Secrets (10 page)

“The look on
your face is just priceless, Darlin’! What are you doing out by
yourself on such a dark night? Are you solicitin’?” With that, he
laughed and rubbed himself suggestively. “I wonder what I will tell
them that you charge.”

BB’s reassuring
voice came across the ear piece. “Stay calm, Sonya. He is spouting
rubbish! We want him to tell us what he wants in exchange for Bryan
and Lucien and where they are being held, before we beat the shit
out of him.”

“Why did you
lie to get me here? Bryan didn’t send that text! Where is Bryan?”
Sonya demanded, at a loss to think of anything else to say.

“Aw, Honey,
you’re gonna give me a complex! Bryan, Bryan, Bryan! You’re gonna
have to forget about Bryan. My friend in the Middle East has a real
likin’ for pretty little blonde things and he’s willing to pay me
big bucks to tickle his fancy. Welcome to your new home, Sugar!” he
smiled and pulled out a gun.

“Turn around,
and start walkin’!” The gun jabbed into her back and she
reluctantly began to walk.

“We are right
here,” BB's calm voice reassured. “As soon as you get to the lamp
post, turn right and run as fast as you can back across the street
to the car. We shall deal with that SOB ourselves at this
juncture.”

"Four. Three.
Two. One," Sonya mentally counted as they approached the lamp post.
Taking in a deep breath, she suddenly veered right and without a
backward glance, ran for her life.

Fear lent speed
to her feet, and Sonya moved faster than she had ever believed
possible. As she approached the line up of parked cars, a large man
in black clothing wearing a balaclava, literally lifted her off her
feet from her dead run, and continuing to run, he carried her
behind the cars and into a lane between two buildings.

She was placed
on her feet and before she could regain her balance, a balaclava
was pulled over her head. The shock wore off, and she turned to
attack. Someone grabbed her arms and stopped her. It was Mike! Or
she thought it was him, his balaclava made it difficult to be
certain. Was this reality, or was this a really, really bad
movie?

Another
balaclava-clad person with a sling patted her hand and whispered
into her ear. “Your hair is bright like sunlight. We must not be
see.” Ah, that was why! Sonya understood now.

Then the woman
pointed. Sonya looked back towards the lamp post that she had left
what was merely seconds ago.

A really,
really big man was standing over Grégoire, who was crumpled on the
ground and appeared to be unconscious. He was arguing with someone
dressed in black and balaclava clad.

“I can’t let
you do that!” her earpiece almost exploded.

“You vant
information? I can be do! You be have no alternate. You don’t vant
be go to confession – no be vatch!”

BB’s quiet
voice interrupted. “Galahad, might I suggest that you step aside
and check on our Bride, if you would? This information is vital,
and since our friend has been so very generous with his assistance,
it would be unappreciative for us to deny him the information that
he requires. However, I must insist that it be understood that we
wish no physical harm to come to the traitor. That is not
negotiable. Even we cannot dispense that justice.”

“Affirmative!”

There was a
short exchange between the two men. The big man then picked up
Grégoire as though he was a matchstick, and slung him over his
shoulder. They disappeared into the dark as the other man
approached their position.

“Galahad.”

“Affirmative.”

With that, the
man seemed to materialize beside them. “Are you okay, Sonya,” he
asked. She nodded and the man in the balaclava smiled. ”Good! Soon,
we’ll know where Bryan and Lucien are being held.”

About ten
minutes later, BB’s voice addressed them again. “We now have
information about the location of the Crusaders. Galahad and la
Parisienne will coordinate rescue with the Sorcerer and the Wizard.
The
Bonmarche
group will haul that traitor’s ass into
custody. According to my source, he is ready to sing like a canary.
You know what to do. Thank you all for a successful operation.”

Madame
Lalonde spiked her fist into the air. “
Bien!
” she grinned,
pulling off her balaclava. “We have first step!”

Obviously, she
was wearing an earpiece as well. “We shall meet at 0400 hours
outside the University. We shall convene at the usual location. A
warehouse is the target. The Bride, the Family Man and La Belle
will join us.”

