Justice Incarnate (26 page)

"I hear you."

"You can't understand all the shame."

Jaden kept quiet, knowing the importance of having someone listen without offering unwanted solutions.

"I didn't tell you all of it." Her voice had lost the bravado. "I'm sorry." Tears welled in Leigh's eyes. "I just couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. I saw the little girls." Leigh's hands began to shake and the coffee sloshed.

Jaden reached out to guide the mug safely to the table. She nearly bit through her tongue as she waited. And waited.

"He blindfolded me."

"The Judge."

"No. The other guy. Bobby or Benny or something."

"Billy?" Jaden knew it had to be Brenda's ex.

"Yeah, that was it." Leigh twined her hands. "He shoved me onto a bed. The only light was over that bed." She shivered. "Oh, Jaden, it was like some bizarre cavern theatre."

"You were underground?" She had to be sure, knowing how Albertson liked to tweak the settings.

Leigh nodded emphatically. "It smelled damp. Like the basement in my dad's old house."

"What about the little girls?"

"I couldn't see too many faces." Leigh choked on a sob. "Just a few near the front. Those eyes. I thought they looked like zombies from a bad movie."

"Performance." Jaden recalled Leigh's earlier choice of words. "You performed for these girls?"

"You didn't go through this? Oh, I'm so embarrassed." She was crying freely now. "I knew it. I'm so stupid."

"No," Jaden soothed. "This wasn't your fault. You did what you had to do to survive. I know that well."

As the words sunk in, Leigh took a ragged breath and continued. "It was awful. I thought it was finally over when the Judge tossed me at B-Billy. He promised to let me live, let me go, if I did everything he said."

"An education," Jaden muttered to herself.

"He made those girls watch...watch..."

"Forget it," Jaden interjected to save her reliving the brutal memory. "I'm sure they were drugged."

"Maybe."

Jaden drew the map closer. "Micky said you just showed up. How did you get away and back here?"

"He just let me go. Catch and release, he called it." Leigh caught her lip between her teeth. "After he finished with me, he blindfolded me again, tied my hands and sat me on an electric cart."

"How could you tell?"

"The sound of the motor. And the feel. It was small, but quick. And no fuel smell. Just a short ride on that, then into a closed room. An elevator, but a big one. The damp smells faded as it climbed. Then I was back on the street."

"Blindfolded and tied up."

Leigh shook her head. "Someone took my arm, guided me for awhile, and then knocked me out. When I came to, the cuffs and scarf were gone and I was a few blocks from my normal route."

"Scarf?"

"I'm so sorry about not telling you the whole thing."

Jaden reined in her impatience. "Show me where you came to."

Leigh pointed to a corner two blocks north and one block east of the el platform she used to take to work each day.

"The street was empty?" Leigh nodded. "And you just walked back here." Another nod.

Elevators, damp smells, electric carts. The new facts rolled around in Jaden's brain, bouncing in and out of several possible scenarios. The most likely of which was a subway system. A failed city plan that very few people alive today would know about.

"I'm sorry I kept this from you. Can you forgive me?"

Jaden's cell card chirped and trembled in her pocket. She answered it instead of Leigh.

"Michaels," she answered.

Cleveland's voice filled her ear. "Katie's gone."

"When and how?" Her stomach began to churn as Cleveland explained. Not with a new victim's fear, this time with anticipation. If she timed it right, she could catch the Judge in the act and take him down. Forever.

"We'll be right there." She disconnected her friend and turned to the quaking girl by the door. "You're coming with me," she ordered, grabbing a jacket from the closet.

"I–I can't."

"There's nothing for me to forgive. You survived. You said you'd do anything. Now's your chance."

Leigh was chewing her lip again. "Outside?"

"Yes." As gently as possible, considering the urgency, Jaden said, "I need you to walk me back through your escape."

With any luck at all, she'd find a back door into the subway system Albertson had cultivated for his vile intent.

In the library, Brian polished up the raw feed of Lorine's report and attached documentation. Calling up the website of the National Health Commission, he emailed the presentation directly to the Health Chairmen of New York City and Dallas, just in case the National Chair was also compromised by Kristoff.

Taking another moment to compose a more detailed message to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Brian said a prayer. His father's oldest brother had deserted the family over an issue that couldn't possibly be important now. Hopefully sending the information to the public email box, with a modified last name would assure that he'd read it and take action.

Brian figured the officer's death had been bartered between Kristoff and Albertson to hurt Jaden. An order like that would only be executed by a juiced assassin. Brian was hoping his uncle would be able to help find the saboteur.

The Trident II beeped a notice that Jaden had left the suite, heading toward the dorm section. He cleaned up his gear and dashed off to fill her in.

He didn't find her before his cell card rang with a ridiculous alarm. It had been so long since that specific ring had sounded, he scrambled to read the display showing the badge number of the officer calling.

Loomis.

Brian hesitated. He wasn't back on duty–and didn't plan to be until Albertson was dead–permanently.

"Yeah?" he said, finally answering.

"I'm on my way to a B&E call at your place," Loomis grumbled. "Guess you're not home."

Brian stormed the security office and unfolded the Trident II. Camera two had begun to record when motion tripped the newly programmed sensor. His front door stood open to the world. He used his thumb to move the camera around. Two men, formerly of the van he'd bet, were ransacking his place.

"Ready or not, here comes round two."

"Huh?" Loomis asked.

