Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia
Special Agent Brooklyn Tanner sat in the chopper, the doors closed, the sense of urgency gone. Whoever had executed this kidnapping was good. Damned good. Foreign government good.
“Chinese?”
She glanced over at Michael Lyons. “Good guess. North Koreans, perhaps.”
“Russians. Iranians.”
She shrugged. “Could be anyone or no one. Agent White was clearly targeted. This wasn’t random.”
Lyons nodded. “I’ve seen her at the Farm. She’s pretty hot. Maybe that’s why she was taken.”
Tanner shook her head. “Sex-based kidnappings are never four guys.”
Lyons raised a finger. “Unless it was for the sex trade. Maybe someone placed an order, and she fit the bill?”
Tanner grunted. “Perhaps, though why anyone would target a CIA agent for sex is beyond me. They’re just asking for trouble.”
“Well, wouldn’t that be the thrill of it? I mean, fruit from the forbidden tree?”
Tanner sighed. “Maybe, but I hope not. I know if I were in her position, I’d rather be kidnapped and tortured by the North Koreans than be some pig’s plaything.”
Lyons frowned. “Yeah, me too.”
Tanner gave him a look. “Who are you kidding, Lyons? You’re the horniest mimbo on the team.”
The others laughed as Lyons grinned. “This is true.” He held up a hand cutting the others off. “But my luck, it would be the same guy that would be my new master, and that just doesn’t float my boat.”
“ETA sixty seconds.”
Tanner repositioned her mike to acknowledge the pilot’s message. “Copy that.” She shifted toward the door and slid it open as the helicopter rapidly approached the parking garage that HQ had tracked a white Chevy SUV to, the suspect vehicle having spent a little too much time under a bridge overpass. At this point, they were desperate.
And that meant mistakes could be made.
She turned to her team. “Watch for hostiles and booby traps. Just because they haven’t killed yet doesn’t mean they won’t start now.”
The helicopter bounced to a stop on the roof of the garage and Tanner stepped down, her team spreading out as the chopper lifted off to provide air support. A few cars were parked on the top level, none the white Chevy they were searching for.
“Let’s go!” She headed for the down ramp, at the head of a wedge formation, her Glock held out in front of her, prepared for anything. As they entered the third level, the sun was blocked, and she removed her glasses, scanning from left to right and back, as she first looked for movement, then for the SUV. They quickly cleared the level, finding nothing, and advanced to the second.
“There it is, on the right,” said Lyons.
She took a quick glance, confirming a white Chevy, then continued to survey the area, watching for any movement, anything out of the ordinary. She motioned for her men to take up covering positions around the vehicle, and they rushed forward as she continued to search for anything odd, unusual video cameras, lights, installations, or idling vehicles.
A chime sounded then there were voices, a woman and children. A door opened and a family stepped into view.
Tanner spun toward them, holding out her hand. “Go back downstairs! This is a police operation!”
The woman froze, staring at her, then grabbed her children as her eyes bulged. She yanked them back into the elevator room and Tanner heard the chime again, the doors opening then closing, one of the small children beginning to cry.
“Area is secure.” She turned her attention to the SUV, its plates matching what they had been given. There was no doubt this was it. She slowly approached the vehicle, and again could see nothing inside, though this time there was no dome on the roof suggesting it might have been computer driven.
They should ban tinted windows.
“Check for—wait!” She held up a fist, stopping her team. She leaned closer, a red flash having caught her eye for a split second.
Lyons froze. “What is it?”
“I don’t know. I thought I saw something red, like a beam of light or something.”
“Sensor?”
“Could be. Everybody step back.”
Her team edged away from the Chevy, and she caught the beam out of the corner of her eye. “Lyons, no!”
His head swiveled toward her as he finished his last step, but it was too late. The beam she had spotted, coming from something mounted on a nearby pillar, was interrupted.
“Ev—” She never got a chance to finish her warning as the vehicle erupted into a fireball, sending her flying backward. She smacked the concrete hard and continued to skid before slamming into the wall near the elevators and blacking out.