Desmoterion, page 20
Either way, he held his breath when he heard the gun cock in the silent building. Would Trent talk his way out of it, or would he escape from the bonds that Girish fashioned?
On the other hand, maybe Trent would fail, and Girish would kill him.
Kipper’s jaw clenched at the thought of Trent dying like that, a helpless prisoner of war.
When the gunshot rang out in his ears, he staggered to stand up.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Pushing away his blindfold, Trent smiled as if he hadn’t scraped past death by a fraction of a second.
Standing still in shock with his smoking gun in his hand, Girish didn’t know what the hell happened, and his brain expected to see a blood-soaked dead man slumped in a chair.
Trent’s reaction had been too fast and unexpected. He’d freed his hands from the rope ties and pushed Girish’s hand up far enough to miss, and just in time.
With a wink, Trent put his finger over Girish’s lips to stop the man from making a sound.
Girish frowned while listening to whatever might be coming through his ears piece. And then mouthed, “What do I say?”
The lips moved like dry kisses against Trent’s finger, so he removed it and mouthed back, “Say yes to killing me.”
When Girish stared at him, Trent rolled his eyes, picked his glasses up from the floor and pocketed them because he didn’t need to wear them. Then he whispered, “Just do it.”
After taking a deep breath, Girish said, “The mission is complete. Trent is dead.”
Trent waited for Girish to finish before pulling him to the side to get the bag, which he shoved into Girish’s hands. With a jerk of his head and a wave of his arm, he signaled for Girish to follow him further into the warehouse.
Quietly, they raced away from the light to the other side of the building where, in the darkness, Trent felt around to find another door to the outside. When it opened, he shoved Girish forward and closed the door as quietly as possible.
There was no time to stop or dither. Together, they bolted, and without stopping, Trent pulled his directional device from his pocket to pinpoint their location. They were moving along the south side of the building: perfect.
Trent ignored Girish, grabbing his arm and shaking his head, but Girish was persistent and pointed at his ear.
This was worth stopping for. Of course, Girish couldn’t be blamed. He didn’t know the plan. Trent snatched the comms piece from Girish’s ear, tossed it on the ground, and smashed it with his shoe.
Girish still said nothing, just stared wide-eyed.
Trent pointed to a gathering of bushes and whispered, “Come on, we need to get out of here before they figure out I’m still alive.”
“But where are we going? They’ll find us.”
Trent snorted. “No, they won’t.”
* * *
The leader frowned at the dead signal coming from Girish’s comm. “Kannan, answer me.”
Kipper tapped Ward’s shoulder. “What’s going on with Kannan’s earpiece? It was working fine.”
“I don’t know, sir.” Ward shook his head. “The signal just stopped transmitting.”
Stevenson patched into the driver’s radio. “Go inside to find out what’s wrong. Girish isn’t answering, and I want to know why.”
Kipper hid the smile that was trying to form on his face. He knew for sure by the fact that Girish’s earpiece was dead. Trent would have smashed it as soon as Girish confirmed Trent was dead. Trent had gotten away, and now it was a matter of him evading their eyes for long enough.
The driver radioed in. “No one’s inside the building. Dupont’s body isn’t here, and neither is Kannan. All that’s here is a chair with rope and blindfold.”
Stevenson growled over the comm. “Find them!”
“I’m only one person; you might want more than just me.”
Stevenson turned to Kipper. “Why the hell did you approve a mission of just one man?”
With an exasperated shrug, Kipper motioned to their leader. “I didn’t even know what the mission was until now. He’s the one who approved it.”
The leader’s jaw clenched. “Get more men to that position now.”
Stevenson patched into the field groups. “We need you at the corner of Hallern and Willow. Operatives Trent Dupont and Girish Kannan are on the loose, and I want them captured immediately!”
* * *
Trent and Girish ran to another building to stand on the far side of it. “Good thinking, only having a driver. Any more than that, and we’d have to open fire on them. However, I wouldn’t put it past our former leader to send out more teams. We need to vacate this area as soon as possible.”
“What the hell is going on, Trent?”
Trent patted Girish on the shoulder. “We’re escaping, Girish. It’s not hard to figure out.”
“We are? But they’ll find us.”
“Not if we’re careful, they won’t. Just trust me on this. I’ve been planning this escape for the last five years. You played your part well, thanks. And now, I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it fall apart.”
“Did you need me?”
“C’mon.” Trent moved away from the building to hurry to another while dragging Girish along. “It’s a two-person job for now until we get over far enough away. After that, you can go wherever you want. The border with the Ruska territory is the closest. They won’t follow us there.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Girish stopped short. “They won’t let us get far enough. You know that.”
“I said nothing about anyone letting us do anything. We’re going to sneak in. There are several holes in their outer border that I’ve been studying over the years. I just need to get to them.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just go somewhere else?”
Trent stared at Girish. “You think it’s easier to traipse the whole place than cross a border a few hundred miles away?”
“We’re that close?”
“We are, but now we need to get out of this area first. Let’s steal that transporter down the block.”
