The Relic Hunters

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Switching quickly to a chopper, Bodie and the others shrugged into flak jackets, thick civilian clothes and as much disguise as they were able. The mission was simple; the aesthetics of the operation were not. The bus, when they found it, was twisting through a Greek village, following a snaking path around grassy hills. The air was bright, the winds low; perfect to stay on top of the coach at a safe distance. Bodie may have been the first to think about weapons but he certainly wasn’t the first to speak out about them.

“Gun?” Cassidy held her hand out.

Heidi, crammed into the same chopper, made an unhappy face. “It’s a bad idea. You’re operatives on foreign soil.”

“Bullshit,” Cassidy said. “We’re thieves operating alone. That’s our forte, yes?”

“A lot of civilians in a bus station.”

“Yeah, and we wanna keep them safe.”

“It’s not you,” Heidi said. “It’s the Hood. And the event he may call in.”

Cassidy wouldn’t relent. “I understand. But we won’t be as effective. We won’t take him down as fast. We won’t be sailing at full mast without a friggin’ weapon.”

Bodie tightened his seatbelt as the chopper veered downward. “She has a point.”

Heidi relented with a sight and handed them used Glocks. “No serial numbers. No provenance. These alone, mark you as criminals.”

“Don’t worry. We won’t be as obvious as you guys are — flying around in your chopper.”

“It’s local. And registered. The CIA are not stupid, Miss Coleman.”

Cassidy opened her mouth, but Bodie jumped in fast, scared of what might leap out. “Bad news,” he said. “The bus station is right there.”

“Damn.” Heidi stared out the window. “Change of plan. Land this thing and we’re gonna have to comb the station. This is a scheduled fifteen-minute stop.” She checked her watch. “We have time.”

The helicopter descended fast. Bodie held on. The skids bounced and then the door was open, flattened grass at their feet. They landed in a field just a few minutes’ jog away from the bus station, on the blind side of the small building to help negate any interested parties. Bodie and his team, Heidi and one of the Special Forces soldiers jumped out. Bodie sensed a deep anxiety in the CIA agent and didn’t question her accompanying them. They jogged across the field, slowed at a large brick wall, then headed for the far side. This would take them into the station and among the passengers.

Heidi sent a last glance. “Remember who we’re looking for?”

The passport photo was fresh in Bodie’s mind. He moved to Heidi’s side and pretended they were a couple, sauntering around the wall and into the station. What they might have been doing behind the wall crossed his mind, and Heidi’s too it seemed, for she inclined her head toward his shoulder. Good cover.

Three buses sat in the station, divided by shelters. A melee of passengers swarmed the platforms, the road and the sidewalks; passing in and out of the ticket areas and shops. A hubbub of noise rose to the rafters. Finding anyone in here was going to be a challenge.

But they were seven strong. Gunn had insisted he come along, rather than wait around in the idling chopper and especially since there was nothing tech-driven to do. Nobody had praised him for it. Gunn had to stand without aid.

Bodie took hold of Heidi’s waist and pulled her into the crowd. He met no resistance and kept his hand there, enjoying the closeness and the human touch. It had been a while. His eyes studied every face, every contour, slipped under every baseball cap and mentally removed every tightly-lowered beanie hat. Heidi followed suit, scanning face after face as some of the others moved over to the parked up buses and still more sought out the shops.

Eight minutes had passed already. Bodie knew it was a tall order despite their skills. The crowds ebbed and flowed, doubled back and simply wandered. He’d seen the same man with the same Pooh Bear baseball cap three times already.

“All these people,” Heidi whispered. “I hope to God they don’t act.”

Bodie felt the same with every fiber in his heart and soul. “They will only act if the Hood feels threatened,” he said. “And has chance to report. We just can’t give him that time.”

“Agreed.”

A wave of noise washed over them — a party of Greek mothers flowing by. Bodie saw Cassidy and Gunn walking down the side of a bus, checking windows; Cross and Jemma exiting one gift shop and entering a small café. No signals were raised.

“This would be easier with comms,” Bodie said as they walked. “Next time?”

“I hear you,” Heidi said in reply, then smiled. “But only because I’m right here. Yeah, you’re right. Next time.”

