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Chapter 109: Next best thing.
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Aegis Group Chapter 110
Volume 3: Dangerous GamesFREAKING KIDS.Zain Lloyd pressed his back against a cement column to avoid being hit by a walking TARDIS. He liked cosplaying at conventions as much as the next thirty-something nerd, but some get-ups were more hassle than they were worth. He hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and watched the spray-painted TARDIS wander down the aisle, bouncing into people.People darted from booth to booth, like exotic fish seeking the shelter of an anemone. The energy in the room was high, almost electric, in a way Zain craved. There was nothing dangerous, no gut-wrenching dread about to crest, no fear someone wasn't coming out of here alive. Just...excitement.He peeled off the column and merged with the flow of traffic, picking his way out from the depths of the booths and toward the outskirts of the vendor hall. An alien and a superhero passed Zain. They traded quick nods, one cosplayer to another. A sign of mutual respect. Man, if Zain's SEAL buddies caught
Aegis Group Chapter 111
ANDREA STARED AT THE brown coat stretched over wide shoulders, her head spinning.In what world did a sexy, steampunk Captain Hook come to her rescue?And he liked her game.Game.Oh no.No, no, no, no, no.Her heart pulsed in her throat and her fingers tingled. She crept after her would-be protector, sticking close to the wall. Yeah, he'd said to stay put, but damn it. That was her hotel room.Captain Hook pushed the door open, staying clear of the opening and peered into the room.She held her breath and strained to catch any sounds. Was someone in there? Had housekeeping left the door open? What if she'd left it open?Crystal was going to kill her dead."I told you to stay put."Andrea glanced up at Hook and swallowed, torn between lock-herself-in-a-closet fear and help-me-you're-my-only-hope lust. His face was fractured from life, the scars writing a history on his face she couldn't read. Yet there was a handsomeness about him that was more than just surface l
Aegis Group Chapter 112
KEVIN KEPT HIS BALL cap pulled low. In a packed room of nearly five hundred, remaining anonymous shouldn't be an issue. He wasn't taking chances, though. Andrea was as dumb as a woman could get, a lot like his mother, but Andrea's shadow was a different story.She'd arrived to the panel on time, composed and with a man. A man Kevin hadn't seen in his six weeks of observing both Andrea and Crystal.It was all wrong.She was supposed to flake out-or better yet-show up and be a wreck. It would make it that much easier for the plants in the audience to rile her up and cause a scene. Her demise would be so much sweeter if everyone saw how pathetic she really was, if they played up how much of a victim she was. No one felt sorry for the ones who screamed.Instead, she'd sat quietly through the panel, answering two or three questions aimed at her, but never once appearing flustered. His plants weren't given the chance to ding her with questions because the moderator had steered their
Aegis Group Chapter 113
ZAIN LEANED AGAINST THE wall, staying out of the way. The hall was packed for the Hottest Games of the Year panel, and anyone who was anyone in game design was on that stage. Andrea sat sandwiched in the middle of seven men who'd proceeded to play keep-the-mic-away from her over the last hour. It was the most disgusting example of chauvinism he'd seen at the con yet, but from Andrea's account, it wasn't the worst.Panels weren't typically Zain's thing, which was the only reason he could think of for why he hadn't picked up on the petty bullshit earlier. He just didn't understand it. Sure, the GamerGate idiots could explain until they were blue in the face how women were ruining the industry, but it didn't make one iota of sense to Zain. Now, if they were talking women in the forward ranks, pressing into terrorist lands-yeah. He'd probably be against including women, due to the higher risk they faced from enemy combatants-not because of their skill level. But here? This was the stupid
Aegis Group Chapter 114
"WHO IS HE?" PIPER peered at Andrea's phone."No one." She spoke too fast, incriminating herself even though she knew better."Really?" A grin spread across Piper's face. What Andrea wouldn't give to have blonde, barrel curls like Piper's, especially right now."It's no one, really.""Is this no one coming tonight?" Tamara's tone was honey sweet.Damn it. Of course they'd all be there.Unless she wanted to flake on Zain, she'd need to fess up to the truth."It's...this guy from earlier. He was the one who handled the room situation. I invited him tonight as a thank you.""He's cute, isn't he?" Tamara grinned, transforming her sharp Asian features into something otherworldly beautiful.Andrea didn't have violent tendencies, but the green monster wrapping around her, taking over her carnal urges to scratch the woman's eyes out was overwhelming. She shoved the phone back in her pocket and tugged at the tank top's neckline.Zain wasn't going to pay attention to her afte
Aegis Group Chapter 115
KEVIN SLID BETWEEN THE people, nodding and pretending he belonged. Every now and then, he'd pause and speak to someone as if they were supposed to know each other. That was the nice thing about nerds. They were socially inept enough no one would outright ask him where they'd met.He had one goal tonight: Plant the fliers and watch Andrea's world burn.First order of business was to snag a drink at the bar. The name of the game tonight was blending in. Letting people forget he was there.Kevin took whatever the special was and surveyed the room.The Dark Matter executives were easy to pick out in their business attire, except the big boss who wore jeans and a threadbare T-shirt, while everyone else wore jeans or some other conference outfit. Costumes seemed to be a thing. He filed that away for later and continued his perusal of the room.A loud peal of laughter drew all eyes toward the cluster of women nearest the windows. Andrea's group stuck out, all tits and ass.Damn it
