The Perfect Clone (24 page)

Once they were all gathered on the upper floor, Luke pointed in the direction of the front door and mouthed the word “Frank”. The team nodded.

Cara pointed at the men and then pointed at the railing. The team of five spread out evenly among the top floor. This wasn’t going to be the clean cut ‘in and out’ she’d wanted, but they had a man inside and she wasn’t going to leave him.

With unmatched stealth, the team jumped and landed in unison. They caught the men off guard, leaving them to scramble for their weapons.

Cara landed in front of Frank and walked backward to him as she fired off several rounds. Frank’s hands were tied in front of him so he was able to reach the knife at Cara’s back. He started working against the duct tape that bound him. Setting his hands free, Frank sliced the tape around his ankles and wasted no time in palming the extra gun Cara had holstered. The gunfight continued as the two veered off in opposite directions. 

There was nowhere for the rebels to run. They had trapped the doors with C4. Cara covered the front door, Luke the back. They couldn’t afford to let one of these idiots trigger the explosives. After a few minutes, the gun fire ceased. Cara eased out from behind the forklift she’d used as cover.

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

With all men accounted for Cara asked, “Anyone save me a talker?”

Frank, who looked like he’d had his face stuck in a meat grinder from all the beating he’d taken, pushed a burly man into the fray. “I saved you one. His buddies called him Jack.”

“Well hello Jack.” Keeping a healthy distance, Cara sashayed around the man. “I’d like to get to know you better, but I’m on a tight schedule. Frank.”

On command, Frank hammered the butt of the gun he’d pulled off Cara into the back of the guy’s head, knocking him out cold.

“We won’t have much time. Grab disks, laptops, computer towers, whatever you think these guys were using. We need to find out who’s running this operation. Ethan, call Ben and tell him we need a cleanup crew A.S.A.P. It seems we’ve made a mess. Tank, are you familiar with this wiring job?”

Tank looked over the explosives wired to the back door and shook his head. “Home bombs 101, I’m on it.”

Cara and Luke searched the bodies for anything usable while Ethan and Jessie looked for digital equipment.

“Back door is clear.” Tank threw the door open and then strode across the building to start work on the front door. When he was finished with the front door he made his way over to Frank. Their palms connected right before Tank pulled his buddy into a man hug. They released their grips when the company van arrived and started backing up to the rear door.

Ben crawled out from behind the wheel and opened the cargo doors as the cleanup crew went to work. “Dang Cara, do you ever play nice?” Ben asked.

The five original team members, plus one very relieved Frank, looked around at the carnage. Cara’s reply was sincere. “I thought this was nice.”

Chapter 21

Dr. Hamstein left his third message of the day and slammed the receiver down. He would not be ignored, especially by someone he considered less important. If Ms. Greggario thought for one minute that she could just wave him off, she was sadly mistaken. There were things that needed to be discussed. His assessment of her considerable lack of concern for his professional needs did not bode well. No one dared, not to return his calls in a timely manner, and he’d been calling her since early morning. It was now well after dark.

As things stood, he didn’t have enough patients to keep him occupied, so he had plenty of time to dwell on the upcoming procedure that he’d be performing on Ms. Mariam. With time on his hands, his mind wondered. He could picture Ms. Greggario sitting at the nail salon pampering her beauty needs and shrugging him off, while he struggled with the actual details of the project. This latest image pushed him over the edge.

His assistant was gone for the night. He glanced at the clock. It was almost eight so he locked up and stormed down the hall toward Laura’s apartment. He was determined to get his point across. Not returning his phone calls was bad practice and he wasn’t the least bit happy about it.

He banged on her door and waited. No answer. Maybe she was in the shower. He banged again, still, no answer. Maybe she was flat out ignoring him. He banged against her door as loud as his fist allowed. This was ridiculous. Igor’s temper was red hot. Mr. Avery exited the room next door and stepped into the hall. “Is there a problem doctor?”

