Bare Nerve (14 page)

Charity stood up and moved through the throng of men. “We have discussed this with Sam, and it is of paramount importance that we don’t let Andreev scare us off. Getting to Tamanrasset is the next step for us to apprehend him.”

“We should go as a team,” J.P. said again.

“I think the best thing is for us to go ahead. We will use Bay and the Liberty Investigations resources to get everything in place,” Charity said.

“Okay, then, that’s what we’ll do. We need to start arranging for a plane and securing a hangar at the airport,” Jack said.

“I’m on it,” J.P. said. “Do you know if there’s a private hangar or landing strip we can use?”

“There is,” Anna said. She walked over to J.P. “Bay went over there this morning and secured it for us. We will use this one.”

J.P. leaned over her shoulder to look at the computer screen. “I can send it to Hamm, and he can distribute it to you all.”

“Please do,” Hamm said.

She sent it to J.P. and then thought about the rest of the team. Jack thought they should just set the trap and see who walked into it. But Anna wanted to keep all the men covered so they could catch the culprit in the act.

“J.P., Harry, and Tommy should go with Hamm to the airport. You can take the lead vehicle. We need to secure the route,” Jack said.

“I’ll take Justine, and we can walk the route first,” Bay said.

“Won’t that be dangerous?” Harry asked. “I mean, women stand out here.”

“She will be Tuareg when she leaves this room,” Bay said.

Anna didn’t smile, but the thought of her petite friend dressed as one of the veiled men of the Sahara was a bit funny. She had the feeling they’d draw a few stares, but she knew Justine was good at pulling anything off. And they had already worked out a cover story for Bay to use if they drew too much attention

“Fine,” Jack said. “Charity and Anna will stay with me. I will personally make sure they are safely brought to the hangar. I want a call from J.P. when you guys have the area secure.”

“I’m on it, boss. Yesterday wouldn’t have happened if I’d been there,” J.P. said.

Anna felt a little better hearing J.P. She didn’t like the thought that someone on Jack’s team had sold them out. It made her think that maybe they all just wanted Liberty Investigations out of the way so they could proceed with taking down Andreev however they wanted.

She didn’t know what Jack’s mission objectives were outside of theirs. If he had been given the chance to go after Andreev on his own, would he have simply killed the weapons dealer and said the hell with the government officials who wanted more information from him?

“I guess that’s it for now. Everyone get their gear together and we’ll head out in twenty minutes,” Jack said.

Anna noticed the hard look he gave each of his men as they walked out of the room.

T
he airport hangar wasn’t exactly modern, but Jack had seen worse and didn’t let that affect him.

He hated the fact that he was setting up his men, but he had no choice. He couldn’t put the rest of his team in jeopardy. And he needed to know whom he could trust.

He’d been betrayed once—that had been the action that had set him on his present course. This present life where he was Jack Savage and no longer the man he used to be.

“You ready for this?” Anna asked.

“Yes, I am. Are you?”

“Of course,” Anna said. “Men trying to kill me makes me angry.”

Jack laughed.

“My kidnapper was an attaché at the British Embassy. He was working for another government as well as ours.”

Jack sobered immediately, surprised that she’d revealed that part of her past, but it made everything click into place. “No wonder you like to have as much information as you can on everyone.”

“Yeah, it’s my Achilles’ heel. I have to know everything, otherwise I can’t relax. On this job…well, I had you flagged as a potential problem.”

“Me? Why?”

“Because you didn’t exist until ten years ago. And if you think I can’t tell that someone has been all over your file making up stuff, you are sadly mistaken.”

He arched one eyebrow at her. “I’m not about to deny it. The men who changed my identity did so for a very good reason, angel.”

She blushed. “Tell me why they’re hiding the truth of who you are.”

“They’re hiding it because I wasn’t the kind of man a government likes to admit is one of theirs.”

She suspected it would be something like that. “What did you do?”

He shook his head. “Not now. The past has no relation to the man I am today. And we have to move out.”

“I’m not going to stop digging,” she said.

He stopped abruptly, bringing them chest to chest. “You aren’t going to find anything that will make you sleep easier, angel. Leave it be.”

“I can’t,” she said. “I know you want me to, but until I know everything…You could just tell me.”

“I can’t. I never speak of it,” he said, turning back toward the front of the hangar. “Where’s Charity?”

“Charity?” Anna said into her wireless mic. “Are you in position?”

“Affirmative. Are you?”

“I am. Savage is going to be moving into position in a moment. Justine?”

“We’re almost to the airport. The Savage team is moving quickly down the street in formation, protecting the vehicle Charity is driving.”

