Hostage

Talley hurried them along the hall, using the fire extinguisher whenever the flames crowded too close. He paused only long enough to switch his radio to the Bristo frequency, and called Mikkelson.

'Mikki!'

'Go, Chief!'

'The kids are coming out the front. Take care of them.'

When they reached the entry, Talley could see into the office. Jones and his men were searching Smith's desk. Talley pulled Thomas aside out of their view, knowing that these were his last few moments to save his own family. The Watchman would know that they had entered the house. He would be calling Jones for a report, and he would be expecting the disks.

Talley bent close to the boy.

'Are the disks still up in your room?'

'Yeah. With my computer.'

Talley pointed at Mikkelson waiting in the cul-de-sac, and pushed the kids through the door.

'Go to her. Go!'

Talley waited to see that both kids ran toward the cars, then he slipped up the stairs. The air on the second floor was dense with smoke so thick that it choked the beam from his flashlight to a dull glow. He couldn't see more than a few feet. He worked his way along the wall and found Rooney lying outside the first door. Red bubbles clustered on Rooney's chest and mouth like glass mushrooms. Talley couldn't tell if he was dead or alive, and didn't take the time to check. He kicked Rooney's pistol away, then looked in the first room long enough to realize that it belonged to Jennifer. He moved down the hall. The second room belonged to the boy. Talley found his computer on the floor at the far side of the bed. One disk sat on the floor, the other in a disk drive beside the keyboard. Talley held the light close to read their labels, his heart pounding, and saw that he had them – disk one and disk two; the only leverage he had that could save his family!

'Talley!'

Talley jerked at the voice, then saw that Martin was standing in the door. Her helmet was cinched tight and her pistol was at her side.

'Did you find them?'

He joined her. The smoke was heavier now. Talley saw flames at the end of the hall.

'Where's Jones?'

'They're tearing up the office. They haven't found the disks.'

'The boy had them in his room.'

Talley showed her the disks. He wanted to find a way out without seeing Jones and started for the stairs. Martin grabbed his arm. She brought up her gun.

'Give them to me.'

He was startled by her tone. He glanced at the gun, then saw that Martin was watching him with anxious eyes.

'What are you talking about?'

'Give me the disks.'

He glanced at the gun again, and knew with certainty that Benza owned her.

Talley shook his head.

'When did they get to you?'

She thumbed off the safety lever.

'Give me the disks, Talley. You'll get your family.'

He knew that he wouldn't. He knew that once Benza was safe, anyone who knew anything about Smith's relationship to Sonny Benza would die.

Talley stepped back, holding the disks at his side. Once she had the disks she would kill him. It would be easier that way.

'Where's Jones?'

'Still downstairs. He doesn't even know.'

'What are you going to do, Martin? Tell them I was shot in the confusion? You going to blame Krupchek and Rooney?'

'If I have to.'

'How much are they paying you?'

'More than you'll ever know.'

She raised the gun higher.

'Now give me the disks.'

The flames crept up the stairwell at the end of the hall. Talley saw their twisting red glow through the smoke, and something moving in the glow.

'Give me the disks, Talley. It's the only way to get out of this alive.'

A shadow lifted itself from the floor.

'Rooney's alive.'

Her eyes flicked once to the side, then came back to him. She didn't believe him.

'Give me the disks!'

Dennis Rooney lurched into the light, eyes glassy and dripping with blood. He had found his gun.

'Martin!'

She turned, but not in time. Rooney fired before she could swing her gun to him. Something hard slapped Talley in the chest. The next bullet caught Martin in the thigh, and the third in the cheek beneath her right eye. Martin spun slowly into the smoke as Talley drew his weapon and fired.

CHAPTER 25

Saturday, 2:41 A.M.

TALLEY

The heavy bullet from Talley's combat pistol bounced Dennis Rooney off the wall, leaving a gory smear of blood. Talley planted a knee in Rooney's chest and knocked away his gun, but this time Rooney was dead. Talley listened for the sound of Jones's team coming up the stairs, but he couldn't hear anything over the crackling, snapping sound of the fire.

He radioed Mikkelson.

'You got the kids?'

'We heard shots!'

'Do you have the kids?'

'Yes, sir. They're safe.'

'The FBI agents took out a wounded man. Three of them went to their van.'

'Ah, roger. We saw that.'

Talley's mind raced. He had taken the offensive, and now he had to finish the assault. Time was his enemy. He had to take the fight to the Watchman and press his advantage.

'Get Jorgenson and Cooper. If Larry's back, get him, too. Arrest them. Strip their radios and cell phones, cuff them, and don't let them communicate with anyone.'

'Ah, arrest the FBI?'