Wednesday. Location, Kyoto, Japan.SAMUEL LOCKED HIS OFFICE door before tapping on the email his contact had sent him. Assuming control of the company was going relatively smoothly now that he had a few crucial people on his side. His next steps had to be about protecting himself.So far he'd managed to eliminate those Yakuza who knew he was their intended target, not Sato. The Lyme employees were pathetic pencil pushers that had the unfortunate luck to find themselves indebted to the wrong people.That left only one loose end.The drone.He skimmed the email then tapped the attachment.A document popped up. He turned the phone sideways for a better view of the images detailing the personal security and surveillance drone. The very one someone had used to kill his brother.The tech specs were most important. He'd already seen how well it shot bullets.There.A full grid listed out the spectrum of image and-fuck me-video capability. Another section detailed the audi
Wednesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE TIP TOED INTO the kitchen. She could hear Theodore's voice echoing off the walls, doing his best to capture the attention of the family. He really was a great brother.She grabbed bread, peanut butter, a banana and knife, stacked it on top of her laptop and headed for the stairs. Her to-do list was full of things she couldn't write down like, find a doctor that wouldn't tattle on her to her parents.Loaded down with her bounty, she scurried across to the rear stair and up to the second floor. She held her breath all the way to her bedroom door and didn't breathe until she'd ducked inside.She dumped her things on the desk then changed back into her pajamas and out of her dusty wrap dress. So much for looking nice enough to escape criticism today. That done, she set about making herself a sandwich.Or tried to.She got as far as opening the jar of peanut butter before the scent had her stomach churning. Her shaking hands
Wednesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.NOLAN STARED UP AT the ceiling.He'd gone to bed fixated on one thing, the image of Yvonne's face, the surprise and hurt etched into her features at his words. It was clearer now that he'd had some sleep.Why did he have to open his God damn mouth?He rolled out of bed and onto his feet.Yvonne was under his skin. He didn't know how or when it had happened, but that was the truth. There were no rules for how to handle this situation. At least not rules he knew.He checked the time.Dinner was scheduled to be there soon, which would leave a few hours for him to do other things before he went on shift.The need to talk to Yvonne ate at him. But she'd never shared her phone details, and he wasn't keen on talking to her through a device. No, he wanted to see her in person.None of the guys had cracked on him about the activity report findings, but the way they looked at him said they'd all drawn their own conclusions. If he w
Wednesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE STARED AT HER phone, waiting for Tabby's next message. She wished she could talk to Tabby, but twelve hours time difference and shoddy reception in the remote part of Japan Tabby was currently in made that impossible.Yvonne scrolled back through the messages from the last half hour.I can't believe you didn't tell me!I've checked all flights. There's no way I can get back before Sunday.I wish I could be there for you tomorrow.Tabby was really the best friend a girl could ask for. Yvonne wished Tabby could be there at the clinic, but the need to know was more pressing than her need for a hand to hold.Maybe Yvonne could video chat Tabby in on the appointment when it was time to get the results back. Even that virtual hand holding might be better than nothing.A rhythmic knock on the door brought Yvonne back to the present.She powered her screen off, locking the phone, and slid it under her pillow.
NOLAN SHOULD BE HAPPY with Yvonne's forgiveness. Getting to hold her was a boon he hadn't expected. He was fairly certain if he'd kept kissing her she'd have melted in his arms, but he couldn't do that when he knew she was holding back from him. Under the blush and flirty looks was a wary shadow he didn't know how to chase away. He could only stick with her and hope that he'd prove-what? Where did he think this was going?They'd had a great time in Vegas. Yesterday and today proved that they had chemistry. But what did that amount to? Or was sex her goal? Was she only interested in him for the orgasms?He lifted a hand and smoothed her hair behind her ear, giving him a clear view of her face. Her lashes were dark against her pale skin. This close he could see a faint smattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks.She reached for his hand and pulled it back around her waist.Nolan chuckled and kissed her hair.If sex was what she wanted that made things a lot easier.His c
