Chapter 9
Ysabel stared at the water. The reflection of the pool stretched as far as the light of her torch illuminated. She slowly walked forward. Resting was the priority at the moment. There was no way to gauge how far she’d come to reach that point. Finding a way across the water would be a worry … after she rested. She tried to ward off the chill of the subterranean lake by wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her head on her knees.
The silence of the cavern was a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because she didn’t have to waste the light to see what animal or insect was making the noise, and a curse because she’d blindly hoped that, at some point, she’d find people or a way out. Neither had been realized.
The positive was that no one followed her. So, the people who wanted her captive either didn’t know she’d escaped, or they couldn’t find her. Again, a good and a bad thing. If people searching for her couldn’t find her, how could she hope to find a way out? Her knees were scraped from falling on the slick limestone. She’d bumped her head several times because she’d been looking down to watch where her feet were going. Her shoulders were scratched from some of the tight passages, and she was physically exhausted.
She wanted to lie down and cry, but that would solve nothing. Something inside her told her not to give up, and she wouldn’t as long as she had light. And after that, she’d feel her way forward if she had to do so. Ysabel shivered and hugged her arms. She should have thought of grabbing her shirt off the lamp and taking a bottle of water, but escaping was the priority. So, now, she stood tired, cold, and thirsty. The water in the cavern was enticing, but she’d heard stories of people getting very sick from water that wasn’t purified. She’d wait before risking that desperate move.
Her father would have someone looking for her. She knew he’d try to find her, but how would he know she was underground in Paris when she’d been taken from Corsica? She spun the ring her mother had given to her with her thumbnail. It had an ugly, large, black stone, but it was the one thing of her mother”s that she had. The envelope she’d given to her father. He’d insisted she must have dropped some of the documents, but she hadn’t, and she was sure of it. The ring she kept as her own. Her father wouldn’t be happy if he knew her mother had forgotten the documents but included a ring. It was cheap costume jewelry, the kind of which her father would frown upon.
She should have another ring on that finger. The beautiful square diamond surrounded by emeralds Heath had given her. She’d been so happy. So in love. That night was a dream. He’d arranged a private dinner for them at the Eiffel Tower. The warm summer air carried the sounds of the city below. When he dropped to one knee, she’d been confused at first. Then, oh dear God, the words he said. The love in his eyes. Heath asked her to be his wife, to hold his heart forever, and to allow him to cherish her for the rest of her life.
She’d sunk to her knees in front of him and said yes. It was the most perfect moment. But less than a week later, she tore their love apart and fled to Corsica. No matter how much she’d suffered from that moment at the ball, Heath had to have suffered more. She’d never met a kinder or more gentle-mannered man. Her father was right. Protecting him from the danger of her mother’s alleged theft of the information was the right thing to do.
Ysabel kicked something, and she flashed the light in the direction of the noise. It was an aluminum can. She scanned the area. There another and another. People came here. She picked up the can. It was clean; it hadn’t been long since they’d been in the area. She almost cried in relief. She could wait. She could wait, and someone would come. She found a flat piece of rock and sat down. How long could she wait? How long would it take? Still, this was her best chance of finding someone to help her out of this maze.
* * *
Time lapsedinto naps and bouts of shivering. She was so thirsty and so cold. As she faded into sleep again, the sound of voices across the lake brought her head up. She blinked in the complete darkness and patted the ground for her flashlight. Had she been dreaming? Had she fallen asleep? She held her breath and searched the darkness. There. A light. The sound of male voices.
Ysabel stood up and turned on her flashlight, waving it back and forth. “Help! Please, help me!” Her throat was so dry she could barely speak, but she waved the light for all she was worth.
Three lights pointed in her direction. “Yes! Here! Help me!”
“Ysabel?” The call came from the other side of the water.
Her heart jumped into her throat at the familiar voice. “Heath? Heath! I’m here!”
She heard some heated words, and then there was a splash in the water. Two lights started to skirt the side of the wall, but Ysabel focused on the man swimming toward her. She held the light on him and knew in her heart it was Heath. She sank to her knees, tears streaming as she waited. He made it across the water with long, strong strokes. Standing, he ran out of the water and dropped in front of her. The flashlight bounced on the ground as he held her face and stared down at her. “Are you all right?”
