Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
Tank”s eyesnarrowed as he surveyed the terrain through night-vision goggles, the world reduced to shades of green and black. Beside him, Marshall and Connor maintained their focus, their movements synchronized with the rhythmic hum of the boat”s engine.
The moon hung low in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow over the dark waters of Lake Michigan as the Black Tower team approached the Citadel compound. Tank”s boat skimmed the surface, occasionally splashing them with an icy spray. He knew the other team was only a few minutes ahead in the other boat, but in the dark there was no sign of them.
Joey”s voice crackled through the earpiece. ”IRIS just came online. Your girl is in. And she’s with Cecelia.”
Tank flexed his neck, stretching it with a twist as relief flooded him. There had been a non-negligible chance that Lowell would kill Kaylie on sight. But she’d made it in, and she’d found Lia.
Tank felt a surge of adrenaline, knowing that the first phase of the plan was a success. Now for the hard part. The boat glided smoothly toward the shore, the team poised for the critical moment.
Tank”s grip tightened on his weapon, a terse nod exchanged with his teammates. He cut the engine, letting the boat drift toward the shore silently. As they reached the small jetty, Marshall jumped out of the boat and secured it to a rock on the shore as Landon studied the building for any sign of activity.
“All quiet,” he whispered, the sound coming loud and clear through the tiny earpiece. Their approach was unnoticed, at least for now.
Ryder’s voice came through the comms. “Alpha team is dry. On route to location one.” The other team was docked farther down the beach and hoofing it in.
“Bravo Team is dry,” Tank said, announcing their arrival to the others. “Waiting for your go.”
On Ryder’s word, they disembarked, moving with the precision of a well-honed unit. Tank used hand signals to direct his group as they approached the west entrance.
Joey”s voice hummed in Tank”s ear. ”Find me a way in, boys. Still no eyes on Lowell.”
Tank waved Marshall ahead of him as they rounded the corner of a rusted pile of piping near the road, hiding behind it as they watched Ryder’s team reach the east entrance.
“Location one,” Ryder stated. “Linking you to the security pad now.”
Joey muttered as she worked, and Tank used every ounce of patience to resist the urge to charge in guns blazing. His eyes were focused on the door just across the gravel road and it was his way in.
“I’m in,” Joey said. “Give me two more minutes to loop their cameras.”
Tank inhaled sharply. “You’ve got ninety seconds.”
Joey’s undoubtedly sassy reply was cut off by Jackson’s grunt. Tank looked back and saw the other team quickly disarm and take down two Citadel operatives who had come out the east entrance.
If they had the element of surprise, it was possible it had just disappeared. If those guards had been able to signal their team, then Citadel knew they were here.
“You’re clear,” Joey announced with a victorious whoop.
“Move,” Tank commanded. He knew like he knew the sky was blue that all five of the team members would instantly follow the command. “I’ve got eyes on Lowell,” Joey said. “He’s back with Kaylie. Signal is from the northwest corner of the building, but I don’t know what level.”
His team moved through the dimly lit corridors, quickly eliminating the few Citadel personnel they met with a few well-placed shots from his silenced weapon. They reached the stairs and Tank held up a fist.
“Up or down?” Marshall asked.
Tank considered Lowell. “Down.” He shared a glance with Marshall and Connor, their resolve reflected in the steely determination of their eyes. They descended the stairs, their movements choreographed by years of training. The leadman constantly changed as they covered blind spots and kept moving.
Joey”s voice, crisp and composed, broke the silence. ”Bravo team, you”re close.”
“Alpha team is going down too,” Ryder said.
Tank rounded the corner, weapon at the ready. The sight that met his eyes was both expected and chilling—Shane Lowell, a sinister grin playing on his lips, pacing behind a sleek desk. A pair of guns was suddenly pointed at his team by the guards stationed on either side of the entrance.
Tank kept his gun trained at Lowell’s chest as the evil man walked the room. He was completely nonchalant, as though kidnapping, extortion, and an automatic weapon standoff were just another Tuesday evening.
Lowell”s eyes flicked up, meeting Tank”s gaze. ”Well, well, Mr. Olson. I was wondering when you”d drop in.”
Kaylie and Lia weren’t in the room, but the random toys on the corner table showed that they’d been there. “Where are they?” he growled. He was talking as much to Joey as he was to Lowell.