“Ms. Greggario seems to think that avoiding me is acceptable behavior. I have questions and I need answers!”

“Have you left a message? I’m sure she’ll contact you at her earliest convenience.”

Igor held up three fingers to stress his irritation. “Three! I’ve left three messages and she still hasn’t returned my calls. I’m sure you’ll agree with me when I say that this project takes priority over any personal needs that she might have. There is a lot to be done between now and the time of the surgery.”

“Interesting, Dr. Hamstein, did you try calling the lab?” Laura’s voice rippled with aggravation as she made her way toward her room.

Igor pivoted in her direction. “Assuming that you are an eight to five worker Ms. Greggario, I left my first message on your room phone at seven this morning and my last just moments ago. You have yet to get back to me.”

Laura stood a foot from the doctor. “Don’t pretend to understand my work ethics doctor. Unlike some other eight to fivers, I’m fully devoted to my work. I’ve been in the lab since four this morning and haven’t left until just now. If your intentions are to actually talk with me, then I’d recommend you try contacting me there. Now, what is it that’s so important, that you couldn’t call me at the lab? Instead you act under false pretenses by leaving messages on my apartment phone and felt the desire to beat the mystery of my location out of my door?”

With a simple observation of Igor’s stance, it was evident that he was taken aback by Laura’s fearlessness. “Forgive me Ms. Greggario, I assumed—”

Laura was not in the mood. Coming to her apartment after spending fourteen hours in the lab, only to find this waiting for her was not her idea of a fun time. “You assumed that since I’m a female and I don’t jump to attention at your every whim, that I don’t take your work seriously. Is that right doctor?” That was a rhetorical question so she didn’t pause long enough to allow him time to answer. “That’s an interesting concept considering that I take your work very seriously since Mr. Avery personally selected you for this project. I’m certain, after everything I’ve seen, that he’s not given to doing things without just cause.” Laura looked at Richard who was observing the conversation from the side lines. “Do you Mr. Avery?”

The no nonsense expression on Richard’s face, brought Igor’s embarrassment level up another octave. “No Ms. Greggario, I do not.”

Looking back at Dr. Hamstein, Laura finished, “I would suggest that if you have future issues regarding my timely replies to your inquiries, that you find someone who will make an honest effort to contact me. Otherwise you can locate me at the lab yourself. Now, what is it that you needed?”

Igor unconsciously took a step back. He’d never come across a professional woman with bigger brass than his own. He croaked out his reply. “I…excuse me…I wanted to know how your work was coming along and if you had a time line for me?”

Being the lady that she was, Laura answered with as much decorum as she could muster. “Thank you, doctor. My work is coming along very well. I could give you an estimated time line, but will not, since it was already discussed during our meeting and nothing has changed since that time. Is there anything else?”

Dr. Hamstein had to admit to himself that he’d blown the situation out of proportion. “I apologize for my behavior. Ms. Greggario.”

Richard and Laura replied simultaneously, “Goodnight Dr. Hamstein.”

Once the man had entered the elevator and the doors closed behind him, Richard pulled Laura into his room and pressed her against the wall. “Have I told you how much you turn me on?”

Laura loved the way he made her feel. “Yes, but tell me again.”

“I’d rather show you.” Richard lifted the shirt over her head and tossed it across the room.

***********

Cara made her way back to the sedan and drove it to the warehouse. No need to leave it on the street any longer than necessary.

Jessie and Luke pulled a hood over the girl’s head and removed her from the trunk. The bodies she’d spent the night with were transferred into the van.

Ben called for a second van as Ethan and Tank took him around and pointed out the bodies staggered around the woods. With the last body finally loaded up, the cleanup crew pulled away from the property right before dawn, carrying the deceased to their final Earthly resting places and Frank back to the compound to see the physician.

