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DARRINGTON, WASHINGTON:
When the van stops, Derek and Jessica look into each other’s eyes, wondering whether Jessica is going to die. They wait anxiously as Mikhail climbs out and opens the side door.
Jessica scrunches closer to Derek as they stare through the doorway across a small field of grass to the tree line.
Mikhail grins and points at Jessica. “Get over here.”
Derek moves toward the door. “Take me instead.”
“No. Just the girl.” When Derek doesn’t move, Mikhail pulls out his pistol. “Get back!”
Sasha climbs out of the van and walks around to the open door. “Stop playing with the girl and get them out.”
Mikhail puts away the pistol, brings out a set of wire cutters, and reaches out toward Derek. “Give me your feet.”
Once his legs are clipped free, Derek climbs out and turns to wait for Jessica. When Mikhail reached inside to cut her ankle strap, Derek uses the distraction to slide a small knife from his front pocket, then they follow Sasha around the van. When they see a ranch-style house, Derek looks at Jessica and gives her a nod, knowing she is not going to be shot. At least not yet.
***
MYSTIC:
When Okana returns to Tanner’s office, he holds the cellphone out to Dieter while holding up the sat phone. “Bring up the number on the screen and set it on the desk. I’ll dial from this phone.”
When Dieter does as asked, Okana turns the speaker on and sets the sat phone on the desk. After four rings, Alex recognizes Blacktooth’s Russian accent and pays close attention to the tone in Dieter’s voice.
“Who is this?”
“It’s Dieter. I need your help.”
“What? You cannot change our deal.”
“I need to find Boris. It’s urgent.”
“Are you crazy? He is wanted man. What you want that is so important?”
“He owes me money, and I need it to pay you.”
“He has a safe house in States. Small town in Washington. Darrington, I think.”
“Do you know the address?”
“One moment. Seven-eight-one Holly road.”
“Thank you, my friend.”
Alex looks at Tanner. “Are we good here?”
“I’ll take care of everything. Get him and his friends off my ship.”
Okana leans away from the wall and looks at Tanner. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“We’ll be fine, Okana. Do what’s necessary.”
Everyone stands and leaves the office. When they arrive at the motorboat, Bartram is waiting for Dieter, but Harrison is nowhere to be seen.
Rita is waiting in the lounge when she sees the four men head out to the stern. She creeps out to the rear door, and stares through the window. When she sees Alex putting handcuffs on Bartram, she realizes her sense of paranoia is justified. She doesn’t realize someone has walked up behind her.
“What’s going on?”
Rita flinches and spins around, staring up at Josh. “I don’t know. I was just about to go find out.”
Joshua reaches over Rita’s head and pushes open the door. “After you.”
Tanner notices Rita and Joshua coming in their direction and waits until they join the group. “Where is Harrison?”
Joshua indicates the inside of the ship. “When I woke up, he was sitting in his cabin.”
Tanner looks at Rita. “Go pack your belongings. Your service is no longer required.” He looks at Joshua. “Escort her down and bring Harrison back with you. Tell him he’s fired. I want him off my ship.”
Rita feels a sense of relief. This friend of Okana must have powerful connections, and it’s probably only a matter of time before they learn what she is up too, so it’s a good time to leave. She follows Joshua back inside the ship and down to the cabins.
Dieter looks over at Alex when Okana steps behind him and slips a Zip-tie around his hands. “I thought we had a deal?”
Alex smirks. “We do. I’ll ask INTERPOL to wave the death penalty. I’m sure the word of a professor will make them change their minds.”
Dieter glares at Alex. “You will not get away with this, professor. I have connections all over the world. I will never see the inside of a prison, and I will hunt you down and make you suffer.”
Okana grabs Dieter’s arm in a vice-like grip. “Be careful stepping into the boat. I’d hate to see you fall overboard. I’ve heard that people have a hard time swimming with their hands tied behind their back.”
Okana shoves Dieter toward the stern, then does the same with Bartram. Once Rita and Harrison arrive and climb into the motorboat, Josh joins them to bring the boat back.
Alex holds his hand out to Tanner. “I appreciate your help. I’ll call you once my family is safe.”
He climbs into the boat and Josh takes them to the dock below the Marina office. Alex and Okana leave Rita and Harrison at the marina to fend for themselves and put Dieter and Bartram in the back seat of the rental car. Okana drives them out of the parking lot toward the Mount Vernon county jail.
Alex uses his phone to call Martin. “I have them. Send the US Marshals to Mount Vernon to pick them up. Mike Tanner agreed to help salvage the device here in the Pacific, but a situation has developed and Okana is coming with me until it’s resolved.” Alex explains what is happening to his family.
“What can I do to help, Alex?”
“I won’t know until Okana and I check out the safe house. I’ll call once I have a plan.”
