Live to See Tomorrow (41 page)

The elevator stopped just before it reached the third floor. “I have an AK-47,” Kadmus called. “Throw down your weapons on the floor, or I’ll blow you to hell, Ling.”

“No way. I’d be helpless.”

“Put them down.”

There wasn’t much she could do with her .38 against an AK-47 anyway. She would still have the knife in the holster on her calf. “You win.” She put her gun on the floor. “My gun is on the floor in front of me.”

“Good.” The freight elevator started to move again, and Kadmus and Brasden came in view. The darkness was suddenly pierced by the brilliant LED lantern Kadmus was holding in one hand. True to his word, his other arm cradled an AK-47.

Brasden was carrying a Smith & Wesson automatic, and he smiled maliciously as his gaze zeroed in on Catherine. “I’ve been waiting for this, Ling.”

Kadmus lifted the lantern so that’s its beam would light every corner of the darkness. “Where’s Sullivan?”

“I wouldn’t risk her life. When you called me tonight, I got her out of here.” She stepped forward. “She’s suffered enough, you bastard. It’s not her fault my son is on your kill list.”

“He might not have to die,” Brasden said. “Kadmus is a reasonable man, and I might be able to persuade him to let the boy live. Providing you give us Cameron.”

“Us?” She turned to Kadmus. “I thought Brasden was only a glorified errand boy in that ragtag army of yours. Do I have to deal with him, too?”

“Yes,” Brasden said before Kadmus could answer. “Kadmus and I have come to terms regarding the future of our relationship. Tell us about Cameron.”

Catherine ignored him, still staring at Kadmus. “Is that true?”

“Brasden has been very helpful in tracking you down.”

That was no real confirmation, and she could sense antagonism. She might be able to work with it. “I won’t be telling you anything about Cameron until you prove that it’s worth my while. I don’t even know that you’ve managed to get your hands on Luke. He can be very clever.”

“He’s just a kid,” Brasden said. “Our man Ellis is smart and experienced. Your Luke won’t have a chance.”

“Won’t?” she repeated. “That means you don’t have him yet. You lied, Kadmus.”

“I exaggerated, and you fell for it. Women are always vulnerable where their emotions are concerned.” He smiled triumphantly. “But I have you now. So it doesn’t matter. Ellis will bring the boy here and—”

Brasden’s cell phone rang, and he picked up. “Brasden.” He listened and muttered a curse. “
Find
him.”

Kadmus stiffened. “Brasden, that didn’t sound good. You told me—”

“Ellis is dead,” Brasden said curtly. “About two blocks from here. Throat cut. No sign of the boy.”

“What? You told me that Ellis was so good. He couldn’t deal with an eleven-year-old kid?”

“It’s not my fault. Ellis was good.”

“It seems you have nothing to offer me, Kadmus,” Catherine said. “I suppose I should thank Brasden for being an incompetent bumbler.”

“I can offer you your life.” Kadmus’s hand tightened on the AK-47. “And it’s damn funny that Ellis was killed only two blocks from here. It wouldn’t have taken you long to run out of here to rescue the boy.”

“You’re reaching. I wouldn’t have had the time.”

“But you tell me you’re so good.” He gave Brasden a cold glance. “And you succeeded in making a fool of Brasden at Daksha. You might have managed to pluck your son away from Ellis. But where would you have found to stash the little bastard?” He raised the lantern high again and slowly let the beam play around the walls. “I wonder…”

She felt a jolt of panic. Any minute he might decide to go and investigate those storage cabinets. She couldn’t wait any longer. “It’s stupid to think that I’d be able to—”

She kicked the lantern out of his hand, and it crashed to the floor. The glass smashed, but the bulb remained lit as it rolled toward the elevator.

Catherine dove behind the stacked boxes as Brasden let loose with a spray of bullets from his automatic.

“Be careful, you fool,” Kadmus yelled. “Do you want to set those fireworks off and have us all go up in flames?”

It was what Catherine had hoped he’d think. She’d made preparations earlier in the evening and ensured that these wooden boxes were filled with relatively harmless fireworks. But if Kadmus let go with that AK-47, it would shred those boxes and anyone sheltering behind them in seconds.

“She’s not armed, Brasden,” Kadmus said. “Go after her, dammit.”

Catherine slid her knife out of her leg holster.

Then she reached for one of the cherry bombs from the pile she’d earlier readied and started lighting them.

