Free Cobalt by Shelley Grace Page B

for exactly this reason, among others; security, sorting and allocation to name a few others. ‘How can you be so certain it’s a hoax?’
     
         ‘Give it to me.’ William said, evenly. ‘I want to show you something.’ He took the photo as Gillian offered it. ‘Now look. This is San Fransisco. Remember the trip we took two months ago. And that,’ William stated, pointing to the woman, ‘Is you…or rather you are the base photo for the completed, doctored image. The body is yours, but the head belongs to this Angela woman. Look closely,’ He said, gesturing to the base of the neck. ‘You can see where they’ve cut and pasted the two images together. The skin-tone is close, but it’s not identical.’
     
         ‘How can you be so sure that’s me? My body?’ Gillian questioned.
     
         ‘Well for one thing, there has only ever been you. I haven’t been anywhere without you. And, honey, I’d know that body anywhere. Everything about that body.’ William smiled, gently running his right index finger down her arm. ‘Look closely at the photo.’
     
    Gillian looked at the image. He was right. She even remembered when they had walked down the street, shortly after dinner. She looked into her husband’s patient amber eyes, as she deliberately tore the photo into thousands of pieces, and brushed them from the bed. ‘I’m so sorry’ she said, concern and genuine remorse tinting her voice, tears of regret welling in her nearly violet eyes.
     
    William responded by taking her in his arms, and kissing her deeply. ‘Now where were we?’ he asked as he eased her down onto the mattress.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 13
     
    The taxi pulled up in front of Club Fun and Madeline virtually threw herself out of it,  before it had completely stopped. Not even bothering to see if her partner  followed she crossed the pavement to the doors. Carefully, as she strode through the glass front door of the night-club, Madeline checked to see if the pistol was still positioned in the back waist band of her black pants.
     
    Rick caught up to her as she stood in the centre of the dance-floor, scanning the room. ‘Well?’ he questioned, following her search of the room, as he attempted to blend into the crowd, moving to the techno beat that pumped through the club.
     
    Madeline’s gaze ended on a door in the corner. On the front read 'Club Personale Soltanto- Staff only', but following a hunch Madeline strode over and silently opened it.  Inside was a small, dimly lit, descending stairwell. Anger and frustration were replaced by professional requirement so she beckoned Rick to follow as she entered it.
     
    Rick followed quickly and quietly. At the bottom of the stairs was another door, guarded by two men, each holding a semi-automatic weapon, by his side. Staying out of sight Rick fixed the silencer to his weapon, and fired two shots, killing the two men before they even knew he was there. Madeline stepped over the slain terrorists and tried the door-knob. It was locked. Taking a step back, she kicked it open. The swing of it allowed her to view the inner room, and the three men inside. Two were armed. She burst through the door, Rick closely on her heels. She fired two shots, taking out the two guards either side of the desk, the sound of her shots echoing throughout the office. They both fell, but one fired a shot before hers reached him. The bullet sailed past her and directly at Rick.
     
    Madeline spun around to look at him. This action, gave their suspect the time he needed to flee out the back door of the office. With one glance she saw the bullet, too, had missed Rick, and whipping her attention forward she saw Teslovich exit the office.
     
    Acting quickly Rick and Madeline raced through the open door, after him. The door led into a deserted alleyway.