Page 139 of Code 6

Holding a gun was slowing his climb, so he tucked it in his belt. Hand over hand he ascended the ladder, reaching the top in a minute or so, stopping just below the roofline. Only at this height did he realize that the back of the building was built on the edge of a steep gorge in the hillside. Death was likely if he fell from the ladder into the alley; it was an absolute certainty if the fall were from the roof into the ravine.

Patrick removed the gun from his belt. With pistol in hand, he slidhimself up and over the top rung, slithering onto the roof on his belly to avoid making a target of himself. The roof was flat and barren as a desert, save for a few exhaust vents and pipes protruding from the tar-and-gravel surface. His gaze swept the entire roof, or at least as much as he could see from his worm’s-eye perspective. He saw no sign of Liu or Olga. Slowly, he raised his head for a better look.

The roof was tiered, he discovered, with two levels, both flat. He was on the lower tier, alone. Another ladder led to the higher tier, toward the rear of the building—where Olga had to be with Liu. Patrick jumped to his feet and ran to the second ladder. He kept his gun in hand this time, climbing as quietly as possible. There were only ten rungs, and he stopped when his eyes were level with the second-tier roofline.

“That’s far enough,” said Liu.

Patrick froze. The elevated tier of the roof ran the entire width of the building, but it was a mere ten feet from Patrick’s place on the ladder to the back of the building. Liu was standing at the very edge of the roofline. Olga was in front of him, looking terrified with the barrel of his pistol burrowing into her right cheek.

“Hurting Olga gains you nothing,” said Patrick.

“Lay your pistol on the roof or she gets a bullet.”

“Don’t!” shouted Olga. “He got what he wanted! He got the flash drive!”

Patrick didn’t move.

“Now!” said Liu, as he pressed the gun harder against Olga’s face.

The utter terror in her eyes left Patrick no choice. He rested his weapon on the roof.

“Let her go,” said Patrick. “Keep the flash drive and go. I won’t stop you. I don’t care if you get away.”

“You and I both know that whatever is on that flash drive is worthless.”

“That’s not Olga’s fault.”

“No. It’s yours.”

“I had nothing to do with what Mr. Peel delivered on that flash drive.”

“You’re the one who said to bring Code Six as ransom. Code Six is made-up bullshit, isn’t it, Patrick? Youtoldhim to deliver bullshit code.”

Patrick was silent.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Liu said with sarcasm. “I can see why you’d want to play hero and keep the real code out of the hands of the Chinese government. As if it’s any less dangerous in the hands of your own government.”

“You’re never going to get it,” said Patrick.

“Not from Peel, that’s for sure.”

“Not from anyone,” said Patrick.

“That’s where you’re wrong. Like I told Jeremy: we could buy it, or we could steal it. Might as well make a buck.”

“Your logic may have worked with him. But I’m not for sale.”

“That’s a shame.”

The police sirens he’d first heard in the alley were getting closer. All he had to do was keep the situation stable for a few minutes more.

“Just let her go. Please.”

“I have every intention of doing so,” said Liu. “And in case anyone asks, be sure to tell them: I did it for Kate.”

Before Patrick could react to those words, Liu pivoted, flung Olga around, and pushed her off the building.

“Olga!”