Invasion of Justice (Shadows of Justice) (23 page)

More laughter.
"Can't wait. Just as soon as we get Kristoff and his private army under control, I'll buy the bottle. Now about that info you salvaged from 12-A," the Commandant said, returning to business.

"It seemed I was the target. All the most recent searches were of operations involving me. I believe they were learning my habits and patterns."

"Good thing you don't have any."

Gideon agreed. "So how and why access me?"

"Petra Neiman," the Commandant said thoughtfully.

"Exactly.
You saw what they did and when they attacked. They had more information than I did."

"And no-doubt-dead weapons, which means they were likely
Kristoff's men."

"They were juiced up more than I'd ever seen."

"Glazed eyes?"

He nodded. "On complete auto-pilot search and destroy."

"He must be stopped, Callahan. These new reports are frightening."

A defining statement considering all the action the Commandant had seen through the years. "Do we have any of his team in custody yet?"

"No. They've all disappeared."

Gideon thought about the implications of
Kristoff always being a step ahead. Only one answer made sense, yet it went against everything Gideon knew and held dear. There was no other explanation. Brian had sent Lorine's report directly to the Commandant. Gideon had been under the Commandant's command his entire special ops career. This assignment in particular had been completely black–no one knew he was even on duty and he himself hadn't known Petra's full connections.

Gideon put distance between himself and his commander by offering a beer from the hotel mini bar.

That the Commandant accepted shouldn't have been a shock at this point. He popped open two bottles and held one out to the Commandant. "Toast?" he asked.

"Go ahead." The Commandant smiled.

"To those who've been compromised," Gideon raised his bottle and then took a long drink. Surprise was on his side along with the very remote possibility of ignorance.

The Commandant sputtered, snorting beer, and Gideon lunged at him, striking him carefully in order to knock him out with the least amount of pain and injury.

If he didn't get court-martialed for this, he might just get a medal. Assuming of course, that the Commandant was an unwilling party to Kristoff's scheme.

Gideon secured his unconscious boss with both electronic cuffs and old-school plastic ties. Then he phoned Brian to ask for transportation and a safe, private location to depose his commander.

While he waited he loaded his personal, fully lethal .357 semi-automatic pistol. Then he used his scanner to check for any transmission frequencies. Finding one imbedded behind the bar code in the Commandant's badge and another surgically implanted in the man's lower jaw, he applied an electron burst, disabling both. Removing them, he recorded the details of each one.

Making a mental note to review the Commandant's medical file at the earliest opportunity, Gideon answered the door to Officer Loomis.

The burly man grunted a greeting, took stock of the situation then popped open a standard issue, collapsible gurney from the evidence van. After getting the Commandant on board, Gideon donned an official evidence crew jacket to complete the façade.

When the loaded gurney was secured in the van, Gideon ran back up to the suite to collect his remaining gear before joining Loomis in the van's front seat.

Loomis headed away from the Ritz, deeper into the center of the city. He pulled into an alley and stopped next to a ragged looking antique shop. Opening the back doors, Loomis and Gideon unloaded the Commandant.

If the locals thought this strange behavior for a police evidence van, they weren't hanging around long enough to be seen or to ask questions. Loomis pressed his palm to a panel by the only door on the alley. It swung open and they pushed the Commandant inside,
then stared at a narrow, steep staircase.

"Great," Gideon grumbled.

"Chief says just one flight up," Loomis said, but he didn't sound any more pleased about it than Gideon. Wrestling the gurney up, around the tight landing, and up again to the second floor winded them both.

"Next time you incapacitate someone, how 'bout a skinny someone."

"Sure thing," Gideon said on a breathless laugh. When they were inside, the door clicked shut behind them. "Where are we?"

"Cleveland's place."

"Jaden's friend?"

"The same.
He's a little shady but the Chief and Michaels trust him." He gave a hefty shrug. "Chief says it's a clean room so make yourself at home."

"Got it."

"I'll get your gear." Loomis slid the Commandant's body onto a couch, then folded the gurney and left without another word.

Gideon pulled the reviving syringe from his boot pocket and injected the Commandant before looking around the place. A modest kitchen had all the necessities, including a few staples like coffee. He hoped it was
Micky's brand because the Commandant would need it.

The Commandant was coming around, eyes fluttering and mouth mumbling. Once more Gideon prayed his boss didn't know he'd been used. If the Commandant was willfully on
Kristoff's side, this would get messy. Fast.

Gideon left him tied as he went to collect his remaining gear from Loomis. After dismissing the elder detective, he set up his computer and opened his research file. He put his report into coherent order while his boss slowly woke up. The Commandant always appreciated order.

"Where the hell am I?"

"Cleveland." It seemed as sufficient an answer as anything else he could provide. "Relax. You're safe here."

"My head's killing me. What happened?"

Gideon didn't turn from the computer. "I knocked you out."

