Chain reaction, p.20
Chain Reaction, page 20
part #2 of Liar's Game Series
“I’ve seen that car. In the parking lot of the motel. But I was more concerned about the Mercedes parked near our rooms. It seemed out of place. I should have checked out the Pontiac.”
“You think Davies is behind us?”
“Yeah,” Nick said, cursing himself for his mistake. As if to support the fact, the car behind them sped up, its headlights looming through the rain.
“So what do we do?”
“Try and outrun him,” Nick said, pushing the gas pedal to the floor. The little car lurched as the engine engaged, then shot forward. “Get the gun.”
Mia opened the glove compartment and pulled out the Sig-Sauer. “Do you want me to shoot?”
“Only if he pulls within range. No sense in wasting bullets.”
She nodded and cracked the window, the wind cold as it whistled through the opening. The road curved to the left, a sharp incline accompanied by yellow arrowed signs pointing the way. He yanked the wheel, the Toyota screeching in protest. The Pontiac was closing fast, the old shell hiding what appeared to be a powerful engine.
A bullet slammed into the Toyota’s rear window.
“Shit,” Nick said.
Mia lowered the window all the way, rain whipping into the car. “I’m going to return fire.”
“This isn’t the rifle range, Mia. We’ve already established that those guys are shooting to kill.”
“So am I,” she said, moving to lean out the window, the report of the gun muffled by the wind. She dropped back into the seat just as the car behind them swerved, momentarily losing traction.
“Good shot,” Nick said, risking a sideways glance to be certain she was okay. Her face was ashen, but her shoulders were set with determination. Her grandfather would have been proud.
“Not good enough,” she said, popping back out the window. She got off another round, the Pontiac swerving again, this time returning fire. The bullets shot out the rear lights and splintered the rearview mirror just seconds after Mia slid back to safety.
“Don’t shoot again, it’s too dangerous.”
She nodded, turning to watch the Pontiac through the rear window. “I can almost read the license plate.”
Nick recognized the significance of her words and pushed the little Toyota to its limits, but the park road was climbing now, and the four-cylinder engine just wasn’t up to the task. “Next time we’re going for a Ferrari.”
“Works for me,” she said, still staring at the car behind them. “As long as there is a next time.”
“No problem. We’ve come through worse.” Unfortunately, they only had one gun, and in a moving car, it had questionable range. So he’d have to gain the upper hand some other way.
The Toyota puttered forward, surging a bit when the road flattened out. “If we can just make the other side of the incline we should be able to pick up some speed.”
“Only problem is that Davies will be able to do the same,” Nick said, shaking his head.
“Yeah, but we should still have the advantage. The Toyota may not have much power, but it’s got great maneuverability and its size and shape will make it more stable than the bigger car on the downhill side. He’ll have to slow a little if only to make certain he’s got traction.”
“Not bad for a country girl.” He shot her what he hoped was a confident smile and floored the little car. The peak of the hill was coming fast. He could see the signs identifying degree of incline as they streaked past.
Suddenly the Pontiac surged forward, bullets smashing into their rear bumper and trunk.
“Looks like they’ve realized we’ll be gaining an advantage,” Mia said, slipping back into her seat belt as a second volley of bullets slammed into the car. The Toyota lurched left and then skidded right.
“They got the back tires,” Nick said, fighting for control as the car shimmied into a full-fledged spin. “Hang on,” he yelled as they crashed through a guardrail over the edge of a cliff. For a moment they were suspended, and then the vehicle flipped on its side, crashing down the rocky incline. They rolled once more and slammed into the bottom of the ravine.
After all the noise, the silence was deafening, even the rain quieter here amid the thick copse of pine trees. “Mia?” Nick called. “You all right?” He struggled to push away the deflated air bag.
“I’m here,” she said, her voice weak as she emerged from behind her air bag. Blood spilled down her head, and his stomach lurched in response.
“You’re bleeding.”
