Page 19 of Raider Unleashed

“None of this is good,” Wells blurted. “Man, I am getting real cold feet about this job. I think we should run.”

Raider tossed a glance at Piper. She looked over her shoulder and bit her lip as she met his gaze.

Baker suddenly nodded. “I’m with him. This is bad. I think we get the hell out of here. With all the confusion from the eruption, it should be easy to just disappear.”

Raider looked out through the windshield. Denlo was talking to the same clerk who’d been behind the cash register the other night. Various cops and firemen milled about in the convenience store. One of them moved over to stand next to Denlo and started talking to him.

“If we’re going, now’s the moment.” Raider looked at Piper.

She glanced back at him and then Baker. Then she gave a slight nod. Raider felt his shoulders unknot just a fraction. Piper cranked the engine and started slowly forward, heading down the parking lot away from the store. She made it almost to the street when Denlo saw them through the glass. He raced out of the store to the parking lot with the cop not far behind. Piper hit the gas and turned onto the street. She zoomed through the intersection and took a right. They continued to drive in silence for about ten minutes before Piper finally said, “Make the call.”

“What call?” Wells asked.

Raider pulled the cell out of his boot.

“You’ve got a cell?” Baker stared at him as he turned the cell on and hit re-dial.

“It’s me.”

“Me who?” the voice at the other end barked. “Wait, Raider is that you?”

“Yeah.”

“Is Piper okay?”

“Yeah.” Raider knew Chambers had always had a soft spot for Piper. He’d sensed it when he and Piper were still a couple. He didn’t worry about it at the time because John Chambers was at least ten years older with a large belly and a lot of kids. But now, the concern in his voice made Raider wonder. Maybe he should’ve worried more about Chambers.

“Where are you?” Chambers demanded.

“We’re headed out of Hilo. Where are you?”

“At a small office building about two miles down from your motel. What’s going on?” he asked.

Raider glanced at Piper. “Just give me directions and we’ll explain it all when we get there. There’s four of us.”

“You’re bringing along the other two guys?”

“Not much choice,” Raider confirmed. He listened to the directions and gave them to Piper then hung up.

“What’s going on,” Wells demanded. “Who are you two?”

Piper swung into the parking lot of an older office building and drove around back. She threw the van into park and got out. Raider reached up and opened the van door, to find three men standing there, guns out pointing in his direction. He slowly raised his hands and swung his legs out of the van. He stood. “Hey, John,” he said to the older man standing behind the line of guys.

“Raider,” Chambers replied then instructed the armed men, “Let him by.” Then he tipped his chin toward the building.

Raider followed Piper and Chambers into the building to an office space where three other agents of varying ages and nationalities were hunched over computers. None of them spared much more than a cursory glance at him, but each had a smile for Piper.

Wells and Baker were brought and put in another office. One of the agents stayed with them and the other two returned to the main room.

Chambers stared at Piper with a look on his face that told Raider the older man wanted to rip her a new asshole. But he must have recognized that now wasn’t the moment. Instead, he said, “Coffee?”

Raider nodded. Piper went over and poured them two cups from the makeshift setup in the corner of the office. She handedRaider his and then followed Chambers to a cubicle that was obviously his version of command and control. There was a laptop on the desk and papers everywhere. Although it looked chaotic, Raider could tell there was a method to the madness.

Chambers sat. “We’re trying to figure out how much money is in the bank and why these guys would target it.”

“It’s not about the money,” Raider supplied.

Piper turned and stared at him.

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