“Come on, bitch.” Brasden was moving toward her. “Kadmus may want you alive, but I don’t give a damn about his screwy ideas about Shambhala. You’re a dead woman if you give me any trouble.”

She waited.

Just a little closer …

First, distract him.

She raised up and started tossing the cherry bombs.

Blam! Blam!

Two exploded in front of Brasden.

“What the—”

The next one hit him in the chest and exploded, burning him.

He screamed.

Now he was off guard. She scrambled to her knees and threw the knife.

It sank deep into his chest.

He tottered and dropped to his knees. He was moaning as he tried to lift his gun.

He didn’t get the chance.

His body was suddenly riddled with bullets, tearing him to pieces.

“Fool.” Kadmus stood over his body with his AK-47. “He couldn’t even perform a simple kill.” He kicked Brasden’s body. “But I didn’t want you to kill him. I’ve been reserving that pleasure for myself.” He stared into the darkness. “You’ve used your knife and those pitiful fireworks. I doubt if you have anything more lethal. I won’t be as easy to put down as Brasden.” He started forward. “I won’t kill you. I’ll just wound you. Then I can take my time and—”

The skylight above them exploded and shattered in thousands of shards of glittering glass.

Someone had jumped, hurled himself through the glass.

Cameron!

He rolled in a ball toward Kadmus, then grabbed him around the knees and brought him down. But Kadmus’s AK-47 was swinging viciously at Cameron’s head as he hit the floor. Cameron ducked and straddled him.

Catherine was on her feet and diving for the gun she’d been forced to drop on the floor.

Dammit, but she couldn’t use it without running the risk of hitting Cameron. Kadmus was fighting viciously, and he still hadn’t released that AK-47.

“Get away from him, Cameron,” she called desperately. “Let me take my shot.”

Kadmus stiffened and went still for an instant. “Cameron?” He stared up into Cameron’s face. “I’ve got you?” His voice was hoarse with excitement. “I was wondering if you’d come to try to help Ling.” His fist slammed into Cameron’s stomach with brutal force. “I’ve got to be careful not to damage you too much. I need you.”

“Too bad,” Cameron said. “I don’t need you. Yes, I did come for Catherine, but you’re my primary target.”

“My hand’s wet.” Kadmus looked down at his fist. “You’re bleeding.” He smiled fiercely. “That’s good. It means you’re weak. I’ll take you, then I’ll get Ling with the AK-47.”

“Not that weak.” Cameron lifted his hand and backhanded him. “You like weak, don’t you? I remember how much you enjoyed using those ropes to play with Erin. Do you know how often I was tempted to come and use them on you?”

“But you didn’t.” His hands gripped Cameron’s neck. “Because you knew that I was too strong for you. You knew that I was destined for Shambhala. I was meant to be there, and you were keeping me from it. No more, Cameron.”

“No more,” Cameron whispered as he struggled to break Kadmus’s grip. “You do have a destiny, and I won’t keep you from it any longer.” He broke Kadmus’s hold, and his hands grasped Kadmus’s neck. Cameron stared him in the eye. “Not Shambhala, never Shambhala.” His hands tightened, cutting off air. “Hell, Kadmus.” He twisted sharply. “That’s your destiny.”

Kadmus’s neck snapped and broke.

Dead, Catherine realized, as Kadmus’s body went limp. Relief surged through her as she moved toward Cameron. He was getting off Kadmus’s body as she reached him. She said, “He said you were bleeding. You told me that you were okay.”

“That was before I jumped through that skylight,” Cameron said dryly. “Actions like that tend to aggravate a wound.”

“Let me see it.”

“Later.” He grabbed Kadmus’s legs and started to pull him toward the freight elevator. “But you can help me get Kadmus and Brasden on that elevator. I don’t want to bleed any more than necessary.”

She was dragging Kadmus’s upper body. “Why do you want them on the elevator?”

“We’re going to send them both down to the second floor to rendezvous with those ten or fifteen men Kadmus told to wait for word to attack. It should cause a satisfactory amount of confusion and give us a chance to get away from the factory before they recover.” He opened the elevator gate, and they pushed Kadmus inside. “Now for Brasden.” He smiled at Catherine. “I was impressed. I was watching from the skylight, getting ready to jump. You handled him very well.” His brows rose. “But cherry bombs, Catherine?”

