Out Of The Night (8 page)

His phone rang and he snatched up the receiver and barked a hello. The director was on the other end
, and Brad instantly toned down his voice. “Sorry, Director, I was distracted. Miss Waters just told me you won’t be available for our meeting today.”

“That’s correct. We’ll try to fit it in tomorrow, but I’m too busy today.”

He didn’t like to be blown off so easily, but he carefully kept the frustration out of his voice. Little did they know, he’d been put in this position for a reason. And it appeared he did his job very well. “I understand, sir. It’s just that Congressmen Parker wanted me to go over a few things with you.”

The long pause tightened Brad’s shoulders. Had he spoken too soon? He had to be careful not to do anything stupid that could potentially spoil their well-laid plans with his own damn ego.

“I’ll speak with Parker privately, Hall. Thank you.”

The director disconnected
, and Brad recognized he’d just cut himself out of the most important meeting of his career.

He hung up the phone only to immediately place another call.

“Is Congressman Parker in? This is Brad Hall with the CIA.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Proletarsky

Rattled, the first thing Tony thought of was getting Abby to safety. He took her hand and headed toward the back of the house. The Russian police were probably at the door and if that were true, they could be trapped. With no back exit and only him and Mac, their chances were slim.

He shoved her between the small refrigerator and the outside wall. “Stay down and cover your head.”

She looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. “Is it the police?”

“I don’t know, but you stay hidden.” He took a gun out of the back of his waistband and handed it to her. “Anyone besides me or Mac comes near you, shoot.”

She nodded and Tony went to the living room where Mac stood near the door. He glanced at Tony then peered outside. “Two men dressed in suits. It might be the SVR. No uniforms.”

“How could they have caught up with us so fast?” After a moment
, Tony retrieved a gun from Mac’s bag then motioned for him to open the door.

Mac said good morning in Russian. The two men wore frowns and a look of authority.

The reed thin officer pointed to the concrete pad. “Do you know anything about that police car parked over there?”

Mac looked out then shook his head.

They turned to Tony. “Have you seen it before?”

“Nyet.”

“I need to see your identification.”

They both presented internal passports
, and the officers appeared satisfied with what they saw. “You haven’t seen anyone around the area looking suspicious?”

Tony shook his head.

After the authorities left, Mac and Tony flew into action, gathering everything they’d carried into the room.

Tony stopped and looked at Mac. “Do you think they believed us?”

“Russians are suspicious by nature. I don’t think they trust their own families. Let’s play it safe and get you and Abby out of here.”

***

Abby leaned against the kitchen doorframe. “So, I’m to assume you two have decided I’m going to Egypt with Tony?”

They both stopped and looked at her. Tony stepped closer and took her hand. “I won’t sugarcoat this for you. I don’t know what waits for us there. I don’t know exactly what I’m looking for
, so I may not find it. What I’m sure of is I need you.”

Well, since he put it like that, what could a gal do but say yes? “Okay, but the minute it gets scary, I pull out.”

Mac walked over and put his arm around her in a brotherly fashion and chuckled. “You mean to tell me it hasn’t been scary yet?”

“It has been, but I know Tony isn’t a hundred percent yet
, and I don’t want anything to happen to him.”

Tony pressed his hand to his chest. “I’m touched, Abby. Honest.”

She snorted. Sarcasm laced his little speech, and she didn’t like being played.

But regardless of how she felt about Tony and their past relationship, the guy needed someone he could trust. And she’d die before she let anything hurt him if she could help it.

“We’re ready, Abby.” Mac handed her an envelope with their necessary papers. “You keep the phone on you at all times. That’s the only way we can track you since they removed Tony’s tracker.”

“Okay. But once we get to Cairo, where do we go from there?”

Tony stepped next to her. “I’m hoping once I get there, I’ll remember enough to at least put us on the trail of Mitchell. If I can find him, that’s half the solution.”

They left the apartment and Mac
got in one car, while she and Tony went to another. Just as she closed the car door, a tap sounded against her window. She looked up and a man stood with a gun pointed at her head.

Washington, DC

Anita Mitchell came down the stairs and stepped into her kitchen to brew her morning coffee. With both her sons off to college, she had the Tudor-styled house to herself.

Today, being alone made her discomfort more tolerable. Her mind unwillingly flashed back to last night and her time with Brad Hall. Embarrassment singed her face. God forgive her, she’d betrayed her marriage vows after twenty-five years.

The scent of
freshly ground beans filled the bright kitchen as she turned on the coffee maker. She leaned against the counter, her robe wrapped around her tightly like a cocoon.

Last night she’d done things with Brad she’d never imagined doing in bed with her husband. Memories flooded her mind of when she and Joe had met in high school, married their last year of college, and had two boys. They appeared
to be the all American family, but their lives hadn’t been so picture perfect.

Right out of college
, Joe signed on with the CIA. At first Anita loved the prestige and benefits that came with her husband’s job. She had even been invited to lunch with presidents’ wives. She and several other CIA widows, as they called themselves, liked the idea that their husbands made a difference.

Joe spent months at a time in the field. She didn’t know what his job entailed or where they sent him, only grateful for the times when he came home and they could be a family.

With the coffee brewed, Anita poured a cup and walked to the large bay window and looked out at a beautiful day in the center of Georgetown. But inside, she didn’t feel so pretty. She’d betrayed her husband.

Something she’d never considered
doing.

Her phone rang, and she assumed one of the kids
was calling. She answered, only to hear Brad’s voice on the other end. Even in the empty house, she kept her voice secretive. “What do you want, Brad?”

“Just to check on you. Are you all right?” He sounded curious and deflated. Obviously, she hadn’t given him the greeting he’d hoped
for.

Did he think she’d be anxious for
a second round? She would never allow that to happen again. “I’m fine, Brad. No need for you to check on me.”

