| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted February 15, 2025 | Chapters: |
...35 36 -37- 38... 
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The battles begin
A chapter in the book Veil of Secrets
Veil of Secrets - Chap 37
by Begin Again
"Answer the damn phone!" Frank cursed and paced the floor, listening to the gunfire. Walls surrounding the hospital and stately mansion were constructed to deter intruders, but Zhang was undeterred. Frank's men, well trained in combat, would stand their ground, and all the steel plates that covered every window and door would prevent any chance of entrance — he hoped.
He redialed Garth's number, and it failed. He hit another call on speed dial, only there because of Donatelli's last visit. He pushed the number and waited, fuming under his breath. "Come on, Eleanor, pick up the phone."
It went to voicemail.
Frustrated, he snarled, "Eleanor, listen to me! It's Frank. Zhang has boats in the channel, and he's after the women. You have to warn them!"
Gunfire erupted in the background, followed by screams. The hospital was under attack. Frank spun toward the entrance, his heart pounding. It wasn't his first gunfight, but it had been a while.
Sam's voice rang out from the doorway. "Zhang has helicopters coming in!" Sam yelled, his face pale with urgency.
Frank gritted his teeth. "Get men to the roof now! Hold them off as long as you can!"
Another explosion rocked the ground beneath him. He turned back to the phone. "We're under attack — He exchanged his cell phone for a gun and raced out into the hall.
*****
Eleanor returned to Travis's room with a fresh basin of water and a clean cloth. Althea's head rested on the side of the bed. She stretched and sat up in the chair, reaching for the cloth Eleanor had just brought. "I'll do it."
Eleanor nodded and touched his forehead. "Has he said anything more?"
"He mumbles, but nothing makes sense. I just want him to open his eyes to see that I am here."
"Talk to him, Althea. He knows you're here."
"Do you think so, Eleanor? Do you think he hears me?"
"I'm positive. And your loving voice is the best medicine for him right now. The doctor said he would come again today and give him another shot. That should help him."
Eleanor glanced at her phone; a missed call notification flashed on the screen. She pressed play on the voicemail. Frank's urgent, tense voice came through before breaking into static with his chilling last words, muffled gunfire, and screams in the background.
She gasped, gripping the phone tightly. There was no time to hesitate. "Althea, Maria will be up with coffee and a little breakfast —"
"I'm not hungry." Althea squeezed the water from the cloth and placed it on Travis's forehead.
Staring at the phone in her hand, she tried to keep her voice calm. "Just try to eat something, dear. I'm going to catch up with Garth and his team."
She stepped out into the hall and vanished from the mansion.
*****
The air in the tunnel was stale and damp as Garth and his men heaved away the last stubborn slab of collapsed stone. They were almost through. Sweat, mud, and pain covered their faces, and their muscles ached from the relentless work of digging through the rocks, splintered timber, and mud.
"One more push!" Garth barked, shoving his shoulder into the debris. With a final groan, the stone shifted, leaving a narrow passage open.
Before he could take another breath, Eleanor materialized before them.
"Not now," Garth growled, assuming another distraction.
"Listen to me!" Eleanor's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Frank called. Zhang is in the channel — he's capturing the women!"
Her words struck Garth like a hammer. His eyes darkened as he turned to his men. "Zhang? Here?"
"Yes, he's after the women."
"Move! Now!" he ordered, waving toward the tunnel." We've got company at the other end." Following his men, he yelled to Eleanor, "Call the Coast Guard. Master Chief Lindsey."
*****
As the agents surged forward, they found the cages — three desperate women still trapped, their eyes wide with fear.
"FBI!" the agents bellowed as they rushed in. Several agents slammed pickaxes against the locks, releasing the sobbing women from the cages. The men wrapped their arms around them, assisting the women out.
"Hurry! Get back up the tunnel!" an agent ordered as the women stumbled forward. He glanced around the cages and shivered at the bones, remnants of the past. Making the sign of the cross, he turned back to the crisis at hand.
Garth and the rest of the team rushed toward the tunnel's mouth. The air hit them like a wave as they emerged into the large cavern at the opening, only to see women swimming for the boats. A few women clung to a beached log on a small island, and others screamed from the boats, but the wind carried their words away.
"Stop! It's a trap!" Garth roared, but his warning came too late.
Zhang's men were already upon them, dragging them out of the water. The sound of speedboats revving filled the air as the captured women screamed, struggling against their captors. Some of the women realized the danger and fought back, clawing at their captors. A few made a desperate decision and threw themselves back into the water, trying to swim away.
Bullets ripped through the night as Zhang's men opened fire on Garth and his team. The agents dove for cover, returning fire in a desperate attempt to suppress the ambush. Garth gritted his teeth, eyes scanning the water for any sign of survivors.
"Get to them! Now!" he barked, motioning his men to go after the women who had jumped back into the water.
One of Zhang's boats turned sharply, circling to cut off their escape. The speedboats churned the water, and the women struggled to keep their heads above the waves.
