“Snow, this is D1. We’re ready to rock.”
Meredith rolled her eyes at her code name before looking over at her second team. Nodding, she motioned them forward as they prepared to remove the guys from the venue.
When they were in the van, AJ pressed against her, and she heard another call come across her headset. Clicking the button, she spoke into the microphone. “This is Snow. Over.”
Lumien’s voice could be heard by the five other people in the van with Meredith. “This is B1. We’re having trouble getting out the South exit. Driver is taking us East.”
“Copy, B1. We’ll meet you at the hotel. Snow, out.”
AJ looked at her. “Snow?”
Leary started laughing, and she turned around to glare at him. She refocused her gaze on AJ. “The team made up the code names. You have them to thank.”
Nick looked at his bodyguard. “So, why do you call Mom, Snow?”
“Snow White. You guys are the dwarves.” He grinned.
“Who am I?” The young man looked at his bodyguard next to him.
“Dopey.”
“Dopey? Dopey?!” His eyebrows rose almost to his forehead.
“Calm down, Carter. You’re the youngest, you get Dopey.” Leary rolled his eyes.
Nick sat back in a huff, and AJ chuckled. “Who am I?”
Marcus leaned over the back of the seat. “Sneezy.”
“Sneezy? Why can’t I be Sexy?”
Meredith brushed his arm with her fingers. “You are, but that wasn’t the name of one of the dwarves.”
He sighed. “What about the others?”
Leary answered the question. “Kevin is Grumpy, Brian is Happy, and Howie is Bashful.”
“I’m shy. Why can’t I be Bashful?” Nick whined from the backseat.
“Because you’re Dopey. Now shut up.” Leary popped the young man on the back of the head.
When they arrived at the hotel, they slipped into a back entrance past the fans and headed up to their floor. Nick was pouting in the back of the elevator, and Meredith stood next to him.
“C’mon, Munchkin. You know Dopey was Snow White’s favorite.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close.
He sighed and tried not to grin as they exited onto their floor. The group met in the communal living room, falling onto sofas after the especially strenuous concert that evening. Brian noticed Nick’s pout.
“What’s up, Frack?”
“I’m not Frack, I’m Dopey.” Nick ran a hand through his disheveled hair.
“Hunh?” He looked at his friend.
“I’m Dopey, you’re Happy, D is Bashful, AJ’s Sneezy, and Kevin’s Grumpy.”
“Why are we dwarves?” Brian pursed his lips.
“Those are your code names so we can keep track of you.” Ramos sat down on a chair near the door.
“And what’s your code name?” Kevin stretched and popped his back as he tried to relax from the post-concert high.
“The first initial of your code name and a one. The second team has a 2.”
“And Meredith is Snow White.” AJ grinned as he pulled his girlfriend down next to him.
“So, you’re B1.” Howie looked at Lumien.
“One of the essential vitamins.” She grinned at him. “Necessary for the essential health and well-being of your body.”
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Meredith read her e-mail, her jaw dropping open in shock. Within moments, she was on the phone.
“When were you planning on telling me this?”
People passing by in the hall of the hotel heard her voice rising higher and higher in anger. A door slammed as she made her way into the designated living room of their floor. She looked at Leary.
“I want a lock down on this floor, and I want the boys here in two minutes.”
Nick raised his eyebrow as he watched her. She paced back and forth as she waited, and he remembered her expression from their days at Emerald Point when she was directing training missions. The look did not bode well.
When the five men were assembled, Leary looked at Meredith. “Floor is locked down. Double guards on all entrances.”
She nodded and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she was met by ten pairs of eyes—five pairs lost in confusion, five pairs worried about the implication of her orders.
“There’s a problem.”
Kevin took a deep breath, fear curling in his belly at the deadly serious statement. The tone of her voice reminded him of Sierra Ramon, and he knew that whatever followed was bad.
“A friend of mine at the FBI just informed me that Jive called them about threats against you.”
The room was silent for several moments. Brian finally looked up. “But we’ve gotten those before. What’s different now?”
“The details in these notes indicated that someone took a lot of time and effort to be very specific. Your home addresses were listed.”
“Fuck.” AJ closed his eyes then opened them quickly. “What about our families?”
“The Bureau has begun the process of securing them, too. Right now, it only appears that you are being targeted—no family or friends.”
“Did they say why?” Nick chewed on a nail.
“No.” Meredith shook her head.
Kevin took another deep breath and released it. He looked around at the group then faced Meredith. “What do we need to do?”
