Rock sat quietly. He sat very still. He waited. Sayla should be contacting him within the next few minutes and she would have Vitori Delega and Anna with her, if things were going to plan. The location he chose for the meeting place was Anglin’s Fishing Pier and Delega was supposed to have been there an hour ago. Rock didn’t meet him. Instead, he dispatched Sayla, with specific instructions.
She was to pick up Vitori and Anna, collect their phones and take the batteries. Then, she would take them on a long route through Ft. Lauderdale. They were to enter a large office complex where she would lead them into a building and then quickly back out through an exit on the opposite side. A second car would be waiting for them. Sayla would drive them another unspecified distance taking various turns and watching to be sure nobody followed. After she was certain to be free from shadows, she was to let Rock know and bring Delega and Anna to him. In the event she was taken, which was a likely possibility, she would tell them where he was but that Rock would be gone by the time they arrived. She didn’t know where he planned to go if that scenario came to pass. That lack of information provided a safeguard, for both of them.
The long vacated office building, found by Michael, still had electricity. Rock decided to station himself in the rear offices. From there, he gained access to three separate exit routes in case things went awry.
Once they arrived, Sayla would instruct them to walk in the main entrance, and go down the middle hall and take the last right. They would continue until they came to the only office with the lights on. Inside, Rock would be waiting.
He looked at his watch. If she didn’t respond in another five minutes, he would have to leave. Staying longer than necessary, hoping for the scenario to play out as planned, wasn’t worth the chance of being caught.
Rock suddenly heard a car door slam.
He immediately shot to his feet. It had come from the front.
He picked up his gun and crept out the door and into the dark hallway. The corridor opened up to either side of the office but without lights, he couldn’t see much past a few yards. He fell back and blended into the shadows. The front door opened. He fell further back, and ducked into another office, completely hidden from view.
The soft sound of cautious steps made their way towards him.
Rock tensed and twisted his neck, loosening the muscles. He waited, taking shallow, quiet breaths. His eyes were trained on the sliver of light extending into the hallway. A man’s silhouette slowly shifted into view. He held a gun at his side, and crouched. He was listening. Rock held back his breath. The man turned the opposite way, looking into the hallway, exposing his back. Rock took the opportunity.
He stepped out silently. He raised his gun to head level. He itched to pull the trigger. His finger trembled on the thin piece of metal. Rock cocked the hammer sending the chilling sound through the silence. “Put the weapon down,” he said firmly.
The man straightened. He made no sudden movements. He slowly bent down and placed his gun on the ground.
“Now move into the office, slowly.” The man did as he was told and Rock followed, bending down to pick up the gun as he passed by. Once both men were inside, the man turned around. Rock didn’t recognize him.
“Who are you, and is there anybody with you,” he said. He took slow steps, circling, putting the man’s body between him and the entrance.
“Rock Tilton. Michael Cooper said I’d find you here.”
“You’re with Michael?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m with him, but he told me about you. I’m Anders Sieb. Agent Sieb. I run a small unit in the government aimed with the sole purpose of tracking what you have so precisely become wrapped up in. I think I can help you get out.”
“The military.” Rock smirked. “I saw the military today. They tried to kill me. And they were taking orders from Seth Delega, a man I despise. Is he with you?”
“He helped me get involved but since has been dealt with. Seth Delega is dead. I killed him.” Agent Sieb must have seen something is Rock’s expression. “You don’t look happy,” he said.
“Maybe I wanted to do that myself.”
“Well he’s dead. I didn’t know that or I might have let you do it.”
“Anna mentioned you before, I remember. Why are you even here? Is there anybody with you and how can I be sure you came alone.”
“Simple. Michael arranged it. You know how thorough he is. Even with the technology I have access to, he’s pretty inventive on how to curtail my advantages. A man of his picked me up ten minutes after we talked. Of course I had myself tracked and I had aerial surveillance of the vehicle I was being taken in, and I was armed. I felt pretty secure. But then I was dropped off at Broward Mall and told to go inside. Once I entered, I met a second individual. He gave me a complete change of clothes, including shoes and underwear. He thoroughly checked my body for any device and he took my gun. Then, he escorted me to another car and drove me around for over an hour and now I’m here. When we arrived, he gave me that gun you now possess, unloaded. He threw a clip out the window as he drove away. So you see, we’re alone. You’re safe. This isn’t how I pictured this going, but I’m here. So let’s talk.”
Rock didn’t know what to say. Michael had never mentioned this part. Agent Anders Sieb was a complete unknown. He was being forced to process this information and do it quickly.
He twitched as his phone buzzed, breaking his thoughts. He kept one eye on Anders and fished it out. It was Sayla. Her text read, ‘on the way, with Anna.’
“Who’s that?”
“The man I’m meeting tonight. You may know him, Vitori Delega.”
Agent Sieb immediately frowned. “What are you meeting about?”
“He has my wife. Ex wife. I’m trading what I have for her, then we’re leaving and never coming back.”
“Is that what you think?”
“It’s as far as I’ve gotten.”
