He moved toward the door. “Let’s go, Brasden. We’ll head for the place where Ellis spotted the boy and I’ll make my call to Catherine Ling. We’ll be able to zero in on her when she picks up.” He chuckled. “And I may have ammunition by that time that will make her cave even before I get my hands on her.”
“She’ll know that we’ll be able to find her within five or ten minutes,” Brasden said. “She might not pick up.”
“But she will. She wants to take me down as much as I do her. It’s only a question of who will get there first. And if the boy’s not with her, she’ll be worried. That gives me an edge.” He glanced at Brasden. “I always have the edge. You knew that when you first came to work for me. You seem to have lost that realization somewhere along the way.”
“And you seem to have forgotten that you’re now in a vulnerable position with me.”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten.” He smiled blandly. “I’ll have to attend to that problem right after I deal with Ling and her son.”
* * *
The alley was pitch-dark.
Luke’s heart was pounding, his lungs struggling for air as he ran. He could see the brightly lit cross street up ahead.
No yellow jacket yet.
He was passing a cedar fence.
Go over it.
He slowed, uncertain.
Better to go on to the street?
No, go over it, then double back to the street where he’d entered the alley. It might catch the hunter off guard and let him lose him.
He veered to the side and began to climb the cedar fence.
The soles of his tennis shoes dug into the wood as he shinnied over the fence and jumped to the ground on the other side.
He knelt there, listening.
Running footsteps, muttered curses.
Then the steps passed on down the alley.
Get up, move. Take advantage of the moment of confusion. Yellow jacket might come back and check on the fence.
He jumped to his feet and ran back toward the butcher shop. He was out the gate and turning left at the street.
Go straight for another couple blocks then turn east again, he thought. Try to find other alleys and byways that would lead toward the fireworks factory.
It had been the right thing to do. He was on the right track.
He didn’t know why he was so certain, but there was no doubt in his mind.
He just had to follow his instincts, and he’d be okay.
* * *
Catherine glanced at her watch. “It’s been forty-five minutes. Where the hell is Cameron?”
Hu Chang shrugged. “Why are you concerned? He said he’d left men across the street if there was a problem.”
But they weren’t Cameron, she wanted to tell him. He was trained in mayhem and was a bloody expert at this kind of trouble. She had wanted him here, dammit.
“It’s time you took Erin down to the basement, Hu Chang. Get her out that passage to the next building. We’ve got to keep her safe.”
“And leave you here alone? I don’t believe I could tolerate that scenario. Think of another one.”
“Cameron said he’d be back. You weren’t having any trouble with the idea of that before.”
“That was before I knew I had to leave you alone.”
She drew a deep breath. “Okay, take Erin out of the building and get her safely settled with Blake’s man. Then come back to me. Does that work for you?”
“Not entirely.” He was silent. “But it will have to do. Erin is no warrior and should not be here. If it’s to be done, it must be done immediately.” He turned and moved quickly across the room. “Call me if there is danger.”
She heard the freight elevator going down two minutes later. They should be out of the building within another few minutes, she thought. Hu Chang could move at warp speed when he wished.
It was good that he was taking care of Erin. Good that he was no longer in the building. It had been a good decision to send them away now.
The darkness was oppressive and lonely.
For God’s sake, this was her job. She had been in similar situations dozens of times since she had become an agent. What difference did it make if Cameron was with her or not? None at all. She could handle it. She would just sit here and wait for Kadmus to call or the action to start.
Eight minutes later, the telephone rang. She let it ring only two times before she answered. “You’ve only got one minute before I hang up, Kadmus. I’m not going to give you Cameron or Erin, so this call is useless.”
“Useless? No such thing.” Kadmus sounded almost amused. “And one minute will be sufficient. I’m in the proverbial catbird seat, and I’m ready to go after you, Catherine.” He added softly, “And, when I get you, you’re going to tell me everything I need to know. Do you know why?”
“Evidently you’re going to tell me.”
“Because I’ll have the boy. I’m tracking him now. What a fool you were to let him go wandering around Chinatown. Or did he just slip away from you?”
She lost her breath. “You’re bluffing.”
“Why, I believe you didn’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“He’s wearing a dark blue sweatshirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Familiar?”
Oh God, yes. It was what Luke had been wearing at the dinner table this evening. She closed her eyes as waves of sickness rolled over her.
“I should have him at any minute. If you don’t tell me where to find Cameron, the pain I caused Erin will be nothing to what your son suffers.”
“You don’t have Luke. You won’t have him.” She had to hang up. “And if you or any of your men try to hurt him, you’ll be a dead man.” She hung up.
She only had five or ten minutes before Kadmus and Brasden would have their men surrounding the factory.
But Luke was somewhere out there in the streets. Kadmus didn’t have him yet.
Yet.
From what Kadmus had said, Luke was being followed. She had to guess Luke had somehow found out about the factory, and he must be on his way here.
He’d be coming straight toward Kadmus.
No!
She was across the room and jumping on the three boxes at the window. She climbed out on the fire escape. She took a glance around. No sign of Luke. No sign of Kadmus or his men.
Not yet.
