“Thanks!”
She didn’t wait for the girl to respond or comment if she noticed Vanni wasn’t carrying her things out with her. She checked the sidewalk, didn’t see the limo, Bruce or the driver. She tucked her chin, kept her head down and blended in with the crowds traveling in the direction of the park.
* * * * *
Smiley had been in Justice’s office arguing his case to search for Vanni when Flirt rushed in.
“Travanni Abris just called our main line.” He held a phone. “I downloaded the recording.” He hit play. Everyone listened to the exchange.
“We have to get her.” Smiley wanted to rush out the door and go to the helipad immediately. That was the fastest way to reach her. “Call the pilot to start the helicopter.”
Flirt glanced at him. “Already done.”
Justice frowned. “It could be a trap.”
“You heard the fear in her voice,” Smiley snarled. “Let’s get her. They held her against her will. It was just as her friend said. She is in trouble.”
Fury stood. “I’ll go.”
“No, I will.” Justice rose from his seat and opened his top drawer, withdrawing a holster and gun. “She briefly met me at the hotel. I want her to see a familiar face. You heard what Smiley had to say about what she may have overheard in the SUV on her way to Homeland. She might believe we have sent a team to arrest her if we just send them to her location. I don’t want her to run if she really is in trouble.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Fury protested. “I’ll go with the team. It might calm her just seeing a Species face.”
“I’m going.” Smiley surged forward.
Fury leveled him with a cold stare. “No. It could be a trap to lure you there. You going after her would make you appear guilty of their charges. They’ll say you arrived to prevent her from speaking to the press.”
“That’s another reason I’m going. I’ll handle the press if they are lying in wait to see if we show.” Justice clipped on the holster and yanked his jacket off the back of the chair. He stared at Flirt. “I assume you asked for a team to assemble at the helicopter?”
“Yes. I wanted them on standby in case you decided to pick up the female.”
“At least allow me to ride in the helicopter. I won’t get out.” Smiley needed to be there. Fury and Justice worried it was a trap but he didn’t believe that. She’d sounded so frightened in the recording.
“No.” Justice approached him and gripped his shoulder. “You’re too emotional and that’s the last thing we need. We’ll bring her here safely if her story checks out. You can see her then.”
He wanted to protest but Justice spoke again before he could.
“We can argue or I could go to that helicopter, getting it in the air faster to reach her. Which is it going to be?”
“Go,” Smiley ground out.
Justice and Flirt strode out of the office and Fury sighed.
“I hope it’s not a trap.”
“She’s in trouble.” Smiley was certain.
Fury’s gaze held his. “I hope so for all of our sakes. I don’t know the female but I really detest the Woods Church. Do you wish to go to Security with me? We’ll monitor the situation from there. The team will stay in constant contact with us.”
“Yes.” Smiley at least wanted a minute-by-minute update if he couldn’t be there.
Chapter Ten
Vanni craned her neck, peering around the large bear statue she hid behind. The street wasn’t too far away and the limo had passed twice. Bruce and the driver were hunting her and she was afraid they’d find her before the NSO arrived. She wished for a watch but had to guess at how much time had elapsed since her frantic phone call to Homeland.
What if they don’t come? It was a scary thought. What if they are coming to arrest me? That was a real possibility if Gregory made good on his threat to hand over that vial with her fingerprints on it. She leaned against the front leg of the large white statue and hugged her waist.
It all boiled down to her being more afraid to call the police. Bruce wouldn’t have bluffed about Gregory having a doctor on his payroll since he hadn’t known she was close enough to overhear the plan. She’d end up sounding as insane as the doctor would claim if she ranted about an entire church out to get her.
Her purse was still at Gregory’s vacation home. Though she had no money, no identification and no car she refused to risk putting Beth in danger by asking her to come pick her up. Bruce knew what her best friend looked like. She shivered, imagining how terrible it would be if he spotted Beth. He might shoot her on sight.
Beth said she had talked to Smiley. She knew Beth wouldn’t have urged her to contact Homeland unless she thought it would be okay. What was said? She peered out at the street again. There was no limo but no SUVs were in sight either.
“Where are you?” It had to have been twenty-five minutes. It seemed as though it had been hours. It was the fear and adrenaline. She leaned back and looked up at the sky. It was growing warmer by the second. The shade of the big statue kept her out of direct sunlight but it would be a long day if the NSO didn’t show. She’d be too afraid to make her way across the park until it got dark. Bruce didn’t seem the type to give up easily.
Maybe he’ll bleed to death. It was something to hope for. At some point he’d need to seek medical attention. She doubted he’d go to a hospital though, unless he blamed her for being shot and wanted to cause her grief by reporting it. That was a grim concept. The police would be searching for her too. She pictured the headlines in her head. Deranged woman shoots poor bodyguard who was trying to get her help. She snorted.
A distant sound caught her attention and she peered up at the sky again. Her heart rate increased when she realized what it was. The helicopter neared and she spotted it over a line of trees. It was black with white lettering on the side. She squinted against the sun behind it but was pretty sure it spelled out three letters—NSO.
