The Soldier's Mission (15 page)

He stood silent then responded to whatever Kissie had said. “Laura? Laura's just fine. She's enjoyed her stay but she'll be leaving with me soon. Goodbye.”

He hung up then glanced around. “I think it's time for a change of scenery, Laura. I want you by my side when I take over CSN. I had hoped to make this easy and bring a few CHAIM agents with me, but they don't want to play nice. So we do it the hard way. We start over, you and me.”

He tilted his head toward Lydia. “Help her get dressed. And Doc, make sure she's bandaged up. We won't be stopping to dress wounds.”

Lydia glared at him. “Where are you taking her?”

He cackled and aimed the gun toward Lydia. “I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.”

Laura pushed up. “It's okay, Lydia. I'll go with him. Just do as he says.” She sent Lydia a pleading look. “I'll be okay.”

“I can't let him take you,” Lydia said, her voice rising.

“You don't have a choice,” Whitmyer retorted, pressing the gun toward Lydia. “If you want to live to deliver that kid, you'd better do as I say, woman.”

Laura shook her head. “Lydia, it's all right.”

Then Lydia's face went pale as she grabbed her stomach. “It's not all right.” A grimace of pain colored her expression. “I think I'm going into labor.”

“D
ivide and conquer,” Eli said. “It's been a while since I've had so much fun.” Then he rubbed his face. “Except for my sore jaw and black eye, of course.”

“Let's hope that's the last of them,” Shane retorted, holding the flashlight they'd found so Paco could finish tying up the men who'd been guarding them. “They're down to four now at least. Two of them are no longer breathing.”

Eli grunted. “Hey, they came at us first. Strictly self-defense.”

“These four aren't going anywhere for a while,” Paco said, making sure the knots he tied couldn't be untied. He'd also put tape over the unconscious men's mouths and tape around their legs, too. “Once I tie them all together, it'll take hours for 'em to figure out how to get loose.”

“Now to find a phone,” Shane said.

“Let's get out of here,” Paco retorted, finished with securing the unconscious men.

He waited for Shane and Eli to go out the big steel door then he shut it and wedged a crowbar against it. Just as another precaution.

They did one more search of the estate then found
their guns and phones in a pile in the office where they'd been attacked.

Paco immediately dialed Devon's number.

“Paco? We've been trying to reach you.”

He didn't like the tone of Devon's voice. “We ran into some trouble, but that's been taken care of. Is everyone safe and accounted for?”

Devon's hesitation seemed to last a lifetime. “Negative on that. An intruder blocked off the wing where Laura is quartered. We've lost communication and we can't get any visuals. And Lydia's in there with her. They're being held hostage. Selena's hiding in the room next to Laura's but she has her cell with her. She's keeping us updated through text messages. Everyone else is safe for now.”

Paco's heart pulsed and pitched then settled into shell shock. “What's the situation?”

“Based on what Selena can glean, one armed man. He apparently jammed the security long enough to force his way inside with Dr. Haines. No news on Andre's condition or his whereabouts. Brice saw the breach and tried to get back in, but the security code blocked access and then the computers went down. Kissie's working to get surveillance back on line. Meantime, we're waiting for another update from Selena. It's too dangerous for us to storm in there.” Silence again. “I'm worried about Lydia.”

Paco relayed this to Eli and Shane. “We're on our way.”

He forced himself to focus on the here and now. He quickly told Devon what had happened with Whitmyer. “It has to be him, Dev. Alex Whitmyer has Laura. He lured me away so he could get to her.”

He put away his phone, his blood boiling with anger.

“Why didn't I see this coming?”

Eli pushed a hand in his face. “We move forward and stick to the plan, bro, okay?”

“The plan has changed now,” Paco said, shoving him away. “The plan was to get her to safety then find Henner. Well, Henner is nowhere to be found and he's probably dead. We focused on him instead of Whitmyer and so now, the plan has changed.”

Shane glanced at Eli then back to Paco. “What
is
the plan now, Warrior?”

Paco grabbed his gun. “To get to Whitmyer before he hurts Laura or anybody else. And to finish this.”

 

“I'm not falling for that one,” Whitmyer said, lifting his gun in the air. “I mean it, lady. Don't play games with me.”

Laura looked from him to Lydia. “I don't think she's faking. Her baby's due in a couple of weeks.”

“Then she needs to hold off on that,” Whitmyer retorted. “Check her, Doc. And don't make any stupid moves.”

