An Unlikely Hero (1) (34 page)

The cloud of cigarette smoke that swirled around his head added to the distasteful impression Tessa had formed about the five foot ten inch man who looked to be in his late forties. Although thin, Zoric was wiry and quick on his feet. She half expected him to hiss, revealing blood drenched fangs when he smiled, but exposed a missing tooth near the corner of his mouth instead. Zoric’s fingertips were yellow with tobacco stains, and an unsuccessful attempt at whitening his teeth had given them a strange shade of pale gray. A long narrow nose that looked too big for his bony face made his close set eyes of light brown appear sinister and condescending when he leveled a gaze at you. The lazy, unconcerned stance Zoric used impressed the onlooker of no particular threat, but Tessa knew differently, having observed Zoric for several days now. He killed when necessary and remorse never disquieted his actions.

Zoric glanced over at Tessa hiding behind the sunglasses. He’d felt her eyes upon them, a gift from his gypsy mother, which came in handy working with shadowy characters and less than trustworthy governments. “Think she suspects?” he said turning back to the map laid before them on the hood. When Chase wiped his sleeve across his forehead and frowned without a word, Zoric continued, “If you tell her about Honey…”

“I don’t like any of this,” Chase said folding the map. “When I get my hands on Honey Lynch I’m going to kill her in the slowest possible way,” he growled. “We should’ve gotten Robert and the kids out two days ago.”

Zoric lit a cigarette and puffed several times. “Too late now,” he said despondently. “What’s done is done.”

The convoy of three trucks carrying heavy shipping containers rolled through Sacramento without incident, even in rush hour traffic. The decision to transfer the containers of Molybdenum-99 by trucks instead of train had been a last minute adjustment. There were too many miles of empty stretches of land that a train traveled. Intel revealed an attack was imminent, hijacking the isotope material for purposes not yet known. Enigma and Homeland Security realized the possibility of capturing the Molybdenum-99 would extinguish more than a third of the medical isotopes needed worldwide. The risk of using the material to further a nuclear weapon seemed minimal now that Enigma knew the revenge Essid sought originated from his own twisted sense of justice. With control over materials that potentially could save thousands of people every day, Essid had created another type of terrorist bomb. Canada, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and South Africa had been put on alert for terrorist activity which could potential destroy medical isotopes in production and especially shipping.

France, slow to respond given their on again, off again relationship with the United States, grudgingly increased security at their plant. Their relationship with Libya had flourished in recent years and they saw no need to be concerned about an attempt on their isotope transfers. Unfortunately, the French were also in bed with the Russians; giving aid, oil refineries and weapons for their own self-promotion. Enigma knew it would only be a matter of time before Essid’s people took advantage of their complacent snub toward the United States. Belgium and the Netherlands quickly took steps to halt transfers of medical isotopes until assurances could be given that supplies would successfully reach market. South Africa, like Canada, had been forced to shut down their aging reactors due to heavy water leaks. Canada had been out of commission for more than a year. Both countries quickly saw the need to establish a tighter security presence.

The trucks hauling the life-saving Molybdenum-99 lumbered up an unnamed mountain outside of Auburn toward Apple Valley where Captain Hunter planned to rendezvous with the rest of his team doing escort duty. No extra protection followed. Special containers had been loaded onto the train resembling the Molybdenum ones to make it appear “business as usual”. Unwanted attention to flashing lights and armed men were deemed unnecessary since Enigma people traveled in the truck.

The sun climbed higher in the sky as afternoon heat bore down on the dusty service road that led into Global Navigation. Breezes did little to cool the perspiration clinging to the captain and the two reluctant civilians who sat in a shady patch just beyond the Hummer. With a computer, Enigma phone and aerial surveillance equipment, Chase and Zoric were able to monitor the progress of the trucks. Watching their progress grew mind-numbing for the two men even though they alternated in twenty minute shifts. The trucks were only forty five minutes away, coming into a heavily forested area. This would be a narrow, winding stretch of highway that forced the graceless semis to navigate carefully.

Tessa stood and stretched as she crossed to Zoric who focused on the computer. Chase had disappeared into the forest when relieved by Zoric. Looking at the time on the computer, Tessa realized he’d been gone far longer than a twenty minute shift.

“Need me to take over? Tell me what I should be watching for and you can get over there in the shade. I felt a breeze earlier.” Her voice sounded like a whisper in the vastness of the forest. Zoric turned his haunted eyes to her for only a second and smiled before looking back at the screen. “Don’t trust me?” she quizzed.

Zoric continued to smile at the screen. “This is not your job, Tessa Scott. But I would like very much for you to wait here with me to break the, how you say it? Monotonous?” He felt her shuffle nervously at the suggestion. “It is you who does not trust. Why are you afraid of me? Is it because of my looks?” His eyes never left the screen until he felt a timid hand on his forearm.

“I’m sorry. You seem to like capitalizing on your dark aura,” Tessa withdrew her hand and stepped up closer to get a look at the computer. “You did come on a little strong our first few encounters.”

Zoric lit a cigarette and exhaled the first puff of smoke as he turned squinted eyes to observe the reluctant housewife of Grass Valley. “Control by intimidation.”

“That seems to be workin’ for you, Zoric.” Her light chuckle seemed to float. “And how did you come to work for Enigma? You’re an artist not a gun toting, black ops kind of guy.”

Zoric’s smile faded suddenly. “That’s where you’re wrong, Tessa Scott. I am the devil incarnate. I have done many terrible things in the last twenty years.”