Nolan sat up and glanced at the clock.He had a little more than an hour till he needed to report for his shift. He wanted a good twelve hours with Yvonne, but he'd take what he could get. For now.Yvonne stepped out of the bathroom, completely naked, holding a strip of three condoms."Fucking..."His mouth dried up and his body went tight. All his blood rushed to his groin.Yvonne hid a luscious body under all those conservative outfits. Generous breasts and a round ass, she was made for a man's hands.She sauntered toward him, her hair curling down over the tops of her breasts."You're over-dressed," she said.The hell he was.He reached down and yanked his polo over his head.Yvonne tipped her head to the side and stared at his Kevlar vest. "That's new.""Not really." He yanked the straps securing it into place then slid out of it and placed the vest on the foot of the bed."Do these work?" She placed her fingertips on the vest."Yeah.""Good. I like you
Thursday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.THE ONLY THING YVONNE had ever snuck out of was a party. If she'd known giving her parents, the slip was so easy she might have tried it a few times growing up. Too bad today's excursion wasn't about having illicit fun.She tugged at the seatbelt across her chest.Melody hadn't yet said a word to her, but the professional veneer had rubbed off a bit. She kept glancing at her phone, the rearview mirror. Her anxiety was going to rub off on Yvonne."Are we sure they won't have seen me get in the car?" she asked."It'll look like you went for a walk. When they can't get you back on camera, they'll call you and you can tell them you went back to the house. Your tracking device will support that claim. They'll spend the rest of the day doing tests to figure out the blind spot we don't have.""Oh." Yvonne slid down in her seat a little bit. "Thank you for doing this."The bubble of tension in the car seemed to pop and Melody glanced
Thursday. Surveillance Van, Chevy Chase, MD."SOMEONE GET EYES ON her. Now," Lee snarled into the radio.He'd been playing catch-up ever since one of his warm bodies had reported the Krieger girl slipping off the property.Yvonne Krieger was his second pick. Her role in the company was more operational and focused on number crunching. She wouldn't have the information his clients needed, but she was at the top of the food chain. There was no doubt in his mind she had access to the codes he was after."I see her." That was one of Lee's men. The ones he could trust."And?" Lee bounced his knee."Surrounded by cops.""Fuck."Lee squeezed his eyes shut.This job should have been easy.Follow the family on their trip, assess the security, then do a snatch and grab absconding with both Yvonne and Theodore Krieger into Malaysia where they'd disappear as far as anyone else was concerned.Lee wasn't keen on doing a kidnapping on US soil with high profile targets. It was
Three Months Later. Aegis Group Offices, Seattle, Washington.MELODY PLACED HER SERVICE weapon in the case and clicked the lid shut. This was the real moment for her when she got to switch off from a job. Used to it was when they turned a newly rescued asset over to whoever had paid to have them rescued, be that family, coworkers or other loved ones. However, after Ibiza everything had changed.She smiled at the newly hired munitions clerk and slid the case over. Unlike the guys she didn't feel the need to keep her weapons at home."I'm done with this. Thanks," she said."There's the sharp shooter," Vaughn said coming into the small room, Nolan and Riley bringing up the rear.Melody flushed and inwardly preened. That had been a rather exceptional shot there at the end."It was just a shot." She rolled her eyes and leaned an elbow on the counter as the guys all requested their own secure cases. "What are you three doing?""Carla's birthday," Vaughn said as if that expla
Tuesday. Forgery Front, Chicago, Illinois.MELODY WANTED NOTHING MORE than to let Grant take over. He was good at that. It was kind of his thing. But she knew he wasn't on Ethan's side. No one was. They didn't understand him. Not that she did either, but after spending a few days around him she had some insight to the man, he'd become.But first...She took Grant's face in her hands and pulled him down for a quick, hard kiss."I missed you," she whispered."You're safe." He squeezed her.She nodded then let go of him and turned her attention on Ethan.The man had taken two central mass bullets. He needed a damn doctor.She grabbed Grant's hand. No matter what came next, she wanted him by her side. She marched across the small space to where Ethan leaned on the only still-standing desk. Nolan had his gun trained on Ethan while a man she didn't recognize spoke to him."Who are you?" She stepped between Ethan and the newcomer. "Why aren't you getting him a doctor?"