"Nothing." The transmission from Jaden's tag showed she'd just left the building. Running off without him again. Would she never hold still? "Look," he said to Loomis, "forget the official call. Divert to the warehouse district and meet me at West 16th and State. We've got bigger fish to fry."

"Right boss."

He entered the suite to stow the computer and grab his gun. "This is off the record, Loomis."

"You got it."

Brian disconnected and slid the card into his jacket, only to watch it fall to the floor. "Stupid to hang on to the past." Wasn't a fresh future what he wanted? A chance to make his city safer? Tossing the abused jacket, Brian plowed the closet for the next best thing. He found a supple leather duster and donned it, stocking it with his preferred weapon, a .38 pistol, and a long reach taser in case he felt generous.

Next, he dialed Jaden's cell and waited as it rang twice, three times, then four. Unheard of. Worry nipped at the edges of reason.

"Hello?"

Not Jaden. "Who is this," he barked.

"L-Leigh."

"Put Jaden on." He'd find out details later, right now, he just needed to hear her voice. To let her know how he'd pushed Kristoff into a corner. To share his ideas for taking down Albertson.

"I can't, sir."

"Don't sir me, hand her the phone."

"She's–"

"You're outside." Just days ago she'd been terrified of the street. He softened his voice. "Congratulations, Leigh. What's going on with Jaden?"

"She seems to be in pain."

"Can you put the phone to her ear?"

"Jaden? He's attacking someone?"

A gruff sound he took as affirmation came over the earpiece. "You don't have to hang on to track him."

"Yes," she groaned. "Ka-tie."

"Breathe, babe. I'm on my way." But Jaden didn't reply. Brian looked at the scanner. They were headed in opposite directions. Not for long. "I've got a van coming."

"What the he–"

"Hang on, babe. I'll be right there."

He heard her gasp, then the connection died.

Swearing a blue streak, he didn't wait for Loomis to stop before jumping in. Consulting the Trident II he guided Loomis to Jaden's location.

"There!" he pointed through the windshield to the women in the shadows of an alley entrance.

Loomis stomped on the brakes and Brian ran to help Jaden and Leigh into the van.

"Just take a seat in back," Brian instructed Leigh on his way to kneel by Jaden. "Nice day for a walk."

"Shut up and touch me."

He stroked a wisp of hair off her forehead. Her next breath was visibly better. "You know where we're going?"

"Sort of." She gave a wan smile. "Do it again?"

He cradled her face and kissed her full on the lips. "Better?"

"Yeah."

He helped her to her feet, knowing she'd happily beat him up later if he carried her. "I set the sting for Kristoff."

"I hope he's allergic."

The humor did more to ease his mind than anything. "You armed?"

"And dangerous. We need to hustle. Katie–"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Cleve called."

"Damn." He should've killed Albertson when he had the chance. Should've torched the whole damn mill instead of looking for legal recourse.

"It's not your fault." Jaden stroked his fist until his hand relaxed. "Albertson's the bad guy here."

"Did you just read my mind?" Brian asked.

"No, your face." She kissed his open palm. "You didn't let me hang on to the blame. I can't let you."

Before he could say the words burning in his throat, before he could promise her the world, the van lurched forward.

"Where to?" Loomis boomed from the front seat.

"Wacker Street platform," Jaden said.

Loomis whipped the bulky vehicle around and floored it.

Jaden and Brian strapped in, with a glance of shared regret for Larry between them. As if they'd partnered for years, they set to separate tasks. She opened the cell frequency scanner while he scanned the emergency channels.

Brian reached over to help Leigh with the safety restraints on her seat. She was pale, but hanging in. "You made it outside," he observed. "Way to go."

Leigh studied the floor.

"She can show us how to get inside."

Brian looked from Jaden to Leigh and back again. "Inside where, exactly?"

"Wait until Cleveland gets here."

"He's coming with us?" But Jaden didn't get to answer because Loomis came to an abrupt halt. Brian saw Cleveland and Quinn waiting under the platform stairs. He threw the door open and urged them inside.

They'd officially breached safe capacity of the evidence van. Leigh moved into the front seat, and to Brian's surprise, Quinn took her place in front of a monitor, while Cleveland tucked himself onto the floor at Jaden's feet.

"Check this, Jaden," the kid said enthusiastically, sliding a clear mini-disk into a drive.

A glance from Jaden kept Brian quiet. He settled for watching the three of them in turns, wondering what he'd missed this time. Wondering if their respective plans would collide or compliment.

"Cleveland's got the best library access. D'you know that?"

"Sounds right," Jaden replied. "What'd you find?"

The monitor came to life and a map bloomed across the modest screen. As if he'd been born in an evidence van, Quinn manipulated the picture, highlighting and zooming in on what he wanted to present.

"You're a natural, kiddo," Brian said, impressed.

Loomis grunted. "What is that?"

"The Chicago subway system," Quinn declared.

"Chicago doesn't have a subway," Loomis made the point before Brian could.

"It wanted to," Jaden interjected. "On several occasions contractors tried to move away from the el trains into sub trains. They lost the fight, but not before digging the core tunnels. How'd you come across this Quinn?"

"Why?" Brian asked.

"I've been poking around since...well, since I heard crying in the gutters one day. I haven't found the access..."

"I have that!" Brian exclaimed.

All heads turned.

He took an electronic marker and drew an infinity symbol over the map. "I just didn't know it," he clarified. "Head to the el maintenance hub, Loomis."

"Wait," Jaden said. Loomis stilled with his hand over the ignition switch. "What are you looking at, Chief?"