She shrugged. “You use what you have on hand.” She strode back toward Brasden’s body. “And I wasn’t expecting help from above.”

“You didn’t need it,” Hu Chang said as he came out of the darkness. “I thought I might have to intercede, but I’m glad I didn’t have to do it. I was quite busy trying to keep young Luke from breaking out of that storage closet. He didn’t have the same faith in you that I do.”

“I have faith in her,” Luke said as he came to stand beside Hu Chang. He added simply, “I was just scared.”

“So was I,” Cameron said. “But can we stop talking and get Brasden’s body on that elevator? We need to get out of here.”

“I’ll help,” Luke said quickly.

Catherine opened her mouth to protest but then closed it. It might not be what she wanted for Luke, but this was minor compared to the violence to which he could have been subjected tonight. “Hurry.”

Hu Chang smiled. “Very wise.” He helped Luke drag Brasden’s body toward the elevator and glanced at Cameron. “I heard that you were bleeding. I’ll take a look at it once we’re out of here.”

Cameron shook his head. “I don’t wish to insult you, but I have to deal with physicians the committee authorizes.” He smiled. “Unless I’m bleeding to death. Which I am not.” He slammed the gate of the freight elevator shut and pressed the button. He whirled and headed for the window exit. “I’ll go first and clear the way. I saw some activity down there when I was on the roof.” He had reached the window and swung his legs over the sill. “Hurry. Don’t waste any time.”

Catherine pushed Luke ahead of her and watched him climb to the window.

“After you, Catherine.” Hu Chang bowed.

An uproar from the second floor. Shouts.

Nagle had opened the elevator door.

She was at the window and looked back to make sure Hu Chang was behind her.

“Catherine.” Luke was looking down at the alley below him. “Cameron.”

“What’s wrong with Camer—”

Nothing was wrong with Cameron, she saw. He had evidently been confronted by three of Kadmus’s men in the alley and he was fighting them off with the speed and skill of a Jackie Chan. She had never seen anyone with that degree of lethal karate technique. He had the three men down in less than a minute.

“Neat,” Luke murmured.

“Keep going,” she said.

“I hear the elevator,” Hu Chang said from behind her. “Evidently, the lack of leadership didn’t confuse them enough to stop them.”

“They’re drones,” Cameron said as he reached up to give a hand to help Luke to the ground. “Nagle had orders, and he’ll try to obey them. He doesn’t know who will take over for Kadmus but he’ll want them to use him and his team.” He added grimly, “But his men won’t have the brainpower to make good decisions, and we’ve thrown them into a turmoil. That’s why I wanted to be out of that building. Blake’s men were breaking into the first floor and I called and told them to get out, too.” They were all on the ground now. “Let’s get away from it.” He started down the alley at a dead run. Hu Chang, Luke, and Catherine followed.

Shouts. Curses.

Catherine looked back over her shoulder. She could see shadowy figures at the third-floor window. Someone was trying to climb out on the fire escape.

Shots.

A bullet struck the brick wall next to her.

More shots.

“Run,” Cameron said tensely.

Those shots …

Didn’t they realize the danger of those shots? Just one random shot could ignite those fireworks.

Another shot.

The factory blew!

Not all at once, a series of explosions as it moved from box to box on the third floor.

Then, as it reached the main fireworks supply, the explosion shook the ground.

Luke was knocked to his knees by the blast.

She pulled him to his feet and kept on running.

Explosion after explosion.

Then just the crackling suction of flames.

She stopped and looked back.

The factory was totally engulfed in fire. From the street shops to the third floor, the entire structure looked like a garden house in hell.

She was only vaguely aware that Hu Chang and Luke were standing beside her, staring at the inferno. “No one could survive that fire…” She looked at Cameron. “You told me that it wouldn’t be like that horrible fireworks blast in Vietnam.”

“And it isn’t,” Cameron said. “I had the majority of the gunpowder and chemical papers moved out of the building. And I placed the other explosives in such a way that it caused them to principally implode. It won’t hurt anyone outside the factory. The only deaths will be Kadmus’s men who caused the blast.” He smiled crookedly. “And the fire is so intense that even the firemen won’t try to enter the building to save them.”

She was staring at him. “But you knew they’d react like that. Nagle’s drones you called them. You wanted it to happen.”

He shrugged. “I’m the Guardian. If Nagle’s men hadn’t died, they’d have been in my way again next year or the year after. It was the efficient way to handle it.”