EIGHT
In The Last Instalment:
The lead to Zeke’s location is a single phone number printed on a business card. Hannah, Stephanie and Ian go back to their agency headquarters. When Hannah calls the number they discover it belongs to Cara Stone, a former trainee who was kicked out of the program for attacking another trainee. Before she hangs up, Cara asks how Zeke could have escaped without being injured. As the team prepares to chase Cara’s location to two city blocks, the alarm for the office sounds. There is a perimeter breach at their headquarters. Who set off the alarm? Hannah confirmed to her boss that they know the location of what Evelyn is chasing – where is it and what is it? Where did Zeke go? Is he who Hannah thinks he is?
“Pull up the cameras!” Hannah yelled, moving to the main computer. The camera views popped up and she put them onto the big board. The sight of Evelyn Carmichael and five unknown men entering the parking garage came on screen.
“Get agents in the parking garage now!” Stephanie yelled, running out of the war room with several agents behind her. Hannah watched as shots took down two agents of each side.
Hannah heard Anthony enter the room behind her and she turned. His face was red and he was breathing heavily, hand on his hip holster.
“Where are we?” He asked, watching the screen as he moved next to her.
“Evelyn and five assailants have breached the parking garage. Two of ours and two of hers are down.” Hannah turned back to the screen where Evelyn and one of her men moved past the remaining agents and entered the elevator alone.
Hannah turned to their tech guy,
“Spencer, shut down the elevator!” She yelled, turning and pulling up the elevator camera. Hannah watched as the lights clicked off and Evelyn braced herself on the wall. The emergency light flicked on and Evelyn looked up, finding their camera.
“Hannah Dear,” Hannah moved to the microphone leading into the elevator.
“Mother, you really should have called first.”
Evelyn smiled and whispered to her companion. He moved into the blind spot of the elevator and Hannah turned off the microphone, turning to Spencer.
“Have we got another angle in there?” she asked. Spencer shook his head then raised his eyebrows and put up his index finger. As he typed on his laptop Hannah turned back to the screen.
“I’m going to find it.” Evelyn said, her cold tone contradicting the smile on her face.
“Where is Zeke?” Hannah asked, glancing back at Spencer, still typing. In the elevator Evelyn frowned and tilted her head slightly.
“I heard he was in some sort of accident Dear.”
Hannah closed her eyes and started to count to ten. She cleared her throat and opened her eyes.
“Are you still there?” Evelyn’s singsong tone made Hannah pause then exhale quickly.
“Where is Zeke?” Hannah asked, keeping her tone even. Evelyn laughed as Spencer clicked his finger and Hannah turned off the microphone.
“I’ve got another angle. It was a training exercise camera still in from yesterday.” Spencer said, motioning towards the screen. The image of Evelyn’s agent preparing explosives appeared and Anthony yelled orders as he left the room.
“I keep telling you Dear, Zeke is not who you think he is.” Evelyn looked back up at the main camera and smiled. “How do you think he disappeared while being shot at?”
Hannah let the question hang in the air as Anthony and five agents took up a position outside the elevator. Evelyn shook her head and smiled,
“I’m sick of playing these games with you Hannah.” her smile dropped and she moved closer to the camera.
“Where is the drive?”
Hannah smiled and shook her head.
“What drive?” her singsong tone caused Evelyn to twitch.
“Let’s cut the games and-”
“Actually, I think this is the perfect time to play games.” Hannah interrupted Evelyn and watched agents preparing to breach the roof of the elevator.
“I assume by now you can see what my associate is up to?” Evelyn said, shrugging. “So why don’t you just tell me what I want to know. That way we can avoid any,” she paused and gave a half smile. “Mess.”
Hannah turned to Spencer and turned off the microphone.
“Can you zoom the feed on the explosives?” She asked, turning back to the screen. Spencer zoomed in revealing a timer counting down thirty seconds.
Twenty nine.
Twenty eight.
Evelyn’s associate reached up and pushed up the roof panel, throwing the explosive pack through the roof.
Hannah stood, running to where the Anthony and the agents were positioning themselves.
“Anthony!” she yelled as an explosion shook the building.
Christy Grace Scarlet Pen 