Hoping the drone belongs to team white hats, I grin. “Fairly sophisticated device, doctor. Is it yours?”
Eyes on the sky, the owner’s swarmy smirk fades for a second, then returns. “We have an early start tomorrow. How about we call it a night?”
Single file, we march past him and let out our breaths when he marches back down the path. Once we lock the door, we dare not say anything nor show any emotion. We may have dodged a bullet, but for how long?
Chapter 10
“We humans fear the beast within the wolf because we do not understand the beast within ourselves.” — Gerald Hausman
Axel
“Oh fuck me dead.” Suds shakes his head and drops into one of the four kitchenette chairs. “Of course, they’re not going to stay put.”
“What the bloody hell?” Glancing out the door, Lucky rakes his hand through his hair.
“I’m going in hot. Who’s with me?” Hands races to his canvas bag and would be gone by now if not for Wheels holding him back.
“Wait, bro, we need to be smart.”
“Shut up and pay attention!” At Slate’s rare outburst, all eyes pop to the external monitor.
Instead of heat mode, ghostly green images show a man sneaking up behind a woman near the largest building. The tension in the room, already at max, creeps up another notch.
Swallowing hard, I manage to ask, “Is she one of ours?”
When a knife rises in the air, time screeches to a halt. Every man in the motel room holds their breath. There is no way any of us can get there in time to save her.
“The drone? Is it armed?” Out of the corner of my eye, I see the rest struggle to tamp down their emotions.
“No. Surveillance only.” Slateclenches his teeth.
“Buzz his head, dammit,” Sud shouts into the computer’s mic to Jack piloting the drone.
“No room, but I can get closer.” We're lucky it’s Taylor out there. Of all of us, he has the most experience.
Upon hearing our drone, the woman turns to face the camera. At that moment, the man hidden behind a balaclava slices her throat.
Our commander closes his eyes. “She’s not one of ours.”
“Thank you, Jesus.” One of the SEALs, not sure which one, holds back a sob.
“Hold on. This isn’t over.” My fists clench, and my stomach churns as our women approach the cafeteria from the north on the other side of the building.
Please stay inside, stay inside, stay inside.
Having used up my prayers, this one goes unanswered. Momentslater, my wife wobbles out the back door and drops onto her knees. She’s either drunk or has been drugged. Because she came to the spa with a mission, I suspect the latter.
“Where the fuck is the slasher?” At my command, Jack pilots the drone higher.
After it reaches tree height, night vision switches to heat mode again, enabling us to spot the murderer. He’s the only one walking in the opposite direction of the crime scene.
My inner FBI agent stores these facts for later. Right now, we need to get our women out of danger, but one glance at the screen tells me it would be a blood bath. An idiot carrying an AR-15 is far more dangerous than a trained soldier because more innocents are killed in the crossfire.
While I watch, Suds’ wife kneels beside mine. Using a multi-purpose flashlight, she settles on the ultraviolet setting.
A few seconds later, when the shrewd PI finds the dead woman, her partner slaps his forehead. “Ah, hell. Figures, she’dfind it. Hey, Jack, is there any way to penetrate that goddamn fortress?”
I strain to hear the pilot, who has lowered his volume to just above the noise floor. “Not without better intel.”
