Page 38 of Belgian Betrayal

Atkins nodded. “I’m ready to go.”

“We’re all going with you.” Ace hefted the duffel bag he’d brought inside and slung it over his shoulder. “Don’t hand over that disk until the last possible moment. We can’t let them have it until we have your daughter safely removed from the location.”

Atkins tucked the disk into his pocket. “Damn right, they’re not getting it until Madison is well away from them.” He glanced at Catya and Fearghas. “I’m ready to go to the train station.”

“If you’re all going, I can drive you there,” Lucie said.

Ace shook his head. “I’ll drive the rental car and turn it in at the station. From there, we’ll go to Bruges.”

“Six of us against who knows how many of them will be there to meet us,” Fearghas said, shaking his head. “The odds might not be great.”

“We have to get there early enough to infiltrate the location and position our people where they can do the most good,” Ace said. “We do have communications devices, a sniper rifle, which I’ll man, handguns and knives. Those we can take out silently, we’ll consider shooting. First and foremost, we get Madison out before bullets start flying. If it comes to that.”

Catya had no doubt that bullets would fly. She hoped they didn’t hit Fearghas or the girl.

Chapter 10

Though relieved they hadn’t encountered any resistance getting on the train to Bruges, Fearghas couldn’t ease the knot in his gut.

Once they got off the train in Bruges, they’d be targeted immediately. What he wasn’t certain of was who was doing the targeting. Was it one faction, the MI6 traitor or multiple organizations looking to own the disk for themselves?

Either way, people would be waiting for them in the small walled city. His team had to be in place and ready before the opposition.

He sat beside Catya in a soft, cushioned seat, thinking how easy it would be to stay on the train and go anywhere else.

Fearghas knew Catya better than that. She wouldn’t go anywhere else as long as Atkins’s daughter remained a captive.

The sun set well before they left for the Brussels train station. Traveling between Brussels and Bruges in the dark didn’t offer scenery to escape into and occupy his mind.

He held Catya’s hand all the way, his gut clenching when he dared to visualize how things would go down. Each possible scenario ended badly with Catya getting hurt or the girl being killed, whether or not her captives received the disk.

Catya squeezed his hand. “We will get her out,” she whispered, shaking him out of the downward spiral of his private thoughts.

He had to believe her to make it happen.

Ace signaled for the team to gather close to discuss a plan.

“We have to assume the bogeys have eyes on the train station.” He nodded toward Jasmine and Dmytro. “We will leave the train first. Jasmine and I will go out as a couple. Dmytro will leave alone. Anyone watching the train will be looking for Catya, Atkins and Fearghas.”

Ace pulled a printed map of Bruges from his duffel bag and held it out for them to see. “Atkins and Catya were told to show up in the Market square in front of the Belfry of Bruges at midnight.” He pointed to the image of a church at the center of Bruges.

“They probably know Catya and I are together,” Atkins said.

Catya nodded. “Based on the fact they found my apartment in Amsterdam, I’d agree. However, I don’t think we should show up together.”

“Agreed,” Atkins said. “I should show up first since it’s my daughter they’re holding hostage. Because we’ve been together, they won’t know who actually has the disk.”

“We need to keep them guessing,” Fearghas said. “Otherwise, they could just shoot Atkins, assuming they would find the disk in his pocket.”

“True,” Catya faced Atkins. “You need to demand they turn over your daughter before you tell them where the disk is located.”

“I can appear from a different direction,” Catya said, “to split their attention and focus.”

“What if they demand to see the disk?” Atkins questioned.

“You can tell them you may or may not have it,” Ace said, “and if they shoot you, they may or may not find the disk on either one of you.”

“I can offer myself as a trade for my daughter,” Atkins said. “They can take me hostage when they release my daughter. Until then, I won’t tell them where to find the disk.”

---