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“All right then, I want you in that bath right now, Professor; you’re freezing and suffering distress.”
“Stay?” Connor looked up at the features of his dearest friend, his hand reaching out to skim the side of Peter’s face as he curled forward into the strong embrace.
Instinctively, Peter wrapped his arms around Connor and rocked slowly. “I promise I won’t leave you. But I need to get you warm, okay?”
Connor nodded into the shoulder and hung on for dear life. “Ah, Connor, you have to move so I can get you into the bath.”
Reluctantly, he let go and Peter efficiently stripped him from the clothes; the smell of cigarettes and sweat permeated the air as he all but lifted Doyle into the large tub of hot water. Almost instantly, he relaxed and laid his head back against the rim. “Okay, so I do need to answer the door and let Macey bring us in some food and Anton made me promise that you’d take some Valium; and under, the circumstances, it would be wise.” He dropped the two yellow pills into his hand and watched as Connor swallowed them obediently.
Connor just nodded as the shudders in his body abated and he watched Peter leave the bathroom.
***
“Hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Macey whispered to Peter as he placed the tray on the table.
“Oh, great, we could do with a break tonight, Mace.” Peter wiped his hand across his face. “What’s up?”
“Got the drum, Denisoff’s got a bead on where you’re holed up; I’ll call security in, but I don’t know how long it will be before he makes an entrance.”
“Lovely. And I’ve just drop ten mils of Valium into his system. Which means I’ll either have to play for time or get us out of here.”
“No car, Peter; I suggest you get on the horn and call your office and get them to back you up.”
“Any idea of how they know?” Peter frowned.
“I would think one of their initiates was making a deal close by and saw you disappear in the area. They are circling like buzzards.” Macey waved his hands in the air and smiled. “However, first they gotta get in and then they gotta get to you, so I say stay put and call in for backup. Out there, I can’t protect you, man. Know that I’ve got your six here, so chill, okay?”
“Don’t like it, but I don’t have a choice. How long do you think we have?”
“At a guess, I’d say bout forty-five minutes. Panic switch is by the bed and I’ve got some clean clothes for Connor. You armed?”
“Unfortunately not.” Peter grimaced as he picked up the phone and patched a call through to Ray Donohue.
***
“So, the good news is that with the exception of Denisoff and two of his cronies, we got the rest of the group and they are singing like canaries.” Ray smiled down the phone line.
“And the bad news is that Denisoff and his two cronies are circling the block that I’m holed up in with Connor. And I have no car, only the bike. In Connor’s condition, he’s not likely to be able to hang on.” Peter was calm, almost eerily so.
“What’s the security like over there?” Jarrod was businesslike, but his even tone did not hide the strain in his voice.
“You got me on conference, Ray?” Peter asked.
“Yeah, Anton and Jarrod are here as well.”
“Good, saves repeating this. Okay, we’ve got full security, but these guys play hard ball so I’m guessing they won’t be much chop for batons. We’ve probably got no more than thirty minutes before they figure out where Connor is and come running.”
“What’s Connor’s condition?”
“Stressed, bit out of it, which I have to admit, Anton, I don’t understand; but with luck I can ask why later. I’d already given him the Valium before I knew we were compromised, so he’s not going to be much help if it gets down and dirty.”
“All right, I have a squad ETA at fifty minutes, Peter,” Jarrod spoke quickly as he took in the situation. “Play for time, you know what these guys want.”
“Yes, and they won’t be getting it whilst I can walk.” There was a quiet menace in Peter’s voice that sent shivers down the spines of the men in the room. “Just one other question - they left Leather’s with a boy under their arm, he okay?”
“Yes, bit bruised and battered but otherwise whole and alive.” Anton smiled despite his misgivings.
“Good, and Jack?”
“Your friend on the bike? Got run off the road and has some nasty tar burns, other than that he’s alive and whole as well. Collateral damage is nil so far, Peter; I’d like to keep it that way,” Jarrod clipped out.
“So would I. I’ve got things to take care of here.” Again the calmness in Peter’s voice made them uneasy.
“You all right?” Anton was forced to ask.
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