Page 38 of No Time Off (Lexi Carmichael Mystery #15)

THIRTY-EIGHT

Lexi

I glanced up in alarm before I realized who it was. Slash had already whipped his gun out and aimed at the person in the doorway.

“Rangi!” I leaped from my chair in surprise. “You’re okay.”

“Yes, and so are you, two, thank goodness. Um…can you lower the gun, please?” he asked Slash.

When Slash lowered the gun, Rangi breathed a sigh of relief. “What are you two doing here?”

“We could ask the same of you,” I countered. “We thought you were captured by the police and hauled away.”

“No, we faded back into woods after the cyclist took off after you,” he explained. “We didn’t resist, just watched them go through the house. They barely had time to confirm the place was empty before they suddenly ran out of the house, jumped in their cars, and drove away. We weren’t sure what had happened, but we were afraid they’d caught the prime minister. Thankfully, that isn’t what happened.”

“They were probably contacted by the thug on the bike who was chasing us,” I said. “He was definitely in need of a little rescuing.”

Rangi shrugged. “Whatever the case, we waited to see if they would come back. But they never did. So, I sent the security guys home to get some rest and look after their families. I stayed here watching the farmhouse, hanging out in the outbuildings, and taking food from the fridge and pantry. I couldn’t go home, as I was sure they’d be looking for me by that point, so this was as safe a spot as any.”

“Why didn’t you let the prime minister know you were okay?” I asked.

“I no longer had any way to reach her,” Rangi said, spreading out his hands. “She changed up phones, using borrowed and burner ones to protect her and her family’s location. I asked my team to see if they could track her down from their colleagues. I finally reached her about an hour and a half ago and updated her on my situation. To my surprise, she called me back about thirty minutes ago and told me you were on the way back here to the farmhouse. I remained hidden until you arrived and had an opportunity to look around. I just wanted to make sure no one had followed you.”

“I knew it!” I exclaimed. “I felt like I was being watched.”

“Sorry about that,” Rangi said. “I didn’t mean to spook you. After I was convinced you’d arrived here unaccompanied by any unwelcome parties, I called Petra back to tell her you’d made it safely. She informed me she is on her way here, too. Apparently, a lot has happened that I don’t know about.”

“A lot,” I confirmed.

“How did you get into the house?” Slash asked. “I locked all the doors and windows.”

Rangi reached into his pocket and held up the key. “The old-fashioned way. The prime minister gave me the key before she left.”

“How many of the security team are with you?” Slash asked.

“Four, including me,” Rangi replied. “None of us were apprehended.”

“Well, that’s good news for a change,” Slash said. “We’ll need all the people we can get.”

“For what?” Rangi asked. “Look, you’ve got to catch me up. Why are you coming back here? Why is the prime minister coming back here? What’s going on?”

“We’re implementing a plan to help the prime minister,” I said. “We needed a stable and decent Wi-Fi and internet connection, so we came back. We figured no one would expect us to return to a place they’d already raided. But before we go any farther, we’re absolutely starving. Want to join us in the kitchen for something to eat?”

“I’d be delighted,” Rangi said.

We moved from the office to the kitchen. I heated up a couple cans of soup while Rangi laid out some crackers and cheese, and Slash topped off our coffees.

Once the food and drink were on the table, we quickly brought Rangi up to speed on what had happened since the escape from the farmhouse. Rangi was shocked to hear Slash had been taken prisoner by Jiang Shi and what had transpired within the compound.

“So, Liko Maivia has been in on this from the beginning,” Rangi fumed, his expression darkening. “I knew it. He sold out the Cook Islands for money and power.”

“A tale as old as time,” I said, biting into a cracker. “Though given his character, I’m almost convinced it was as much for recognition as power. There’s nothing about him that asserts power or control. I think he’s comfortable being told what to do. It means he has to think less.”

“He has no moral compass, no loyalty,” Rangi said. “I will ensure he is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

“As long as you leave Jiang Shi to me.” Slash finished his soup and pushed the bowl aside. “If you can, Rangi, recall your security team. We’re going to need them to help with our plan, which we’ll explain to you in detail once the prime minister gets here. In the meantime, can you keep an eye on the perimeter and let Petra and the others in when she arrives? Lexi and I have work to do in the office.”

