Lady in White: Legacy

Chapter Nineteen

Plan

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

2:45 a.m.

"Really? This is your plan?!"

Kristoff folded his arms as he looked Anna in the eyes. "I'm sorry, AH-na. If you have a better suggestion, by all means, share it."

Anna threw up her hands. "I don't know. Anything seems better than yours!" She turned to Ryder. "You said you brought weapons with you. Can't you like, I don't know, just blow a giant hole in the base and drop us in with your helicopter or something?"

Ryder stared at Anna as if the young woman had just sprouted antlers from her forehead. "You're joking, right? You're an American, aren't you? Don't you have the first idea what your own military would do if we went in hot, guns blazing? They'd blow my helicopter out of the sky before we got within five miles of that base. And then, assuming we survived the inevitable fiery crash, we'd be in their custody—or shot on sight—before we knew what happened to us." He laughed, shaking his head in disdain. "You've been watching too many action movies, I think."

Anna opened her mouth to reply, then quickly shut it again as she realized that Ryder, as much as it annoyed her to admit it, was right.

"Our only chance," Ryder said, withdrawing a large stack of rolled-up papers from his backpack, "is subtly and infiltration." He laid the papers on the table, brushing aside the dirty dishes and empty beer bottles strewn about. "After you called me," he said, glancing at Kristoff, "I just so happened to remember I had a complete schematic of this base in my files."

"You have files?" Anna muttered under her breath. "How exactly did you get these?"

Ryder looked at Anna. "Do you really want to know?"

Anna sighed. "Probably not."

Ryder gestured for Kristoff and Anna to join him around the table. "Now, this isn't going to be easy. Not by a long shot. This place is a rat's nest of corridors that all look virtually identical. One wrong turn and we've just cost ourselves valuable time that could mean the difference between us sneaking out with Elsa and the professor before they realize we were even there and them figuring out what we're doing. And I'm pretty sure we don't want them doing that."

Anna felt her stomach begin to hurt—a lot. "I don't know," she said, looking at Kristoff, a worried expression on her face. "You're pinning a lot of your plan on our friend here . . ." She gestured toward Stephenson still seated on the couch, his eyes glued to his laptop. "Being able to hack into their network and navigate us through this base. How do we know he can even do it?"

A high-pitched whine suddenly filled the cabin. Anna covered her ears, the noise growing louder by the second. "What is that?!"

"Anna," Kristoff shouted over the annoying din. "It's coming from your pocket."

"What?!" Anna stared at Kristoff is confusion, unable to understand him. "What did you—Hey!"

Kristoff shoved his hand into Anna's pocket, ignoring the young woman's protests. He withdrew the student's cell phone, the sound now deafening as it radiated from the device. "Here!"

The sound disappeared the moment Anna glanced down at her phone, her eyes growing wide in astonishment as she saw . . .

"What is this?!" she shouted, whirling about, her gaze fixated upon Stephenson, the young man's eyes still glued to his laptop, fingers tapping furiously across the keyboard. "What did you do?"

Stephenson looked up nonchalantly. "Like, chill out, Anna Reinhart. You're, like, harshing my mellow here—"

Anna thrust her phone into Stephenson's face. "You've made your point. Now, make it go away!"

Stephenson's annoying giggle filled the air as he glanced at Anna's phone. A photo of his face now filled the screen. "What? You don't like it?"

"No, I don't like it!" Anna retorted, her fingers furiously trying to unlock her phone, an exasperated sigh emanating from her throat as she finally gave up. Whatever Stephenson had done, he had completely blocked her access to her own device. Her passcode refused to work, every attempted entry of the code bringing nothing more than a message of "What's the magic word?" across the screen. "Okay, okay," she grumbled. "I'm sorry I doubted you. Now, can you undo what you've done to my phone?" Another "What's the magic word?" message flashed across the screen. "Please?"

"Sure thing, Anna Reinhart," Stephenson said, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Seconds later, Stephenson's photo vanished from Anna's phone, her device now responding to her commands as usual. "So, like, does that, I don't know, make you feel better?"

Anna ran a hand through her hair. "I . . . guess so." She cocked her head, thinking. "You really think you can access their computer system from here?"

"Hell, no," Stephenson said, taking a long drag from his marijuana cigarette. "I can't just, like, use a cell tower for that. I've gotta have access to a wireless network. Or an ethernet hardline."