Aegis Group Chapter 116
"THERE YOU ARE."Zain turned from the awkward chitchat with a couple of dudes to face Miranda, Andrea's boss. She slid her hand into the crook of Zain's elbow and smiled up at him. She had a hungry-woman vibe to her. He'd watched a dozen different guys trail after her, but each got neatly turned away. He wondered what her deal was, but not enough to puzzle it out. Andrea was at the forefront of his mind."How's our girl?" she asked.He glanced over the heads of three or four people separating him from Andrea. She was engaged in conversation with a few people he didn't recognize. They'd played this game since arriving at the party. She'd talk to one group, he'd join her and she'd move on, slipping away before he could follow. She was actively avoiding him. Why?"She seems to be having a good time." He played the afternoon over again in his head. The only thing he could figure out was that he'd told her to answer her phone. Since that moment, it had all changed."I can't quite
Aegis Group Chapter 117
ANDREA SNATCHED A FAT stack of fliers off one of the tables outside of the convention hall. She should be angry, but all she was right now was-numb. Part of it was the alcohol. She was one step from drunk, which was better than the flat-out-drunk she'd been earlier.Zain made a circuit of the rest of the lobby in a quarter of the time it took her to pick up the stray fliers.She'd shown him the flier with her nipple hanging out. Someone had even drawn little rays around it. Like some sort of sun. And she'd shown him. Why?God, she could never go to another convention so long as she lived.If it was here-then it was probably already on the Internet. Maybe in color and HD quality. And what went on the web stayed on the web. There'd be no pulling it down. The entire world would have her nips on permanent recall, thanks to search engine optimization.She couldn't ignore the Pendulum of Doom swinging over her neck. What would this do to the rest of her career? Andrea had seen what
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Aegis Group Chapter 490: Epilogue.
Two months later. Ekko's Apartment, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.EKKO STARED AT THE table with the spread of food laid out.Was there enough? Did she need more? Would Coco and Paxton like it?She reached out and adjusted the tray of cheese so it was at more of an angle instead of perfectly aligned to everything else.It looked too neat."Stop." Silas took her hand and spun her toward him, capturing her against his chest with strong arms around her waist."It looks like I'm trying too hard." She smoothed her hands up and over his shoulders."Stop. It's just Paxton and Coco.""Your best friend and his fiancé, who I haven't met yet.""What?" Silas' face scrunched up. "You've talked to her dozens of times.""In the background of you and Paxton talking. That doesn't count." She pulled away from him and proceeded to turn dishes a little this way and that."You do realize Coco spends most days digging in elephant shit and stuff, right?""Silas." She scowled at him."What?" He gr
Aegis Group Chapter 489: Thursday. New York Hospital, New York.
IT FELT LIKE THE weight Silas had been carrying around in his gut had now attached itself to his eyelids. He floated in darkness, no longer asleep but not yet awake. Someone had called this twilight once, though he couldn't recall who. Something wouldn't let him go back to sleep. There was something he needed to do. It was urgent.What the hell was it?That nagging question hounded him as he ever so slowly gathered his strength.He wasn't aware of time or how long it took to wrestle one eyelid open, but at long last he peered out of his darkness into...more darkness.Well that was just dandy. What the fuck?He blinked that one eye again, letting his vision adjust. He was in a room and there was a light on, it just didn't do much.Machines beeped and whirled around him.That was a sound he could never mistake and it told him the first piece of his puzzle. From there the others fell into place, one after another.He was still in the hospital.He'd been hurt.There was a fight.
Aegis Group Chapter 488: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
EKKO CLUNG TO THE stretcher bearing Silas out to the parking lot.She hadn't realized how bad his injuries were. He was barely keeping his eyes open. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she kept pace with the two paramedics. Silas covered her hand with his as they came to a stop at the bumper of an ambulance.Paxton, Brett and Vito were sitting inside. They were worse for wear and grim, but seemed okay.All around them police were marching uninjured people they'd arrested to sit in a line next to a chain-link fence blocking the sidewalk. The night was lit up with swirling lights that made her head spin."Where's Chayan?" she asked. Her heart was tearing in two, aching for both men.A little distance away an ambulance took off, sirens blaring. She hoped it was the one with Pasley in it."Ma'am, I need to look at that wound," a paramedic said to her.She held tight to Silas' hand. "What about Chayan? Older man, little taller than me? Salt and pepper hair?"Silas had said he was fine.
Aegis Group Chapter 487: Wednesday. New York City, New York.