Rangi stood, pulling out his phone. “Will do.” He stepped out of the room to make the calls and head outside.

Slash and I cleaned up the kitchen and returned to the office to work. We’d been at it for about forty-five minutes when we heard a noise at the back door. Slash went out to see who it was while I continued to work.

“It’s Petra and the others,” Slash said, coming back a few minutes later. “They made it here safely. The kids are headed upstairs to watch television, and Petra, Henry, Manny, and Rangi are waiting for us in the kitchen to strategize.”

“Give me a minute and I’ll be there,” I said.

I set a few routines in motion and left the laptops running, returning with Slash to the kitchen. A couple more chairs had been added to the table and someone had started brewing more coffee and heating up water for tea. To my surprise, Petra gave Slash and me big hugs as soon as she saw us.

“Thank God you’re safe,” she said. “I don’t think I could have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you.”

“None of this is on your shoulders, Prime Minister,” Slash said. “We know exactly who’s responsible, and we’re about to bring them down.”

On that somber note, Slash and I squeezed into the empty chairs. Manny poured more coffee and made tea for the others before we began to discuss the final details of the plan.

Rangi spoke first. “Lexi and Slash have updated me on the latest developments. Maivia is a lying, conniving piece of rubbish. And the Chinese…don’t even get me started.”

“Liko Maivia will be tried for his part in this deception,” Petra said, her eyes steely. “We’re in full agreement on that.”

“The coup has to end first,” Slash said in a quiet tone that grabbed everyone’s attention. “We’ve assembled the mechanisms to reduce their advantage, but we can’t change people’s minds. Only you can do that, Petra.”

She nodded. “I’m ready. What do you want me to do?”

“The populace needs to hear from you,” Slash continued. “Directly from you. They need to know you have not resigned and you’re fighting back against this illegal seizure of power.”

“I agree,” Rangi said. “But how is she going to that? She can’t just show up in a parking lot or in front of a government building. She’ll be dragged away, arrested, or even shot, and there’s no guarantee anyone would even see her or hear what she has to say.”

Slash leaned forward on the table. “Lexi and I have created a plan to get the prime minister’s message out across the islands. Petra, you’ll be happy to know we now have control of your social media, the government website, and both your official and personal accounts. We intend to use them to blast out a video of you speaking the truth about what’s happening and who’s responsible for the coup. Lexi has also identified the internet feed that sends the television signal here to the other islands, and we can interrupt that and replace it with your video, too.”

“You hacked all that…already?” Petra asked, stunned.

“Us and some friends,” I said. “Close friends, who are really, really good at what they do.”

“Apparently, so,” she replied, clearly astonished. “I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done. But what video of me are you talking about?”

I held up my phone. “The video we’re about to record.”

Petra took a moment to take it all in. “Ah, okay. While I’m fully appreciative and ready to record that video, I’m still in shock about how quickly you managed to wrest control of my online accounts from the plotters. Do you think the video will be enough?”

“What do you mean?” Slash asked.

“My biggest concern is, not everyone will see my social media accounts or the government webpages. And even if you now control my official email, how many people will really see it or believe it’s actually from me?”

“All valid points,” Slash admitted. “We certainly can’t reach everyone, but if we reach a critical mass, hopefully the word will spread.”

Rangi rubbed his temples, clearly trying to think it through. “I have a question. What’s stopping Maivia and his team from taking down the internet altogether once they realize they can’t control her accounts anymore? If they shut down the internet, they could twist the narrative somehow. Say her video is fake or AI-generated or something like that.”

“That’s certainly a risk.” I noted, “But the word will have gotten out, and they’ll no longer have the sole narrative. If they take the internet down after that, it will only look worse for them.”

Petra stood. “I think we’re underestimating the Chinese and this Jiang Shi person. Slash’s escape and my video will push them to extremes. They’re not going to care what people might think. They’ll blame the internet outage on sabotage by the American terrorists and simply leave the internet down until they can find us and regain control. Plus, what would prevent them from importing hundreds of additional Chinese police at the request of the acting prime minister to help them restore order? We can’t give them that time or opportunity.”

