Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
C aroline
Games.
Yes, I was good at them. I’d learned how to shoot hoops and crack a bat against a ball to try to fit in. It hadn’t worked. My father hadn’t batted an eye, always too busy.
So I’d acted like someone I wasn’t with ease this go-around. However, the small talk with bottled blondes and fake redheads had gone on for far too long. I wasn’t into politics or small talk and speaking in my language of tech talk could possibly give my true identity away, which according to Vadim was a mortal sin.
What I hated more than anything was pretending around the man. He was definitely on the job, walking the room as if a predator searching for prey.
Meanwhile, I found myself shifting further and further toward one side of the massive room, wanting a little privacy if nothing more. I was also bored to tears, the party certainly not something I’d choose to attend. I searched for Vadim, noticing him in the distance. I wasn’t technically out of his sight. Just… In the shadows.
I pulled out my phone, the burner a carbon copy of the one I’d had before. I needed something to take up the time until we left. And my feet were killing me in the tall heels.
Maybe I shouldn’t have ignored that part of beauty school, which my mother had sent me to as a teenager. Had she really expected I’d suddenly turn into a lady? I laughed softly to myself and shifted my finger across the screen, determined to search the internet.
As I navigated to Instagram, I’d forgotten I hadn’t set everything up. And of course, I couldn’t remember my login information. Groaning wasn’t going to do me any good, but I did anyway. I studied Safari for a little while until the hair stood up on the back of my neck. When I looked up, immediately scanning what I could see of the room, I wondered if Vadim’s warning hadn’t simply spooked me.
I wasn’t certain but walked closer to the access door leading to the hallway and to a bathroom I doubted many guests knew about. I had the same bad feeling that Vadim did that whoever was behind the attacks had yet to show themselves.
Tomorrow I would be instructed to work with Vadim’s computer experts in searching the dark web, although my gut told me the footprint had already been erased. That was typical behavior if people knew what they were doing.
There was only one person who could possibly shed any additional light on the situation.
Joshua.
Would he give it to me or act as if it was proprietary?
There was only one way of finding out.
Making contact.
Programming in phone numbers was dangerous in the world of hacking. I’d been forced to remember his number instead. I glanced around once again, trying to determine if what I was doing was insane or good. He had no idea if I was dead or alive, but he would have certainly heard about some fallout.
Turning to face the corner of the room, I took a deep breath and dialed the number. The guy never answered, a signature trait. He liked to know who was calling first and determine if they were friend or foe.
When his voicemail with no message other than a mechanical ‘leave it at the beep’ came on, I glanced over my shoulder before whispering, “Josh, it’s Caroline. I’m alive but the fuckers discovered me. I’m safe and can’t tell you where I am but I need to know if you’ve discovered anything including confirming if the attack was done by the Italians. I just have a feeling and you know how I am. Anyway. Call me. If I don’t answer, that means I can’t.”
I ended the call, holding the phone to my head before slipping it back into my clutch.
It was time for another drink.
As soon as I turned, a guy approached that I didn’t know.
“Miss Caruthers?” he asked. “I was told I should meet you.”
I was the kind of girl who always paid attention to the aura of anyone I met and the gruff-looking guy with dark hair and eyes stuck me as being someone I didn’t want to know. At least he didn’t know my real name.
But he exuded the kind of evil that made me nervous.
“I’m sorry but I’m expecting a phone call at any time.” When I tried to walk away, he steered me toward the access door. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Oh, I won’t take much of your time. I just need to ask you a few questions about donations. You did mention them before. Right?”
What the hell?
“Oh, the governor?”
“Yes, ma’am. He wanted to give you a noteworthy charitable amount but as the governor’s business manager, I need to know a few details.”
At least the story was plausible and while I scanned the room, I was able to breathe a little easier. “Fine but I only have a couple minutes and my date will need me back.”
“Of course. Why don’t we talk in the hallway? It’s loud in here.”
I’ll be damned if the asshole didn’t grab my elbow, trying to force me out of the room. I jerked my arm away. “We can talk in here and I’ll be happy to provide whatever you need.”
