Page 114 of No Regrets

“Sorry to interrupt, but we got something,” Kelly shouted across at them.

They were all up and out of their seats gathering in front of the screens.

“Mira was able to enhance this sticker image enough that we could see this.” She pointed to what looked like a shield shape on the screen. “Anyone recognize it?” Dex glanced at the rest of the team, whose blank stares matched his own.

“Jeez, how long you guys lived here? The logo is for San Diego University. Students wanting to park on campus must register their vehicles and display this permit sticker. I had the university send me a list of all permit holders that own a dark Ford, together with their photo ID. There were four.”

She brought them up on the screen.

“Mira just ran them against the images we caught on camera. Number three is the closest match. Meet Inram Rashid, seventeen years old. Studying for a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security.”

Seven sets of eyes turned to her. “Seriously? You all know this is the shit I do for a living.”

“He lives on campus?” Dex asked quietly, his face grim, his eyes fixed on the photo, something looked oddly familiar about him.

“No. He lives with another student off campus. And yes, I have the address. Fifteen minutes away.”

Dex looked across at Sam, waiting for confirmation.

“The only reason I’m letting you go is because he’s threatening us personally. I’ll get it cleared. Bring him in quietly. Do not raise any attention from local PD. Go.”

The team took two SUVs. To keep it low key, the guys did not gear up, instead carrying handguns under their civvies, just in case things went to shit. One seventeen-year-old against six of them. The kid didn’t stand a chance.

Choosing to take the stairs, Dex and Ryan reached apartment 402 in minutes. Dex knocked. No peephole, that was a stroke of luck.

“Open up. There’s a gas leak in the building. We need to evacuate.”

They waited. Nothing.

He knocked again. “Hey, open up, you need to leave the building now.” The door didn’t open, but there was movement on the other side.

“Someone’s in there,” he whispered.

Dex went to knock again but the door opened. A kid with a beard stood there. Not Rashid.

“Where’s Rashid?” Dex growled. The kid stepped back, looking petrified. Ryan nudged Dex and pointed into the room.

“Open window.”

Dex pushed past the kid and leaned out.

“Son of a bitch. Tyler, he’s coming down the fire escape.” Dex said into coms as he climbed out the window followed closely by Ryan. He would love to just shoot the fucker in the leg, but Sam would have his balls. Again. They ran down after him, Tyler and Mackie were already running towards the bottom. Dex saw the moment Rashid realized he was cornered. He froze, just one set of stairs away from the ground. Yeah asshole, no way up, no way down.

Dex moved towards him. The kid was reaching into his pocket. No! No fucking way! He leaped over the last few steps, knocking him to the ground. He was too late. The cyanide pill was already in Rashid’s mouth, his eyes were rolling, body jerking. And then nothing.

“Holy shit.” Ryan crouched down beside him, starting chest compressions. Tyler ran up and checked for a pulse.

“He’s dead, and there’s no way he’s coming back from that.”

Dex stood up, ran his hands over his face. “FUCK!”

“Er, guys, we got another problem.” Mackie’s voice in their ears. Dex looked to where he was pointing from the ground. A couple were wandering down towards them. It didn’t appear they’d noticed anything yet, but they would when they got close. Four big guys and one kid on the ground. It didn’t look good.

“Get rid of them, Mackie,” he snapped.

He tapped his coms. “Base?” He watched Mackie approach the couple, say something, then usher them back the way they had come.

“Yeah, you got him?”

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