The Z Contingency

Chapter 72

One of the agents ran back to where Simon and Gary were still standing and announced, "He turned south. Back in the direction we came from. Agent Davis went ahead with the thermal imager to try tracking where he drove off to."

"Follow Davis. We'll be right behind you. Tell him to hold his position until I arrive."

Simon turned to Gary, and nodded once. "We'll get her back safe and sound." He then called out to the others who had followed Gary to the rear of the building. "Everyone get back up front and into your vehicles. We have a lead on where Natalie has been taken."

"You come with me," Gary said to Simon in a tone that suggested it was anything but a request. Have Tyler follow in that Explorer."

The group turned south out of the parking lot, in the direction Norman had taken only moments before, with Gary leading the procession. He drove slowly to await developments from Agent Davis."

"Your phone's ringing." Gary announced almost before the first note had stopped sounding on Simon's phone.

Simon pressed the speakerphone button, and replied "This is Zaine. Go."

"This is Davis. I've located the vehicle. It's been abandoned just outside the recycling center adjacent to the lab. I'm holding my position until you arrive."

"You know where that is," Gary half questioned and half stated, throwing in just a hint of accusation.

Simon nodded, and started pointing out directions to Gary, who had increased the speed of the vehicle.

The convoy of vehicles sped the short distance through town toward the destination Agent Davis had given. Although it was called a recycling center, it looked like a typical junkyard. It was a vast flat plot of land, with large piles of cars and other vehicles neatly lined up, forming a maze. Warehouse buildings and workshops were scattered in various locations on the site. Near the southern end of the site, was a smaller main yard, about fifty yards across where appliances were piled up between two identical mobile home buildings, one at either end of the yard, down a long gravel driveway.

At Simon's order, Gary stopped the truck just behind Agent Davis' car. The other vehicles parked along the road behind him. Simon was out first, and ran up to Agent Davis, who was still exiting his vehicle. Gary soon joined them. "Where is Norman's car? I don't see anything here," he demanded.

"It's about a hundred yards up around that corner," Agent Davis replied, pointing up the road. Old cars and other junk were piled into a high wall blocking the view of the office from where they were parked. Only a small sign at the corner pointing to the office gave any indication that there was a driveway there at all. "We didn't want to alert him to our presence."

Gary nodded. "So what's the plan?"

"First, we'll have a look around that corner to see if we can find out whether they're in one of those buildings," Simon said, as he gestured for Agent Davis to carry that out. "If he is, the other agents and I will spread out through there," Simon said, pointing to the piles of junk. "We'll surround the office, then we'll take care of Norman and get Natalie back."

"That doesn't sound like much of a plan. What do you mean 'take care of Norman'?" Gary sounded dubious.

"We will lure him out of the building, and grab him.

"I'm coming with you," Gary stated firmly.

Before Simon could respond, one of the people from the group who had been with them since Ocoee announced, "We all are." Simon looked around and saw that nearly all of the others were nodding in agreement. Only Tyler remained motionless.

"Very well, but I want all of you to keep your distance behind us," Simon said in a resigned voice.