16

S tryder was standing next to Storm at the side of the desk in Bane’s office. They had accessed the visual records from the interior of the club, zoomed in on Norsky’s face, and then Stryder had accessed the orbiting starship’s main computer via the Neural Interface and asked for the retina scans of known Alliance personnel. He’d asked for the data to be sent to Bane’s computer so that the match could be made.

Within seconds Norsky’s file was on the screen in front of them.

“Pavel Norsky, member of the Black Knights,” Stryder said reading it off the screen.

“That’s him, that’s the guy I met,” Bane said recognising the face on the screen.

“Go ahead Cowboy, what is it?” Storm said, as a call came through on the Marine’s combat channel, a private frequency only those in the circuit could access.

Cowboy’s voice came through loud and clear to Storm only, the combat frequency had been devised for use during a battle when the noise of weapon fire could drown out communications. The voice commands were routed through the NI and sent directly to the brain. It was described by one soldier, after trying it for the first time, as the closest thing to telepathy he had known. In that way communications between combat units wouldn’t be lost or compromised as only members of those units could use it. It was also invaluable during black ops when silence was vital.

Cowboy said, “It’s Hardy sir, she’s gone.”

“What do you mean, gone? Explain yourself soldier,” Storm replied, hit by a sudden gut feeling that the mission had just taken a turn for the worse.

Cowboy explained about the two of them going outside, about him asking for a bouncer to be sent out and about them both being stunned. It was a short stun, because he and the bouncer came around just as Norsky was leaving the car park.

“Shit!” exclaimed Storm. Stryder had picked up what was going on, and then looked around for Hardy.

“Where’s Hardy? Something’s happened to her,” he said. Then he heard her voice through his NI, she was using an open channel.

“Stryder, I’m with someone who wants to say something to you,” she said as everyone in the room turned to look at him. Because she’d accessed an open channel they could all hear her and Norsky could also talk and be heard until she closed the connection.

“Captain Stryder, I really enjoyed watching you work tonight and I must say I was quite impressed,” said Norsky.

“I’ll accept the compliment, one Special Forces soldier to another Norsky, or can I call you Pavel?” Stryder replied.

“Once again you amaze me with your skill. I thought my true identity would remain hidden a little while longer.” Norsky sounded genuinely surprised.

“Okay Pavel, we’ve established that you and I are soldiers and have therefore accepted the risks. It’s me you want, isn’t it? Let the girl go, pick your place and I’ll meet you there, alone.”

“You forget, my friend, that Miss Hardy here has also accepted the risks as she too is a soldier, no? So, we are all soldiers together, risking our lives for the causes we believe in. Romantic is it not? So down to business. You will meet me at a time and place of my choice and if, when you arrive, I deem it that you have fulfilled your side of our little contract then, and only then, will I release the girl.”

“Okay Pavel, just name the time and the place and I’ll be there.”

“I’m sure you will my friend, I’m sure you will. The time is not yet, the place is yet to be affirmed, but don’t worry. I will be in touch with all the details you require through Miss Hardy here, so you can be assured she is safe and well. But be warned, if you do not adhere to my stipulations, Miss Hardy will surely die,” and with that Hardy broke the connection.

“Seems this Norsky guy has got you by the balls,” Bane said, breaking the silence that had settled over the small room.

Stryder looked at Bane and the look in his eyes made the gangster recoil a little for it was like looking into the depths of Hell itself. When he spoke his voice was cold and hard with no trace of emotion or humanity left in it.

“That’s as may be, and he intends to squeeze until he gets what he wants, which leaves me no choice,” he said.

“So what’re you going to do?” Storm asked.

“The only thing I can do. What do you do when someone has you by the balls and is squeezing them?”

“Scream?” offered Bane .

“No. Squeeze back.”

“Squeeze back against whom, may I ask? Would someone please explain just what is going on here and where Hardy is?” General Sinclair said from the office doorway.

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU hope to gain from this, but it won’t work you know,” Hardy said. Norsky had ordered her to drive away from the club to his hotel where they had ridden the elevator to ascend to his room on the tenth floor. The threat of the killing of anyone present if she tried anything made her reconsider any escape attempts.

“And why would you say that, my dear?” he replied rather smugly. He felt he held all the best cards in the game. The winning hand was his. Stryder would not endanger the woman’s life by attempting to rescue her. Rather, he would wait until she was safe before attempting anything heroic. By that time though, it would be too late so he was also betting that Stryder was maverick enough to forgo any assistance and come alone.

“Kurt will find you and when he does, he’ll kill you; it’s that simple,” she said, projecting far more confidence than she felt.

“And how do you think the multi-talented Captain will accomplish that feat, my dear?” Norsky asked, already knowing the answer.

Hardy thought about it for a second then, smiling, said, “How naive do you think I am? If I tell you how he’ll find you it gives you the opportunity to cover your tracks. Let’s just say that you’ll have no idea how he’ll do it but he’ll do it alright and when he does, the fun will really start.”

“Okay, so what say we start this off a little earlier than you expected?” Norsky said his smug smile still firmly in place.

“I don’t follow,” Hardy said, confusion showing on her face.

“If Stryder is as good as you hope he is, and there is no doubt he is a most remarkable man, then I see no reason to hang around to give him the opportunity to find us. We shall move on to the next phase of my plan,” Norsky said as he collected his travel bag, already packed, from beside the table. When he saw her expression he said, “Oh I never unpack, I can’t see the point. You never know when you’ll have to grab your things and get moving again, like today for example.”

He motioned for her to head towards the door and when she acquiesced he said, “What, aren’t you going to ask where I’m taking you?”

“Nope, you’ll tell me when you want me to know,” she replied calmly. She’d decided not to play his game. She obviously wanted to ask him what his plans were, what he intended to do and where they were going. His “game” was the need to impress on her that it was he who was in control, that he held her life in his hands and that not even Kurt Stryder could rescue her. By not conceding to this scenario she was frustrating him and she hoped that the frustration would build until he made a mistake, something she could capitalise on to secure her release.

“And besides, I’ll only have to wait for a minute or so and you’ll tell me anyway. Your sort can’t resist letting others know how clever they are,” she added, hoping to sink another barb into his bloated ego.

“And what sort would that be, my dear?” Norsky asked, amused at her change of tack.

“You know the sort, the power hungry, the self-obsessed and the deluded. But if you’re still in any doubt, just take a glance in the mirror,” she replied calmly.

When he spoke, his voice was tight and clipped. Her words had stung, had pierced his veneer and embedded in his ego, bruising it. He responded by saying, “You are wrong Miss Hardy. I am but a simple soldier fighting for what I believe in, much the same as you or Stryder. Would that our roles were reversed I dare say neither of you would do things any differently.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. If I were in your shoes then this whole thing would be over by now. Mission accomplished, and I wouldn’t need to brag about it either. Just get the job done and move on to the next mission.”

“If you are successful and Stryder does manage to rescue you and kill the bad guy – me – will you truthfully be able to move on to your next mission? Is this a job, nothing more to you than that? I think not, I’ve seen the way you look at him, and him you. There’s more there than just the job and I’m banking on that to make him play along and not endanger you. Now let’s go. Don’t worry, it’ll soon be all over, one way or another.”

“You got that part right at least,” Hardy replied, with a smile full of scorn. As they exited the hotel she couldn’t help wonder how much truth there was to his theory? Would Stryder sacrifice himself to secure her safety? Whether he had feelings for her or not, she was sure that he would do his utmost to secure her freedom and if that meant offering his own life as forfeit, she was sure he would pay that price. To her though that was too high a price to pay, so she vowed to do anything to make sure that didn’t happen.