Beneath the Ashes, He Rose

Chapter 7: Victoria’s Price

The tavern on Capitol Hill smelled like desperation, cigar ash, and bourbon.  Over worn wood, neon beer signs buzzed.  Victoria Langford, her silk blouse unbuttoned and one step beyond professional, slid onto a stool.  Her red sole flashed warningly as she crossed her legs.

With his Senate badge gleaming and his tie relaxed, Michael Richards sipped whiskey at the end of the counter.  Soft in the middle, eyes already hazy, mid-forties.

Victoria's breath warmed his ear as she leaned in close.  "Senator, buy a drink for a girl?"

His focus sharpened as he blinked.  "Am I acquainted with you?"

"You'll."  She gave the bartender a signal.  Two things that he is consuming.  top shelf.

Michael's eyes shifted to her throat's hollow.  "You are not employees."

"Consultant."  She clattered her glass on his.  "To power."

He took a deep breath.  “What sort of consulting?”

"The type that keeps young girls alive."  She went down his sleeve with a fingernail.  Mira Harrington.  Do you recognize this?

He froze his hand on the glass.  "Who are you in the hell?"

"A person who is aware that you stole $5 million from Benjamin's war chest."  After taking out her phone, she pressed play.  The speaker let out his own voice, which had been taped two nights prior and featured slurred numbers and offshore accounts.

Michael went pale.  "Switch that off."

Victoria put the phone in her pocket.  "First, coordinates.  Next, we remove.

He looked about, perspiring.  "A safe haven.  Anacostia's old textile factory.  She's in the basement with Harrison.  sedative.

Her lips touched his earlobe as she drew closer.  "Well done, boy."

Her slow, deliberate, lipstick-laced, paralytic kiss was poison.  Michael's eyes rolled back after widening.  His forehead struck the bar as he sagged downward.

Victoria dropped a fifty and wiped her mouth.  "Dreams of sweetness."

Entering the alley, she called Alexander.  "Textile mill."  The basement.  Harrison is erratic.

"Copy," he said in a strained voice.  "Grayson is on his way."

Forward the file.  loyalty was purchased.  She sent Michael's confession along.  "Either I disappear with the girl, or ten million dollars are wired by dawn."

Alexander's chuckle was cold.  “When Mira is in my arms, you will be paid.”

Victoria clicked her heels toward her Jaguar and hung up.  Behind her, headlights blazed.  One of the black Suburbans screamed to a stop.

With an AR-15 resting on his lap, Grayson leaned out the window.  "Climb in.  We're running late.

Slipping into the passenger seat, she did so.  "Drive."

Tires kissing curbs, the Suburban blasted past red lights.  On the wheel, Grayson's knuckles turned white.  "Lucy is inside."  Verified.

Victoria examined her small, retouched lip color.  "She'll sing."

They killed the engine and parked two blocks away from the mill.  Broken windows were silvered by moonlight.  Grayson gave her goggles for night vision.  There are four heat signatures displayed by Thermal.  One tiny one.  "Basement."

Victoria repositioned the strap.  "Harrison?"

"The top floor.  smoking while walking the catwalk.

They glided silently across fractured pavement, like shadows.  Grayson used bolt cutters to sever the chain link.  The mill smelled like machine oil and mold.

With bouncing hips, Victoria ascended the stairs first.  With his cigarette blazing, Harrison leaned against the railing.

"Cinder, good evening," she purred.

Startled, he let go of the smoke.  "Vick?  Benjamin claimed that you had passed away.

"Sorries."  Her fingertips followed his collar as she moved closer.  "Where is the child?"

Harrison reached for his knife.  "Basement.  Why?

"Because I'm making money."  She caught the knife mid-draw and gave him a hard knee.  He felt the sword at his throat.  "Keys."

He spewed blood.  "Lucy will always be there for you."

Victoria grinned.  "Observe me."

Grayson kicked in the basement door downstairs.  The wood broke.  Lucy Martin whirled, holding a syringe, while Mira lay motionless on a cot.

"Drop it," growled Grayson.

Lucy's gaze flitted.  "It's too late.  She has been dosed.  Her respiration ceases after ten minutes.

With the knife still at Harrison's throat, Victoria went down the stairs.  "Antidote."

Manic laughter escaped Lucy's lips.  "In my pocket.  However, you'll never,

She was interrupted by Grayson's fist.  With the syringe sliding, she fell to the ground.  He snatched the antidote vial free and zip-tied her wrists.

Mira felt a knot in her chest.  The needle was shoved into her thigh by Grayson.  The girl's eyes fluttered as she gasped.

Harrison was pushed forward by Victoria.  "Open the cage."

He made a mess of the keys.  The lock swung.  Glock lifted as Tatiana rushed through the side door.

"Where is she?"

Mira was raised by Grayson.  "I got her."

Tatiana's knees gave out.  She took her daughter and held her in her arms.  "Mommy is here, baby."

Harrison sprinted toward the staircase.  With a knife to his back, Victoria tripped him.  "Are you going somewhere?"

With his mask pulled up and his scar enraged, Alexander emerged in the doorway.  "Everyone goes cold."

Lucy cried on the ground.  "I once had a son.  He was taken by Benjamin.  claimed that it was collateral.

Death was Alexander's voice.  "Where?"

Encourage the system.  Maryland.  All I wanted was for him to return.

Tatiana had fire in her eyes.  "You bought a ghost with my daughter?"

Lucy shattered her laugh.  "All of us are ghosts."

She was yanked up by Grayson.  "Now, metro tunnel."

They left with Lucy bleeding from her lip, Harrison zip-tied, and Mira in Tatiana's arms.  The Suburban waited.

Alexander got behind the wheel.  Harrison and Victoria slid in behind.  "Drive."

Mira was rocked by Tatiana.  "She is on fire."

Grayson felt her heartbeat.  "The antidote is effective.  She'll go to sleep.

It buzzed on Victoria's phone.  Benjamin: The package is safe.  Forward the bonus.

She held out the screen to Alexander.

He tightened his jaw.  "Lucy's phone."

Grayson flung it aside.  Under his boot, Alexander crushed it.

City lights smeared past as the Suburban rushed toward the tunnel.

With his pistols blazing, Grayson kicked in the safehouse door.