Chapter 32 #2
Noah lifted his gun again, then found the light switch for the cellar. He turned it, and the room was bathed in orange. Towering over Masry, he leveled the gun at him. “Where’s the bomb?” Noah demanded.
Masry spat at him, bleeding from a wound at the top of his head. His eyes narrowed with pure hatred. “You son of a whore. I should have known. I should have recognized you. Fatima—”
“Don’t you dare speak her name.” Noah jabbed the gun at him. “Where is the bomb?”
“I already found it,” Ginger said, her face pale. She came toward Noah, a briefcase in her hands. “It’s filled with dynamite. I barely had time to hide with it when I heard this man come in.”
Noah’s heart throbbed at her. His beautiful, noble wife. She’d come down here to stop the bomb. Of course she did. He couldn’t think of anything more … her.
Unfortunately, it likely meant Stephen had intended it this way.
Masry wiped the blood from his head and attempted to struggle to his feet. Noah shoved him back down again. “You stay there until I tell you to get up.”
He found Masry’s knife and held it in his left hand. Holding the gun out to Ginger, he motioned for her to come closer. “Take this. And get out of here. Find any exit you can—preferably not the front entrance—and go home.”
“But, Noah, you don’t understand.” Ginger’s pupils were wide in the dark.
“I saw Stephen. And he told me he’d planned all this.
Planned on you attacking Young and delivering some shipment of arms. And this—this bomb.
He’s trying to have you implicated as a traitor.
Come with me. We must leave now … they’re coming to arrest you. ”
Noah clenched his jaw. If Stephen had planned this, then he would have also planned no escape for Noah. And if Ginger was caught with him, she’d be in more danger. “Ginger, get out of here. Right now.”
“But—”
“Now, for God’s sake. I love you, now go. Take this damned gun and use it if you need to.”
The soft fabric of her gloves brushed against his fingers as she took the gun and set the briefcase beside him. “But, Noah, there’s something else—” Her eyes were wide with pain and fear.
“Leave. Now.” His voice was strained, and Masry watched her intently. The last thing he wanted was his uncle knowing about her but it couldn’t be helped.
Ginger slipped out of the cellar door, giving him one last look before she left.
Noah sucked in a painful breath.
Please, God, let me see her again soon.
He hauled Masry to his feet. The tip of the knife swung and stopped at his uncle’s neck. “Now walk.” Grabbing the briefcase of dynamite, he nodded toward the door. “And while you’re at it, tell me what you know of Stephen Fisher.”
Masry’s lips pressed to a line as he moved forward. Blood trailed down from his head. “You have no power over me, no matter what you may think.”
They hadn’t made it far down the hallway when the pounding of footsteps headed their way.
Soldiers of the military police and a few palace guards came into view, guns drawn.
“Put down the knife!” they ordered as they saw Noah.
Noah slowly raised his hands. The knife remained in one hand, the briefcase in the other. “Colonel Noah Benson, with Cairo Intelligence. I’ve been investigating this man, Khaled El-Masry. And he intended to detonate a bomb that I’ve recovered here.”
At his words, more orders were barked at him, from various voices.
“On your knees, Colonel!”
“Put the briefcase down!”
“Both of you, on the floor.”
It took only a matter of seconds before Noah found himself face-down on the floor, his cheek pressed to the cold tile. Masry was beside him, panting. Soldiers had descended upon them. They took the knife and the briefcase.
Amidst the scuffle and the disordered garble of voices, a pair of boots paused beside Noah’s face. Noah turned his head, looking up from the ground as Lord Helton loomed above him.
Noah’s body went rigid.
“That’s him. Benson.” Lord Helton didn’t look Noah in the eye. “Arrest him. For attempting to detonate an explosive here tonight.”
Noah closed his eyes, the puzzle pieces clicking into place at long last.
“He’s trying to have you implicated as a traitor.”
How many people would testify that they’d seen Colonel Noah Benson take a palace guard hostage?
He’d been found with a briefcase of dynamite, condemning him.
After beating a British officer.
After stealing weapons.
After committing the crime of being born the son of an Egyptian woman and Irish man.
He heard running footsteps approaching down the hallway. His heart pounded as his brain scrambled to catch up. “I’ve only done what I was ordered to do by Lord Helton,” Noah said through gritted teeth as a soldier bent over him, restraints in hand.
“Father!” Victoria’s voice broke through the noise, echoing in the hallway.
Victoria.
Noah snapped his gaze up at Helton. “Was it for her? Did you decide to become a traitor to your country for your daughter’s safety? Or before that? How far back in this plan do you go?”
Victoria pushed past the police, then gasped when she saw Noah on the ground.
“What are you doing? Release him!” Victoria dashed to Noah’s side, dropping beside him.
“Victoria, get away from him!” Lord Helton sprang toward her.
Victoria was his only chance.
Noah caught the legs of the man about to restrain him between his own, sending him tumbling toward the ground. Snatching Victoria by the arm, Noah pulled her against him. They’d worked together how many years now? He knew her well.
