CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The team taking down the bodyguards waited until they heard from Leif, Moose, and U-Jin that the elevators had been cleared.
U-Jin, being the smallest, climbed down the elevator shafts, dropping in once the regular guests were off.
He neutralized the guards easily, by blocking their blood flow and stopped the elevator at the floors where Leif and Moose were waiting.
“Took you long enough,” smirked Cowboy when the last elevator opened.
“Fuck you,” grinned U-Jin. “Your big asses couldn’t get down the shaft of the elevator so I’m the one saving all of you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” smirked his friend. “You three got the elevators taken care of?”
“We’ll be inside them, riding up and down until our guests arrive. We’ll notify you as each is coming up,” said Moose.
“Good, now let’s have some fun and see what our bodyguards on the two floors look like,” said Quinn. “River was watching from Carousel Bar when they arrived. He said they’re all big, thick necks, but big in the way men are that use strength, not cunning.”
“Alright, good to know. Do we have any photos of them?” asked Matt.
Quinn held up the tablet, showing the others the faces that had been captured by the team. They swiped back and forth, some recognizable, others not.
“Two of those are Russian mercenaries. Our friend Gustav makes interesting friends,” said Mike. They looked around at the crowds in the hotel and wondered what was going on.
“It’s almost Mardi Gras,” said Quinn. “We could have casualties if we’re not careful. Most people are just here for the early outer parades but we need to watchful.”
“Okay, let’s take care of our big, burly bodyguards,” smirked Nate.
Fifteen and Sixteen were the top floors of the hotel, housing several suites and luxury accommodations.
No surprise that they wanted those floors.
With control of the elevators, none of the board members would be running down sixteen flights of steps to avoid them.
Even if they did, they had a few extra surprises waiting for them.
When the elevators on fifteen opened, the men casually walked out of the car as if they belonged there. Several men turned, weapons ready but not pointed at them.
“Hey, fellas, we’re your relief,” said Quinn.
“Relief? We just arrived. There’s no relief scheduled,” said one of the men.
“Well, surprise,” said Matt. “Gustav decided everyone needs a lunch break.”
“It’s not lunchtime,” said another man.
“Listen asshole, do you want your break or not?” said Quinn. One of the men stared at him, pulling out his phone.
“I’ll just give him a call.” They all waited, staring at the man as he hit the number on his phone. They already knew that the tech boys had ensured complete disruption for technology on the floors.
“Well?” asked his partner.
“It’s not working. These fucking old buildings prevent cell phones from working.”
“Look, dude, we have a lot of work to do. Just get out of the way,” said Matt. The man stared at the big men in front of him, his own partners circling around him.
“No.”
“Okay,” smiled Quinn. “Have it your way.”
With a flick of their wrists they tested one of the most inventive and resourceful tools that Victoria created. Small discs flew from a wrist band, delivering ten-thousand volts of electricity directly into the body. When the four men dropped to the floor, unconscious, Christian smiled.
“I really love this new tool,” he laughed.
“Tie them up and put them in the closet,” said Cowboy. “They won’t wake for a while anyway.”
The men were big and heavy but the others easily maneuvered them into the cleaning closet, ensuring they were secure.
The sixteenth floor was just as easy and a little more fun when one of the guards attempted to take Kev down. He enjoyed the interaction but they needed to move it along. Securing them the same way they did floor fifteen, it was just in time as Moose announced that the first guests were arriving.
It seemed commonplace for them to see guards on their floor, none of them even looking their way. They entered their rooms, locked the doors and stayed put.
In the master suite on sixteen, there was an attached conference table for business meetings or dinners. Quinn, River, and Finn planted listening devices, recording devices, and several other things that could prove useful for the extraction, or extinction of Gustav.
“Just waiting on the guest of honor,” said U-Jin. “I think he’s coming in now. He’s got his bodyguard with him.”
“We’re ready,” said Quinn.
It seemed everyone was aware of Gustav’s arrival as the other board members emerged from their rooms, heading to his suite. Quinn nodded as they walked toward him, opening the door for them to enter. As he did, Gustav stepped off the elevator with his bodyguard.
