Firestorm

“What?”

  “He wants to hurt you. He wants to get his own back. He doesn't have to use Carmela. She was just the person in the forefront of your mind. By calling you he made damn sure that's where she'd stay.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I'm saying he could hit closer to home.” He spoke into the phone. “George, check with the agents in Macon and make sure Jason Murphy is okay. No, don't call me back. I'll wait.”

  Shock knifed through her. “Jason? You said he was well protected. You promised me.”

  “He is, dammit. He and his wife had double the protection Ledbruk assigned Carmela. I don't see how Trask could touch him.”

  But she could tell he was afraid that Trask had managed to do it. “Resources,” she said dully. “He said anyone could be reached if you had enough resources.” She reached up and rubbed her temple. “Not Jason. Dear God, I hope you're wrong.”

  “So do I,” he said grimly. “I hope to hell that—” He broke off, listening. “Jesus.” He hung up the phone. “Jason left his hotel four hours ago. The agent following him lost him almost immediately, and Jason's not answering his cell phone.” He paused. “Agent Fillmore thinks your brother was deliberately trying to lose him.”

  “That's crazy. Why would he do that?” Her hands clenched into fists. “He's making excuses. They've got to find him, Silver.”

  “George says they're doing their best. Fillmore called Jason's wife and then the number of every friend and business acquaintance she gave him.” He started the car. “He was about to contact Ledbruk and give him a report when George got through to him.”

  She moistened her lips again. Four hours. “Jason may be dead already.”

  “I won't tell you there's not a chance he might be. But from what you've told me I'd think Trask would want you there to bear witness. He did with Carmela at the warehouse.”

  Hope soared. “You're right. I should have thought of that.”

  “You're working on automatic and thinking with your emotions.”

  She glared at him. “Of course I am. He's my brother, dammit.”

  He smiled. “That's better. Nothing like being pissed to start the adrenaline flowing. Now, what would make your brother try to lose the agent who was trying to protect him?”

  “He wouldn't do—” But if Jason had done it, there had to be a reason. She tried to think through the haze of fear smothering her. “Trask might have got to him. Maybe he used something or someone to force him to do what he wanted.”

  “It would have had to be a pretty powerful tool for him to run that kind of risk.”

  “Laura,” she said suddenly. “He'd do it if he thought Laura was in danger. He'd do anything to help her.”

  He shook his head. “George said Jason's wife was safe and accounted for.”

  “Thank God.”

  “Anyone else?”

  “Me. If Trask could convince him that I was in danger.”

  “But he would have phoned you and verified.”

  That was true. Then there was only one other possibility. “My father. Jason loves my father. And he wasn't under any protective surveillance.”

  “Do you have your father's cell-phone number?”

  She nodded. “In my phone book.” She searched in her purse and pulled out the dog-eared leather book. A moment later she was dialing her father's number. After six rings she got his voice mail. She hung up and dialed again. Same voice mail. “He's not answering.”

  “Any other numbers you can call?”

  She shook her head. “He has an apartment in Boston, but he's seldom there. He moves around a lot on assignment but tries to stay in the South so he can be near Jason. He's a reporter, dammit. He should be answering his cell phone.”

  “I'll get George to keep on calling him.” He started to dial. “Though I somehow doubt he's going to answer.”

  No, he wouldn't answer if Trask had him. Fear iced through her. And, if Trask had her father, he also had Jason. “I'll talk to George. You head for the airport. We have to get to Macon. Trask is a wanted man. He wouldn't risk taking Jason very far from where he captured him.”

  “I agree.” He pulled out into traffic. “I think that's where we have our best chance to find Trask.”

  “We're not going to have to look very hard. He took Jason,” she said unevenly. “He'll want me to find him so that I can watch my brother die. We just have to wait for him to call me and tell me where and when.”

  Silver's lips tightened. “You're not going to play the martyr and walk into a trap. No way.”

