Surkov had realized there was one other potential wrench in the works. He called Borodin.
“Dr Surkov,” answered Borodin cheerily, still walking on air from his upcoming promotion.
“Call your man off Sean Fox,” ordered Surkov.
Borodin did not answer.
“What’s wrong?” asked Surkov.
“You may be too late!” replied Borodin cautiously. It seemed when it came to Sean Fox, he never got it right.
Surkov slammed down the phone and returned to Katherine’s call.
“It seems Borodin’s man may be an issue!” offered Surkov.
“Fox is here just now, it’s fine, just get Borodin to call off his man. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Katherine ended the call and replaced the device in the hidden compartment of her handbag. She checked her make up in the mirror on the wall and opened her door to see Sean Fox tearing out of the main entrance.
When Sean’s phone began to ring, he dug it out of his pocket and fully expected Vincent’s dulcet tones. When he saw the caller id said Katie, a smile instantly filled his face.
“Hi Katie!”
“Hi Sean,” she replied nervously, a wobble in her voice that instantly had Sean on edge. “Where are you?”
“I’m in Austin, what’s wrong?” he said, standing and looking out the window, irrationally hoping to see something.
“How would you like to pay us a visit?” she asked, trying her best to remain calm. Sean could almost see the vision of James being held while Katie tried desperately to sound normal.
“Of course, when should I come?”
“Now would be good!”
“I’m on my way!”
Katie gave him the address. “Oh and Sean,” she added. “Please don’t bring anyone else!” she pleaded.
He was already out of the Mansion’s door by the time he had ended the call. The governor’s car sat ready should the governor wish to go anywhere. Sean jumped in and gave the driver two choices. The driver seeing Sean’s size and agitated state took the healthier one and hit the gas.
Chapter 70
Sean quizzed the driver how far they were from Katie’s address. Just over 10 minutes he had thought. Sean used the time to check the weapons he had packed for his trip to Moscow, as the governor’s bodyguard. He replayed what Katie had said in his mind, over and over again, 'don’t bring anybody else’. Her final warning. Nothing, although she hadn’t said 'anybody’ she had said 'anyone’, one. She was telling him there was only one guy.
One thing was certain, whatever happened, it seemed that Katie Fox was in danger. They had assumed that with Sean leaving, she would be fine but that had obviously been wrong. He was going to have to arrange alternative arrangements ongoing but first things were first. He needed to rescue them.
The Governor’s driver pulled into the hospital parking lot. He explained to Sean that the apartment block he needed was just around the corner in the street. Sean thanked him and climbed out. His weapons bag clunked as the magazines Sean had prepared in the car cracked together. An MP-7 and H amp;K UCP had been his weapons of choice for protecting the Governor — a small submachine gun that offered decent firepower along with a highly accurate pistol that shared the same ammunition. He took out his smartphone and hit the maps button. A map of his location with a blue dot highlighting where he stood appeared. He selected 'satellite 'and the image changed to an actual overhead view of the street and building, again highlighting his position.
Sean looked at the building pointed out by the driver as the target and decided he had little choice but to enter from the front. He took what he needed from the bag and began the walk towards the block. Had he misread Katie’s warning, there was every chance he could be dead already but the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced she was telling him just one. If there were just one, he’d be in the apartment waiting, gun to James’ or Katie’s head. Sean wanted to crush the fuck’s throat with his bare hands, the more he thought about it. The anger swelled as he drew closer. He knew he had to remain calm but after yesterday and getting James back to his mom, the thought of anyone else threatening the boy infuriated Sean like he had never felt before.
He entered the building. So far, so good. Katie had said the third floor, apartment five.
Sean walked towards the door, careful to make no noise. No peep hole, good and bad. They couldn’t see him but he couldn’t see the movement that would tell him if they were behind the door. He stood to the side of the door and knocked loudly.
He heard footsteps approach the door, one set, not light not heavy, Katie’s. The guy was holding James at gunpoint. Motherfucker. Sean’s blood was boiling. Sean heard the door unlock and it began to open.
The explosion caught them all by surprise.
Sean burst through the door, he had done it many times before, clearing rooms in hostage situation, hard and fast. As Katie had opened the door, before it was open even an inch, Sean had the flashbang in the hallway. He burst through the door, knocking Katie clear across the room and saw the man holding James by the throat at the end of the hallway. His hand had gone to protect his eyes but far too late. Two taps on his trigger and the man was down. Hard and fast, no mercy.
Sean checked the other rooms just in case but just as Katie had warned there was just the one. James detached himself from the gunman and ran to Sean and latched onto his leg.
Katie picked herself up and looked at Sean with some confusion.
“What the hell was that?” she asked, recovering from the effects of the flashbang and being hurled against the wall.
“Don’t mention it,” said Sean having just saved their lives.
“What if there had been four or five of them, how the hell did you know there was only one?!”
Sean suddenly realized what could have happened and just how reckless he had been. Jesus, what if there had been three or four, he thought. None of that, however, would calm the current situation.
“Heat sensor,” he said, lying through his teeth. Three heat sources, one small,” he said, pointing down at James. Then, pointing at Katie, “A medium one and a big fat dead one,” he pointed to the gunman.
Katie gave him a look that made it clear she’d believe him but wasn’t convinced. Jesus, she really could read him like a book.
“Any idea who he was?” asked Sean checking the gunman for id and finding none.
“He made me call you and said little else. I think he was going to kill you the second you showed your face though.”
“It’s got that effect,” he said but it obviously wasn’t a time for jokes. Katie frowned and removed James with some effort from Sean’s leg.
“So what now?” she asked, taking Sean into a small bedroom away from the body.
“I make a call and you cease to exist!”
Chapter 71
Vincent promised to make the call and place Katie and James within the Witness Protection Program. How he was going to achieve that was another matter. The wife and son of a drug dealer with nothing to offer in return for their expensive and lifelong protection were not the usual beneficiaries of the service. Vincent used every ounce of his charm and when that failed miserably, he offered to allocate funds in excess of the actual cost to the US Marshalls for doing him the favor.
An hour after Sean had arrived at the apartment, the full force of the US Marshall’s relocation and witness protection program rolled into action. Katie and James Fox were swept away and would, as far as the world outside
