1st Case - James Patterson Page 0,84
but his helmet was off and his empty hands were raised in the air as he took a tentative step past the others, into the room.
CHAPTER 91
“I’M AGENT KEATS from the FBI,” Billy said.
“I know who you are,” the Engineer said. “What authorization do you have?”
“I’m the lead investigator on this case,” Billy said. “Tell me what you need for us to de-escalate the situation.”
His hands were still up. He used his foot to kick the bedroom door closed behind him, and he flicked on the overhead light.
Our eyes met for a second before he put his gaze back on the man holding me hostage.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Billy said. “Just tell me what you want.”
“I want you to get us the hell out of here,” the Engineer said. “And I mean out of the country.”
“How do you propose that?”
“Just … shut up! Give me a minute to think. Jesus!”
He seemed to be on the edge of a complete meltdown. For all I knew, he was lost without his genius brother.
Not that I wanted to test his limits. I could just see out of the corner of my eye where his gun hand was shaking, his finger still on the trigger.
“What about your guy here?” Keats said. A pool of dark blood had spread past the edge of the rug and as far as the door. “He doesn’t look so good. Can we bring in an EMT?”
“No! You get him out into the hall,” the Engineer instructed Billy. “Nobody else comes in.”
Billy spoke into the radio on his shoulder. “I need EMTs to the second-floor hallway, right now,” he said. Then he moved slowly, picking the kid up in his arms and handing him off to someone in the hall. It was a long, slow pass-off. Nobody was making any false moves, but the Engineer dug the barrel of his gun that much farther into my skin anyway.
“Close that door again,” the Engineer told Billy, and he complied, keeping his hands spread out in front of him. I could hear the med techs starting to work on the wound I’d sunk into the other one’s skull. I hoped the kid wasn’t dead. Even now, I didn’t want that on my conscience.
“Okay, talk to me,” Billy said. “Where are you trying to get to?”
“Mexico City,” the guy said. It sounded to me like he was making it up, improvising now as much as he and his brother ever had.
“Okay,” Keats said placatingly. “That’s doable, but you’re going to have to give us a little time. You planning on taking your man out there, too?”
“Of course,” he said. “Have your people get him ready for travel. No hospital. They do what they have to here, and then we’re out.”
Keats obediently relayed the information.
“We’re working on a chopper,” he said then. “How soon can you let Angela go?”
“She’s coming too,” he said.
That was no surprise. I knew Billy had to ask, but it was obvious where this was going. They needed me as an insurance policy, all the way out of the country.
“Okay, let’s take this one thing at a time,” Keats tried again. “What about Eve?”
“She’s in the van outside!” I blurted. I got it out before the Engineer could stop me.
“Shut up!” he screamed, and moved the gun around to my face. His free hand grabbed me by the jaw and wedged my mouth open so he could stick the barrel of his pistol inside.
I tasted metal and my eyes watered.
“Hey, hey!” Keats said. “Jesus Christ, stop it! Nobody’s coming for you, okay? Just ease up, brother.”
“I’m not your goddamn brother,” he said. “And you don’t give the orders.” But he took the gun back out and held it to my cheek instead. “Not another word,” he told Billy. His voice was rough and shaky. I’m not even sure which of us was more desperate. Everything felt somehow slow-motion and rushed at the same time.
“Check the van in the driveway,” Keats said into his radio.
“Already there, sir,” a voice came back. “We have Ms. Abajian.”
If it was possible to breathe a sigh of relief, I did just then.
Keats looked at the Engineer again. “All right. It’s going to be at least twenty minutes before we’re mobile. See if you can find a more comfortable position.”
“Don’t worry about me,” he said.
“I’m not,” Keats said, and stuck out his chin at me. “I’m worried about her. You can’t keep that stance for twenty more minutes. You’re already exhausted. I can tell.”
For a second,