A Cold Dark Promise (Cold Justice #8.5)(28)
She gripped his t-shirt. Tears filled her eyes as despair bloomed inside. “I’m never going to see my baby again, am I?”
Reilly drew in a big breath and spoke quietly into her ear. “You have to trust Alex Parker to get the job done. He’ll protect Taylor. He’ll get her back for you.”
She wouldn’t be bowed, but she just wasn’t sure if she believed in miracles anymore. She lifted her chin and nodded as she watched the boat motor away.
Another question was, who was going to protect Alex? The odds were impossible now the former assassin had been cut off from his backup. Guilt rose up inside her. She’d dragged him into this mess when he’d been trying so hard to escape and live a normal life. How would she ever live with herself if anything happened to him? How would she ever face Mallory Rooney if she got him killed?
Chapter Sixteen
Frazer was in a strip joint in the seedier side of the French Riviera. Two suspected Al Qaeda members were sitting front and center of the runway while another wannabe jihadist was using the can. Frazer couldn’t feign interest in the naked women on stage so he watched with a bored, cynical air that fit right in. It was clear that the women in this club didn’t enjoy their jobs. But then, Frazer knew many were trafficked, others were junkies, most needed the money to feed their families.
Hard to get aroused by exploitation and desperation.
His cell rang. Chen. “Masook hauled ass out of the harbor as soon as he saw Jane. Alex is still onboard with Masook and the Moroccan. Killion is hightailing it to Ascension to follow them.”
Frazer swore. This was not good news, but they couldn’t abandon their plan. Alex could take care of himself, and the kid. Hopefully. Even as Frazer thought it dread sliced through him. If anything happened to the guy Frazer would never forgive himself.
More importantly, Mal would never forgive him.
“Okay. Let’s bring Interpol in on the players we have under surveillance.” These terrorists needed to be stopped.
There were a few seconds pause as Chen called their liaison, then, “Done. They’re splitting into teams. ETA ten minutes. Logan, Noah and Killion are now all on the Ascension. Should they keep watching the Russian’s boat or follow Masook?”
He needed to be on that vessel before it left port.
“Send Matt to follow Masook. He’ll be less obtrusive. I’m on my way to the boat and will be there just as soon as I can. Can you get a visual on Alex’s cell?”
Chen laughed despite the strain. “For once, yes. I see him.”
“Whatever happens, don’t lose that boat.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
The third Al Qaeda suspect came back into view with a smile on his face. Frazer suspected he’d had a private lap dance in one of the backrooms. One of the other men climbed to his feet and headed in the same direction.
Frazer checked his watch. These guys were going to be preoccupied for a little while and, even if they weren’t, he needed to help Alex. He slipped outside into the fresh air and saw the first stirring of police activity at the far end of the ally. As much as he wanted to stay and watch the show he had bigger concerns. If Alex had only been dealing with Masook Frazer wouldn’t be worried, but the Moroccan, Charles Salamander, had an evil reputation.
Frazer hurried back toward the main street and hailed a cab. The shit and the fan had just collided at high speed.
Chapter Seventeen
Alex had just opened the safe when he heard the engines start.
“Masook is on the move. Jane is safely on the quay with Reilly.” The words came through his earpiece, courtesy of Noah.
Shit.
Inside the safe was a bright red, waterproof case. Alex retrieved it and carefully opened the lid.
Five, small, glass vials were nestled alongside an array of hypodermics and surgical gloves. Four vials were filled with powder the color of bleached bone and labeled Bacillus anthracis.
Alex frowned. Anthrax?
Presumably the fifth vial of liquid was the vaccine.
Alex had received anthrax vaccinations during his military service, and yearly boosters while working for the CIA. He hadn’t had an injection in a few years but he should have some immunity left over, which may or may not keep him alive if he was exposed. Not that he wanted to test that hypothesis.
As deadly as anthrax undoubtedly was—a Category A biological agent, posing the highest potential risk—it didn’t make sense for this many buyers to be vying for this particular organism of death, considering so many countries had their own biological weapons programs. Unless it had been weaponized in some way…
Great.
Through the guard’s stolen headphones Alex could hear a commotion going on. He quickly snapped closed the bright red, waterproof box and shut the safe, replacing the painting that hid it. He picked up Masook’s laptop, placed it inside two, large, sealable, plastic bags. He stuffed the whole thing into a laptop bag that sat on the floor and attached a glow stick to the strap. The hard, waterproof case wouldn’t fit inside the laptop bag’s zip pocket so he attached it via the strap and slung the whole thing over his back. He pulled his SIG Sauer with his right hand and headed to the door.
If he could toss the anthrax and the laptop over the side, Matt could retrieve it from the water. Then Alex would grab the kid and swim them both to shore. The French authorities could pick up Masook and anyone else involved from the boat at their convenience. And at their own peril. Alex had a wedding to attend. He pushed Charles Salamander out of his head. He had better things to think about than revenge.