Chapter 398

On the Road Nearing the Retreat

The limo turned into the final county road and was soon passing the Sperman’s driveway. The kidnapper holding the .45 against Margaret’s side frequently glanced out the window, but had little conscious thought about the beautiful, snow-covered scenery they were passing. He had noted the mercenaries’ other vehicles sitting on the side road a few miles back, and he knew that his partner and the mercenary in charge of the group were conversing on the phone, but since he could not make out either side of the conversation, he never suspected that the hostages hearing could be acute enough to hear every word.

He did notice Bill as he glanced at Frank. “Don’t do anything that will make me nervous. My finger is on the trigger. If either of you try anything, the lady dies first.”

“If you kill her, there’s no way Security will allow you through,” Bill warned.

“We could shoot our way in...” Hawkins began before Bill cut him off with a laugh.

“Unh uh. Someone has, I think, misled you a bit.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Come on, Man,” Bill returned. “You and your buddy need to rethink this before you get in over your heads.”

“We have. We’ve...” But he cut himself off as he realized that Bill was probably trying to goad him into making a mistake. “Just keep quiet,” he growled.

A few minutes later, they turned into the Retreat’s drive. As the driver eased the big vehicle forward, a uniformed guard wearing an odd helmet with a tinted faceplate stepped from the small building just in front of the gate. Pointing, he indicated they were to stop beside him.

Although nothing showed in the roadway, the whole area near the guard shack abounded with sensors as well as cameras that detected various frequencies of light and heat. Not only was the bottom and outside of the vehicle scanned, but scanners also picked up the driver’s and guard’s weapons and would have detected any explosive materials had there been any inside. Additional equipment in the outer wall of the roadway added more readings as did yet more sensors in the front wall of the guard shack. Even more sophisticated sensors resided in Security’s helmet, giving instant access to data accessible not only to the guard, but to monitors at Security Headquarters a quarter mile away. These could, and today, did copy their data to the Retreat.

While the other sensors did give accurate information about the weapons in the vehicle, the gate guard’s helmet had a better view and showed the precise orientation of both weapons. The driver’s was pointed down since it was nestled in a holster under his suit coat, but the orientation of the kidnapper in the back showed it pointing horizontally and against another body.

The driver’s window slid down and the gate guard exchanged greetings with him. “Mr. Wainwright and party,” the driver announced.

“Thank you, Sir. Would you please lower the back window?”

When the window went down, Security instantly knew that the horizontally pointing weapon was against Margaret Wainwright’s body, but he just greeted the group with a pleasant, “Good morning.”

They all responded and Frank added, enunciating carefully, “How’s the wife and daughter today, Patterson?”

“Just great, Mr. Wainwright. Thanks for asking,” Gate Security returned courteously.

Wainwright nodded to the man sitting on the other side of Margaret, “We have Jim Hawkins, an associate of mine riding with us.”

“Noted, Sir,” the gate guard responded.

Then turning slightly, Gate Security addressed the driver, “Would you please pop the trunk, Sir?”

“Certainly,” the driver responded while doing so.

The guard went to the back, glanced inside, closed the trunk and quickly returned to wave them through even as the barrier rose up. “You may proceed. Hope you have a great day.” And I also hope you have your insurance paid up, because the Colonel is going to be some more pissed, not to even mention your welcoming committee, he added mentally.

Neither of the kidnappers realized what the gate guard had seen via the sensors in his helmet, nor that Wainwright had sent a distress message. Wife and daughter meant there were two assailants in the vehicle. The addition of “today” confirmed that the statement was an emergency message in case someone might slip as they used a normal greeting enquiring about family. But this guard wasn’t married and had no daughter.

By the time the limo had passed the first switchback, the ready helicopter was climbing invisibly into the air, its motor and rotors almost inaudible. The Security building, too, was a beehive of activity, even as the emergency gong was sounding throughout the Retreat.

As people inside the building were hurrying to weapon caches and moving to their assigned places, the AI announced that the approaching limo had two intruders in it, they were armed and appeared to have hostages, then said who the arriving group consisted of.

Jeff was in the living room as the AI made its announcement. “Damn,” he muttered to himself, “I told Frank he needed more security.”

Seconds later, Diana hurried in carrying a pulse rifle and wearing her Glock. “What are we going to do?” she asked as she stared at the big screen that was showing the limo making its way up the drive. “Oh, I hope they haven’t hurt anyone.” Then to herself, My voice has a quiver in it. Settle down, Girl.

