“Has no empathy? Yeah, I know.”
Heidi smiled at Butcher, gave his arm a last squeeze and headed for her own van, one back from Pang’s. If the CIA man noticed, he didn’t say anything. She was handed a set of comms and fixed them immediately, listening to chatter about sending up a surveillance drone which was soon quashed—if the place was guarded as well as they thought it was, the drone would provide advanced warning. The commander of the attack—a man named Tyrell—called out a five-minute warning.
Heidi readied herself. Her van door was open, admitting a cool breeze and some natural sunlight. The Med sparkled to her right, a rolling blue bowl. Heidi breathed it all in, relaxing for just a moment before a guy climbed in beside her and slammed the door shut.
“Jackman.” He held out a hand.
“Moneymaker,” she said, shaking.
“Damn, that’s a cool name. Thank God you’re American. I don’t speak European.”
Heidi laughed, warming to his light humor and manner after being in Pang’s company for what felt like years. “Been away from home long?”
“Yeah, and I’m headed back next month. Can’t wait.”
Heidi nodded, happy for him. The van started up and rolled out. They were fourth in line, with another three at their backs. Two choppers prepared to lift out, biding their time. Heidi watched the hill that separated them from the house on the hill slide out of sight. Soon, their destination perched ahead.
“Stick with me,” Jackman suggested. “Two heads are better than one, right?”
Heidi nodded, again warmed by his friendliness. “Happy to.”
The road wound to the right, following a wide curve up to the lower entrance of their target where a standard, steel gate sat. As they approached, Heidi turned slightly to see the choppers lifting above the hill to their rear.
Here we go.
With no knowledge of what to expect, the seven-van combo powered through the lower gates of the suspected Illuminati home, throwing grit and gravel out from under their tires. A short slope led to the main gates, the portcullis and bridge across the dry moat. The portcullis was down, as was the bridge. The protective stone walls loomed higher the closer they came.
“I’ve never assaulted a castle before.” Jackman appeared fascinated.
“Just keep your head down,” Heidi said. “They won’t go down easy.” She remembered Olympia all too well.
“You fought them before?”
“Long story.” She prepared as the vehicles came to a stop. The decision had been made to roll up to the gates and see if their enemies were prepared to come out quietly. This was all about timing. The choppers were approaching, ready to charge, for the moment hanging over the Mediterranean. The high gates in front of Heidi were imposing.
“Not a lot happ—” Jackman began.
Men wearing hoods appeared atop the walls. Heidi recognized them and finally, fully, understood that it was the Illuminati living here in Italy, still planning, still plotting machinations that would help them rule the world.
For a moment nobody moved, and then a streak of fire sped toward the second van in line.
Everyone had stayed inside the vans for their own protection. Now, their shields became their death traps as rockets flew down from the top of the stone walls. Heidi saw the second van hit, and then the fifth, blocking most of the other vans in line, preventing them from driving away.
As one, she and dozens of other agents threw open their doors and jumped out of their vehicles.
Gunfire rang out, the Hoods leaning over and opening up with automatic weapons. Men collapsed.
Heidi ducked around the far side of her van, staying low. She hit the ground behind a back tire as the van was struck by bullets. Beside her, Jackman threw himself down, breathing hard.
“Shit, they were just waiting for us, eh?”
“And it’s all a shield,” Heidi said. “Giving their leaders time to escape.”
Jackman peered around the side of the van, bringing his gun up. Heidi went to follow him but at that moment, as bullets pinged all around them, Jackman jerked backward and fell at her feet, his gun clattering away.
A bullet had caught him dead-center in the forehead, killing him on impact.
Heidi squeezed her eyes shut, forcing down emotion. She’d deal with his loss later. For now, she joined her fellow agents in firing back up at the walls, trying to suppress the gunfire and stop any more rockets from firing.
The choppers came, shooting a stream of fire across the top of the walls. Agents cheered. Their vehicles blazed. Two Hoods fell from the walls, slamming to the ground. The sound of the helicopters’ guns and the impact of lead destroying the stone walls drowned out everything else.
Heidi rose and ran to the gates. An agent hefted his own RPG and loosed a rocket at them. Thick steel shattered the iron portcullis and then the wooden gates blew apart, shards shooting back into the courtyard beyond like arrows. By chance, they speared a number of running Hoods, who dropped dead mid-stride.
The agent loaded and fired a second rocket, enlarging the hole, and everyone crowded forward. The choppers drifted over the walls and hovered over the courtyard, their weapons ready.
Heidi ran inside, surrounded by black-jacketed men.
Hoods were clustered in doorways across the far side, shooting at the invaders, and drawing fire from the choppers. Bullets slammed them and the walls behind them apart without mercy. Heidi stayed with the group, finding no more targets.
The choppers descended, gliding down until their skids bounced off the hard ground. Men streamed out of the open doors. The choppers didn’t wait, the pilots conscious that, at rest, they