Girish grabbed Trent before he could head there. “What if the passenger puts up a fight?”
Trent pointed to the gun still in Girish’s hand. “What do you think that’s for? It’s shoot to kill now, Girish. It’s our lives or theirs. Anyone who gets in our way must be eliminated.”
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
Trent moved away from Girish. “Then you’ll die. It’s as simple as that — shoot them or be shot. Personally, I’d rather you stay alive, at least until we split up in Ruska. Beyond that, I don’t care what you do.”
* * *
They approached the idling truck. Finding it empty but locked, Trent smashed in the window with the butt end of his gun.
“Um, we have a problem.”
A man was rushing toward them.
Trent raised his gun at the man. “Do you feel lucky tonight? I’m pretty sure you can’t dodge a bullet.”
The man backed away with his hands in the air. “So-rry. I’m....”
Trent opened the transporter door and yelled to Girish, “Get moving! I’ll drive.” Manual was the only option for a getaway. Self-drive mode wouldn’t cut it for the speed they needed and if they wanted to leave the main track.
Scrambling around the transporter, Girish apologized to the man before getting inside.
Banging hard on the accelerator, Trent got the vehicle racing away just as the leader’s forces approached the first building.
* * *
The field operative called into communications. “We’re scouring the area, but so far, we’re not finding any trace of them. One of my men found the smashed remains of a comm unit. I’m guessing this is Kannan’s.”
Stevenson groaned. “Just keep looking.”
The leader turned to Kipper. “Why aren’t we tracking Kannan by his tag?”
Kipper pointed at Delgado’s console. “He’s been trying since we listed them as missing. It’s being jammed at the moment. I’d imagine Trent is to blame for that.”
“And just how did Trent get his hands on something like that?”
Kipper shrugged. “That, I don’t know. He’s gone on several missions where there’s been plenty of tech gadgetry just lying around; it wouldn’t take much to snap it up. But I’m surprised he knew what to look for and how to use it; I didn’t know he had that kind of tech know-how.”
Stevenson nodded. “Samson told me he had a device to block out cameras for a few minutes, that he used it to change for bed without anyone seeing.”
The leader glared at Stevenson. “And why wasn’t I notified of such things?”
Stevenson shrugged. “Probably because no one thought it was significant. Perhaps Samson was trying to save his own ass. Either way, it’s hardwired into that room since he never did it in his office or anywhere else. It’s easy enough to search his room now.”
The field operative cut in again. “Looks like they’ve gained a vehicle, according to a scared man who pissed himself when someone looking like Trent pulled a gun on him. He says another long-haired man was with him. I assume he means Girish.”
The leader chimed in. “Ask him for the full vehicle description and ID number.”
* * *
Watching carefully for anyone following and for trouble ahead, Trent sped down the highway. “Something on your mind, Kannan?”
Girish sat with his arms folded across his chest. “I can’t believe you planned this for years. Why the hell didn’t you try it earlier?”
“I was going to, but then the man I was going to use got killed. Henshall was his name, Henny. I had to bide my time until I found someone to replace him. You wouldn’t believe how many shitty recruits we got over the years that ended up dying on missions. Finally, you showed up on my list, and I knew I found the right person for the job.”
“And yet all I did was push back on you.” Girish scoffed. “Were you sincere when you said you liked the fact that I pushed back?”
“Of course I was. Everything I said to you leading up to this moment was the truth, even when I had to beg you to take on the assassination mission. It all had to fall in line before I could start this. Namely for you to get on the leader’s good side and for me to get on his bad side. That way, we’d be pitted against each other, and I could use that to get out.”
“So all I am is a pawn to you?” Girish grumbled to himself.
“Huh? What do you want to be to me? My fucking girlfriend?” Trent changed lanes to pass another vehicle. “That’s not all you are to me. Trust me, Girish, if I could have taken Mike, Emyr, or Kipper out, then I would have. They were all too obvious for this; the leader would have figured it out long ago. I needed someone not so obvious. It would be best if you were thankful for getting out of that hellhole. I can’t imagine you were happy there. And believe me, it only gets worse, and then you die.”
“At first, I thought it might be better than prison, but it was the same.”
“Exactly my point. I needed someone like me who wanted to push a button to start over their life. You and I are alike more than you care to admit. Both of us came from horrifying backgrounds and were sent to prison for our deeds. I’m giving you the chance to fight for a life you’ve never had.”
Girish shook his head. “You place more value on me than I deserve.”
“Maybe I just know you more than you know yourself.” Trent smiled and headed off for an exit.
* * *
“I’m trying to get into the local vehicle database to see if we can track it,” said Ward.
The leader nodded. “What about Girish’s tag?”
“It’s still blocked.” Kipper shook his head. “I’m not sure if Trent had it removed or if he’s still jamming the signal.”
Stevenson talked into his headset, “Any news with the helicopter tracking them?”
A voice of a field operative chimed in. “No, sir. The pilot is saying it’s too dark and cloudy to track something so small. Our best bet is to wait until morning.”
“If we wait until morning, we’ll lose our chance at finding them!”