“We need to talk about that. Since last night was the final concert, we don’t have to worry about trying to control thousands of fans. That would be a nightmare. We’ve got to get you someplace safe and let the Feds do their job. Neil, my friend at the Bureau, is very good at what he does.” She patted him on the shoulder as she walked around the room.
Stopping near the table, she looked at them. “Where do you want to go?”
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It was like the calm before the storm. They waited, dancing around the issue, and tempers grew short as the days passed. After two weeks of enforced togetherness, they were finally allowed freedom in the form of a trip to the Jive offices to discuss the next album. The record company had hired additional security as the FBI worked to determine if the person threatening them had done this to others.
It was early on Saturday afternoon as they headed into the office building. After signing in, the group headed upstairs to the executive level. Meredith’s team checked the floor and nodded to her that it was safe. Despite her uneasiness, she was urged to leave and head down one floor to the lounge area located there.
Jack Mason smiled at her. “I think it’ll be okay, Meredith. The doors to this floor can only be accessed with keys. We’ve got ours, and here’s one for you.” He handed a keycard to her. She held it in her hand for a moment before looking at the group. Each of them nodded that they were okay with the arrangement.
The five men disappeared into a conference room while the security team wandered downstairs. The bodyguards were talking amongst themselves when Meredith’s cell phone rang. She clicked it on, listening as shouts and gunfire echoed through the phone. The sounds were abruptly cut off.
“Shit!” She stood up and looked at her team. “They’re in the conference room with the guys.”
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AJ managed to turn on his cell phone as the men crashed through the door, his finger automatically pressing a 1 to dial Meredith’s number.
He heard the tinny “hello” and then nothing. When he looked down, he saw the “wait for service” notification and silently swore.
Three men positioned themselves throughout the room as five more were dispatched into the hallway. The group and the executives with them sat in shock at the conference table. Kevin looked up in surprise as JC and Justin were pushed into the room, along with two other members of the label’s management team.
He turned his head to see Nick resisting. Before he could say anything, the young man got in the bad guy’s face.
“Fuck you.” He snarled the words.
His reply was a powerful backhand across the cheek. As all of the celebrities were forced to kneel on the floor, Kevin looked at his friend and winced at the thin streak of blood across Nick’s cheek.
Meredith’s gonna be pissed.
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“Fuck.” Leary stood and caught the keys Meredith tossed him. He ran down to the parking garage and rummaged through the Expedition, pulling out two large bags and hauling them back up to the lounge.
When he got there, he found her organizing the hired security while Lumien was on the phone. He opened the bag and started pulling out weapons, and Marcus looked on in shock. Lumien looked at Meredith.
“Lines are down, and cells are dead.”
“This just gets better by the minute.” Meredith’s face hardened.
“What’s going on?” Marcus automatically accepted the vest Leary handed him.
“They don’t leave the building. Once they’re out, we can’t control the situation.” He strapped on a vest, putting one on Meredith as she continued to talk to the other security guards.
Lumien and Ramos strapped theirs on and chose weapons. She picked up a Remington 720, sliding the shoulder holster on and slipping the HK into it. He chose an Uzi and a Glock 9mm, tucking it into a holster at his back. Leary looked at Marcus, raising an eyebrow.
“What do you want?”
Marcus reached for the Browning 9mm, automatically chambering a round. He felt surreal, part of his mind whispering that the situation wasn’t happening even as he put his training into use. Meredith slid her HK into her shoulder holster. The security guards had their own weapons, and they each checked to make sure they were ready.
One of the security guards brought a sobbing woman into the room. Meredith put her in a chair and kneeled on the floor, patting her hands.
“Shh. I need you to calm down and tell me what you know.”
The young woman sniffed and wiped her cheeks. “I was getting coffee for the meeting when I saw nine men come down the hall. They were dressed in black, wearing sunglasses, and they had guns. They walked into the conference room, and I heard shouts and yelling. Some of them came out and started going through offices, and they took the others in there, too.”
“What others?” Meredith cursed in her head at the thought of more hostages.
“Um. Justin and JC from ‘N Sync, and some of their management team. I think there were four total.”
The older woman nodded and motioned for the young woman to be led away. Standing, she headed for the table and looked through the building plans that had been pulled up on a laptop. “I need intel, damnit.”
One of the security guards looked at her. “There are cameras up there. I don’t know if the intruders know that, but the control room is on this floor.”
Meredith’s eyes lit up as she and Ramos followed the young man into a room filled with monitors. She studied the layout and position of the hostiles, watching intently. Without moving, she called out to Ramos.
