The safe house
Kellie and Sam were watching the safe house from behind a few trees.
"I'm going to get closer," Kellie said, "You keep a look out." Kellie started to move when Bernie and another figure, indistinguishable, came out of the house. Kellie froze.
"You were supposed to bring her with you," the figure said, "It was one girl against you and four grown men. How could you possibly mess that up? It was a simple task."
"Sir, I apologize," Bernie said, "But you forget half a dozen men had proven to be no match for her once before."
"Don't make excuses," the figure said.
"The voice," Kellie whispered, "The hooded figure."
"What about it?" Sam asked.
"It's familiar," Kellie said, "But I can't place it."
"Don't mess up this next task," the figure said, "Go tell Kellie that she is to rehire you as the accountant or someone will die."
"Wouldn't it be better to tell her who?" Bernie asked.
"That is for me to do when the time is right," the figure said, "Right now we're merely testing her skills and resistance. Now go. I'll make sure our packages don't get comfortable. We'll need pictures as proof that they are alive." Bernie left and the figure went in the house.
"Are thinking what I'm thinking?" Sam asked.
"That Tyler didn't really die," Kellie said.
Sam nodded. "But who else is in there we don't know about?"
"Let's find out," Kellie said, "Cover me."
Kellie dashed toward the house and crouched under the window. Peering in the window, Kellie could see a girl, early to mid twenties, long dark brown hair and dark eyes, leaning over what looked like a male body. She couldn't see his face. Kellie went back to where Sam was hiding.
"There's two people, one male, one female," Kellie said, "I don't recognize the female, and I couldn't see the male's face."
"What now?" Sam asked.
"We get them out of there," Kellie said, pulling her gun out.
"We need a plan," Sam said, "There are guards all over the place."
"There you two are," Luke said, coming up behind them. He had a bottle of alcohol in hand.
"How did you find me?" Kellie said, rolling her eyes, "And keep quiet."
"I followed you," Luke said, "I saw you sneaking around sans guards. I figured why not join you in the adventure, Slinger. I can't let you two have all the fun. "
"Can you explain to me how a one person job ended up with two extra people along for the ride?" Kellie said.
"I've got an idea," Sam said, "Luke can be the distraction. He's already on his way to being drunk. It won't be that much of stretch to be a drunken nuisance. He's already good at it anyway."
"I resent that," Luke said.
"I think you're on to something," Kellie said, "While he's got the guards distracted you and I go inside and rescue the hostages."
"It's only going to work for so long," Luke said, "You'll need a plan once the monkey militia catches on."
"Not if we leave through the back woods," Kellie said, "Is that the only bottle of alcohol you have?"
"I have another one in the car," Luke said.
"Go get it," Kellie said.
"Wait a minute," Luke said, "What do you want the alcohol for, Slinger?"
"I'll replace it," Kellie said, "Besides, it's going to a good cause. Now go get the fire starter."
"If fire's involved," Luke said, smiling, "I guess I can spare it."
The Penthouse
"Any sign of them?" Lorenzo asked.
"No," Jason said, "No one's found them."
"Where would she have gone?" Lorenzo said, "When Kellie gets back, I'll be the first to give her hell."
"Get in line," Jason said, "She got Sam involved in this."
"Jason, I know you wish Sam would not look for trouble either," Lorenzo said, "But you have to admit, she misses the adventure. She used to run cons and a salvage operation. If it helps, I don't think Kellie would let her come if she thought she would get hurt."
"Then why do you want to give Kellie hell?" Jason said.
"It's not that she left, it's that she left without guards," Lorenzo said.
"Sirs," Max said, "One of Kellie's guards remembered that she went to visit Sonny late last night. He doesn't know what they talked about."
"Thanks, Max," Jason said.
"I'll go down to visit Corinthos," Lorenzo said, "You keep the search going." He left before Jason could argue.