“It’s not like they’re going to get that far. Even in a small rover. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and it is quite a distance to travel in one night to get anywhere else.”
Ward spoke up. “I’ve got a fix on them. The transporter’s stationary at the moment.”
Kipper looked at Ward’s display. “It’s 50 kilometers away. How the hell did Trent drive that fast without being spotted?”
Stevenson patched into the field teams. “We have a location for Dupont and Kannan. I’m sending it to you now.”
* * *
Girish frowned as Trent pulled up to a halt in a deserted parcel of land. “Why are we stopped here?”
Trent got out of the transporter. “They’re going to track us, so we need to ditch it. It will be a good hike to the house from here, so we might as well start now.”
Girish grabbing the duffel bag with the gear. “What house?”
“My house. Or at least it’s mine now.”
Girish stared at Trent.
Trent grabbed Girish’s arm. “Come on, we must get out of here before they track us.”
“We’re walking through that?” Girish shuffled along the dirt road that led to a forest of trees.
“Yes, it’s on the way to the house. In fact, most of the walk is through trees. Did you pack a flashlight?”
Girish flushed.
Trent pulled out a small flashlight from his pocket and handed it over. “Good thing I did. Though if I hear anything, we’ll have to go dark, which might be tricky for you.”
They walked into the trees and stumbled along the narrow dirt path. Girish dodged tree limbs as he followed Trent into the forest. “How did you come by the house?”
“The same way a former convict does, I stole it. The one advantage of tracking assholes like Petrov is figuring out their places of residence. Once we’ve taken them in, the house sits empty until someone claims it. So that’s what I did under a fake name.”
“But how did you get money for that? I can’t imagine it was free.”
“The same way I got the house, I stole it. Again, they leave accounts, bonds, and contracts lying around if you know what to look for. I picked up a bit here and a bit there—siphoned minimal money out of them. Use enough accounts, and over time, hey, you have a pile of gold in your name. Well, to your fake name, at least.”
Girish stopped short. “You’re rich?”
“Well, kind of. Technically, I cannot get it out other than buying things like property. I’d need a fake ID to get hold of tangible cash in person.”
“Speaking of IDs, will they call the authorities to get us back?”
“Ha!” Trent walked over to a small creek. “We’re dead, in case you’ve forgotten my speech to you early on. They faked our deaths in prison so they could bring us there. Only the wardens know the real truth, and if any of them decide to talk, they’ll be killed off.”
“Yes, but they can make up some kind of name and use pictures of our faces to get people to notice us.”
“Never going to happen. The leader is furious right now for letting it get this far. He won’t admit to his superiors that he fucked up and let two operatives walk away with little resistance. No, he’ll have our field teams run themselves ragged trying to find us.”
“Won’t that weaken them?”
Trent moved over a larger creek with several steps. “Indeed it will, which is what I’m hoping will happen. They’ll be sloppy while we’ll be one step ahead.”
Something sounded in the distance, causing Girish to turn off his flashlight. And plunge them into darkness.
Trent whispered, “Now it begins.”
* * *
They remained still for a few minutes, with pitch blackness around them. “Our eyes should adjust to the dark soon and we can carry on,” Girish said.
“Not mine,” Trent whispered. “Your eyes need to adjust. I see just fine, dark or daylight.”
Garish frowned. “Then why the glasses?”
“My eyes make people uncomfortable; you’ve seen them. Tellurians prefer to imagine I’m the same as them, so if I keep my eyes covered it helps..”
He had a point. Girish was deeply uncomfortable when he saw them, having never seen eyes like them. He hadn’t understood the information about Trent being Morib when he first heard it. Morib might have been some minority religion or political faction for all he knew. But it was starting to make sense. Trent wasn’t a human tellurian, he was a different species. Girish didn’t know what other differences there might be between them.
“I can see perfectly, so you should stick close to me. Follow me. Step in my footsteps.”
With that, they set off at a pace that was faster than Girish would have liked. Even when his eyes adjusted to the dark and he could make out a slightly lighter night sky against the dense black leaves overhead, he could barely see his own feet. It was challenging terrain to navigate, and he hoped he wouldn’t trip on something.
Listening to Trent’s harsh breath in front of him, he tried to keep as close as possible.
In the far distance, he heard men calling out and flashing enormous lights to look around the area. He assumed they were the field operatives.
Trent’s breath started to sound weird, like it was going down somehow.
Girish lunged forward to grab Trent’s arm before he fell to the ground. He held Trent’s vibrating body tight to get him upright again.
Trent gasped, burying his face into Girish’s neck and whispering, “I haven’t had enough water today, and my body is punishing me for it.”
Girish shuffled forward, holding onto Trent’s waist. “Let’s take it slower. We’re far already far from the vehicle, we’re making no sound, and we’ve no light, so they’d be dead lucky to find us.”
“We might have to eliminate them if they get close enough. And we’ll be outnumbered. Make sure a gun is handy.”
Girish moved through the trees, dodging low-hanging tree branches. “I’d rather not have to do that.”
