A Cloak of Lies Ch. 11

"I've heard enough," Niko said. "I'm going to walk out of here and you're going to escort me. I see anything funny and you're the first to die."

"I'm not going anywhere," Bob said. "You want me dead then shoot."

"I'll walk out with you," Jim offered from the shadows.

Niko ignored him, still focusing on Bob. He took a step closer to the man, pointing the gun directly at his left eye.

"On your feet, asshole. You're walking me out."

"Nope. Gonna sit right here until you either shoot me or you listen," Bob said without hesitation. "You know what happened to Camille, don't you?"

"Don't say her name. You got no right to mention her."

"Where is she, Niko?"

"Yeah, like you don't know," Niko growled.

"Me? How the hell would I know anything about it? Someone burned her house to the ground and she's nowhere to be found."

"Look fellas," Jim said, sidling away from his hiding place, "this ain't got nothing to do with me. I gotta get to work."

"Stay right where you are, Jim," Niko said over his shoulder. "I don't need anyone raising the alarm. I'll be out of here in a few. After that, I'd appreciate it if you keep your mouth shut about all this."

"You got my word, Niko," Jim said, slinking back against the wall once again. "You know I'll never talk."

"You're a good man, Jim," said Niko, never taking his eyes off Bob. "Now, Phelps. Get on your feet."

"Fuck you, Niko," Bob said. "I been through hell. You should've seen the look in her eyes when they told her you were dead. I was there. Where were you? I watched her die a little every day, never knowing what happened to you. And I couldn't tell her anything, not without putting her in danger too. My God, Niko. Where have you been?"

"Not another word," Niko warned.

"They kicked me out of the Bureau. Did you know that? I was forced to resign. The more I pushed to find something out, the more hostile they got. It was the SAC who did it. I just couldn't prove it. I took this job so I could keep an eye on Hyde. The sneaky bastard never showed his hand, though."

"I don't believe a word you say, Phelps," Niko hissed, taking a step closer. "Now your buddies have my wife and I'm going to get her back."

"My buddies? Go fuck yourself. I mourned for you, you bastard. I held her while she cried a river for you. Where the hell were you? You want to believe the worst of me, you go right ahead, but know this – I lost everything trying to find you. And I'd do it all again."

When Niko started to speak again, Bob told him to shut up, standing to push his chest against the gun.

"That night, when you called me, I made a mistake. I told you not to speak to anyone, but I turned to the one person in the Bureau that I thought I could trust. He kept me in his office, talking at me for half an hour," Bob said, stopping only long enough to take a breath.

"I didn't think anything of it when he stepped out of the room for a minute," Bob continued. "That's when he did it. That's when he made the call. I knew it when I found you gone. I knew it when they said you were dead. A week later I saw him having lunch with Hyde, laughing over drinks. I tried, but I couldn't come up with anything concrete to pin on them. God knows, I tried."

"I got a mountain of hate for you, Phelps," Niko ground out, his finger tightening on the trigger. "I laid in that hospital for months just dreaming of the day I'd get a chance like this."

"Then do it, God damn it. Shoot me. Get it over with. Just be sure you're shooting the right man before you do it, or you'll spend the rest of your life wondering. Do you think I'd be here, doing this, living like this if I got some big payoff for handing you over? Think, man. You've known me a long time. I may be stupid, but I've never turned on a friend. You know that."

"People change," Niko said.

"Not me. I'm still Bob Phelps, the closet fag who's too stupid to know a trap when he sees it. I let you down, Niko. I'm sorry. But I never did what you say. I couldn't."

"Why should I believe you? All I know is I called you and then I was ambushed. You set things up pretty good."

"I'm a fool, Niko. That's my only excuse," Bob replied, looking Niko in the eye. "I did something stupid and I almost got you killed. Both our lives were ruined that night, and I've lived in hell every since. I have no idea about you, but I've had enough. Now's my chance. Let me help you. Let me try to do penance for the mistake I made."

"What do you take me for? I trusted you once and look where it got me."

"How can I prove it to you?"

"You can't."

"There has to be something. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Niko hesitated, lowering the weapon slightly. He and Bob had been as close as brothers once, sharing their triumphs and their miseries.

"One chance," Niko said. "You even look like you're planning something and I'll blow your head off. Got that?"

"Anything. Name it," Bob said with a sigh of relief. "Tell me what to do."

"We're walking out of here. There's a van waiting. You're coming with me. I have a long way to go and I'm running out of time."

"Where are we going?" Bob asked, heading for the exit.

"None of your business," Niko said. "Jim, thanks. I'll never be able to repay you."

"Think nothing of it," Jim said with a shaky voice. "I think I'll hang out down here until you guys get clear."

"Good idea. Remember, not a word."

"You got it, Niko," Jim said, pushing the cabinet back into place.

"Head straight for the west exit," Niko told Bob. "Just remember I'm right behind you with a gun at your back."