So they had
code names! If this situation wasn’t so grave, it would be
seriously cool. La Belle, she could see that would suit
Madame
Lalonde, especially as a young woman. Obviously she
was the Bride and Mike was the Family Man.

It appeared
that the big man with the accent had extracted some information
from that little weasel, Grégoire. What had BB called him, the
traitor? Hopefully, they would hang the SOB. Preferably by some
tender part of his body.

Steve and Mike
shed their balaclavas and climbed into the car, relegating
Madame
Lalonde and Sonya to the back seat. Sonya took a deep
breath. This was the stuff that you saw in movies, not real
life.

Wasn’t that
what both Sara and Susan had said about their encounters with the
darker side? Extraordinary things happened to ordinary people. Here
she was, this ordinary person, driving through Paris with an MI5
operative obviously working here, and a retired operative from some
similar agency on a mission to find the kidnapped Bryan and Lucien.
Wow, this was about as un-ordinary as it could get!

Sonya
recognized the university as they approached. The car was parked
and Steve ushered them out of the vehicle and into a pool of dark
shadow. By the time that Sonya’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she
realized that they were not alone.

BB was issuing
orders, while Maurice directed their troops in various directions.
Waving Steve and Mimi over, BB said something privately to them.
Steve came back to their group and stood quietly for a second.

He spoke to
Mike and Sonya directly. “We have information that we hope will
lead us to Bryan and Lucien. La Belle will remain here to ensure
your safety. You realize Lise, that you cannot come along because
of your condition?”
Madame
Lalonde nodded. “Your assistance
in ensuring that Sonya and Mike remain safe is essential. You and
Sonya are here as a courtesy,” Steve continued. “Please don’t make
me regret your presence here.”

“You won’t,”
Mike promised. “You have my word.” He raised his eyebrows at
Sonya.

“I’m not going
anywhere,” Sonya replied. “I’ve had enough excitement for one
night. Please come back with Bryan and Lucien.”

“We shall do
our best,” Steve promised, turned and disappeared.

“This is not
how I envisioned these past few days would unfold,” Mike stated
casually, leaning against the building. “It sure makes life in
Calgary seem pretty dull.”

Sonya chuckled.
“It’s going to seem even duller now!” She stopped abruptly as her
earpiece took life.

BB’s quiet
voice broke the silence. “We have information that there are two
guards, one outside the door, one inside. There are no windows to
breach. All action will take place at the door. The first guard
will be taken silently. He has the keys to the door. Please advise
when this is done.” Then there was silence.

“Excellent! The
inside guard is armed. If the Crusaders are indeed inside, the
inside guard is to be made impotent. The Crusaders are
priority.”

Sonya and
Madame
Lalonde held their breath.

“Ah, another
traitor, we are cleaning house tonight! We need to know where the
Crusaders are. If not, allow our friend to speak to him –
alone.”

More silence.
Sonya and
Madame
Lalonde looked at each other both in hope
and in horror. Where were Bryan and Lucien if they weren’t with the
guards?

Holding their
breath, they waited for another broadcast on their ear pieces. They
didn’t wait long.

“The Crusaders
are in another room and our experts believe that it is booby
trapped. Our informant states that within are stored some works of
art, earmarked for the Middle East.”

Loud noise was
heard, echoing into the earpieces. Both Sonya and Madame Lalonde
winced and covered their ears. This did not bode well! Silence
ensued.

BB’s calm voice
was heard, “It occurred to me that you would show up.”

Laughter, and
then another voice. “The Wizard and his Sorcerer together in one
time! My plan has work. My employers will be very please!
Gentlemen, shall we? Oh, and do not think that you can call your
squad back from building. They do not get out alive.”

“A detonator,
how very original,” BB’s voice was acerbic. “What makes you believe
that my squad is in the building?”

“Video camera,
old man, video! Before they can enter to back room, we will be long
past city limits.” Obviously, they had begun to walk. Silence
again!

Madame
Lalonde’s eyes grew wide and tears began to flow. Sonya slid her
arms around her shoulders. There was nothing else that they could
do.

