Nowhere to Run - Chapter 25

Evie came out of the tent dressed in a black turtleneck and matching jeans. Her blond hair tucked up under a black scull cap.

     "What are you doing?" Michael asked warily.

     "I'm ready." she said brightly, "where's my gun?"

     "You are not coming." It was a statement of fact.

     Not to be deterred, Evie put her hands on her hips, "Michael, I've thought this over carefully and I'm going with you every step of the way."

     "Not going to happen, my sweet."

     "The hell it's not!"

     "Evie you have no idea what’s waiting there, it's way too dangerous. They have more security there than Fort Knox. You are staying here. If everything goes alright, I will be back in…"

     "No! I am going."

     He pulled himself up to his full height, towering above her, "No, you are staying right here."

     “This is a no choice situation, buster. Either you take me with you or I find my own way there, but I am coming.”

****

     It was 2:15 AM when Evie and Michael crept silently around the side of an unmarked office building in Richmond.  Team headquarters.  The security system looked as if it had been up dated since Michael had been here last and more cameras scanned the area. Grimly, Michael took all these new additions. They still had to go in. It was the only way to end this nightmare.

     “We have to get to the roof.” Michael stated as he uncoiled the rope over his shoulder, connected the pulleys and checked the harnesses.

     “Roof?” Evie looked up to the top of the building. It seemed like a sheer, flat wall. A few windows scattered here and there, but nothing to hold on to. “You're kidding right? Can’t we try the basement?”

     Michael smiled, his white teeth gleamed in the darkness. “We gotta climb.”

     “No way.”

     “Yes, way.”

     “Michael, I can’t. I just can’t. I’ve never been good with heights. Remember the roof at the boarding house? I froze. I could barely move.”

     Michael hesitated, unsure if it was really safer to leave her here or insist she make the climb. Neither way was really safer. If the alarms went off then this alley would be swarming with agents in under two minutes. He couldn't even be sure if they weren't being observed right now. Her staying here could be just as dangerous as her going with him.

     He looked back up at the sheer wall of the Team's headquarters. That was dangerous too. Especially for an inexperienced climber.

     “Alright. Then stay here. I should have left you back at the campsite. This is far too dangerous.”

     “I told you I wanted to do this and I do. I just can’t climb.”

     With a resigned sigh, he gave in. "Do you have the gun I gave you?"

     "Yes." She patted the waistband where she had tucked the Glock. "And the knife is taped to my ankle."

Michael nodded, "Okay. If anyone comes or the alarms go off you just run. Promise me that you'll leave."

Evie nodded, unable to say it. If the alarms went off before Michael got out, that would mean he was probably dead. He had told her so back at the campsite.

“Stay here.” He gave her an encouraging smile and a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll be right back.”

     Before she could reply Michael moved to the top of the dumpster and levered himself up onto a windowsill.  He went up the side of the building gracefully. Like a cat burglar, he scaled the wall. Using the rock hammer and large spikes to work his way to the top. He went so quickly Evie realized he must have done this before. With his line of training, anything was possible.  As he disappeared over the edge of the roof Evie sent up a silent prayer for his safety.

On top of the roof, Michael leaned back against the ledge to catch his breath. He secured the rope and harness for a quick getaway. Then he sat in the shadows for a moment, scanning the roof for the cameras he knew had to be there. There was one above the door to the top floor, sweeping back and forth. Michael waited for the right moment, then moved soundlessly across the roof. Reaching the door, he ducked around the corner of the air-conditioning unit as the camera swept back. Inserting a thin metal square at the appropriate places in the door, he jammed alarm connection. He had thirty seconds to get through the door. He pulled two small slim picks from a black leather case and had the lock open within seconds. As the camera came back, the door was just closing. The guards on the monitors down below never caught that last inch sliding shut.

     Cautiously making his way down the stairwell, Michael flipped on his small penlight.  It was pitch black on the flight of stairs and he didn’t want to risk trying the light switch he spotted at the base. The bottom door was also locked, but he dispensed of that in a matter of seconds. He opened it slowly; wary of the cameras he knew lined the hall beyond.  Once he disabled the cameras, he figured he only had a max of ten minutes to get what he needed and get out before the guards came to check it out. Probably more like five. He moved quickly and his training served him well.  Taking out the necessary cameras with a pair of wire cutters proved easy as he moved down the hall. 

     He found the elevators and pried their doors open. He planted one small charge to the cables, rigging it to explode when the elevator was started.  He then moved to the stairs and jammed a chair from one of the offices under the handle. Hoping to delay anyone trying to come up.

     When he was with the Team the files were stored here on the tenth floor. Records of every mission and screw up the Team had to their credit.  The one file he wanted most of all was the murder of John Harris.

     Three cameras were disabled by the time Michael reached the door he was looking for. Plainly marked “Classified, Authorized Personnel Only”.  This one was locked with an electronic keypad. 

     Earlier he had filled a small aspirin bottle with gunpowder from the extra shell castings. A piece of twine soaked in kerosene served as a fuse. With skillful fingers, Michael duct taped this onto the keypad and lit the fuse.  He dodged back down the hall and braced for the small explosion.

     BANG!

     The explosion was louder than he had counted on. A bit too much powder. Bells started going off and Michael could here shouts coming from the stairwell to his right.  They knew where the security breach was and he had even less time then he had anticipated.

     Moving quickly through the room, Michael set small charges on the cabinets that lined the wall. They blew in rapid secession and once opened, Michael gathered computer disks and dropped them neatly in the small black sack he carried.  Moving back out into the hallway, he ran for the roof. As shot whistled by his ear.

"Stop! Freeze!"

Shoot first questions later. He was a dead man.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he dashed up and out onto the roof. Not worrying about the cameras this time, he ran for the ledge and flung the small black bag over the edge and into the alley below. Hoping Evie would see it and get the hell out of there with their evidence. He could hear the guards on the stairs now. Without chancing a glimpse behind him, he flung one leg over the edge and grabbed onto the rope he had secured there earlier. Quickly, he cleared the edge of the roof and began his descent. Using the rope with expert skill, he slid down. Picking up speed, his hands slipped and he hit the ground hard. When he got to his feet, Evie and the black bag were nowhere in sight. He could only hope that she had run when she heard the alarms going off. Turning, he heard the pump action of a shotgun behind him.

     “Freeze!” Came a voice from the darkness and Michael’s blood turned to ice. Raising his hand, he leaned his face against the building’s cool brick surface. It was over.

Evie saw the dark object catapult off the roof and land just a few feet from where she was crouched beside the dumpster. The alarms were going off. She had to run. Michael hadn’t told her to leave but…. Where was he?

Shouts came from the street. Coming closer and her adrenaline started pumping. She darted out from her hiding place and snatched up the bag. Men were yelling, coming closer. Evie ran for the car.

As fast as she could go, Evie raced out the back of the alley. Crossing the street she moved between the buildings until she was on the street where she thought they left the car. It wasn’t there.

“Oh God, where the hell is the car?” Evie walked down the block and stopped. Was she on the wrong street? Yes, that must be it. She turned and doubled back. She must have missed the street. Keeping low and in the shadows Evie searched for the Camaro, but after a few blocks she was lost. She had no idea where she was or how far she traveled. It was like the maze of streets had swallowed her up. The sirens in the distance gave her no choice other then to kept moving.