Justice at Delphi - The Fall of Sibyl

Chapter 13

What I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.

-Liam Neeson, Taken

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Rico shifted his weight nervously. His eyes watched the empty street below like a hawk. Mason may have been convinced Kogami would go to the warehouse by the docks, but he was not. Kogami wasn't a mindless killer driven by instinct. He was sharp and relentless. In Rico's opinion, that made him more dangerous. Anxiety gnawed at his insides. Jay's paranoia was infectious. The last time they'd gone up against Kogami they'd lost half the team and Mason's compound. While he hadn't been alone, Kogami had been the brains of the operation.

Last time he'd been fighting for a cause. This time...he'd be fighting for a woman. If Kogami fought that hard for his fellow rebels, how hard would he fight for her? Kogami didn't strike him as the kind of man to take mercy on the people who took what was his.

Rico stretched his leg, discretely from his station at the window. There wasn't any serious damage. His ego had taken the brunt of the beating. That tiny girl was tougher than she looked. Figures Kogami would hook up with a woman like that. His eyes strayed to Mason, stewing on the other side of the room. That crazy bastard would sacrifice them all for his damn pride.

Mason scowled furiously at his wrist unit. He'd been in a foul mood since coming out of the back bedroom. If Rico had to guess, Kogami's woman was the reason. Shaking his head, he checked the time. Nearly 3am. Andre and Pierce had been deployed to capture Kogami at the warehouse. While Andre and Pierce were skilled mercenaries, Rico wasn't sure they could handle Kogami. That is...if Kogami even showed up.

Rico had sneaking suspicion if Jay were caught, he'd sing like a canary. It wasn't that Jay couldn't withstand torture. Kogami just terrified him that much. Knowing it was a bad idea, Rico broke the tense silence in the apartment. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Mason's head snapped up, a feral look in his eyes. "Is what a good idea?"

"Capturing him. It would be a lot easier for Pierce to put those sniper skills of his to use and take him out." Rico observed the rabid expression in Mason's eyes. That was not the look of a man in control. If you couldn't keep your head in this business, you were dead.

"Death is too good for him! He has to suffer!" Mason roared.

Rico sighed. "Yes, boss." He had to get out of this outfit before they got him killed.

He was about to check the time again, when the lights suddenly went out. The apartment was plunged into darkness. The tension in the room tripled. Mason cursed. Rico resisted the urge to say I told you so.

"Go check it out!" Mason snapped.

Rico grit his teeth. The fuse box in an old building like this one was probably in the basement. An unfamiliar, dark, enclosed space. Terrific. That's not a trap at all. Shoving a few extra clips into his utility vest, Rico drew his 9mm and exited the apartment. Moving silently, he descended the stairs to the ground floor. His eyes swept the shadows, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Unusual sounds, smells, or movement.

Nothing.

The door to the basement was at the end of a long hall. He moved lightly, careful to avoid the squeaky floor boards. His heart hammered in his chest. His mouth had gone dry. Standing to the side of the door, Rico took a deep breath. Counting to three silently, he twisted the knob and shoved open the door. He stood back, ready to blow away anything that emerged from the basement.