“Then what do you suggest, Prime Minister?” Slash asked.

She began to pace the kitchen, thinking. “My initial video will set the stage and confirm, for some at least, I haven’t resigned and am still fighting. However, a video made in a secret location doesn’t present the image of a courageous leader who fully intends to rouse the people to oust Maivia and the Chinese. They need to see me live on television. That’s where I’ll have the greatest reach here and throughout the other islands.”

“Live television?” Rangi gasped, astonished. “That’s suicide, Petra. Not to mention, the television station is tightly guarded for exactly that reason. It’s the one place they’ll have guarded the most except for the airport. Even if we got in, the police and the Chinese will know exactly where you are. And, in case you forgot, the television station is on the opposite side of the island. Just getting there would be dangerous.”

“It’s all dangerous, Rangi,” I said. “But no more dangerous than continuing to stay on the run from Maivia and Shi’s goons. It’s not ideal, but at least it forces a public showdown—a showdown where we control the narrative.”

Petra patted his hand. “Rangi, I know and appreciate your concern. But Lexi is right. There is danger all around us. I need to speak directly to the people—live—so they know I’m here to defend them and our country. It shows them that if I’m willing to resist, they can, too.”

Henry considered and then rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t typically interfere with my wife’s work, but I stand by her on this. Live television is a risky move, but I agree the payoff could be high. To overturn this injustice, our citizens need clear, succinct communications and leadership.” He turned to his wife. “That leadership must come from you if you’re to succeed. You’re the glue that holds us together.”

Petra gave her husband a grateful look before her gaze fell on Manny. “Manny, what do you think?”

Manny set his coffee mug on the table with a thump and sighed. “Storming a guarded television station isn’t my idea of a good time whatsoever. It’s risky, dangerous, and bloody mental from an operational perspective, if I’m being honest. I’d offer a saner alternative, if only I had one.”

Rangi pointed at Manny. “Finally, the voice of reason.”

“However,” Manny continued, drawing out the word slowly, “I think the kids and Henry are right. You’re the best weapon we have, Petra, which is why Maivia is desperate to find you. He’s scared. But the longer you’re on the run, the harder it will be to unseat them.”

Rangi deflated, his mouth turning into a frown.

“I believe we have to look at it this way,” Henry interjected. “Right now, we are caught between Scylla and Charybdis. Petra, you pose an extreme threat to them when you are free. But the longer you remain in hiding, the more your power will diminish, and you’ll lose the influence needed to oust them. Jiang Shi knew that when he told Maivia to ignore you, but Maivia is a fearful and weak man, short on patience. We can take advantage of this if we take matters into our own hands. And if we are to do that, let us do it at the time of our choosing, not theirs.”

I wrinkled my brow, trying to follow. “You lost me at Scylla and Charybdis, Henry. Are they Māoris or Polynesian gods? What was their deal?”

Henry pressed his hand to his heart. “My apologies, Lexi. As Petra will attest, I occasionally go all professor on everyone. I’m referring to Greek mythology. Scylla was a sea monster who lived at one side of the Strait of Messina, opposite the inescapable whirlpool called Charybdis. Ancient mariners had to very carefully navigate between the two of them since the smallest mistake could lead to their death.”

Manny chuckled. “Well, I for one am glad Lexi asked. You don’t want to know how badly I fared in my literature classes.”

Everyone laughed, breaking the tension a little.

Rangi crossed his arms against his chest. “Okay, back to reality…even if we somehow get the prime minister into the news station, how are we going to prevent Maivia from cutting power to the station once she goes live?”

“I sincerely doubt Shi or Maivia have the team or equipment in place to do that on short notice,” Slash replied. “If anything, after the first video blast across the prime minister’s social media and the government websites, he’ll have his technical team busy trying to retake those accounts or taking down the internet. He doesn’t have the bandwidth or the talent to do both.”

“Then it’s settled,” Petra said, looking around the room.

