Package In The Post

36: Package In The Post

Avery walked through the gala space at the Bank Ballroom. She had spent a very enjoyable "lunch" with Fiona but her focus was now on the impending event. She called William. "William, when will Agent Poe be in place and online?"

"He is on site now Agent Baker. He has seen you move through his sightlines several times. He will go online as soon as you activate your 'com-set' this evening."

"William, can you have a photographer out front take pictures and send them directly to my phone as the possible targets arrive? I would like up to the last possible moment information."

"Of course Agent Baker."

"Thank you, William."

----

Avery returned to the suite at 6:00pm. They would be leaving within the hour. She heard Fiona in her shower and she moved to the second room to dress, arm herself, and go "live." When she emerged she found Fiona in an a-line, gold dress that perfectly silhouetted her form and flowed to the floor. Her hair was up and her green eyes sparkled with life. "You look amazing Fiona." Avery smiled and tried to memorize her face and body at that moment. Fee saw the familiar concentration in Avery's eyes and she felt heartache ripple through her body.

"You just need this." She held out a flat jewelry box. Inside was a platinum necklace with a single emerald, matching bracelet holding 5 diamonds spaced perfectly and earrings. "You remember how these work, right? The necklace and bracelet are live." Pull one, keep the other.

Fee smiled, "I remember. I'm ready." Fiona searched Avery's eyes, "Avery, if I kissed you. Would you leave me?" Avery winced at the familiar question. Fiona leaned in and kissed Avery softly, with love, with both joy and heartache. She broke gently from the kiss, her eyes flooded with emotion. "Thank you. Thank you for letting me in, Avery. I love you."

"I know Fee. I'm going to love you for as long as I live." Avery kissed Fiona's lips softly and escorted her from the room.

----

Avery followed Fiona and her father to the limousine. She sat in the front with Reggie and went live. "Okay William, can I get a "com-check" please?"

"We hear you, Agent Baker. Agent Poe?"

"All set here, nice to hear your voice again Agent Baker."

"Agent, I have had eyes on 7 of our possible targets. There are multiple rooms so I have found a couple locations with full line of sight for the rooms. There is a lot of ground to cover. I have sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes. Black classic tux, American Flag pin left lapel."

"I understand, I will escort the Donovans in and then move through the areas. Let me know how to assist."

Reggie looked across at Avery. "Everything all set Ms Baker?"

"We're good to go Reggie, everything should run smoothly."

----

Avery moved through the rooms melting into the background. She got periodic updates from Agent Poe and scanned the crowd identifying the possible targets. At one point in the evening she moved past Dr. Donovan and Mr. Minks. Dr. Donovan was agitated and walked away looking frustrated. Shortly after their discussion Mr. Minks moved to the stage of the Keynote room where guests had gathered.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, friends, colleagues, shareholders. Thank you for your attendance tonight. I know you are all excited to be a part of a company that has been so fiscally successful and on the cutting edge of our industry." Mr. Minks paused for applause. "My name is Richard Minks. I am happy to announce that I am now the majority stockholder for Micropath." The crowd murmured. "I look forward to leading us into a new era of success and prosperity. We will be opening new contracts, building relationships globally, and most importantly helping those in need of treatment. Please take a moment and thank Dr. Donovan for making this all possible." Mr. Minks smiled and motioned to Dr. Donovan who looked uncomfortable and he smiled tightly. "Enjoy your evening, dinner will be served soon in the main hall."

Avery watched Fiona as she moved toward her father, concern on her face. He was smiling sadly and shaking his head. He stepped away from Fiona in pursuit of another conversation with Mr. Minks. "Is everything okay Ms. Donovan?" Fiona looked up, her eyes clouded with concern.

"It seems Mr. Minks wants to open up contracts with companies and governments with unsavory reputations in developing parts of the world. On the surface it seems altruistic, but Dad is concerned." Fee sighed. "The reality is neither of us has any say in this corporation anymore. Dad is going to have to come to terms with that. It's not his baby anymore."

Avery nodded, "Give him some time Ms. Donovan. He just needs to process it." Avery smiled and moved back through the crowd.

----

Most of the guests were seated for dinner when Avery heard Poe check in. "I have the target. Dr. Marsh. He's moving quickly out the East entrance. Two trailing. I'm at 30 meters and moving."