  “I don't know what I'm going to do.” She looked him directly in the eye. “Except I'm not going to let Jason die. That's not an option.”

  “I won't let your brother die, but I can't—” He broke off with a curse. “I'm not getting through to you. Listen, you have me and you have the whole damn Secret Service to help find Trask. You're not alone.”

  “And if I call on Ledbruk for help, Trask might decide the game he's playing with me isn't worth the trouble and kill Jason.”

  “And if you die, Trask wins and it still won't save Jason. Use your head.”

  Her head wasn't working too well at the moment. She was too scared. “I'm not going to let him die,” she repeated.

  He was silent a moment. “Okay. We try not to involve Ledbruk, but you're not closing me out.”

  “I had no intention of closing you out. I may need you.”

  “How gratifying. And I'm telling George to beat it to the airport and meet us there. We may need him.” He shook his head as she opened her lips to protest. “He won't talk to Ledbruk if I tell him it's a condition for letting him in on the action. He wants Trask.”

  She thought about it and then nodded. They might need all the help they could get, and George could be trusted if he gave his word. “So do we all. But not at the risk of getting Jason killed. Make him understand that.” She drew a deep breath. “Now get us to that airport.”

  16

  George took the key from the clerk at the rental-car desk at the airport in Macon. “I'll run out and bring the car around to the front entrance like the obliging bloke I am.”

  “I hope you've been discreet as well as obliging,” Kerry said.

  “Certainly.” He picked up his duffel bag. “My training forbids any other course of action.” He smiled. “Don't worry, Kerry. I haven't been talking to anyone. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you.”

  She believed him. “What the devil is in that duffel? It took you forever to get through security.”

  “Oh, just a few necessary items. I was caught off guard, but I managed to grab a few things.” He enumerated. “A machete, an M-16, and an H&K 94 SG-1. Oh, and a garrote.”

  Kerry blinked. “And they weren't confiscated?”

  “I also had my old Secret Service ID and a special letter from Homeland Security. But you notice they did make me check it through anyway. I approve. It's exactly what they should have done.” He smiled. “Give me five minutes.” He strode out of the terminal.

  She felt a surge of warmth as she stared after him. There was something very comforting about having George working with them.

  “It probably won't take five minutes,” Silver said as he took her elbow. “This is a tiny-ass airport. We could probably have saved time by going with him. Is your cell phone on?”

  He was thinking that Trask might be calling her. Lord, she hoped he was right. She felt blind and helpless. “I turned it on right after the plane landed. I had two missed calls.”

  “No message?”

  “That's not Trask's style. He'd want to hear how scared I am. He'll wait until—”

  Her phone rang.

  She hurriedly pressed the button.

  “I do hate wasted effort, Kerry,” Trask said. “Your father's phone kept ringing and ringing, but he couldn't answer.”

  Her hand tightened on the phone. “Where's my brother, Trask?”

  Silver's gaze narrowed on her face.

  “With his
father,” Trask said. “Such a wonderful bond between them. It's enough to warm the heart.”

  “I want to talk to him.”

  “Not your father?”

  “I want to talk to my brother,” she repeated.

  “I'm sure you do, but that's my decision. I believe I'll leave that as a special treat. Here's your father.”

  “Do whatever he says, Kerry,” Ron Murphy said. “Jason's life depends on it.”

  “I want to talk to him.”

  “Jesus, I know you don't trust me, but do you think I'd lie to you about Jason?” he asked roughly. “You're the one responsible for this mess. Now, get Jason out of it before this bastard kills him.”

  “Did you call Jason and tell him that Trask had you?”

  “No, Trask called him, and he went to my motel room and found a note Trask left for him. I could never have been forced to put Jason in danger.”

  “But you'd do it to me.”

  There was a silence on the other end. “What do you want me to say? I can't let him kill Jason. Neither can you.”

  “No,” she said wearily. “I can't let him kill Jason. Put Trask back on the line.”