The dude narrowed his eyes and was about to say something when my phone rang and I couldn’t have been more grateful.
“You’ll need to excuse me.” I walked away before the asshole had a chance to say anything, yanking out my phone with a shaking hand. “Joshua.”
“You’re alive. I was so worried. I even dropped by your place and it had been trashed.” His tone was anxious.
“Yeah, I was lucky to get out. Do you know anything?” I made certain the asshole had disappeared into the crowd but still felt goosebumps prickling my skin.
“Yeah, I do and I need to warn you that?—”
Another wave of goosebumps rushed down my arms when he was cut off mid-sentence. I pulled the phone away, staring not only at the ended call but at the signal as well. The hotel had high-powered internet service, allowing all their guests to connect automatically. That’s something I’d learned from my father.
He’d had more than a couple of his pontificating meetings here. So it shocked me to see zero connection at all. Zero. There was no raging storm, no electrical outage.
A sick and knowing feeling pooled into my stomach. It had purposely been cut. All communications were down.
I snapped my head up, searching for Vadim’s whereabouts. Something was terribly wrong. The only thing I could do at this point was shove my way through the crowd. I had to warn him.
I wasn’t typically subject to crazed fear, but a split second of terror slammed into my system much like a few nights before.
Suddenly, I heard a clicking sound I didn’t recognize. But I wasn’t surprised when the lights went out.
The moment they did, a bag was tossed over my head and I was dragged away. “You can run but you can’t hide, Caroline.”
The voice. It was the man I’d been looking for.
And as I tried to scream, a hand was placed over my mouth and I was dragged from the room. Reaching back, I raked my nails down the man’s face.
“You fucking bitch. You’re going to pay for that.”
The hard crack of his hand across my face was jarring, enough so I was winded and found it difficult to fight off the bastard. But I would try. Yes, I would try.
As I struggled, he dragged me and every muffled sound I made seemed weaker. At least I’d scratched the bastard’s face.
“Your time is up, you little whore.”
His words infuriated me, but my mind was floating elsewhere.
All I could think about was Vadim.
Five minutes earlier
Vadim
Ending a conversation with one of the most boring men in the room was sheer delight.
“Good to talk to you, Vadim. Give your father my best.”
“Will do.”
Being the police commissioner meant he rode a very fine line with keeping the mayor happy and his rank and file. He was no idiot. He knew I owned a good portion of his men and women in blue, but he was smart enough to realize he didn’t have enough political clout to stop the activity.
Neither did the mayor for that matter.
I thew the commissioner a bone every so often, including a few offenders that had allowed him to get a pat on the back and two sets of accommodations. It was the least I could do for the man who looked the other way on a regular basis. It made my life easier in the end.
As he walked off, I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn’t the kind of man to be able to handle small talk under the best of circumstances.
I glanced over my shoulder, finding comfort in seeing my lovely date. She was obeying me but I could tell she was growing bored. A particular expression she had made it easy for me to tell. It was time to get the fuck out of here.
Aleksander had disappeared into the crowd as well, working their egos, which I’d been trying to avoid.
I finished my drink, thankful I’d finally gotten a good glass of whiskey. After placing it on a tray, I searched for Caroline a second time, ready to get her out of here.
“Boss. I think we got an issue,” Sergei said.
I spun around quickly, trying to determine immediately what he meant. There was nothing out of place other than a few drunken guests making fools of themselves.
“Several vehicles pulled up on several corners of the facility. Either it’s a raid or something worse.” He was exasperated.
“I learned a long time ago that the boys in blue protected each other to their deaths. There is no way this is a raid. Get the men and head to the back of the property.”
“Will do.”
The only thing I had time for was to grab Caroline and get the fuck out. Not that I had anyone else I wanted to warn with the exception of Aleksander. With him out of sight, I dialed his phone number. He picked up on the second ring.
“Are you leaving?” he asked.
“So are you. Something is going down.”
I was no idiot to the world of satellites or internet lines. When the phone went dead, my hackles were not only raised, they were also igniting every one of my senses. The people inside this room were about to be attacked.
