Page 80 of No Time Off

When Slash lowered the gun, Rangi breathed a sigh of relief. “What are you two doing here?”

“We could ask the same of you,” I countered. “We thought you were captured by the police and hauled away.”

“No, we faded back into woods after the cyclist took off after you,” he explained. “We didn’t resist, just watched them go through the house. They barely had time to confirm the place was empty before they suddenly ran out of the house, jumped in their cars, and drove away. We weren’t sure what had happened, but we were afraid they’d caught the prime minister. Thankfully, that isn’t what happened.”

“They were probably contacted by the thug on the bike who was chasing us,” I said. “He was definitely in need of a little rescuing.”

Rangi shrugged. “Whatever the case, we waited to see if they would come back. But they never did. So, I sent the security guys home to get some rest and look after their families. I stayed here watching the farmhouse, hanging out in the outbuildings, and taking food from the fridge and pantry. I couldn’t go home, as I was sure they’d be looking for me by that point, so this was as safe a spot as any.”

“Why didn’t you let the prime minister know you were okay?” I asked.

“I no longer had any way to reach her,” Rangi said, spreading out his hands. “She changed up phones, using borrowed and burner ones to protect her and her family’s location. I asked my team to see if they could track her down from their colleagues. I finally reached her about an hour and a half ago and updated her on my situation. To my surprise, she called me back about thirty minutes ago and told me you were on the way back here to the farmhouse. I remained hidden until you arrived and had an opportunity to look around. I just wanted to make sure no one had followed you.”

“I knew it!” I exclaimed. “I felt like I was being watched.”

“Sorry about that,” Rangi said. “I didn’t mean to spook you. After I was convinced you’d arrived here unaccompanied by any unwelcome parties, I called Petra back to tell her you’d made it safely. She informed me she is on her way here, too. Apparently, a lot has happened that I don’t know about.”

“A lot,” I confirmed.

“How did you get into the house?” Slash asked. “I locked all the doors and windows.”

Rangi reached into his pocket and held up the key. “The old-fashioned way. The prime minister gave me the key before she left.”

“How many of the security team are with you?” Slash asked.

“Four, including me,” Rangi replied. “None of us were apprehended.”

“Well, that’s good news for a change,” Slash said. “We’ll need all the people we can get.”

“For what?” Rangi asked. “Look, you’ve got to catch me up. Why are you coming back here? Why is the prime minister coming back here? What’s going on?”

“We’re implementing a plan to help the prime minister,” I said. “We needed a stable and decent Wi-Fi and internet connection, so we came back. We figured no one would expect us to return to a place they’d already raided. But before we go any farther, we’re absolutely starving. Want to join us in the kitchen for something to eat?”

“I’d be delighted,” Rangi said.

We moved from the office to the kitchen. I heated up a couple cans of soup while Rangi laid out some crackers and cheese, and Slash topped off our coffees.

Once the food and drink were on the table, we quickly brought Rangi up to speed on what had happened since the escape from the farmhouse. Rangi was shocked to hear Slash had been taken prisoner by Jiang Shi and what had transpired within the compound.

“So, Liko Maivia has been in on this from the beginning,” Rangi fumed, his expression darkening. “I knew it. He sold out the Cook Islands for money and power.”

“A tale as old as time,” I said, biting into a cracker. “Though given his character, I’m almost convinced it was as much for recognition as power. There’s nothing about him that asserts power or control. I think he’s comfortable being told what to do. It means he has to think less.”

“He has no moral compass, no loyalty,” Rangi said. “I will ensure he is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

“As long as you leave Jiang Shi to me.” Slash finished his soup and pushed the bowl aside. “If you can, Rangi, recall your security team. We’re going to need them to help with our plan, which we’ll explain to you in detail once the prime minister gets here. In the meantime, can you keep an eye on the perimeter and let Petra and the others in when she arrives? Lexi and I have work to do in the office.”

Rangi stood, pulling out his phone. “Will do.” He stepped out of the room to make the calls and head outside.

Slash and I cleaned up the kitchen and returned to the office to work. We’d been at it for about forty-five minutes when we heard a noise at the back door. Slash went out to see who it was while I continued to work.

“It’s Petra and the others,” Slash said, coming back a few minutes later. “They made it here safely. The kids are headed upstairs to watch television, and Petra, Henry, Manny, and Rangi are waiting for us in the kitchen to strategize.”

“Give me a minute and I’ll be there,” I said.

I set a few routines in motion and left the laptops running, returning with Slash to the kitchen. A couple more chairs had been added to the table and someone had started brewing more coffee and heating up water for tea. To my surprise, Petra gave Slash and me big hugs as soon as she saw us.

“Thank God you’re safe,” she said. “I don’t think I could have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you.”

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