literally, as well as figuratively. So now…”

I pause as I clench my jaw muscles, fighting to keep the burning rage inside of me in check. I can feel a lust for violence coursing through my veins, touching every part of my body and filling it with a dark energy that’s bursting at the seams, desperate to be unleashed.

“Now,” I continue. “Roberto Pellaggio will know what it’s truly like to feel the wrath of my inner Satan. I’m going to rip his whole world apart. I made him a promise not so long ago, and I aim to come good on that. I appreciate you helping me out, but if you want some free advice, Robert—stay the fuck out of my way.”

CLARK AND HIS bodyguard quickly left my room. I got dressed and discharged myself from the hospital. The nurses strongly objected, but they weren’t going to stop me. I took some painkillers to help with my ribs and my back and then made my way outside.

I’m standing in the doorway, looking at the front of the hospital. It’s still a goddamn circus out here. It’s been a little over four hours since the car exploded. They’ve put out the blaze, but there’s a still a fire truck on site. The police are there, along with a forensics team and a bomb disposal unit. They’ve cordoned off the area, but some members of the public are moving around in front of the police tape, trying to see what’s happened. Off to the right of the scene, spilling out onto the street, a crowd of journalists and local media are trying to describe the scene to the curious masses.

I want to avoid any kind of attention, so I duck away to my right and work my way around the back of the hospital, onto the next street over that runs parallel to the building. I use side streets and alleyways where I can, keeping my exposure to prying eyes down to a minimum.

My hearing is almost completely back to normal and my tongue has stopped bleeding, although it still hurts to talk. Luckily, the time for talking has long since passed.

Wars aren’t won with words…

I have no idea at this stage whether Pellaggio’s aware I’ve survived the blast. Ideally, he’ll think I’m dead. That way, he’ll forget all about me and absolutely won’t expect me to show up on his doorstep, giving me a huge advantage.

However, I think we all know I’m not that lucky.

Working on the assumption he knows I’m still alive, I figure I should try to keep a low profile until I’m ready to make my move.

As we agreed, before I was blown up, Clark has arranged a little care package for me on behalf of my new friends at GlobaTech. He’s texted me the address—the drop point is a storage locker at the main bus terminal. He’s given me the combination to the lock and confirmed it’s accessible twenty-four hours a day.

I know what I need to do. I’ll admit, I usually like to take more time to plan an operation—especially one like the one I’ve got planned for Pellaggio—but I can’t afford to wait any longer. I’ve finished trying to do the right thing and play the diplomat between everyone. The door’s open and the Devil inside is hungry for blood…

I find the bus terminal easily enough and quickly locate the locker. The combination works first time. Inside is a black sports bag. I remove it, putting my shoulder bag in there in its place. I walk over to an empty bench and quickly open it to check everything I need is in there.

Holy shit… Clark delivered and then some!

Everything’s there. It’s all high-end equipment—perfect for what I’m going to do next…

I zip the bag back up and walk out of the bus terminal, carrying it by my side as I keep to the alleys and the side streets like before. I instinctively touch my Berettas at my back. I’m glad I didn’t leave them in the car, and I’m very fortunate the nurses kept them with my belongings. I suspect that particular hospital benefits from some extra funding, courtesy of GlobaTech. They all seem perfectly comfortable with the comings and goings of guns and bullet wounds.

My phone starts vibrating in my pocket. I take it out and see Josh’s name on the screen. I’m not in the mood for talking, but I should probably answer it.

“Yeah?” I say.

“Whoa, you alright big fella?” asks Josh, immediately picking up on my tone.

“Aside from being blown up by a car bomb, I’m peachy.”

“What?”

“Yeah, Clara’s Dodge Viper was blown to shit in the hospital parking lot as I approached it. I think Pellaggio’s started his campaign to kill me. Dunno if he knows he failed or not.”

“Jesus! You alright?”