Knew that she kept a gun strapped to her thigh whenever she was likely to be out on the streets after dark.
He found the gun and pulled it from its holster. Cocking it, he held it to her temple. Victoria froze.
“We’re going to stand. And then we’re going to leave, understood, Helton?
” Noah got to his feet, dragging Victoria up with him.
Several guns traced his movements. Any man with confidence enough in their shot might attempt something.
Noah crouched lower, using as much of Victoria’s body as possible to shield his own.
Helton’s mouth twitched under his moustache, his face reddening. “You would never actually shoot her.”
“Wouldn’t I?” Noah dug the barrel of the gun deeper. Even if he’s right, you can’t let him know that. He hardened his face to a mask. “I don’t love her. Don’t give a damn what happens to her.”
Victoria’s eyes brimmed with tears, her breath was coming in short gulps.
“Stand down,” Lord Helton managed at last. As the guns lowered, Noah heard the exhales that accompanied them, the loss of tension.
Three hostages in one brief span.
He was only racking up the potential charges against him.
“Tell your men to go,” Noah ordered. “Take the bomb with you for God’s sake.”
Lord Helton gave a nod and the men left, dragging Masry away with them.
Victoria didn’t struggle, didn’t hardly move. And as much as Noah wanted to let her go, he couldn’t. Helton wouldn’t make the mistake twice of allowing her near him.
When the soldiers were gone, Noah straightened, the gun still pointed at Victoria. “Why?” he demanded of Lord Helton. “Why are you doing this? You’re allowing all of Stephen’s crimes to be placed on my shoulders.”
Victoria gave her father a bewildered look. “Father, no! You can’t—”
“I had a choice. My daughter’s freedom, and every contact Fisher had in Cairo, or you. Frankly, it was a straightforward decision. You’ve deliberately disobeyed me, lost your head over that Whitman whore.”
“My wife,” Noah said through gritted teeth.
Victoria choked out a cry.
Lord Helton guffawed. “Yes, yes I know. You were a fool to think there would be no consequences.”
“And that was it?” Noah shook his head. “And you really think Fisher will keep any part of his word to you?”
“I’ve rounded up nearly thirty men in the last two days. His intelligence has not only been accurate and reliable, but it has also saved countless British lives. You’re expendable, Benson. You always were. And your usefulness has run its course.” Helton stepped toward him. “Now release her.”
“No.” Noah’s hands tightened around Victoria’s waist. “You’ve only taught me just how valuable she is right now.”
He backed up, down the hallway, taking Victoria with him. “I’m leaving here with her. And if I’m followed, I promise you the next time you look at her she will be inside a wooden box.”
A tear splashed against the back of Noah’s hand.
Victoria’s.
Struggling to keep his composure, Noah dragged her along with him, backing up slowly so that he continued to face Lord Helton.
They reached an exit at the end of the hallway, and Noah pushed the door open. As they tumbled out into the moonlit night, Noah shut the door with his foot, his pulse pounding in his eardrums.
“Walk,” he ordered Victoria, still holding her in front of him. Who knew what else awaited him?
Victoria was silent, tears slipping onto her cheeks, glistening in pale silver light. “You can’t flee from him, Noah. You know you can’t. My father knows your every friend. Every contact. Every alias. He’ll find you.”
“Then what’s your suggestion? Turn myself over? I’ll be hung before the sun rises.”
Her breath was broken. “No—”
His grip tightened as they continued out of the grounds of the palace, toward a side street. “Did you know about this? Did you know he’d betrayed me?”
“No, I swear it. I didn’t.” Victoria’s hands trembled as she wiped her tears with the back of her gloves.
As they reached the safety of a row of buildings, Noah pulled her into an alleyway. He pushed her away from him, sickened by her touch. The gun remained in his fist, and he held it close to her, menacing her.
“Did you know Stephen was behind it all?”
“No.” Victoria swallowed hard, searching his gaze. “You must believe me, Noah. I didn’t know. But the man who kidnapped me was Jahi. He seemed to work mostly alone, but he had some locals who reported to him in the house where he took me. And there was also an Englishman …” She shuddered.
It must have been Osborne.
Noah released her slowly, stepping back from her. She shivered, holding her arms over her chest. “Please hide. Go and don’t come back. You know what he’ll do to you if you do.”
“Stephen? Or your father?” Noah raised a brow.
“Both.” Victoria’s voice broke, and she covered her mouth with one hand.
“Noah—” She struggled for breath. “There’s one more thing I overheard.
The Englishman knew I heard it. He beat me for eavesdropping.
I should have told you before but I was selfish and afraid for my father.
I wanted you to find him first. I should have told you everything I knew.
And I was wrong, Noah—I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You’ll hate me for it …”
White-hot fury shot through Noah’s spine. He’d had his doubts about Osborne, disliked him even. But the thought of him beating Victoria made him ill.
But he didn’t dare comfort her. They were beyond that part of their friendship now. And he had to leave. “What is it?” he asked, his voice raw.
“I know where Jack is.”