Gonzales was loaded onto the helicopter, and the Little Bird lifted off as the first units of the NOPD were making their way to the scene. The incident would remain an official mystery with its own PR story for the press.
The lid was off Bellicose Dawn.
CHAPTER SIX
Gary Manning used his key card override on the door. The electronic indicator light flashed red, then amber, then green. The automatic lock snapped back with an audible click, and he turned the lever handle. The door swung open under his touch then stopped as the chain caught.
Manning growled like a bear and put his shoulder to the door. The chain popped loose with a sharp sound and the door flew open. Hawkins rushed in, his silenced pistol up and ready.
He used the weight of his body to keep the door to the hotel room open as Encizo rushed into the room hard on his heels. Manning followed.
Phoenix Force stopped and stared.
Her rubber dress pushed up above her thighs, Bellucci straddled the nude al-Shalaan like a cowgirl on her pony. In one hand she held the end of a corded rope fashioned into a choker around the Arab powerbrokerâs neck. With her other she used a riding crop to urge the hopping man into continued motion. From the welts and livid red marks on the manâs buttocks the dominatrix had not been shy about using the whip.
With each buck Bellucci hopped, causing her augmented breasts to bounce wildly. Al-Shalaan was barking something as the woman struck him. Phoenix Forceâs dynamic entry caused the pair to snap their heads around in shock.
Bellucci screamed as she saw the men rush in. Al-Shalaan threw himself straight to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut against the vision of four sound suppressors bearing down on him.
Manning blinked, stunned by the incredulous imagery before him, then training took over and put his conscious mind in the passenger seat.
âFreeze!â he shouted in French. Then added, âSecure the room.â
Hawkins and Encizo immediately stood and pushed deeper into the suite, methodically clearing the room as James rushed toward the intertwined sex partners under the unwavering cover of Manningâs pistol.
âDonât shoot!â the woman shrieked in terror, using French as Manning had.
âStay down!â James snapped, and shoved her clear of al-Shalaan.
The featherweight woman tumbled off her partnerâs back and slid across the marble tile of the floor. Her riding crop went spinning away. She curled into a terrified ball. James slid his pistol back into its shoulder holster and reached down with his free hand to snatch the loose end of the rope wound around al-Shalaanâs neck.
He jerked the man to his feet, pulled the auto-injector clear and jabbed it into the side of the terrorist facilitatorâs neck. A second dose went straight into the manâs bloodstream. James shoved the man against the wall and let him slide to the ground.
âYou want to dose the woman?â he asked Manning.
âClear!â Encizo and Hawkins called in French from deeper inside the room.
âYeah,â Manning answered.
The Canadian holstered his pistol as Encizo and Hawkins came back into the entranceway. Drawing his auto-injector, he moved toward the cowering prostitute. She tried to scramble away from him, but he was too quick and too strong for her. He pinned her against the bar. Her arm swung desperately, knocking a tumbler of ice and gin to the ground where it exploded into glass shards with a pop like a gunshot.
âIâm sorry, this wonât hurt,â Manning said in French, finding manhandling the woman a distasteful task.
Mission first.
He leaned his weight against her body and applied the auto-injector into the soft, smooth flesh of her neck. The womanâs heart was racing in terror, and the drug affected her almost instantaneously. He lowered her to the floor, avoiding the spilled liquor and broken glass.
Manning rose and surveyed the scene. James was using a tactical folding knife to cut the ropes from around the neck of the unconscious al-Shalaan. Hawkins was quickly shoving the Saudi princeâs attaché case, cell phone and laptop into a black nylon gym bag. Coming across the manâs suit jacket lying on the floor, the Southerner lifted the manâs leather wallet from the inside pocket and threw that in, as well.
Encizo was at the open door, scanning the hallway for witnesses and bystanders while covering the slumped bodies of the guards. He had collected guns from every man and dropped them inside a waist-high ceramic vase set beside the entrance to the room. Manning was satisfied that the operation was unfolding as smoothly as could be expected.
âWeâve picked up our uncle and weâre coming home,â he said into his throat mike.
âCopy,â McCarter and Price echoed.
âGet the wheelchair,â Manning said to Encizo.
Encizo disappeared around the edge of the door as he darted down the hall. Manning turned and crossed the roomâs foyer to help James hoist al-Shalaanâs limp body off the floor. Behind them Hawkins had methodically made his way around to the womanâs purse, dumping the contents out onto the bar.
He let out a long low whistle as he shifted through the mess. âJeez, how much drugs does this woman have?â He shook his head as he pulled up the menu on her phone and read some numbers, quickly scanning for prefixes that might be important. âNothing.â
âYou got everything?â Manning asked.
âYeah. All we have time for. I havenât found the room safe, but it wasnât on our op plan anyway.â
âLetâs go,â James said.
Encizo came back into the room, pushing the wheelchair ahead of him. Without preamble James and Manning slung the unconscious body of al-Shalaan into the seat. The big Canadian stacked the manâs loose clothing on his naked lap. This was a discreet hotel. If a VIP was being escorted dead drunk and naked to a waiting car by his entourage, then it was best not to make the situation hotel business.
Phoenix Force moved out of the room and passed the sprawled bodies of al-Shalaanâs guards. They turned down the hallway opposite the elevator bank. They moved quickly in a quintessential VIP protection pattern.
âLetâs go, guys,â McCarter said in the earjack. âThe valet is giving me grief.â
âPay him off, we donât need the heat. The package is naked.â
âWhose fault is that? Just hurry. This fussy little man out here has numbered days if he blows that goddamn whistle at me one more time,â the ex-SAS commando said.
âI believe him. Weâd better get moving,â Manning said.
âItâs nice to know cooler heads prevail,â James muttered.
Phoenix Force reached the end of the hall and opened a door set off to the right of the stair access entrance. They stepped into an Employees Only area where the hotel maids kept their cleaning carts and the bellhops cached folding trays for room service. A freight elevator stood to one side of the long, narrow staging area.
They moved quickly to the elevator, and Manning pulled a firefighter override key from his pocket and called the lift straight to the floor.
The elevator door opened with a pneumatic hiss and Encizo pushed the wheelchair inside.
McCarterâs voice came over the com link. âIâve