Black And White Ops

Chapter 8

The sounds of the voices were getting louder. Rick wrapped the furs around him and listened to what was being said.

“And they’re in there?” he heard a voice say.

“Both of them,” another voice confirmed. “The American man and his Black girlfriend. Keep your voice down, he’s experienced and knows how to get out of tight situations. I want them both alive. And I want the super drive as well, so don’t let them damage it.”

Rick returned to Monique, who already had her clothes back on. He rapidly dressed as they heard the sound of footsteps move to the door. Before they could reach the junction box, Rick ran to the outer side, took out his knife and ripped through the connections. There were a few sparks and then silence. As he expected, a power failure would automatically lock down the door. He listened to what was being said on the other side.

“Damn code doesn’t work,” a voice said in Russian. “Are you sure this is the code they gave you? I don’t even get a response.”

“It’s what he gave me. Look, the car we’ve been trying to find is here too. I told you, we can trust them.”

“Then you better call them,” the first voice replied. “Here, take my cell phone.”

Rick took Monique’s hand and walked around the perimeter of the warehouse. The emergency lighting was on which allowed him enough light to see where they needed to go. Rick checked the walls for any quick exit and made sure both the super drive and keys were in his pocket.

“We’ve been betrayed,” he told Monique. “I heard the men talking outside. Someone told them where to find us. They must be with the SVR. I’m going to try and find a way out that we can use. I’ll try and get us to the car.”

“What are we going to do when we reach the car?” Monique asked him. She was terrified and in love at the same time.

“I’ll worry about that when we get to the car.”

Rick found the exit door he was looking for with the same kind of lock bar you would see anywhere in the world. He waited until the sounds became louder on the other end of the building. Whoever was on the phone wasn’t happy this quick tip on where they could be found wasn’t playing out. He heard some angry words spoken in Russian on this end and some garbled ones back on the phone. Rick worried there would be more SVR men luring outside the warehouse and put his hand on the bar.

“Wish me luck,” he told Monique who planted a kiss on his lip. “We get out of here I’m buying you the biggest diamond engagement ring anyone ever saw.”

He slammed his hand onto the bar and the door swung open. There was no one on the other side, but that wouldn’t last long. Rick gently pulled Monique behind him and closed the door as quietly as he could. The door locked itself with a light click, not liable to be heard on the other side of the building. The car they had used was sitting where Rick had parked it and was undisturbed. He could see no other men around the parking lot and the gate was open. For some reason, whoever had come to pick them up was doing it with as little a footprint as possible.

“I’m going to get the car,” he told Monique. “I want you to wait here. I’m going to get in it and hope they don’t see me. When I start the engine up, I’ll leave the passenger door unlocked and drive back here. Do you trust me?”

Monique nodded and tried to hold back a sniffle.

“Good,” he told her, putting another kiss on her lips. “Because I love you.”

Rick slipped into the shadows, doing his best to keep from being seen by the men who were after them. Rick crept silently along the fence line until he reached the car. Rick checked to make sure it was still locked, and then gently opened the door. Too late he remembered the dome light as the car lit-up the back parking lot. He jumped inside and started the car as the sound of men shouting came from the front of the warehouse.

The car raced to the back entrance where Monique was waiting for him. She leaped into the car and slammed the door shut as Rick floored the gas pedal and sent it racing through the parking lot. Two bullets popped through the rear window and Rick used his free hand to push Monique down into the car seat. The car roared out into the main street and flew away from the warehouse.

He drove it through St. Petersburg until Rick was sure he wasn’t being followed. The current state of affairs wouldn’t last. Once the SVR found out he’d flown the nest, they would comb the city looking for him. He was on their turf and it wouldn’t be long until they had them both. This was why it was crucial they make the connection tomorrow with the director. In three hours he could make a phone call to the number given to him and find out if there had been any changes to the meeting he was supposed to have. Until then, they had to find another place to take it easy without attracting attention.

“Your friend sold you out,” Monique finally spoke up. “What are you going to do now?”

“Find us another place to hide,” he told her scanning the buildings near the river for a place to pull over.

It was an hour later when Rick found what he was looking for. Near an embankment on the Neva River he spied twelve cars facing the direction where the sun would be rising. Since he knew why they were all there, he pulled into an empty space between two of them and killed the engine. Without saying a word he left the car and made it appear as if he was checking a tire in the rear of his car. Satisfied no one was watching, Rick ducked over the back of his car and removed the license plate. He went to adjoining car and made sure it had a St. Petersburg plate too, and then he removed it. Without alerting the inhabitants of the car next to him, he switched the plates. Finally, he climbed back in the car and waited.