Roman pressed the headset button again. “Hank. They’re starting to head your way. Keep everyone as concealed as possible and wait for my signal.”
“Got it. We’re ready for your signal.”
They had discussed three different options they thought were viable, but it was up to Roman to tell them when to implement.
“All right, then,” the man holding Leslie said. “We’re gonna move. But I’m hooked into all my drivers, and they’ll tell me if you try any funny stuff.”
The driver put the truck back in gear and eased out onto the road. Three more trucks moved out behind them. They proceeded down the road at a snail’s pace, but once the last vehicle in this group disappeared around the curve, Roman grabbed his motorcycle, pulled it up to the road, kicked the engine on, and took off going the other way. Those trucks would be moving slowly, running with no lights, and his bike was fast enough to overtake them.
He was pushing it faster than he should, but he was short on time, and he couldn’t lose any of it for this to work. At breakneck speed, he crested the mountain and headed down the other side. Like the trucks, to avoid detection, he was running without lights. He just hoped he didn’t kill himself before he got the job done.
He was racing downhill when he spotted the trucks rounding a curve and heading for a narrow exit road that poked away from the main one. He dumped his motorcycle, barely getting the motor shut off, and sped down behind the clumps of brushy growth until he was behind the first truck. He took a moment to see that the man still held a gun to Leslie’s head before rounding the vehicle and pulling himself up at the rear.
Careful. Very careful here.
Gently, he inched his way to the cab until he was at the window. This was going to be tricky, but he could do it. The man holding Leslie was focused, looking straight ahead, so it wasn’t until Roman used his gun to smash the window that he turned and saw Roman’s face. By that time it, was too late. Roman smacked his gun down on the man’s wrist, an action he’d done enough times previously that the danger was past before the man even realized what had happened. Roman cocked his gun on the man’s temple then pointed it at the driver.
“Stop the truck,” he ordered. “And radio the other drivers to do the same.”
“You can’t take on all of us,” the man snarled.
“Oh yeah? Watch me?”
Part of Hank’s group that had been waiting at that spot rose from where they were concealed. One of them yanked the driver’s door open and pulled him out of his seat. That allowed Roman to grab Leslie and haul her to safety while someone took care of the man who’d been holding the gun on her.
He held her against him, soothing her, trying to calm her.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “You’re safe now. It’s okay.”
He murmured it over and over, until she stopped shaking and her breathing evened out.
“I was sure he was going to kill me,” she told him in a soft voice.
“Couldn’t let that happen,” he assured her. “Beck would do the killing, and I’d be the body.”
He sat on the running board, holding her, while Hank’s people drove the trucks off onto the side road and shackled the drivers and the other men in the cabs. Then Hank was beside him.
“We’ll get the rest of them, too,” he assured Roman. “Your people are all set to grab the last of the trucks when they roll out?”
“They are. The guy in the first truck told me they’re spaced about fifteen minutes apart. But I figure when they don’t get whatever signal they were waiting for from their head guy to move, they’ll stay out. That means an incursion into the cave, so hold on.” He pressed the button on his headset. “Dean? We’ve got the lead vehicles, so the rest of it is a go. Move before they close that cave door.”
“They know what to do?” Hank asked.
Roman grinned. “That’s not a real question, right?”
Hank chuckled. “Forget I asked.”
They had discussed and tried to plan for every eventuality. In case the lead truck was supposed to signal the others that everything was okay, Roman’s group was to get into the cave and disarm and disable the others.
He pressed the button on the headphone again.
“Beck? Switch to the single-channel. I have someone here who wants to say hello.”
“Beck?” Leslie’s voice was stronger than he expected. “Beck, I’m okay.”
“Oh, thank god.” Beck almost sounded in tears. “I have to thank Roman for saving your ass. You’re not hurt or anything, right?”
“I’m fine. Dirty, and my ass hurts from sitting on a concrete floor for hours but otherwise okay.”
“Good. Good. Very good.” Pause. “When I see you, I’m giving you the biggest hug in the world. Then I’m going to beat that ass for taking off like that and worrying the hell out of me.”
“And I’ll let you do it.” Leslie giggled. “No more solo adventures for me.”
It took a long time to wrap everything up. Hank told Roman he was calling his friend in Washington at the FBI to tell him to come and collect the trash.
“He said he’ll be here in an hour. They’re using helicopters. I sent him a picture of the flat place where they can land. They’ll bundle them up and cart them away. He’s also bringing people to clear out that cave and see what’s in there that can be useful.”
“Like all those explosives?” Roman joked.
“Yeah, well, they’re loading up a couple of those mammoth Sikorsky CH-53K helos to bring qualified drivers to ferry the trucks back to DC. They’ll probably take them right to Joint Base Andrews and decide there what to do with them.”
“Good. The faster we get them out of here, the better.” He blew out a breath. “I need to get back to the other side where Beck is. I’m gonna grab my bike and head over there.”
“No problem. We’ve got everything under control. I’ll wrap it up here and then I think we’ll all need some sleep.”
Roman barked a laugh. “No shit.”
“I’m calling a meeting for noon tomorrow at the exercise site. I hope to have more details about the target site then and any other pertinent information.” He grinned at Roman. “And I will be making an announcement about Beck and her friends, too.”
“You bringing them in?”
“Come to the meeting and find out. Meanwhile, go get your lady.”