by: iluvaqt@hotmail.com
QT's notes: More please, my dear? Is this soon enough? I hope you like it, Natters. :)
Chapter 11: Ticking Off
"Ms Olsen. Anything you can think of that might help us would be great." Bling sat across from White's estranged wife. The both teacups sat on the table untouched.
Wendy Olsen wrung her hands. Her blue eyes full of concern and unshed tears. "I don't know what would make him do such a thing."
Bling was about to stand when his cell rang. "Yeah? Logan. What have you got? Great, yeah I'll be there." Bling met his companion's eyes and tried to give her an encouraging smile. "Here's my number." He scribbled his cell number on a paper napkin. "If you hear from him?"
"Okay. I really hope you find her. And that Ames…"
Bling cut her off before she tried to speculate about what her husband might do to Max. The thoughts gave him chills. "We'll find her."
Wendy walked him out and watched as he got into his car. She couldn't help the sick feeling in her stomach. There were times when she'd caught a dark look on her husband's face. As if there was another side to him that she'd never witnessed before. A part of him that she didn't know about. She knew that perhaps she should be grateful. But her conscience was tormenting her now, with the knowledge that she had suspicions that he wasn't who he lead everyone to believe. And because she'd kept silent, a girl was trapped at his mercy.
He was angry. Angry at all of them. After he'd been arrested she'd been at the agency's preliminary hearing. When they'd set a trial date, he'd been raving mad. He'd jumped the railing and lunged at one of the agents in the crowd. She hadn't been able to see who, but it had taken two other men to haul Ames off and hold him back.
And she'd only made things worse when she'd posted bail, only to tell him not to come home. He'd tried to strangle her, right there in the checking out office. That afternoon, she'd requested a restraining order. It had been the beginning of long nights wondering if she really knew him at all.
Hearing footsteps upstairs. Wendy closed the front door and went to her son's room. She hated to have to separate Ray from his father. But considering the circumstances she didn't know what else she was supposed to do.
Bling started the engine and peeled away from the curb. Logan said he had the warehouse location and to pick him up from Seattle Police HQ. It turned out that the warehouse had been a marijuana plant under the guise of a wheat mill, recorded in police files. Sung had recognized it from the photo Logan had shown him.
"How'd you go?" Logan asked as he climbed in the passenger side.
"She's terrified of him. I'm sure she doesn't know the half of what he's been up to as Agent Ames White. When I told her that he stole the car to kidnap Max. She looked like she was going to faint. I think this calculating maniac is a nightmare awakening for her." Bling shook his head sadly. "You can be with a person for years and still not know them. You have to feel sorry for her."
"It'll never cease to amaze me, the things people can do to each other."
"Too true."
Logan studied the road map and re-circled the warehouse location. "White won't come out of this if he's hurt Max. I'm not about vengeance, but I'm all about justice."
Bling kept his eyes on the road. Just the hard edge in Logan's voice sent a tingling up his spine. He had a very sure feeling that his friend wasn't just talking about physical retribution. Whatever Logan had in mind, he didn't want to be around to when it happened.
"Sir, what's their ETA?" A man in a black bandana asked.
White looked up from where he sat and eyed the young man suspiciously. "Less than an hour. Why don't you check in with Nate? We don't need uninvited guests to disrupt our little exchange."
"No, sir." With a curt nod, bandana boy left.
Tony - White's buddy from way back in their rookie days - met his friend's gaze. He knew what Ames was thinking. Mike was new to the inner circle. They were still watching him. He was a good agent and a real straight arrow. Which is what made them still wary over his motives. He'd said he wanted to help White's case. But he hadn't been very specific about why or how.
So far they'd managed to keep him mostly out of the loop. But he'd certainly tweak once the Russians started dragging off their American merchandise.
Outside, someone in the shadows pulls out a cell phone. His voice sounds vaguely familiar but his face is hidden in the darkness. "It's me. It's going down in 30. An hour at max. All right, I'll await your team."
Two figures race across a jetty. They both carried packs. It's a man and woman. You can see her blonde ponytail bouncing in the moonlight.
"Hurry, we've only got 20 minutes. We've gotta move it." The guy yelled, not bothering to check if his partner was even behind him.
A flurry of movement blurred to his right and the next thing he heard was the rev of an engine.
"One step ahead, bro. Get in," she called.
He looked up the short embankment, a red pickup's headlights blared down at him.
