Royal Reckoning by Stephanie St. Klaire

23

“Another fucking dead end,”Eli said. “What is this guy, a ghost? Never mind, don’t answer that because technically, he is.”

“I don’t see any software in our way, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t using any to create a delay in the feed or to reroute feeds to make it look like he’s somewhere he’s not,” Killion said. “We use that kind of stuff all the time.”

“What now?” Eli tossed his hands up. “We’re always a step behind.”

“Or we’re hot on his heels,” Killion said. “Just because we don’t see him doesn’t mean we aren’t getting close.”

“Not close enough,” Eli said under his breath.

“We’ve cleared the area and got nothing,” Coy said. “These guys will keep sweeping the area and spread back out. He’s going to turn up. We’re putting more and more pressure on him and have teams everywhere. Whether plain clothes or suited up, he’s never going to know if he’s safe or surrounded. He’ll get nervous and make mistakes. Then we’ll get him.”

“That moment can’t come soon enough,” Eli said.

“Or it can,” Killion interrupted. “We got a hit. Shit. I think he sent us on a wild goose chase. We need to get back to Watermark.”

“Is he there? Is he at fucking Watermark…again?” Eli said as they ran to their waiting vehicles.

“All I know is you just let yourself in the building,” Killion said. “Your thumbprint just let you in the building.”

“My thumbprint? We can’t have the same prints,” Eli argued, jumping into the waiting vehicle.

“We’ll figure it out when we get there. He probably just lifted it off something from somewhere. I can’t get the feeds up. He’s got a jammer, so we’re rolling in blind,” Killion said. “Son of a bitch. He knows too much. How does he know so much about our security and infrastructure? I can only put so many measures in place, Eli, before I lock us out and him in. What do you want me to do?”

“Lock down the Lair and your system from him. Leave the rest of the building alone. We need to be able to get in. Warn anyone who’s inside and not on a job.” Eli pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen, willing someone to answer. “C’mon. C’mon. Nobody is answering.”

“A lot of my family left for McKenzie Ridge, a baby shower or something. I stayed behind for this. We have a small crew there, but everyone else is out here on the streets hunting this guy.”

“Wit?” Eli said into his phone. “Jesus, I’ve been trying to find you. There’s been a breach. Our guy is inside the building. Get to Cally. What do you mean she’s not inside? I’m putting you on speaker so everyone can hear.”

“Penelope called and said Cally was due to come by. When she didn’t, she went to check on her and found your place empty. She called me worried, so Iz and I went to check it out. Nothing seems out of place, so she must be around here somewhere.”

“You’re right. She’s there somewhere, but so is our guy. I need you to find her and hold your position when you find her. We’re five minutes out.”

“Got it, chief. We’re on the move right now,” Wit replied.

“And Wit?”

“Yeah?”

“Find her. Give him a come to Jesus moment, Wit.”

“I got the Holy Ghost with me. Don’t you worry, boss. He ain’t gettin’ our lady.”

Eli disconnected the call and slid his phone back into his pocket. “He shoots first, asks questions later. She’ll be fine. Wit will get to her.”

“He’s in our house now,” Coy said. “He’s not getting out.”

“Hold on,” Rip said as he blew through a red light. “I’ll get you there in one piece, just don’t pay attention to how because I’m about to break every law in Portland.”

Ronan beat his fist against his chest. “This is the shit we live for. Let’s do this. Yeehaw.”

“Did I hear a yeehaw out there, boys?” Wit asked through the comms. “I think I’ve rubbed off on ya.”

Rip looked at Ronan in the passenger seat and snarled. “Ah, shit.”

“We’re rollin’ old-school. I have everything locked up tight so he can’t access anything and can’t see us coming,” Killion said. “That means we won’t have any visual feeds, all instincts this time. Watch your back. Watch your brother’s back.”

“Where am I going? Garage or front door?” Rip asked as he made the last turn, and Watermark came into view.

“Front door,” Eli said. “Just like he did. If we’re lucky, Sully’s still there. Or Storm. Whoever my brother is now.”

* * *

Cally’s legs went numb,and the room began to darken.

“Whoa, now,” he said, catching her. “You really must’ve missed me. Made you weak in the knees, did I? I have that effect on people.”

“Wh-Who are you? I don’t understand.”

“You don’t recognize me? It’s me, your loving fiancé.” A maniacal laugh escaped him. “You will know who I am soon enough.”

Cally took to her feet and stepped back. She straightened her shirt and used the opportunity to slide the flash drive into her back pocket, opposite her phone. “You must be Eli’s brother.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. You’ve figured some of this out?”

“I know you’re Storm because Sullivan died. Jonas told me about you,” she said.

“That old bastard likes to tell tales. Did he tell you the part about how Sullivan isn’t dead? It was a ruse?” He laughed once more when her face went pale.

“If he isn’t dead, then Storm, you…. You’re Sully?”

“Sure. If that’s the story we’re going with here.” He looked around. “My brother sure has a nice place here. Odd he gave up the palace for it, though.”

“Is that why you’re here? You want your place in the succession back? If so, that was easy,” Cally assured. “He doesn’t want it, and you’re next in line, so…”

“Oh, shut up,” he said, seeming bored. “I actually want something else. Something you have.”

Cally continued to step back slowly toward the elevator, hoping someone would come to help. She looked at the cameras, knowing they were always watching and wondering why it was taking so long for help to arrive. She put her hand over her belly, remembering what Eli had said about their son and being an heir.