  “You'll cooperate?”

  “Put Trask back on.”

  Another silence and then Trask came on the line. “I told you that the bond between them is something at which to marvel. But I can see why you wouldn't feel equally warm toward your father. He didn't even ask why I wanted you here. Do you suppose he could guess?”

  “I want to talk to Jason.”

  “Tonight. I'm going to send Dickens to escort you. I have to warn you that he's very good at knowing if he's being followed. If he notices any sign of that, he'll call me and that will mean an early and disappointing conclusion to this business. The same result if you and he don't show up in a reasonable time from the moment he picks you up. I'm not having Dickens pressured by the Secret Service into giving out information. And when you arrive here, you'll find that I have ample protection to guard your father and brother. Not that anyone is going to interfere with us once we come together. I've already told the guards that all I'd have to do is press one button and Firestorm would turn the house into a bonfire. Now, if you're a good girl and follow instructions, hopefully you can talk to your brother on the way here.”

  “Where is here?”

  “I believe you'll know it the minute you see it. I hope so anyway. I chose this place very carefully. Such a homey little house.”

  “I'm not coming until I know my brother is alive.”

  “Your father told you he was alive. Well, not in so many words, but do you think he'd lure you here if there wasn't a chance to save him?”

  “Then why can't I talk to him?”

  He sighed. “Unfortunately, your brother refused to add his plea to that of your father. He decided to sacrifice himself for you.”

  She moistened her lips. “And you killed him?”

  “Kerry, you know me better than that,” he chided. “It would spoil everything if I couldn't watch your face when Firestorm kills him. He's quite safe right now.”

  Right now.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Are you in Macon yet?”

  “I just arrived.”

  “Very good. You didn't waste any time. I knew you'd come running once you found out about brother Jason. Where are you staying?”

  “The Hyatt.”

  “Dickens will call you when he's near the hotel and tell you where to meet him tonight.”

  “What time?”

  “Nine.” He paused. “I hope you know how important you've become to me. I had to think long and hard before I decided to give up the satisfaction I'd feel to rid myself of Raztov in the way he deserved. But I had to throw a few red herrings out to keep you from thinking about your brother.”

  “Carmela wasn't enough?”

  “She probably would have sufficed, but it took me a while to set up our little meeting tonight. Everything had to be just right, and I was afraid you might become suspicious at the delay and start thinking about other possibilities. So, since I'd made a deal with my honored patron anyway, I decided to let him dispose of Raztov a little early to cloud the waters.”

  “Who killed Raztov? Dickens?”

  “God, no. Dickens can be lethal, but he has no skill. I had to make a deal with my future patron to hire an expert. He was very expensive.”

  “But you had the ‘resources.'”

  “Exactly. At least, Ki Yong had and he was willing to cooperate. But he struck a hard bargain, so I'm determined to make sure that our time together is worth it.”

  “What kind of bargain?”

  “I'm going to let him take care of Senator Kimble and Handel right away so that my business here is completed. He's very tired of waiting. But in return I have to turn over Firestorm to him immediately after I finish here tonight.”

  “You'll never turn over Firestorm.”

  He chuckled. “How clever of you to realize that. But Ki Yong isn't that smart, even though he thinks he is. He knows he needs me for the initial testing period. And I'll be able to dangle the carrot for quite a while before I decide to skip away from him.”

  “Like you skipped away from our government? And killed Helen Saduz while you were doing it.”

  “I didn't kill her. She killed herself.” His tone was sad. “I truly loved her. She would have completed me.”

  “But you didn't feel guilty sending her into danger.”

  “How could I feel guilty? She wanted to take Firestorm away from me. I knew from the moment she offered to go get those rather unimportant documents I'd left behind that she was going to betray me. I was profoundly grateful when the lab blew and I wasn't forced to deal with her myself.”

  “So grateful you immediately started negotiating with someone else for Firestorm.”

