A middle-aged man in a business suit approached. “You can drop your hands.” He took Niko’s elbow. “Follow me.” He walked away from the house.
Niko glanced at Vyper, who was walking behind them, accompanied by a young woman dressed in a jogger’s outfit. He stepped on a stone in his bare feet. “Do I have time to get my sneakers?”
“Just watch your feet until we get in the helicopter. We’ll get you some shoes later.”
“Helicopter? What’s going on? Where are we going? Who are you?” Niko tried to see beyond the bright lights. Something large was sitting in the field across the street.
The man slowed his walk. “You can call me Mister Smith. You’re not safe here. We’re taking you where we can protect you.”
The faint outline of a large vehicle appeared when they reached the street. As they walked closer, Niko saw a small commercial helicopter, silver and black, no markings.
He looked at the man who called himself Smith. “Are you FBI? Do you know who tried to kill us?”
“We’ll debrief you after our flight.” He opened the door to the chopper and stood to the side. “Get in. Watch your step.”
The vehicle was on runners, like a sled. A bar parallel to the ground acted as a step. Niko cautiously set one foot on it before entering. The inside looked like the seating area for a small corporate jet, a pair of seats facing forward and a pair facing the opposite direction.
Vyper got in next and took the seat beside him. She took his hand. “Do you trust these men?”
The engine started, and the blades began to turn, making enough noise to drown out normal conversation.
Niko leaned in close and kissed Vyper. He raised his voice. “Everything’ll be fine.”
I hope.
Chapter 23
Secrets
Niko peered out the helicopter window at the ground below, dimly illuminated by a crescent moon. He held Vyper’s hand and looked into her questioning eyes, but he had no answers. All he could do was shrug his shoulders.
Who are these people? Where are we going? Are we in danger?
His mind raced through the clues. The people who attacked the house could have been Russians. Mister Smith and the others arrived after their call for help to Homeland. They probably stopped the Russians. Then someone called them on the bat phone.
These have to be the good guys.
During the shooting outside Vyper’s home, someone with a bullhorn had identified themselves as the FBI. But Mister Smith didn’t act like someone in the FBI. And why did he use a fake name?
The helicopter took a turn. The pitch of the engine changed. Niko spotted a body of water ahead, maybe a river. The chopper headed down, but the land below was all forest.
They landed on a circular concrete pad in the center of a clearing. The engine noise faded into the background. Niko unfastened his seat belt. “We’re here. Wherever that is.”
Vyper nodded her head toward the flight deck. “We have company.”
Smith walked up to them. “A driver will be here shortly to take you to your temporary home. I’ll see you in a few hours.” He opened the door and left the chopper.
Niko shook his head. “Talkative guy. Looks like answers will have to wait.”
Vyper wrapped her arm around his. “Do you really think we are safe?” She laid her head on his shoulder.
He moved his mouth close to whisper in her ear. “I don’t trust them, but I believe we’re safe for now. Let’s try to make the most out of it until we learn more.”
A young man, not much older than Niko, walked through the open door. His hair was trimmed closely, and he wore a dark business suit. “I’m your driver. Follow me.” He turned and left the chopper.
Niko stood and took Vyper’s hand, leading her outside.
The man stood beside a dark SUV and helped Vyper and Niko into the back seat before getting into the front.
Niko peered through the narrow opening separating the front seat from the back of the vehicle. “Where are you taking us?”
“Mister Smith will debrief you.” A dark window slid shut, blocking their view of the driver.
These folks took security seriously, and so did Niko. He held a finger to his lips and slid next to Vyper. They rode in silence along a two-lane road through dense woods. With the front view blocked, all they could see were the trees lining both sides of the road.
Ten minutes later, they turned right, driving twenty feet before they stopped. When they pulled forward, they passed iron gates attached to stone pillars, then drove onto a road, or possibly a driveway, surrounded by a manicured lawn, and came to a stop.
The driver slid the back door aside and helped Vyper out of the SUV. Niko slid across the seat and stepped out in front of a four-car garage.
Vyper held his arm.
Behind them, a driveway led from the gate to the car and continued around the side of the garage.
Before Niko could begin to explore, the driver took charge. “Follow me. Stay on the pavement. When we get inside, don’t open any doors. If you encounter anyone, do not speak to them.”
A large stone house appeared around the corner, tall chimneys on either side of the sprawling mansion. A dozen windows dotted the first floor, with a dozen more in dormers above.
The driver walked ahead to a covered entrance and opened a heavy wooden door.
Niko led Vyper into a foyer that looked like it belonged in a modern hotel. A stairway led up to the right, blocked by a “Restricted Access” sign on a chain. Straight ahead, a few wooden seats and bookcases lined the walls along the corridor with a few doors on each side. At the end of the hall, they turned left into another corridor. Halfway down, the driver opened a door on the right and waved his hand toward the entrance.
The two of them stepped inside. The room was large—a combination living room, dining room, and kitchenette.
“Make yourselves at home,” said the driver. “You’ll find fresh clothing in the closet. Don’t leave before Mister Smith arrives.” He turned around and left.
Vyper held a finger to her lips. She took a tour of their new living quarters, Niko at her side. She walked to the window and opened the curtains, revealing a small lawn leading to a wooded area. A door on her left opened to a full bathroom. The door on her right led to two bedrooms, each with a king-sized bed. In one closet, she found two pairs of pants and two blouses that proved to be her size, plus some pants and shirts that would fit Niko, hanging above two pairs of tennis sneakers. Inside a dresser drawer she discovered underwear and socks.
Vyper chose an outfit to wear. “I need a shower.” She kissed Niko and walked away.
Niko figured anything he did on his phone would be monitored, so he checked out the TV and turned on the news before settling into the couch. He thought about Smith and his people. They had been helpful and generous, but they hadn’t shared any information. Worse yet, anything he and Vyper discussed could be recorded. He hadn’t gotten much sleep last night and his eyes were getting heavy. The local news droned on in the background as he dozed off.
Vyper’s kiss woke him up. When he reached out to her, she jumped back, a smile on her face. “No hugs until you take a shower.”
Niko stuck his lip out in a fake smile. “If you insist.” He kissed her, grabbed something to wear, and headed to the bathroom.
The hot water and change of clothes raised his spirits. He was ready to face whatever challenges awaited them.
When he stepped into the living room, Vyper stood and wrapped her arms around him. She turned her head as though to kiss him, then whispered, “We cannot stay here, constantly being watched… listened to. It is creepy.”