Shadow Zone (17 page)

Charlie made a face. “Aw, you’re giving me the shit work.”

“There’s no such thing,” Driscoll said. “Each piece of the mechanism is a necessary one, and that’s a fact.”

“It’s a fact that some pieces are less necessary than others,” Charlie said.

“Well, if that piece is you right now, it’s only because you’re still paying your dues. And it has to beat digging trenches for fiber-optic cable, which is what you were doing when I found you.”

“
I
found
you,
” Charlie corrected.

“Whatever. As long as Mr. Kirov is true to his word, I’ll be in a position to hire you for a good job in that fancy security company.”

Kirov handed Charlie a clipboard. “I am true to my word. Consider this your internship.”

Hannah turned toward Driscoll. “So what’s your plan? Are you breaking in during the dead of night?”

“Afraid not. I might have tried that thirty years ago, but modern technology has made that kind of caper very difficult. We’ll need a bit more daylight finesse.” Driscoll flipped open the lid of Kirov’s laptop and placed it on a small folding card table. “While you were gone, I studied the video we stitched together.”

Hannah looked at the screen and was surprised to see the representation of Gadaire’s suite. “You’ve actually been inside there?”

Driscoll nodded. “Today. And I noticed that there’s an extra video feed in the folder.” He clicked on it and revealed a multicolored video that bore only the slightest resemblance to the feeds from their other cameras. “Am I correct in assuming that these are infrared pictures?”

Kirov nodded. “Yes, I was going to tell you about that. It came from my tie clip. I thought it might prove useful.”

Driscoll leaned toward the screen. “It has. We know that our items must be kept refrigerated, so it would follow that there’s a thermal footprint somewhere in here.”

“Something cold?” Charlie asked.

“Probably not. More than likely, we’ll be looking for a heat source.”

“A cooling unit and compressor,” Hannah said.

“Exactly.” Driscoll fast-forwarded the infrared feed to the point that offered a glimpse of Gadaire’s office. “Here we see a strong heat source at the bar, which we can assume to be from a minifridge. I sincerely doubt he’s keeping it there, though it would make our jobs much easier.”

Hannah pointed to a patch of orange-red high on the ceiling. “What’s this?”

“Heating vent. But look at this panel.” Driscoll wiped his finger across the bottom of a wooden shelving unit next to Gadaire’s desk. “There’s a heat source here.”

“A printer?” Kirov said.

Driscoll shook his head. “Too hot for a printer. I’m willing to bet that this is from a refrigeration unit. But if these samples are as important to Gadaire as you think, this wouldn’t be a standard-issue refrigerator. It’s probably something much more secure with backup capabilities. I have the dimensions, so now I just need to do a bit of research.”

“See, what did I tell you?” Kirov said to Hannah. “He’s the best.”

Hannah nodded. “He’s remarkable. But if he was really the best, you wouldn’t need all those guns you requested from Walsh.”

“Guns?” Driscoll said.

Kirov shrugged. “A precaution. Before I enlisted your services, Driscoll, I thought that I might have to resort to a more direct approach.”

Driscoll smiled. “An old-fashioned commando raid? Is that what you had in mind?”

“Something like that.”

“Sounds good to me,” Charlie said. “Much better than all this planning and homework. I could have stayed in school if I’d wanted this rubbish.”

“You should have stayed in school anyway,” Driscoll said.

Charlie snorted. “You should talk. Mum told me you didn’t see a day of school after age eleven.”

“Your mum told you almost nothing about me your entire life, yet she told you that. Lovely woman.” Driscoll turned back to Kirov. “No gunplay required, my friend. It’s a point of pride with me.”

“That’s why I wanted you to be a part of this.” Kirov glanced at Hannah and Eugenia. “If you’re interested, we can use your help.”

Hannah smiled. As worried as Eugenia had been about Kirov, she could see that he had never been more in his element. This is what he needed to be doing, totally in command, leading others as he had when he was captain of his nuclear sub. Although this endeavor was clearly outside the law, he reminded Hannah of a medieval warrior attacking a castle, battling against huge odds. Bold, clever, and yet somehow noble.