“I am now. Heath, they put me in a cell. I hit a man over the head and locked him in the cell, then I left. I walked forever. How did you get here? How did you know I was here?” Ysabel knew she was babbling and had no idea if he understood a word she said, but the feel of his arms around her was more than enough. Her words dissolved into tears, and his hushed words of comfort in her ear made her cry harder. “I love you. I love you so much, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
* * *
Harbinger heldthe woman he loved more than his life in his arms. Someone would pay for her tears and the landscape of bruises covering her. He whispered in her ear as he gauged where Smith and their guide were.
Ysabel grabbed his wet shirt and pulled away. “I love you.”
He pushed her hair away from her face. “I know. I know.” He wrapped her in his arms and held her close to his heart. He’d never let her go again. “You’re safe now.”
“Are you ready?” Smith said from somewhere near him. He and Matt had taken the long way, using the small path that went around the lake. Harbinger couldn’t wait that long, so he dove in.
He looked up. “Yes, we need to get to the surface ASAP.” He took back his cell phone and earpiece from Smith.
“There are several exits.”
“No, wait.” Ysabel sniffed. “I hit a man in the head with a rock. He’s in the cell where I was held. I don’t know how badly I hurt him.”
“We’ll never find it,” Matt said. “These tunnels here aren’t marked or mapped.”
“I marked my way so I could find my way back if I couldn’t go farther. I made a small Y near the floor at each turn.”
“Matt, we’ll take them up and find this man.” Smith stood at his full height and crossed his arms, daring the man to counter his decision.
“Might cost you a bit more,” Matt said.
“Money is not an issue.” Smith pulled out his wallet and handed the man a solid inch stack of Euros.
“Then, my friend, you have a guide for life.” Matt shoved the money into his back pocket. “This way.”
Harbinger helped Ysabel to stand. “May I?” Smith asked as he shrugged off his long-sleeved shirt and handed it to Ysabel.
Harbinger nodded at his friend in a silent thank you for the clothing. His wet clothes wouldn’t have been much help to her. He helped Ysabel into the fabric. She looked up at Smith. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” Smith said and motioned toward Matt.
“Right this way.” Matt led them with Harbinger and Ysabel in the middle and Smith in the rear. He knew the big guy would have his weapon drawn, especially after what Ysabel had told them. Harbinger’s weapon was with Smith, too. He’d get it back before they hit the street above.
“How did you find me?” Ysabel asked him again.
“My company was able to assess where you were from the photograph your father had received.”
“We need to tell him I’m all right. He must be going crazy with worry.”
He made some noise of agreement as he guided her around a limestone outcropping. It took ten minutes to make it to an accessway. Matt shone a light up the small crevice. Smith looked at Matt and then at the crevice. “Tell me there’s a larger access point somewhere?”
“Yes, farther up this way, but I assumed you wanted her out of here as quickly as possible.”
“I’ll be right back down. It won’t take longer than five minutes to get them to the top.” Matt handed Smith all the money he’d been given, including the envelope he was given earlier. “To prove my intent is pure. Besides, if we don’t meet Louis, he’ll never work with me again, and I won’t risk that.”
Matt took the lead, and Harbinger shook Smith’s hand. “I’ll let Val know what’s going on.”
Smith made a face. “She’ll be overjoyed.”
Harbinger smiled at his friend, who was absolutely correct. The assassin wouldn’t be happy. Harbinger helped Ysabel into the crevice, barely managing to squeeze himself through the opening. Several yards ahead, it widened, and he was able to breathe easier. Matt was true to his word. They emerged in a shack in the garden of some old house. “If you ever need a guide, feel free to contact me again.” Matt touched his head with two fingers and headed back down.
Ysabel shook. She was probably crashing from the adrenaline she’d existed on in the tunnels. “What do we do now?”
Holding up a finger, Harbinger tapped his earpiece. “Sunset Operative Seventeen, I need immediate pickup at my geotag.”
“I copy. Status?”
“I have Ysabel Archambeau. Sunset Operative Thirteen Bravo is still below with the guide looking for the cell and one injured target.”
“Affirmative. Are you secure?”
