Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
“Do you think I haven’t talked to her?” TJ sounded flustered. “We got her a bodyguard.”
“Who she ditched,” Zach replied.
“I think Cooper should go in,” Big Tag said suddenly.
“What?” Zach asked.
“Yes,” Cooper said at the same time.
Big Tag looked them over and then seemed to focus on Zach. “What’s the detonator attached to?”
Zach’s shoulders slumped. “Some bombs out here on the grounds. The places I could hit without setting off the alarms or getting caught on camera. I had to be careful. I don’t have a team behind me.”
“You do now,” Lou offered.
“Babe,” TJ began.
Lou shook her head. “No. He’s our best shot at getting our people back, and I don’t give a crap what the Agency thinks about him. I’m going to help him get Kala and Devi back, and then I’m going to help him get away. If anyone wants to fire me over it, do it later. I’ll face whatever consequences I have to in order to get my best friend and your sister back.”
“Me, too,” Kenzie said. “One of us needs to go in with Zach so we have two people on the inside when he blows the bombs. It’s a distraction since it won’t actually hit anyone inside the house.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Zach hedged. “When my mother makes a bomb, she really makes a bomb.”
“Are you in touch with her?” Ian asked.
“Not exactly, but she proved today she knows how to find me. She left me the bombs and the detonator a few hours ago. I rented an Airbnb under an assumed name so I would have a small base of operations. She found me. At least I know I’ve got a shot at reaching her if she still cares,” Zach said. He shook his head. “Anyway, the bombs should take out most of the windows at the front of the house, might even take out the front walls. But then Kala’s going to be in the basement. I would assume that’s where he’ll keep her. I read the reports.”
“Yep, those reports are classified.” Drake started to hum as though he couldn’t stand to hear anymore.
It wouldn’t matter. Zach had been careful. Zach had wanted all the knowledge he could get.
“I’ll go,” Ian said finally.
Everyone erupted. Tasha started arguing over the walkie. Kenzie pointed out her father was the ultimate prize, and that Huisman would kill him then and there. Charlotte offered to take his place.
Cooper looked at the man who shared his DNA. Zach was standing stoically as they all argued, Drake getting in on the scene.
There was no way he was letting Ian do his job. Ian had risked everything for his woman. It was time for Cooper McKay to do the same. “You ready?”
He kept his voice down.
Drake decided he had to call in if he might lose such an important asset as Ian Taggart, which caused Big Tag to threaten some medieval torture methods.
Lou walked up to Cooper, and he expected her to plead for him to stop the arguing. Instead, she put a finger to his shirt, pressing in on the fabric. “It’s an ultra-thin camera. I brought a couple in case we managed to get someone on the inside. Thank god everyone wears black. It should work because he doesn’t have a jammer on. He thinks he’s safe here. Let’s prove he’s not.”
Damn, but he loved Lou. Kala’s best friend had been a little nerd girl when he met her, shy and so smart but awkward. She was still awkward and weird and one of the best humans he’d ever met. “Will do, Lou. Get them to stay out of the line of fire until the bombs are done, and then send in everyone. I’ll get our people. You get the bad guys.”
Lou nodded. “Yes.”
“Guys, this isn’t helping Kala or Devi,” TJ was arguing. “I’ll go.”
Everyone wanted to sacrifice. Too bad. This was his place.
Big Tag started to turn toward them.
Kenzie got in her dad’s face, like she knew he needed the distraction. “I’m going. I’m going to save my sister.”
“Like hell you are,” Ian started in on his daughter.
“They’re totally dysfunctional at times,” Zach said, watching them. There was the slightest grin on his face.
He did miss them. Coop was going to have to give his…brother…some slack. “Ready?”
Zach sighed. “I can’t talk you out of it. It was stupid to try. Let’s get our girls.”
They turned and jogged into the darkness.
* * * *
Kala knew she was dreaming, knew that somewhere outside this quiet place inside her own brain, her body was going through torment. He’d strapped her down again, forced an IV into her arm, and asked her over and over where Zachary Reed was.
After a while she knew he didn’t care about the answer. It was all just play to him. A means to deliver his torture. Perhaps a way to pretend she deserved it.