The guard’s eyes widened. “Are you reporting a bomb?”
“Well…”
The guard was already thumbing the push-to-talk button on the two-way radio fixed to his shoulder.
Decker said, “Not a bomb, exactly, but something much more dangerous.”
The guard was listening to him and simultaneously speaking into the radio. “This is Charlie Echo Five calling from the lobby.”
“Go ahead, Frank,” said a bored voice through the static.
“We have a possible situation here. Some people have entered the lobby in a big hurry claiming there are terrorists on the roof with some sort of bomb.”
“What the hell?”
“That’s what they say.”
“And who the hell are these people?”
“One of them says she’s an astrologer.”
“An astrologer?” said the voice.
Selena put her hands on her hips. “An archaeologist!”
“Whatever the hell you are, you’re not going anywhere until the police arrive.”
“What about the men on the roof?”
“You want me to go up to the roof, boss?”
“No. You stay in the lobby. I’ll send a team up to check it out,” the voice said.
“Copy that.”
“They’re dangerous,” Charlie said. “Your men are going to get killed.”
“And we need to get the people out of this lobby!” Selena said. “The entire city needs to be evacuated.”
“Evacuate New York City?” the guard started laughing. “Now I know you’re not being serious.”
“I am being serious! At the very least the city needs to be warned there is a very powerful hurricane on the way.”
“A hurricane?”
“That’s what is on the roof,” Acosta said. “A device which creates hurricanes.”
“True story, old chap,” Atticus said. “Seen it with me very own peepers.”
“Damn straight,” said Cade with a wide grin.
“Okay, sure there is,” the guard said in reassuring tones. “Why don’t you sit down over there and one of your friends can get you a cup of coffee, or perhaps even a straight-jacket?”
Selena felt the frustration rising inside her, then Riley tapped him on the shoulder.
Before he had twisted his head around fully, the young Australian delivered an eye-watering headbutt into his face and knocked him out cold.
“Damn!” said Cade. “That’s gonna leave a mark.”
“Sorry,” Riley shrugged. “But that convo was sort of getting a bit circular.”
Decker and Charlie were already behind the guard, catching him before he collapsed to the floor and then pulling him over to a couch where they took off his cap and laid it over his face. Diana finished the scene by sliding a large, potted yucca plant around in front of him and blocking him from view.
“What now?” the Portuguese woman said.
“Now, we go to the roof,” said Decker.
They sprinted over to the front desk and Charlie drew his gun. Pointing it at a young woman, he smiled. “Terribly sorry about this, but you need to sound whatever alarm system you have in this building.”
She stared at the gun, terrified.
Charlie smiled again. “Don’t worry about the gun, it’s really just for effect. But activate the alarm system. Now. Get people away from windows and any outside areas and into the interior staircases and any storm shelters you might have.”
“Er…”
“Now, please.”
“But my boss…”
“I don’t like to be crass,” he said, looking at the gun, “but right now you should think of me as your boss.”
She tapped something on her keyboard and an alarm started to sound in the lobby.
“Done.”
“Is this sounding through the entire building?”
“Sure. You’re not going to shoot me, are you?”
“No, but I might ask you out on a date. See, my name’s Charlie Valentine and I work in a team of treasure hunters. I’m sort of their fixer. Indispensable, really. I’m here to stop an insane maniac who thinks he’s a Maya snake king destined to summon Huracan into the modern world and destroy civilization. Now, about that date, if you’re free…”
She looked confused. “Er…I’m kind of seeing someone.”
“Oh, what a pity. We could still do dinner one night, if you’re free, then…”
“Charlie!” It was Selena. “Here, now!”
“Sorry, that’s the boss. Gotta run. Shame about the dinner. Oh, and keep the elevators running! We have to get to the penthouse.”
“Er… sure, I think?”
“Good stuff!”
He joined Selena and the others as they piled into an elevator and hit the penthouse button.
“Very smooth, Charles,” Selena said. “Hitting on someone in the middle of a terror attack.”
The elevator came to a sudden, unexpected stop.
“Why are we stopping?” Diana asked.
The doors slid open to reveal a wholesome family standing in front of them. Selena saw the look on their faces as they registered the big, ugly gun in her hand. She pushed the gun into her jacket pocket and gave them her best disarming smile. Being in a confined space with your three young kids when a bunch of heavily armed strangers suddenly appeared in view was not ideal, she knew.
“Going up?” Riley asked with a smile.
“I think we’ll wait…”
“Get into an interior stairwell as fast as you can,” Decker said. “And as low as you can in the building. There’s a major hurricane about to hit.”
The woman looked confused. “A hurricane? At this time of year?”
The former marine leaned forward and pushed the button to close the doors. As they slid to a close, he looked her in the eye. “Just do it, now.”
Their next stop was the penthouse. When the doors opened, it didn’t take long for their welcoming committee to open fire on them. On the carpet in front of the elevator, they saw Frank’s security detail, filled with bullet holes.
“Get down!” Decker yelled.
Riley was ready, tucking himself behind the cabin operating panel and opening fire. A long, sustained burst of accurate fire took out the two men fighting alongside Diablo, and drove him back along the corridor.
“He’s mine!” Decker yelled.
“Typical