She lifted her fingers to her head, seeming surprised to see the blood smeared across her hand. “It doesn’t hurt.” Her words came slowly, and he felt a moment’s panic as he reached over to check her pulse. “I’m fine. It’s just a cut,” she said, shaking him off, sounding more like herself. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
He nodded, automatically reaching down to free himself from his seat belt.
“Nick.” Mia’s voice had gone soft again, accompanied by a tremor of panic. “I think I’m stuck.”
The car was lodged on its side, the passenger door bowed inward. In addition, the front of the Toyota had been shoved forward in the impact, the glove compartment bent downward, trapping her knees. But it was the sparking wires and the smell of gasoline that worried him.
“Hang on, sweetheart,” he said, fighting against his own fear. “Let me see what I can do.”
“Get the sample first,” she said, shooting a glance over her shoulder at the cooler. It had tipped on its side, but, remarkably, had stayed closed. He hesitated, the smell of gas growing stronger. “Nick,” she urged, “we need the sample.”
All he cared about was Mia. But he knew she was right. Forcing himself to clear his emotions, he nodded and reached behind him, pushing off the lid of the cooler and securing the vial.
“What about Davies?” Mia asked, her gaze moving over his shoulder to the window.
“Hasn’t been time. We took the fast way down the hillside, remember? It’ll take them a lot longer.”
Her smile was weak, but he felt better seeing it. “Can you move your legs?”
She nodded. “I think if you can get the seat belt off, I can manage to wriggle out.”
“Okay,” he replied, reaching for the buckle. It was jammed, the metal bent. “I don’t think the buckle is going to release. We’ll have to try another way.” Twisting so that he had access to his pocket, he produced a Swiss army knife.
“Always prepared,” she said, the undernote of panic back. “That’s my kind of guy. But I think you better hurry.” She nodded to the orange glow of a fire backlighting a plume of smoke curling over the hood of the car.
He sawed at the seat belt, but the little knife wasn’t intended to cut reinforced nylon. Progress was slow, the smell of gasoline growing stronger by the second.
“Nick,” Mia said, her voice steeling. “You’ve got to get out now. There’s no point in both of us getting killed.”
“Sorry, I’m not letting you go noble on me now, princess. Remember we agreed that we’re in this together.” He gritted his teeth, sawing harder. No fucking way was he going to lose her.
“We weren’t talking about being blown up in a car. If I’d known that I might not have signed on.” Her attempt at humor touched him in a way nothing else could have, and he prayed for strength, more determined than ever to sever the damn seat belt.
“Almost there,” he whispered. “Just hang on.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said, cutting a sideways glance at the fire now openly lapping over the end of the hood. “It’s now or never, Nick.”
As if coaxed by her words, the knife cut through the last bit of the nylon. Scrambling up to brace himself against the center armrest, he grabbed her under the shoulders. “On three, you push, I’ll pull.”
She nodded, and he counted down. “One, two, three…”
He yanked her forward, her body sliding clear of the mangled door and glove box. Without taking the time to assess her injuries, he pushed the door open, twisting again to use his feet to push it upward. Then, holding it with his left arm, he climbed out, pulling her behind him.
They jumped to the ground, rolling clear of the wreckage into the trees just as the car exploded. Yellow flames shot up into the night sky, a wave of heat washing over them in the fire’s wake.
“You okay?” he asked, his hands moving over her body, searching for injury.
“I’m fine. But we’ve lost the gun. And the computer.”
“Considering that we almost lost a hell of a lot more than that, I think we’ll manage. But we’ve got to get out of here. The explosion might slow Davies down for a minute or so, but you can be sure he’ll want confirmation of our deaths.”
She nodded, pushing to her feet. He followed suit and, taking her hand, moved farther into the shelter of the forest. Behind them a second explosion rocked the night, this one followed by the smatter of gunfire.
“Looks like they’re here,” Mia said, reaching up to wipe blood from her eye.