With everything but the skylight put back in place, the men tossed a bound, gagged, and hooded Jack into the trunk. The female was nestled in the back seat between Tank and Luke, with her head pressed down between her knees. The wheels of the sedan hit the pavement as Cara set the cruise control and navigated the back streets on their way to one of their safe houses. They never took prisoners into the Community. It was considered too big of a risk.

The brick style ranch house sat on one hundred and forty acres with the seventy acres that surrounded the house closed in by high voltage electric fencing. The outer acreage was decorated with white metal fencing that also housed electrical currents. The woods that ran the width and length of the property along the back and sides provided additional privacy.

When they reached the outer metal gate, Cara entered a code and drove through. As they approached the garage door, Jessie jumped out and entered numbers on the keypad. The gate rumbled to life offering the car full access to its interior. Once parked, Jessie hit the release button and the door rattled back down to its resting place. Jessie punched the security code, locking the garage door from the inside.

The sound of car latches popping open vibrated in the space around them.

“I was thinking—” The others didn’t give Ethan time to finish before they started ribbing him.

“Does it hurt you when you do that?” Jessie couldn’t help himself.

“They pay you not to think,” Luke cracked out.

“Come on guys, really. Don’t you think the place could use some live plants or something? You know, to make it livelier.”

Tank pulled Jack out of the back seat. “Shut the hell up with your Martha Stewart ass.”

Ethan helped Cara pull the female from the trunk. “It wouldn’t hurt. That’s all I’m saying.”

Jessie entered another code at the back entrance and the group filed their way inside. Light switches were flipped on as the team made their way around.

Cara deposited the girl on the couch. Tank held onto big Jack as Ethan grabbed a heavy wing back chair and turned the back of it facing the girl. Tank pushed the man down into it. They didn’t want their prisoners having any forms of communication.

“Could we at least get some plastic plants? You know, maybe some ivy.” Ethan liked being outdoors and felt claustrophobic when confined. The only remedy for that were plants and trees. His room back at the community was packed with them. He spent his time away from work, hanging out in the community greenhouse and garden.

“Damn boy, if it means that much to you, I’ll get you some plastic plants for your birthday and you can decorate to your heart’s content.” Jessie knew about Ethan’s phobia but didn’t know if the others did.

“Thanks. See guys. Jessie’s a real friend.” Ethan headed to the bathroom. It’d been a long night.

“I hear ya.” Cara had to get her two cents in on the teasing.

Luke pulled bottled waters out of the fridge and tossed them out to the crew.

Cara removed the girl’s hood and ripped the duct tape off her mouth. “I’m putting this water up to your lips. If you spit it out or spit it on me, you won’t get a second offer.” The girl guzzled it down. When she was finished Cara asked, “You need the bathroom?”

The water had done little to quench the scorch at the back of the girl’s throat. “Yes.”

Cara yanked her up and guided her down the hall to the second bathroom. “The male prisoner will require the same,” Cara hollered out before closing the latrine door.

The guys looked around at one another.

“Don’t look at me.” Tank wasn’t about to assist the burley guy to the toilet.

Luke took the lead. “I’ll take him once Ethan gets out, but that means someone else is on lunch and dish duty.”

As the duties were being divvied up, Cara strolled back into the living room and pushed her hostage back to the couch. “After the big guy gets his potty break, I want him harnessed to the pole in the green room so we can visit with our princess.”

Luke took Jack under the arm and hoisted him out of the chair. “Let’s go big guy.” Jack didn’t put up a fight.

Once the bathroom business was finished and Jack had been harnessed to the pole, Luke joined his crew in the den. The girl had been moved to sit on a chair. The crew had positioned their chairs around her. He hoped this went well. He’d have a hard time ever admitting it to the team, but he hated interrogating female hostages. It turned his stomach.

Cara started by moving a chair over and sat directly in front of the female captive. Opening up the girls makeshift wallet that they’d found on her person, Cara pulled out the girl’s ID. “Vicky, it says here that you’re only twenty-three. Kind of young to be in your line of work don’t you think?”