Chapter Forty-Four

Kenny pulled up the collar of his overcoat. The helicopter had a small heater, but it was not enough to fight off the bitter chill that seeped in around the door to his right. He had Hunter’s $400,000 in a large duffel bag behind his seat.

Kenny didn’t particularly like helicopters, but he was happy to be able to do something for Hunter. She rarely asked for more than a little information now and then. When Hunter left Garner’s employ, she took Kenny with her--secreting him away to a safe location several states away and setting him up in his own computer consulting business. She financed everything until the business took off, and refused all offers of repayment.

Kenny glanced at the pilot, an ex-Navy man who’d been recommended by one of his military contacts. He’d been told the man was trustworthy enough to do a job without asking questions and would keep his mouth shut. But Kenny still was cautious. He had been entrusted with very sensitive information. He’d given the man only a set of GPS coordinates and told him they were to make a delivery and pickup, nothing more.

They were in a four-seat Bell Jet Ranger helicopter, flying low over a sparsely populated wooded area. Kenny looked at his watch and spoke into his headset. "How much farther?"

"We should be there in another hour," the pilot answered. "Maybe a little less."

Kenny nodded. They were making better time than he’d predicted and would arrive at their destination at least a half hour early.

Otter was convinced Scout meant to leave them in the cold. After waiting outside the hatch for more than two and a half hours, he made his way to the other entrance to meet up with Frank.

As he neared the rock wall, Otter saw the big man with his back to the sun-warmed surface, his eyes closed. How can he doze off standing up? Must be even more exhausted than I am. "Hey, Frank."

Frank opened his eyes and stretched.

"How can you sleep? You’re not worried she’s going to leave us out here?"

Frank studied Otter a moment and bit back a sharp retort. It wouldn’t help for them to carp at each other right now. Sure, he was worried. But he was also more tired than he could ever remember being. "Yeah," he finally answered. "Sure beginning to look like she isn’t gonna let us back in. Think we should start walking?"

"I don’t think we have any other choice." Otter looked around. "I think I came in that way." He pointed. He remembered his approach on the snowmobile, his headlights shining directly onto the rock wall.

"Yeah, that seems right."

Both men grew silent, staring out at the endless landscape of trees and snow.

Otter was remembering the trail to the bunker. It had taken all sorts of crazy twists and turns. There were boggy areas and lots of hills.

Frank had the same pictures in his head. He wondered how they’d ever find their way to the road on foot.

"Let’s do it, then," Otter said, setting off.

Frank pushed off from the rock wall and followed him.

They had gone only forty feet or so when a sound behind them made them both spin around. Scout stood in the entrance grinning at them, gun in hand. "Going somewhere, gentlemen?"

They glanced at each other and headed back toward the bunker. Otter jammed his right hand into the pocket of his jacket and wrapped his fingers around the crescent wrench. Just let me close enough, bitch. He hated the smug smile she had on her face as she watched them. She was as bad as Hunter.

She backed up as they neared her, as if she knew Otter’s intentions. "So, I take it you didn’t find anything?"

"No," Otter said, a little too sharply.

Frank shook his head.

Scout was about to close the door when her hand froze over the keypad.

"What’s the matter?" Otter asked.

"Quiet!" she barked. She ran to the generator and shut it off. The lights went out as the drone from the machine died, but Scout could still see the men clearly by the sunlight streaming in through the open doorway.

Now all three could hear the unmistakable sound of a helicopter. It was still some distance away but drawing closer.

Kat found the MP5 by her side within just a few seconds of the lights going out. She hadn’t expected this. The darkness didn’t really bother her, but it would make it more difficult to protect Riley. And she didn’t know if Scout now had Otter and Frank working with her, and that complicated things.

She moved Riley’s head from her lap so she could stand, and Riley woke up.

"Kat? What’s happening?"

"Not sure. Someone’s shut off the generator." Her hand found Riley’s and squeezed it. "Don’t move."

Kat picked up the MP5 and made her way to the wall.

She put her ear to the panel and listened.

Scout stood in the doorway of the generator room, trying to spot the helicopter. The trees around the bunker entrance made it impossible to see anything that wasn’t almost directly overhead. The sound grew louder and seemed to come from her right.

In her reconnaissance of the area, Scout had seen a clearing in that direction--undoubtedly the GPS coordinates that Hunter had given to Kenny. Scout glanced at her watch. You’re early. A sound from behind her made her wheel around just in time to see a flash of metal aimed at her head.

Otter knew when he heard the helicopter that it would provide his best chance to overpower Scout. Her attention was on the approaching chopper, and the noise would help conceal his effort to creep up behind her.

He spared a quick glance toward Frank, but the other man was too far away and was staring out the door. It was now or never.

Otter closed the distance to the blonde. He withdrew the wrench just as she glanced at her watch.

He swung at her, but Scout ducked and the wrench glanced off her forehead. Otter brought the weapon up again as she twisted away from him, but she was faster than he was. Before he could connect a second time, Scout kicked him hard in the groin.

Otter crumpled to the floor with a groan. The tool slipped from his fingers. He grimaced and struggled to his knees. When he looked up at her again, she was pointing her gun at him.

Scout was breathing hard. Blood trickled down her face.

"Stupid shit," Otter heard her say, just before she pulled the trigger.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30