Mimi and Steve
materialized, rushed to the car and jumped in.
Madame
Lalonde tried to join them, but Steve said something to her and she
dropped back, sinking to her haunches. Both Mike and Sonya helped
her up, and they sat in the grass in the dark under a tree, all
three leaning against its rough, aged bark.

The earpieces
sprung to life. “Where are we going?” BB’s voice began.

“Nowhere that
you will like,” the other voice replied. “My superior wish your
knowledge of name and place. The van over there, walk to side door
and open.”

They heard a
van door slide open.
“Entrez!
” the voice demanded. Then
there was silence. Again.

At that moment,
they heard a gun shot. Both
Madame
Lalonde and Sonya jumped,
while Mike, without an earpiece viewed them with wariness. Finally,
Sonya shared her earpiece with him and his eyes opened wide at what
they heard. Someone then screamed. Silence again. It was chilling
to hear, and terrifying not to know what was happening.

“That was very
close,” Maurice stated dryly. “Closer than I expect.”

“It was,
indeed,” BB agreed. “All stations, the Black Crusader is in hand.
Continue according to plan. Priority, the Artistic Crusader.”

“Galahad and
Parisienne, please return to our original location. Thank you for
your part in flushing and capturing our enemy.”

Obviously,
Steve and Mimi left. “Maurice, would you mind supervising the
security of the transfer and give me a moment, please?” Obviously,
Maurice left.

“I thank you
for your invaluable assistance,” BB continued, to someone that
wasn’t Maurice.

“Be velcome!
Vas be owe Hunter and Toth, now pay!” Sonya could almost hear the
smile in the man’s voice.

She could hear
BB take a deep breath. “Your services, as usual, Igor, have been
outstanding. Thank you. If at any time you have need of our
services, you will call?”

“I vill. I be
like have Vizard to be owe Igor.”

Sonya thought
she could hear BB chuckling. Then the earpiece went silent.

Steve and Mimi
screeched to a stop, parked the car and at a dead run, headed
towards the building where everyone believed that Bryan was being
held captive.

“The detonator
has been disarmed,” Steve’s voice came through the earpiece. “Usual
precautions.”

By now, Sonya
and Mike were holding their breaths, hoping that Bryan was in that
sealed room and that he would be found unharmed.

“Bring the
lights over,” Steve ordered. “We search every square inch, every
crate.”

Silence again.
Sonya wasn’t sure that she could hold her breath any longer. Just
when she thought that she would disintegrate into tiny little
pieces, the earpiece sprang to life again.

“Easy,” Steve’s
voice was soft. “Success! The Artistic Crusader is in hand. Stand
by for update.”

Sonya was
unaware that she had exhaled.
Madame
Lalonde gave her a
one-handed hug. “
Bien! Très bien!”
She smiled, despite the
fact that tears still streamed down her cheeks, which Sonya
couldn’t understand.

Out of the now
semi-darkness, Steve materialized. “I wondered where you three had
disappeared! Bryan is alive, first and foremost,” he assured,
giving Sonya a hug. “We are having him checked by a doctor and he
will be brought to BB’s place when the doctor allows. I must
return. Mimi will be here shortly to drive you back.”

“Who’s the big
guy with the accent?” Sonya was curious.

“How do you
know there was a man with an accent?” Steve demanded, and then took
in a sharp breath. “The ear piece!”

BB’s voice came
through on her earpiece. “It is unfortunate that things evolved
much too quickly to remove the earpiece before you heard all that
happened. I do apologize, Sonya. That was my error. Please give
Steven your earpiece.”

She had no
option but to comply. Steve stuffed the earpiece into his pocket
and with a wave, disappeared.

The little
group under the tree waited for what seemed to be hours for Mimi to
arrive, when in actuality it was only twenty minutes. She smiled
broadly at them, assisted
Madame
Lalonde into the front seat
of the car and then climbed into the car to drive them to BB’s.

It was a silent
trip. Sonya had no room in her thoughts other than that Bryan was
obviously alive and possibly harmed, but alive nonetheless.

Mike’s mind was
all over the place. His father (and he had no doubt since he first
met BB that this was the case) was an intelligence agent - a spy,
and obviously, one with considerable authority. Well hell! It was
going to be interesting to get to know him, to say the least.