Garth and his team dodged bullets, trying to reach the women still fighting for freedom. The situation was slipping through their fingers, but they still fought.
*****
Eleanor reappeared inside the mansion, her fingers flying over her phone screen as she dialed emergency services.
"Coast Guard! This is urgent! Master Chief Lindsey, please."
"Ma'am, this is Petty Officer Jones speaking. What is your emergency?"
"I'm calling for FBI Agent Garth Woodman. I must speak with the Master Chief."
"Ma'am, slow down. Where exactly —"
"Hello, this is Master Chief Lindsey. What's the problem?"
"My name is Eleanor Bennett. It's happening right now. Near the estate! The tunnel comes out on the property. They're using speedboats, and FBI Agent Garth Woodman told me to call."
There was a pause. Then, the operator's voice sharpened with recognition.
"Wait — Eleanor? Eleanor Bennett? This is John Lindsey. Years back, you helped take down Zhang and Doyle in that smuggling case."
"Yes! And he's back, taking women. You have to stop them! He's in the river behind the Vineyard off Highway 7."
"Understood. We're dispatching units immediately. Stay on the line."
"No time. Just get there!" Eleanor snapped, ending the call. She clenched her fists. Now, all she could do was pray they got there in time.
Her next call was to Jenna's phone, which went to voicemail. She immediately dialed Donatelli and then Frank, but she got no answer from either of them. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what was going on and praying her family was saved.
A vision flashed in front of her, and she knew her prayers wouldn't be answered.
*****
"Maggie!" The sound of gunfire and the baby's cries cut through Donatelli's hospital room. Jenna screamed and then rushed toward the door.
"Jenna, wait!" Matthew lay helpless in the bed, tethered by IVs and machines. "Frank's men will get her." Their eyes locked together — one knowing he couldn't help and the other knowing she had to.
Jenna's eyes were filled with panic and fear, but her mother instinct screamed that her child needed her now. "I can get to her, Matthew. It's only a few doors away."
"No, I'll go." He threw off the covers and attempted to sit up but collapsed backward.
"Stay where you are, Matthew. You can't go, but I can." She rushed out the door and was met by gunfire. She pressed into the narrow alcove outside another room, her stomach clenching. A bullet shattered the window in the door, sending glass flying like deadly shards. She screamed, covering her head with her arms.
Maggie's cries and the sound of gunfire further down the hall sent terror through her. Jenna crawled forward, staying low, edging closer and closer to the room she shared with her daughter.
Where was the guard?
She heard another shot and then a thud. A man charged out of the room carrying Maggie. Her tiny arms flailed as she screamed.
"Nooo!" Jenna shrieked, leaping to her feet.
Jenna saw the flash as another man exited the room, firing his weapon. She ducked in time as the first bullet embedded itself in the wall behind her, and another splintered the door frame.
Donatelli's roar of pain and fury blasted from inside his room. The hospital bed rattled as he forced himself up, ripping out IVs and tearing open the stitches in his stomach. Blood bloomed across his bandages, but he didn't stop. He grabbed his gun from the bedside table, staggering toward the door.
"You bastards aren't taking my daughter!" he bellowed, firing blindly down the hall. His strength failed him as his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.
The men rushed toward the stairwell, Maggie's cries echoing down the corridor. Zhang's team was getting away.
Jenna ran to Donatelli, falling to her knees. "No, no, stay with me!" She pressed her hands against his wound, trying to stop the bleeding as he struggled to remain conscious.
His last words before slipping into the darkness were, "Maggie."
Her sobs filled the room. "They took her! Frank! Someone, help!"
Overhead, the rhythmic chop of helicopter blades grew louder. The sound vibrated through the walls as Zhang's men made their escape.
________________________________________
The wind howled across the dark water as the speedboats cut through the choppy waves, their engines snarling against the night. The cliffs loomed behind them — forty, maybe fifty feet high —sheer rock with no escape. Garth had counted on that. The cliffs prevented Zhang and his men from disappearing, and although Garth alerted the Coast Guard, they were still too far away. It would be a race to the river opening before Zhang reached the open water.
On the deck of the lead boat, the women fought as Zhang's men shoved them toward the hatch. Ashley lashed out, landing a solid kick to one of her captors' ribs. He snarled, backhanding her across the face. She stumbled, but another shove sent her toppling over the side. The other women cowered and entered the open hatch. The heavy steel door slammed shut behind them, muffling their cries.
"Keep moving!" Zhang barked, gripping the edge of the boat as he scanned the water.
"Should we swing back and get her?"
"No, let her drown." Zhang snarled.
Then, the shot rang out from high on the cliff — an agent with a rifle.
Zhang barely registered the sound before the impact hit him — hot, searing pain ripping through his side. He buckled, hand clamping over the wound as blood seeped through his fingers. His head snapped up, wild eyes darting toward the shoreline. Too far. The cliffs were no use now.
"Get closer to the shore!" he snarled at the man at the wheel, his voice strained but still holding authority. He pointed upstream.
