She kicked the unknown attacker in the testicles from behind. The blow bent him over. From her back, Yana jabbed at his throat. The quick shot was enough to make him stagger away toward the bathroom. Zahra shuffled over to her fallen sister, grasping her neck with one hand. She helped Yana to her feet with her free hand, using what little strength she could muster. Both women steadied the other, then charged the bigger man as a pair.
They went high, shouldering into his chest. The trio continued into the bathroom and into the shower. The same tile that had concussed Zahra cracked beneath his weight as he struck it. He rebounded off the wall and fell toward Zahra and Yana. His mass was too much for the injured pair, and all three fell to the floor of the tight bathroom. He was half out of it, which was still half too much for Zahra’s liking.
Yana must have felt the same way.
She snaked out from beneath him, grabbed a towel, and wound it up tight. She gripped it in both hands and did her best hitman impersonation and wrapped the makeshift garrote wire around the man’s neck.
He fought back and got up on his knees, shouting at them in German.
“You will not find the Underworld! You will die before—”
Zahra sat up and punched him in the stomach.
His air left him, as did his words. His retaliation dwindled.
For good measure, Yana yanked his head to the right and slammed it into the corner of the sink. The big man crumpled to the floor, crushing Zahra beneath his girth.
“Ugh,” Zahra moaned. “Coulda gone without that.” She looked up at Yana. “Little help?”
Yana pulled Zahra out from beneath the hulk and helped her up. Both women were bleeding from small cuts. Zahra had fared much worse. It hurt to speak and to swallow.
“What the hell was that about?” Yana asked. “Was he speaking German?”
Zahra nodded. “Yeah,” she rasped. “He said something about not finding the Underworld?”
“The Underworld?”
Zahra shrugged. “That’s what he said.” She took a deep breath. “Someone is trying to stop us.”
Yana snorted. “You think?”
Zahra shot the Russian a quick, annoyed glance. “The Germans?”
Yana was still holding Zahra’s arm, and she was thankful for that.
“Could be,” Yana replied. “We are investigating a Nazi U-boat, yes?”
“Yeah, but Nazis? Today?”
Yana led her into the main room. “I didn’t say anything about Nazis. Could just be another German-based group.”
Zahra gently prodded at her throat. “Let’s hope that’s the case. Fighting modern-day Nazis is not what I had in mind when I took this gig.”
“Ditto.”
Zahra sat on her bed. “What about him?”
A grin formed on Yana’s face. “Leave him to me.”
Chapter 11
Zahra
Zahra and Yana moved over to the Russian’s room and called Eddy. Both women held ice water-soaked washcloths to various parts of their bodies in an attempt to stem the swelling. Zahra’s throat was raw, and it still hurt to swallow. Her voice was slowly returning, and fortunately, the bruising had not set in yet.
“This isn’t good, Zahra.”
“You’re telling me…” Zahra and Yana sat at a small table in the corner of the room. Zahra’s phone was on speaker, so neither woman would have to hold it. She gently touched her neck. “Pretty sure I’m going to bruise. Gonna need to pick up a couple turtlenecks.”
“Where is he now?”
“Back in my room. He’s subdued and gagged, so we can question him later. No one will be finding him for at least a few more hours.”
Yana had stripped the man naked and tied his appendages to the corners of the bed. She had also stuffed a hand towel in his mouth and hung the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door handle. Checkout was at 11:00 a.m. Zahra gazed down at her watch and saw that it was barely eight. They had plenty of time to finish getting changed and head to the airport. Zahra currently wore only jeans and a sports bra.
“Is Yana with you?”
“Yes, I’m here,” Yana replied. She stopped tying her shoe and sat up straight. “Hello again, Eddy.”
“Yana, I need your opinion.” The two operatives glanced at one another. “Is Zahra in good enough shape to continue this op?”
Zahra cut in before Yana could answer. “Eddy, I—”
“Sorry, Zahra, but I need an outside opinion. I’m not risking your health or the mission.”
Zahra sat back and slid down in her chair. “Copy that.” She gently applied the ice-cold towel to her neck and listened.
“Yana?”
Yana eyed Zahra, then stared through her as she thought. “I believe she is okay.” She gave Zahra a wink. “Nothing a little vodka can’t fix.”
Zahra leaned in close to her phone. “Eddy, really, I’m fine.”
Both women could hear Eddy mumbling to herself. “Okay, Zahra, continue the mission. I’ll do some digging on this ‘Underworld’ and what it relates to Germany, past and present.”
“What about the guy in my room?” Zahra asked.
“Don’t worry about him,” Eddy replied. “I’ll place an anonymous call and add something spicy. Sadly, I can’t do anything to get him locked up for very long, not without potentially exposing ourselves.”
“Still, it’s something,” Yana added.
“Yeah,” Zahra agreed. “Plus, it’ll tell his people that we’re on to them and that we’re capable of defending ourselves.”
“What if they send more men?” Eddy’s question was a valid one.
“Well,” Zahra started, glancing at her partner, “let’s hope they aren’t overly fond of the cold.”
Chapter 12
Otto
An hour ago, Bruno had been arrested for destruction of property and indecent exposure. He’d been subdued by his targets, stripped of his clothing, and tied to the bed frame. Sometime between that and his subsequent arrest, the front desk had been called, and a maid had walked in on him spread eagle and smelling of vodka.
“Very clever of them,” Commander Vogel said. “I must admit, I admire their ingenuity.”
Otto didn’t share his superior’s sentiments. He and Bruno had been partners in the Patagonia region of South America for over a year now and had become decent enough friends. The German duo spoke Spanish fluently. Otto had been engrained in the Punta Arenas community for three years now, running a construction company with ties to an investment firm out of Berlin.
The Sixth Seal kept a close watch on cities with major international airports. Punta Arenas was a special case. Like Christchurch, New Zealand, Punta Arenas regularly supplied flights to Antarctica. Both metropolises were heavy with a Sixth Seal presence for that reason. They also kept their ear to the ground within the world’s intelligence communities. It was how they had heard of the women’s mission in the first place, though no one could find any information on the organization responsible.
They must be new, Otto had thought. He’d been involved in the Sixth Seal spy network for fifteen years. He knew all the major players. Whoever this organization was, they must have been relatively fresh.
“What do we do with Bruno?” Otto asked. He currently sat in his car outside the airport, watching flights come in and out.
“Leave him. Let him rot for a little longer. It will teach him to do his job.”