On Fire

Kim’s head hurts. She’s still woozy from being drugged. Her eyes are closed and her head rests against the shiny red interior of the van as she makes an effort to regain her senses. As the van bounces, her hair slides up and down the smooth metal surface. Her legs are spread out to keep her position as the van accelerates and decelerates. At one point the van stops so the driver can use a pass through key. After that they enter a gated area. Kim figures they must be at De Gaul Airport, but knows they have taken a circuitous route with frequent checking for any possible tails.

  If someone was tracking them from the air, probably using a drone, they would almost certainly have accompanying ground support vehicles. The fact that none of the guys in the van, each with his own device attuned to checking all the traffic around them, has said anything, is a pretty sure sign that there are no support vehicles. And there are no support vehicles she reasons because there is no one tracking them from the air. All of which is because Zak and their friends have not contacted authorities about her abduction.

  She opens a slit of an eye and spies Dai Gu backed up against the side of the van, dutifully engaged in checking his device. She knows they fear a BOLO (be on the lookout) or an APB (all points bulletin), whatever they call it in France.

  “Let’s hope your boyfriend didn’t do anything stupid,” Gu remarks without looking up.

  He must have eyes in the back of his head she concludes and decides not to give him the satisfaction of a response.

  Through the windshield and through a growing fog Kim sees the asphalt road spread into a parking lot for business jets. Business jets are lined up by airport taxiways, across from a series of hangars and large industrial buildings. Among the buildings is a small two story office building, and they pull up to it. It appears that the Russians know a reliable charter service.

  Kim is beginning to realize that she hasn’t been drugged again for a reason. Carrying a comatose woman onto a charter plane would obviously raise some questions that would be hard to answer. They’re going to need her cooperation though if they’re going to get her on a plane.

  She can see the sign over the glass façade through the windshield. It says Meridian Business Travel in blue italics. One of the men quickly gets out of the van and runs into the office. It is mere moments before his return. The van pulls out and runs along the line of charter jets, stopping near one.

  As they get out of the van Gu holds Kim’s arm firmly and one of the big Russians moves in, staying very close. They walk across the tarmac to board the plane. Kim believes she is probably more alert and together than the Russians are aware. The cold air has warmed up and the fog is thickening. She evaluates her surroundings, realizing that she has to slow these guys down if she is going to give Zak a chance to find her. There’s an open hangar and warehouse not far away.

  Kim waits carefully for her moment.

  Chapter 66