Noble? Where the hell had that come from? Kirov would laugh in her face if he heard her say it, but that adjective wouldn’t leave her. Even as he was plotting a heist.

Eugenia nodded. “Why not? It might be interesting. You obviously need my help since you’re teaming up with boys like Charlie, who shoot before they think. What can I do for you, Kirov?”

“It might be necessary for us to leave the country rather quickly once we have the samples. That also means no entanglements with Customs.”

“That’s it? You insult me, Kirov. I thought you’d have me doing back flips over laser sensors, and all you need is for me to push some papers around?”

“You have a way of negotiating the impossible, Eugenia. I need that skill right now.”

Hannah shrugged. “Does that leave me for backflip laser-sensor duty? Guess I’d better start limbering up.”

“Not quite. But since you were insistent that we retrieve the specimens from Trinity College, you’re going there with me tomorrow. I doubt that a college research laboratory will have quite the same level of security as that athletic stadium, so I thought we might take a look around and see what’s involved with securing the samples there.”

“Good idea.” She frowned. “Before we leave Ireland, I’d like to remove every bit of them from Gadaire’s control.”

Kirov nodded. “It’s the only thing to do.” He paused. “But you realize that Gadaire won’t hesitate to kill anyone who stands between him and a lucrative payday.”

Hannah tilted her head. “My, my, how ominous. Are you trying to scare me?”

“No. To warn you.” He glanced at the others. “To warn you all. I pulled you into this, but you have to know what you’re facing. If we take Gadaire’s prize away from him, he’ll take it personally. Gadaire is a vicious egotist on the highest level, and he’s not going to like having egg on his face. He won’t quit until he gets his revenge on each and every one of us.”

Silence.

Driscoll spoke. “Then we’ll just have to make sure he doesn’t know what hit him, won’t we?”

“Enough of this,” Eugenia said. “We’re all adults. Stop trying to take responsibility for everyone around you, Kirov. It was always a fault of yours. Being a commander on that submarine twisted your thinking.”

“My apologies.” His lips quirked. “Though only you would find a responsible attitude toward a nuclear sub unacceptable.”

“I’m only saying it was bad training for real life.” She turned to Charlie. “I need a ride to the Temple Bar. I called a few friends while I was waiting for Kirov to come to Hannah’s rescue, and I’m meeting them for drinks. Will you drive me?” She added slyly, “You may get your chance to get your own back for that sprained thumb. I’m always ready to play tutor.”

“I don’t need any lessons from you,” Charlie said. “You caught me off guard.”

“Did I?”

He grimaced. “No. You were good.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “And you weren’t terrible. Will you drive me?”

He hesitated. “If we can drop off my dad first.”

“Ah, such devotion,” Driscoll said. “It touches me that you’re not willing to leave me in the lurch, son.”

“You’re actually going partying?” Hannah asked. “What stamina. Don’t you ever wind down?”

“When I do, I wind myself up again. Life’s too short. And it sometimes turns out to be shorter than you think.” She turned away. “I’ll see you later back at the hotel. Come on, Charlie, show me your wheels.”

Hannah watched the three walk away from them down the block. “She’s amazing. Has she always been that energetic?”

“Ever since I’ve known her.” He opened the door of the van and helped her into the passenger seat. “And she just gave you her philosophy in a nutshell. She’s lost too many friends not to keep in touch and cling to everyone that she has left.” He climbed into the driver’s seat. “Where is your hotel?”

“The Reardon. It’s a quaint little inn on the Liffey. Do you know where it is?”

“I know the general area.” He started the van. “I’ll find it.”

“I don’t doubt it. You seem very familiar with the city.”

He shrugged. “I like it. I appreciate the spirit of the country. Hard, a little reckless, but enduring.”

“Not romantic and mystical?”

“That’s not how I see it. But, then, I’m neither romantic nor mystical in nature. I have problems keeping in touch with my softer side.”

“That’s no surprise.”

Kirov gave her a wary glance and fell silent. He did not speak again for the fifteen-minute ride. Kirov parked on the street and cut the engine.

Hannah turned toward him. “Tomorrow then?”

“Hannah . . .”

“Ten
A.M.
? Eleven?”

“I’m sorry, Hannah.”

“Sorry for what?”

