Rogue Angel - Footprints Part 78

The voice chuckled. "He's making you do all the legwork now, huh?"

"I guess so. What else are brothers for, huh?"

"You sound different. You okay?"

Annja frowned. d.a.m.n. "Just a cold. Been out in the rain all d.a.m.n night getting the stuff. Now I'm coming down with something."

"Well, we finish up our business maybe we can get a drink."

"Sure."

"It'll be nice to see you again, Sheila."

"Yeah. Gotta go."

Annja disconnected the call. So much for the idea that maybe she could pull this off without anyone knowing about it. If the guy on the other end of the phone knew Sheila and what she looked like, then Annja's plan would be up the moment they saw her.

She took a deep breath and checked her speed. While she doubted any State Police would haul her over, given that she was driving a police vehicle, she had to make sure she didn't chance it. Getting busted with drugs would not help her situation.

Annja navigated her way to the outskirts of the city and then pulled over long enough to check the map again for the directions. Fortunately, they'd been written well and Annja found the signs easily enough. After another twenty minutes of travel, she rolled into the rendezvous site.

She didn't expect anyone to be there yet. She'd told the guy on the phone that she was still forty minutes away to buy herself some time. Getting there first, Annja could check out the environment and see if there was any way she could pull off a successful ambush.

The pickings were slim. She looked around and saw that the meeting place was in the middle of a parking lot at the end of an alley next to a warehouse. The warehouse was long boarded up and shuttered so Annja wouldn't have access to it during the meet.

Just as bad was the fact that the parking lot was wide open from all sides. It would have been tough positioning a sniper at distance for this meet, let alone finding a way to handle the group who were no doubt already on their way.

Great, she thought. What am I going to do now?

Another burst of rain opened up on the car and the water fell down so hard that it drummed a steady rhythm onto the roof of the Tahoe. Annja was glad she wasn't out in the rain.

But it did give her an idea.

She would have to stay inside the truck until the last possible second. Once her contacts arrived, they wouldn't be able to see inside the car because of the rain-streaked windows. They wouldn't know who she was until she got out.

So she would have to throw herself out of the truck and come up attacking them as they arrived.

It was the only way.

If she could get to them before they all got out of their cars, then she'd have a fighting chance. But if she messed up and they were all out, they could simply mow her down as she came at them.

It was not what she had in mind when she'd decided to follow this trail to the end. She realized she hadn't had anything in mind other than doing something. something.

The timing would be critical.

The cell phone chirped and Annja put it up to her ear. "Yeah?"

"It's me. We're five minutes out. You there?"

"Just got here. It's pouring down."

"I know."

"How do you want to do this? You want to come to me or you want me to come to you?"

She heard the chuckle in her ear. "I'll come to you. I wouldn't want you getting wet. We do the deal and then my guys take the stuff from you while we conclude our paperwork."

"Paperwork. Right."

"See you in five minutes."

The line went dead and Annja stuffed the phone back into the glove compartment. She closed her eyes and saw the sword in her mind's eye, right where it should be.

If he was going to come to her, then that might tip the odds in Annja's favor. She could even hold him hostage.

Maybe.

She frowned. Once they arrived, they'd want to finish things up fast and get out of there. No sense hanging around, waiting for the local cops to cruise by.

A set of lights cut through the darkness.

Annja frowned. Had it already been five minutes? She didn't think so. That meant someone else was arriving.

But who?

She started the engine just in case she needed to get out quickly. The car coming across the parking lot slowed down. Annja couldn't see a thing aside from its lights with all the rain sluicing down.

Is this them?

It couldn't be. What happened if they showed up while this car was there? Would more innocent people be killed?

Maybe it's just a pair of high-school kids looking for a place to make out, she thought. Talk about bad timing.

But then the car turned and headed right for Annja. So much for that, she thought.

The car slowed to a stop and the headlights remained on. Annja licked her lips and steeled herself. She checked the sword again and felt a measure of relief seeing it right where it belonged.

This is going to get messy, she thought.

She heard a car door open and then close. In the rainy night she saw a figure walking over, but he seemed completely unconcerned about the rain that must have been drenching him.

Annja heard the tap on her window and nearly jumped through the roof. She lowered the window just a crack. "Yeah?"

"You going to let me in?"

"Why would I do that?"

A laugh filtered in through the crack in the window. "Because I'm getting soaked standing out here in the d.a.m.n rain, that's why."