Chasing Victory (The Winters Sisters) (22 page)

“I need to go to the lab first. I can’t leave without all the research. I can’t afford to start this project from the beginning again. Morgan and Collin are running out of time.”

“Okay, you go straight to the lab then meet me near the loading area. Do you know where that is?” Tristan asked.

“Yes. It should only take me twenty minutes to gather up my laptop and all the data.”

“Morgan you take off. Victory, go put on all black clothing, then head directly to the lab and please, be careful.”

“I’m out of here, I’ll keep you updated as to my progress. After I secure Collin we will head for the rendezvous point.” Morgan melted into the shadows.

“I need to leave,” Tristan said.

“Go, I’ll be fine.  Change, lab, loading area,” Victory reiterated.

“That’s it, and stick to the plan. Victory, please be careful.” Tristan leaned inside the window, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “See you soon.” With that he too was off into the darkness.

Victory headed to the lab. The compound was chaotic with people trying to see what was happening, and others attempting to get the fire under control. Collin set the coffee shop on fire, and the thousands of books that had lined the walls were adding fuel to the fire. The building was a total loss, with flames shooting over twenty feet into the air. The only hope now was to stop it from spreading. The scene was so intense that Victory’s movements were going unnoticed.

The lab was lit at the outside door with a small overhead light. Victory stopped, hidden by the shrubbery and listened, she heard no one in the area, and looked around to make sure that no one was near. After she was sure that she was alone, she walked up to the lab and unlocked the door.

The inside was blanketed in darkness. Victory stepped into the building and reached out to switch on the light. She went straight to her workstation. Pulling the large backpack from her shoulder she placed it on the table, slipped in her laptop and the stack of files next to it, along with the CDs she had recorded. Then she went over to the cooler and emptied it of all the samples. She was so engrossed that she never noticed a shadow quickly pass in the doorway. As she was securing the contents of her backpack she realized her mistake. She heard the slightest rustle of clothing behind her. Before she had the opportunity to turn to see what made the noise, she was hit from behind and crumpled to the floor unconscious.

* * *

Tristan managed to disable the security grid in less than ten minutes. Collin’s fire served as a huge distraction and actually helped him, as there wasn’t a single man left inside the facility. He pushed the tiny button on his ear bud and popped it into his ear. “Noah, Logan, this is Tristan.”

“Roger,” Noah replied. “What the hell is going on in there?”

“Collin got impatient, decided to start the party without us,” Tristan said.

“So he likes to play with fire,” Logan chimed in.

“Yes, I guess he does. Morgan are you there?” Tristan asked.

“Roger,” Morgan replied slightly winded. “I haven’t picked up Collin’s trail yet, but I must be closing in on him.”

Logan was at the far side of the compound scouting out the area. “The compound is clear and the escape route is secure. I have made initial contact with our chopper. Pilot estimates thirty minutes to rendezvous.”

Logan was cautiously approaching the helipad when he noticed a small chopper sitting on the tarmac. Man, they were in luck, Noah was a pilot. They could all be off this damn rock in minutes. That was if Morgan could locate Collin in time. Suddenly the chopper came to life as the blades started to rotate and the control lights inside came on. There were no outside lights illuminated, whoever was piloting that thing didn’t want to be seen. A terrible thought crossed his mind. “Morgan, you there? This is Logan.”

“Hey Logan, I’m here,” Morgan responded.

“Collin doesn’t happen to be a chopper pilot does he?” Logan asked.

“If it flies Collin can pilot it,” Morgan replied.

“Damn it,” was all the team heard. Logan was running full out toward the chopper, his only hope to reach it before it was too far off the ground. He reached the chopper and jumped, missing the rung by scant inches. As he jumped he saw another person slumped in the passenger’s seat.

“Logan, what’s happening?” Tristan demanded.

“God damn it. Collin took off in the chopper and I’m sure that he wasn’t alone,” Logan said.

Tristan looked down at his watch, he had been so involved with everything that was going on that he lost track of time. Forty minutes had pasted since he left Victory and he hadn’t heard from her yet. Knowing her, she probably lost track of time and became engrossed with her work. He cleared his mind and reached for her. There was no response, he couldn’t feel her. There was nothing.

“Come on Tristan, Morgan is already here at the rendezvous point. You and Victory have to get the lead out,” Noah said.

“I’m heading back to the lab. I can’t reach Victory.” Tristan took off in the opposite direction running toward the lab. Three minutes later he reached the building and found the door wide open. He quietly moved toward the door. He filled his lungs with the night air and picked up Victory’s familiar scent, lavender and chamomile. Then his heart nearly stopped as he caught the ever slightest scent of Collin. Tristan froze, then forced himself to keep breathing as he slowly walked into the lab.

