Page 79

CHAPTER 79

A LL THE FED’S HORSES AND all the fed’s men weren’t going to be able to get this done, thought Devine.

It’s going to be me. And a little unofficial help.

He was armored and gunned up and was presently looking through next-gen optics at the Ricketts government building. He eyed the security car parked in front. Devine felt like he was back in the Army getting ready to hit a target, hard.

And I guess that’s exactly what I’m doing.

After Jackson had told him about the person who had ratted the Termites out to the feds and who might be imprisoned in the holding cell in the basement of the government building, Devine reasoned that they might be keeping Odom there, too.

In his earpiece, Emerson Campbell’s clipped, authoritative voice came through.

“Okay, Devine. Let’s do a last run-through. The cell is in the basement. Down the stairs and turn left. Two hundred feet and on the right. If they’re holding her in that building, it will be there.”

There was one armed guard who made rounds every half hour. Devine had watched him go past twice now, and the man was clearly not into his mission. He had continually looked at his phone, and wandered this way and that at times, once even leaning against the building and taking a smoke break. He had now just gone into the building through the glass front door.

“Roger that. Security seems a little lax here.”

“They don’t think anyone can hit them on their home turf.”

“A cardinal error that many a successful attack has exploited.”

“And hopefully we can add this one to the list. Rules of engagement are deployment of equal force. It’s a bit tricky obviously since we’re going into a government building, but we’ll figure that out on the other end. And if they’re holding her in there, no court will rule against us. Okay, I’ve confirmed that your partner is locked and loaded. Let’s roll. Good luck.”

Next moment Devine was on the move.

He hustled to the front of the building and out of the sight lines of the nearest cameras. He secreted himself into the shadows near the front door and waited.

A moment later a figure crept out of the darkness and slid up near the security car. Then the person raced forward and collided with the vehicle so hard, it rocked on its wheels. The next moment the intruder vanished as the car’s lights and alarm came on, breaking both the darkness and the silence.

Twenty seconds later the front door burst open and there was the guard, his pistol in one hand, a phone in the other.

He looked around and then focused on the flashing car. He let go of the door and ran forward, reaching the vehicle in seconds. He looked around and then pulled his keys from his pocket, hit the button, and the lights went off and the alarm ceased.

He glanced around once more and then retreated, walking backward, into the building, until he had to turn to use his key card to open the secured door.

The guard pulled it closed behind him and made a call as he disappeared down the hall.

Devine came out from behind another door inside the building. Hiding in the shadows, he had slipped in through the front door when the guard had burst out of the building. He had made sure no one had followed him in, but the idiot hadn’t taken the same precaution when exiting the building.

A masked and gloved Devine made his way down the stairs to the basement level and threaded his way carefully along the corridor. As Campbell had said, the holding cell area was on the right.

As Devine reached it, he heard groaning coming from behind the door.

He pulled a pick gun from his belt, studied the lock, fixed a specific bit in the gun, and inserted it in the lock. It took only ten seconds to defeat the obstacle.

His Glock out, Devine slowly pushed open the door.

The holding cell held a sole occupant.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Betsy Odom.