“Even if you get what you want and successfully leave, Delega will hunt you and he’ll eventually find you. Not only that, but you also have to dodge the resources they have at the keepers of the rose. They’ll also be looking for you until they know you’re dead. You and Anna don’t have much of a shot in that scenario. The only thing that’s keeping you alive is the information and you’re about to give it away. You may live tonight. But don’t think it’s a victory.”
“If Delega follows through, then I will uphold my part of the bargain. Michael is supposed to be here and he’ll deal with Delega after the trade. But I think that’s enough about my predicament, let’s focus on you. What’s your purpose, you never told me.”
“I want what everyone else does.”
“Ok, but you don’t have anything to offer.”
“I don’t? I don’t remember being asked.”
Rock nodded, allowing him to continue.
“I can get your girl back and I can also offer you safety. Safety now and into the future, whatever that may hold. I can see to it your identity is changed and that you and Anna and your families disappear into society, never to be heard from again. You won’t be tracked you won’t exist. I have the resources and I have the ability. Nobody else can give you that. Just know without me, you’re as good as dead out there.”
Rock studied the man, taking in his words. “How do you propose to get Anna if I don’t hand everything off to Delega. Tonight, he’ll have a weapon and I’ll have one. People will be shot if things don’t go to plan. And what exactly is Michael getting out of this if you get the copies, what will he have to bargain with for his brother.”
“I’m getting him his brother back as we speak. He gave me a location and my men will see to it he’s released.”
There were things going on that Michael failed to tell him. Rock was becoming anxious. “So that’s what this was all about for Michael, you helping him. He used me. He’s not coming tonight is h
e?”
“I doubt it.”
“But what you’re saying is you could do the same with Anna, get her out for me.”
“Yes, you just have to put off Delega until tomorrow. At that point we can work something out.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen, perhaps if we were able to talk sooner than now. I already have things in motion, in fact Delega is supposed to arrive anytime. He has Anna with him. If I can get her tonight, we’re leaving. Perhaps you can get the copies off him after this is done.”
“That won’t happen. He’ll most likely take the information off grid and we’ll have no idea where to find it or even look for it. It will disappear and we won’t know about it until its too late.”
“Call your men, get it right after the exchange, before he has a chance to hide it.”
“After I called my men to tell them the information about Malcolm’s whereabouts, I had a gun shoved in my face. I had to give the phone back. I should have gone and found a payphone as soon as I got here but I was in a hurry to get to you. Also, I didn’t know how much time I would have with you. It might have been a mistake, but here we are.”
“Here we are,” Rock replied. Agent Sieb appeared as though he was telling the truth but there was no way Rock could trust him. His presence could only do harm to the situation and his words were worrisome. Michael’s part, per their agreement was to handle Delega during the exchange, if he became violent, or afterwards if need be. But now that his brother was already released, he may not show up at all. Perhaps his real intent was for Sieb to take his place. But once again, Rock knew nothing about the man and a wild card at this stage was not ideal. “I’m sorry Agent Sieb, I have to see how this plays out tonight, without your help. Take a seat over there.” Rock motioned to a place against the wall.
Agent Sieb nodded. “Delega isn’t to be trusted, I’ve had dealings with him in the past.”
“I don’t trust him.”
“Then how do you think this is going to happen?”
“I can’t tell you anything. There is no point in letting you in on what I think will happen. Then you become a liability.”
“I can play a part,” Sieb pleaded. “Give me my gun back, I’m a good shot, I can take out Delega before he has a chance to do anything.”
“Then you risk Anna, this exchange requires patience. Now please be quiet, I need to listen for their arrival. I don’t think it would be good for either of us to be caught off guard.”
Agent Sieb slumped against the wall. Rock was relieved to finally see the man come to grips with his situation. He took a step back and leaned against an old cubicle and kept one eye on the door leading to the front and one on Agent Sieb. He looked harmless, but that was probably not the case.
“I was just thinking,” Rock said. “I can’t have you here when Delega shows up.”
“What do you propose?”
“See that closet right there,” Rock pointed to a door not five feet from where Sieb rested.
“Yeah.”
“Get in.”
“No.”
Rock pointed his gun at him. “Get in the closet, or I’ll shoot you and drag you in there myself. You’re not even supposed to be here. You’re gonna fuck everything up.”
“You’re not the cold blooded murdering type. You’re not threatened, you won’t kill me.” Sieb slowly rose to his feet. Rock closed the distance and held the gun steady, pointing at the man’s head. “You don’t know me, and as far as being threatened, you’re standing in my way of my leaving all this behind and getting my wife back alive. I’d say right now, you’re the biggest threat I have. I’ll put one in your head and never think twice about it for the rest of my life.”
Sieb’s smugness immediately fell away. “Ok,” he said holding his hands up. “I’m going.” Rock couldn’t see himself, but he knew at the moment, he looked mad.
Agent Sieb opened the door and took one last look at Rock. “You’re making a mistake,” he said “I can help you.”
“The only way you can help me is by staying quiet. If you do that, I won’t have to kill you.”
Rock gently shut the door.
Chapter 47
Florida, August 2012