CHAPTER 6
Not a word was spoken as the group made their way into the other wing, and John was almost politely ushered into a very plush office, where Novak and the man with the gun indicated he sit down, which he did so, while turning over in his mind, what he could say to delay things until the police arrived.
"We have some people here you might like to see," said Novak, and another door opened and Rachel and Phil were pushed into the room, so violently that Rachel tripped and fell on her knees. "Now, what is going on, and what are you people doing here?"
There was a moment's silence as John looked at Rachel and she shrugged her shoulders, climbing back onto her feet and rubbing her knees. He switched his gaze to the guard that had pushed her, and a flame of anger lit in his eyes.
"We caught these two on camera, trying to sneak out of the gate, Mr. Hardinger," said the guard who had pushed Rachel, "when the local cops turned up. Luckily we were able to persuade them it was a false alarm."
"Well, what's going on?" said Hardinger. "You three are up to something, and I want to know what it is. It seems as if you are not alone." He advanced on Phil as he spoke, and Phil glared back at him refusing to take a step back. After a moment, Hardinger smiled and turned away, looking over at Rachel.
"I'm sure you have something to tell me," he said softly, and in an even more deadly tone. "I am not a man you want to muck around with."
He walked threateningly towards her as he spoke, and although she didn't back away from him, John could tell she was tensing up as if expecting a blow. His anger accelerated, and he stood up suddenly, but before he could say or do anything, Phil squared his shoulders and stepped forward, intercepting the big man.
"We are FBI," he said, "You are under arrest," and John winced, his idea of playing for time without fuelling the situation into turning dangerous was shot to pieces.
There was a moment's silence, and the big security man burst into laughter, followed by one of the guards.
"I'm really scared," he said. "A hobbit, a girl, and a pretty boy – I'm sure the FBI could manage a little more grunt that you three. And what would you be arresting me for anyway?"
"Drug trafficking," said Phil, ignoring John who was making 'shut the hell up' faces at him. "I have knowledge and proof of your activities now. We have another team arriving any minute."
One of the security guards began to look a little uncertain, and Hardinger swore and stalked over to Phil, to pin him against the wall.
"You are a liar, and a very bad one at that," he said threateningly.
Novak, the millionaire also began to look a little nervous, and pulled Hardinger to one side, to whisper in his ear in an agitated manner. John took several steps over towards Rachel, but one of the guards glared at him, and produced a gun, indicating he remain where he was.
"I'm bringing everything forward," said Novak in a raised voice. "I'll have the car brought around now."
"Notify your pilot then, and get the plane ready. I'll deal with the loose ends."
"Luckily I've got most of my assets off shore now," muttered Novak, pulling a large folder out of his desk.
"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't allowed these people the run of the place these last few days," said Hardinger, disgusted. "I told you not to be so stupid. We are going to have to take along some insurance." He strode over to Rachel, as he spoke, and grabbed her by the arm. "You can come with us," he said to her, jerking her forward roughly. "You can take these two to the safe room, and lock them in there," he told the two guards.
Novak began spouting orders into the phone on the desk, and the guard who was looking nervous backed out of the room, only stopping when Hardinger turned the gun on him.
"I didn't sign on for this," said the guard. ."I don't need any trouble with the FBI!"
"Wise up," said Hardinger, still trying to bluff. "These people aren't FBI. They are just common criminals."
He still had hold of Rachel, and she tried to pull her arm out of his with a quick movement, but he anticipated her struggle, and gripped her tighter, hard enough to cause her to wince, and shook her a little, at the same time.
John clenched his hands into fists, and made a movement towards Hardinger, but the other guard brought up his gun, and trained it on John.
"Don't try it, I'll nail you before you get an inch," he said, "And you wouldn't want to bruise yourself, or maybe even break a fingernail," he added with a sarcastic sneer, and John shrugged his shoulders and nodded in total defeat. As the guard relaxed his grip on the gun just slightly, John launched himself across the room and before anyone else could react, felled the guard with a savage punch to the throat, grabbed his gun, and rolled across the floor, elbowing the other guard into the wall, to grab Novak, and push the barrel of the gun he was holding into the millionaire's neck.
As John moved, Rachel twisted again in Hardinger's grip, and pushing back with all her weight stamped on his foot, with one of her heels, and at the same time allowed herself to fall to the floor, so Hardinger had no option but to let go of her.
"You bitch," he said, raising a hand to slap her across the face, but John had thrown the gun to Phil, and he reached Hardinger before his hand could descend.
The two men stood inches apart, John holding the other man's arm in a grip as vicious as the one used on Rachel earlier. His eyes were gray with anger. Without a pause, Hardinger switched his weight to bring his other elbow up, and aim a savage blow at John, who anticipated the move, and countered by ducking. and then backhanded the older man across the room.
"You are under arrest," he said in a deadly voice, and pulled his id out of his back pocket.
Finally at the same time just faintly, they heard the sirens wailing in the distance as the police cars came up the hill.
"About bloody time," said John, as he pulled Rachel to her feet, "I can't wait to leave this place."