The plan was simple. Charity was driving the Land Rover that was supposed to have all of them in it. Jack and Anna were in sniper positions around the hangar they would be using. All Jack’s men had been left alone so that whoever was feeding Andreev information would be able to contact him.

“Now we wait,” Justine said.

“And pray.” Bay’s voice came over the radio. “Perhaps this exercise will be for naught.”

“What does your instinct tell you?” Jack asked. He’d moved away from Anna, so she heard his voice just like everyone else—in her ear.

“That all this work isn’t in vain,” Bay said.

“We will soon see,” Charity said. “Justine, let us know once you’re in position in the hangar.”

“I will. We haven’t had enough time to set up surveillance. Do you know the hangar is secure?” Justine asked.

“Negative,” Anna answered.

“Hold up. I’ll secure the location before you enter,” Jack said. He was on their frequency and also monitoring his men on another radio. “I’m going to switch over to my men and warn them that you’ll be slowing down, Charity.”

“Affirmative.”

They all heard Jack click on the second radio. Anna knew he’d been careful to keep it muted while he was talking to the Liberty team and Bay.

“Savage here. We are in a holding pattern until I can ascertain the security of the hangar.”

“Affirmative, boss. Do you need backup?”

“I never have before,” Jack said.

“Let us know when we can continue on in. Charity?”

“I’m listening,” Charity said. “The team and I are waiting for Jack’s go.”

“Good,” J.P. said.

Anna lowered herself to the ground, her sniper rifle set up on the grassy terrain. She had wanted to go with Jack. But she was a better shot from this distance, and she was needed to provide a lookout for the entire area.

She scanned the airport runway and noticed nothing new. There were still the two trucks that had been parked at the terminal and the one private plane that ferried passengers to Tamanrasset.

“You’re clear to the hangar,” Anna said.

“Affirmative,” Jack responded.

“I don’t have a heat-sensitive scope on this rifle, Jack, so I can’t see inside the building. The schematics I looked at earlier show two doors, one to the west and one to the south. If you enter through the south, I can provide the best coverage.”

“Affirmative,” Jack said. Anna saw him making his way in a quick, low jog across the open area leading to the hangar. Then he opened the door and disappeared inside.

Anna cursed under her breath as she realized Savage shouldn’t have been Jack’s name. It should have been Maverick because he was such a damned loner. She strained to see in the darkened hangar, holding her breath, and then heard the report of shots coming from the building.

“Coming in behind you,” Justine said.

“Good, Jack is in trouble.”

“We’ll all move together,” Bay said.

He and Justine were by Anna’s side in a minute. Bay bent and cut the fence around the airport. Anna picked up her sniper gun and folded the stand. She needed to get closer and make sure Jack was okay.

Bay peeled the fence open, and Anna stepped through first. Justine and Bay followed. In a crouching run, they made their way across the open field. The sound of gunfire continued as they ran across the tarmac.

“Charity, the airport is not secure. Keep an eye on the Savage Seven, and we will report in once we have the hangar secure,” Anna said.

“Affirmative. Do you need me?”

“Not now. We can handle this. We do need you to keep all of Savage’s men under surveillance.”

“Will do.”

“Savage, we’re coming in through the south door. Is there anything we need to know?” Anna asked.

“Three gunmen. Two wounded, one dead. The two are heavily armed. I’m pinned behind the Piper Cub plane.”

“We’ll bring firepower and help you out.”

“Anna, stay low. They were ready for me when I walked through the door.”

“Will do. Are you injured?”

“I’m fine. Just get in here so we can take back this hangar.”

“Affirmative.”

Bay led the way to the hangar, handgun drawn, eyes alert behind that heavy indigo veil. He reminded Anna so much of her past that for a moment all she saw was the night she had been rescued.

“Anna?”

“I’m fine,” she said to Justine, realizing she had fallen behind. “Let me get into position before you two enter. I’ll provide ground cover.”

“Good idea,” Justine said.

“Tell me when you’re going to enter,” Jack said.

“We’re in position now,” Anna said. She sent cover fire into the building and then stepped back to let Bay enter. She heard his gun as he fired a couple times. Then Andreev’s men fired on them. Justine cursed and went in with a low, rolling dive.

Anna stayed in her position, firing carefully into the hangar. Now they had the other team outnumbered. She continued providing cover from her location.

She had just prepared to enter the hangar when a bullet sped past her, brushing her long hair and grazing her face. She felt the burn from the bullet but knew it hadn’t cut her skin.
That was a little too close for comfort,
she thought. She flattened herself on the ground and reached for the machine gun she had slung over her back.

