[Quinn 01] - The Cleaner

Durrie laughed again. 'I think we'll hold on to him just a little longer.' Quinn raised his fingers and let the metal slip underneath. 'That's the deal.' Durrie raised his gun, pointing it at Quinn's head. 'Get back in the elevator. That's the deal.'

Quinn paused for a moment, then stepped back into the elevator, shielding the hand that now held a gun from Durrie's sight. Garrett was still pressed against his father, his back to Quinn.

As Durrie leaned over to disengage the stop switch and push the lobby button, Quinn's empty hand shot out and grabbed Garrett's shoulder. The boy screamed as Quinn first pulled him away from Durrie, then shoved him through the open doorway and out of the elevator.

Durrie turned quickly, but Quinn was already launching himself at his old mentor. He knocked Durrie against the wall with a loud thud. Behind them the elevator doors closed, and the car began its downward plunge.

Durrie raised his knee, using it to push Quinn off, then grabbed for his gun. But Quinn already had his gun pointed at Durrie.

'Don't,' Quinn said.

But Durrie raised his pistol. Quinn kicked out, hitting the barrel of the gun just as Durrie pulled the trigger. The bullet flew harmlessly above Quinn's head, piercing the wall of the elevator.

'I don't want to shoot you!' Quinn said.

Durrie got another shot off, but again Quinn was able to alter the trajectory enough to keep it from hitting him.

'Dammit, Durrie. Stop!'

Again, his mentor aimed the gun at him. Quinn was out of position this time. He wouldn't be able to reach Durrie's gun in time.

He had no choice.

He pulled the trigger on his own pistol, screaming out in frustration. Unlike Durrie's, the cop gun Quinn carried had no suppressor. The roar filled the elevator, deafening him momentarily.

There was no need for him to fire a second shot.

Chapter 43

Getting out of the hotel had been a simple matter of keeping his head down and heading straight for the exit the second the elevator doors had opened on the ground floor. A few hotel employees were looking toward the elevators, no doubt wondering what the odd noises had been. But Durrie's dead body was not directly visible beyond the small elevator lobby. Quinn had even heard the doors close behind him as he walked away, further covering his escape.

He waited across the street in the Gendarmenmarkt, keeping watch on the hotel. From where he was standing, he was able to see both the main front entrance and the service door. A few minutes later, Orlando and Garrett exited through the side door.

They stopped in on Dr. Garber unannounced. He didn't look pleased, but he showed them to one of the examining rooms. He dressed Quinn's wounds, then gave him some medicine to fight any potential infection. Once he was done with Quinn, he gave Garrett a thorough checkup, pronouncing him fit and healthy.

At Quinn's request, Dr. Garber left them alone in the room when he was finished. Orlando held Garrett in her lap. He still seemed a little tentative with her, but he was warming up. Durrie hadn't been with him long enough to do any permanent damage.

At least that's what Quinn told himself.

'Thanks for the gun,' Quinn said.

It seemed to take her a moment to realize what he was talking about. 'Sure,' she said. 'I didn't know what else to do.' She looked at him. 'I didn't thank you for saving him, did I?'

'Don't,' Quinn said. 'He wouldn't have needed saving if it wasn't for me.' She shook her head and put a hand on his arm. 'Thanks.' He liked the feel of her touch, but too soon she moved her hand away.

'Can I borrow your phone?' he said.

He called the Mole. 'It's done,' Quinn said.

'Good . . . or bad?' the Mole asked.

'Good.'

'And the boy?'

'Safe.'

'Then I don't. . . need to . . . make any calls.'

'No. But I would like you to send the sample and your results to Peter.' 'Of course.' Quinn's next call was to the Office. Once Peter

was on the line, he filled him in on the basics, then said, 'I'm going to send you a video file. Jansen made it. You'll also be receiving a separate sample you can use to cross-check everything. Those things and the remaining tainted mints Nate delivered to the embassy should go a long way to making some people realize they had a bit of an assessment breakdown.'

'I'd say that's a pretty fair guess,' Peter said. 'Jansen says that HFA backed the operation.

Someone needs to deal with them.' 'I'll pass it along.' Quinn paused. 'I need you to get Nate out.' 'I thought you didn't need me for anything

anymore.' 'I'm too tired to argue, Peter. Just get him out,

okay?' 'I'll see what I can do.' 'And Kenneth Murray?' 'He's being reassigned. A promotion, actually.

The embassy in Singapore. There's a lot of traffic

that goes through there. He'll have plenty to do.' 'Thank you,' Quinn said. 'Burroughs isn't happy, though.' 'I'm sure you'll throw him a bone.'