Rick’s words struck a chord. Mickey pivoted and fired off a couple of rounds in Rick’s direction. The air around them exploded, the noise raising every testosterone charged cell in Neil’s body.
Neil took cover, cocked his weapon.
“I never liked you, Smiley.”
“Lousy shot, too.” Rick laughed.
“Call your dog off, Mac. Getting rid of you isn’t an option. Your woman, however…Blayney might let her go. If she thinks you died by accident.”
Neil’s mind raced…Would the major kill her? Neil didn’t think Chuck was capable of being behind this. There had to be something going on that Mickey had no idea about.
One thing was certain to Neil. Keeping Gwen alive would be Chuck’s only insurance should Mickey fail. And Mickey was going down.
“Draw him out,” Neil told Rick. “I’m moving in.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
The lightning let up long enough for Blake to touch down in Colorado Springs. His pilot dealt with airport security and arranged for the jet to refuel. Blake informed his pilot that they might need to leave at a moment’s notice.
“I’m on the ground,” he told Carter as he searched the arrival lobby for the driver he requested to meet him.
“I’ve arranged clearance for you at Fort Carson. It’s up to you now.”
Blake waved at a driver with his last name on a large white card.
“Any idea if Major Blayney’s on base?”
“I didn’t get that information. The guards at the base will ask you what your business is. Tell them you need to speak with Blayney.”
“And if he’s not home?”
“Chances are they won’t let you in.”
Blake covered the receiver on his phone to speak to his driver. “I’m on my way to Fort Carson. You know where that is?”
“Yes, sir.”
Blake nodded and returned his attention to Carter while he followed the driver out of the airport.
“Then what?”
“I don’t know…hit a local bar, ask around. Neil was stationed there for a while. Someone was bound to have seen him. Maybe know where he’d be holding out.”
“Needle in a haystack.”
The driver opened the back door to the town car and Blake slid into the seat.
“Thanks, Carter. We’ll find them.” They had to.
“Good luck.”
He’d need it.
The base wasn’t twenty minutes from the airport. Two guards in slickers stood at a closed gate, military rifles in their hands. Another man sat in a booth and watched as they approached.
The driver rolled down both his window and Blake’s. The guard moved toward them without a smile. “How can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Major Blayney.” Best to act as if the major was expecting him, he mused. Blake removed a business card and handed it to the soldier. “Governor Carter Billings arranged security clearance.”
“Wait here, sir.”
Blake sat back and watched the men. The soldier inside the booth picked up the phone and started talking. His eyes narrowed during his conversation and one of the other guards walked around the car while he wrote down the license number.
Blake drummed his fingers on the seat beside him.
The man from the booth stepped out and approached the car. The expression on his face unreadable.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Harrison. Major Blayney isn’t seeing anyone today.”
Blake’s jaw clenched. “It’s a matter of life and death. Can you call him back and tell him this is regarding Neil MacBain?” This was not happening. To be so close and not be let in the door was unacceptable.
The guards glanced at each other but their resolve didn’t change.
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do for you today. You might try setting an appointment with Major Blayney’s secretary.”
Blake considered pushing out of the car and decided that would appear as aggressive as he felt. He didn’t need to spend a night in jail and delay his quest even more.
Through clenched teeth he asked, “Is there a number I can call?”
The guard returned to the booth, came back with a number.
“One more thing…who is Major Blayney’s superior?”
“On base? No one.”
Great!
“You really think Annie will take you back?” Rick taunted Mickey as he weaved through the trees, closer to the edge of the cliff.
“Annie loved me.”
“Not gonna go over well if you kill her husband.”
Neil inched closer.
“She won’t know it’s me.” Mickey twisted around. Neil ducked out of sight.
“Blayney must be seriously twisted to sic you after him. What makes you think Blayney will keep you around after we’re gone?”
Mickey was turning around now, having lost visual on Neil.
“Where’d ya go, Mac? I’m telling you…one press of the button and Blayney takes her out right now.”
As much as it killed him, Neil said nothing and kept moving closer.
“Blayney doesn’t take orders from you, Mickey. You should know that by now.” Rick kept talking.
“I’ve been proving myself to Blayney for years. Worked plenty of ‘loose end missions.’”
And we’re the loose ends. The rain aided in Neil’s advance. Mickey was facing north and Neil had managed to get behind him on the south. Twenty yards away, Neil set off another smoke bomb, causing Mickey to fire his weapon to the north.