The Judas Strain - James Rollins [88]
Nasser remained silent. Gray pictured him closing his eyes with relief. Nasser needed the angelic script, more than he needed to punish Seichan.
“Very good, Commander Pierce.” The strain from a moment ago died out of his voice. “Continue cooperating in such a manner and your mother and father will live out the rest of their lives in peace and grace.”
Gray knew that such a promise was as thin as the air he breathed.
“I’ll meet you inside Hagia Sophia at nineteen hundred hours,” Nasser said. “Search the church for Polo’s key if you like. But I have snipers at all the exits.”
Gray forced down a sneer.
“And, Commander Pierce, if you think to set up any trap, I’ll be checking back with Annishen every hour. If I’m late by a minute, she’ll start with your mother’s toes.”
The line clicked off.
Gray snapped Vigor’s phone closed. “We have to get to Hagia Sophia. Before the Guild’s men triangulate our true location.”
They began quickly gathering up their material.
He turned to Seichan. “That was risky.”
Seichan shrugged. “Gray, if you ever hope to survive this, certainly don’t underestimate the Guild. They are powerful, with many allies. Yet, at the same time, don’t overestimate them. The Guild will prey upon your fears of their omnipotence. To use that fear to weaken your morale. Just stay focused. Be cautious, but use your head.”
“And if you’d been wrong?” Gray asked with a bite of anger.
Seichan tilted her head. “I wasn’t.”
Gray breathed heavily through his nose, trying to shed his anger. His mother and father would have suffered if she’d been wrong.
“Besides,” Seichan said, “I needed a solid excuse not to be here when Nasser arrives. He’ll keep you and Monsignor Verona alive. You’re both useful. And with your mother and father as collateral, Nasser will believe he can ride you like a well-broken horse. But Nasser would shoot me on sight. That is, if I was lucky. So I needed an exit strategy that saved my life, yet still allowed me the freedom to maneuver on my own. If I’m going to have any chance of helping you.”
Gray finally got hold of his anger. Seichan’s parents weren’t the ones in danger. It was easier for her to be cavalier and take risks. She had made a cold decision, acted swiftly, and the results would serve them all.
Still…
Seichan turned away and pointed. “And I’m going to need that guy.”
“Who? Me?” Kowalski asked.
“Like I said, Nasser will shoot me on sight. Probably Kowalski, too.”
“Why me?” The large man’s face wilted. “What the hell did I ever do to him?”
“You’re useless.”
“Hey!”
Seichan ignored his outburst. “Nasser needs no other hostages, not with Mr. and Mrs. Pierce in hand. He’ll see no value in keeping you around.”
Gray held up a hand. “But what if Nasser already knows Kowalski is here with us?”
Seichan just stared at him, exasperated.
He slowly understood.
Don’t overestimate the Guild.
Frowning, Gray struggled to rid himself of his view that the Guild was omnipotent. It threatened to cripple him from acting. Steadying himself, considering all the angles, he realized she was right.
He turned to Kowalski. “You’ll go with Seichan.”
“And I’ll put him to good use,” Seichan said, swatting the former seaman on the rear.
“At least someone thinks I’m useful,” Kowalski grumbled, rubbing his backside.
With all their gear gathered up, they headed down. Seichan and Gray went last. Gray grabbed her arm as she tried to pass.
“What are you going to do?” he asked once they were alone on the rooftop. “To help us?”
“I don’t know. Not yet.”
She held his gaze a moment too long, then tried to turn away. She plainly wanted to tell him something more, but she hadn’t quite gotten the nerve yet. It was evident in the tightness of her breathing, the slight waver to her eyes.
“What is it?” he asked softly, concerned.
His tenderness only seemed to make her want to pull away more. But she sighed. “Gray…I’m sorry…” she started, looking away again. “Your parents…”
There was more than worry in her eyes and manner. There was also a measure of guilt. Why? Guilt implied responsibility. But