“They came,” she muttered and pushed away from the statue.
The helicopter flew closer and she lifted her arms, waving to get the pilot’s attention. He seemed to have spotted her since it changed direction. Her exuberance dimmed a lot though when the wind from the blades ripped off her hat and the loud engines almost deafened her when it lowered about a hundred feet away on the grass between the line of trees and the big bear. She threw up her hand to protect her eyes and waited until it touched the ground.
The side door opened and four black-clad, uniformed men jumped out. The assault rifles cradled in their arms didn’t bode well for a friendly welcome. They spread out fast, dropped to one knee and pointed the weapons outward as if they were expecting an attack. None of the muzzles were aimed at her though.
A figure in a suit climbed out last and he kept his head tucked until he passed the moving blades. Vanni recognized him and stumbled forward, unsure if she should approach Justice North or flee in the opposite direction. His dark gaze locked on her and she couldn’t miss the grim set of his mouth.
She paused and waited until he halted before her. “You came!” She had to yell.
He glanced around, speaking loudly enough for her to hear, “Come with me. You’ll be safe.”
She shifted a little to look around him at the helicopter. She had hoped Smiley would come to get her but he wasn’t there.
“We can’t stay on the ground long. We didn’t get permission. The police will arrive soon and probably news crews.”
She swallowed hard. They’d come at her request and it wasn’t as if she had any other options. A helicopter landing in a park would draw a lot of attention. She turned her head and looked at the street. Cars were stopping and people rushed out of the stores to stare. She faced Justice North and nodded.
He reached out his hand and she took it. He had warm skin that reminded her of Smiley. She followed when he tugged gently. Her legs trembled and the sound of the helicopter wasn’t exactly soothing. She’d never flown in one but Bruce could show up
at any second if they were still in the area.
Justice tucked his head and led her to the open helicopter door. He released her hand and she gripped the floor of the cargo area, unsure how to climb in. It was higher than she imagined one would be. That dilemma was solved when Justice gripped her hips and just lifted her. She grabbed at one of the seats and scrambled inside. It wasn’t graceful but she was in. His entry made it look easy when she fell into a seat and watched him. He just put his hand on the floor and kind of jumped. He motioned her to scoot over and she did.
The four uniformed men rose and returned to the helicopter. They were inside in seconds and the door slammed. It didn’t mute the engines or blades by much. Justice sat next to her and handed her a belt. He pointed over her lap to the other side and she glanced down. She strapped in and watched him do the same. One of the uniformed men sat next to him on his other side while three of them sat opposite.
She stared at their guns since their faces were covered with tinted full-face shields attached to helmets. They all wore NSO patches on their Kevlar vests. The helicopter lifted off and she moaned in response to the queasy feeling the motion caused. The entire thing seemed to sway back and forth for a few seconds. She looked out but regretted it as they lifted higher than the treetops.
Justice touched her arm and she started. She turned to him and he held out chunky headphones, motioning for her to put them on. She accepted them and watched him put on a matching set. He even showed her how to push the mic close to her mouth. She followed his example.
“Can you hear me?”
His voice came out clearly in the headphones against her ears. “Yes.”
“You look unwell. This mode of transportation is safe. Don’t look out the windows if you are bothered by heights or fast motions. Just focus on me.”
“Okay.” She kept her gaze locked with his. He had pretty eyes and the grim expression in them had faded.
“I’m Justice. Do you remember me from the hotel?”
“I do.”
“You don’t look well, Travanni. Do you need medical attention? We can have our doctors standing by when we land.”
“It’s probably just the makeup. I’m okay. Scared but okay.” She sealed her lips. She was nervous and didn’t want to babble. He was Justice North. Her fate was in his hands.
“There’s no need to be frightened. Can you tell me why you called us?”
“I was held against my will at Gregory Wood’s vacation home last night. They were planning to force me to say Smiley drugged me.” She let the story come pouring out. She babbled after all but it kept her distracted from the horrible way the helicopter bounced around. Her fingers dug in to the seat tightly enough that she worried she might do damage to the leathery material.
“I didn’t drug Smiley,” she swore. “They said they paid the bartender to do it. That Bruce guy put on gloves, withdrew a glass vial and forced my fingertips against it. They put it in a plastic bag so Gregory could frame me if I didn’t say what he wanted.” Tears filled her eyes. She really wanted him to believe her.
He scowled. “We ran background checks on all the employees. The bartender worked several shifts with other Species in his bar without incident. That’s why we assumed it was you. The team said you walked directly to Smiley when you entered the bar, as if you targeted him.”
“I didn’t even realize he was New Species until after I sat down. Gregory said you have graveyards full of bodies at Homeland and Reservation. Please don’t kill me.”
“We don’t kill females.” He reached out and hesitated before patting her knee. It was a comforting gesture. He stopped after two taps. “That male says a lot of things about us that aren’t true.”
“Gregory also said they paid some woman to sit by Smiley but she was running late or something. Instead, I showed up and interfered with their plan. It was just by chance that I chose to sit there. I wouldn’t ever drug someone. I need you to believe me. I hate the Woods Church and everything they stand for.”