Bodie was pleased the CIA agent could manage a witticism or two. The prospect of the next few days and weeks would be even dourer if she’d proved to be a stick in the mud. A hundred faces had already passed him by, and then the next face jolted him, made him blink.

Bodie allowed his eyes to glaze, his gaze to drift past the Hood. If he was that highly trained it wouldn’t do to let his eyes linger too long. The Hood was taking a diagonal path toward a drinks machine, rucksack clutched in his right hand, and it was the unerring angled route he’d chosen, against all the random human tides, that made him stand out. Maybe he was used to people getting out of his way; maybe he didn’t notice them, but either way Bodie made him and nudged Heidi’s hip with his own.

“My two o’clock. Positive sighting.”

Heidi slowed, glanced casually over. Her sharp intake of breath verified his claim. They quickly modified their own path so they were on an interception course, but sauntered still, arm in arm. Bodie gauged the distance to his weapon. Heidi steered them a little further afield, scared the Hood might detect them. When Cassidy and Gunn reappeared around the back edge of a dirty bus they dared not make any signal. It was Bodie’s hope that Cassidy would see their purpose.

Not to be. She’s too busy scolding Gunn over something.

Heidi saw it too, her face unimpressed. The Hood made his way to the drinks machine and dug in his pocket for change. He bought a can of Diet Pepsi. Bodie and Heidi came up steadily behind, still a dozen steps away. The Hood secured his rucksack over his shoulders, then paused and spun.

He hurled the can directly into Bodie’s face.

Bodie was surprised, but instantly glad it hadn’t been a knife or even a brick. He hadn’t seen it coming. Neither had Heidi. The Hood had made them and used the best weapon he could find on short notice. As Bodie staggered and tried to stop blood flowing from his nose, the Hood made a break for it, straight into a gaggle of passengers. To her credit, Heidi was straight after him, looking to give chase. Bodie struggled to hold his nose and wondered how well trained she was. The Hood threw passengers left and right, each one getting in another’s way. Heidi tried to skirt them but became entangled with an older man. The Hood burst out of the pack and ran toward the back of the buses.

Straight at Cassidy Coleman.

Bodie tried not to smile. Fortune had favored them then. The Hood saw his mistake almost instantly as Cassidy squared up to him and Gunn dropped behind. The Hood hit Cassidy head on, punching and kicking, and finding each blow cleverly blocked. Bodie forced himself into action, terribly aware they couldn’t let the Hood make any kind of call.

If anyone else was watching, they were already in deep trouble.

The Hood disengaged from Cassidy, weighing the redhead up anew. Bodie had seen it happen dozens of times. Men and women at the top of their game suddenly forced to re-evaluate their prowess.

The Hood came again, forcing her back. Bodie ran harder, now joined by Heidi. Together, they approached the scene. Cassidy deflected and counter-attacked, her blows striking with telling force. The Hood, seeming bizarre in his T-shirt and jeans and sporting a backpack, tried to find a true opening. As he spun he saw Bodie’s approach and broke off.

Cassidy went after him.

The Hood took three hard punches, went down and then rolled. Somehow, he managed to rise up and even Cassidy paused, amazed. People were everywhere, shouting, screaming, pointing. Some now digging out their android phones. Bodie thought that might spook the Hood more than anything given the secrecy in which his masters’ existence was held. The Hood backed away fast, quickly evaluating the scene. Turmoil filled his vision. Too many random outcomes and possibilities.

Bodie saw him place a hand in his pocket, probably flicking a key. “No!”

The man never showed a flicker of emotion, no doubt or anger or fear, no remorse, just turned on his heel and ran. Full speed, head down, showing them only the soles of his feet. He was getting the hell out of there.

Bodie turned to stare at Heidi. “He called it in! Now what?”

“Are you sure?” Gunn asked. “I didn’t see that.”

“Pretty sure,” Cassidy said. “Look at him go.”

The CIA agent stared at him. “We don’t belong here. We can’t—”

“Can’t what?” Jemma came running up. “Can’t save these innocent people? Fuck that.” She pulled out her gun, raised it into the air and fired three quick shots.

Pandemonium filled the bus station.