“Oh please, mate,” he said. “What the hell am I going to do with your screaming brat? I think you know what I want. I know the old man gave it to you. And I know you still have it, or my brother wouldn’t be chasing ghosts right now. He’d be chasing what’s on that drive.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jonas told me stories of your family and how much he loved all of you, but he didn’t give me anything,” she lied. She lied as though her life depended on it because it did, and she knew it.

“You’re a clever girl. Or you think you are, anyway. I know he gave it to you because he told me he had. Just after you were escorted away and before the old bastard cut his own throat.”

Cally gasped and covered her mouth.

“Oh, you didn’t know that part? Sorry, love,” he said. “Now, if you just give me what you have, I’ll be on my way. No harm, no foul.”

“I—”

He struck her with the back of his hand and gritted his teeth. “Don’t play games with me, girl. Stalling only puts you and the brat in harm’s way. Give it to me now, and I’ll walk right out that door, and you’ll never see me again.”

When the elevator dinged and the doors began to open, Cally ran for it.

“Oh no, you don’t,” he said and raised his weapon and fired.

Wit pulled Cally hard so she’d land in the elevator and stood, taking her bullet. He returned fire but missed as he fell, blocking the elevator so the doors couldn’t close.

“Trying to be a hero again?” their enemy said.

“Again?” Wit gasped for air, clutching his chest. “What the fuck are you doing here? The cavalry is coming. You better run. It’s what you do best.”

Cally dropped to the ground next to Wit, crying, her hands scrambling around his chest. “Where are you hit? Where are you hurt, Wit?”

She saw his gun just to his right and went to reach for it, but it was kicked away before she could. “Not today, girl. But nice try.”

Cally grabbed Wit’s hand and put the drive in it before squeezing it shut. She whispered, “Eli.”

“Hold it!” Israel yelled from the other end of the lobby. “Don’t move.”

With a sinister chuckle, the man they’d been hunting grabbed Cally by the hair and lifted her to her feet, using her as a shield with his weapon pointed at her abdomen.

Cally cried out when he did.

“You’re going to let me get on that elevator with her, and you aren’t going to do a damn thing about it because if you do, the baby dies, she dies…hell, everyone dies. I have insurance policies in place that will blow if anything happens to me. That’s a lot of blood on your hands… Israel, right? Or Iz? That’s what they call you. You’ve known me the longest and didn’t even know it. How good are you guys at this shit, really?”

“What are you talking about?” Israel asked. “What the hell does that even mean?”

“Oh, it’ll come back to you. We met in Spain,” he said as the elevator doors closed.

He looked at Cally. “You’re my insurance policy out of here. Fuck it up, and I’ll shoot the kid first, so you’ll know he’s dead and it’s your fault. Then I’ll shoot you, so my brother knows that was his fault.”

“You don’t have to do this,” she whimpered.

“Yes, I do. Do you have any idea what’s on that drive? Did Jonas tell you? It’s my future.”

“Medaro is yours, though, if…”

“I don’t want Medaro. Are you kidding me? That was just a ploy to get here, to this point. Medaro rejected me. I’ll have more money and more power than that place has to offer. Nobody even knows where Medaro is. Is that what my dear brother thinks? I want his little country in the middle of the ocean?” He began to laugh. “Man, he’s grown weak. Probably because of you.”

The elevator dinged, and he gripped the back of her neck. “You play along with a game of kissy face, or I shoot whoever is on the other side of that door. Got it?”

She nodded as tears streaked her face. When the doors opened, he slammed his mouth against hers and began to kiss her.

“Whoa.” It was Finn O’Reilly on the other side, chuckling at the sight of them in the elevator. “I’ll wait for the next one. You two have a good night.”

As the doors began to close, however, he noticed the gun hanging in what he thought was Eli’s right hand, then saw Cally’s rigid body against his and her pleading eyes looking at Finn for help, her fists clenched tight and white-knuckled at her side.

“Cally? Are you…?” Finn didn’t get to finish his thought before the barrel of that gun was raised and trained on him.

He quickly realized it wasn’t Eli as he’d originally thought, and Cally was in trouble. Finn dropped to the ground, pulling his own weapon, and got a shot off before the doors closed, hitting whoever this asshole was. He grabbed his phone – he wasn’t privy to any of the team’s communications devices yet – and called Killion.

“Someone’s in the building!” he yelled into the phone, pounding on the elevator call button so he could follow them up in the second car. “I got a shot off and a hit. Looks like they’re headed to the rooftop. I’m in pursuit.”

Killion told him to stand down and wait for backup, but Finn refused. “He has Cally and a gun. What do you think he’s going to do once he’s stuck on that rooftop? I’m going after her.”

Finn hung up the phone and dropped it in his pocket when the other elevator arrived, but it wasn’t empty.

“Iz? What the…?”

“Did you see them? Did they come through? Is that what I heard?” Israel rattled off, nerves on fire.

“I thought it was Eli until I saw Cally’s face. He pulled his weapon on me, but I got a shot off first. Hit him.” Finn jumped on the elevator and hit the button for the rooftop. “Killion said to wait, but you should’ve seen the look on her face, man. I’m not waiting for them to get here. She needs help.”

“Agreed. There’s nothing but trouble brewing if he’s about to get trapped on the rooftop.”

Finn nodded and adjusted his holster so he had better reach for his other weapon. “Not today. Not on my watch. Not Cally.”