Rangi reluctantly nodded. “Fine. I’m still on the fence with this, but if everyone else agrees, I do, too. It looks like the goal now is to pick a time when most people are already watching television. To me, that would be seven o’clock in the evening—the time when the local and national news comes on.”

“Agreed,” Petra said, and we all nodded.

“So, we figure out a plan to get you into the television station by seven o’clock this evening,” I said. I glanced at my watch and then angled it so Slash could see the time. It was five minutes after one.

“Prime Minister, we can be ready on our end by seven tonight, but how will we get there in time?” I asked. “Rangi said it’s on the other side of the island in Avarua. A car is out of the question. Motorbikes, perhaps?”

“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Rangi said. “Ever since your escape from the farmhouse, there have been a lot more patrols on bikes. They may be safer to use out here, but closer to the city, discovery would be far more likely.”

“How about the Cross-Island Track?” Manny suggested. When he saw Slash’s and my blank stare, he explained. “It’s a trail that runs up over the mountains through the middle of the island. From here to the capital, it would only take us about three hours to hike. We could easily move under the radar, especially in a small group.”

“Not a bad idea,” Rangi said, “but it would be tight to get there, check out the station, and get the prime minister inside before seven. We’d have to leave here shortly.”

“Then we leave here shortly.” Petra exchanged a glance with Henry. “What about my family?”

“We can leave them here with some of the security staff,” Slash said. “In a few hours, when we release the video of you on the social media accounts, the island will be in chaos trying to figure out what’s going on. I assure you, no stray police officers will be wandering here in the dark looking for your family when all the action will be at the television station.”

She nodded, a relieved expression on her face. “Okay, let’s do this. What’s next?”

I held up my phone. “You and I do the recording and then I send it off to my friends and let them take care of things from their end. Are you ready?”

“Just give me a couple of minutes to compose myself and comb my hair so I look presentable and figure out what to say.”

“No more than five,” Manny warned. “We need to get moving.”

“All you have to do is be yourself, Petra,” Rangi counseled. “Be honest, and authentic. Make your concern for them and the country come through. Keep it short, too. That’s always good advice for a politician.”

She smiled. “It’s good advice for anyone. What’s after that?”

“We start the hike to the television station,” Slash said. “Manny is right—we need to move fast. We’ll release your video an hour prior to your television debut. That will give us an hour for the word to spread and get people riled up. Perhaps some will even take to the streets to figure out what’s going on. That tight timeline is hard on us, but it’ll be harder on the coup leaders. That’s part of our strategy. It doesn’t give them time to plan for what’s coming. Petra, just make sure to say at the end of your video that you’ll have a special announcement to make at seven p.m. Don’t say where the announcement will be coming from, just that an announcement is coming.”

“Will that be enough?” she asked.

“Hopefully. But just in case, Lexi and I have a few other aces up our sleeves to keep Shi focused elsewhere. It will also keep Maivia busy.”

With that, Petra, Henry, and Rangi headed upstairs to get her ready while we headed back to the office to set up for the video.

“Are we really going to take a three-hour hike?” I asked Slash. Even though it made sense, I totally wasn’t feeling it. Not that I ever felt like a hike was a good option unless it involved an air-conditioned vehicle.

Slash lifted his hands. “Looks like it.”

Manny walked behind us and overheard my comment. “It’s a solid option from an operational point of view, Lexi. I’m sure you had physical drills as part of your training.”

“I’m a geek,” I said, holding up my hands. “What physical training am I supposed to have had?”

“I thought all CIA operatives had to go through some kind of physical operations training,” Manny said.

I stared between him and Slash. “Why are we talking about the CIA?”

“Never mind,” Slash said, patting my arm. “You’ll do fine on the hike.”

“But why can’t we just take the motorbikes at least part of the way?” I knew I was whining, but I felt tired, grumpy, and wanted nothing more than to sink into a hot tub for the next forty-eight hours.

“Sorry, Lexi,” Manny said, giving me a sympathetic look. “The Cross-Island Track is specifically designed for hiking—no vehicles of any kind are allowed on the trail, not even bicycles.”

“What if Maivia’s forces are guarding the trail?” I asked.