Anna's eye twitched. "And just where do you think you're going to find someone who's going to let you, I don't know, use their wi-fi or ethernet to hack into a military system?" She felt her heart sink as she suddenly realized what Stephenson was thinking. "Oh, jeez. You're going to use the university's network, aren't you?!"

"If I may interject," Issacson said, still bound hand and foot on the couch next to Stephenson. "I'm afraid I cannot authorize use of university facilities for such a blatantly illegal action!"

"Relax, Chancellor dude," Stephenson said. He looked at his bag. "They'll never even know I was there. I'm gonna, like, reroute my signal through so many VPNs and proxy servers that even if they do find I'm in there, they'll think I'm in freaking Colorado."

"Speaking of which," Ryder said. He reached into his bag, withdrawing a small flash drive. He tossed it to Stephenson. "This has the access codes to their network for the next week and a half, as well as what you need to slide yourself right into their security system."

Anna's face paled. "How did you . . . You know what, never mind. I don't want to know."

"I didn't kill anyone for them, if that's what you're worried about," Ryder offered, shrugging. "Bribery, on the other hand . . ."

Kristoff laughed. "Good work, Ry. Now, what did you bring for weapons?"

Ryder's face fell slightly. "Well, here's the problem. You're not going to be able to carry anything on your person. You're going to have to go through a security scan just to get into the base, and there's absolutely no way you'll be able to carry anything with you, even if they you're dressed as an officer."

Anna glanced at one of the now-open suitcases Ryder had brought with him. The suitcase was practically filled to bursting with uniforms of every branch of the U.S. services, of various sizes and cuts to suit a wide assortment of body types. "These certainly look authentic," she muttered.

"'Cause they are!" Ryder said. "Nothing but the best for my boy Bjorgman here." He turned to Kristoff. "Anyway, I can forge you the credentials you need to get you on that base, but I can't give you anything they'll be able to detect as a weapon. A base with the type of security clearance this one has, there's no way in hell they're going to let outside personnel show up packing heat, even if they look kosher."

"Then what are all these for?" Anna interjected, pointing at the other two suitcases, each filled to the brim with guns, knives, and explosives of every shape and type.

Ryder sighed. "Your lady friend," he said to Kristoff, "sure asks a lot of questions."

"It's kind of her thing," Kristoff said. "You learn to tolerate it after a while. Mostly."

"I heard that . . ."

Ryder glanced at Anna. "Since you asked, these are our backup support for when Bjorgman here leaves with Elsa and the professor. I wait in Bjorgman's truck until he signals me he's ready, then I cover his escape with . . ." He gestured dramatically toward the suitcases, frowning. "Hopefully, it won't come to that, but better to be overprepared than not, right?"

"Wait, wait, wait a minute!" Anna's heart was racing now. "I thought this plan was bad before, but now you're telling me we're sending Kristoff in without any kind of help at all? No weapons? Nothing?! How is that not a recipe for disaster?"

Ryder stared at Anna like he was studying a specimen from another planet. "You know, you're awfully pessimistic for someone your age." He held up a small, spherical object. "First of all, Bjorgman here is going to have one of these in his ear. We'll be in constant communication on a private, untraceable channel. Me, him, and Stephenson here are all going to have one. So if he needs anything, in there, one of us can help him out. And second, I have a few surprises I've brought along that will help him out if he needs it."

Anna frowned. "I thought you said no weapons on the base."

Ryder shook his head. "You know, for an academic, you sure don't seem to have much imagination—"

"Excuse me for being realistic," Anna shot back. "Look, this is all happening too fast. I want Elsa rescued as soon as possible, but shouldn't we like, I don't know, think this through a little more first?"

"Unfortunately," Ryder said, "we don't have the luxury of time. The same friend who gave us the security codes has also informed me there's a flight chartered from that base to the States for first thing tomorrow morning. Manifest says it's loaded with medical equipment and maximum security personnel." He sighed. "Want to take a guess who's going to be on that flight?"

"He's right, Anna," Kristoff said. "We have to act tonight. If they get Elsa into the U.S., we'll never find her again."

