Page 100 of No More Lies

“Execute.”

Armed with tools to ram the door, Donnie took the lead. The back door gave way easily and Dex threw in a flashbang. Anyone inside would be disoriented for a few seconds, which was all they needed to take the advantage. Ryan did exactly the same at the front.

Only there was no advantage to be taken. The team swept through the house, finding it empty.

“Fuck, maybe they weren’t here,” Tyler said.

“They were here,” Steve pointed at the mantel where he stood in front of the fireplace. Tyler and Dex joined him, and they stared at the china cat and photo seen on the video.

“We’re too fucking late.” Steve was trying to keep it together, but any hope he’d had was fading quickly. Volkov was gone. With his wife.

“Dex, upstairs,” Ryan shouted. Steve followed Dex to find Ryan standing in what looked like the master bedroom. His stomach dropped. Bloodied towels lay on the floor. A first aid kit was open on the bed. What was left of a sheet hung over the bed rail.

“Looks like someone was being patched up here,” Tyler said as he joined them.

“Which means whoever is hurt is still alive,” Dex said, looking at Steve.

“For how long?” Steve asked.

“Boss, need you in basement.” Mackie’s voice came over coms. They all moved to the basement. With every step, Steve tried to brace himself for what they might find. If there was a body down there...

As if reading his expression, Donnie said, “Stop thinking like that.”

Steve didn’t answer, only followed Dex down the stairs to the basement. He quickly scanned the room. No bodies. He blew out a breath in relief.

“She’s still alive. Don’t give up on her,” Donnie said.

Steve nodded, unable to speak. He moved to where Mackie and Dex stood to see what they were looking at. Broken glass covered the floor and an old sofa. Blood splatters were everywhere, including on some of the shards of glass. Steve looked up to a broken window.

“Someone tried to escape,” Ryan said.

“And would have got seriously hurt,” Dex said solemnly.

“Explains what we found upstairs. Whoever it was must have got caught.”

Steve stared at the blood smeared over the window ledge. Was it Diane? Had she tried to get out? Was she hurt?

“What the fuck do we do now? He’s on his way to get on a plane, and we don’t know where.”

He had been doing his best to keep his shit together, but the thought Diane might be hurt, in pain and possibly about to be taken out of the country by that bastard, was seriously destroying his resolve.

“Dex is calling it in,” Donnie said. “There are no cameras on this street, but intel will try and get satellite images. Every airport and every private airstrip is on alert. Do not give up.”

“There was no car in the garage,” Mackie said out loud.

Steve looked at him. “And?”

“Janssen must have had a car. Where is it?” Steve heard Dex asking base about the car before addressing the team.

“Alright. FBI are arriving now. They will pull this place apart. They will question the neighbors and see if anyone saw any vehicles.”

Dex paused, apparently getting information in his ear.

“OK. Janssen drove a blue Honda. APB is going out on it. They would need more than one car, but they might have used it. Let’s get back to the Farm. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

The team filed out and Steve went to follow, but Dex stepped in front of him. He waited for the pep talk he was sure he was about to receive, but instead his team leader surprised the hell out of him.

“One way or another, we are bringing Diane home. If he makes it onto a plane with her, I swear to you, we will get on a plane, too. I don’t care what clearances we need. We will go to Russia and stay there until we find her. You came with me to find Kelly, and I will do whatever it takes to find Diane.”

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