The Emperor's Revenge (Oregon Files 11)

“On my way,” Trono replied.

Juan waited until the Russians were out the door, then took Gretchen’s hand and started the pursuit.

TWENTY-TWO

Flashing lights of an ambulance passed them as they sped off from the museum. Trono did a masterful job staying back at a discreet distance while keeping Golov’s car in sight.

Golov traveled only a few blocks before his car came to a stop next to a black SUV. He unrolled his window and handed the white card to someone.

“Who do I follow now?” Trono asked.

“The SUV,” Juan said. “We need to know why they stole that card.”

The SUV drove on and separated from Golov’s car. It arrived at a gate outside a modern warehouse surrounded by a chain-link fence.

Trono turned the corner and pulled over so that the SUV was still in view.

The gate’s barrier was already raised and the SUV drove through and stopped next to a door. After a minute, two large men, an Indian and a redhead, got out, clad in black pants and sweaters, and pulled ski masks over their faces. The Indian swiped the card at the reader and they slipped through the door, which closed behind them.

“That’s the museum’s warehouse,” Trono said.

“Now we know why they drugged Talavera,” Gretchen said. “Do you think all these people are working with ShadowFoe? Or that this woman is ShadowFoe?”

“Only one way to find out,” Juan said.

“Are we going to wait for them out here?”

“We can’t. If they’re after the diary and ShadowFoe realizes that Erion Kula was compromised, they may destroy it inside the warehouse after they get the info they need. Mike, we’ll take those weapons now.”

Trono reached under the front seat and removed two Glock 9mm semiautomatics, a pair of sound suppressors, and four spare magazines. Juan and Gretchen each took a pistol and spare ammo. Juan tucked his into his waistband and Gretchen put h

ers into her purse.

“MacD, do you read me?” Juan said.

“Five by five.”

“Come pick up Mike. We may need you two for a quick evac from the warehouse, depending on what we find in there.”

“Ah’ll be there in fifteen seconds.”

“We’ll leave the car here,” Juan told Trono. “Keys?”

Trono handed them over and they all got out of the car. “Radio the Oregon and tell Gomez to bring the chopper back now. I’m guessing we’ll be needing to get off the island soon.”

“Chairman, you sure you don’t want me and MacD to go into the warehouse with you?” Trono asked.

“I’d rather have you watching our backs out here. But I’ll push the panic button if I want you to come running.”

A blue and white police car rounded the corner and came to a stop next to them. The driver rolled down the window.

“Am Ah going to have to arrest y’all for loitering?” MacD drawled. His uniform was an impeccable copy of Malta Police Force issue, thanks to Kevin Nixon’s handiwork. His Maltese accent, however, needed a lot of work.

“You better worry about yourself,” Juan said. “You’ll get thrown in the pokey for grand theft auto.”

“Nah. It was in the maintenance depot. They don’t even know it’s missing.” He looked at Trono. “Ah’ve got your uniform in the backseat.”

“We’ll keep our ears open,” Trono said before getting in the boosted police car. They drove away, and Juan and Gretchen walked toward the warehouse gate.