Fail-Safe

Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

"This is personal but it's nothing to do with you really."

She groggily opened her eyes as she came to. Mind foggy with confusion, she attempted to reach up to touch her throbbing temple. Her hand didn't rise from the arm of the chair. She tried the other hand. Nothing. Slowly, her senses began to return. Rope bit into her arms and legs. A red dot blinked lazily in the darkness before her.

"Ace of Clubs isn't it?" A voice came from behind her. "I think I could take a good guess at your job role just from the meaning of your card."

Her brain was now rapidly processing her predicament. Throbbing temple, bound limbs, camera in front of her. She had been abducted. You are in danger, her sub-consciousness whispered in her ear.

"Ace of Clubs, the ring, a symbol of commitment. It signifies the contract between people or business partners." She could feel breath on her neck behind her. "Does that sound accurate to you?"

She tried to recall her training. Build up a rapport with your captor. Try to establish a connection. Try to make eye contact. They will be less likely to kill you if they see you as a person. She opened her mouth to speak. No words came out.

"Based on this," she heard footsteps travelling away from her, "I deduce that you are the main recruiter for the Deck." Her blood ran cold. She heard something being picked up from a table. Footsteps travelled towards her.

"As I said, it's nothing personal toward you."

♥♦♣♠

Six walked silently across the shimmering floor of the Deck's foyer, a heavy steel suitcase in hand. A couple of agents from the Hearts suit were quietly chatting near a bronze statue. They stopped, smiling warmly at Six as he entered. He hesitantly gave a small smile and nod back. It made him feel uncomfortable, but he couldn't say he resented it. Kyntak had slowly and subtlety been chipping away at his self-imposed isolation for the past four months. He continued forward. Grysat greeted him from behind the polished reception desk.

"Hello Six, successful mission?" Grysat inquired cheerfully, grey eyes looking over Six.

Six hefted the suitcase onto the desk. "That remains to be seen. I need this scanned and cleared. It contains items recovered from the subway."

Grysat reached over the desk pulling the suitcase toward him, ill fitting suit pulling at his shoulders. "I'll get on it right away. Shall I have it sent up to your office?"

Six shook his head. "No, please send it through to the Diamonds." Grysat nodded and produced a swipe from under the desk. He scanned it before handing it to Six.

"Consider it done." Grysat smiled.

Six paused. "Thank-you," he said before heading to the lifts. He thought he saw Grysat's eyes brighten at the nicety.

Six felt his pocket vibrate. He pulled his mobile phone out and opened the message. It was from Kyntak.

Spades are in the basement. Not sure why. They are headed to the lifts. About five of them including the King of Spades. Walked straight past me.

Six paused in front of the lifts. If the Spades had walked straight past Kyntak then it was highly unlikely it concerned Project Falcon or himself. But why were they here? Let alone four of them accompanied by the King of Spades.

Six hit the up button for the lift. He could just ask King when he gave him his mission report. The visit may be something completely innocuous. The lift to his left announced its arrival and the doors slid open. It was empty. He stepped inside and pushed the button for Floor 11.

The pressure decreased on his feet as the lift decelerated and came to a stop. Six could hear muffled voices coming from the corridor beyond the lift doors. They opened and he stepped out. The first thing he noticed was the two Spades agents to his right waiting at the edge of the lift lobby. Mirroring them were two to his left. They stared impassively at him.

His attention was drawn away from them as he heard a door opening down the corridor. A woman with grey hair pulled into a tight bun stepped out followed by the King of Spades and King of Hearts.

"We appreciate your co-operation Nine," King of Spades was saying to the woman, his voice calm and reassuring. "We will finalise the investigation as quickly as possible."

The woman turned and Six saw tears running from her caramel eyes. Her chest was shaking with uneven breaths. She grasped King of Heart's arm.

"This is a mistake," she rasped out. "I would never betray the Deck. You know that."

"Soren, my hands are tied by policy. But as King of Spades said the investigation will be finalised as quickly as possible." King gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you will be back with us in no time."

The woman nodded, eyes squeezed shut, back hunching as she held in sobs.

"This way please," King of Spades said, they started walking down the corridor towards the lifts.

Six started move to the side towards the Spades agents. He was sure Nine of Diamonds didn't want spectators.

Nine of Diamonds suddenly whirled around. Her hands shot out and ripped King of Hearts's gun from his thigh holster. Six's eyes widened and he started forward. King grabbed the gun, pushing it away from him as Nine brought it up. A loud bang echoed throughout the corridor. Six saw red explode from Nine's neck, splattering against the white wall behind her. Both King of Spades and King of Hearts slammed her up against the wall. The Spades either side of Six rushed forwards, securing Nine's hands behind her back. They started pulling her towards the lifts.

Nine was wailing and screaming now, feet kicking out as she was dragged forwards. She made eye contact with Six, eyes wild and deranged. Six shivered. "I'm innocent!" she screamed at him. "Don't shuffle me, don't shuffle me!" The Spades forced her into the lift. Six could still hear her screaming as it descended.

King knelt and retrieved his gun from the floor. The King of Spades walked up to Six.

"Sorry about that," he smiled clasping Six's shoulder. "I'd appreciate if you kept this quiet. For Nine's sake."

Six nodded. King of Spades squeezed his shoulder then disappeared into a lift.

King of Hearts re-holstered his gun. He looked over at Six. "I think that's enough excitement for one day." Six nodded silently. "Come on, tell me how the mission went." King walked into his office. Six eyed the blood splatter on the wall before joining him.