Anna hesitated before, finally, nodding in assent. "All right. I don't like it, but I guess we don't have much of a choice—"

"If I might interject again," Isaacson said from the couch, "I thought you were insane before. Now I know you are!" He glared at Kristoff. "You can forge all the credentials you want, dress up like an officer, but you don't know the first thing about military protocol. You'll be in custody the moment you slip up!" He pointed his head toward Ryder. "Not that I care, but if anything, he should be the one doing the infiltrating. He at least seems to know what he's doing—"

"Uh, about that," Ryder said, his cheeks suddenly turning very, very red. "I kind of can't do that. I'm sort of . . . how do you say it . . . 'greatly desired for apprehension' by the U.S. government."

Anna blinked. "Oh, you've got to be kidding! You're on the FBI's Most Wanted List, aren't you?"

"Not . . . exactly," Ryder said, "since the FBI has no jurisdiction overseas. Although, to be honest, it would be easier if I were. The FBI doesn't go around making sure you and any trace you ever existed vanish off the face of the earth like the people who are after me do."

Anna slumped into her chair. "Fantastic."

"Look, I'm taking a big enough risk here as it is," Ryder insisted. "And believe me, if it wasn't Elsa we were talking about, there's no way in hell I'd go within a hundred miles of any American—"

"How noble of you," Isaacson muttered, rolling his eyes.

Ryder furrowed his brow angrily. "It might seem stupid to you, old man, but my people still believe in something called honor and loyalty to our friends. We Northuldra, few though we may be, will always come to the aid of a friend in need, no matter how desperate the situation." He sighed. "I just have my limits on what I can do."

"Exactly," Kristoff said. He turned his attention back to Isaacson. "You're right, Chancellor. I don't know a thing about military protocol. But you do. Which is precisely why you're coming with me."

"What?!"

Both Issacson and Anna looked at Kristoff, jaws agape. "Absolutely not, young man," Isaacson said. "I will not be a party to this—"

"You're already a party to this, Chancellor," Kristoff said. "You've been sitting in on a meeting where plans have been discussed to infiltrate a U.S. military installation. I'm not an expert on American law, but I'm pretty sure the U.S. government doesn't look too kindly on people who do that sort of thing."

"Against my will, need I remind you!" Isaacson sputtered. "Look at me! I'm still tied up, for Christ's sake!"

"I don't see any ropes holding you down," Kristoff said, nonchalantly. He looked at Ryder. "You see anything, Ry?"

"Uh-uh."

Kristoff walked to Stephenson, already on his third herbal cigarette of the hour. "What about you, Stephenson?"

"Nada, bro," Stephenson said, inhaling slowly. "Not a thing . . ."

Kristoff leaned over the back of the couch, his face mere inches from Isaacson's ear. "Let me make this clear, Chancellor. You refuse to help us and I get caught, guess who the first person I'm giving up is? You think you're in a bad situation now, just wait until you're under investigation for aiding and abetting terrorism against the U.S. government. You think the board of your precious university is going to let you remain in your position while you've brought that sort of scandal to the school, even if you're eventually cleared?"

"You son of a bitch," Isaacson hissed, his face now very, very pale. "This . . . This is extortion!"

"No," Kristoff said, clasping his hand on the older man's shoulder. "This is restitution on your part for putting Elsa and Pops in this situation in the first place. Your penance, if you believe in that sort of thing."

Isaacson looked at Anna, his eyes filled with desperation. "Miss Reinhart," he said. "Dr. Andersen spoke very highly of you, of your potential. That fellowship I promised you is still yours for the taking if you help me get out of this. But if you join these . . . these miscreants here and force me to go along with this, I will have no alternative but to see to it you are summarily expelled from the university with cause, and that every other institution of higher learning in Europe sees to it you are persona non grata on their campuses. When I'm finished with you, you'll consider yourself lucky to be admitted to some community college in Idaho!" He glared at her. "Is this really what you want to do, Miss Reinhart? Throw away your entire career before it even has a chance to get started, over someone you have known for less than a week?"

Anna sat in silence, unmoving. After several long, interminable minutes, she finally spoke. "What is the university's motto, Chancellor?"

Isaacson felt his heart sink into his stomach. Oh, hell. Of course, she's smart enough to bring that up. "Veritas aequitas."

"Exactly," Anna said softly. She ran a hand through her hair, her fingertips trembling noticeably. "'Truth and justice.' At all times. 'Do what is right, no matter the cost.'"