"Why?" The calm and quiet superiority should've scared Gideon.

"In my opinion it was necessary. To protect you, the mission, and the unnamed agency you run."

"Really?"

Now Gideon turned.
"Really. Here are holographs of the two tracking devices I removed from your person."

"What," the Commandant roared, surging against his bindings. He quieted immediately.
"The damn room's spinning. Explain yourself, Callahan."

If it was an act, it was convincing. The Commandant wasn't known for uncontrolled outbursts. Gideon rubbed at his neck and shared his theory.

Brian returned from his quick meet with Cleveland to watch Jaden sleeping in the guest room they continued to share at Micky's place. The room was no longer bugged and it boasted every amenity so it fit their needs for the moment. Although if it became general knowledge that the chief of police was boarding at Slick Micky's place, he'd quickly be out of a job.

For now though, he was more concerned with the love of his life–several lives if the truth were known or accepted. She slept, but he wasn't convinced it was in her best interest.

"Brian," she cried, struggling her way out of the bed. "Lorine's in trouble."

"Calm down," he soothed. "Slow down. What are you talking about?"

"Get someone tailing Lorine. ASAP."

"I wish I could, but I don't know where she is. She insisted on taking care of herself."

"She's up against the monster that gutted the chef at the Ritz." Jaden tried to breathe to slow down and give Brian the details in the order he needed. "Petra is sleeping. On the el, I think. Doesn't matter. She's trying to tell you where the killer is so you and Kincaid can pick him up."

Brian immediately summoned the station on his cell card. "Where did you–she–last see them?"

"In a pizza joint near the University."

"That hardly narrows it down, Jaden."

She closed her eyes tight, her brow creased. "South Miller. That's the best I can do."

He stroked her hair and relayed the information.

"He's only watching right now, but he'll strike soon," she added in a whisper. "He's Kristoff's man and Larry's assassin."

Brian left orders to keep him informed,
then ended the call. "That still doesn't add up. Why would Kristoff have Larry killed?"

Jaden sighed. "Larry was my ally against Albertson's machinations. Larry must've been a barter or negotiation of some kind. Petra knows the whole story from the killer's point of view. Ask her."

"Sure thing, if we can find her."

"When we find her.
Are Cleveland and the kids checking the el?"

"Everyone's on it, following your orders to the letter, dear," he teased.

She shoved at him, but he gathered her close and gave comfort instead. "I hate it when you're nice," she groused.

"Nah.
It makes you love me all the more."

She tipped her head up and kissed him soundly, and let him brush a tear from her cheek. "I just keep going softer," she lamented, snuggling closer still.

"You've found your sister. She's an empath. Blame your emotions on her."

"I like it." Jaden perked up. "Better yet, I'll just dump them on her. You know, I really like her, Brian."

"I know."

"We can't let
Kristoff lure her away."

"She's stronger than that."

"I don't know. I get the feeling she's a mess inside."

"You figured it out and handled it. This is her struggle to master. You can't doubt her, she's your sister.
Gotta keep up the family spirit and all that."

"I don't doubt. Not really," Jaden insisted. "I just wonder what's out there. Why she's found me in this time and place. It must mean something."

"I agree." The possibilities terrified him. "When we find her, we'll all figure it out together."

"Okay." She sighed, sinking into his embrace. "Okay."

"It's her! Cleveland, over here!"

The voice brought Petra awake and wondering who had put her on a train to Cleveland. She opened her eyes to the bright blue gaze of youth. "Hello?"

"Hi," came the soft reply of a young girl. "I'm Katie. You're Petra, right?"

She nodded, watching a man and a younger boy rush up behind the girl. "How did you find me?"

"We've been combing the trains for you," the man responded with a smile full of kindness.

She couldn't sense the slightest connection to
Kristoff here and her relief was palpable. Until she considered that maybe Kristoff had found her, but not made his move yet. That being a likely scenario, she needed to get these children out of danger.

"I'm Cleveland." He extended his hand to help her.

Relaxing, Petra sat up without his assistance. "Nothing personal. Just–"

"Oh, yeah.
Jaden told us not to touch you," Katie said.

The boy
interrupted, cell card in hand and earpiece in place. "We're supposed to call as soon as we find you." He relayed the information and listened a moment.

Petra's gaze went over all three of them. Cleveland appeared humored by the efficiency of the kids. "Quite a crew," she said.

Cleveland nodded, looping an arm around each of them. Petra found it interesting that they didn't shove him off.

The boy spoke up again as he removed the earpiece. "I'm Quinn. Jaden says to take you to the Navy Pier."

She frowned, doubting the wisdom of that. "Why?"

"Lots of people, lots of noise," Cleveland offered. "It's a good idea, really. We'll change trains at the next stop."

Petra didn't see how a crowded pier would help anything, but she needed Jaden so she settled in for the ride, using the time to figure out the best way to stop Kristoff.