Page 115 of Spy With Me
Oh, he did. He took a long breath because one of the thingsBig Tag had come up with was a plan to deal with his mother’s situation. It wasbrutal and would be hard to get through. Especially since he couldn’t prepareher for it. “I’m ready.”
Big Tag’s hand went to his ear. “Lou? TJ? You there? You’rebreaking up…what? Yes. We’ll go. Tell me…” He cursed under his breath. “Andthey’re out again. Huisman’s got something up his sleeve. I don’t like this. Idon’t like it at all. Everything’s too fucking quiet. We need to get to thecafeteria. Lou says they’re holed up there but someone’s sneaking up on them.We have to move and fast.”
Zach took off, praying he made it in time.
* * * *
The quiet was eerie.
Devi walked into the cafeteria warily, eyes first on theother side and then roaming the room, trying to see where her potentialattackers might hide.
They’d almost been caught once already, and she’d had tofire at the man. She thought she might have hit him. Her nerves were frayed,and she wanted nothing more than to get through all of this and see Zach again.
“We have to go through the cafeteria to get to the loadingdocks.” Shannon was right behind her. “You’re sure they’re here? It soundedlike the doctor wasn’t bringing Zach in until later, and I know he wouldn’tallow him to bring his team.”
No one was in the dining area. Not a surprising thing sinceit wasn’t exactly dinner time, but usually there was someone getting coffee ora soda. Nothing. The lights were only half on, and one of them flickered.
If the power went out, they were in a mountain. The darknesswould be endless.
“I assure you they wouldn’t be shooting only at Zach.” Shehad theinsanesturge to run for it, but she took adeep breath and checked the instinct. She moved around the perimeter where shecould at least be sure no one was behind her. Shannon followed.
Up ahead she could see the hallway they were trying to getto. The double doors were closed, but there were two windows. The hall wasstill well lit, but the one behind her had gone dead.
She walked slowly, watching for any movement.
“I think Huisman has been trying to drive a wedge betweenZach and the team,” she explained quietly. “He’s told Zach a bunch of lies.Huisman’s an arrogant prick who thinks everyone will believe him. He thinks alot of his own intellect, and it worked for a long time because my uncle is apatient man who doesn’t move until he’s sure. Now the evil doc is going to geta full dose of my family, and he better be ready for it.”
“I’m afraid Huisman is ready for anything,” Shannon said asshe moved behind Devi. “I don’t like a couple of things I’ve noticed about thisplace. There are wires that don’t go where they should, and I’m fairly certainhe’s rigged this whole place to blow if he wants it to.”
Devi forced herself not to curse a blue streak. Thatasshole. “Well, that would be typical Huisman. I was recently a guest at ahouse he owned, and he torched it the minute he realized things were going bad.I think we’re playing into his hands and that’s the real problem. I know we’retaking him blowing up his own house as some kind of win, but what if it’s agame for him and we keep playing? What if he’s rigged our lives so he winseither way? He blows up the world and gets to be the dung heap king he seems towant to be, or he keeps his enemies in a continual state of chaos so none of uscan enjoy the lives we lead.”
“My darling girl, you’ve described every narcissist I’veever met.” Shannon sighed. “And there were so many of them.”
She stopped when she heard a volley of gunfire. She sawsomeone run by the window, but the person wore all white and had the hood up,covering her face. Her. She knew that had been a woman.
Huisman didn’t have a bunch of women running around. He hadsome women from the village below who did cleaning work, but they didn’t weararctic white parkas that had a vaguely military look.
“My cousins are here.” Hope surged hard through Devi. “Idon’t know which one, but she ran by. Likely looking for my uncle. I know theywon’t all come in together. They’ll have at least two different entry points.”
And if her cousins were there, then Lou would be, too. Thefirst thing Lou would do would be to cut into the security cams.
She looked around. She’d gotten to know where the cams were.It was a risk but one she was willing to take. She moved away from the wall andfaced the camera in the corner, waving her arms. She held up the gun so Louwould know she was armed.
“I don’t think it’s on, honey.” Shannon stayed by the wall,a grim expression on her face.
Devi stopped bouncing like she was on a deserted islandtrying to flag down a plane. “Why do you say that?”
“That one moves, and it’s not moving. It was working when wefirst walked in, but it’s dead now.” Shannon seemed to think, and whatever wasgoing through her head did not lift her mood. “Something’s happening, Devi.”
“I’m sure it’s my uncle. He likes to shut down systems. Orall the gunfire hit something important.”
Shannon’s head shook. “No. I’ve studied a lot of militaryphilosophy and how battle plans are mapped out. Your uncle would have a plan,and it wouldn’t consist of taking the power out. Doing that would lock us inwhen he needs to move quickly. Remember when Huisman brought us into hisresidence?”
It had been their first full day here, and Huisman had thembrought to his sleek and technologically advanced apartment. He’d had one ofhis staff bring them tea, which she did not drink, and had told them the rules.“I remember.”
“I studied the place. I’m absolutely certain his bedroom iswired to act as a safe room like the one you told me Nell’s daughter had inLiverpool. The door had a specific panel that goes beyond a simple keycard oreven biometrics. I’m worried Huisman is going to lock himself in his safe roomand blow up one of the bombs. Even with a vaccine, I think it will killeveryone who comes into contact with it.”
“There’s a vaccine? Did I get it as a kid?” If there was adamn vaccine, what was everyone worried about? She still didn’t get the wholebioweapons thing, but she was going with it.