The lab was empty. Turning on his flashlight he looked around, Victory’s workstation was cleaned of her computer and files. He shone his light on the floor and then he saw it, a reflection of jade and gold, Victory’s earring. A heart-wrenching scream tore through his soul, yet he didn’t utter a single sound. The room started spinning and Tristan dropped to his hands and knees.

Wyatt was in the Situation Room keeping an eye on the extraction that was unexpectedly unfolding twelve hours ahead of schedule. He was reviewing the latest results when he succumbed to a wave of nausea followed by a blood curdling cry ringing through his brain.

“Victory!”

“Tristan, what’s happened,”
Wyatt pressed. He never felt such a punch of pain or unadulterated terror resonate from his brother. While on assignments, Tristan was shot, stabbed, and tortured numerous times during his career and never had Wyatt felt this anguish from him. “
Tristan, god damn it Tristan, answer me.”
Wyatt got no response. “Get me a damn sat phone,” he yelled to his team.

“Noah here.”

“Noah, what’s happening there?” Wyatt demanded.

“I’m at the rendezvous point with Logan and Morgan, we’re waiting for Tristan and Victory to join us. Looks like Collin took off in a chopper, not sure where he is headed. Logan thought there might have been someone else in the chopper with him.”

“Son of a bitch,” Wyatt mumbled.

“Sir,” Noah responded.

“I think Collin took Victory,” Wyatt deduced. “Where is Tristan?”

“Last time I heard he was heading back to the lab to get Victory,” Noah responded.

“How long ago?” Wyatt pushed.

Noah glanced down at his watch. “About fifteen minutes ago. They should have been back here by now.”

“Something’s wrong, one of you need to go and find Tristan. And keep me updated,” Wyatt ordered.

“Yes sir, right away.” Noah switched off the phone and turned to the other two men. “Something’s up with Tristan, the Captain wants us to track him down.” Noah stuck his ear bud back his ear. “Tristan come in. Tristan. Damn. No answer, I’m heading back to get him.”

“I’ll come with you.” Morgan chimed in.

“No, you stay here with Logan, we need to get you out.”

“Do you know where the lab is?” Morgan quizzed him.

“Not exactly, I have a general idea, but it can’t be that hard to find.”

“If you have to look for it you’re going to burn time,” Morgan pressed.

“He has a point,” Logan said.

“Fine, let’s go,” Noah quipped.

“Great, follow me,” Morgan said and took off running.

“Hey asshole, slow down,” Noah said through his ear bud. “We don’t all have dog genes.”

“That’s wolf DNA, get it right,” Morgan teased as he slowed to human speed. “This way is a short cut. The lab is at the end of this path.”

Five minutes later Morgan and Noah were at the perimeter of the lab. “Looks like the front door is open,” Noah commented.

“Yeah, that’s not right. Something is clearly not right here. You wait here, give me one minute to get around back and I’ll go in through the exam room,” Morgan said, heading for the far side of the building.

“Roger,” Noah looked at his watch then squatted down in the bushes and surveyed the surroundings.

Morgan slipped around the building to the exam room door. Damn he hated this place and here he was going back in. He entered the exam room at the same time Noah came through the lab door.

The lab was dark, but from the light shining in from the outside doorway he could make out a large figure on the floor. “Tristan?” Noah leaped toward the figure on the floor. “Tristan, are you hurt?” Noah grabbed one of Tristan’s shoulders. Tristan swung around springing to his feet and had Noah pinned to the wall in the same instant. “Tristan, hey man it’s me, Noah.”

Taking in the unfolding scene, Morgan charged through the exam room door heading into the lab with every intent of helping Noah. Noah saw him coming and waved him off. “Tristan snap out of it. Where’s Victory?”

Agony showed on Tristan’s face at the mention of her name. “Victory. God damn it. Collin took her.” A look of surprise showed on Tristan’s face as he realized he had Noah pinned to the wall by his collar. Suddenly he dropped his hands and stepped back. “Jesus, I’m sorry.”

Noah shook his head and shrugged it off. “Don’t give it another thought.”

“So she was the other person in the helicopter,” Morgan said stepping farther into the lab.

Tristan turned toward Morgan a menacing look shadowed his face. “That’s probably a good bet. And if he puts even one hand on her I will skin him from head to toe.”

“We need to get out of here and back to the helo pad. We’ve been here too long and our chopper will be here any minute.”

“Down,” Morgan snapped. Both Noah and Tristan dropped to their knees at the second the word left Morgan’s mouth. In a flash they saw a small silver lightning bolt pass over their heads. They heard a slight gasp and then a thud behind them. “Clear,” Morgan reported. Both men stood and turned looking down at a guy with a scalpel protruding from his neck. In his hand he still gripped his MP5 submachine gun.