“Affirmative,” Harbinger said as he glanced out the dirty window of the shack. “Standing by for transport.”
“To what location?” the operator asked.
“Sunset Operative Thirteen’s location. My building is being watched.”
“I copy. Operator Two-Seven-Four is standing by.”
He glanced at Ysabel, who frowned at him and asked, “Who are you talking to?”
“My company.” He tapped his earpiece and moved so she could see it.
“You said you were a troubleshooter. I assumed IT or management. It isn’t so, is it?”
Harbinger shook his head. “Security.”
Isabel closed her eyes and shook her head. “I should’ve known that. I should’ve known you could take care of you and me. Why did I listen to him?”
“Your father? I don’t know. I assume you thought he was doing what was right. But I do question what happened.”
Ysabel sat down on a wooden box. “Why?” She looked up at him. “Tell me, Heath. Tell me what you’re thinking. No more secrets between us, please.”
Harbinger kneeled in front of her. “I never told you a lie.”
Ysabel sighed and dropped her head into her hands. “This, I believe. Why don’t you trust my father?”
“Call it gut instinct.”
“You’re right there.” Con’s voice was in his ear. “Daddo is in on the game. He just got a call on the cloned cell phone that the order for the bread he wanted had gone missing. I’m thinking they know she’s gone from the cell.”
Harbinger jerked to look at the opening to the catacombs. “Smith is still down there.”
Con muttered some choice swear words. “Then he better be careful.”
“He will be.” Val’s voice came over the comms. “He’s got great instincts, and he’s more intelligent than anyone underground; that’s for sure.”
“What are they saying?” Ysabel asked.
“Your father received a call just now telling him you were no longer in the cell.” Harbinger wasn’t going to pull any punches. She had to know the truth.
“No.” She dropped her head into her hands. “No … he knew?” She looked up at him. “But why? My God, why would he do this?”
“He was the only one who knew you were in Corsica,” Harbinger stated.
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Double that yes. That was confirmed by Giovanni and Tango Team. We just got the call,” Jewell King chirped into the conversation. “The people guarding her in Corsica were told to take a walk by their bosses. They did, and she was gone when they returned.”
Harbinger looked at her. “Your father could’ve been a party to the kidnapping from Corsica.”
Ysabel’s shaking grew worse. He pulled her into his arms, and she dropped her head against his chest. He held her a bit tighter, wishing none of it was happening to her but dealing with the fact it was.
“My question is, what changed to make him bring her back to Paris, and why did he come to search you out?” That was Fury. Well, hell, everyone was in on the conversation, weren’t they?
Ysabel sniffed back silent tears. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“Neither do I. But we don’t need to understand anything at the moment. I’m taking you somewhere safe, and then we’ll figure out the next move.” Ysabel nodded her head against him in agreement.
“The next move is grabbing Pierre and pulling out his toenails one by one until he tells us what the hell is going on,” Fury growled.
“Not until we get approval from my counterpart in the French government. We don’t want an international incident,” Archangel chastised Fury.
Harbinger held Ysabel against him as the discussion continued. She shook her head. “Why? Why would he do this? Was it the man my mother was married to? Did he make my father do this?”
“I wish I knew,” Harbinger whispered against her hair.
“H, your car is out front,” Con said. “Out the door of the shack, take a right around the house, and it’s the black limo.”
“Copy.” He tipped Ysabel’s head back by placing his finger under her chin. “I have never lied to you. I never will. Any omission of my job’s requirements was dictated because of security. If you ever needed to know, I would’ve told you. I will keep you safe. Do you trust me?”
Ysabel stared up at him. “With my life.”
He bent down and kissed the woman he loved. A mere brush of his lips because they didn’t have time to rediscover each other.
“Aw, that’s so sweet.” Jewell sighed into the comms.
He took Ysabel’s hand, and together, they moved around the house and into the waiting car. Harbinger pulled her into him. Thank God, they’d found her. It was truly finding a needle in a haystack. He had no idea how expansive the tunnel system was. Knowing that now, it was a perfect place for a criminal element to operate. He rubbed her back and held her as the car moved through the residential area and into the main traffic heading toward the 16th Arrondissement and safety.