The doctor got up to help Lydia back into her chair. After taking her pulse and asking her a few questions, he held her while another spasm hit her stomach. “This baby is about to be born whether you like it or not.”

“Now isn't that just peachy,” Whitmyer shouted. Then he smiled. “Well, okay then. I'll take Laura and you can deliver the brat right here in this room. Case closed.”

“We can't leave her,” Laura said, shaking her head.

“I can help.”

“She has a doctor for that.”

Dr. Haines stood up, reaching a hand to his chest, his flushed face lined with pain. “It's too dangerous. He has a—”

“Stop,” Whitmyer shouted, his gun lifting toward the doctor. Laura screamed but it didn't matter. The gun popped, the sound shattering and final.

And then the doctor looked down at the blood spurting from his chest and fell to the floor.

Laura screamed again and got out of bed, her head swimming, her heart pumping as she pulled at her IV drip. She reached toward Lydia, taking her hand. “Hang on, Lydia.”

Whitmyer looked as shocked as Laura felt. “There. That's one down and two to go.”

“You shot an innocent old man,” Laura said, anger giving her the courage to scream. Then she yanked her IV out and got between him and Lydia. “You want me?

Well, take me. But stop killing people.”

Whitmyer reached toward her but a loud knock at the door stopped him. “Go away,” he shouted. “Leave or I shoot another one.”

“Let me in there right now. I'm a nurse.”

Laura and Lydia glanced at each other. Selena.

Whitmyer shook his head then opened the door and dragged Selena inside. “Just what I need, another aggravating woman.” Then he stood still, his harsh gazing moving over the three women. “But, if my notes are correct, two of you are married to CHAIM agents.” He glared at Laura. “And one of you obviously has a thing for the mighty Paco Martinez.”

Selena took in the scene but didn't say anything. She bent to examine Dr. Haines then looked up, shaking her head. Then she whirled toward Whitmyer. “You made a
fatal mistake, taking them hostage. If you think they'll let you get out of this alive, you're wrong.” She glanced at Laura. “I need to bandage her arm. It's bleeding.”

Whitmyer looked at the spot where Laura's IV had been positioned. “Do it.” He held the gun on them while Selena grabbed some gauze and bandages and went to work on Laura's wound.

Selena leaned down close to Laura. “There's blood in the hallway and Andre's missing.”

Laura didn't dare react. She stared up at Whitmyer. “She's right. You can't win, Alex.”

Whitmyer shrugged, but Laura saw the flash of fear in his eyes. His grand plan was falling apart around him. “I came here for you, Laura. I don't care about the rest.”

The phone rang and Laura scrambled to reach it, ignoring Whitmyer's fidgeting. “Hello?” She looked over at him, daring him to shoot her.

“Laura?”

Paco. She didn't dare say his name. “Yes?”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, but Lydia's going into labor and Dr. Haines is dead. We don't know where Andre is.”

Whitmyer stomped toward Selena and Lydia. “Hang up or I'll shoot one of them.”

“I have to go,” Laura said. “You need to know….”

“I know, sweetheart. You don't have to say anything. I know. You stay strong, you hear me, Laura. I'm coming for you, just like I promised.”

Then she heard Brice's clipped words. “Let me speak to him, Laura.”

Laura handed the cordless phone toward Whitmyer. “They want to talk to you.”

“I'm not making any deals,” he said, refusing to take the phone.

“Please?” Laura asked, hoping there was some bit of decency left in the demented man's soul. “For me, Alex. We need to understand why you're doing this. I'll go with you, but at least help me to understand.”

Alex hesitated then took the phone, his expression full of rage. “You want to know why I'm holding three women and a dead doctor hostage? I'll tell you. Because I can. Because I've been trained just like all of you, because I gave my life to CSN and Lawrence Henner but he ignored me and focused on his whiny son instead. Then when I offered the deal of a lifetime to all of you, you turned on me, too. So now, it's payback time. Laura is my only hope. Laura understands me. I'm taking her out of here.”

He waited, and Laura watched his face, wondering what she'd ever seen in this man. He wasn't rational. She'd dated him when she should have been counseling him. It was way too late to change that. What was Brice saying to him?

“I see. Well, that won't cut it, Mr. Whelan. I can't surrender—and your negotiation tactics won't work. But I do have a request. I want a helicopter out of here. I'm taking Laura Walton with me and if anyone tries to stop me, I'll kill the woman who's in labor and the cute nurse—your wife, I believe—then I'll kill Laura and myself. How's that for negotiations?”