Jack, Justine, and Bay were already firing. She glanced at the plane: there was no way they would have made it to the aircraft, and even if they had, someone had cut the fuel line—she saw a burgeoning puddle under the plane.

Bullets continued to be exchanged around her. Anna looked at Jack and Bay to see if either of them were going to come over. But they were busy, and Anna made her decision. She needed to end this firefight now.

She stood in the doorway and opened fire, which drew out the two remaining gunmen.

Bay, Justine, and Jack all continued firing in the direction of the assailant, covering each other. Whoever was firing was making judicious use of their bullets. Anna figured the person must be a trained sniper because only the fact that Justine, Bay, Anna, and Jack weren’t presenting clear targets seemed to keep them from being shot.

“Damnit, Anna,” Jack said. But she knew he was taking advantage of her bravado.

“Only one bastard left,” Justine said.

“Not for long,” Bay said.

A minute later they had routed all the gunmen in the hangar. Two lay prone and dead; a third one was wounded but still conscious.

“Now it’s time to get some answers,” Jack said.

“Can I bring the guys in?” Charity asked.

Jack looked like a savage as he stared at the man on the floor. “Yes, I think you better.”

“Do you recognize this man?” Justine asked.

“Yes. He’s done some work for me before.”

Anna felt the pain Jack must have been experiencing.

She was in pain from the bullet burn on her face, and her arms ached from holding the sniper rifle and machine gun. But she didn’t relax her guard. Neither did Bay. He had gone to the door to the west and taken a position as guard.

“I’ll cover the south,” Justine said. “Give me the machine gun.”

Anna passed the machine gun to her friend and turned back to Jack. He had the man by his collar. “I want to know who hired you, Edward.”

The other man just smiled at Jack, and Anna knew in an instant this was going to get dirty and ugly. There was no other way for this to end.

Jack hauled back his fist and hit Edward square in the jaw. Edward’s head snapped back, and blood dribbled from his lip. “Demetri Andreev. And he has plenty of men like me to keep sending. He wants the women dead, Savage. And he’s not going to stop until they’re taken completely out of the game.”

“Then he doesn’t know me very well, because I have enough firepower to make sure whomever he sends goes back in a body bag.”

“You got lucky this time, Savage. Next time he will send more men.”

“You won’t be around to see it,” Jack said, hitting Edward again, this time knocking the man out completely.

“We’ve got company,” Justine said just as seven men roared into the hangar on the back of a military-style jeep. They burst through the large hangar door in a fire of bullets.

“Shit.”

Anna hated the fact that this fight wasn’t going to be a quick one. They hadn’t gotten any answers from Edward, and now they were dealing with more armed men. She dropped her sniper rifle and pulled out her handgun, firing at the men as the jeep came to a stop.

Jack shot the driver directly between the eyes. Justine let out a rebel yell and dove for her opponent. The men climbed out of the jeep, moving in a rough formation toward them.

Anna dropped back into the shadows, waiting for the right moment to make her move. She kicked her opponent as he moved past her position, knocking his weapon from his hand. He countered with a one-two jab toward her face. The blow connected with her cheekbone, stunning her. She pivoted into the punch and spun around to attack again, this time connecting with her opponent’s ribs.

He moaned and stumbled backward. Anna’s breath ripped in and out. Damn, her face ached from the punch and the bullet burn. She analyzed her position and realized she had to put her body on autopilot. She ceased thinking about everything but surviving. This guy was twice her size and smelled like he hadn’t bathed in about a week. She wouldn’t be able to call herself much of an agent if she couldn’t bring him down.

Anna diverted a blow to her head—she hated getting hit in the head. She spun away, but he grabbed the back of her hair, pulling her up short. Anna brought both of her hands together and reached behind her head for his wrist, applying a firm locking technique. She twisted her body, ducking under his arm. He tried to kick her, and she lifted her leg and kneed him in the groin. He moaned as she twisted his arm behind his back and forced him to his knees.

She stooped beside him and brought his hands together, using a zip cord to cuff him. She patted him down and found two guns and a knife. She took the weapons and put them in her pack.

Winning always brought its own kind of high. Anna had forgotten how good it felt until this moment. She didn’t examine it too closely but tucked the information away for later.

She left that guy bound and headed toward Jack a few feet away. He was holding his own with two assailants. She was impressed with his hand-to-hand skills. He had to be one of the most skilled martial artists she’d ever met. While she used a mix of tae kwon do and the street fighting her dad had taught her in hand-to-hand combat, Jack seemed to be using an ancient art form with deadly skill.