terminal.”
They shuffled across an almost empty warehouse, their footsteps echoing through the building. Passing through another ancient door, they emerged on the far side along a roadway where a single vehicle sat parked, running. Under most circumstances, airport security would be all over this vehicle.
Stafford pointed toward it. “Here’s our ride. I’ve got you set up for the night in a house we maintain on the outskirts of the city. Tomorrow, we’ll get whatever you need before your visit up north.”
Gerrit raised an eyebrow. “You know about that?”
Stafford gave him an offended look. “You think I don’t know what you Americans are up to on my own island? Ever since that trouble we had with you colonists, we’ve always made it our business to keep tabs on you rebels.”
Gerrit smiled. “And I thought you didn’t like me.”
“I don’t, Doc. We just happen to be on the same side in this fight.” The British agent grinned before opening the driver’s door. “Climb on in, everyone. On our way to the safe house, you can fill me in on what I need to know.”
A gray, blustery sky greeted them the next morning. Gerrit was one of the first to rise, quietly opening the front door, stepping out on the front porch. A cold biting wind forced him back inside. He closed the door and made his way to the kitchen.
Stafford was there, making tea and coffee. “What’s your pleasure, Gerrit?”
“Coffee, please.”
The British agent handed him a cup and saucer. “I made some calls last night after our planning session. I got us a lift-a helicopter-to Harrogate in about two hours. I know time is of the essence.”
“Can you tell me anything about what we’re going up against?”
Stafford stirred his cup of tea. “I know George Lawton made several trips to Kane’s headquarters in Harrogate. Been keeping tabs on the two of them. Even followed my boss up there one time to see what he was up to.”
“Lawton doesn’t know about you helping us?”
“Man, if he did, Kane would have his hooks into you faster than you could sneeze. Malloy wanted this handled discreetly. That’s what I’m doing. On a need-to-know basis. Now, regarding what you might encounter, there’s a security net set up around the place. Infrared cameras, laser trip wires, and a security team-”
“Any idea of their strength? How many at the compound?”
The agent took a sip of tea. “Not sure how many. And…” Stafford grimaced “I am not sure how many bodies I can give you for this detail. The chaps I’d normally pick have been called out for duty elsewhere. In the last twenty- four hours.”
Gerrit raised his eyebrows. “Last twenty-four hours?”
“I know. What a coincidence.”
“Any chance Lawton is trying to screw up this operation? Kane put out the word?”
Stafford shrugged and set his cup and saucer down. “Thought we covered our tracks pretty well, but this…” The agent stood. They heard someone walking around upstairs. Alena and Willy must be awake.
“How many people can you give me, Stafford?”
Stafford grimaced. “You’re looking at him. Me, a chopper and cars to get us in range, and any weapons we need.”
“I’ll take what I can get.” Gerrit tried to hide his disappointment as he recalled firsthand the fortress they would have to hit. His team and Stafford seemed woefully outgunned. There was no more time to think this out.
They had to go in now.
Chapter 54
Harrogate, England
Gerrit flattened himself in the grass. “Willy, you copy?”
“Loud and clear, Mr. G.”
Willy had remained in one of the vehicles they left behind a quarter-mile back. Stafford arranged for two vehicles to be waiting on the edge of Harrogate, farthest from Kane’s compound, when they arrived in the chopper. In back of one of the vehicles lay weapons, dark camouflage clothing, and an encrypted radio network so each member could keep in touch. Now came the hard part.
Patience.
They waited for darkness to fall before moving toward Kane’s compound. A moonless light overhead kept visibility to a minimum, but Stafford’s gift-night-vision scopes-allowed the group to move effortlessly toward the compound.
“Give me an update from your eye in the sky.” The chopper they rode up in was providing double duty-quick transportation from London and a thermal-imaging camera that could pick out warm bodies to target. The aircraft hovered high above, its muffled engines just under the fog bank, noise almost indistinguishable.
A moment later, Willy’s voice came over the radio. “I count four bodies, two on the ground floor and two on the roof.”
“No other targets?”
“Nope. Just four. Nothing else registering.”
Gerrit keyed his mike. “Stafford, you think there are others down below?”
“Possibly, but if I were calling the shots, mate, I’d put all my resources topside. Down below, they’re trapped. Only one way in and out. Right?”
Gerrit tightened his jaw. “Yeah. That’s all I saw. So where are all the others?”
“Maybe we got lucky?”
“Don’t believe in luck-neither does my partner.” He glanced at Alena and was rewarded a smile. “They have to know we’re coming. Look for others beyond our perimeter, Willy. This could be a trap.”
He turned to Alena. “You ready?”
She nodded.
“We have maybe a minute or two to scale that wall before they come checking on us.”
“Let’s just get this over with.” She seemed nervous.
“Okay.” He keyed his mike. “Stafford, you ready?”
“Game on! Once I start a diversion on my side, you’d better make like a track star. I won’t be able to hold them off for long.”
Willy cut in. “Once he starts the fireworks, Gerrit, I can’t give you an accurate thermal reading until they cease. There will be heat signatures popping all over the place.”
“Roger that. Here we go, guys. On the count of three. One! Two! Three!” Gerrit saw the first flare rise in the sky a moment later, and a weapon started firing on the far side of the Kane mansion where Stafford lay hidden. “Alena. Go! Go! Go!”
Together, they sprinted toward the building. Ten yards from the outer wall, Gerrit aimed a grappling-hook gun at the roofline. He fired it, watching the hook hurl through the air, an attached rope trailing behind. Once the hook landed, he pulled the rope taut. Suddenly, the rope tension slacked as the hook lunged toward him, narrowly missing his head.
Cursing under his breath, he repeated the action, reloading the rope and replacing the suppressed-air canister. Just as he fired the gun once again, Stafford let loose with another volley, concealing the noise of the grappling hook landing on the roof.
Holding his breath, Gerrit gently pulled the rope toward him until the hook caught hold of the stone ledge. He tugged lightly on the rope and felt it tighten. He could only guess how well the hook gripped the roofline.
“Okay,” he whispered, shouldering his assault rifle. “When I start up, pull it taut.”
She nodded, watching him hang from the rope and begin his ascent.
They were closing in on two minutes. He had to move faster. The targets-he hoped-took Stafford’s bait and