IGNEY PACED IN A circle, looking down each hall in turn.Where were they? Had he miscalculated? Were they willing to lose the woman so long as they got the man?His orders were clear. Get both the man and the woman.The woman was a symbol. Too many young people had taken to the streets because they listened to others like her.The man though, he knew things.Killing the woman was personal. Chasing her had cast him in a bad light. But the man was more important in the grand scheme of things."Fuck," Igney muttered. He glanced at a pair of men striding for the doors. "You. Come here."The men never glanced at him. Because they didn't understand him?He whirled to face Alban. "Where are the others?""I don't know where Delem and Michil are." He grimaced. "I haven't heard from them since we split up to search the building."That wasn't good.Igney had heard a lot of gunfire. Was it possible the other men he'd brought with him were dead?If both Chayan and Pasley escaped, leavin
Aegis Group Chapter 486: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
EKKO'S ONE OFFENSIVE ATTEMPT was an utter failure. Her head spun and she was going to be sick.This wasn't good.She felt like a ragdoll being drug around, first by Igney then another man she didn't recognize. He spoke Daurian though which could only mean one thing.He was London DSS.Her body chilled. Was that from fear or the blows to the head? She didn't know anymore."Come find me, Pasley, or your little bird dies," Igney cackled into the radio.She tasted bile.Pasley had called her little bird back in the park.Igney cackled like a bad movie villain. The man was enjoying this. He was getting off on torturing them all.What about Silas?Pasley was with him.If Pasley told Silas, if he knew, they would come for her. Silas was determined to bring them all home and to keep her safe. But if he did, if he came to her rescue, Igney would kill them. Igney needed her and Chayan. Which meant he couldn't kill her here and now. It was an empty threat. Wasn't it? Did she dare belie
Aegis Group Chapter 485: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
SILAS PUSHED HIS GROUP hard as they traversed the second floor. The sun had fully set, plunging them into complete darkness where there weren't windows or other lights.This building was a damn maze, and every turn they needed was blocked by too many people to fight their way through.There had to be more than the fifteen or so they'd estimated. More like thirty.This wasn't good.What about Ekko? Where had the others gone to?He'd hoped getting down here meant they would find her and Paxton, but so far all they'd found were a few bodies. At least they knew Paxton and Brett were eliminating the other side. But no one had taken the ammo or guns. Why? When resources were this precious, why not take them?Could they have gotten free? Did he dare hope?Something thumped in the darkness. Like a heavy footfall.Silas cursed himself as he skidded to a stop. He didn't see anything, but his gut screamed at him. He pivoted and threw himself at Chayan, shoving the other man aside. Silas w
Aegis Group Chapter 484: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
THE DARKNESS FELT AS if it were swallowing her.Ekko clung to the back of Paxton's shirt like he'd directed. She couldn't shake the sensation that there were hands out there reaching for her. That Igney or one of the others were biding their time and waiting for the chance to kill her.Where was Silas? What about Chayan and the others?They'd been separated before she realized what was going on.Behind them a burst of gunfire spurred her on, shattering the silence.She knew it was Brett. Was he trading gunfire with someone? Those shots all sounded the same to her. She hoped he was safe. He was only one man and they had no idea how many were behind them."Stay close." Paxton reached back and pressed her hand to his back.Her head pounded with each and every step. It hurt so bad, but she didn't want to say anything. Her pain was minimal compared to what could happen."Will you cut that out?" Paxton yelled behind them.He side stepped and sort of skipped through a narrow gap betw
Aegis Group Chapter 483: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
SILAS GRIT HIS TEETH to keep from telling Paxton to hurry the fuck up. It wasn't like Paxton was slow. The knife on his belt tool was small and no doubt dulled after cutting through several sets of thick, plastic restraints.Sitting like this it felt as though there was a ten pound weight sitting on his guts. He didn't know what the knife had cut, but Silas knew from the woozy feeling and blood making his jeans sticky it wasn't good. He had to get the others out of here before his clock ran out."Which way did they bring you up?" Silas asked Brett instead of chafing at how long getting free was taking.Brett stood by the door, a discarded piece of wood held as a weapon. "We came in some doors, up a stair to our right then a long walk down here. You?""Different way." Silas grimaced. "Do we retrace our path, or avoid it? How many people were with you?"Brett grimaced. They'd been hooded when they arrived. "Hard to say.""Let's assume at least the three that came in here plus one o
Aegis Group Chapter 482: Wednesday. Unknown, New York City, New York.
EKKO STARED IN SHOCK, her head spinning as the men left the room again."S-Silas?" she whispered so softly she barely heard herself.He slumped sideways groaning.Had that man-that monster-just stabbed Silas?"Man, Silas, dude, talk to us." Paxton had scooted forward, his arms extended behind him, attention on Silas."I'm fine." Silas' voice was strained. "Brett, Vito, how are you two?""Alive," Brett groaned."Vito? Man?" Silas shook his head and sat up straighter."Fine."This was it.Ekko swallowed.They'd done everything and in the end, they were outplayed.The DSS would kill them. She wasn't sure why they hadn't already, but she didn't doubt that death was the final move. All of these people, they were going to die because she'd been arrogant. She'd thought she knew what she was doing, when in fact she hadn't a clue.A sob tore out of Ekko making her already aching head pound harder."Ekko?" Silas called out. "Ekko, listen to me, this is going to be okay. Pax?"A ch