“No. The sound’s wrong. It’s coming from somewhere higher up.”
“Maybe they’re just testing the waters,” she said, shielding her eyes to try and see beyond the burning Toyota. Shots sounded again, this time followed by an answering volley.
“Someone’s shooting at them.”
“How can you be sure?” She frowned up at him, her face white in the glare from the fire.
“Listen,” he said, holding his finger to his lips.
Shots rang out again, this time closer. After about a three-second delay the second gunman answered, the sound clearly different from the first. It was tempting to run, but they were in the middle of a national forest, and with the second shooter on the road, there was no way to double back. Better to wait and see how things played out.
“Keep low,” he whispered, pulling her down between a blue spruce and a clump of bushes.
A man stepped into the light of the still-burning fire, pointing an automatic rifle up the hill. He fired once and then moved toward the bushes where they were hiding, apparently intent on finding cover of his own.
Nick tensed in preparation to run, his hand closing over Mia’s. She nodded and they started to move, but just as they emerged from the bushes, another shot rang out, this one dropping the man by the car.
Silence filled the night, the smell of burning rubber permeating the air.
Nick signaled for Mia to wait. She shook her head but kept quiet, and he motioned her down again. Her eyes narrowed in disagreement, but she dropped back behind the bushes. Moving slowly, he edged around the car, working his way over to the downed man. He reached for a pulse, gratified to find none.
Grabbing the rifle, he inched forward, listening for the sound of the second gunman. It was tempting to think that the cavalry had come to the rescue, but it was far more likely that Davies had more than one team of hunters. Or Davies’s bosses did.
A rock rattled as it tumbled down the incline. Nick ducked down, training the rifle in the direction of the sound.
The fire behind him suddenly shot upward again, apparently finding a last bit of gasoline to consume. The momentary burst of light illuminated the man on the hill. Nick leveled the rifle, his finger pressing the trigger, then his mind telegraphed recognition.
“Jesus, Matt,” he growled, lowering the gun as his friend stepped into the clearing. “I almost blew you away.”
“Not exactly the warmest of welcomes for the guy who just saved your ass.”
“I had things under control.”
“Yeah,” Matt said, “and I’ve been sleeping with Angelina Jolie.”
“Lucky you.” Nick grinned.
“I told you he’d be all right,” Mia said, appearing at his elbow.
“And I told you to stay put,” he snapped, sounding more irritated than he’d meant to.
“I’m guessing you’re the lady of the hour,” Matt said with a laugh, holding out his hand. “Not exactly the most normal of situations, but I’m glad to finally meet you.”
Nick watched as they solemnly shook hands, the fire behind them reminding him that they weren’t out of danger yet. “We should get out of here. Someone’s bound to report the fire.”
“Shouldn’t we do something about him?” Mia asked, shuddering as she tipped her head toward the dead man.
“We could toss him into the fire,” Nick said, considering the options. “Make it look like he was driving the car. You recognize him?”
“No, probably just a flunky of Davies.” Matt shook his head. “But the guy up top is another matter altogether.”
“So spill it,” Nick said with a frown.
“You’re not going to like it.” Matt shrugged. “Casey Gall.”
“Son of a bitch. That puts a whole new light on your abilities.”
“Hang on a minute,” Mia said, holding up a hand. “Who the hell is Casey Gall?”
“A contract assassin. He works for the CIA more often than not, but truth is he’s not too picky about who he works for. Or who he takes out, for that matter.”
“Don’t think he gives a shit about much of anything anymore.” Matt tipped his head toward the top of the hill. “Not that I’m sorry about it.”
“But the fact that he was in the game at all ups the ante.” Nick ran a hand through his hair, eyeing the wreckage and the other man.
“I don’t understand,” Mia said, her brows drawing together in confusion.
“If Davies called in Gall,” Matt answered with a grimace, “then he’s pretty fucking serious about taking you and Nick out of the equation.”
