Page 21 of Harris

“Look,” Gunner said.

All three directed their attention to the screen and watched as the wall reopened, and Joe, followed by two more men, emerged into the hallway. None acknowledged the bartender as they walked by, out the front door, and onto the sidewalk. All three headed to an old van parked down the street with the name Fether’s Electrical painted alongthe side. Likely another cover business for the Noah Group.

“Should we follow them?” Woodley asked. All his instincts said they should.

“Definitely,” Gunner stated as he reached for the key.

He started the truck and put it into drive. They stayed well back from the van but never let it out of their sight. The way the guy was driving showed he was agitated. He swerved in and out of traffic, changing speeds and cutting other vehicles off. They’d get pulled over before reaching their destination if they weren't careful. More than likely, in the wee hours of the morning, the cops had bigger issues to deal with in a town known for its party-hearty atmosphere.

“If we get a chance, I’d like to place a tracker onthe van,” Conor said. “Learning where else they go besides the bar would be helpful.”

The van continued east, and when they entered a familiar area,all three knew where they were going.

Woodley asked. “Get the feeling we’re headed back to the hotel?”

“Yes. Get Brick on the line and have him turn on the video feed from the truck,” Gunner said. “The shit is about to hit the fan.”

Conor pressed a button on his phone and put the call on speaker.

“Whatcha got?” Brick asked. As usual, ready for any eventuality and getting down to business.

“Company,” Conor said. “We’re following Joe and two other men from the dive bar, and it appearsthey’re headed back toward the hotel. We have video up.”

“Got it. I'm bringing up the screen now,” Brick said, and Woodley could hear rustling in the background over the phone.

“Do you think they’d try to kidnap Harris with all four of you in that suite?” Woodley asked. “That’s insane.”

“You never know when it comes to this group,” Brick answered.

“Or they could wait to find Harris alone,” Conor said. “Either way, they’re here for a reason.”

Woodley had to agree. Sometimes, the Noah Group seemed to be flying by the seat of their pants, making things up as they went along. That’s what happened when a group splintered and there was no clear leader. Until one person was strong enough to regain control, nothing would remain constant across the board regarding game plans. The only thing that seemed to be a priority was recovering assets, survivors to be used as weapons.

“Okay, we have the video link up. Is it the white delivery van?” Brick asked.

“That’s the one,” Gunner answered.

They turned right and were only six blocks away from the hotel. Every passing second brought them closer back to Harris, and Woodley’s gut churned. This was what the team wanted, for Harris to get a look at the inner workings of this group, but that still didn’t mean he had to like it.

They were within two blocks now, no longer doubting where the van was headed. When they got to the same block as the hotel, the van pulled over onto a small side street while Gunner continued to drive by, not wanting to alert them to their tail.

“We’ll go to the west side parking lot and find a spot with a view,” Gunner explained as he maneuvered the SUV into a nearby lot.

“They’re staying in the van for now,” Woodley said as he turned to watch them while Gunner parked

Once stationary, they adjusted the video feed to zoom in on the van to get a closer look and waited for the goons to make a move.

“Should we send Harris out for a midnight run?” Conor asked after thirty minutes of inactivity.

“Perhaps it might speed things along,” Gunner agreed.

“Has anyone identified the other guy from the bar earlier?” Woodley asked, not wanting to consider what would happen if Harris took a midnight stroll.

“Still working on it,” Spencer stated. “Right now, he’s a ghost on all levels. However, this Joe character is Antonio Spregga from Newport Beach, California. He attended Concordia University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. After that, he worked as a freelancer forvarious newspapers and magazines. Obtaining information on Antonio was easy enough compared to the giant.”

“We haven’t spotted the big guy since, but I have a feeling it isn’t the last time he’ll be around,” Conor said.

“I wonder how a journalist got tangled up with the Noah Group?” Woodley asked.

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