The door at the end of the hallway, like the one hed chased the woman in the black dress through, opened to the outside.
Should we go out a door closer to the bulk of the crowd? Gus suggested.
No, Charlie said. They wanted everyone out in case there really is a fire.
Gus pushed open the door. Before he stepped out, he looked for the security personnel first. No one stood outside. In fact, the back of the building appeared deserted.
Gus held open the door while Declan led Charlie out of the building.
Are you guys evacuating? Mack said into Guss earpiece.
We are, Declan responded. We just stepped out of the building at the southeastern corner. Well make our way around to the front, coming up the eastern side.
Were on our way to rendezvous with you, Mack said.
As they rounded the corner of the building, men jumped out of the shadows and surrounded them.
Declan and Gus stepped in front of Charlie.
Weve got trouble, Gus said into his microphone.
How much trouble? Mack asked.
Six deep, Gus said. Six big burly men, none of whom wore the uniforms of the paid security guards.
Gus braced himself as the men rushed them.
The first one to Gus swung a meaty fist at his head. Gus ducked and slammed his fist into the mans gut.
The man doubled over but was replaced by the next man behind him.
Gus didnt let the fact they were outnumbered slow him down. He had to keep even one of them from getting to Charlie.
Declan had his hands full, throwing punches, ducking some and taking a couple to the jaw. The men they were fighting were trained combatants. For every punch Gus threw, they hit back with equal aim and dexterity.
While Gus and Declan fought off two each, the fifth and sixth men circled around them and grabbed Charlies arm.
She screamed, kicked and cursed, doing her best to protect herself. But she was one woman. The two men were bigger, stronger and meaner than anything she could offer in the way of a fight.
Gus punched and kicked like a madman, but he couldnt free himself from the two men fast enough to help Charlie and neither could Declan.
Then, out of the shadows, came a whirling dervish in a black dress. She attacked the men holding Charlie, landing a side kick in one guys kidney. She spun and swept her other foot around, hitting the other guy in the temple.
Both men staggered and loosened their holds on Charlie long enough for her to get away.
The woman in the black dress didnt stop there.
When the men reached out for Charlie again, the woman grabbed one mans arm and, using his own momentum, flipped him. He landed hard on his back, the wind knocked out of his lungs.
The other guy, seeing his partner laid low, went after the woman in the black dress. He grabbed her from behind around the middle and lifted her off the ground.
Gus had his own hands full taking care of the two who had him cornered. One pulled a knife and lunged at him. Gus grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the knife, twisted it around and slammed the knife into the second mans ribs. The man went down with the knife still stuck inside him.
An elbow to the nose of the man still standing got his attention. Gus brought up his knee at the same time he slammed the mans head down. He lay still on the pavement.
Gus went after the guy holding the woman in black.
Before he could reach him, the woman doubled over, her feet hit the ground and she flipped with the man holding her around her waist. Twisting free, she rolled out of range and came up in a ready stance.
The two men whod fought with the woman took off, running for the shadows.
Declans two attackers broke free, grabbed the man on the ground by the arms and hauled him to his feet. Then they ran after the others.
The man with the knife in his ribs lay groaning on the pavement, his voice trailing off as blood spilled onto the ground.
Declan ran for Charlie who stood nearby.
Gus approached the woman in the black dress.
She raised her hands. Im not here to hurt Mrs. Halverson. I only need to talk to her. Nothing more.
Security guards ran toward them.
I cant stay, the strange woman said, her eyes wide as the guards came closer. I cant let them question me.
Meet us at the corner three blocks in that direction. Charlie pointed. Well pick you up in my car.
The woman hesitated.
Charlie reached out and touched her arm. Trust me. Well be there.
After a solemn nod to Charlie and a glance over her shoulder at the people headed toward them, the woman ran.
What were you thinking? Declan asked. You dont know who she is or what she wants. She could be after the same thing those men wanted. You for ransom.
If she hadnt shown up when she did, I might not be standing here, Charlie said. You two were outnumbered.
Gus nodded. Charlie was right. The men theyd fought had been trained in hand-to-hand combat. They hadnt been easy to overcome. If the mystery woman hadnt come along when she had, Charlie could have been taken or killed.
Now, lets get past all the police questions and on the road home. I want to know more about our mystery helper. Charlie started for the front of the hotel. First off, where did she learn to fight like that? I need her to teach me a few tricks so I dont get into another situation like that. I dont like feeling helpless.
Gus would like to know more about the woman, as well. Shed impressed the hell out of him with her fighting skills. He had questions for her, too. And he wasnt so sure they could trust her. Obviously, she could take care of herself, but would she use those skills on them to overtake the team and the driver and abscond with Charlie?
THREE BLOCKS DOWN the road from the Mayflower Hotel, she waited in the shadows, watching for a limousine. Had the Halverson woman told her shed collect her to get her to leave her alone?
Wearing only the dress and the high heels shed worn to the party, it wasnt long before the chill night air set in. She rubbed her bare arms and stamped her feet, praying a limousine would drive up, shed get in and the heater would be on full blast.
Shed ask all the questions after shed thawed her cold hands and quit shaking like a blender on full speed. And shed thought the heat intolerable in Syria.
At that moment, she could stand a good reason to sweat. If she werent wearing the heels, shed jog up and down the alley to get her blood moving. Alas, the straps were digging into her skin and making blisters. Running was only an option if her life depended on it.
Without a watch, she couldnt tell how much time had passed since Charlotte Halverson had promised to pick her up. Several vehicles had gone by, but none had been a limousine.
Giving up wasnt an option. She had nowhere else to go. No money, no home, no extra clothing. The jeans and T-shirt shed arrived at the hotel in were where shed left them when shed changed into the staffs uniform.
She didnt think she was the kind of person who stole items on a regular basis. When she had, it had been purely a matter of desperation. Until she knew who she was, she didnt know whether shed had a job, a bank account or a home. Surely someone missed her somewhere. Someone who knew her life history. Her name.