Read Online The Last Flight of the Argus by E. R. Torre - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: E. R. Torre
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haired man was in the elevator and gone. Shepherd stepped into the Hotel’s lobby. The officer drew his weapon and walked to the manager’s glass booth.
“ Where did my partner go?” Shepherd asked.
The manager put the phone down.
“ Into the elevator. What’s going on? Is this about Gail Griffen?”
“ I’m afraid so. Did my partner tell you anything?”
“ Yeah, he said to call the police.”
“ Did you?”
“ Of course.”
Shepherd nodded. He looked back at the Hotel’s entrance and within seconds spotted the distant lights of several squad cars converging on the Hotel.
They’re running quick tonight , Shepherd thought.
“ The police will cordon off this place. Any guests show up down here, tell them to go outside. Don’t get in our way.”
“ I won’t.”
Shepherd smiled.
“ Take it easy, we won’t mess up the room you rented us.”
“ What about Gail Griffen’s room?”
“ Can’t promise anything there,” Shepherd said. He remained in the lobby as long as he could. When the police cars screeched to a stop before the Hotel’s entrance, he headed for the elevator.
Just as the elevator reached the halfway point of its journey the Independent heard a second gunshot through his earpiece.
B’taav winced. The sound slammed through his already numb ear. Afterwards, all B’taav heard was garbled electronic feedback.
B’taav considered the distortion and his pale face grew pale.
She jammed the Vid feed and now she's jamming the audio signal , B’taav thought. She knew we were watching and listening.
The elevator passed the fifty-fourth floor. B’taav removed his ear tab and put it away. He then checked his gun to make sure it was loaded and ready.
The elevator doors opened on the 63rdfloor.
B’taav took a quick glance at the south hallway and leaned back inside the elevator. He did the same for the north hallway. Both sides were clear.
B’taav stepped out of the elevator and slowly walked to Gail Griffen’s apartment door. He was thankful for the hallway carpeting. It muffled his footsteps.
Shepherd swore. The elevators were descending too slowly. He looked at the hotel manager. The man shrugged.
“ They’re old,” he said.
Shepherd shook his head. Several officers emerged from their vehicles and headed to the Hotel’s front entrance. More squad cars were coming from down the street.
And Shepherd needed to be in the goddamn elevator.
B’taav leaned against the hallway wall. In front and to his right was the door to apartment 6345. There was a small hole in the upper half of the door and a similar hole on the wall opposite the door. Smoke rose from each. The two holes were the result of fusion blasts.
B’taav's body tensed as he reached for the doorknob. Abruptly, he stopped. Another door, the one to apartment 6348 across the hall, opened. An elderly lady stuck her head out of her apartment to see what was going on.
B’taav put his index finger in front of his mouth and then pointed at his gun.
“ Fucking Independents,” the old lady muttered. “If it isn't the heavy metal music it's the fucking shooting.”
She disappeared into her room and sealing the apartment door.
The elevator doors closed just as the first of a group of officers entered the Hotel’s lobby.
Sorry I couldn’t wait , Shepherd thought.
“ B’taav, do you read me?”
His ear tab emitted a low electric whine.
“ If you can hear me, don’t bother answering. My earphone is dead. I’m in the elevator passing the... uh...20th floor. Squad cars have surrounded the building. I’ll be up in a moment.”
Shepherd swore. If his tab went dead after the second gunshot, there was every reason to assume that B’taav’s tab was also gone.
B’taav pressed the side of his head against the door to apartment 6345. He listened for any sounds coming from within. Someone inside the apartment groaned. The voice belonged to a man. The groan was followed by the sound of
“ Where did my partner go?” Shepherd asked.
The manager put the phone down.
“ Into the elevator. What’s going on? Is this about Gail Griffen?”
“ I’m afraid so. Did my partner tell you anything?”
“ Yeah, he said to call the police.”
“ Did you?”
“ Of course.”
Shepherd nodded. He looked back at the Hotel’s entrance and within seconds spotted the distant lights of several squad cars converging on the Hotel.
They’re running quick tonight , Shepherd thought.
“ The police will cordon off this place. Any guests show up down here, tell them to go outside. Don’t get in our way.”
“ I won’t.”
Shepherd smiled.
“ Take it easy, we won’t mess up the room you rented us.”
“ What about Gail Griffen’s room?”
“ Can’t promise anything there,” Shepherd said. He remained in the lobby as long as he could. When the police cars screeched to a stop before the Hotel’s entrance, he headed for the elevator.
Just as the elevator reached the halfway point of its journey the Independent heard a second gunshot through his earpiece.
B’taav winced. The sound slammed through his already numb ear. Afterwards, all B’taav heard was garbled electronic feedback.
B’taav considered the distortion and his pale face grew pale.
She jammed the Vid feed and now she's jamming the audio signal , B’taav thought. She knew we were watching and listening.
The elevator passed the fifty-fourth floor. B’taav removed his ear tab and put it away. He then checked his gun to make sure it was loaded and ready.
The elevator doors opened on the 63rdfloor.
B’taav took a quick glance at the south hallway and leaned back inside the elevator. He did the same for the north hallway. Both sides were clear.
B’taav stepped out of the elevator and slowly walked to Gail Griffen’s apartment door. He was thankful for the hallway carpeting. It muffled his footsteps.
Shepherd swore. The elevators were descending too slowly. He looked at the hotel manager. The man shrugged.
“ They’re old,” he said.
Shepherd shook his head. Several officers emerged from their vehicles and headed to the Hotel’s front entrance. More squad cars were coming from down the street.
And Shepherd needed to be in the goddamn elevator.
B’taav leaned against the hallway wall. In front and to his right was the door to apartment 6345. There was a small hole in the upper half of the door and a similar hole on the wall opposite the door. Smoke rose from each. The two holes were the result of fusion blasts.
B’taav's body tensed as he reached for the doorknob. Abruptly, he stopped. Another door, the one to apartment 6348 across the hall, opened. An elderly lady stuck her head out of her apartment to see what was going on.
B’taav put his index finger in front of his mouth and then pointed at his gun.
“ Fucking Independents,” the old lady muttered. “If it isn't the heavy metal music it's the fucking shooting.”
She disappeared into her room and sealing the apartment door.
The elevator doors closed just as the first of a group of officers entered the Hotel’s lobby.
Sorry I couldn’t wait , Shepherd thought.
“ B’taav, do you read me?”
His ear tab emitted a low electric whine.
“ If you can hear me, don’t bother answering. My earphone is dead. I’m in the elevator passing the... uh...20th floor. Squad cars have surrounded the building. I’ll be up in a moment.”
Shepherd swore. If his tab went dead after the second gunshot, there was every reason to assume that B’taav’s tab was also gone.
B’taav pressed the side of his head against the door to apartment 6345. He listened for any sounds coming from within. Someone inside the apartment groaned. The voice belonged to a man. The groan was followed by the sound of
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