* * *
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“WELL, YOUR TIMING WAS pretty fucking amazing,” Nick said, pulling up to sit on the kitchen counter.
They’d managed to rent a cabin on the northern edge of the park, about fifteen miles from Gardiner. Basically, hiding in plain sight. Nick and Matt had arranged the crash scene so that the incinerated remains of Gall and his partner would be found inside the car. It wouldn’t hold up under close scrutiny, of course, but it would buy them enough time to figure out their next move.
Mia was surprised at how calm she felt. After all, she’d almost died in a car crash, seen a man killed point-blank, been willing to kill another herself and helped Nick and Matt clean up the resulting mess. She should have been horrified, but the only thing she could think of was how glad she was that she and Nick were both alive.
“I was just following your trail of bread crumbs,” Matt said. He was sitting on a bar stool at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee. “Our system worked like a charm. Although keeping up with your vehicle changes wasn’t easy. You could have told me what you were driving.”
“What? And take away all the fun?” Nick grinned at his friend. “So why didn’t you just try to e-mail?”
“I couldn’t risk it.” Matt shook his head. “I was being monitored. The only way to be certain I was safe was to drop off the grid altogether.”
“You were wise. I tried to reach you on your secure phone, but someone else answered.”
“Any idea who?” Matt frowned.
“No. I hung up immediately. I couldn’t take a chance on them tracing the call.”
“Probably someone from S&C. Caught them poking around my house — that’s when I decided it was time to disappear. Left everything behind but my computer.”
“Was it Gall?” Mia asked, handing Nick a second cup of coffee.
“No. Just a lackey — not even a full operative. But I figured the big guns would follow. Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering how Gall found us. I mean, your system is supposed to be infallible, and as you said, we’ve switched cars and generally outmaneuvered Davies on all counts. So he shouldn’t have found us.”
“My guess is Lewis gave us away.” Nick took a sip of coffee and then set it on the counter. “I should have anticipated that he might.”
“Lewis?” Matt asked.
“A clerk at a Bozeman mail store. He helped us ID Kresky’s hidden company. But I should have known there was a possibility someone would think to monitor the place.” He shot a look at Mia. “I’ve been a little distracted. Anyway, at least for the moment, we’ve got some breathing room. So besides S&C sniffing at your garbage, what else has been happening at division?”
“There were a lot of closed-door meetings between Norton and Ricks. Some of which I got snippets of, but nothing concrete. Mainly they were talking about you.”
“And my supposed defection to the other side?”
Mia recognized a note of cynicism in Nick’s voice. Not that she blamed him. She was becoming pretty darn cynical herself. “The problem is,” she said, “there isn’t another side. Unless you count the victims.” She leaned back against the counter with a sigh, comforted when he reached out to cover her hand with his.
“So did you learn anything new?” Nick asked, turning his attention back to Matt.
“Nothing earth-shattering. Ricks is definitely orchestrating your takedown, but I got the feeling he was acting off of what he believed was solid information.”
“So you don’t think he’s involved in this?”
Mia sipped her coffee, watching the two men. They were nothing alike, and yet there was a certain similarity in the way they carried themselves. A constant vigilance, as if they never truly relaxed. Matt’s grin was easy, where Nick’s smile was rare. And Nick’s friend had that boy-next-door quality that made you instantly feel as if you’d known him forever.
But underneath all of that, she could see the steel in his eyes, the look of a man who had seen more than his fair share of ugliness. Nick wore his anger close to the surface, whereas Matt kept his camouflaged in jovial banter. But it was there nevertheless.
And whether because of that mutual background or something else, there was a definite bond between the two of them. Something she envied. She’d never really had a best friend. Her life had been too chaotic, and she’d never stayed in one place long enough to put in the time that kind of friendship demanded.
“I don’t know anything for certain,” Matt was saying, “but my guess is that Ricks and Norton are being yanked around like the rest of us.”