“No one will be guarding the Cross-Island Track,” Manny said. “Trust me, no one ever guards the Track. If there’s a problem on the trail—say, someone twists their ankle or runs out of water—help is called up. There isn’t anybody whose only job it is to monitor the trail. And even if by some chance Maivia has arranged someone to watch it, there would be no more than one person near the exit into the city. I think between us, we’d be able to handle one person.”

“Manny is right,” Slash said, pulling apart two cords. “The police are focusing on the main roads and government buildings. The Track will be the safest option for us.”

I was not thrilled with the idea, but it was clear I was outvoted. “Fine, hike it is. I’m just warning you—this is not the type of hike I agreed to for our honeymoon. I just want it on the record I’m doing this under duress.”

“Duly noted,” Manny said. “Take it up with your man later.” He winked at Slash, who shook his head.

We were ready with our setup when Rangi, Henry, and Petra returned. She had combed her hair, put on lipstick, and wore a blazer over a black T-shirt. “I found these in Victoria’s closet,” she said. “I hope she doesn’t mind I’m borrowing them. I’ll let her know it was all in the name of national security. But you’re going to have to film me from the waist up. None of the pants or skirts fit.”

“No problem,” I said, showing her where to sit and adjusting the view on my camera.

Petra was as good as her word. The video lasted one minute and seventeen seconds, and we only had to retake one section.

“That was amazing,” I said when she finished. “I got chills. You are really good at your job, Prime Minister. Clear message, positive energy, proof of wrongdoing, and to the point. Way to go.” I plugged my phone into my laptop and began downloading it.

Slash paced back and forth in the room, his brow furrowed, clearly thinking. “Is there a house or a place in the capital where we could safely hide out and create a command center of sorts?” he asked Petra as she shrugged out of the blazer.

She thought for a moment. “Doesn’t Paul’s sister live near the television station?” Petra asked Rangi.

“Who’s Paul?” Slash asked.

“The guy who brought your wife safely from the farmhouse to the yacht on the motorbike without getting shot,” Rangi answered. “Big blond guy. He just took Lani and Noa upstairs to watch television. Let me check with him. I do think he has a sister who lives not too far from the television station, which would be ideal.”

When Rangi returned, Noa came with him, running to his mother, who gathered him in her arms and hugged him tightly. I felt my heart twist in my chest. The stress on this family was palpable, as it was on all of us. Standing up for what was right—even when it seemed like everything and everyone were against you—was a true badge of courage.

“Are you leaving again, Mum?” he asked.

She ruffled her son’s hair. “For a little bit. But your dad will be here. I’ll come up and see you all before I go. Okay? So run up and watch the telly with your sister. I’ll be up shortly.” She gave him one more hug before he darted up the stairs.

When he was out of earshot, Rangi spoke. “You were right, Petra. Paul’s sister lives relatively near the station, and she has agreed to help us. We can set up at her house, but we’ll have to leave in the next twenty minutes to stay on the timeline and give us an opportunity to surveil the station.”

Petra nodded. “I’ll change quickly.”

“What are you going to do about the police at the television station?” Henry asked Slash after Petra left. “How do you intend to get past them?”

“I don’t know yet,” Slash replied. “Once we figure out what we’re up against, we’ll determine the best way to get in. We have to be both flexible and adaptable. I have some ideas I want to run past Manny, but the prime minister doesn’t have to worry about that part now. She can leave that to us. We’ll make sure it’s as safe as it can be before we insert her.”

“You take care of my wife,” he said, looking somberly at each of us.

“We will, Henry,” Manny said, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I promise you—we’ll protect her with our lives.”

I swallowed hard, imagining how he was feeling, the mood in the room suddenly turning grim.

Petra called out to her husband from the stairs. “Henry, I need to say goodbye. Can you come up here, please?”

“Yes, dear,” he responded, giving us one more long look before he headed back upstairs.

For a moment, we just stood there before taking a collective breath. The gravity of what we were about to do weighed on us all.

Manny cleared his throat. “Um…I’ll get the packs ready. We need to go.”

Slash looked at me and nodded. “We do. It’s time for the offensive team to take the field.”