“I’ve got a helluva headache and my ribs and back have taken another pounding, but I’m fine. I was blown clear by the blast. Any closer and I’d have been evaporated.”

“This has gotta be one of the shittiest weeks ever! Listen, have you spoken to Clara yet?”

“No, haven’t seen or heard from her. I’d gone back to the hospital to check on her, but she’d discharged herself… again.”

“Right. Well, that’s why I was calling you—she just rang me.”

“She did? Is she alright? Where is she?”

“She’s fine. She was asking after you, actually. Said she felt bad leaving the hospital without telling you, but couldn’t sit there and allow Dark Rain to get away with what they did to Webster. She felt responsible and wanted to do something.”

“What did you say to her?”

“Well, she asked what the plan was and how she could help, so I told her about my involvement with GlobaTech and what their operation entails. She said she’d do some recon and give me intel from the ground, to help me co-ordinate the attack.”

“Sounds like a good plan. She needs to watch her back though. Dark Rain is gunning for her just as much as they are for me.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Anything she can give me will be invaluable. So, what are you doing now?”

“I have a gift from GlobaTech, thanks to our friend, Bob. I’m going to pay Don Pellaggio a visit.”

“Is this gift, by any chance, in the shape of a black bag full of evil things?”

“It is.”

“And have you used the words ‘inner’ and ‘Satan’ in the same sentence recently?”

“I have.”

“Oh, bloody hell! I’ll be under my desk ‘til you’re finished.”

“That’s probably wise.”

I hang up and continue navigating the back streets. After a good half hour, I find myself walking down a poorly lit street just outside the center of the city. It’s clearly a rich area of the city, because the houses are well spaced and all look like mansions. I make my way along the street and about halfway down on the right is a particularly enormous house within a gated property. There are high walls all around, with a security hut to the right of the large, wrought iron gates. Beyond is a circular driveway with a massive water feature in the middle. The house itself has three floors, with a large, stone pillar either side of the front door. There’s light coming from a few windows, but other than that the place is in darkness.

Roberto Pellaggio’s estate.

I smile to myself.

Showtime, asshole.

I crouch down and hide behind some bushes out front of the property opposite. It’s dark and the lights aren’t on, so I doubt anyone will see me. I open the bag and take out the pair of black coveralls, quickly putting them on over my clothes. I then carefully unpack all the equipment and weapons, kitting myself out and preparing for war.

I look across the street. My first problem is getting into the estate. I can easily get over the walls, but I have no visibility of what’s on the other side. I don’t know if there are any guys patrolling the perimeter, if there are any attack dogs, what the positions are of any and all CCTV cameras… Basically, I’m completely blind and therefore justified in assuming any attempt to get inside at this stage would result in a swift and painful death.

Luckily for me, I have Josh.

I clip my Bluetooth earpiece in place and dial the man who’s been my eyes and ears around the world for half my life.

“You ready?” I ask as he answers.

“I am,” he replies. “And, for the record, I’d like to say again that I’m completely against this. I think it’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done—and that’s saying something. I just want that made official, so my conscience is clear in case you die.”

“Josh, given I’m relying solely on you for navigation here, if I die it’ll be your fault, so be prepared for me to come back and haunt you should that happen.”

“Fine. Are you in position?”

“Yeah, I’m across the street, hidden in some bushes. I’m invisible and ready to go.”

“Okay, let’s do this.”

Josh told me earlier that GlobaTech gave him access to their satellite feeds and thermal imaging technology, because he’s going to be working with Clark to help co-ordinate the attack on Dark Rain, which he said is going to be happening at some point tomorrow. I figured, seeing as he had that access, he might as well use it… Josh explained to me that once the satellite is in position over Pellaggio’s estate, he’ll have a real-time view of where all the guards and dogs and such things are—both inside and out, as well as where the security cameras are and which way they’re looking. He'll be able to view all the heat signatures on the grounds and direct me safely inside.