Joey’s frantic voice came through his ear. “Her screen is dark. I’m not sure. The signal is right on top of you, though! She’s there.”
Tank”s fingers tensed on the trigger, a cascade of emotions—anger, determination, and a hint of anticipation—coursing through him.
Joey”s voice echoed in his earpiece. ”Citadel forces are swarming on you.” The once quiet corridors now echoed with alarms.
“We’re distracting as many as we can.” Jackson’s voice was in his ear, panting like he’d been running. Or fighting.
“You need to move. Now!” Joey’s command was their trigger.
Time compressed into a heartbeat as Tank, Marshall, and Connor sprang into action. Tank charged toward Lowell, trusting the team behind him to take care of themselves. Lowell’s eyes widened for a second before he bolted toward the wall. One panel shifted, revealing a tunnel before sliding back into place just as quickly.
“No!” Tank yelled, banging on the wall. Lowell was getting away and he still had no idea where his girls were.
He glanced toward the door and found Marshall and Connor had dispatched the guards and were ushering the rest of the team into the room. Then they barricaded the door.
“Anthony!” The muffled yell made his heart stop. He whirled around, searching for the voice.
“Kaylie?”
“In here!” It was coming from behind another portion of the wall. Tank raced toward the source of Kaylie”s voice, his hands groping along the concealed entrance. The wall gave way under his touch, revealing a narrow closet. He squeezed through, his heart pounding with a mix of relief and urgency.
Kaylie stood in a dimly lit space, Lia held close to her. The reunion was brief, a desperate embrace interrupted by the banging of the Citadel forces on the door. Tank”s eyes met Kaylie”s, a silent acknowledgement passing between them.
“Let’s get out of here,” he urged, glancing around for an escape route. “Joey?”
“There are no cameras in the passage, but Lowell just left through the boat ramp. Find that tunnel.”
After a few tense moments of searching, Marshall found the release and hurried the team through Lowell’s hidden passage. Tank was the last member into the tunnel, pulling the door closed behind him. As the latch clicked, he heard the outer door crash open, toppling the haphazard barricade they’d created with Lowell’s office furniture.
Tank pressed into the dark of the twisting underground passage. Distant shouts and footsteps sounded behind them, growing louder with each passing second.
Joey”s voice crackled through the earpiece. ”Get to the—”
The signal disappeared. They must be too far underground. So far, there was only one way to go anyway.
Tank pushed the team forward, the urgency of their escape hanging in the air. The tunnel echoed with the sounds of pursuit, and Tank”s muscles tensed with each step. Kaylie fell behind until she was right in front of him. She was breathing heavily, and Tank pulled Lia from her arms. “I’ve got her. Hurry!”
A hundred yards later, the tunnel came to an abrupt end. Marshall kicked and the door burst open, revealing a small, enclosed dock. Waves still bounced in the small channel, likely from Lowell’s own escape. A handful of jet skis and two small boats were tied up in the slips.
“Split up?” Jackson’s suggestion came as he checked out the Jet Ski nearest him.
Tank hesitated, hating the idea of splitting up. “No,” he replied, going with his gut. “We take the biggest boat and disable the rest.”
Jackson nodded and began pulling explosives from his vest, attaching them to as many vehicles as they could reach. The cocky man was aggravating at times, but he was certainly useful to have around. His penchant for blowing things up had come in handy more than once.
Shouts from the tunnel behind them grew louder.
”We need to move, now!” Tank shouted, urging the team onto the boat. He handed Lia back to her mother, herding them to the back of the boat. The engine roared to life, Landon at the wheel.
They sped away, leaving the hidden boat ramp behind and tearing into the cold, endless black of Lake Michigan at night.
“Watch out for the old harbor wall,” Tank cautioned Landon.
“I can’t see it!” Landon yelled over the sound of the engine.
Just then, an explosion lit the night and Tank ignored the temptation to look back at the damage to the boat house. Instead, he kept his eyes peeled on the harbor.
His heart leaped in victory as he spotted it. Pointing, he yelled to Landon, “There!”
At his instruction and by the light of the fire engulfing Citadel’s lair, Landon pushed the throttle forward and shot straight for the gap between the sections of short concrete wall that kept the worst of the huge lake’s waves away from the shore.