“I’ll meet them out back, of course,” the Prime said, his face set without expression. Diana hadn’t seen his mission face in a while, and it sent shivers down her spine.

“Jeff, I don’t want...”

“I have no choice,” he snapped, interrupting before she could get her thoughts out. “This has to be more of Moreau’s doing ... And if those bastards have hurt so much as one hair on...” He chopped the sentence off before continuing in another vein, “Guess I need to get to the back door. And tell Tina her family is going to be fine.”

“Jeff...” Diana began.

“I know. I’ll be careful, but it’s those two bastards who need to take care,” he snapped, pointing to the big screen as it showed a view shot through the right windows when the limo turned another switchback.

When Diana realized that he was in the process of putting his .45 in the drawer of a table, she almost commented, but stopped herself in time. “I won’t be using a gun,” he said, shutting the drawer as Diana grabbed him, smashing her lips against his. “Don’t get yourself hurt,” she snarled. “Jeff, just kill them and be done with it.”

“I’m not going to get hurt, but we do need to interview them, if at all possible,” he returned grimly as he walked purposely out.

Girding herself, Diana hurried to make sure everyone was armed and in their assigned positions, and ... to assure a frantic Tina (Frank’s other wife) that Jeff would make certain that her husband and sister-wife would be okay.

Kayla was waiting for him at the back door.

“You are not going with me,” Jeff tried.

Kayla just looked at him as she opened the back door and fell into step with him.

Hostage protocol was in effect seconds after gate Security had transmitted the image of the weapon held against Margaret’s side, and Frank’s distress message had confirmed it. Long before the limo reached the back of the Retreat, snipers were in position, their helmets showing them information as well as live video from the sensors and cameras as the equipment easily penetrated the window tint, plus picking up almost every word said in the big vehicle.

Margaret, remembering that information might save their lives, tried to add to Security’s knowledge as the vehicle passed a switchback.

“You don’t have to jam that gun into my side. It hurts every time the car sways or you move,” Margaret said as they passed another switchback where she knew there would be a concentration of sensors.

“Look, Lady,” Hawkins responded, “don’t get an attitude now. Just keep your cool and we’ll be out of here as soon as the weather clears and our copter can get in,” he lied, which immediately registered as a lie on the sensors.

The driver raised his voice to make sure everyone heard him, “Okay, we’re almost up this damn driveway. I’m going to stop at the front...”

“We don’t use the front entrance in the winter,” Bill interrupted to say. “Everyone comes in from the back parking lot. The front loop probably hasn’t even been plowed out.”

“Don’t try anything squirrely,” Hawkins warned. “It will get somebody killed. Just think what this .45 will do to the lady’s chest when I pull the trigger. I suspect the bullet will go on to take out Mr. Wainwright, too.”

“He’s telling the truth,” the driver said. “I don’t see any tracks going toward the front door of the hotel.”

“Just trying to help,” Bill said. “We want the two of you gone as soon as possible.”

“Oh, we will be,” the driver said over his shoulder. “You guys just need to make sure we don’t have any problems transferring the funds.”

None of the group believed that this was anything other than another of Moreau’s attacks.

The limo climbed the slope to the back parking lot and nosed toward the back entrance. Wainwright turned to Hawkins. “It’s not too late to stop this. Drop us off and leave. I promise we won’t try to stop you or have you arrested.”

Hawkins ignored him, and the driver continued on to stop thirty feet or so from the back. Getting out, the driver walked around the vehicle and opened the door nearest his partner.

“All right. Let’s get them out of the limo,” he instructed.

Hawkins backed out of the vehicle while dragging Margaret with him, his gun barrel now pressed against her head.

“Okay, now it’s your turn, Wainwright, then you,” the driver ordered as he looked at Bill. “But remember, if anyone tries anything suspicious, my partner is going to kill Mrs. Wainwright. Fuck with us and there will be a dead woman on your hands. But do what we say and you’ll all sleep tonight.”

When it was Jill’s turn to get out, the driver grabbed her and put his gun against her head. This close to her, even he was distracted by her beauty. As Bill started to turn, the kidnapper hissed out. “Do it and I’ll blow her brains all over the parking lot.”

“Easy, Bill,” Frank hissed out.

Bill took a breath, but stepped back.

“Smart move,” the driver said, but stopped when he saw Bill’s eyes glance toward the building where a tall, well-muscled man, accompanied by another beautiful woman, had walked out on the stoop. Calmly, with their hands raised above their shoulders, the two came down the steps and walked toward the group.