She had to make sure. She called Celia. “Listen, Celia, is Luke with you?”
“No, of course not. I’m sorry, Catherine, but I told Cameron that I had no idea the boy would—”
“You told Cameron?”
“Yes, when he called to check on—”
Catherine hung up the phone.
Cameron had known Luke was not at Celia’s and not told her. He had set off on his own to find him without a word to her.
She was going to kill him.
She flew down the fire escape.
“Cameron! Do you hear me? If there’s one time you should be in my head, it’s now, you bastard. Where the hell are you?”
“At the end of the next alley over. I’m handling it, Catherine. I’m taking care of Luke. Go back to the factory. I’ll bring him to you.”
“I’m not going to do anything but safeguard my son. I’m on my way to you. You have Luke?”
“Not yet. I’ve been leading him toward me.”
“Not yet? Kadmus knows about him.”
“I know, Luke’s had one of Kadmus’s men on his tail since Spring Street.”
“How close?”
“Luke’s lost Kadmus’s man twice, but the guy’s pretty savvy. I’ve had to do some gentle guiding to keep Luke avoiding him and on the right path.” He paused. “But Luke’s too close to the factory now. I’m going to have to step in and permanently rid him of his tail.”
“This is my job. Why the hell didn’t you tell me what was happening?”
“Because I knew you’d go after him, and there wasn’t any way that you wouldn’t be recognized if you were spotted.
That wouldn’t be good for you or for Luke. I had a chance of leading him here without Kadmus’s knowing about him.”
“Well, it didn’t work.”
“I’ve kept him alive so far, haven’t I?” He paused. “I won’t let him be hurt, Catherine. I made you a promise.”
“You keep that promise,” she said fiercely. “But I’m not relying on you. How close is that scumbag following Luke?”
“Very close. And Luke is thinking about doing something rash. I’m trying to keep him—”
Cameron was no longer there.
Panic.
Catherine tore across the street and down the alley.
Luke.
Oh, God, she could see Luke at the far end of the alley. But he wasn’t running, he was standing still, slightly crouched.
On the attack? He was just a boy. But he had attacked Tashdon on the helicopter. No, Luke, please don’t do—
Too late.
A man in a yellow jacket had rounded the corner.
Luke sprang forward and gave him a karate chop to the neck.
But the man recovered and whirled away from him.
He was cursing as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Luke.
“No!” This was a nightmare. She jerked her own gun from the shoulder holster. Let her be in time.
Cameron.
Suddenly there, out of the darkness, incredibly fast.
He dove between Luke and his attacker.
A shot.
Cameron jerked.
Had he been shot?
No, Cameron leaped on the man in the yellow jacket and with two moves stunned him with a blow to the neck before slicing his throat.
Cameron pushed him off and turned away as the man fell to the ground. He turned to Luke. “Are you okay?”
Luke nodded, his eyes on the dead man. “You did that very well.”
“And you need a few lessons,” he said grimly. “I’ll have to see to it.”
“Luke.” Catherine was beside them. She wanted to yell and hug him and slap him and—“You’re sure that you’re—” She lifted a shaking hand to her temple. “You shouldn’t be here. This was the wrong thing to—”
“Move.” Cameron told Luke as he started back down the alley. “You, too, Catherine. Kadmus is going down, and we don’t have time for anything but making sure of that. She’s right, Luke, you shouldn’t be here. But you are, and we can’t leave you here and have Kadmus or one of his crew get his hands on you. You’re coming to the factory with us.” His tone was cold and sharp. “And you’re going to obey orders, and you’re going to help blow Kadmus and his team to kingdom come. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Luke said. His eyes glittered with excitement. “That’s all I wanted. I’ll do what you say. Come on, Catherine. Let’s go. Where is this place? I got all turned around in these alleys.”
“But you got here,” Cameron said. “You go on ahead with Catherine. I’ll watch your back.”
“You’re giving a hell of a lot of orders,” Catherine said, looking over her shoulder as she reached the end of the alley. “And what if I don’t want to go on—” She stopped as she saw a spreading stain on the side of his shirt. “Blood. Is that your blood or his?”
“Probably a little of both.”
“He did shoot you.”
“Flesh wound. It’s not bleeding much. I’ve had worse. Nothing to worry about.” He added, “And we don’t have time for you to give me first aid. I’m figuring we have eight minutes tops before we have to deal with Kadmus.” He smiled. “And now that you have Luke here, you’ll want to put him down as soon as possible. Catch up with him. Get going.”
She took one last look at the trickle of blood seeping from Cameron’s wound. The wound that he had taken to save Luke. There was no way she’d let that blood be spilled for nothing. She whirled and started running after Luke. “I’m going. Don’t you dare bleed to death, Cameron.”
* * *
“We’ve got the trace.” Brasden handed the map that he’d circled to Kadmus. “It’s a fireworks factory on Clement Street.” That’s where Ling took the call.”
“Yes.” Kadmus’s hand clenched on the map. “Get Nagle and his men over there. Seal off all the entrances. But I don’t want anyone touched until I get there. What do you hear from Ellis about the boy?”