Tuesday. Forgery Front, Chicago, Illinois.MELODY STOOD FROZEN TO the spot, the visual of the crackling electricity up lighting the faces of Ethan and Liman burned into her mind. It was like something out of an action movie.Ethan hauled back and rammed the bathroom door with his shoulder. He roared his rage.Liman was trapped. There was no way out of that bathroom. Eventually Ethan would get in or Liman would have to come out. Either way, it was going to be an explosive conflict.This was her chance to get out of here. The back door was unlocked. She could slip out and be gone. Call the cops, Grant, anyone more capable to deal with this. And yet she remained rooted to the spot, unable and maybe a little unwilling to move.They'd already left Ethan once and look where that got him.Ethan planted his back against the wall and kicked. She heard the pop of hinges. Another kick and the door clattered to the floor. Her stomach clenched. Ethan shoved off the wall, only to be h
Tuesday. Aegis Group Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois.GRANT PUSHED UP OFF the cot. Some thoughtful person had brought four of them into the ops room at some point. He'd actually managed half an hour of sleep. It was better than he'd gotten trying to crash back in his room. Something about being near the constant buzz of activity helped ease his mind.He stretched, paying attention to the twinges of muscle protesting. The soreness was worse now post-crash.How was Melody feeling? Did she have any injuries?Watching the video, the ambulance had more or less driven off the road and tipped over. With any luck she wasn't badly injured.Grant gave Marco and Luke a wide berth. Both men had chewed his ass out for potentially risking Hannah and running into a situation by himself. Grant wasn't keen on rehashing that. Instead headed for the computer in the corner where Ghost had set himself up. Most people avoided him, which was fine for Grant. He didn't have to like the guy to use
Tuesday. Hotel, Chicago, Illinois.LIMAN LAID OUT EVERYTHING he'd spent the last thirty-six hours gathering. When he'd left their safe house he'd wanted to take supplies with him, but didn't dare beyond some cash. All he'd had was what he was wearing, some jewelry and a couple things he knew he could hawk at the pawn shop around the corner.It had taken some work hustling the goods he had, turning them into more profitable items, but he had a couple thousand in US dollars, three new to him guns and a small collection of ammunition, and if all went as planned, in another day he'd have a passport that would grant him an escape from this dammed country.He knew he couldn't go home. That bridge was burned. As soon as his government learned about the utter disaster, they'd want to bring him in for questioning. It wouldn't end in a simple debrief. There were no answers he could give his superiors that they'd accept. The only true end would be Liman's death.He had no intention of
Tuesday. Unknown.MELODY'S TOES HURT.That was her first coherent thought as her mind rose from the groggy sleep of the dead. She remained exactly where she was, as if even her subconscious was aware that there was a predator nearby.The handcuff secured to her left wrist bit into her skin and her fingers were numb, no doubt from the way she'd been laying.She strained to listen harder. There was no sound of traffic or horns. She couldn't even hear someone walking around, the whish of fabric or the soft sounds of someone breathing.If she didn't know better, she'd think she was alone.What did she smell?The air was musty and she recalled a vague memory from last night that included a sneezing fit."I know you're awake," a man said slowly.He was so close his voice seemed to rumble across her skin.Melody sucked in a breath and her eyes popped open.Ethan sat next to the bed, his clasped hands resting on the edge of the mattress. He was watching her."Jesus."
Monday. Aegis Group Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois.GRANT KEPT STARING AT the map, as if it would suddenly reveal where Melody was. He knew it wouldn't, but as the hours ticked by his hope was beginning to wane. Eventually they'd get a lead. They always did. But would it be too late for Melody?"I know who he is," Gavin announced.Grant straightened and stared at the younger man holding his tablet up like a beacon."And?" Marco prompted.Gavin referenced the tablet screen. "Liman Fahed. Intelligence officer for the General Directorate of General Security.""And that tells us, what?" Grant asked."A name is a start," Ghost said.Grant ground his teeth together and focused on the map.A name was just a name, especially when they didn't know how to find the man.He'd hoped that with Ghost's arrival, they might make some sort of forward movement on locating Melody, but they were still stuck in a holding pattern.They needed a lead."So I guess it's not useful to
Monday. Unknown, Chicago, Illinois.MELODY KNEW SHE WAS dozing. She hadn't actually fallen asleep, even if the odd, twilight state between sleep and wakefulness made her question that knowledge. Exhaustion had won out, more or less. But she couldn't relax enough to become totally unaware.A soft jangle of metal lured her consciousness back into the land of the living. It wasn't a suspicious noise. More like she'd moved and maybe disrupted the coil of chain. Or Ethan had finally decided to stop playing at being a statue.Thinking the man's name caused Melody to shiver. She opened her eyes, blinking into the relative darkness. The light filtering in around the door from the next room over provided enough light for her to make out shapes.Ethan was no longer sitting.He stood. Judging by the way his shoulders hunched, his back was to her, his attention on the handcuff securing him to the wall.The chain jangled again. He grunted.The hair on the back of her neck stood up.
Sunday. Aegis Group Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois.GRANT STARED AT HIS new phone. Zain had a bundle of them delivered via a courier about an hour ago. Since Aegis Group hadn't contacted Lepta Team's family beyond a few of the guy's girlfriends, it was imperative they have a means of communicating.The gut-punch had been opening up his photo gallery to see pictures of Melody. They'd gone to a nice dinner last week before leaving on the job. She'd looked beautiful in a goldish-pink dress that had shimmered. She'd rolled her eyes when he took a picture of her with the city lights behind her.Zain was nothing if not thorough. Of course their new phones would be updated with all their information and preferences, right down to the custom sound Grant had picked for Melody's texts.He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling.Following the outburst earlier Grant had opted to wait in the hall where he wouldn't be tempted to stick his nose in things and slow people down.