Quinn looked over at Misty, wondering if she was as confused as he was, but she was staring rapt at the monitor, hanging on Peter’s every word.
“Misty, I realize I wasn’t the easiest person to work with, and I didn’t tell you nearly enough how much I appreciated your help. But know that I did, and that I would have failed long ago without you.”
That was another odd thing. The video seemed directed solely at Misty. So why had Peter wanted Quinn there, too? Misty wouldn’t have needed Quinn to help her get rid of a few files. Granted, things hadn’t exactly been normal when they’d visited the apartment, but Peter couldn’t have known Misty would be in physical danger.
“I apologize for not being a better boss, but, well, I can’t be someone I’m not. And I definitely can’t change anything now. I’m sure you understand and forgive me. You always did.”
Quinn snatched up the index card and read it again.
Y7(29g)85KL/24
I need your help.
Call Quinn. A last assignment. For both of you.
He stared at the last words. For both of you.
“Okay,” Peter said. “Enough of the sentimental crap, huh? Now this part is very important. You’re going to have to work fast, because in exactly ten minutes, this room will turn into an inferno.”
Quinn jerked his head up, his gaze shooting back to the image of Peter.
“So as soon as the files are on the desk, get out of here, but remember to seal all the doors behind you so that the fire is contained to this space.”
What the hell, Peter? Quinn thought. He looked down at the card again and silently mouthed the words. “For both of you. For both of you.”
“That’s all you have to do,” Peter continued. “You can forget about this place after that. The rent is paid for years, so chances are no one will discover the bunker until then. When they do, it will only lead to questions with no answers.”
“For both of you.” This time the words slipped out of Quinn’s mouth in a whisper as he realized what they must mean.
“Thank you, Misty,” Peter said. “Now go—”
Quinn lunged and slapped his thumb down on the scanner. The video of Peter froze and then went black as the glass scanner lit up.
“What are you doing?” Misty asked. Her water-filled eyes stared at him in confusion and hurt. “Why did you stop it?”
It was Peter who answered as he once again appeared on the screen. Only this wasn’t the same Peter from moments before. The previous video had been shot in that very room, but the new one had been taped in what looked like Peter’s apartment. His clothes were different, too, and he looked more tired and…angrier.
“So you both made it,” Peter said. “Thank you. I don’t know how much of the other video played before you activated this one, so excuse me if some of what I say is a repeat. You have ten minutes to get out before this place is incinerated.” He then gave instructions similar to those from before about the items in the safe. “There is one thing in there, though, that I want you to hold on to. This.” He raised a dark-stained wooden box. It was about four inches square and an inch high. As he set it back down, he began speaking again. “We’ll get to what’s inside in a minute.” He paused and frowned. “The fact that you’re watching this means that apparently my efforts have failed. I’ve been poking around in something others would rather I leave alone. Now I’m asking you to poke around in it, too. You can decline. I’ll never know, and if that’s your decision, I understand. I’m hoping it won’t be, though.” He leaned toward the camera, his gaze intensifying. “A tragic injustice was done. It can never be righted, but it can be avenged. Unless I died from an obvious accident or from verifiable natural causes, you should assume that those behind this…event are responsible for my death. Hell, even if my death certificate claims I did die from an accident or natural causes, it could have been staged by these assholes. They are capable, and they have done similar things before. You’ll see what I mean when you go through the file.” He paused. “We should talk about that.” He lifted the box into frame again. “In here you’ll find the file with everything I’ve collected to date. It’s encrypted using Hansell IV. The protocol is base seven. I need you to come at this with fresh eyes, so I’ll let you read the file without any commentary from me. The thing the file can’t tell you is the name or names of those I’ve been hunting. I’m close, but I haven’t been able to uncover that yet. You have a huge advantage I didn’t. My death.” An ironic smile. “Find out who killed me and you’ll find out who I’ve been looking for.” He tilted back away from the camera. “Time for you two to get out of there. The clock’s ticking. And don’t forget to close the doors on your way out.”
The screen went dark.
None of them moved, their eyes still glued to the monitor. It was Daeng who finally broke the spell.
“Maybe we should think about getting out of here.”
Quinn nodded, his gaze lingering a moment longer on the screen before he turned and darted across the room.
The small refrigerator was easy enough to move out of the way, and the wall panel came off like Peter had described. With the safe exposed, Quinn said to Misty, “What’s your birthday?”
He heard her chair scrape across the floor as she scooted it back, then her steps as she approached.
“Can I open it?” she asked, kneeling next to him.
Leaning out of the way, he said, “Go ahead.”
She input a series of numbers, turned the safe’s handle, and opened the door. Most of the inside was taken up with files and large manila envelopes, while the wooden box was sitting on its end, squeezed between the edge of the files and the safe wall. Quinn reached in and pulled it out. Given its light weight, he figured it must contain only a thumb drive or memory stick. Resisting the urge to open it, he slipped it snuggly into his coat pocket and stood up.
Misty, in the meantime, had started pulling out the files and envelopes.
“No,” Quinn said. “It’s time to go.”
She shot him a disapproving look. “Peter said put them on the desk. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
“I’ll do it,” he said, then looked at Daeng. “Get her out of here.”
“Come on,” Daeng said, moving over to help her up.
She pulled back from his outstretched hand. “No. I’m fine. I can take care of it.”
“Misty, go,” Quinn said. “Now.”
Together the two men lifted her to her feet.
“I’ll take care of it,” Quinn told her. “I promise.”
Reluctantly, she allowed Daeng to lead her out of the room. Quinn started grabbing files and moving them over to the desk. He wondered for a moment if maybe they should take the files with them, but he knew Peter would have said something if there were something important inside they could use.
Once the files and envelopes were all piled where Peter had wanted them, Quinn decided to do a quick search in case they had missed something. He had just flipped over the mattress in the second room when the overhead lights started to flash on and off. There was no mistaking their meaning.
He ran back through the main room and out the door, stopping long enough to shut it before heading down the tunnel.
He was ten feet from the stairs when the lights flashed twice, then cut out completely.
“Quinn! Hurry!” Misty yelled down from the storage locker.
In the tunnel behind him, Quinn could hear a muffled growing roar, and knew Peter’s self-destruct system had kicked in. He sprinted the rest of the way to the ladder and scrambled up, making it almost to the hatch before the heat reached him.