The silence made her want to disconnect the call. Finally
, he said, “I hoped you’d be up for lunch today.”

The nerve
.

“No, I’m not up for lunch and don’t call me again.”

Shaking, Anita pressed the End button and slid her phone into a drawer. Even looking at it made her cringe with guilt.

If Joe ever found out
…if her children knew. She had so much to lose.

Damascus

When Hana came to retrieve his plate and the lantern, Joe took a chance and spoke to her in Farsi. “My name is Joe Mitchell. I am an American
, and I haven’t done anything wrong, Hana.”

She paused as she reached for the dish. Instantly, she turned to look behind her. The man who accompanied her never came in and tonight was no exception. Joe knew he stood outside smoking because the smell of a burning cigarette filled the night air.

“I cannot talk to you.”

“I have a family too
,” Joe said. “Two sons and my wife love me very much.”

“Shh,” she hissed with a finger to her mouth. “I am not a part of this. If I had my way
, you would be gone.”

“I want to be gone, Hana. Will you help me?”

“Hana,” the man outside called. “Hurry up.”

Joe watched as she stood, and his only hope walked out the door. If
el Jibar ever got his hands on him, there would be nothing left. No one would be safe and he’d be dead, probably decapitated while the whole world watched. Joe didn’t want his family to see him die. Not like that.

He stood and paced. Only Hana could aid his escape. Of course, Joe was no fool. If she did help him, her life would be in more danger than his. She would bring insult and shame to her family. In this region of the world, that held dire consequences for a woman.

Joe had a lot to lose. And so did Hana.

For days he’d accepted his fate and waited to see where all this would lead. Once el Jibar’s name came into the picture, things
had changed.

He had to get out of here no matter what. He studied the chains on his wrists. They weren’t heavy, nor were they strongly secured to the wall. He sat down, grabbed the chain on his left hand and pulled with all his strength.

It didn’t budge. That fed the notion that if it were easy, he’d be gone by now. Still, he had to find a way. Bracing his feet against the crumbling wall, Joe pulled using all the strength in his leg muscles.

Feeling
around, he discovered he’d not made much progress, but he could feel tiny bits of mortar between his fingers. That encouraged him and before he knew it, sweat dampened his shirt and his legs grew tired.

He would rest for a while
; then begin again.

Proletarsky

Tony looked at the Russian
across the top of the car as the man’s partner came up behind Tony and jabbed a pistol in his ribs.

“What do you want?” Tony asked. “We have done nothing.”

Abby stepped out of the car with her hands in the air.

“The neigh
bor said you two drove up in that police car.” He gestured with his gun toward the car on the other side of the street.

“That’s not true.” He pointed to the red car Mac had left for them to use. “This is our
s.”

Tony looked beyond the man holding the gun on Abby to Mac who stood with his back to him. Maybe he had something up his sleeve to get them out of here because it was beginning to get real dicey.

“We are waiting for the commander. Then we will take you to the station and learn the truth.”

Mac turned and fired two shots. Both Russians fell to the ground. “Get out of here. I have this covered.”

Tony and Abby jumped into their car and pulled away from the curb headed toward St. Petersburg.

“What was that all about?” Abby asked. “I thought with Mac we’d be safe.”

“We’re not down at the police station, are we?”

“Christ, you guys are dangerous.”

“I’d like to say that’s just the way we roll. But I’m not exactly sure how we do things.”

“Makes you wonder how you can be involved with a company that does all this stuff, huh?”

Tony looked at her. “I guess that’s true. I so badly just want to be a normal person. But I’m not. I know because when that man had a gun pointed at you, I wasn’t afraid.” His gaze cruised ahead. “I knew inside me there was a way to get out of the situation. I don’t think normal people feel like that.”

“No they don’t. Falcon Securities agents don’t fear much of anything. You work exclusively for the president and the Department of Defense. Your boss has unprecedented access to whatever he needs to pull off any job.”

“Mac filled me in on some of that.”

“Did it help your memory?”

He shrugged. “I think so. I remembered a lot more about Mac and A.J. when I woke up this morning. I also remember Frank. The rest is still a little fuzzy.”

“You’re making great progress.”

“About that.” He rubbed his freshly shaved chin and smiled. “Since we were once an item, I think we should have sex and see if it helps my memory.”

Abby punched him in the head.

“Ouch. That hurt.” He rubbed the spot she’d just smacked.

“Good, I meant it to. I’m not having sex with you as an experiment just so you can regain your memory. And we don’t even know if that would work.
” She turned away. “Pervert.”

Well, that didn’t go
as well as he’d have liked. “It was just a suggestion.”

“And a sneaky way to try to get in
to my pants. I have to say, I’m disappointed in you, Archuletta. You used to have a lot more charm and class than that.”

“Really?”
He smiled.

“Oh, shut up. I refuse to stroke your ego, you moron.”

The sun shone bright and warm as they made their way toward St. Petersburg. The traffic was light, with only a few other cars on the road. Then he remembered it was a weekday and most people were already at work.

At a sign saying St. Petersburg two hundred kilometers, Tony smiled as they approached their destination. Pulkovo Airport set right off the highway they traveled and
was situated on the outskirts of town.

They’d be there in plenty of time to catch their plane
, and they’d be in Cairo five hours later.

As Tony rounded a corner, a car came up from behind them and slammed into the rear of their vehicle, jostling them around the interior. Tony nearly lost control.

From his rear view mirror, he couldn’t tell who chased them. Several shots were fired and the back window shattered. Tony handed Abby a gun. “Here, shoot back.”

Horror masked her face. “What, you want me to use this?”

“Yes.” Another bullet slammed into the dash. “Now.”

Abby turned around, kneeled on the seat and fired off five rounds.