“Get the team in here. We need to choose a response.”
Moments later, Leary, Marcus, and Lumien were watching the screen with Meredith and Ramos. Biting her lip, she folded her arms across her chest.
“Suggestions.”
“Two-prong. We’ve got harnesses and can come in through the windows while the rest take the door.”
“Possible casualties?”
Ramos looked at the screen. “It would be better if we could let them know what’s happening. They’d know to duck and cover.” He looked at the people kneeling on the floor, their hands interlaced on top of their heads.
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Brian narrowed his eyes as he watched everyone who wasn’t a client forced out the door. Then he closed his eyes and offered a short prayer. It was Sierra Ramon all over again, and he wasn’t sure he would make it through a second time.
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Meredith looked at the young security guard. “What’s your name?”
“Thomas Miller.”
“Okay, Miller, I’m leaving you here to keep us updated on what’s happening. I am AoD, this is Bad Karma 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.” She motioned to each person as she introduced them. “The moment they move, you let me know.”
He nodded, looking a little nervous, but determined. He accepted the headset and slipped it on, testing to make sure it worked.
“We’re on Channel Six. Do not use any other channel because it can be picked up…” Meredith was interrupted when she saw the executives being herded out into the hall.
“Get them and bring them here.” She motioned to Leary, who took some of the hired security with him.
Five minutes later, the people who had been released were sitting in the conference room. Jack looked at Meredith. “Where are the police?”
“Phone lines are down and they put a damper around the area. I need all of security here in case they make a break for it. One of your people can go.”
Jack directed someone to go get help.
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The man in charge, dressed in night cammies, smiled at his hostages. “Good afternoon, gentlemen. Although I cannot claim to be a fan, I’m certainly well aware of who you are. With a great deal of cooperation on everyone’s part, your stay with us will be short and fairly painless. However…” He looked down at Nick, reaching out and wiping away a few drops of blood with a gloved finger. “If there is resistance, punishment will follow quickly.”
Nick refused to move, his eyes darkening with anger as he watched the man move to the front of the room.
“My name is…well, it’s really irrelevant, but you make call me Samuel if you feel the need to ask a question.” The smirk held a sinister twist that suggested any questions would best be left unasked.
“We’ve got movement.” One of the guards at the window nodded and spoke up.
“No blood, just a little fear.” Samuel smiled again.
The man raised his rifle and leaned slightly out of the window. The burst of gunfire was muffled by the silencer, and he grinned as he leaned back inside. “Like shooting ducks in a pond.”
Howie studied the rifle from beneath his eyelashes. Dragunov…7.62 mm…
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Ramos was looking out the window when he saw the peppering of the cars below, and the young man came scurrying back into the safety of the building.
“Scratch that idea, boss.”
Meredith turned back to Jack. “Tell me everything you know.”
He gave them all of the information he had, trying to remember anything that might help them. The phone rang, and she stared at it for a moment before picking it up.
“Davenport.”
“I’d like to speak to whoever’s in charge.” The voice was pleasant in an oily sort of way, and she could hear the other people in the room through the speakerphone.
“You’ve got her.”
“Are you sure you’re authorized to make any deals?”
“If you want someone else, you’re gonna have to let a messenger out of the building.”
He chuckled. “I think you’ll do. I’m sure you’re interested in our demands.”
“Speak.” She pulled a notepad close to write the list.
The man spoke precisely, listing the five items he wanted in exchange for the return of the seven pop stars. Any hope that Meredith had of them not recognizing JC and Justin was destroyed as he rattled off his requirements and the repercussions if they were not met.
“If you don’t let someone out of this building, you’re not getting anything.”
He chuckled. “The wonders of the Internet. Everything you need at your fingertips.”
She sighed. “I’ll get started on it.”
“You have three hours.”
“May I speak to them?”
He seemed a little surprised by the polite question, and the line was silent for a moment. Then she heard Brian’s voice.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Brian. You guys hang in there, okay.”
“We will, Merry.”
“Try and stay calm. Pay attention and do what you’re told. I’m working on it from this end.”
“We will.” He assured her, his voice more steady after having spoken to her.
The next voice she heard was the man from earlier. “You sound like a very competent woman, Ms. Davenport. I look forward to talking to you later.”
The conversation ended with the click of a button. She stared at the phone for a moment as the dial tone buzzed. “Oh, we’ll definitely be talking later.”
Meredith laid the receiver back in the cradle and looked at her team. “We’ve got two hours. Let’s move, people.”
