Crusader's Gold

NINE

Alicia’s elation was short-lived.

When Kenzie’s now familiar face momentarily materialized out of the surrounding throng she knew their time inside the Hagia Sophia was up. She also knew that their new antagonist could not possibly be carrying any serious weapons. The entrances, halls and exits of the ancient church might appear antiquated but they were actually crammed full of the latest detection devices. Alicia signaled a hasty retreat and the team pulled together, drifting toward the nearest exit.

Kenzie must have caught on immediately, because she emerged from the crowd with her unattractive entourage. “I know you found something,” she called across the busy space between them. “Just tell me what it was.”

Alicia waved the others by, her and Russo trailing. Tourists milled all around. Within seconds Kenzie was tapping at Alicia’s heels, leaning in to whisper into her ear. “Gloves are coming off real soon, bitch. You people are not going to know what hit you.”

Alicia thought about all she had overcome and accomplished during the past few years and laughed. Kenzie’s threat might not be an empty one but it was spoken with such outlandish bravado, such egotistical belief. Alicia’s laugh only served to pour fuel onto the fire.

Kenzie slammed the bottom of her foot onto the back of Alicia’s thigh, causing a jolt of flame to travel from the point of impact to her brain. Alicia pulled up abruptly, spinning to face the Israeli.

“You wanna eat the floor, sweetheart? Just say the word and I’ll put you down in front of all these people and their cameras.”

“Put me down then, bitch. If you—”

“Amen, motherfucker.” Alicia struck before the woman completed her sentence, a jab to the solar plexus and the throat. The first struck true, the second was deflected even as Kenzie doubled over, a sign that proved she’d at least gone through intensive training. Alicia stepped back, then brought a knee into Kenzie’s head as her backup moved in.

At any other time, in any other place, soldiers and mercenaries might have backed off, remembered where they were and what they were doing. But not today. A challenge had been thrown down and nobody was prepared to yield.

Healey found himself barged backwards, fell down a step and realized he was at the top of a winding flight of stairs. A boyish enthusiasm creased his face and when the next man attacked he stepped briskly aside, allowing his opponent to sprawl headlong down the punishing flight.

Russo sent a man crashing against the stone balcony, its height the only thing saving him from toppling over. Naz backed down slowly, fronted by Caitlyn and Crouch.

Alicia found her attention partly distracted by Caitlyn. During the last few months Healey had been quietly and carefully training the young girl in an effort to at least give her the basic skills to defend herself. The team, and especially Alicia, weren’t expecting any miracles but at the same time they were all hopeful. Caitlyn had controlled herself very well during the last adventure when she’d been abducted but Alicia didn’t want to be called on for another gung-ho rescue any time soon. She’d had enough of those after saving Mai bloody Kitano from the hands of the Yakuza.

Now, as Caitlyn was forced to shield both herself and Naz alongside Crouch, the twenty-one-year-old was moving admirably, cutting down her target area and shifting in sync with the boss. Again, she looked calm. Alicia, and certainly her new opponent, wouldn’t now have guessed she had no real fighting or military experience. When her opponent feinted at Crouch and struck at Caitlyn she defended by stepping away and kicking to the knee. Not bad. With the man on his knees, though, Caitlyn should have stepped in fast for the incapacitating blow — finish ‘em off, Alicia had told her, doesn’t matter how or where. Just end their ability to do harm to you or anyone else. Preferably forever. Countless times on the TV and in films she had seen the hero or heroine leave a capable opponent groaning behind them as they ran.

In real life you finished them off.

Heads were already swiveling toward them. Alicia had watched Kenzie pick herself up, knowing she could have injured the woman badly as she did so but feeling it might be a somewhat sadistic act.

See. I’m growing.

An Alicia during the Bones of Odin campaign would have struck first and thought about the consequences later.

Kenzie rose to her feet, trying not to gasp. Alicia held out a hand. “You okay? Want me to find you a chair?”

“This isn’t over. The time will come—”

“Save it. Makes you sound like a friggin’ supervillain. I’m thinking Thanos, especially with that massive forehead of yours. And the craziness. You can get tablets for that. So I’m told.”

“One day.”

“It’s a bad girl’s world, sweetie, and I’m way badder than you.”

Kenzie held up a hand, forcing her men to back off. Too many heads were aimed their way, too many eyes and ears focused.

Alicia watched the play of emotions across the woman’s features. Then, carefully, she also backed up, taking her team with her down the long staircase. The two units separated. Alicia headed for the nearest exit, already wondering how they could make a quick, clean escape. Crouch was a step ahead of her.

A door yawned to her left, already open.

The team surged through, hearing no shouts from the guards and taking it as a sign of good fortune. Outside, a bright sun flooded the day. Crouch held up his camera as he ran.

“We know where we’re going. They don’t. Let’s make sure we leave them in Istanbul, guys.”

Soon they were headed away from the church, a tree-lined path marking their progress toward a large contingent of cabs. Alicia and Russo guarded their every step, mindful of followers. Alicia thought she spotted Kenzie once, standing far away upon the basilica’s steps, an expression of rage on her face.

Best place for you. Far away from me. You really have no idea…

And then, unexpectedly, Michael Crouch stopped.

The breath fell out of his body. The color washed right out of his face. Alicia saw it happen in an instant, saw the terrible, devastating shock attack his body and followed his gaze.

Heard his voice edged with terror, a sound so alien to him, so out of character.

“R… Riley?”

An older man faced them, probably in his early fifties, with the hard weathered face of someone who had seen too much, and fought too much. Well built, tall, and closely shaven from his chin to his scalp there was no mistaking that this man was or had been a soldier, and a very good one in his time.

And maybe still.

Crouch still continued to stammer. Alicia saw the rest of the team pause, unsure what to do, and knew the only action required now was to move forward. Nothing else mattered.

“You’re in our way, bozo,” she said.

The man switched his unreadable gaze toward her.

“Alicia Myles,” he said. “I know you. And I heard you had changed. Why would you join forces with this killer? This criminal?”

It took Alicia a moment of staring from left to right to realize the newcomer was referring to her boss.

And Michael Crouch looked terrified.