At first, Lopez was hesitant to help since Nicolo paid a handsome sum, enough to support a high-rise apartment. But the lure of being with Lopez's daughter made him cave. The money didn’t matter in the end, a value the CIA banked on when it first contacted him. However, he went missing for two weeks before the CIA requested some assistance in locating him.
Hawk and Alex had spent the past few days staking out the Russian embassy, the likely location of his detainment, according to agency sources. Nicolo had some loose ties to Russia, though no analyst had been able to ascertain just how entangled the two unlikely partners were. Nicolo imported some items from Greece but handled mostly exports to the U.S., which was what drew concern in the first place. Apparently, Lopez had stumbled onto something he shouldn’t have, a secret that the Russians didn’t want exposed.
And with Lopez likely detained by the Russians, the task of freeing him and securing that valuable information had fallen to Hawk and Alex.
Based on the intel Hawk had gathered during their stakeout of the embassy, Lopez was being held in a small detached building on the back of the gated property. Shards of glass affixed to the top of the six-foot concrete wall surrounding the impound created an imposing defense. But Hawk wasn’t deterred. Once he heaved Lopez over the top, they’d be able to escape without any problems. Alex would be parked a block away on Calle Abraham Lincoln and wired into the compound’s security cameras.
Hawk glanced at the street sign and shook his head. “I wonder how many streets in Washington are named after Bolivian presidents.”
“Unless their name was a number or the same as a state in the U.S., I’d guess none,” Alex said.
Hawk chuckled. “I mean, if you’re going to pick a U.S. president to name a street after, Lincoln’s a good one.”
“Of course, and then you put the Russian embassy right next to it.”
Hawk smiled and cinched his backpack, drawing it tight. He checked his weapon one final time before reaching for the handle.
“You ready?” Hawk asked.
Alex nodded. “Time to get Lopez.”
Hawk glanced at his watch, showing just one minute before twelve-thirty. Hustling down the street, he stayed low against the wall. Not that anyone would’ve seen him. The temperatures had dipped just below freezing and the only sound was the hum of the street lamps, which cast a pale yellow light on the desolate street.
“Good luck,” Alex said over the coms.
“Roger that,” he answered.
Hawk waited until the guard abandoned his post before approaching the front gate. With no reinforcements in sight, Hawk charged forward, squeezing through the gate, careful not to let the squeaky hinges betray his surprise attack.
“How’s it looking?” Alex asked over the coms.
“So far so good,” Hawk whispered back.
He glided across a courtyard toward the small building where he figured Lopez was being held. Before reaching the door, Hawk heard footsteps echoing across the way. He took cover behind a nearby tree and waited for the guards to pass. As their footsteps and voices grew faint, Hawk peered around the corner to size up the men. One guard ventured outside, and the guard that remained inside waved just before the first locked the gate
Once both men were out of sight, Hawk hustled over to the small building and peeked in through the windows. Several bunks were pressed against the wall, but he couldn’t tell who or how many men were inside.
“We’ve got a problem,” Hawk said into his coms.
“What now?” Alex asked.
“As far as I can tell, there appear to be several people detained here.”
“Why’s that a problem?”
“Well, I can’t just break them all out, can I?”
“Why not? It’d create more confusion, maybe even a diversion.”
Hawk sighed. “But these guys will get slaughtered. And I doubt they’ll remain quiet while we sneak out.”
“You never know,” she said. “Let them make that choice. I bet most of them doubt they’ll ever see home again. At least you’ll give them a chance.”
Hawk grunted. “Okay, I’ll figure something out.”
After contemplating a new plan of attack, one that would get all the prisoners to safety, Hawk eased into the building. Four men were fast asleep, all chained to their beds. Hawk picked their locks one by one. The last man rolled over, his arms flailing as he smacked Hawk in the face.
“Lo siento, señor,” he said.
“How would you like to escape?” Hawk asked in Spanish.
The man nodded, eyes widening.
“Sígueme,” Hawk said.
Lopez eased up to Hawk. “Are you with the agency?”
Hawk nodded.
“Are you going to take me to my Sofía?” Lopez asked.
“Just as soon as we can. I’m going to lead the guards away from you. There’s a van two blocks to the left on Calle Abraham Lincoln. Go there once we escape, but go there alone. I don’t have room for all these men.”
The chubby Lopez hiked his pants up and tried to keep pace. “They can handle themselves.”
Hawk led the team to a garden near a side gate and gave them instructions. The hopeful escapees hid in the bushes, while Hawk hustled across the courtyard toward the front. He rapped on the metal gate, which was promptly opened by the fresh guard.
Hawk overtook the guard in an instant, slamming his head into the wall. As the guard staggered back to his feet, Hawk sprinted around the corner and waited. He steadied his breathing and hoped the man would come along soon. A few seconds later, he tore around the side, met promptly by a clothesline that knocked him backward and onto the ground. After a sound whipping, the guard fell unconscious. Hawk snatched the keys off the man’s limp body before sprinting around the block and tossing the keys over the wall where the men