All I could think about was getting to the woman who drove me absolutely nuts, the one I needed another taste of. I bolted through the crowd where I’d last seen her, my gut screaming she was in danger.
The moment I noticed a strange man approaching from behind, I shove my way through the crowd, pushing and shoving when necessary.
Then the lights went off. The pitch-black moment caused instant silence. And I kept going, able to catch a glimpse of a bag tossed over her head and Caroline being pulled into an access hallway.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I didn’t care who I hurt in the process of getting to her. By the time I’d shoved my way through the crowd, people were already shouting, panic beginning to settle in.
There was a split second of a vacuum occurring before shots rang out. I couldn’t take the time to find out who was doing the shooting or their intended target, bolting through the access door. The corridor was still lit, mostly by the emergency lights pulsing on and off.
I raced down one way then the other, finally hearing a muffled scream.
Taking off running, I rushed down the length of the hallway, just in time to see she’d been taken into a service elevator. That meant whoever had pulled the plug on electricity and communications knew what they were doing. I made it to the elevator a split second after the doors slammed shut. I slapped one hand on the door, the other on the button, praying I wasn’t too late.
I was.
There was only one sure way of getting to her. Going down the back stairs. Fuck. They were the most painful given the injury to my muscles. The strain would be horrific. But fuck it. I did so without hesitation, my weapon firmly placed in my hand. I took them two and three steps at a time, using the metal railing to swing from one floor to another set of stairs. Where were they taking her?
Directly outside would be considered too dangerous.
They had to be heading for the basement parking garage.
Goddamn it. How had I allowed this to happen?
Thankfully, I was in good shape. Yet when I reached the bottom, I was still winded. I smashed my way out the door, straining to listen to any sounds. Other than the screech of tires, I heard nothing.
A clink.
Another scream, only it wasn’t as muffled.
I took off running toward the sound, my weapon now firmly planted in both hands. As I rounded one of the pillars, I noticed a dark commercial van had been pulled into the driver’s lane, the side door opened.
And the fuckers were attempting to toss her into it.
Nothing was going to stop me from getting to her. I didn’t know I had the speed left in me but within seconds, I was on the van, gripping one asshole by the shirt collar and tossing him back, pitching him to the concrete floor. Before anyone had a chance to react, I put a bullet in his brain, turning back and firing another shot at the driver who was prepared to fire.
When I heard footsteps, I was tempted to race after the asshole, but Caroline’s slight whimper kept my mind on track.
She’d been tossed into the van, fighting to get the bag off her head.
I gathered her into my arms, holding her tightly as I spun around, searching for another asshole.
“It’s okay, zavetnyy ,” I told her, winded but full of adrenaline.
She clung to me as I fought to remove the fucking bag from her head, tossing it aside, and letting off a solid roar.
As several sets of footsteps pounded in my direction, I shielded her body, prepared to kill the motherfuckers.
Sergei came flying from around the side, stopping short when he saw me. “Jesus Christ, boss.”
“One of them got away. Find him.”
Sergei nodded, motioning to Maxim and the other soldier to run toward the direction I was pointing. My Capo rushed closer, surveying the scene. “What a fucking mess.”
“The guests?”
“All fleeing for their lives. At least six people were shot but I don’t know the extent of their injuries.”
“The party was used as a ruse to abduct Caroline. I’m certain of it.”
“We’ll get him. Fucking asshole,” he said.
“I recognized the voice,” she said weakly, clinging to me, her eyes imploring.
“Did you see him?” I looked down at her, seeing fear instead of defiance. Goddamn it, I was furious.
“No, he’d placed a bag over my head at that point. But he knew what he was doing.”
Hissing, I glanced around the garage. “Where is my car?”
“Out front. I don’t think you should be seen outside yet.”
“The fucker isn’t coming back. He screwed up. Get the men to grab the bodies, and have one of them follow us. I’m taking her home.”
Home.
The concept seemed stranger than normal to me and I wasn’t certain why.
Other than if I’d lost her, my anger and sadness would have flown off the charts.
And a hell of a lot of good, innocent people would have died.