***
After dropping their prisoners off in Mount Vernon, Alex and Okana continue up the mountain to Sparrow Valley. Alex recognizes his father’s old pickup truck in front of the Sheriff’s Office as they drive into the parking lot. When they step inside, he sees Kristy sitting in the waiting area.
When Kristy hears the front door open, she looks up and smiles. “Uncle Alex!” She leaps off the chair and runs up to him.
Alex thinks about how he felt with Halona and kneels down to give Kristy a hug. When she wraps her arms around his neck, he smiles. “It’s good to see you again.”
Kristy lets go. “Derek’s been kidnapped, Uncle Alex.”
“I know, and I’m here to rescue him.” He stands when his father walks into the room with a scowl on his face. “Hi, Dad.”
“Get away from him, Kristy. It’s his fault Derek’s in trouble. Did you make the call?”
“Not yet.”
“Damn it, Alex! You have less than an hour until that Boris person kills one of those kids!”
“I know, and we still have time to save them.”
Robert looks up at the blond-haired man. “Who are you?”
“My name is Okana.”
“He’s my best friend, Dad. He’s here to help.”
Robert gives Okana a brief appraisal, then looks at Alex. “We’re running out of time.”
Alex looks over at Arnie. “Hello, Sheriff.”
“Hi, Alex. I see you’re still causing problems for your father.”
Alex ignores the remark and turns to his Dad. “I know where they are holding the kids. It’s in Darrington, seven-eight-one Holly Road.”
Robert thinks about it for a moment. “I know that house. It used to belong to the Dain family.”
“That’s why I came here first. Okana and I are going to check it out, and I need a description of the area around the house.”
Robert shakes his head no. “That’s not enough time to get there and back.”
“We won’t be coming back until we have the kids.”
Robert stares at Alex. “I’m going with you.”
“It’s too dangerous. Okana and I can handle it.”
Robert ignores him and looks over at Okana. “I have two deer rifles in my truck. Are you ready to go?”
Okana looks at Alex, who indicates it’s all right. “Yes, sir.”
Alex silently fumes as he turns and heads for the door. Damn it, Dad. Now I have to worry about you, too.
***
DARRINGTON:
Derek notices Boris look at his watch and wonders what it means. “You haven’t told us why we’re prisoners. I don’t even know your names.”
Boris glares at the boy, but doesn’t answer. Cave is running out of time. If he doesn’t call within the next ten minutes, the girl will be the first one he kills.
Derek looks over at the woman sitting in a stuffed chair. When Boris turns to talk to her, he opens his pocketknife and begins cutting at the plastic strap around his wrist. He figures once the strap is cut, he can hang on to the long end to keep it around his wrist until the time is right to fight back. The four men outside are armed, but he didn’t see the man or the woman carrying any guns.
Derek stifles a gasp when he cuts his thumb and drops the knife on the floor. He quickly uses his shoe to shove it under the couch, silently cursing his clumsiness before the strap is cut.
***
THE WOODS BEHIND THE SAFE HOUSE.
Alex hands the small binoculars to Okana. “I count four guards. Two walking the perimeter and two in the trees.”
Okana looks through the binoculars. “Same here. They’re carrying machine guns with silencers, and it looks like Glock 9mm as side arms.”
Alex crawls back into the forest to join his father. He looks at his watch. Five minutes until he has to make the call.
Robert stares up at his son. “What are you waiting for?”
Alex ignores him. “Okana and I will take out the two guards in the trees. Once I get inside, wait for my signal. When you hear a single shot, the two guards outside will instinctively stop walking and look at the house. That’s when you and Okana take them out. And Dad, shoot to kill.”
Alex brings out his phone and enters the number. After two rings, Boris answers. “It’s Alex Cave. I want my nephew and the girl back, unharmed.”
“You’re cutting it close, Cave. Another minute and the girl would be dead.”
“Just tell me where you want to make the exchange.”
“Where are you?”
Alex has an idea. “I’m at the Mount Vernon Airport”, he lies to buy a little more time.
“I’m sure you know where Darrington is, so stop at the Mobil gas station and one of my men will pick you up. You have fifteen minutes or the girl dies.”
“I need a couple of hours. I have to get a rental car first, and it’s a long drive to Darrington.”
“You have one hour.”
“I’ll be there.” Alex hangs up and looks at Okana. “There must be a fifth man inside. He’s to pick me up and bring me back here.”
Okana looks at his watch. “How much time?”
“Only an hour and I need to get to Mount Vernon and back. You’ll have to deal with the guards in the trees.”
“I’ll take care of it. You’d better get going.”
Alex looks at Robert. “Be careful, Dad.”
“I can take care of myself. Just save Derek and the girl.”
Alex heads for his car.
***
Boris looks at Sasha. “Take Mikhail and wait for Cave to show up.”