"But, sir —"
"Do it!" Zhang's breath was coming fast now. He felt the burn deep in his gut. He refused to be caught like this.
The boat veered, cutting closer to the shoreline where the cliffs had given way to rocky outcroppings and thick brush. Zhang took a steadying breath, ignoring the pounding of his pulse. The second the boat reached the nearest point, he didn't hesitate.
With one final push off the railing, he plunged into the dark water.
The icy rush swallowed him whole. Pain exploded in his side as he fought against the current, but adrenaline kept him moving. Above, the speedboat accelerated, veering sharply away, its crew unaware of his escape.
Zhang, battered and bleeding, resurfaced beyond the cliffs, where the current carried him toward shore, disappearing into the dense underbrush.
By the time the Coast Guard closed in, there was no Zhang on board.
Garth wouldn't know the truth until later when his men scoured the shoreline and found the blood — evidence that Zhang had made it to land and disappeared.
*****
Frank stood on the hospital rooftop, gun in hand, watching as Zhang's men climbed into helicopters parked on the front lawn. The deafening roar of the engines sent dust and debris swirling into the air. Squad cars screeched to a halt below, but it was too late. The black SUVs were empty — their passengers had vanished.
Jack Lexington's helicopter appeared on the horizon, closing in fast, but the enemy was already lifting off. He landed hard on the rooftop, the force of the descent shaking the ground beneath Frank's feet. As soon as the doors opened, Frank climbed in.
"They've taken Maggie!" Frank's voice cut through the roar of the blades. "Zhang's men are heading east. We have to go after them, now!"
Jack didn't hesitate. "Hang on."
The helicopter surged forward, chasing after the disappearing aircraft in the distance. Frank gritted his teeth. This wasn't over — not by a long shot.
 Recognized |
Main Characters -
Spirits from the past -
Eleanor Bennett - ghost detective
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Matthew Donatelli
Cornelius Webb - Miriam's nemesis and murderer
Miriam Cascio - Trevor's murdered bride, Rebecca's grandmother and protector of the Vineyard
Antonio Maggio - Rebecca's grandfather and Miriam's first love
Bayside's Community --
Jenna Bennett - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, Maggie's mother, Donatelli's love
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective and Maggie's father
Rebecca Cascio Stillwell - recently inherited the Vineyard after discovering her adoption
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie) and potentially interested in Rebecca
Joseph DeLuca - Bayside detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge, nemesis to all, and escaped prisoner from Joliet State Prison.
Vince Rossi - mobster and Doyle's cellmate and escaped prisoner
Grayson Webb - grand nephew and recently inherited the Webb Estate
Althea Webb Cascio - mother to Travis and half-sister to Rebecca
Travis - missing boy
Amelia - girl in the caves
Phil Henderson - Bayside family lawyer
Maria - a woman escaping the tunnels
Lenore - an old woman with a wolf dog and magic
Ashley, Lee Ann, Kristen - women caged in the tunnel
Criminals -
Zhang Wei - once involved in human trafficking with Doyle, seeks revenge for his career losses after Doyle's downfall from the Judge's bench.
Frank DiVito - retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frankie's right-hand man and friend
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin
Tony "The Hawk" - Salvatore "Sal" and Vito Greco -- the New York mob
Smugglers from New York
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Spirits from the past -
Eleanor Bennett - ghost detective
Danni - jr. ghost detective working with Matthew Donatelli
Cornelius Webb - Miriam's nemesis and murderer
Miriam Cascio - Trevor's murdered bride, Rebecca's grandmother and protector of the Vineyard
Antonio Maggio - Rebecca's grandfather and Miriam's first love
Bayside's Community --
Jenna Bennett - Event planner, Eleanor's daughter, Maggie's mother, Donatelli's love
Matthew Donatelli - Bayside's lead detective and Maggie's father
Rebecca Cascio Stillwell - recently inherited the Vineyard after discovering her adoption
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and widower (Allie) and potentially interested in Rebecca
Joseph DeLuca - Bayside detective
John Doyle - Ex-judge, nemesis to all, and escaped prisoner from Joliet State Prison.
Vince Rossi - mobster and Doyle's cellmate and escaped prisoner
Grayson Webb - grand nephew and recently inherited the Webb Estate
Althea Webb Cascio - mother to Travis and half-sister to Rebecca
Travis - missing boy
Amelia - girl in the caves
Phil Henderson - Bayside family lawyer
Maria - a woman escaping the tunnels
Lenore - an old woman with a wolf dog and magic
Ashley, Lee Ann, Kristen - women caged in the tunnel
Criminals -
Zhang Wei - once involved in human trafficking with Doyle, seeks revenge for his career losses after Doyle's downfall from the Judge's bench.
Frank DiVito - retired gangster and childhood friend of Garth
Sam - Frankie's right-hand man and friend
Jack Lexington - Chicago kingpin
Tony "The Hawk" - Salvatore "Sal" and Vito Greco -- the New York mob
Smugglers from New York
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