He’s already had a look at the place, which is how I knew exactly what to ask Clark for.

“Right, I’m picking you up over the road from the west wall of the estate,” he begins.”‘That’s good, because that’s where the main security desk is.”

“Why’s that a good thing?” I ask.

“Because if the main security hub is there, they’ll be no need to have any other security patrols on side of the building, which means once you’re past it and inside, you shouldn’t run into anyone else.”

“Great. So, how do I get past it?”

“The guard’s hut and main gate is about forty feet to the left of where you are now. If you look about thirty feet to your right, you’ll see a group of trees. Work your way level with them, and wait for my signal.”

“Got it.”

I negotiate my way through the bushes and undergrowth, doing my best not to tread on any flowerbeds these people have scattered around their garden. There’s a skill to making no noise while walking through things that crack and rustle. Thankfully, I learnt it a long time ago. It only takes me less than a minute to get where I need to be.

“Right, I’m here,” I say. “The trees are directly in front of me.”

“Good. There’s been no movement, which means no one’s heard you moving around over the road yet.”

“Or they
have
heard me and they’re pretending, while secretly planning to gun me down the moment I’m over the wall?”

“Adrian, do you really think
now
is the time for your particular brand of pessimism?”

“I think of it as realism, but let’s not split hairs. So, now what?”

“Once you’re over the wall, dive to your right. You should then be covered completely by trees and darkness. It’s a black spot in their CCTV coverage, but that just means there will likely be at least one sentry checking the area now and then, so we need to keep an eye out for him.”

“Got it. Just say when.”

I check my equipment for the fourth and, probably not final, time. In addition to my black overalls, I’m wearing a Kevlar vest and tactical night vision goggles on my head. I adjust the chinstrap again, ensuring it’s tight and the goggles are firmly in place. I’ve moved my Berettas so that I now have one holstered on each leg. Both have their silencers equipped. At my back, in their place, is a belt kit for a repelling hook—good for two hundred feet. More than enough for what I need it for. Fed over both shoulders are two MP5 submachine guns—both silenced and set to fire in a three round burst. I also have the knife with me that I took from the guy at the safe house where I found Webster. Figured it might come in handy. Finally, in the pockets sewn into the legs of my coveralls, I have some grenades—two frags and two smoke.

Josh’s voice sounds in my ear, interrupting my last-minute checks. “Right,” he says. “One guard is approaching the security gate now. Possibly switching shifts. Hold steady.”

There’s a minute of silence on the line.

“Okay, he’s walking away again now,” announces Josh. “On my mark, stay low and move fast to the wall. Flatten against it until I give you the all-clear to scale.”

“Roger that,” I say.

Another moment passes before I finally get the order to go.

“Okay, move!”

Staying low, I sprint across the road and stop when I reach the wall. I press my back against it and catch my breath. The painkillers are doing their job—breathing isn’t causing me any discomfort at all in my torso, which is a pleasant change. I should’ve taken some days ago…

“I’m in position,” I whisper.

“Okay, up and over the wall on my count—remember to land and roll right. Three… Two… One… Now!”

I clamber up the wall, heaving myself up. I lie flat along the top for a moment, catching my breath. I then swing my legs over and drop down into a crouch on the other side. As I land, I roll to my right and come to a stop behind the trees, exactly as Josh had instructed.

I lower my goggles into place and activate the night vision mode. Everything flickers in front of me and turns a pale green. I quickly scan the area. I see the south-west corner of the house in front of me. To my left, in the distance, is the security hut. To my right is a long lawn with two sets of garden furniture positioned along it. No sign of any movement.

I look up at the house. There are a couple of lights on in windows on the top floor, which flare up and obscure my view through the green glow of the goggles.

“Josh, I’m in.”

“Okay, this next bit is the tricky part,” he says.

“The tricky part? I’ve not seen the
easy
part yet… So far, all of this has been tricky, Josh.”