Page 91 of Avenging Angel

Just as I close my eyes to get a little more sleep, Bennett’s voice pierces the air loud enough to wake everyone up. I move next to Owen so I can see the video feed.

“Good, you’re both awake. We’re about to land in about half an hour.”

“Where are we?” Eva asks groggily.

“At the end of the line,” Bennett replies.

I lean over and ask Owen, “Are they on the descent into Glasgow?”

He clicks away on his laptop, pulling up a small box at the top of the screen to verify what he already knows. It has the transponder code for the Gulfstream and a dot moving east above Ireland. “Yes, Glasgow still appears to be the final destination.”

Vinny answers my question before I can ask it. “The team is in position and will follow at a minimum distance of one kilometer. There’s a satellite overhead that will keep their transport in sight at all times.”

Daisy glances out the window and frowns. “We certainly aren’t in Kansas anymore.”

“Have you ever been to Scotland, Daisy?” Bennett asks. “It’s quite lovely, even when it’s a little rainy this time of year.”

At his mention of Scotland, Eva fights against the restraints with all her might. “I’m not going back! Let me go!”

Bennett squats down in front of Eva and caresses her cheek. “You need to be rehabilitated. It’s up to you how long that will take.”

Then he moves in front of Daisy. “Are you ready for those answers I promised you?”

Vinny gets on the sat phone and calls Ludlow while I’m trying to listen to the conversation happening on the other plane. He gets up and moves to the back of the aircraft and talks in a hushed voice. “Is the package in place?... Good. From what little we know, they’re heading to Dominion…. Yes, sir. I’ll let them know right away. Thank you, sir.”

Roger asks, “Vinny, you look like the cat who got the cream. Care to share?”

“The asset is already on the Dominion premises at Loch Monar. Once Daisy is inside and thoroughly checked for bugs and listening devices, then a transmitter will be slipped into her pocket and activated. There will be an E-6B Mercury picking up the Very Low Frequency transmission and retransmitting it to us via encrypted VHF. We’ve been ordered to change course and land at Inverness.”

Roger’s mouth stretches into a thin line. “VLF is used for submarines and deep rock penetration, and the transmitters for that aren’t small.”

“Not usually, but this one is. The Southern Knights don’t have all the cool toys,” Vinny replies. “Here’s the stitch. There’s only one way in or out, and we’re going to have to do some hiking. Schematics should be coming to Owen shortly.”

Sure enough, Owen’s laptop pings with an encrypted email. He looks it over, and then his eyes widen as big as saucer plates.

“It’s underwater? We aren’t equipped for that.”

“There’s an entrance on the south side of the loch. According to Ludlow’s intel, it looks benign, like nothing more than a small power station for the hydro-electric dam to the east. Owen, you’ll need to hack the feed and loop the cameras. That’s their primary means of security.”

Owen barks a laugh, but it’s the kind that is devoid of any humor. “Yeah, why would anyone need security when they’re in the middle of nowhere?”

Chapter thirty-seven

Daisy

By the time the wheels of the aircraft touch down on the runway, I’m fully cognizant. While Bennett is up front talking with the pilots, I whisper to Eva through the gap in the seat.

“I’m glad you’re still alive,” I tell her. “We were searching for you.”

There’s a sniffle and a deep breath before I hear her reply, “I’m not glad to be alive. My ‘rehabilitation,’ as Bennett so eloquently put, is going to be torture.”

This woman needs hope, but I can’t lie to her and deny her fear either as I have no idea what’s in store for her. “Kenneth is still alive. He found us and has been really worried about you.”

“That’s good. It’s one less thing I have to worry about.”

“We’re going to get out of this, Eva. I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but my team won’t rest until we’re safe. That’s a promise I can make and not worry about reneging on. They’re probably already on their way here.”

“They’ll never find us where we’re going, at least not in time.”