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Chapter 168: Valentino, Diha
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2022-11-24 14:23:07Related chapters
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 169: Miles
Saturday. Hotel. London, United Kingdom.MILES SPEARED THE LAST bit of asparagus off the plate and chewed it slowly. The TV droned on in the background, but neither he nor Diha were listening to it.They'd picked up dinner from the café he'd wanted to take her to, but opted to eat in the privacy of the hotel. He'd suggested it to her, posing it as a quiet night in. His real goal was to protect Diha. Given that Valentino had access to CCTV and now might have seen Miles, he wanted to keep her locked up. Not that he could. But this was as close as he could get.Once again, there was a wall between them.Diha cared about him. She wouldn't be angry if she didn't. But those feelings might also change things. She wouldn't be the first person who couldn't handle being in a relationship with someone who dealt in danger.He finished his meal and leaned back. The movement made something in his chest twinge painfully. That was going to happen a lot for the next week until things had healed.
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 170: Miles
Miles shifted slightly in the chair then stilled. What would she do?Diha planted her hands on the arm rests, then pushed to her feet. She'd had her clothes laundered and was wearing the same black top and leggings from their first trip to Brighton. Funny how a garment with so much fabric could still be so tantalizing. The way it molded to her, showing off and hinting. He'd never thought of the tunic garments as sexy, but on her they were the most alluring thing he'd ever seen.She took one step, then slid her knee between his thigh and the arm rest. He leaned back, startled and curious. She straddled his lap, her slight weight resting on his knees."I get to be worried and scared and happy," she said."You do," he agreed.She bent her head and kissed him with the same heat as before. He would his arms around her, hugging her to him while his mouth made love to hers.He slid one hand up under her shirt to feel the warmth of her skin on his. She sat back, grabbed the flowing hem o
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 171: Diha
Saturday. Hotel. London, United Kingdom.DIHA STARED AT MILES.Had she heard him right?She replayed that moment in her head, focusing on the way his lips moved.I love you.The words rang inside of her, giving freedom to the fragile hope she'd been ignoring for days.He stroked her hair, such a normal action that anchored her.She was staring. The silence stretching on. She had to say something, but how did she respond to, I love you?Diha settled on the truth. "I don't know what to say."He picked up her hand, kissed her fingers then said, "You don't have to say anything.""I should.""You asked me a question. I gave you an honest reply. That's it.""You just told me you loved me." Her insides quivered. Now she'd said it out loud, too.That had really happened.He continued to gently stroke her shoulder, back and side in long sweeps. "So?""That's... That's kind of a big deal." She pushed up, propping herself on her elbow.He folded his arm behind his head and watch
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 172: Ramon, Valentino, Miles
Sunday. London, United Kingdom.THE SOUND OF THE city woke Ramon by small degrees. The tiny room was poorly insulated and the walls paper thin. He might as well have slept outside. But there was some sense of security behind having a door with a lock on it.Not that it would protect him if he failed this job.He'd had Valentino, the real Valentino, right in front of him.And he'd been right.The hacker was a woman. Not a man.At least he was fairly certain that was who he'd chased yesterday.How had she slipped away? Where had she gone?In the rush to flee, he'd abandoned all leads, and would now have to start over. But that was okay. He knew if he just bided his time, he would be led to her.***Sunday. London, United Kingdom.VALENTINO STARED AT THE image.Finding the woman gave her no joy. She wished it had been a man who found her. Not this woman."Still looking at her?" Viggo sat down on the bed behind her, the springs creaking under his weight."I know what
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 173: Diha
Monday. Thames House. London, United Kingdom.DIHA TYPED FURIOUSLY.Cat had taken her things and slipped out hours ago.Last Diha had heard, Miles was headed home to shower and make the necessary show of being fired.Okay, he wasn't fired, but from the memo she'd seen he might as well have been.Zora had only texted to say she was headed to another meeting and would be back later. Nothing more.Valentino was going to pay. Diha was going to find him and hold him accountable for the lives he'd killed and what he was doing now. And then she'd find the son of a bitch who'd gone after Miles.Her fingers paused and her gaze jumped to the door.Baker and Joon were out there pouring over everything. If one or the other was the mole, their target could know everything in hours.If they'd been here since the beginning, she'd wonder if one of them was behind this, but they'd only just found out about this operation. No, she couldn't make a definitive ruling on their mole problem. But m
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 174: Valentino, Miles
Monday. London, United Kingdom.VALENTINO STARED AT THE dark screen. It had long since timed out, but she'd memorized the words.Right now she had two enemies on her tail.The cops.And Skilton's assassin.The cops didn't worry her much. Most of the time they were annoying, nipping at her heels, but otherwise harmless. At least before Diha stepped into the picture.It was the assassin that worried her. If that shot had been better aimed, he could have killed Viggo. And now another one was on their tail. One who'd gotten within firing range of her.He hadn't even hesitated when he'd seen her.Was it possible Skilton had uncovered her secret? That Viggo wasn't actually her?That was concerning. She hadn't mentioned it to Viggo, and she wouldn't unless she had to. She didn't want him to worry.Valentino doubted she could trust Diha.Oh, the cops would honor the agreement in a way. They'd swap intel, maybe grease some gears to let her go, and then casually inform her destinati