“I’ll take over the door,” he said to Quinn.
“Suit yourself.”
Quinn stepped inside the room, knowing that Matt and Kev would take care of the lone man outside the door. He heard shuffling as he closed the door, then a loud thud.
“What was that?” asked Gustav looking at him.
“Nothing, sir. Can I take your bags to the bedroom?”
“Please.” He turned to the others and took his seat at the head of the table.
“Why are we here, Gustav? This was a much longer trip for most of us,” said a dark-skinned man.
“Matteo, you should be grateful. This city will offer wonderful distractions for all of us.”
“Uh, sir, about that,” said another man.
“What is it, Vince?”
“I haven’t been able to secure the entertainment. It didn’t seem to matter who I called or who I approached, the answer was the same. No one is available because of all the things happening with Mardi Gras.”
“Mardi Gras? That’s not for another few weeks. No matter. We’ll wander out for dinner tonight and I’m sure you can all use your charms, and money, to attract what we need.”
“Where is Reginald?” asked another member.
As if on cue, there was a light knock at the door. Quinn opened the door, allowing Reginald to enter. What Gustav and the others didn’t know, was that there were men already hidden in the bedroom, ready to surprise the group.
“Ah, here is our resident genius,” smiled Gustav. “I’ve been very excited to see what you have for us, Reginald. I’m sure it will be wonderful and your sister will continue to live another day.”
“I have nothing for you,” he said confidently. Gustav’s smile faded and he stared at the man. “The system won’t work. It can’t. I’ve tried everything and we cannot break through the new securities that were put in place. It’s technology beyond anyone’s understanding.”
“Someone must understand it! They invented it,” he sneered. “Who? Who is responsible for this technology?”
“I am,” said Quinn smiling at the group.
“Me too,” said River coming out of the bedroom.
“And me,” said Finn.
They stared at the identical faces in awe, then heard another voice they all recognized all too well.
“Don’t forget me,” said the colonel. “After all, for a dead man I’m damn good at what I do.”
“You,” whispered Gustav.
“This can’t be true. You said he was dead!” said one of the men.
“Shut up!” yelled Gustav.
“No. No, you said the threat was gone. He’s the threat. He’s the one we worried about the most.”
“How? How are you here?” asked Gustav.
“Amazing technology,” smirked the colonel. “Unfortunately, Reginald is correct. Your technology will no longer work. We’ve notified the commercial airlines, military, and transport airlines. We, or I should say they, provided them with a fix for anything you throw at them.”
“Of course, you’re not going to be throwing anything at them from jail,” said River.
“You fools. I’m a diplomat. The government can’t touch me,” he smiled.
“Oh, Gustie,” smirked Quinn. “See, we don’t give a shit that you’re a diplomat. We are not with the government. None of you will ever see anything except the inside of a cell or the inside of your own coffin.”
“This isn’t possible,” muttered Gustav.
“You egotistical bastard! We trusted you! You said you had everything under control even when we were doubting you. You did this to us.”
“You did it to yourselves,” said the colonel. “You trusted a man that had his own interests ahead of everyone else’s. That’s never who you want as your leader.”
Moose knocked on the door, the group of massive men now standing in the room staring at the people around the table.
“Time to take the laundry down,” said the big man.
U-Jin slowly walked around the table, jabbing a needle into the necks of the board members. Within seconds, they were unconscious and being dragged toward the door, ready to be placed in the laundry bin and taken downstairs.
“And what delightful plans do you have for me?” sneered Gustav. “Boiling in oil? Perhaps feeding me to the piranhas?”
“No, that’s too good for you,” said Quinn.
“See, you sent someone to kill my fiancée. That wasn’t smart at all.
In fact, nothing you’ve done so far is smart.
You think you’re an intelligent man with a masterful mind but you’re not.
You’re a weak pathetic man who had a lot of money and a lot of time to figure out how you could screw with the world. That ends here.”
“I will come back,” he said sternly.
“Only if you come back as a ghost,” said U-Jin. He jabbed the needle into his neck and nodded at the other men. Cowboy smiled at the others.
“Let’s go boys. Alvin and his friends are hungry.”