When You're the Target
Chapter Ten
The big black SUV looked as if it have been on every dirt road in the county. It was dust covered and the windshield was streaked from the attempts to use the washers to clear the dirt. Its pace was slow, over the rutted, unpaved road.
"This isn't working," Grace said. "There are too many stables, and most of them are so open as to make holding hostages impossible."
"Maybe they are hiding them underground or something," Rigsby offered.
"If that's the case, we're not going to get very far, anyway. We don't have the resources, or the warrant, for heavy duty searches," she replied. "We need to come up with a better plan, let me see the picture of the hostages in the stable again, please."
Jane, handed it to her, and stared at it with her. "Do you have this picture on your laptop," he asked. "The one Kip did with the high resolution scanner?"
Grace nodded and began opening the lap top. "Here," she said, handing the adapter cord to Lisbon, "the batteries are getting low. Could you plug this in? She opened the lid and woke the machine. A few clicks and she'd found the photo and displayed it full screen.
"Right there," Jane said. "See that window? Zoom in on that."
Grace rolled the scroll wheel, making the zoom level increase.
"See that!" Jane sounded excited. "It's a road sign near a large tree. Can you make the writing visible?"
Grace squinted and opened an edit window. She slid the contrast control and lowered the color density, making the faint lettering far more visible.
"Ha!" Jane exclaimed, furiously entering coordinates on the GPS. "I think we have a winner."
Rigsby spun the big SUV around, causing it to slide viciously, causing everyone to grab on, to avoid being tossed around. The throaty roar of the accelerating engine was a welcome relief from the boredom they been enduring.
oOo
The tree was the first visible sight that they were in the spot shown in the picture. "There's the sign!" Grace's voice expressed the excitement and tension they were all feeling.
"Now where is the entrance," muttered Rigsby. "You'd almost think this place was hiding."
"Turn down the next dirt road, to your left," Grace said, staring at her laptop screen.
"That's the wrong direction," Wayne said. "You sure you don't mean right? Left is the away from where the picture seems to show."
"No, I'm sure. I'm looking at Google earth and that road loops around and ends up at some buildings that do seem to be in the right spot."
"Huh," Wayne grunted. "Maybe it is hiding." He turned where indicated and slowly followed the narrow, winding road. They rounded a bend and could see three buildings, that could be stables, but no obvious residence.
"Be careful," Jane said. "There's something not right, here."
"What's wrong, Jane? What do you see," asked Lisbon. "I don't see anything suspect."
"Meh, I'm not sure. I've trained myself to be observant, but I don't always know why I get the feelings I do. Something from the unconscious, I'd guess, but I've learned to heed those feelings. Too many times, they've proved to be all too accurate."
Rigsby was already slowing down. "How to do you want to handle this, Boss," he asked.
Jane, instead of Lisbon responded. "Pull up and into those bushes. Let's go in on foot."
When Lisbon didn't object, he did as suggested. They all piled out of the vehicle, Cho going around to the rear and retrieving his M-14, with the long, 30 round, clip. All eyes turned to him as he inserted a full clip. "What," he asked. "I've got a bad feeling about this, too, and when Jane and I get bad feelings, together, I figure trouble's coming. I suggest that we spread out and be very careful going in. It wouldn't even hurt to be alert for booby traps."
Lisbon's concerned look demonstrated how seriously she was taking the warnings that her team was giving her. "Like Cho said. Let's be careful and meet at building on the right. Ok, let's move it," she said in a low voice.
The 40 yard journey to the right building was uneventful, though tense. Upon arrival, Cho immediately went to one knee to minimize his profile. The others copied his actions.
"Cho, you have any suggestions, now?" Lisbon did not seem happy with the unknown, combat style approach.
"Yes, you guys go in and check it out. Jane, you use all you've got to spot booby traps. If you see something, call me. Don't use your skills on that. I'm trained for that. You aren't. I'll stay out here where I can cover you." Cho examined the door and carefully opened it. "Go!"
Lisbon was the first in, followed by rest. Cho nervously waited for them, scanning the area with small field binoculars, every sense alert. Minutes passed and Cho heard the door open. Lisbon was the first out. She was holding a multicolored scarf. "Just feed storage, but we found this. This looks vaguely oriental," she said to Cho. She spread it, so he could see it.
He reached and felt it. "Korean," he said. "Silk. The glyph means luck." He shook his head. "Shouldn't be here."
"Yes, I think we're on the right track. You'll cover us as we approach the next building," Lisbon queried.
Cho nodded. "Yes, then you cover me as I join you."
Again, the team made it to the next building with no incident.
Patrick looked restless. "You think we're overdoing the caution a little," he asked. "This place does not seem to be guarded in any manner."
Cho stared at him. "Caution cannot kill you. Carelessness can."
"Relax, Cho, we're going to continue being cautions. Check out the door for us, OK?" Lisbon seemed more tense now that they'd found the scarf. They, now, had real reason for suspicion.
Cho approached the door and stopped. "There's a wire," he observed, pointing to a tack low on the door. He cut the wire and carefully pushed the door open with the barrel of his rifle, standing back. With the door open, he waited a few seconds and then peered in. He went, vanishing from their sight. A few moments he came out. "Simple trip line to a shaped charge," he grunted. Safe now, but be careful.
They very carefully entered, not knowing what to expect. As they entered, what they found was not what they expected!
oOOo
A/N: I think one more should do it. I thought I could wind it up with this one, but it's running long... Red John just won't cooperate!