CHAPTER 11. BASICALLY RUN!
The corridor had been empty just as Jesse had said, except when they went to open the exit leading to the garage they ran into a problem.
"Who seriously uses a coded lock for a garage door!" Jesse fumed, she sent a hard kick to one of the four unconscious men. "If I'd have known I would have kept at least one conscious dammit!"
"It's a pin pad, if Sherlock were here he'd have it unlocked in two minutes." John scowled at the infernal contraption that had the nine steal garage doors locked steadily in place. No one in or out with the cars unless authorized, pretty fancy set up. These Cartel blokes were a different class of criminal John was used to dealing with. The criminals Sherlock and him tracked were of the warehouse sort, big open spaces very dramatic and easy to escape from. This was a house on lock down, and it was absolutely irritating.
"Well Helena would have it cracked and reprogrammed in less than one." He rolled his eyes Helena was no Sherlock Holmes, sure she was smart but Sherlock was a genius, now wasnt the time for debate.
"Somehow I don't doubt that. You should see what she can do to mobiles." John sighed heavily.
"MOBILES!" Jesse and John yelled simultaneously, recalling that Jesse had Harry's phone.
"Dammit, there's no signal in must be the heavy doors, this is pretty big underground garage for a country estate." Jesse whistled low. "Something tells me they do more than holiday here."
"Yes. They make arms trades and sometimes exchanged other merchandise diamonds, money and drugs." Anthony grinned easily finally being able to offer some kind of help, this earned him an odd disinterested look from both of the blonds, Anthony again wondered if they were not related.
John ignored the conversation glancing around the empty garage he spotted one of the security stations they'd knocked the man who had been stationed there out and he was now tied to his chair. The security camera's would give them a good idea of the place's lay out and maybe there was a phone.
The blond and the Spaniard followed him cautiously, "Captain you got an idea?"
John took a look at the monitors, he swore angrily; reaching for the phone on the desk he could hear nothing but dead air. Jesse craned her head over his shoulder the small station was meant for one and they'd pushed the unconscious man in the chair out but it was still a bit cramped.
"Shit!" The kiwi sniper swore, making the Spaniard wince.
"It can never be easy. Never."
"Just calm down Captain, let me think. I'll find us a way out."
"Well you better think quick because it looks like we've got a small army heading our way from that south corridor as well as the stairs."
"Look, that must be the security and staff entrance. It leads out." Jesse tapped the screen well aware of the nearing armed men.
"Well lets get moving."
The three made their way out just as the garage exploded with the echo of heavy booted feet and angry shouts.
The servant's entrance lead them to a stairwell that would lead out onto the grounds and another leading into the house.
Once outside they heard the sound of shouts more men, the cold air was biting John could see the bright moon just above the tree line at the edges of the property. They really were in the middle of nowhere, his heart dropped to his stomach, how fast would Mycroft's people be, it's not like he was a political hostage or any high government official. We'll he'd trust Sherlock, Sherlock would never let him down, even if he had to lead Scotland Yard on a merry police chase that lead here, he would come. He would burst right onto the scene his coat tail flapping behind him like a cape, that annoyed smug look and he'd say something equally irritating and condescending. John couldn't wait.
"Head for the tree line!" John directed slamming the door shut behind him he could hear shouting behind them.
"We aren't equipped for a night in the woods." Jesse scanned the area for a car. "Look captain, how about we take those for a spin." John could see two dirt bikes.
"Uh we're short a bike." The Spaniard started to say but the sniper was already pulling him along the expansive lawn. John followed ducking down they'd managed to go unnoticed but the security lights were being activated with their every movement making loud noises as the bright bulbs burst to life, lighting up the lawn.
"How's the phone signal?" John jumped onto one of the dirt bikes, no helmets, wonderful. He tried not to laugh at the sight of Jesse instructing the very macho Spaniard to get behind her.
"We have one bar, here catch." She tossed the phone to John he dialed a number quickly feeling sweet relief at the sound of the familiar baritone voice on the other line. It was short lived as someone started shooting at him the first bullet just grazed past his shoulder, enough to split the fabric, "Go!" John growled, "Keep north you'll eventually find a road."
"John!" Sherlock demanded.
"Sherlock, please tell me help is on the way."
"We are 15 minutes out John we kept losing the phone signal-" John didn't have a chance to reply he started the engine of the bike. Jesse was disappearing into the dark. "John!" Sherlock's voice had an unusual strain to it, the Doctor thought it must be the signal.
John couldn't think on this too long, he returned fire taking out two men closest to his postion. He started up the bike but didnt get too far due to the fact his back tire was now hissing from the loss of air. He would have to make a run for it. "See you soon then. He stammered into the phone."
Ditching the still running bike, he ended the call heading for the tree line it was a desperate act and useless. Still Captain John Watson still bolted forward, he wasnt a man who gave up too easily.
He stumbled forward, a sharp pain shot up his leg to his waist, the prickly familiar burning warned him he'd been shot, a hand to the source of radiating pain came away sticky, one of the bullets caught him just above the knee.
Two men were advancing all he had was the stolen weapon and one bullet he fired hitting one of the two men and braced himself for the second. When the shot was fired he expected more pain, he'd closed his eyes against it in anticipation.
"What the hell Captain you taking a damn nap?" Jesse reached down to help him stand. The Spaniard hooked an arm under John's armpit, and the blond sniper took the other side. Wide eyed he could see his pursuer laying motionless a few feet away, no doubt a perfect head shot. The sniper didn't know how to do anything else.
"I said to go." John hissed the two were helping him to his feet.
"Yeah, well I'm not one for leaving a man behind. Besides I think it's more comfortable for Tony boy if we walk." John grunted trying to disguise a laugh, through the moonlight he caught the expression on 'Tony's' face, he didn't like the nickname.
"I got to tie this off before I lose more blood." John cringed. "We've got 15 minutes before the calvary arrives."
"Right fifteen minutes, easy as pie." John was leaning against a tree pulling a handkerchief from his pocket he tied it over the hole above his knee, he was pumping out blood steadily, at least it was a clean hit, the pain had spider webbed up his thigh but it could be worse, it could be his knee.
"We've got to keep going Captain, this is a vulnerable spot." Jesse took John's arm, "Tony grab the other side. We should head for the thick there, and we can lay low." The Spaniard did as she instructed, John felt a little light headed the Doctor warning bells were going off but he found himself feeling less and less worried about it. The pain wasn't so bad, he'd had worse and he was still able to stand sort of.
"Doc?" Jesse whispered low her concern apparent, she shot Tony a pleading look.
"What can we do Doctor we are not knowledgeable in this type of thing?" Tony observed the now crimson handkerchief. John leaned back against the tree, he put a shaking hand to the wound.
"It's alright, we'll be out of here soon." At least John hoped this was true. He tried to steady his breathing as several other men started towards them yelling in Italian or some other Latin based language.