“Damn Morgan, you have one hell of an aim. You can be on my team anytime,” Noah stated. “On that note, I think we have overstayed our welcome.” He bent down and pulled the MP5 free from the dead man’s grip. “He won’t be needing this anymore.” He patted him down finding a pistol and radio. “These could come in really handy,” he said.

“Let’s drag his body into the exam room. It will take them longer to find him in there,” Tristan said as he bent down to grab the man’s legs.

Noah smashed the outside light above the lab door, leaving the lab enveloped in darkness. He closed the door and followed the other two men into the next room. “Let’s exit via the back door, in case he has a friend outside,” Noah commented.

The three men left the building and headed back toward the helipad.

TWENTY-TWO

Mr. Braxton, I have some bad news,” Max started in as Braxton answered his cell.

“What?” Braxton snapped.

“Seems that Collin and Morgan broke out tonight, and to confuse matters they started the book store on fire.”

“Forget about the damn book store. Have you located them on their receivers?”

“I have one blip on the screen and I believe is that it’s Collin. I think Morgan disabled or removed his tracker, but my best guess is that they are together,” Max replied.

“Then why are you standing around talking to me, go and find them,” Braxton barked.

“That’s where it gets tricky. They took the small chopper that was on the tarmac.”

“What?” screamed Braxton.

“I am assuming that you want me to pursue them,” Max said ignoring the man’s tantrum.

“Yes,” Braxton responded tersely. “For chrissakes contain the situation Max. I would prefer that you take them alive, but if not, dead is better than loose. Take Victory with you. I’ll call you later with a meeting place.”

“Yes sir. Should I still dispose of Grant?”

“Get rid of him any way you see fit. I don’t want him leaving that island.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Max said.

“I’m relying on that.” Without another word from Braxton the connection was cut.

Max took two of his men and headed off towards Victory’s suite. He was sure that he would also find Tristan there. He knocked on her door; when he got no answer he knocked harder. “Ms. Winters it’s Max, I need to speak with you.” Still no answer. He turned to one of his men and stuck out his hand. The man handed Max the master key card. Max opened the door to Victory’s room.

“Victory? It’s Max, sorry to intrude but you are needed at the lab.” He listened. Not hearing any response, he walked through the living area and opened the bedroom door. There were clothes scattered all over the floor and bed. All the drawers were pulled open, and no other personal items were left anywhere. Studying the room again, his glare stopped at the wide open window. “Shit,” he sputtered.

He turned around and ran out to the main room and out the entrance door, going across the path and up to Tristan’s room where he repeated the process with the key card. Neither Victory nor Tristan where there either. “Damn it,” he spun around facing the man behind him. “Organize a search party; we need to locate Victory and Tristan as soon as possible. I want all five of you to each take a small group of employees, spread out and cover this compound. Then he noticed there were only four of his men present. “Where’s Ed?” he asked the group.

One of his men spoke up. “Ed contacted me a while ago. He thought he saw someone enter the lab.”

“And you’ve waited till now to bring this to my attention, you idiot? If I didn’t need each and every one of you, I’d shoot you myself.” Max pulled his walkie talkie from his belt and bellowed into it. “Ed! Come in.” No response came back, only the crackle of static. “Ed!”

“Should I go to the lab and see if he is still there?” the same man asked.

“No,” Max barked at him. “I’ll do it myself. All of you go and search the compound as I said, and stay in touch. Check in with me every five minutes, sooner if you find anything. Fucking find them or I’ll disappear you!”

Scattering the group dispersed. Max headed for the lab, having a feeling he wasn’t going to like what he found there.

As Max approached the lab he noticed that the outside entrance light was out. As he got closer he realized it was smashed, glass littering the ground in front of the building. He pulled his pistol from its holster and tried the knob, it was unlocked, another bad sign. Standing to one side of the door he cracked it open and slid his body inside pinning himself to the wall, pistol held at the ready.

He waited briefly for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Not seeing any movement he lowered his gun and flipped on the switches, lighting the entire lab. No one was inside and it didn’t look like anything was disturbed, but then he noticed Victory’s computer was gone. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something else wasn’t quite right. His gaze dropped to the floor in front of the door where he saw a few large drops of something dark. As he pushed the lab door farther open the drops turned into a small dark pool of blood. Drag marks led from the pool through the lab and into the exam room. He walked across the lab to the exam room and switched on that light. At first glance nothing looked disturbed except for the streak of blood. Dropping his gaze to the floor and found Ed, under the table, scalpel sticking out of his neck. “Shit.”

An hour later after combing the compound and having no luck locating Victory or Tristan, Max made a decision. He rounded up his men and headed toward the helo pad.

Tristan, Noah, and Morgan met up with Logan a few yards off the helo pad. “Update,” Tristan said.