"I'm on my way." Avery was further away and could see Poe stepping through the threshold. Avery was 20 feet from egress when shots rang out and a server went down in the hallway. Chaos broke out everywhere. A sea of gowns and tuxedos moved chaotically in every direction.

"Agent Baker, assist Poe. Agent Poe, please respond."

Nothing.

Avery responded, "I'm moving." Avery fought through the crowd driving to the door. She looked up and saw Fiona as she was passing with her father 10 feet to Avery's right. She quickly stepped closing the gap. "Fee." Her eyes were calm. She reached up and pulled the necklace off, tossing it onto the floor. "Go. They'll extract you."

"Wait, you're here! You came back for me. Aren't you coming with me?"

Avery's chest seized at Fiona's words. "I'm sorry Fee, no." Avery could see confusion and panic in Fiona's eyes, then pain. "Go, now." She turned and was gone before Fiona could respond. Avery moved past the server. She could see that the woman was mortally wounded. She moved quickly and saw Poe sitting up by a wall but slumped over unnaturally.

"Poe! Poe! William, Poe is down, he needs an extraction from my location now." Agent Poe shifted and murmured in pain and death. "Two, one male, one female. Female with pathogen. Male wounded."

Avery looked up and saw a trail of blood leading away from Poe. She moved quickly. As she turned the corner she found the man lying on the floor. He suffered a gunshot wound in his right hip and one to his head. It looked as if his partner decided he would slow her down. "William. One threat eliminated. Three doors within 50 feet of my position. Advise."

"Agent doors on the right are closets or small rooms. Door on the left is a hallway leading to exterior wall offices."

Avery moved quickly. Down the hallway she caught motion on her right. And excelled through her movement as a bullet sliced through the air just behind her. "William I have eyes on the 2nd threat, she has the pathogen. Third office in, backup now."

Avery covered behind a filing cabinet as a hail of bullets hit the walls around her. She heard the woman curse, Romanian she thought. Silence, then glass breaking. Avery moved cautiously and saw an exterior window shattered. She closed the distance and peered out; she felt a jarring pain as the woman slammed a heavy paperweight into her head. And then, her wrist and hand were struck, knocking her gun to the floor into the dark recesses of the room. Avery just stopped the woman's knee from coming up into her body with her forearms, she pushed with force giving her space to position herself in defense.

The woman sized Avery up, her eyes sharp. She gave nothing away in her facial expression. She murmured,"rușine atât de frumos." "A shame so beautiful." Avery did not respond. She watched the woman trying to circle her and get to the open window.

"Back up is coming. It's over." Avery was certain the woman understood English. Avery heard popping sounds and a small fire broke out near them.

"Yes. I agree. Back up is coming." The woman grinned.

Avery heard William in her ear, "Agent Baker, back up team engaged. They are delayed."

"Thank you William." Avery's voice was tight and the Romanian woman smirked.

"I see you have heard the news too." With that the woman lunged at Avery. The two tangled wrestling looking for leverage, taking shots at each other's body. Avery landed a blow to the woman's knee but then felt searing pain as Romania's thumb dug into a pressure point in her lower side.

"Romania" stepped into Avery preparing to land a deadly blow to her throat, Avery shifted and used her weight to leverage the woman and send her careening into the shattered window. Hanging over the edge, just before she fell she heard the woman muttering something to her "handler."

Avery stood up, she was in pain and bleeding. Her arm was probably broken, she would need stitches. She listened carefully. Silence. "William status report?"

"We have 3 agents in total down. The threat has been eliminated. They are on the way to you now. Team of 3."

----

Avery sat in the van. William was in the van with her. "We have the Romanian agents' bodies, no pathogen. Poe is dead along with 2 of the backup agents, the server is dead. We have Dr. Marsh in custody. We have both the Donovans secure at the hotel; they have not been debriefed. We're still trying to gather data."

Avery sat while the medic attended to her wounds,"No pathogen?"

"No. The agents had nothing on their person. We assume both Romanian even though we only have confirmation on the woman's language from you."

"Check the mailroom." Avery looked up at William's confusion. "She said, something like 'package in the post' or maybe 'air.' There was a mailroom chute in that hallway for the offices. Check the mailroom. Make sure they are protected in full hazmat." William nodded and made the call.

"Agent you are being transported directly to the Post Office. You can clean up there and meet with Agent Foster."

"Thank you William."