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Chapter 152
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Aegis Group Chapter 153
ZAIN SQUEEZED ANDREA'S HAND as they joined the flow of employees into the Dark Matter offices north of downtown Seattle. She released her hold on him and grabbed the door. He hesitated a moment, letting a few feet of space separate them.He wanted to hang back, to observe who spoke to Andrea, anyone that commented on the bruising or scratches. Plus, if anyone recognized him, they'd probably been at the con. Or was the real suspect. He didn't doubt for a second that the real bad guys were aware of his presence. Kevin would have been an idiot to not tell someone about him.The offices were exactly what Crystal and Andrea had described them to be. Sleek. Modern. Contemporary. Full of dude clutter. The entry looked a lot like a guy's playground, with several gaming set ups waiting to be turned on and two posters of Dark Matter's flagship game sporting scantily-clad women with heaving breasts.Everyone headed upstairs, by way of either an elevator or a staircase that led to an open-se
Aegis Group Chapter 154
"IS IT JUST ME, or has Doug gone off the deep end?" Andrea whispered to Crystal."It's not you. Miranda looked like she was going to hurl up there." Crystal stood.Most people were heading out, trying to beat traffic. Andrea scanned the room, searching for Zain. He'd said he would be there, and yet he'd disappeared. She had a bad feeling about everything. And knowing that whoever wanted Kevin to kidnap her was in this room made it even worse."Shit. Miranda just booked it out of here." Crystal peered toward the door."Andrea. Crystal. Hi."Andrea stared up at Doug Mahoney. The man had always made her uneasy. It was the way he stared at her breasts and not her face. How he so often liked to assume anyone with a vagina would go along with whatever he said, because that was the natural order of things. He wasn't overt about his opinions, it was something Andrea had become aware of the more she had to be around Doug."Doug, hey," Crystal said, saving Andrea from having to speak
Aegis Group Chapter 155
"WHAT DID YOU FIND?"Zain glanced up at Miranda. She closed the office doors behind her and leaned against them."Max is on his way," Zain said.He was kicking himself."What does that mean?" Miranda straightened."Where are Andrea and Crystal?" Zain wanted them in his line of site."They're in the meeting room. What's going on?"He pushed to his feet and strode across the room."Guess who Doug roomed with in juvie?" That bit of knowledge made Zain's stomach churn."No. The guy? What's his name?" Miranda's eyes widened."Kevin. He's it. He's behind it all." Zain yanked the door open and all but sprinted into the empty meeting room. Miranda right behind him. "Where are they?""I...don't know. They were here." She turned, as if the girls would magically appear.Zain pulled out his phone.Five minutes ago Andrea had texted him: Where r u?He fired back the same message: Where are you?"Hey, Jacob?" Miranda quick-stepped out to the hall, waving down the man wh
Aegis Group Chapter 156
ZAIN GRIPPED HIS GUN and crept closer to the house. Gavin was giving him the play by play of the live cast happening in the house. Max would be there any minute with SWAT, but it might not be soon enough. The situation had escalated so much that one second might be too long to wait."Crystal's sitting, she's talking now. I...don't know what she's saying, and I can't see Andrea. She's...Crystal's got a syringe of something and I think-God damn it. She just injected herself with-holy shit! That cat just launched itself off-camera!"October?He could hear a muted shout, the sound of a man yelling.It had to be October.That attack cat was better than a dog."I'm going in the house," he muttered.Zain unlocked the kitchen door and pushed it open to the sound of hissing and loud cursing. Two other cats stood just inside the door, a little agitated, their tails poofed out."Shhh," he whispered and stepped over them.He crept past the kitchen and into the great room, with it
Aegis Group Chapter 157
ZAIN SAT NEXT TO the bed, his gaze fixed on Andrea's pale face.Every so often, she'd scrunch up her brow or maybe wrinkle her nose, as though she were in pain. Each time it passed after a few moments, but he hated seeing her like that.The bullet had gone clean through her shoulder, but the tissue damage was enough that the doctor's had put her under-for something. The reasons had escaped him. All that'd mattered was keeping her breathing. Stemming the blood. That'd been hours and dozens of stitches ago.He'd been too late.She was alive.That's what mattered.But she could have died.He'd barely made it in time."Mm." Andrea's mouth screwed up.That was a new one.He sat forward, willing for some sign of wakefulness. The doctors had said she'd come around in time, when she was ready.Her head turned this way, then that."Is she waking up?" Crystal limped in, clinging to the IV bag they had her on still. Whatever concoction of drugs Doug had injected her with w
Aegis Group Chapter 158: Epilogue
Six months later...ZAIN HIT SEND ON the last necessary item of the day and activated his Out Of Office. By the time he got home, Andrea would be there. For three, whole glorious days. They had zero plans to leave his condo and every intention of starting at the beginning of the Star Wars franchise and watching it all the way through. Of course, they'd get distracted. He could never keep his hands off her for very long, not that she seemed to mind.Yeah, he needed to stop thinking about that now before he got a very inconvenient boner.He lived for these long weekends. As much as he hated to see her go, and the couple of days after she left sucked, but then he'd hit his pace. They'd chat, he'd work, and for some strange reason she...energized him."You heard from Luke yet?" he asked Gavin."Nothing." Gavin rolled into view. "I'm starting to get worried.""Luke can take care of himself. If he needs us, he'll let us know." Zain grabbed his bag and stood. "I'll be back on Tues
Aegis Group Chapter 159: Dangerous Assignment
Volume 4: Dangerous AssignmentLUKE BRIAR STARED AT the phone screen and waited for the anger, the bitterness, something. But all he felt was...nothing."Who was that?" Ethan Turner, his friend and fellow Aegis Group bodyguard, emerged from the bathroom."The PI." Luke swiped his thumb over the screen. Her face stared back at him, but it didn't bring up the same feelings it once had."Oh, he find what's-her-name?" Ethan tucked in his shirt."Her name is Dianna.""Well, where'd he find her?""She moved back in with her mother in Pennsylvania." Luke tapped through the settings and set one of the default wallpapers as his background."Tell me, man, how many does this make?" Ethan shoved his feet in his shoes and sat down on the edge of the other queen bed. "You've got a problem, Idris Elba. These women you keep hooking up with? They don't want you to rescue them. You've got to stop.""Fuck you." Luke tossed the phone onto the bed and crossed to the desk.His conscie
Aegis Group Chapter 160
ABIGAIL. MY NAME IS Abigail. I am an American. I am a professional. I do not care what my bosses do. I am Abigail. I am American. I will not murder my employer."You look like you're about to break that window." Luke eased into the seat across from her. Somehow, even though he kept his legs on his side, he seemed to take up all of the space around her.Abigail inhaled, catching the same scent she'd noticed in the elevator. Slightly woodsy, a man's scent. And Luke was all man.She needed to get laid. Hard. Maybe a few times, so she could work this tension out of her system. Sex had never been the answer before, but nothing else was working. The way she was so completely aware of this man was...unnatural. It was as though simply by being in the same space with her, he disrupted all of her order. Everything she'd put in place.Luke pulled out his phone. From the seat he'd taken, he had a direct shot of the pseudo Mr. and Mrs. Smith at the in-flight dining table, sipping champagne.
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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
