smell danger…that’s just stupid.”
“You calling Joe stupid?” Again, anger flared in her eyes.
“No, but I want us to think in terms of logical and reasonable consequences. I know the dangers we face. Any mistake we make, any lapse in judgment, will have catastrophic repercussions. I’m talking arrest, imprisonment…even death. There is a lot at stake. And these guys play for keeps. Winners take all. Losers die. I know all this, but we still must be practical.”
She looked away for a moment. “Do not preach to me about the dangers and consequences, Gerrit. Joe and I have been living with them for years. And you…what, less than a week?” There was a look in her eyes as if each word she chose carried with it a history, an event, something painful that underscored her meaning. He could only guess what she was thinking, but whatever it was, those memories must have cost dearly.
He lowered his voice. “I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page. Even though I’ve been running for a few days, I do know the dangers-as a cop, a Force Recon Marine, and a scientist. In Recon operations, I’ve used satellite tracking stations to home in on the enemy. Once locked upon a target, I was able to backtrack their movements for intelligence purposes, or hover over their current location until that particular satellite was out of range. I know you’ve used some of this technology in Israel, too. Tell me, how did you handle our meeting at the airport?”
Alena waited until they’d purchased their items and walked outside, heading toward Union Square before picking up the conversation again. “Prior to contact with you, we needed to reloop surveillance cameras off-site to allow us to spot and track the tail on you-the threesome we tagged.”
“Okay, but would they also be able to spot you on camera?”
“Once we locked into the targets and had you sighted, we jammed the signals and made it appear they had a major malfunction. Then we were able to move in and incapacitate the two guys and plant a thumbnail sample of explosives on the woman. That allowed us a brief window of time to have our private sit-down at the airport.”
“How did you track those three following me?”
She looked around them, studying each vehicle, each pedestrian. “Joe and Willy will have to explain. They handle the technology; I handle the contacts-or enemy. Now, I have to worry about someone planting RFID chips on me.”
Gerrit smiled.
“What are you grinning at?”
“I was just wondering where your RFID chips might be hidden. Want me to help search?”
She laughed. “I can take care of myself, thank you. Besides, that is where Joe and Willy-and maybe you, one of these days-come in. Tonight, they will search us and our new belongings to make sure we are clean of bugs before we go anywhere.”
“What are they going to do? Strip search us?”
Alena looked at him with mischief in her eyes. “They are going to search you in places where you could never search yourself…and they are going to let me watch.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “Why are they going to let you watch?”
She smiled without answering.
Gerrit smirked. “Well, since I need on-the-job training, I’ll speak to Joe and see if I can work on you. What do you say?”
“Forget it, Gerrit. Only in your dreams.”
Chapter 32
If Kane’s peopled had tracked their movements, this would be the place for an ambush.
Gerrit watched Alena approach the door. He held his breath as she eased open a gray metal door leading into the hangar, the same location they had arrived from Idaho forty-eight hours earlier. He edged closer in case of trouble, feeling helpless without any weapons. She scanned the area and motioned him inside.
Gerrit glanced at his new watch; it was a quarter past midnight. “Running late?”
She seemed nervous, answering him with a shrug.
“Isn’t this risky returning to the same place we used upon arrival?”
Alena grimaced. “I know it’s risky, but if we are all clean of tracking devices, we should be okay.”
“What if they used some other technique to track us-like satellites?”
“Then we just shoot our way out, Gerrit. How do I know?” She seemed surprised at her own outburst. “Sorry. This whole thing has me jumpy.”
A portable MRI machine had been wheeled into one corner of the hangar. He pointed. “Is that for us?”
This seemed to break the tension for a moment. She gave him a quick smile, nodded, then walked to the main hangar door, pushing on a button for a second and then releasing it. The door opened up just enough to see outside. She crouched down and peered into the night. He heard a jet taxiing about a hundred yards away, the sound growing stronger. It was heading toward them.
She studied the approaching aircraft. A moment later, her shoulders relaxed. She sprang to the side and pressed the button to allow the door to open all the way. “Here they come. As soon as they’re inside, I am going to shut this door. Keep your eyes open on that back door for anything unusual.”
He shook his head and headed for the smaller door. Even if there was something suspicious, what was he supposed to do? No gun. No badge. Couldn’t even call the cops. Some army here. Not even a Taser gun between them.
He grabbed the handle and opened the door just a crack and looked outside. Blackness punctuated with stabs of yellow light from nearby streetlamps. No one moving around. As dead as a heart monitor in the morgue.
The aircraft taxied into the hangar, the huge doors swinging closed as soon as the aircraft engines died down. Joe was the first one down the stairs. He hurried toward Alena, where they whispered for a few moments, occasionally turning their attention toward him.
Willy came down the stairs and saw Gerrit standing near the door. He waved and came over to chat. “Whassup, man?” He gave Gerrit a high five. “See y’all still alive and kicking. That’s good.”
“Tell me what’s going on, Willy. Got that message from Joe.”
“Oh, Mr. J will fill you in on everything. Just give him a moment to chat with Al.” He eyed the MRI machine. “You ready to get fried?” He jutted out his chin toward the machine. “I heard those things can make a guy go sterile. Any truth to that, Mr. G?”
“I thought you were up on all the computer technology and stuff. You think an MRI will cook your privates?” Gerrit could not hide his grin.
Willy frowned. “You got to be careful with all this stuff. You never know what they got inside these machines.” He saw Gerrit’s grin widen. “What’s so funny?”
“Reminds me of one of the old salts I worked with at SPD. He liked to work motors and used those portable radars for traffic enforcement. One day he backed me up on a call, a domestic violence case where a young punk kept getting in my face. He thought he was a tough guy, and I could tell he terrified the girl. But the guy wouldn’t say a thing I could use against him. I knew this clown had been pushing her around, but I couldn’t get anyone to say anything. There were no visible injuries, and the house was a mess, so I couldn’t tell if he’d been shoving her around the place. I would have to leave without taking action unless one of them came through and gave me a statement.”
“So what happened? You have to leave?”
“Nah. The old-timer I was telling you about went outside and returned a moment later with his radar gun. He moved in on this young stud-still sprawled out in the chair without a care in the world-and pointed the gun right at his crotch.”
Willy gave him an incredulous look. “What was he going to do with that thing? No power source. It was dead in the water.”
“You know that, and I know that, but this piece of garbage in the chair didn’t know it. He’d put down a few brews, and his breath was so strong I could have lit up the room with a cigarette lighter. The booze must have addled what little brains this clown still possessed. Anyway, he looks up at my partner and stammers, ‘Whatcha
