Wired - Douglas E. Richards [115]
There was another knock and then the rattle of keys. Finally, the door swung slowly open.
“Hello in there,” yelled S. Frank Putnam from the entrance. “I’m alone and unarmed. I’m coming in,” he announced.
Putnam calmly entered and closed the door behind him. Once the door had closed, Desh rushed to the window and peered out. He raised his binoculars and scanned the vicinity, but didn’t see any evidence of anyone else approaching.
“Congratulations on escaping from the safe house and discovering my identity,” said Putnam sincerely. “One of these days you’ll have to tell me how you did it,” he added.
“What are you doing here?” growled Kira disdainfully.
“Making sure you don’t violate my property any further, my dear. My men will be arriving here in about ten minutes,” he said, “but I thought I’d say hello and give you a chance to surrender first.”
“Why?” asked Desh suspiciously.
“I don’t want to risk any injury to Dr. Miller, of course.”
“Other than your implanted bomb that’s set to go off in twelve minutes, you mean,” said Desh.
“Twelve minutes is plenty of time for me to reset it; which I fully intend to do. I just wanted to tell you personally that you’ll soon be greatly outnumbered, and urge you to surrender when my men arrive.”
Desh spoke into the microphone of his walkie-talkie. “Colonel, possible incoming hostiles converging on our position. Do you have a visual?”
There was no answer.
“Colonel, come in.” He paused and lifted the tiny microphone to his mouth. “Come in,” he said anxiously. “Say again, possible incoming hostiles.”
“What’s the matter, Desh?” taunted Putnam. “No answer?”
“What did you do!” demanded Kira in alarm.
“You think my men wouldn’t spot a fucking RV?” said Putnam contemptuously. “That thing’s a monstrosity.”
“What did you do!” persisted Kira.
“As it turns out, absolutely nothing, my dear. Your friend the colonel did it to himself.”
“Did what to himself?” snapped Desh.
“When my people boarded the RV, your colonel friend was hiding in the bedroom. Thought he’d be cute and wear electronic earplugs and goggles and toss out a stun grenade. He figured he would recover his sight and hearing before we did.” Putnam shook his head in amusement. “He didn’t count on the vibration knocking him off his feet. His head slammed into the corner of an end table. Killed him instantly.” He paused, milking the moment. “It wasn’t pretty.”
The four intruders traded horrified glances. Even Kira and Griffin, who hadn’t known the colonel very well, looked ill at the loss of such a good man.
Putnam made a show of looking at his watch. “You have five minutes to come out with your hands raised,” he said. “After that my men will come in after you.” The corners of his mouth turned up in a cruel smile. “But I really have to go now, my dear. If I’m late resetting that little device in your head, I might end up with brain splatter on my drapes.” He raised his eyebrows. “Can’t have that, can we?”
Kira raised her gun and pointed it at Putnam. “Don’t take another step!” she growled.
“Or what?” he said scornfully. “You’re going to shoot me?” He shook his head and laughed. “You’re going to give yourself five minutes to live? You’re going to kill the only chance you have to keep the lid on Pandora’s box? I don’t think so.”
A bullet exploded from Kira’s gun and tore through Putnam’s chest, slamming him back against the door. “Think again,” she whispered, her face a mask of rage. She walked toward him and emptied the entire magazine into his body.
“Kira, what are you doing!” screamed Desh.
“He had to die,” she spat hatefully.
Kira Miller turned away from the body and gathered herself. “David, take Putnam’s escape tunnel and get out of here. Using my treatment the three of you can stop Putnam’s plot. I know you can. But with the leverage he had over me, I was hurting our chances. Beat this bastard and then carry out your vision. You’re a good man. I have confidence in you.”
Desh said nothing, but reached out to hold her. She melted into his arms and several tears