Street Game (GhostWalkers #8)(73)
Author: Christine Feehan

Right now, Bond-boy is keeping fairly close. I’m guessing Skull-boy takes over when he starts his walk to the coffee shop.

Ethan, seated on one of the benches, glanced at his watch, folded his newspaper, gathered up his briefcase, and began to walk out of the square toward the coffee shop.

He passed the woman Javier had pointed out without glancing at her. His cell phone rang and he stopped, a foot from her, and answered, spoke briefly with his back to her.

Send those pictures to Jaimie, Mack said. Did you get any of Bond-boy?

A couple, Top, but I’m not certain they’ll be good enough, Ethan answered.

Jaimie can do anything with her program, boss, Javier said. She’s a goddess.

Mack knew she could work magic with her computer, but this was so important.

In the end, all of their lives would depend on her skills. They had to know who was supporting Whitney and trying to kill Kane and Brian. They had to bring them out of the shadows and into the open where his team could take them down.

She is, Mack said, meaning it. He was lucky to have Jaimie, to know someone with her skills, let alone have her for his partner.

He watched Sergeant Major make the circuit around the live art show, admiring the various pictures. “Okay, do your usual brisk walk out of there. Get back to your usual routine. Head for the coffee shop like you always do. Get in line, order your favorite drink. Don’t sit down. I want you to stand in front of those three posters on the back wall and read them. Javier will be right next to you. Put your cell phone in the right pocket of your coat. Once he has your phone, don’t move. Take your time drinking your coffee. This is important, Sergeant Major. He’ll be sending the data to Jaimie. If they have a trace on that phone, she’ll find it and do a back-trace. They can’t know there’s anything wrong. They have to think you’re the one with the phone, not Javier.”

“But . . .”

“Keep walking. He’ll drop the cell back into your pocket. Paul will call you, a casual conversation, just follow his lead. This will work. They’ll record the conversation with Paul and we’ll get an address. And don’t talk to us, just go about your business, following the instructions. This is what I’m trained for. You’re covered all the way.”

Sergeant Major moved into the swarm of people on the sidewalk, heading downhill from the square. San Francisco was all hills. One either went up the hill or down it, but there were very few flat areas. It was good exercise and Griffen was big on utilizing the local terrain for his workout, rather than hitting the gym. Still, it was difficult to walk down the street in the open air, surrounded by tall buildings, where at any moment someone could put a bullet in his head.

I’m moving with him along the rooftops, boss, Gideon reported. I’ve got an open route. Lucas is running interference for me. Bond-boy is well ahead of him, almost at the coffee shop. Skull-boy is back about two blocks. They’re giving him plenty of room. Someone told them the old man has sharp eyes.

And the woman?

She hasn’t moved yet. She’s difficult to spot in the crowd.

Mack’s gut twisted. Marc, hang back and watch her. Don’t lose her. Stay up high and watch that woman.

Ten-four, boss.

Sergeant Major just got stopped. A woman appearing to ask directions. She’s handed him a map. She came up from his left. He has the piece in his right ear, Gideon reported.

Mack swore under his breath. Such an innocent thing. A tourist? There were several tense moments.

I’ve got her in my sights, give me the go, Gideon said.

I can go in for a closer look, boss, Javier said.

Not a good idea, Mack replied. Hold your position. You pass him too many times and they’ll notice you.

Stay where you are, Gideon said. Sergeant Major is waving me off.

Keep the f**king gun on her, Mack snapped. It isn’t his call. Just don’t pull the trigger.

She walked back over to two other women and she’s pointing away from the coffee shop, Gideon said, and there was relief in his voice. Sergeant Major is on the move again and the three women are headed away from him. Skull-boy broke off target and acquired the three women.

Lucas, you’ll have to watch Skull-boy, so move into a higher position. I want to know if he talks to the women. Watch cell phones and if they drop something for him to pick up, Mack commanded. He doubted if they would have such a big team on the Sergeant Major, but he had come to meet with the GhostWalker team and they would want to know what he was up to, no matter how much it made sense. Did we get a picture of them for Jaimie?

Jaimie’s on it, Mack, Kane said. Skull and Bond are military or at least have been in the past.

Just like the two who came after Jaimie, Mack said.

Exactly, Kane confirmed. Look at the way Bond-boy moves. He’s a fighter all the way.

Jaimie, Javier, Sergeant Major is approaching the coffee shop.

Javier made another teenage joke, got his group laughing, and then he glanced at his watch. Muttering, he dropped his board and pushed off with a casual wave and glided right up to the door of the coffee shop. Kicking the board up, he caught it, tucked it beneath his arm, and swaggered into the shop. He shoved the board into the double loop built into his backpack, freeing his hands as he stood in line at the counter to get his coffee, just a kid looking for his caffeine fix.

Jaimie didn’t look up. Her setup on the back wall was perfect. It would be impossible to approach her from any direction other than straight on, and no one could see her screen. The one glance he’d given in her direction had assured him anyone coming in wouldn’t be able to recognize her. Her signature curly hair was pulled back from her face into a ponytail, giving the illusion that she had straighter hair. Her ball cap was pulled low, shadowing her face. The glasses were wider frames, a thick black that seemed to swallow her face. She chewed gum, staring straight ahead while her fingers flew across the keyboard. Occasionally she lifted the large coffee and took a sip without taking her eyes from her screen.

Sergeant Major entered and moved into line. Javier took his coffee and moved toward the back where the three posters were. He set up in the shadows. In position, Top. Jaimie’s doing her thing and is in a perfect position. Sergeant Major is getting his coffee and bagel as instructed. Bond-boy has entered the building. He blends so well.

Mack chose not to reprimand Javier’s snicker or urge him to take the enemy seriously. Javier would never change. Life seemed a great adventure to him. The more the adrenaline rush, the more he liked it.

Javier waited until Sergeant Major settled into position, sipping his coffee and reading the posters before leaning over to look into the backpack he’d put beneath his table. He “accidentally” brushed up against Griffen’s coat, extracting the cell phone.