"You gonna tell me what happened?" Bob asked over his shoulder. "Where were you all these years?"

"Just shut up and walk," Niko growled, following him up the stairway. "Let's get something straight. You and I aren't friends. I'm only taking you with me in case I need leverage. Once you out-grow your usefulness, I might just decide to put a bullet in your skull."

Bob snapped his mouth shut, grinding his teeth as he fought to control his temper. It didn't matter to Niko as he hid the gun inside his shirt. He'd managed to skirt around the metal detectors when he entered the building and only hoped there wouldn't be another guard at the door when he left.

They made it outside without incident with Bob leading the way to the edge of Monroe Street. Niko spotted the van, saw Brick's grimace when he realized they'd be having company. Ordering Bob into the back seat, he took the spot next to him, leveling his gun on the man he most hated in the world.

"What the hell is this shit?" Brick demanded as the men climbed in.

"Just drive," Niko ordered. "Phelps here is going to keep us company for awhile."

"Phelps?" Olan asked from his seat in the front. "Not the one in the FBI, the guy that set you up?"

"The very one," Niko grinned maliciously. "Hand me your gun, Phelps. Real easy. And the belt."

Bob glared at Niko, carefully removing his belt, holster and all. He tossed it on the floor at Niko's feet without a word.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Brick demanded, pulling out of the parking spot. "You better tell me what's going on or we call it quits right here."

"This, Brick," Niko said, glaring at Bob, "is a rat, a mole, a maggot-infested piece of shit. He hung me out to dry eight years ago."

"I was right," Bob muttered. "You haven't changed a bit. You're still a fucking idiot."

"You'd do well to keep shut," Niko warned.

"No. I'm here and I'm gonna talk. You want me to shut up, you're going to have to shoot me," Bob said.

"Don't tempt me, asshole."

"I'm telling you, it was the SAC. It was Lyle Stanford. He had me fooled."

"Special Agent Lyle Stanford?" Olan asked, turning to look at Niko. "He was Special Agent in Charge at the FBI here before you got drafted. We've had him on the watch list for some years now, every since he got sent to DC last year. The Company knows he's dirty, pal."

"Yeah and this one's his mole," Niko retorted. "Get us to the airfield, Brick. Let's see if this prick can fly without a parachute."

"He showed up at my place about a year ago," Bob said. "He wanted to know if I'd heard anything from you, Niko. He said something that day that really made me think. Said that he had reason to believe you were alive and had some kind of mental break. Said that Camille was in danger. The way he said it made me think that he was actually threatening her."

"Yeah, right," Niko scoffed. "You'll say anything now."

"Did you know she was planning to marry again?" Bob snapped.

"I told you not to mention her. You do it again and I'm going to take particular pleasure in watching you bleed."

"Well, while you're beating me to death, he's probably torturing her right now."

Niko's temper nearly got away. He glared at Bob, fighting the urge to kill him on the spot.

"I guess that got your attention," Bob said gravely. "I tried to tell her. I told her that something was wrong with the guy. I still have a few contacts in the Bureau. No one could find anything on him."

"So?" Niko said, still struggling with his temper.

"I mean nothing. No identity, no past. I even ran his prints, but nothing. I'm trying to tell you the guy didn't exist. He just appeared out of thin air one day."

"He's got her now," Niko said, his voice shaking.

"Fuck. I knew it. God damn it. Why wouldn't she listen to me? After a while, she just stopped talking to me. It was like the guy had taken over her life, wouldn't let her be herself anymore."

"She's a stubborn woman," Niko said, shaking his head.

"She is that," Bob agreed. "Why don't you lower that gun before your driver hits another bump?"

"Hey," Brick yelled from the front seat. "I ain't hisdriver."

"No offense, bub," Bob said. "Listen, Niko, I'll do whatever I can to make things right again. I swear on the grave of my mother, I didn't turn you over. You and Camille were the only family I had. I want to see her safe as much as you do."

"We'll see about that," Niko said, lowering his weapon. "You give me one reason to suspect you and I won't hesitate to kill you."

"Fair enough," Bob said as the van sped out of town.

"Niko," Olan said, "I hate to break up this touching reunion, but don't you think it's time we call Hansen in on this?"

"Been giving it some thought," Niko answered, holding up the box he'd carried from the Capital Building. "When I snatched this thing that day in Hyde's office, I had no idea what kind of trouble it would cause. What the hell is it, I wonder?"

"Looks like an old computer drive," Bob offered.

"Whatever it is, it's going to help me get Camille back," Niko said. "We need a secure connect to the ranch. It's gonna be a bitch to reach Hansen without getting traced."

"I don't know who you're talking about, but I might know someone who can help," Bob said. "If you'll trust me, that is."

"No time," Niko said, eyeing him skeptically. "We'll have to try to radio from the air. We'll have to take the chance."

"You're the boss," Brick said, taking a turn too fast. "We'll be at the airfield in a few."