Chapter 52

David Chang fingered the MP-5 hidden under the receptionist's desk and tried to suppress a yawn. Earlier in the evening, Max had insisted Chang take his team and lock down the Three Crosses Rehab Center. After the Sheriff had called in a report about two dangerous fugitives on the loose, the staff had quarantined the patients to their rooms and turned the facility over to Chang's squad.

The four men under his command were concealed from sight, while he sat at the receptionist's desk. For what seemed like the millionth time, he looked at the pictures that were scattered in front of him. They showed a heavily armed man and woman. They had been taken at the bunkhouse the night before. His orders from Max were to detain them if possible, but he was authorized to shoot and kill them, as long as the book she was supposed to be carrying was safe.

No explanation had been offered, but one of his men had seen them jump into a freezing, underground river after the woman had punched Mitch in the mouth. Sucks to be you, Chang thought, as he creased the corners of the photographs. Nobody messed with Mitch and got away with it.

If they showed up at the rehab center, they would walk right into a deadly trap. The men hidden from sight could pour a deadly hail of fire into the confined entranceway. All Chang had to do was duck and get out of the crossfire.

But Chang had no plans of ducking. He would kill the intruders himself. Two new, silver notches in his belt would be good for his morale and cement his status as leader of the small squad. He intended to move up in the organization, no matter what the cost.

The alarm flashed momentarily, then blinked out. That's strange, he thought. Chang slid his chair over to the monitor that usually displayed the security camera views. He tried to flip through the different cameras, but nothing happened. He pounded the keyboard in frustration. Suddenly, a skull and crossbones popped up on the screen. "Shit," he muttered, gripping the MP-5 and warily scanning the entrance.

Outside, the snow was coming down hard. Chang could barely see ten feet past the glass doors, and some unseen person was messing with the security system.

Chang motioned for his men to get ready. The bored looks on their faces changed to wolfish grins, as they prepared for combat. Over the roar of the winter storm, Chang could have sworn he heard the sound of a high powered motor.

"Where you at, bitch?" Chang wondered aloud as he pulled the MP-5 from its hiding spot. Uneasily, he sank into the receptionist's chair and attempted to log into the security system. The skull and crossbones laughed at each attempt he made.

Chang picked up the receptionist's phone, held the receiver to his ear, then cursed when he couldn't get a dial tone. As he reached for his satellite phone, a muffled crash reverberated through the front hallway. The alarm tied to the motion sensors in the East Wing started blinking frantically. Chang leaped from the chair and motioned for his men to follow. He glanced at the pictures of Liv and Finn, one last time, and raced to intercept the unknown enemy that was lurking in Mitch's quarters.