The Memorial Day Murders

Chapter 35 : Hunting in the snow

Inside the meeting room at Uncle William's cabin on the Alps James and I leaned against the walls as grand-uncle Frank introduced himself to the confused crowd. Still, he is aware of our mission after reading the file his son has given me. People might know that he owns a company specializing in manufacturing luxury watches but Frank Von Accola is also a well-connected man. "This suppressor is a new product, to be honest." he said, tapping a finger on the photo. "How did you get a hold of this?" 

"We didn't sir." James said. "It was used in a homicide case, one of the British veterans serving in the war in Afghanistan."

"No wonder this isn't any kind of model I've seen on the market." Jay said. "But I do know is a Swiss creation." 

"In what way?" Gerry asked.

"Easy Gerry, every model has it's own unique serial number. At first this model is unique as it's not shown on the network used by any armed forces or gun sellers in buying weapons for sale, it does make sense now as he explained it earlier." 

"This is one of the twenty new products that was sold when it was released last month." he added. "Only twenty of these are produced."

"No more?" I asked.

"No." he said. "They stopped production after manufacturing the batch."

"The last transaction on his account was the purchase of this suppressor." I say. "But I'm still working out on who is the one paying the hitman."

"Why didn't you ask him yourself?"

"He committed suicide, with a cyanide pill." James replied for me. "That is where we knew that we killed the wrong target that day on the desert."

"What is his background?"

"French soldier, name's Jean Pierre." I said. "Honorably discharged but have PTSD." 

"Anything else?" then my grand-uncle's phone rang, prompting him to answer it but he motioned me something and handed me a bunch of keys. "For the armory." he said in German. Taking the key I waited as he answered the call. "William?" he asked.

"Are they still with you father?" my uncle asked. 

"What is wrong?"

"They're coming up to the cabin, get the kids out. We'll be reaching in an hour." I bolted from the room, running straight towards Uncle Willaim's private study. James, Dom and Gerry all followed me to the study. 

"What just happened? You bolted."

"Dude, the president's on the way and you're asking me what?"

"The president's here?" asked Timothy, also entering the room. "Man, I know something's gonna go wrong."

"And we have two chances, either the panic room or I think we could be using." pulling down a blue book the bookcases slid open, revealing a room containing weapons and ammunitions.

"Sweet!" Dom jumped. 

"You might be, but fight or flight." I say. "As much as I hate to do, letting them find us is our last choice."

"We agree on that." Jay said. "We got the suppressor but then... we basically have no more leads."

An hour later

"How can you even sit on a tree branch?" Dom asked me.

"I'm not sitting on the branch for long, it's gonna snap somehow." I replied, perching on the branch while looking through a pair of binoculars. "No sign of target."

"Seriously madam, just get down from there." said a worried Timothy. 

"It's been an hour since you guys went down there. Anything?" Jay asked, through the earpiece we used to stay connected. 

"Isa's perched up on a freaking branch Jay!" Gerry said.

"Uh... you're doing that." he said.

"Still nothing Jay." I responded. Jay was right, Gerry is also perched on a branch but he chose a sturdy one in case he fell which is just a few steps away. Dom and James are on the lookout as well but hiding below the snow, only pairs of binoculars peeking out from the sheet of snow. 

"Contact!" Timothy shouted. Groaning Gerry brought up his pair of binoculars and glanced as another cable car makes it's climb up the hill. I climbed down from the tree and joined him.

"What did you see?" I asked him.

"Just that cable car." he replied. The five of us saw the cable car but remained blended in the snow because of our winter gear and the dense trees provided us cover. Shouldering our rifles we waited in the snow as the cable car passed by our location. Using my binoculars I focused my sights on the cable car to have a closer look. The air on the Alps is chilling at best, a minimum of 20 degree celsius. But high up on the Alps also has it's drawbacks, them being the strong wind and snow. I stepped out to have closer look. The heat vision of the binoculars revealed eight individuals, which I doubted that they are armed. Jay, Jefferson and Olivia volunteered to stay behind to prepare for emergency situations that could require us to withdraw. "What did you see ma'am?"

"Eight individuals, I doubt that they were armed." I said, lowering the binoculars. "Let's go." before we can start to move we heard a branch snap and Gerry fell on top of a pile of snow. "You said that the branch is sturdy." I told him. Dom and James emerged from the snow and glanced at Gerry, now awkwardly slumped on top of the snow.

"You okay?" Dom asked, extending a gloved hand. 

"I'm fine, but it's cold." he said. Timothy flanked my side as we begin our climb upwards. Our white winter gear kept us camouflaged as we hiked up. The trek is dangerous but we managed to catch up with the cable car, hiding in plain sight. As the cable car entered the station we ducked into the security office which was empty "Olivia, do you copy?"

"Copy, what's wrong?"

"Go and hide, we detected eight individuals onboard the cable car."

"Roger that, let's move." she said. Pushing open the door we climbed the stairs, our rifles' fire selector flicked from safe to semi-automatic fire. 

"Go quiet or go loud Isa?" Dom whispered.

"Quiet, can't risk to scare the unknown eight." I said, taking the lead. The Secret Service agent flanked my back while the three men filled the rear position. Putting my finger against my lip I signalled them to cover the doorway and went into the cabin with James. 

"It's empty." I heard my father's voice. "Are you sure they're here?"

"Their SUVs are here, I'm sure." my uncle's voice was heard, but not Uncle William. 

"Did they just teleport away with some device?" Uncle William asked. 

"Not quite ese." I said coldly. Everybody, except Uncle William, whirled to see me and James standing behind them, holding M4 carbine rifles. The three men then joined us, rifles in hand.