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 175: Diha, Ramon
Monday. London, United Kingdom.DIHA PEERED OUT OF the van's window.Miles stood outside with Logan. Both men had their backs to the van."Stop moving your head," Cat said."Sorry," Diha muttered.Miles hadn't spoken or looked at her since returning to the hotel room. Harper had brokered the deal securing Miles' cooperation, but it was clear none of the men were happy about this. And Diha couldn't blame him.Miles had one goal.Catch Valentino.But her goal was more complex.She couldn't tell him that. She couldn't make him understand. Not without telling him more. Sometimes knowledge wasn't power. Sometimes it was taking a risk.Zora had told her in the beginning when she signed on to the task force that there might be attempts on their lives simply for knowing things. It was why they were so careful with who knew what. They didn't want to play with people's lives."There." Cat sat back. "Those cameras and microphones are so small no one will see them."Diha knew that. S
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 176: Viggo, Miles
Monday. London, United Kingdom.VIGGO HAD A SICK feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hated everything about this meeting, but there had been no talking Valentino out of it. Her mind was set on going forward.He strained to hear her next words.The woman, Diha, watched him with wide eyes.She made him think of a kitten with eyes that big. She wasn't harmless, but he doubted her bite was all that bad.What the hell should he say?Valentino's voice in his ear didn't come."Does that not work for you?" Diha asked.Shit.He had to say something.Valentino couldn't take forever to think things through.A bang from up above made him tense. Had something fallen over?Then the unmistakable shout, a single word, "Run!"Valentino.She was too far for him to get to her. They knew they would have to flee separately. It was part of the plan. The way it had to be.And yet, if someone was here, if Valentino had to run, chances were they also needed a way out.Viggo lunged while Dih
Last Updated : 2022-11-24
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Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 374: Quentin, Epilogue
A week later...QUENTIN WISHED HE COULD savor this moment. He slapped the cuffs on the pint-sized asshole who'd had Candi's life in the palm of his hand that fateful night. Was it just a week ago?This should be more satisfying.It was, in a way.Eleven perfectly timed arrests effectively cut off all the heads of Metis. According to Nadine's notes, there was still one unknown head of the organization out there. But they were not alone. Metis itself wouldn't be ordering the death of anyone else. But it didn't bring Nadine back. It didn't restore the time Quentin had lost with Candi. It did make the world a little better, and in the end that's what mattered. Nadine's final acts were all about sacrifice and justice.Quentin stepped back as the FBI agents continued doing their job.He'd been granted permission to be here. As CIA, he had no jurisdiction nor the ability to make an arrest. Still, putting those cuffs on the little asshole felt good.Nadine would be pleased.
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 373: Candi
Sunday. Clementine Baker's Home, Washington, DC.CANDI CLUTCHED Q'S HAND in both of hers. "Is this it?""Yeah," he whispered.They stared at the moderate sized home in a DC suburb. Now and wind pelted them. Her teeth chattered. And yet, it felt good. The bone chilling cold reminded her that she was alive."Are we going to knock?" she asked."No. Come on. The FBI lookouts know why we're here."Q led her through the yard and a side gate. A uniformed police officer sat at the first-floor window watching them. Q nodded. Candi lifted a hand, but let it drop to her side without actually waving."This way."Solar lights chased away the shadows, making it less ominous. In a few hours, the world would wake up to a blanket of new snow. A clean slate.Candi didn't know how to feel right now.On one hand, they'd found Nadine. They'd done what they'd set out to do.But, Nadine was dead. Her final act had been to save Q and give them the means with which to combat two threat
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 372: Quentin
Small hands shoved Quentin sideways a second before bullets erupted into the night.Quentin yelled. It was mixed rage and fear. He staggered sideways, only for Nadine to shove at him again."Move, damn it," she barked.They dove behind the shelter of a single boulder. This side of the creek the ground was rockier.Quentin yanked his sidearm out of his holster and sucked down air.Unlike the men at their back, Quentin didn't have unlimited ammunition. Not unless he took theirs."Give me a gun," Nadine hissed.He still couldn't trust her. "No.""Damn you," she growled."Come out and it'll be quick," a voice called out.Nadine laid a finger across her lips and stared him down.He opened his mouth, but she spoke first."You can't think I'm that stupid," she said. With her other hand she pointed back down the way they'd come.She wanted him to go to the creek?"I think you know what your options are," the man called out.Quentin's head knew he couldn't trust Na
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 371: Quentin