Leary pulled out the harnesses and ropes, laying them to the side. After talking it over, she decided that Ramos, Sully, and Lumien would drop from the roof. Jack told them the windows were made of regular glass. She breathed a sigh of relief, glad something was going their way. The finished laying out their plans, having figured out a way to let their men know what would be happening.
An hour after the first call, Meredith pressed the speakerphone button and dialed the upper conference room.
“Yes?”
“I’m just making sure they’re still okay.”
The chuckle grated on her nerves, and her fingers tightened as they gripped the edge of the table. Get Another Boyfriend was playing in the background, rhythmic taps underscoring the music.
Samuel’s voice was not impressed. “What is that music?”
Meredith sighed, the sound clearly indicating she thought the man an idiot. “You’re in the record company’s office, they play their clients’ music.”
“As I told the gentlemen, I am not a fan.”
The next voice she heard was Justin, and he sounded a bit shaky. “Hello?”
“Hey, Justin.”
“Meredith.”
“You guys okay?”
“Yeah. They let us sit down on the floor.”
“Good. It’s gonna be okay.”
“’kay.”
The oily voice returned. “And how are those transfers coming along?”
“Slow Internet speed because of your dampers, but we’re working on it. Hang on a minute.”
She put the phone on hold, knowing they had cued up the song to play at just that point. Up Against the Wall echoed through the speakerphone, and Justin looked at JC as he heard his voice singing.
Meredith came on the line again. “My apologies. We had a slight problem with the Internet connection. It seems to be working again.”
“Good. We’ll talk again in a couple of hours.”
The dial tone drifted through the line again. She turned to look at Leary, Sully, Marcus, and Lumien. “I hope they understood that.”
A minute later, they all heard the call from Ramos, who was in the control room. “AoD, this is Bad Karma 2. Message has been acknowledged. Repeat, message acknowledged.
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Howie looked at Samuel. “Excuse me.”
“Yes?” The man stared at the singer.
“Would it be okay if I went to the bathroom?” He was polite, keeping his eyes lowered.
Samuel stared at him for a moment then nodded. “Anyone else need to go?”
Brian raised his hand, and a guard escorted the two men to a bathroom near the conference room. Brian and Howie stood at the urinals, staring at the wall as the guard kept the door cracked open. As they turned on the water to wash their hands, Howie looked over at the guard before continuing to wash.
“two-prong…door and window…quarter to two.”
Brian pulled out a wad of paper towels and wiped his hands before nodding at his friend. They went back to the room, returning to their spots. Howie carried a wet paper towel so he could wipe Nick’s cheek.
As he knelt near his friend, he dabbed the cut. His voice was soft as he relayed the information. Nick stared straight ahead, never acknowledging the words, but Howie knew the young man heard when he saw the young man’s hands curl into fists.
Brian sat down on the floor between AJ and Kevin. He folded himself Indian style and dropped his hands into the well created by his legs. The older man looked over and saw Brian’s fingers moving. It took him a moment to understand. AJ’s attention was focused mainly on Samuel, trying to read the man.
He had listened closely to the team’s lessons on studying an opponent, and he wanted to see if he could pick up anything. He turned his gaze away before Samuel could notice and looked over at his friend. His eyes drifted down, and he watched Brian’s fingers move. His brain took several moments before he understood the signals Brian was giving.
When AJ looked up at Kevin, he knew the man had seen them as well. With a quick shift of his eyes, he asked about JC and Justin. Kevin bit his lip and shook his head, indicating he didn’t think they would understand any of the subtle signals.
Justin watched the three men, knowing that something was going on. He also knew he had no way to figure it out without them telling him, and they couldn’t do that in front of their captors. He caught Kevin’s gaze and half shrugged, half smiled.
The older man nodded, and silently mouthed “stay low”. He hoped no one saw him.
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Down in the war room, as Jack called it, the security team was gearing up. Sully, Ramos, and Lumien strapped on the harnesses, making sure the ropes were knotted and ready to go when it was time. They had pared down to one weapon, knowing that anymore would compromise their success. Leary, Marcus, and Meredith carried extra weapons, the rifles slung across their backs. Each of the headsets were ready.
Miller had programmed the phone to ring to Meredith’s headset on Channel 1 if the hostiles called while they were getting in position. She made sure the transfers were still being completed before the team split up to head to their assigned positions.
At a quarter to two on a sunny afternoon in Orlando, all hell broke loose.
Table of Contents
Chapter Forty-Two