Logan got out of the Aztek.
Bling cut the engine and went around to the trunk. Unlocking it, he lifted the lid. Bling interlocked his fingers, pushing his hands as far as he could into his gloves. To him the second skin served two purposes. Save him from dropping anything he got his hands on and keep his prints to himself. His palms were starting to sweat already. He prayed that his gloves would stay on at least till they got out of here.
Logan pulled his own pair on, and handed Bling a light 9mm. "A last resort. Not only do we not want the attention that accompanying these babies, we don't want the return fire either."
"Got it. I hope I never even have to aim it, let alone use it."
Logan checked his clip and cocked his gun. He glanced at Bling's safety to make sure it was off, before picking up his gear from the backseat.
Bling slung his satchel over his head. He checked his chamber and shoved the gun into the back waistband of his pants. Following Logan's lead, he headed for the perimeter fence.
Silently, Logan clipped a few of the wires and peeled the mesh away. Crawling through, he held the opening open for his friend.
They were about to move forward when Bling spotted someone on a fire escape. "Wait." He and Logan were just under the cover of a few wooden crates. After the spotlight passed over their hiding place and the man started searching in the other direction, they ran quickly for the cover of the nearest building in the opposite direction.
Hidden in the shadow of the warehouse, Logan saw the building they were looking for. "Over there. The one next to the filling tower."
"I see it, but there aren't any lights…"
Logan silenced him and brought them both flat against the wall, when footsteps crunched nearby.
"Area 4, secure," a voice, confirmed.
"Good. Report the A2 roof. Visitors incoming." Came the reply.
After the footsteps were no longer audible. Logan quietly moved forward. Scanning for more watchmen, he moved quickly through the darkness across the compound to the building near the water.
Bling followed closely in his shadow.
Once they reached the building. Logan searched for a fire escape and climbed to the roof. Inside they couldn't see a whole lot. It was mostly black. With the exception of a few blue lights close to the wall on the left side.
"There's the cage but it's empty." He scanned the floor searching for any sign of Max. Nothing. "We've got to get down there. I'll go through from the left. Where the lights are. There's a catwalk, do you think you could climb down from there?" Logan asked.
Bling nodded. "See you inside."
Logan crept down the stairs and reaching the bottom, stood flat against the wall. After checking the corner. He quickly ran softly for the door he'd seen from the roof windows. "Damn," he cursed. What had made him think it'd be that easy? The door was locked, and glancing up he noticed a tiny blinking red light.
Inside a small dark room, Max still lay on a cold metal table. Blue florescent lights from the walls shed an eerie glow about the room, and all she felt was the frozen chill crawling across her skin.
They'd taken her jacket, red ¾ top, dark blue jeans and boots. All she had on was her black tank and underwear. The white sheet thrown on top of her, barley covered her midriff, never mind two peaks fast declaring their presence.
Her neck ached. Probably from holding a stiff position while she'd been out. As she turned her head, she heard it. Careful footsteps. Slowly but surely moving in her direction.
When a familiar figure appeared in her window, she had to desperately suppress the urge to yell out to him. Logan. She tried to make a noise. Do something to draw his attention. He wasn't looking her way. Not being able to free her arms or legs she tried to rock the bench.
Logan had made quick work of the lock outside. He'd learnt from the best. After spotting the camera he knew he had to find a hiding spot fast. He ventured inside looking around. He was about to head for the door to his left when he heard a noise from the right.
He hadn't noticed the dull light emitting from the small window on the right. On closer inspection he realized there was a door. It had been hidden in shadow from the overhead balcony. He lifted the bar from across the door and threw the door open.
"Logan," Max whispered gratefully.
Her voice was full of relief and he could see moisture in her eyes. He didn't know if it was from the pain, fear or his being there. Just looking at her, if thoughts could kill, White would be dead already. "Oh Max." He lost no time in cutting through her bonds and helping her up.
She threw her arms around his neck and held him tight. He returned her embrace, the warmth from his body chasing the cold from her skin. "We need to get out of here," she said into his chest. Reluctantly letting him free, she pulled the sheet around her waist in an attempt at modesty.
Logan turned and found her clothes piled in a metal crate nearby. He handed them to her and Max dressed quickly. Logan pounded the metal wall angrily. "I wish I could…"
A gun trained on Max's chest and a man appeared. "You'll get your chance."