  “I couldn't bear doing business with anyone connected with Helen. It hurt too much.”

  “You're incredible.”

  “Yes, I am. And so are you. That's why tonight is going to be such a fascinating experience.” He hung up.

  Silver was studying her face as she pressed disconnect. “Okay?”

  She nodded jerkily. “He has my father and I think he has my brother. But he wouldn't let me talk to Jason. Dickens is going to pick me up tonight and take me to Trask.”

  “What time?”

  “Nine.”

  “Shit.” He looked at his watch. “Three hours. We don't have much time.”

  Three hours. Fear jolted through her. “You and George are out of this. He said that Dickens would know if he was followed.”

  “He won't know.” He opened the front entrance. “Trust me.”

  “I can't trust you. Jason is too—” She stopped, trying to gain control. She had to trust someone. “What can you do?”

  “I'll be waiting near the place where you're to meet Dickens. I doubt if he'll be closed to me. I'll go in and he won't even know I'm there.”

  “What if he is closed to you?”

  “Don't borrow trouble. Trask is the exception. I'll get through. If Dickens is difficult, I'll bulldoze him like a tank.”

  The words were confident, cold, and totally brutal. “Bulldoze? You said you had to be careful. You were worried about Carmela. Would Dickens's mind survive that kind of treatment?”

  “No, but his body's not going to survive long either, so it doesn't matter.” He looked at her. “He's a dead man, Kerry. I don't know if he helped Trask kill Cam, but I'm not taking any chances. Sorry if you're feeling qualms.”

  She wasn't feeling sorry for Dickens. It was shock at the ruthless transformation she was seeing in Silver that was causing her to question him. She hadn't seen this side of Silver since those first days she'd known him. “I'm not arguing. I don't know if he was an accomplice to your brother's murder, but I know he helped Trask set up Carmela to burn to death.” She started toward the car George had pulled up to the curb. “Do what you have to do.”

&n
bsp; “Oh, I will,” he murmured as he opened the car door for her. “And it won't be letting you go dancing into that booby trap alone.”

  She looked up at him as she got in the car. “In the end I'm going to have to go in alone. He mentioned a house where he's keeping Jason and my father. If you rush that house, he'll press his little button and everything will go up in flames.”

  “With him in it?”

  “I'm not taking a chance with that crazy bastard when Jason's life is at stake.”

  “Then you'll have to get us a target,” George said. “Can you get him to stand in front of a window or door where we can pick him off?”

  “Maybe.”

  “And maybe not,” Silver said. “You don't know yourself if you'll be able to push him to do what you want.”

  “You will not rush that house. You don't run any risk that might endanger Jason.”

  He lifted his shoulders and slammed the door. “Okay, we don't rush the house.”

  But he hadn't addressed her last, more comprehensive demand, she realized.

  Well, she couldn't argue with him right now. The full impact of Trask's call was hitting home. She had to garner her strength and try to rid herself of this cold, paralyzing terror.

  The call came from Dickens promptly at nine that night.

  “Walk two blocks east to the Baptist church. I'll be there in ten minutes. If there's anyone with you, I take off and I won't be back.”

  “I'll come alone.” She hung up the phone and turned to Silver. “Ten minutes. The Baptist church two blocks east.”

  “We're on our way.” He headed for the door. “Come on, George.”

  “Action, at last,” George said as he stood up and grabbed the duffel at his feet. “Let's go.”

  “Wait,” Kerry said. “How long will it take you to get into Dickens's mind?”

  “Not long. It depends on the subject. Five. Ten minutes.”

  “And how will I know whether or not he's blind to you?”

  “You'll know. I won't let you go two blocks with the bastard if I can't do it.”

  “The hell you won't. I'm not going to forgive you if you do something to make Trask—”

  “What have I got to lose?” There was a touch of recklessness in his tone. “You're not big on forgiveness where I'm concerned, anyway. If it comes down to you or your brother, guess which one I'm going to choose?”