Saturday. Harper's Ferry, VA.QUENTIN KEPT AN ARM right around Nadine and held to the broken stub of a branch. The ground beneath them had started to crumble. He wasn't convinced that they'd keep their perch if he let go.Damn it.Every time they made a move someone was in their path. And it wasn't always the same pair.Were all six circling him and Nadine? Did that mean they'd captured Candi? Or had she gotten away?He'd heard a couple of shots off in the distance. Could it be...?No.He had to keep his mind here and now.Quentin strained to hear anything. A leaf on the wind. The crunch of a boot. Something.To Nadine's credit, even her breathing was soundless.Could he trust her to not turn on him?He didn't think so.She leaned toward him until she could whisper ever so faintly in his ear. "Now."He understood her meaning. They were both watching and waiting for an opening. Words were unnecessary risks.One thing was certain, he could trust Nadine to h
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 370: Candi
Candi's heart raced as she watched the man kneel by the bag and yank the zipper.She lunged left, behind a tree and drew her weapon.Overhead, there was no mistaking the whining whirl of helicopter blades. It might not be anyone friendly, but DC was about a half hour away by air. They'd called Q's contacts about forty-five minutes ago.Could that be help? More enemies? Something else?She didn't know, but she had to hope. She had to believe this wasn't how it was going to end."Hey!" the man barked. "Get back out here.""Keep the cash and let me go, no one has to know." She clicked the safety off the gun.Candi had mostly blocked out the fact that she'd shot and killed someone after being kidnapped. Now, it was on repeat in her mind.Could she do it again?If she got to tell Q she loved him-again-she'd pull the trigger.Her hands shook.The leaves rustled underfoot, allowing her to track the man's movements. She shifted around the tree, keeping it between them.
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 369: Candi
Saturday. Harper's Ferry, VA.CANDI CROUCHED BETWEEN THE rotted out remnants of a tree and a dense holly bush. This was as close as she could get to the house without being seen.Where had Q and Nadine gotten to?Candi had run out of the house, unable to hear anything beyond the blood pumping in her ears. She'd pushed ahead, convinced those men were right behind her. The only thought in her head was that she couldn't lag behind or else Q would have to leave her.Only, it had happened the other way around.She didn't know when or how Q got separated from her, but when she'd paused to turn around and look, he was gone.Her teeth chattered together. Had something been on the news about a cold front? The winter had been awfully mild so far. It would be their luck for snow to settle in today.Please, no...Where were they?She cautiously peered out through the branches.All but one of the men who'd arrived at the house had gone into the woods.Was this a bad idea?
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 368: Nadine
Friday. Harper's Ferry, VA.THIS WAS A DISASTER of her making.The stitch in Nadine's side felt like a knife was being plunged into her. That, or her scar tissue was warning her about the turning weather. The warm spell was most certainly over."This way," Quentin whispered.Her heart twinged.This was her fault.She was going to get this boy killed. And for what?Over the years, she'd lost her focus. She'd become a leaf, being blown about with no respite. She'd done things to stay afloat, things she regretted.Like involving Quentin.He didn't know it yet, but she wasn't leaving this forest alive."Shit," Quentin muttered."What-?"She never got the question out. Her foot slipped on the underbrush then she tripped on a root. Only, the ground wasn't where she thought it should be. She pitched forward and just kept going. Her shoulder hit the steep incline first, then the rest of her. Limbs tore at her clothing. Rocks scraped her skin. Something rubbery smacke
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 367: Quentin
Friday. Safe House, Unknown, VA.QUENTIN HELD TIGHT TO Candi's hand. He kept glancing at her to make sure she was really there and he hadn't imagined her dramatic return. He had the urge to leave Nadine here and run away with Candi, somewhere it would be just the two of them forever.Instead, he secured the front door then stood in the entry staring at her."And here I thought you'd finally grown a brain," Nadine said dryly.Candi held up her other hand, extending just her middle finger in Nadine's direction.Quentin's phone buzzed. He knew before he pulled it out that it was Wesley. Quentin turned the screen toward Candi. She shrugged and didn't offer any insight into what he should say or do.He clicked the answer button and put it on speaker."Wesley, hey.""Is she there?" Wesley's voice was flat, emotionless.Quentin glanced at Candi. "Yeah."Wesley sighed heavily. "Damn it.""You're on speaker," Candi said."Do you have any idea what I sacrificed to help
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 366: Candi
Friday.CANDI SLUMPED DOWN A bit more. Wesley gripped the steering wheel like he was on a race course. From where she sat, she could see the speed wavering between five and ten over the speed limit.He couldn't wait to get away from Q.Her heart nearly seized up just thinking that.She wrapped her arms around her more tightly, as if she could hold herself together with strength alone.It felt like history repeating itself.She had to leave because of Nadine for her own good.While Q remained where he was.Candi understood his resolve to carry through with his job. She really did. But her heart couldn't help but feel abandoned. Again.Q had chosen Nadine once over her, and now it was happening again.Yes, Candi knew it was different. This was about doing the right thing and protecting themselves."You're awfully quiet," Wesley finally said."Know your audience," she mumbled.He glanced at her. His sunglasses hid his eyes and made it impossible to guess at wh
