Side by Side

80

Major Antonia Keen was on her phone to Clayton Able as she ran toward Randall’s SUV.

“Get them in here now, Clayton!” she shouted into the receiver. “Tell them to block the damn road. Tell them to use extreme prejudice. You got me?” She slammed the phone shut.

Randall drove. Serge was in the passenger seat; Antonia and one of Max’s men were in the second seat. The other man was on the Tahoe’s roof, lying on the luggage rack, aiming his MP5 at the road ahead.

“Your sister disappointed me, Major,” Serge said. “I’ll have to insist we deal with her. If she survives the next minute or so.”

“If she turned-and I do not believe it for a second-I’ll frigging shoot her myself,” Major Keen hissed. “If Massey didn’t kill her and leave her behind, he has her at gunpoint. Did you see her in the truck?”

“No,” Sarnov said. “I glimpsed some heads before they all ducked.”

“Let’s wait and see. I know her better than you do. Massey was in there when she went in and he knew she set him up. He killed her, I’m sure of it.”

“They escaped,” Serge said. “She didn’t yell, she didn’t fight.”

“She didn’t turn, damn it! If she’s in that truck, she’s playing along with him. She can manipulate him.”

“You can’t get between her and those men coming in,” Randall said. “That Dodge and anything inside it is toast.”

When Max made a curve, Serge saw men illuminated by bright headlights aiming automatic weapons and shotguns at the black truck.

Max slid the SUV to a stop, and everybody jumped out. The man on the roof stood up, his gun ready.

The men who’d been aiming at the truck turned toward the Tahoe.

A voice from the men surrounding the truck yelled out, “Put your guns down!”

“You idiot!” Major Keen hollered. “Hold your fire, soldier! I’m Major Keen!”

“So you say. I said put your weapons down!”

“Okay, don’t freak out,” Max called. “We’ll comply.”

Serge shrugged. He set his gun gently on the hood of the SUV. Max and the man next to him put their weapons on the ground. After a moment, the man on the Tahoe’s roof squatted to place his gun on the roof by his feet. One of the men who had been firing at the Dodge stepped forward. He gathered up the weapons and stacked them in the road in front of the SUV.

The apparent team leader, a white-haired man in a black jumpsuit, came onto the road from the trees. His men kept their aimed shotguns at the people from the SUV.

“What’s the matter with you people?” Antonia snapped. “What is your name, soldier?”

Alexa Keen came around the Dodge, striding toward her sister.

“Antonia,” she said, “allow me to introduce to you Special FBI Agent in Charge Kelly Crisp. The others are members of the FBI’s Immediate Response Team. I’m placing all of you under arrest for kidnapping, murder, conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit murder, crossing state lines to commit those crimes, and. . well, I’ll make sure you get a comprehensive list of the charges at FBI HQ. Agent Crisp will read you your rights.”

Serge was being cuffed when he saw that one of the men who’d been firing at the Dodge was wearing a camouflage coat and had his face blackened. When the man caught Serge staring at him, he smiled. Massey!

Antonia Keen said nothing, standing stiffly, glaring at her sister.

Agent Crisp said, “If you’re wondering about the people who were at the roadblock, they’re all in custody. Clayton Able and his crew are being taken into custody about now.”

As Alexa snapped cuffs on her sister’s wrists, Antonia said, “You better help me out. I have you on tape.”

“And I have you on tape, too, Major,” Alexa replied. “I’ve been recording every discussion we’ve had for months.”

“You’re my sister.”

A tear rolled down Alexa’s cheek. “I wish to God I wasn’t.”

“I can explain all of this,” Antonia said, raising her voice. “My authority supercedes yours, Agents. This is a matter of national security. My men and I are part of a joint military and Department of Homeland Security operation.”

“I’m sure you can explain how all of this murder and mayhem was perfectly justifiable,” Agent Crisp answered sarcastically. “But we’ll just hold you temporarily at HQ until it’s all straightened out, okay, Major?”