 

Brice turned to the other men in the room, his hands on his hips. “You heard the man. This could go on for hours.”

Devon pushed at his hair and paced. “Lydia's in labor? That is what he indicated, right?”

“Aye,” Brice replied, his expression grim. “And now Selena's gone and got herself into the mix, too. We need to alert Kissie that Andre's still missing. That can't be good.”

Paco thought about Laura's words to him earlier. Just hearing her voice made him so crazy he wanted to storm the house and tear down that door barring him from her. He understood her message even if she couldn't voice her feelings for him. And he wanted to give her the same message.

He loved her.

Brice went into the computer room next door then came back. “Kissie is trying to get the cameras back online to that section of the house. She's concerned for her son's safety, of course.” Brice looked as haggard as Paco felt. “So here's what we have: Security system breached and jammed on south side of the compound due to forced entry using one hostage as cover. That hostage is now dead. Three hostages taken alive. One person missing. Intruder has demands. He wants a helicopter out and he's taking Laura with him.”

“Over my dead body,” Paco said, slapping his fists together.

“Careful, bro,” Eli warned. “We don't need that.”

“I can't let him take her,” Paco said, staring at his friend. “Do you hear me? I can't let that madman take Laura out of here. You know what that could mean.”

Brice nodded. “We understand, Paco. But we have to consider he's also holding Selena and Lydia, too.” He glanced toward Devon. “He confirmed that. And Lydia's apparently in labor.”

Devon pushed toward the double doors of the war room then turned back around. “I can't take this.”

“Selena is with her,” Brice said. “In his need to impress, that idiot spilled enough information to help us evaluate the situation and form a plan.” He closed his eyes and breathed deep. “We have to focus on that, gentlemen. A plan to get our loved ones out of harm's way.”

“Lydia,” Devon said. “The baby.” He looked at Eli.

“I can't let anything happen to them, Eli.”

“Nothing will, bro,” Eli said. “We're gonna fix this and you'll be a proud papa before sunrise.”

Devon didn't look so sure. “Where's Scotty and Gena?”

Eli pointed across the hallway. “They're safe right where we left them—in this wing in the big dining hall with everyone else. Trust me, I've checked on them about three times since we got back.”

Shane nodded. “Kit's in there with her parents and the others. Our superiors are well armed and waiting. Meantime, they're all praying and trying to stay calm. Now we need to decide a plan of action. The sooner the better.”

Paco whirled around. “We don't have much time before he calls again about the helicopter. Let's get in there and get them out.” He looked past the door. “And let's take that psychopath out so he can't hurt anyone else.”

 

“Laura, you need to change clothes.”

Laura turned from helping Lydia onto the bed. “I told you, Alex, I'm not leaving her like this. I'll go with you but I don't want to leave Lydia.”

He pointed the gun toward Lydia. “And I told you, I don't care about her or that brat.”

Lydia grimaced as another round of contractions gripped her stomach. Selena held her hand, talking her through her breathing. “It won't be long now, Lydia. You're doing great.”

Lydia used all her angst and agony to stare down Alex Whitmyer. “What kind of man are you?” she shouted between breaths, her knuckles white as she held on to Lydia.

“The kind who takes charge,” Whitmyer shot back, grabbing Laura by the arm. “Call Martinez back and tell him we want that helicopter in ten minutes. And don't stall. I know there's at least two choppers on the premises.”

Selena shook her head. “Laura can't travel. She's been shot—by someone you sent to harm her.”

“I'll get her help as soon as we're out of here.”

“You could cause the bleeding to start again or she might go into shock or get an infection.”

“I'll take care of her.”

Laura glanced from Selena to Whitmyer. She knew what both Selena and Lydia were thinking. If this man took her, her chances of surviving were slim to none. Alex wanted revenge against her and against CHAIM. It was unreasonable and unbelievable, but he wasn't a rational man.

“I'll make the call,” she said. She'd convince Paco to give them a helicopter and hope he'd put his sniper skills to good use once they were out in the open.

“Do it.” Whitmyer pointed the gun at Lydia. “One wrong word and I'll take mother and baby out of their misery.”

God, help me,
she prayed.
What should I do?

Then a thought rushed through her mind.
You're trained to help people like him, Laura. Use that training.

Somehow, she had to make this look good and then figure out a way to stall him. So she dialed the number to the conference room, her prayers keeping beat with her pulse. She didn't like flying but she had to keep moving, keep hoping that she could find some courage. Blocking nausea, she swallowed back her fears.