Page 76 of Witness Security Breach

Had the whole world gone mad? An hour ago, Bill had been on the precipice of ruling New Orleans again. Now he was being threatened on all fronts.

“We’ve got to get over there and stop him,” Tommy said.

“I can’t. I have to head out for the meet.” Bill left his room and walked with Tommy down the narrow corridor. “If I’m not there, I’ll lose the drive.”

“You’re losing everything else right this minute.”

Bill cursed the bad timing of things. Enzo must’ve noticed that he wasn’t around and decided it was the perfect time to make his move. Damn vulture.

“You go handle it, Tommy.” Bill knocked on Devlin’s door and said, “It’s time. We’ve got twenty-seven minutes. Grab Edgar and let’s go.”

“You want me to handle it?” Tommy asked, following Bill as he pushed through the outer door into the sunlight.

“Yeah, you. This will all be yours someday. You’ve got just as much of a stake in it as I do, and I trust you to deal with it.” He clasped his nephew’s shoulder and that seemed to calm him. “Take the boys with you.”

“Are you sure? Who’s gonna cover your back?”

“I’ve got Devlin and his crew. They’re more than enough. After we’re finished, I’ll come help you get back what’s ours.”

WEARING THEIR WIGS and sunglasses, Charlie and Aiden leisurely finished their snack at the eatery, blending in. Once done, they strolled from the Café du Monde, where they’d observed Special Agent Garcia during their phone call, down by the river toward the Audubon Aquarium. They were both armed: tactical knives, suppressed firearms, and her telescoping baton was hooked to her belt loop and covered by her button-up shirt that she wore open over her tee.

If they could use nonlethal means, they would. Limiting collateral damage was a huge concern. They’d do everything in their power to protect innocent lives.

As they crossed through a playground, laughter from the kids playing there filled the air. Without meaning to, she looked over at the children whooshing down a slide.

She thought of the sacrifice Aiden was making by choosing to be with her.

The guilt she’d been trying so damn hard to ignore sank into her chest, an ache flaring sudden and sharp behind her breastbone.

But she had to shift focus, stay on target. On the mission. On getting Albatross back from those crooked cops who’d ambushed them, taken out their tires, sprayed paint on the windows, faked a bomb, used smoke and thermal scopes.

That fired her up, pushing the sadness aside.

Passing the sandbox, Charlie bent down, scooped up two healthy palmfuls of grains and put them into her pocket.

“What’s that for?” Aiden asked, hiking the backpack up on his shoulder.

“To fight dirty.” If given the chance. “Like them,” she said, anger resonating in her voice.

“Don’t worry. We’re going to give them a dose of their own medicine.”

They had a plan to do precisely that.

They entered the aquarium flashing the handstamp they’d received earlier when they’d paid and scoped out the place. Once again, the backpack hadn’t been searched. Good thing, too, because Aiden had more than duct tape inside.

The main exhibits were emptying, as parents with kids and others were making their way to the Entergy Giant Screen Theater. The IMAX theater was connected to and run by the aquarium but had a separate entrance outside.

The 3D larger-than-life movies explored nature, shown with the most advanced motion picture technology, and were a huge draw. They timed the meet to coincide around a show to reduce the number of civilians that would be inside the aquarium.

Aiden took her by the hand, leading her into the glass underwater tunnel of the Great Mayan Reef, which was set off to the side. No one entering the aquarium could see them. Surrounded by water that cast an azure glow over them and sea creatures from moray eels to stingrays swimming by, he backed her up against the glass wall and pressed his palm to her face. “Find a discreet spot outside to keep watch. I’ll go set up and prepare upstairs.”

The Amazon Rainforest Exhibit on the second floor was the best site to face Walsh. It was a contained area that was currently closed for repairs, and there were two ways to access it. One was farther down the corridor, beyond the Mayan Reef and to the stairs. The other, more obvious, route was through the main section of the aquarium to the stairs that led to the upper-floor exhibits.

“I don’t like separating,” Charlie said.

“Devlin might come. He’ll use guerrilla tactics. If you keep watch outside, you can let me know who’s headed my way.”

“If I see Devlin—”