Free The Callsign by Brad Taylor Page B

we're after the art and used the real-estate
    building to penetrate."
    "Roger.... How?"
    "I need you to do a B&E. Right now."
     

Chapter 2
     
    "Pike, I've got a view of the street," Retro said. "There are people all over, staring at the show. I can't pick a lock on the front door in full view of everyone."
    I saw Jesse with the exfil van round the corner and shot my penlight at his windshield to get his attention. "Get to the back. There's an alley between the buildings. All I need you to do is trip an alarm."
    I heard the skid of the police vehicles from a hundred meters away and knew I had about a minute before they coordinated and began a search.
    "Retro, we're out of time. I need that alarm right now."
    I heard "already moving" and ran to Jesse and the van, rip.ping into a duffel bag in the back and pulling out a Kernmantle climbing rope.
    "Jesse, stage on Church Street with the engine running. We'll be coming out hot as hell," I told him.
    I had shouldered the rope and turned to go to the building when he said, "We need to talk about this when we're done."
    I was surprised, since he was basically saying he'd had enough of the CIA bullshit. I said, "We will. Trust me, we're go.ing to hot wash this entire thing. Now get out of here. Keep the radio on. We get busted, and you'll know it. If that happens get Kurt on the horn and get him ready for the fallout."
    I jogged through the shadows of the cemetery until I reached the wall adjacent to the target. I was about to put myself in jeopardy, because I needed to start climbing before Retro accomplished his mission. He didn't, and we were all going to jail together.
    "Reaper, I'm coming up. You got an anchor?" "Yeah. Inside the third floor window. It's open now. You see it?"
    I flipped over the wall and landed softly on my feet in the alley. I could see the old window cracked a smidgen, a small pen.light flashing.
    "I got it. Retro, what's your status?"
    "Working it now. They just confirmed entry with headquarters on the scanner. From the radio calls, they're searching the first floor slow and methodical."
    I went to the corner and started to climb, using the rough-hewn granite blocks as hand-and footholds. I'd reached the second floor when Retro called again.
    "They've found the busted door. They're now focused on it and the stairwell leading up." "Jesus Christ! What the hell are you doing? Trip the damn alarm."
    "I'm working it. The door has four different locks and is steel plate. You want me to go out front and chuck a rock through the window?"
    "Get it done. Now." I kept climbing. I began wondering whether we should try subduing the cops in order to escape, knowing I was pushing a seriously bad idea.
    I reached the third floor and was pulled in by Reaper. Kranz said, "Got the intel."
    Like that would make up for the disaster we were in. The guy didn't even realize the stakes he had created, as if the cops them.selves were part of the exercise.
    I said nothing to him, simply whispering to Reaper, "Where's the anchor? I need to put in a full loop so we can retrieve the rope once we're on the ground."
    He showed me an old cast-iron radiator, long dead but still in.stalled, and I looped the rope through it, feeding it out the win.dow until both halves of the line draped down the sixty feet to the ground, no knots involved. I was turning to get Kranz out first when I saw a light flash from the stairwell.
    Shit. They're coming up.
    I hissed, "Get your ass out of here. Slide down the rope."
    Kranz said, "I don't have any gloves."
    Jesus. That means there are fingerprints all over the place.
    I grabbed his collar, jerked him to my face and said in a low whisper, "Get your ass out of here. I don't give a shit if you leave your palms on the rope. Get out, or I'm going to fucking throw you out."
    His eyes wide, he nodded and climbed through the window.
    "Reaper," I whispered, "you think you can disarm that cop without injuring him?" He glanced at the light and said, "Pike, I don't