Lady Death by Brian Drake (good e books to read .TXT) 📕

no effect. As the killer plunged the knife toward Storey’s neck, Raven tagged him. The SIG MPX stuttered, the killer’s face imploding under the impact of the nine-mil stingers.

Storey threw the man’s body off him.

Raven held out a hand and helped the CIA man to his feet.

“Any holes you weren’t born with?” Raven said.

“I’m fine.”

Macedo ran over. He was thinner than his compatriot, wearing a North Face jacket. “We gotta scoot.”

“Let’s take my car,” Raven said. “I’d rather keep together.”

Raven ran to the Audi with Macedo and Storey behind him. When he opened the door, Hannah peeked up from the passenger footwell. The panic on her face faded when she saw Raven. The three men climbed into the car and she retook the passenger seat.

“Is it safe?” she said.

Raven laughed and sped out of the parking lot.

They waited in the Audi near Hangar 3-A where Wilson had arranged the pick-up.

Nobody spoke, and Raven’s thoughts raced with what he needed to do next.

He had to see Hannah safely away but wasn’t getting on the plane. He could not leave Berlin with Hugo Schrader still alive.

Raven needed to send a message to Tanya. Her father’s death by his hand would communicate everything he wanted to tell her.

She touched his leg.

“You’re not coming with us, are you?” she said.

He turned to her. She blinked as she watched him.

“No,” he said.

“I understand what you have to do.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Was it? Raven didn’t want to press her further.

Presently the bright lights of a small jet shined on them, the idling engines filling the night. Raven and his crew exited the Audi. Macedo said, “Do you need the HK?”

“All my gear is back at the hotel,” Raven said. “Keep it.”

The CIA men grabbed their weapons and Hannah and escorted her to the jet. The side door opened, steps lowered, and the two operatives hustled her into the plane. Hannah looked back. Raven wanted to wave, but it didn’t seem appropriate. The steps rose, the door shut. The jet began to taxi away.

Raven stood watching as the plane traveled to the runway. He didn’t let out a breath until he finally saw it take off into the night sky.

13

Speidel ended a call on his cell. He looked into the smoldering gaze of Hugo Schrader.

Speidel opened his mouth but nothing came out.

“What?” Schrader snapped. “Tell me.”

“Raven had help,” Speidel managed.

Schrader locked his hands behind his back and straightened. “Explain.”

Speidel told him what happened outside Hannah’s apartment. Police reports about a gunfight at a business park told the rest of the story.

“No idea where they are now?” Schrader said.

“I imagine either a plane or a CIA safe house. Or a safe house Raven arranged for.”

Schrader nodded and moved to the French windows looking out on the balcony. They were on the second story of the house, and below the balcony lay the back patio.

Schrader looked out into the night, in the direction of the lake. Behind him, Speidel’s nervous heartbeat settled. Perhaps he wouldn’t be shot over the failure.

Schrader lifted his face to the ceiling and let out a sigh.

“Sir?”

“In a way, I’m glad,” Schrader said. He turned to face Speidel. “I know I gave the order, but knowing Hannah is still alive—” He stopped.

“I don’t understand,” Speidel said.

“Because you’re not a father.”

Speidel let a moment pass. Schrader added nothing further. “What do you want to do now?”

“The Americans may have failed to breach our servers, but Hannah won’t help them either. She left with Raven to get away from me. Meanwhile, Operation Triangle moves ahead.”

“Yes, sir,” Speidel said.

“But they may try to grab me,” Schrader added. “I want the guards ready for anything.”

“I’ll see to it now, sir.”

Schrader nodded. Speidel hurried out.

Raven drove the Audi back to his hotel. His cell rang several times along the way, but he ignored the call. It was Wilson calling to find out why he wasn’t on the jet. If he had found the answer with Macedo, Storey, or Hannah, he was calling to talk Raven out of his plan.

Raven was in no mood to listen.

He wanted to hurt Tanya. There was only one way to do such damage. Hugo Schrader had it coming. He’d spent decades financing death and destruction from the shadows. By proxy. Prison was too good for him.

In the hotel room, he ordered a small meal from room service while he prepped his gear. As he ate, he cleaned and oiled the Nighthawk Custom and reloaded the partially spent magazines. Next, he oiled and assembled the separate parts of his Colt M4 Commando. The automatic carbine had been hidden in the same X-ray proof suitcase compartment as his pistol.

There were four other tools of the trade in the compartment. Four high explosive frag grenades. He hooked them to a combat belt and set the gear on the floor. He needed a nap before the night’s action. Raven turned out the lights and reviewed his plan as he dozed off.

The suppressed M4 Commando kicked against Raven’s shoulder. The first of two perimeter guards dropped. His body landed with a thud, crunching dry overgrowth on the ground.

The second guard didn’t return fire. His back to Raven, he bolted, Raven’s follow-up double-tap missing. The guard dropped and rolled behind a tree. His panicked voice filled the night. Raven started running. The gunman was talking into a radio. Raven leaped over the fallen body. Pivoting as he landed, he raised the M4. The gunman’s message stopped short. His wide eyes took in the black-clad wraith standing over him.

Raven fired twice. The earpiece fell out of the guard’s ear and a muffled voice on the small speaker asked him to continue. Raven ripped the radio unit from the dead man and held the earpiece to his own ear. Whoever was on the other end kept asking for an update.

Raven dropped to a squat. He tried to penetrate the darkness surrounding him with a left-to-right scan. Coming upon the pair he’d killed was an accident. He hadn’t