“He was still tracking him when he checked in ten minutes ago. He said that the kid was sharper than he’d thought he’d be but he thinks he’ll have him soon.”
And Kadmus would probably have taken the boy’s mother even before Ellis grabbed the kid.
“How long will it take me to get to that factory?” he asked.
“Five, six minutes, maybe. It’s quicker to walk than to go get the car.”
Kadmus started down the street in the direction of Clement Street.
Did you hear that, Ling? You have six minutes. Then you’re mine.
CHAPTER
18
“Up,” Catherine said curtly to Luke when they reached the fire escape. “The third-floor window is open. Hurry.”
Luke was already climbing, not looking back as he moved swiftly up to the third floor.
Catherine gave a glance at Cameron, who was several yards behind them. She couldn’t tell if he was really watching their backs or if that wound had weakened him. She couldn’t worry about it now. She was right behind Luke and reached him just after he’d ducked through the window.
“I was beginning to worry, Catherine.” Hu Chang stepped out of the shadows as she jumped to the floor. “You didn’t mention that you’d planned any extracurricular activities before I left with Erin.” He glanced at Luke. “But plans have a habit of changing when Luke appears on the scene. How did that occur?”
“He eavesdropped on our conversation when we were discussing the factory this afternoon,” she said curtly.
“Yes, I’ve spoken to him about that grievous character flaw before,” Hu Chang said. “I was hoping that our discussion had solved the problem.”
“You shouldn’t have tried to keep me from going with Catherine,” Luke said fiercely. “I’d do it again.”
“No, you won’t. But that’s not important now,” Catherine said. “Is Erin safe?”
“Yes, I slipped her out of the building to the restaurant Cameron had set up to take her in. She’s safe.”
“Good, then you can take Luke out the same route.”
Luke adamantly shook his head. “No, Catherine.”
“Don’t argue. There’s no time to—”
The sound of splintering glass from the first floor.
“It appears time has run out,” Hu Chang said quietly.
Her cell phone rang. It had to be Kadmus. She punched the access.
“I’ve found you, Ling,” Kadmus said. “Did you hear that glass breaking? My men are pouring into the building. I’ve told them to search every nook and cranny until they find you and Erin. Then we’ll have a discussion about what I’m going to do to your son if you don’t give me Cameron.”
Kadmus obviously didn’t know yet that his man was dead and he had no chance to get his hands on Luke. No chance? Luke was right here in front of her, and Kadmus was breaking down the doors.
She had to play him, keep him thinking that was true, lead him into the trap. “You’ll lose men if you have them come after me. I won’t go down easily. I won’t let you take Erin.” She paused. “But I can’t let you hurt my boy. Perhaps we can come to an agreement.”
“Agreement?”
“I won’t give you Erin Sullivan, but if you promise that my Luke won’t be hurt and will be returned to me, I might be able to tell you where you can find Cameron.” She could hear shouts and loud footsteps coming from the second floor, and she said quickly, “But you have to call off your men and come to talk to me yourself.”
“I don’t have to do anything that I don’t want to do.”
“The hell you don’t. I’m very good at what I do, Kadmus. I’ll not only kill off enough of
your men to discourage them, but there’s even a chance I’ll be able to get out of here. At the least, I’ll cause enough of an uproar to have the police crashing in here to see what’s happening. Make a deal, Kadmus.”
Silence. “I’ll talk to you. Where are you?”
“Third floor.”
“Brasden and I will be on our way up in a few minutes.” He added mockingly, “You remember Brasden, don’t you, Ling? He has very vivid memories of you. He can hardly wait to see you again.” He hung up.
She whirled on Luke and Hu Chang. “Get Luke into that storage closet across the far wall. Right now.”
Luke was frowning. “Catherine, I don’t—”
She turned on him, and said fiercely, “Luke, don’t argue with me. I’ve been trying to do what you want, be what you want. I’ve been almost afraid to do anything for fear of losing you. Well, that’s over. You say I don’t know you. Maybe that works both ways. But it’s time you got to know me and what I do. In situations like this, I’m the one who runs things. Now do what I tell you.”
Luke stared at her, then turned on his heel. “Come on, Hu Chang.” He said over his shoulder, “But if I see you having trouble, I’m not going to stay there, Catherine.”
She could hear the elevator begin to move. “Go!” She glanced at the window. Cameron should have been here by now, but who knew what Cameron would be doing at any given time? She would have to run her own show.
The elevator stopped just before it reached the third floor. “I have an AK-47,” Kadmus called. “Throw down your weapons on the floor, or I’ll blow you to hell, Ling.”
“No way. I’d be helpless.”
“Put them down.”
There wasn’t much she could do with her .38 against an AK-47 anyway. She would still have the knife in the holster on her calf. “You win.” She put her gun on the floor. “My gun is on the floor in front of me.”
“Good.” The freight elevator started to move again, and Kadmus and Brasden came in view. The darkness was suddenly pierced by the brilliant LED lantern Kadmus was holding in one hand. True to his word, his other arm cradled an AK-47.
Brasden was carrying a Smith & Wesson automatic, and he smiled maliciously as his gaze zeroed in on Catherine. “I’ve been waiting for this, Ling.”