Isaacson opened his mouth to object, but Anna continued before he could speak. "You can do whatever you want to me," she said. "Expel me. Blacklist me. That's . . . That's fine. And if you're worried about being . . . about being extorted, you can forget about it. It's not going to happen. No one is going to force you to do anything you don't want to do."

Kristoff started. "Anna—"

Anna's glare silenced the woodsman. She turned her attention back to Isaacson. "You're right, Chancellor. I haven't known Elsa for very long. And maybe this is crazy, I don't even know myself anymore, but . . ." She swallowed, forcing herself to maintain her composure. "But I do know I care for her. More than anyone else in the world. And I'm not about to let anything happen to her if I can stop it. Even if I have to break every law ever written to get her back, I'll do it because . . . because it's right!"

Wordlessly, Anna retrieved a knife from one of Ryder's suitcases. She walked to the couch, holding it before the chancellor. With a single stroke, she cut through the ropes binding his hands together, doing the same to the bands around his feet a moment later. Isaacson sighed involuntarily as blood began rushing back to his hands. He rubbed his wrists, his expression filled with confusion and disbelief.

"You're free to go now if you want, Chancellor," Anna whispered. "None of us will stop you."

Isaacson looked at the young woman, a look of resignation on his face. "You have a way with words, Miss Reinhart," he said at long last. He pointed toward the bottle of peach schnapps in the kitchen. "Give me that. I need something to make me forget what a terrible idea helping you is—before I change my mind."

Anna looked at the chancellor, stunned. "So . . . So you'll help us?"

"Don't look at me like that, Miss Reinhart," Isaacson grumbled, snatching the bottle of schnapps from Kristoff's hand. "I can't just let Mr. Bjorgman here face certain death by himself, now, can I? Even I have a conscience, after all." He took a long swig from the bottle. "Christ almighty, this had better work."

"It will," Anna said. "It has to." She walked to the suitcase containing the uniforms, retrieving a blue woman's jacket and skirt. "What do you think?" she asked, holding it before her frame. "This should do the trick. Right?"

Kristoff stared at her. "Uh, Anna, what exactly are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she said, removing the jacket from the hanger. She slipped her right arm into the sleeve. "I'm getting fitted for my disguise. Which is what you should be doing, by the way—"

"I see that," Kristoff said. "But . . . You're not . . . I mean—"

Anna's stare of fury returned. "If you think I'm going to just sit around and wait—"

"I never said that," Kristoff said, raising his hands. "I just—"

"Good!" Anna turned to Ryder. "Got one of those earpieces for me, too?"

Ryder nodded wordlessly as Anna snatched the earpiece from his hand, placing it in her right ear. "Well?" she said. "What are we waiting for? We've got a big day ahead of us if we're going to do this tonight, so maybe we should, I don't know, start preparing now?"

Kristoff glared at Ryder. "Why did you have to bring women's uniforms?"

"I don't know," Ryder muttered. "Maybe you should be a little more specific next time on what you want. Besides, she seems capable—and motivated. It wouldn't hurt you to have her with you. "

Kristoff sighed as he watched Anna examining herself in the dingy mirror hanging on the wall. "What do you think, Sven?" Anna called out to the stuffed reindeer still perched on the table by the couch. "I know, it's not too bad, right?"

Kristoff's gaze turned to Stephenson, now passed out on the couch. "Tell me this is going to work, Ry," he muttered under his breath.

Ryder cleared his throat. "I'm not going to lie," he said. "This is probably the most suicidal thing I've ever been a part of—and that's saying something."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"But," Ryder continued, taking a drink from the beer Kristoff had procured for him earlier. "If anyone can pull it off, you can." He glanced at Anna, now trying on a pair of regulation heels. "So, what's her story? How does she fit into all this?"

Kristoff frowned. "I'm not really sure. Just hunches, suspicions." He frowned as he remembered what Stephenson had told him as they drove from the 'Delle to the cabin, as well as the dismissive reaction he'd had when he'd first met the girl four days ago—God, has it really only been four days?—that had been more of a cover for his own astonishment than anything else. "If I'm right, though, she's more important to Elsa than even she knows."

Ryder nodded. "Which is why she's coming, isn't it?"

Kristoff took hold of Ryder's beer, polishing it off in one long swallow. "As if I have any choice."

Whatever you do, Bjorgman, don't screw this up. Any of it . . .

AN: More to come!