Page 42 of Spies Like Us

I lead the guys down to the basement, and the key card works perfectly. When we get to the tunnels, we all flip our infrared goggles down. We decided we didn’t want to risk flashlights in case someone is down here.

“Billy and Ashley came from that direction and went that way,” I tell them quietly when we get to the fork in the tunnel. “I had a look at Mac’s map while we were in the library, and we need to follow the path they took. It leads in the direction of the big space under the movie theater and then branches off in different directions. The exit in the movie theater would be the closest to a parking lot. I’m assuming they shoved his body in the back of the car you saw to transport him.”

“Okay. Guns out just in case. I’ll lead. Dayton, you’re on my six, and you two, watch our backs,” Max tells us and pushes through to go first.

I do as he says and pull my weapon, waiting for Dayton to move before I go, and Ry is last. We don’t get very far before Dayton stops and cocks his head.

“Did you hear that?” he asks and looks back in the opposite direction. We all wait. The sound of my breathing seems loud in the silence, but I hear nothing.

Dayton shakes his head. “Never mind. I must have been mistaken.”

“We’re all a little jumpy right now,” Ryland reassures him, and we start walking again.

“How did things go with Miller?” I whisper to my friend. “Did you sort anything out?”

I turn back to look at him, the green glow of my goggles destroying his features, but I see him shake his head.

“Yes and no. He said he would try. He drives me crazy. I know he’s attracted to her. Heck, I know he respects her too, he’s just all up in his head. You know Miller. Apart from us, Percy, and Sadie, he trusts no one, and it took forever for him to trust that they wouldn’t betray him.”

I turn forward, feeling slightly disappointed. “Yeah, Miller has some issues. Let’s just hope he can get out of his own way long enough to realize how right this is.”

Ryland puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Lathan. This will work out, you’ll see.”

We don’t talk any more as we follow Dayton and Max. I can hear the two of them murmur to each other occasionally, but mostly, we’re just quiet. I’ve been keeping an eye out for more cameras, but there doesn’t seem to be any in this tunnel either. Only in the space with the cells.

I’m not sure how long we’ve been walking, but it isn’t too long before Max stops again just before another alcove. He peers around the doorframe before moving backward.

“Lath, there’s a camera. Can you hack it?” he asks, and I shove my gun into the waistband of my pants, pull my backpack off, and take out my mini laptop. MITHOS has tech guys who designed powerful computers in small devices, making it easier for missions.

They move out of the way, allowing me to move forward. I crouch down and brace my back against the wall as my fingers fly across the keys, searching for networks. The camera has to be operating on a system, I just need to find the right one. It doesn’t take me long before I am able to hack it, and the picture from the camera comes up on my screen, as do nineteen other dark images. The first one must have infrared capabilities, because it shows an open alcove with two tunnels, and the camera is also facing a large steel door. One of the tunnels is where we are hiding, and the other one leads off in a different direction. The door has a card reader on it. If I think about the town above us, there are probably a few hundred yards between the library and the movie theater/arcade. I’m almost certain we must be under it, and if so, then this is where Mac and I decided the club could possibly be.

The other screens are dark, with no lights on anywhere, so I can’t get a good idea of what we are looking at, but I’m going to assume these are all inside the club.

I loop the cameras to continue showing nothing before closing the laptop and shoving it back into the bag. Pulling the key card out of my pocket again, I tell them, “Okay, done. I looped all the ones on the same network. They were dark, but I’m assuming it’s inside the club. I’m also assuming this key will open that door as well.”

“We might as well try it. I doubt it will have an alarm. They wouldn’t expect anyone else to be running around in these tunnels,” Max agrees.

“What about that tunnel?” Dayton asks, nodding toward the one leading away.

“You and Ry can check it out quickly. Lath and I will go through the door. Turn on your comms so we can keep in contact.” We all have earpieces in but haven’t needed them up until now because we stayed together.

Dayton nods, and he and Ryland peel away, picking up the pace and hurrying down the tunnel.

“Ready?” Max asks me, and I nod, passing him the key. “Cover me.”

“I didn’t see anyone inside, but there could be rooms without cameras that are occupied. Go carefully.” I pull my gun back out and follow my team leader, my adrenaline kicking in as we go through the door.

Chapter 19

DAYTON

Ry and I hurry along the tunnel to see where it leads to. It only goes another hundred yards or so and stops at another elevator. I pull out my card and swipe it. Stepping in, we ride it to the top, and it exits out of a building and into a parking area. I flip up my infrared goggles so I don’t get blinded by the light that illuminates the area. This side is shadowed by the building and a wall that blocks off a loading dock. It must be the back of the movie theater and arcade. It probably doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic and would make a good spot to load a body into a car. I wonder if this is how they bring people into the cells. At night, it would be easy.

“Let’s head back to Max and Lathan. There’s nothing to see here,” I say to Ry. He swipes his card and presses the button to go down. “But they could have easily brought Bishop’s body out this way and stuffed him into the trunk of the car.”

“No cameras?” he asks, and I shake my head as we exit and walk back down the tunnel. I drop my goggles again so I can see in the murky darkness.

“No, it seems they only have them focused around major points.”

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