“Then it’s a good thing God forgives us I guess,” she said off handedly. Zoric frowned.

“God? Where was God when my wife and daughters were blown to pieces at the hands of the Bosnians?”

“Dear Lord! Zoric, how horrible!” Again she touched his arm. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine losing all that I hold dear.” Suddenly Zoric grabbed her hand in a vice-like grip. Tessa instinctively tried to pull away without success. She looked up into his bloodshot eyes to see a warning.

“Anyone who plays with the devil gets burned, Tessa Scott. You’d best remember that,” he said, seeing flames of fear leap to her beautiful blue eyes. He smiled crookedly and tried to pat some comfort into her shoulder with his other hand. “Chase and I will protect you.” Cocking his head slightly Zoric searched her face with unabashed admiration. “When this is over I think we should sit and talk over coffee. What you say, Tessa Scott?” He watched the anxiousness ebb away from Tessa’s posture. “This way I make Chase Hunter crazy. Hmm?”

Tessa failed to understand why the captain would disapprove of a causal cup of coffee with a friend you’d been to hell and back with, but the thought of getting even with the mighty Captain Chase Hunter was just too tempting. “Then count me in!” They shared a low laugh as Chase emerged from the woodland trail.

Tessa strolled back to the shade where Mr. Crawley napped peacefully. Avoiding eye contact with the captain had taken great restraint. Every time her mind wandered to him the scene of being wrapped in those muscled arms against his naked chest flashed before her eyes. A tremble of embarrassment and something else, she wasn’t sure what, rippled across her body like a mild earthquake. The feeling of contempt mixed with admiration kept Tessa off balance. Would this nightmare never end?

“What was that all about,” Chase asked as he came alongside Zoric. “Looks like you two are getting chummy.”

“We made a date.” Zoric grinned sheepishly down at the computer screen. Chase’s deep silence drew Zoric’s sideways glance. “I think she likes me. You, not so much.”

“Married,” Chase said bluntly.

“Don’t care,” Zoric chuckled. “The woman is so trusting and gullible I could not resist.”

A deep, disgusted sigh escaped Chase. “You’re going to hell. You know that, right?”

“Yes.” Zoric’s laugh was contagious as he slapped his friend on the back.

“You also know I’m not going to let you do that, right?” Chase landed a friendly fist on Zoric’s arm.

“It’s just coffee, my friend. Coffee. Nothing more.”

“When we’re done here we disappear from her life.”

Zoric then turned his evil eyes on Chase like loaded pistols. “And let her pick up the pieces alone? No. We both have been there and I will not abandon this woman. She does not deserve any of this. Her family…” Zoric let the words drop as a beep came from the computer.

“What the hell is that?” Chase said looking closer at the screen?

“Fire!” screamed Tessa as she ran out of the woods and stood aghast at the trailhead. “Look! On the ridge!”

All eyes went to the ridge above them where a curtain of smoke bellowed over the tongues of flame marching steadily toward them. With each wisp of wind the fire advanced to spots where moments before had been a refuge from the afternoon heat.

Carter tapped his ear piece. “You get that Sam? Vernon?” Just when he thought things couldn’t get worse, they crashed and burned. Literally. He motioned for the driver to stop as he pulled out a map from his vest pocket with one hand while running the other over his closely cropped blond hair. It had been sheared so close that Carter ran his hand through again to assure himself there really was more than just skin. His pale eyes narrowed as his focus out the windshield searched for signs of smoke. Unfolding the map matter-of-factly did not cause the driver to question his guard. He remained silent as Carter ran an index finger along numbered red and blue lines that indicated roads, trails and topography.

The passenger door swung open and Sam looked up at her partner who swung his feet out onto the step, then hopped down in front of her, so close he could feel her breath. The smell of spearmint reached his nostrils as he watched her spit her gum out at his feet. She didn’t step back in retreat, rather put her hands on her hips and snarled at the cocky ex-astronaut. “You did that on purpose,” she said suddenly shoving Carter back with her fist that had more force than most men possessed.

“I love it when you get physical, Sam.” Carter chuckled when Vernon joined them wearing a sour look. His eyes fell on Sam then the astronaut. “There’s my favorite techy,” Carter said offhandedly as he opened the crinkled map up again. He noted the redness in Vernon’s face, the rushed breathing, and the
if looks could kill
expression he leveled at him before continuing.
Poor, jealous sap,
Carter grinned. Vernon just didn’t realize Sam was way out of his league. If a handsome, dare devil astronaut couldn’t win her over then Vernon just didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. Besides, Sam only had eyes for their captain, not that Chase paid much attention to Sam’s obvious availability tactics. Sometimes he seriously worried about that guy. A babe like Sam loving all over you could make a man change his tom cattin’ ways. Then he smothered a grin; not even Sam could do that, Carter thought logically. He loved women too much to restrict himself in matters of the heart.

“We’re here,” he pointed to the map, holding it awkwardly with one hand until Sam lifted one side. “Chase says the fire is moving fast. We’ll never make it through there in time. Even if we could, Chase thinks it’s too big of a risk. So if we go on this old mining road here,” Carter pointed to another spot on the map, “it comes in less than a mile from the Global Navigation facility. We’ll rendezvous with Chase and his people then head north here.” After tapping the spot, Carter folded the map and stuffed it back into his vest pocket. “This will all be over within less than an hour if we can get through the pass.”