One Rough Man - Brad Taylor [150]
I left the room, getting as far as the stairwell before I remembered I hadn’t relocked the door. I ran back and inserted the bump key, gave it a whack, and attempted to turn the cylinder. It refused to move. I repeated the procedure with the same results. A gunfighter’s mantra floated through my head. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Ignoring the clock, I started over, carefully feeling the pin tumblers and setting the key perfectly. I gave it another whack, breaking the cylinder free. I turned it over once, feeling the cylinder lock up again. No more time to mess with it.
Trotting rapidly down the stairs, I considered my next move. I had no proof of WMD, but I was personally convinced that Carlos had it and was carrying it around on his back. I contemplated taking out Carlos by myself but quickly tossed that idea. It would be impossible for me to get close to him without being recognized and I had no idea if the device was armed and ready to explode, inside a glass container that could be thrown, or simply in a Ziploc bag that would break in a scuffle. The idea of wrestling Carlos for control of a device that could kill hundreds by just being released into the atmosphere was best left in the category of last resort.
I reached the second floor landing and made a decision. Alert the Taskforce. I hated to do it, and knew I had promised I wouldn’t without positive proof of WMD, but I decided that the circumstances warranted action. I pulled out the pager/beacon and hit the series of keys necessary to trigger the emergency signal. Nothing outward changed. It beeped once, returning to show the time. Reaching the first floor, I placed it back in my pocket and exited the stairwell.
Nodding to the old man behind the desk, I left the hotel and walked straight to my SUV, purposely not looking in the direction of the Internet café. I unlocked the driver’s side door, looking down and hiding my face from anyone coming down the street. I was about to sit down when I felt the barrel of a pistol jammed into my kidney.
“You make a single fucking move, and I’ll kill you right here. I know your capabilities, so trust me I won’t be guessing about your intentions. You understand? Nod if you do.”
I did as he asked.
“Raise your hands where I can see them, but don’t make it look like you’re surrendering.” The man jammed the barrel again. “Don’t do anything stupid. I can kill you and get out of here clean.”
I placed my hands on the door and roof of the car, feeling the press of time. I was facing the direction Carlos was coming from and would be impossible to miss. I didn’t mind the gun in my back but needed to speed this up.
I turned my head slightly, about to say something when I was cut off angrily by the man with the gun, “Keep facing forward! Don’t move a fucking muscle until my partner arrives.”
I attempted to hide my face, saying, “Look, I’m willing to do whatever you want. I’ll come quietly. Can we just get moving?”
“What the hell are you looking at? Raise your head.”
I continued looking down.
“Raise your fucking head or you’re dead. Do it now.”
I sensed the fear in the man and could almost feel his finger tightening on the trigger. I reluctantly raised my head, seeing another man approaching out of the corner of my eye.
The man gave me a wide berth. “Car’s on the way. Should be here in five seconds.”
“Good. This guy scares the hell out of me.”
I ducked my head again, counting out the seconds. I reached to five with no car when the man with the gun said, “I tell you to raise your head again, and we’ll be throwing a body in a car. I’m not sure you can feel it, but that’s a fat barrel in your back. There will be no noise.”
I raised my head, hearing a car pull up.
I looked up the street, trying to see anyone resembling Carlos in the distance. Spotting no one, I scanned the people closer to me. I saw a man resembling Carlos approaching, no more than twenty meters away. I was about to push my luck and lower my head again when the man met my eyes. I recognized the terrorist at the same time he recognized me.
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