“Why were you at the hotel with them then?”
“Carl told me he wanted to make it up to me that we weren’t spending any time together. He works a lot. I thought it was just going to be the two of us for a romantic weekend. Instead, after we got there, he lays it on me that his father is paying us to attend. I wanted to leave but I didn’t have my car. Carl tricked me and then I felt stuck.”
“Why would his father pay you?”
“The media was giving his dad grief because Carl and I never attend his church or go to social events with him. That was a good thing in my mind since Gregory and I never got along. I guess Gregory figured it would make them stop if we were his guests. Carl was fixated on the money and kept telling me we could have a better wedding if I’d just keep my mouth shut and smile for pictures. It’s been a constant argument with us since we started planning our wedding. It’s traditional for the bride and her family to pay and the groom springs for the reception. He wanted four hundred guests but the chapel I could afford only seats a hundred. I absolutely refused to get married at his father’s church. He offered that but it was a deal breaker for me.”
Justice opened his mouth as if he intended to speak but then closed it.
“Carl said his dad was going to pay us fifty grand to be at the hotel to take pictures with him. Carl started guilt-tripping me into just staying for a few days. I should have left. Let’s just say I got to see a whole new side of my ex and I didn’t like it one bit. I’m glad the engagement is off.”
He grimly regarded her. “Do you know why they drugged you too? It would have been more effective if they’d just heavily dosed one of our males. He would have attacked any female near him. That would have been horrific. You experienced a milder version of the drug but full dosage of even that drug would have made Smiley deadly.”
“Gregory said he wanted a victim to parade around in the media to keep the story active. He was afraid the NSO would sweep it under the rug otherwise by blaming Mercile Industries.”
“That male is deranged.”
“Tell me about it. I just got an up-close-and-personal experience with how nuts he truly is. His church members think he’s some kind of messiah who can predict the future. I’m still confused whether they just think New Species are going to take over the world or believe they plan to slaughter everyone. I don’t even think they can decide.”
“Why would we kill others? We lock ourselves behind secured gates to protect our people from the out world. They come after us, not the other way around.”
“I know. I follow the news.”
He grew quiet and she lowered her gaze to her lap. Mr. North seemed really nice and she hated to repeat any of the garbage Gregory or his members had shared.
“They plan to send us a vial with your fingerprints then?”
She looked up. “Yes. I swear I didn’t drug myself or Smiley. It was the bartender.”
“It makes sense. You were the only female to go near our male but the bartender was the one to mix the drinks. He had no criminal record and showed no hatred for us during his interactions with our group.”
“There’s always a first time, right?”
He cocked an eyebrow.
“You know, every bad guy was once good until he crossed a line. I don’t think they come out of the womb being assholes.”
His expression cleared and he smiled. “I like you, Vanni. I see why Smiley was so adamant about defending your innocence.”
That news surprised her. “He was?”
“Yes. He’s protested our assumption that you dosed him but you have to admit the circumstances made you appear guilty. You had no form of identification on you that night and you weren’t registered at the hotel. Then you escaped the SUV taking you for medical treatment at Homeland.”
“I was afraid I was going to be arrested for something I didn’t do. That’s why I ran away.”
“I understand. We’ll be at Homeland soon. I need to contact them so I’m switching
broadcast signals to a secure one with the NSO. Just tap me if you need to speak and I’ll switch to the short-range one we use to communicate in the helicopter so our signals don’t travel.”
“Thank you.”
She made the mistake of turning in her seat and staring out the window. The helicopter flew high and fast, the ground far enough away to assure her they’d die if it crashed. It made the swaying sensation worse.
I hope we get there soon or I’m going to throw up. Good thing I haven’t eaten anything today.
* * * * *
Smiley paced the floor. The pilot had radioed in that they’d picked up Vanni and she seemed unharmed. Justice had not contacted Security though, and it drove him insane.
“Relax,” Fury ordered. “We knew he planned to speak to her.”
“He should have broadcast it.”
Jericho shook his head. “What if our channels are breached? It could happen. It’s safer if any of the details Justice learns from her are secure.”
At the moment, Smiley hated logic. They didn’t want anyone to know Vanni was on her way to Homeland or the news hounds would swarm the gates. The Woods Church press conference should have started already but they didn’t have Vanni anymore. He glanced at the clock.
“It was delayed.” Fury seemed to guess where his thoughts had turned. He lifted his cell phone and flashed the screen to show the text messages. “We have someone from the task force team there working as a cameraman. Preacher Woods said their star witness is stuck in traffic.” He smirked. “They are probably still searching for her.”
“As if they could find her.” Flame chuckled.
“It’s not amusing,” Smiley snapped, his temper flaring. “She could have been harmed.”
“You’re right.” Flame schooled his expression. “But she is fine. The pilot didn’t request medical assistance to be waiting at the helipad. I apologize. We’ve all been stressed about this situation. It’s just a relief that she’s on her way here instead of talking to the reporters.”