Kim Baldwin - The Gemini Deception

She and her two companions had positioned themselves in the hotel restaurant because its front windows provided an ideal visual. All of them wore earpieces hooked into David Arthur’s listening device. None of them had touched their coffee.

So far, everything was proceeding without a hitch. Jack should be out of there in a few minutes. Arthur was in the elevator, headed down.

Pierce, on the booth seat opposite, cracked a smile at her comment and then returned his attention to what Arthur was doing.

Lynx, beside her, was absorbed as well in every nuance of sound coming through their earpieces; she looked tightly coiled and ready to spring.

Pierce had wanted to confront TQ in person, but he’d had to abort the plan after he, Arthur, and Lynx had boarded the EOO jet for Washington. Apparently, the tension was too much for him, and he’d started to have chest pains.

Shield had no idea Pierce had health problems, but then again, his pale, sweaty complexion had never been as obvious as tonight. Arthur insisted on taking his place and had made the phone call from the jet, so TQ would recognize the voice when they met in person. According to Lynx, who’d briefed her once they were out of Ryden’s earshot, Arthur had also insisted he was better suited because he was capable of staying calm in the face of the woman who had taken Jack.

Shield could understand that now. All during Arthur’s conversation with TQ, Pierce kept mumbling about how he wanted to go in and kill her. He’d become particularly upset and enraged when TQ mentioned her men had been torturing Jack for hours. Shield and Lynx had had to hold him down, and then Shield had to hold Lynx down when she’d insisted she go in instead and beat TQ to oblivion.

“What’s this?” they heard Arthur say. “Let go of me.”

“We will, pal,” another man said, “as soon as we get to where your friend is.”

Shield heard a struggle and then TQ’s voice. “You thought you could fool me? Well, the joke’s on you, whoever you are.”

More struggling. “Do you recognize the man in this picture?” TQ asked.

When Arthur didn’t answer, TQ continued. “Let me enlighten you. His name is Montgomery Pierce, and he looks nothing like you. So, my question is, who are you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Take him to the basement and finish both of them. I’ve simply lost my will to spend any more time on that conniving lowlife assassin.”

“Let’s go,” Pierce said as Lynx took off out the exit.

“No.” Shield got in front of him. “Stay here. We’ll take care of it.”

“Out of my way.” Pierce pushed her aside, but he’d gone only a step or two before he stopped short and grasped his chest. His face was ashen.

“You’re not well, Monty. Look, I’ll let you know if we need backup, okay?”

Pierce nodded. “Go,” he rasped.

By the time she got outside to the curb, Lynx was speeding toward her in the van. The guy who’d been behind the wheel was now escorting Wagner, one hand on her elbow, briskly toward the restaurant.

The van slammed to a stop two feet away. “Get in,” Lynx shouted.

Shield jumped in and grabbed the two automatic assault rifles that Lynx had already retrieved from the duffel in the back. “Let’s do it.”

They buckled up, and Lynx floored it at the first gap in traffic a second or two later. The van shot across the roadway, up half a dozen wide marble steps, and straight through the big glass entrance of the building. The SRS bags popped immediately, but Lynx kept going, the sound of screeching tires, shattering glass, and the rev of the engine deafening. Finally, the van hit something solid and would go no farther. Shield gave one rifle to Lynx before they got out.

“Give me your location, Arthur,” Shield said.

“Two floors down,” came a crackled response.

“Hang in there. We’re on our way.”

No sooner had she said that than TQ’s men started shooting. Shield couldn’t tell how many, but the shots seemed to be coming from all directions. They dove for cover behind the massive marble reception counter and fired back. Shield got one man in the chest while Lynx got another in the neck.

She pointed to the emergency exit a few feet away. Lynx nodded, and both kept firing while they ran to the stairwell.

They made it through the heavy door and heard voices from below. Both waited at the landing until two men came into view and showered them with bullets.

“One more level to go,” Shield said as they headed down.

“Door at the end of the hall,” Arthur’s voice came again.

“Is she alive?” Pierce asked in her ear, obviously to Arthur.

“She’s…we need to get her out now,” Arthur replied.

Lynx accelerated at this, taking the last few steps two at a time, and was about to bolt into the hall of the sub-basement when Shield grabbed her. “Easy.” Shield carefully checked to see if anyone was in the hall. “Two guarding the door.”

“We have to take them out now ,” Lynx whispered.

Both took a deep breath and stepped into the hall, shooting. They ran to the door, stepping over the two corpses, and when they found it locked, Lynx started firing at the lock while Shield checked the bodies for keys. She was sure no amount of gunfire would open the thick steel door, and so was Lynx, for that matter. But Shield knew Lynx had only one thing on her mind and a lot of anger.

Shield put her hand on Lynx’s shoulder, signaling her to stop. “Arthur, is there a lock on the other side?”

“I’m looking, but nothing here. You haven’t even put a dent in it,” he replied. “Jack’s lost a lot of blood.”

“Keep her conscious,” Lynx yelled, and pounded on the door.

“I’m trying,” he said.

“Someone’s coming,” Shield whispered. Both turned to look down the hall, rifles at the ready. Shield tried the door to her left while Lynx the two on the right. “Damn,” Shield said.

“Get ready.” Lynx lifted her rifle in preparation.

“Shield, Lynx. Cease fire,” came Pierce’s voice through the mic.

“What’s going on?” Lynx asked.

“I’m almost there,” Pierce replied.

Shield, shocked, looked at Lynx, who was obviously just as surprised.

“Monty, it’s dangerous,” Lynx said.

The elevator door started to open and both of them took aim.

“Put your weapons down,” they heard Monty say before they saw him.

When the doors opened completely, Shield saw that Pierce wasn’t alone. Next to him stood TQ, who looked scared but forced a smile nevertheless when she saw Shield.

“What the—” Lynx said.

“Move faster. You’re on a time limit,” Pierce said to TQ as they walked down the hall.

TQ picked up the pace and stopped three feet away from the steel door. She looked up at the right corner, straight into the sensor, and nodded. The door made a loud unlocking sound and opened.

Lynx ran in first, with Pierce behind her.

“You screwed with the wrong people,” Shield said to TQ as they both waited outside.

“How’s the florist?” TQ looked smug.

“How’s your face?” Shield asked.

TQ’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “My what?”

Shield backhanded her across the face so hard TQ hit the wall.

Lynx came out, with Pierce behind her and Harding in his arms. Lynx put her gun to TQ’s head.

“We had a deal.” TQ looked to Pierce.

“You had a deal with him, not with me,” Lynx said menacingly.

“As much as I want to see her dead,” Pierce said, “I’d much rather see her suffer.” He turned in the direction of a sudden ruckus behind them.

“Police! Drop your weapons,” a male voice shouted as a small army of armed men came into view down the hall. With them were two paramedics, carrying a portable stretcher.