He made a face. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

“Why would I ever want to do that?”

“I should have told you. You have every right to be angry with me.”

“Angry? I’m just surprised. Especially after all we’ve been through together. I thought I deserved better from you.”

“I was trying to protect you,” Kirov said quietly.

“Okay, now you’ve hit a nerve. Since when have I needed protecting? I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time, Kirov.”

“I’m not saying you needed it. It’s a flaw I share with a good many of the male population. It’s just something I do instinctively.”

“Do me a favor and smother those instincts from now on, will you?”

“I’ll do my best, but I have an admission to make—I
like
feeling protective of you.”

She felt a rush of heat surge through her. Ignore it. “Too bad.”

“I’ve missed you, Hannah.”

“You don’t get to say that. Not after the way you left.”

“I’m telling the truth.” He paused. “Leaving you was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. You know the life I’ve lived. I don’t permit myself to make attachments. But you came close to me and wouldn’t go away. And after we were together a while I didn’t want you to go away. We were heading somewhere that was . . . exciting me. Then I had to break away and leave. I knew it was only temporary, but it still hurt me to do it.”

“Well, I
didn’t
know it was temporary. Imagine how I felt.”

“I know. I thought it necessary. I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t look away from him. She was being wrapped in that charisma that was such an integral quality of Kirov, she realized. Dear God, not again. Hannah let out a long breath. “Look, we have a job to do here. I suggest we just focus our energies on that. I’m a big girl, and in the end, none of this other stuff really matters.” She opened the car door and climbed out. “Meet me here at ten tomorrow morning.”

“Hannah . . .”

She slammed the van door closed.

Hannah could feel Kirov watching her as she walked to the hotel’s front door, through the lobby, and straight back to the elevator. She watched the van’s reflection in the elevator’s mirrored paneling until the doors closed behind her.

I was trying to protect you.

Her reunion with Kirov had been every bit as exasperating and painful as she thought it would be.

I like feeling protective of you.

She couldn’t let him get to her. Not again. It had hurt too much. Those tentative steps she had made toward a relationship with Kirov had been a mistake. She could never really be sure of him or what he would do down the road. Stick to the plan, get what she needed, then wave good-bye when he once again decided to take off.

If she didn’t take off first.

Hannah’s cell phone was ringing as she unlocked the door of her room.

Melis?

She hurriedly slammed the door behind her and accessed the call.

“Aunt Hannah?”

Ronnie.

“Hi, honey, how are you doing? Why are you calling? Is everything okay? How is your mom?”

“Mom is fine.” He hesitated. “Is it all right that I called you? I didn’t want to bother you. I didn’t wake you or anything?”

“No, I just got back to the hotel.” She dropped down in an easy chair. “I’m glad you called. It’s good to hear your voice.” She said gently, “Don’t ever worry about bothering me. If you need to talk, I’m here for you. Just as you would be for me, Ronnie.”

“I would be there, if you’d let me.” He was silent. “I had a dream last night, Aunt Hannah.”

“Did you?”

“It was about Dad.”

Hannah’s hand tightened on the phone. “That’s natural. You want him to be with you, and he’s always in your thoughts. I’ve had a few dreams myself since he died. Was this the first one for you?”

“No, I dream about him almost every night. I don’t tell Mom because I don’t want her to be sad.”

“She’d understand, Ronnie. She wouldn’t want you to be sad either.”

“I know. But most of the dreams aren’t sad. They’re just . . . Dad. I’m only sad after I wake up.”

“Maybe you and your mom could talk your way through it so that the sadness would go away.”

“Maybe. But right now she’s . . . I don’t want her to worry about me. She’s having enough trouble with Donna and just getting through this.”

They were all having trouble getting through Conner’s death. He’d been such an important part of their lives that there were memories around every corner. Hell, she was tearing up again, just thinking about him. “How can I help, Ronnie?”

“I didn’t really call because of the dream. Or maybe I did, but it was because it made me start thinking and—”

“Tell me about the dream, Ronnie.”

He was silent a moment. “It was a little different. It was just Dad standing leaning against the doorjamb and smiling at me. He was wearing that gray sweater Mom knitted for him . . .”

“The gray sweater?”