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Chapter 186
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Aegis Group Chapter 187
LUKE GRABBED A COUPLE hot pastries off the baking sheet and pressed a kiss to Salma's head. For as long as he'd worked at Aegis, Salma had kept house for them in his part of the world. This morning she was manning the ovens, churning out enough food for those still there. He could only speak a few words to her, but her smiles and laughter were all the communication he needed."You're up early." Marco leaned against the door, his hair sticking up on one side."Not for long." Luke grabbed some bottles of water from the fridge and glanced around for anything he could snag."Where's your girl? How's her rib?""She's fine. Asleep. How's Zain coming with the passport?""Should be ready this afternoon." Marco made a face."What?""The Jordan authorities contacted us this morning.""Yeah?" Luke's fingers went cold."They cremated Ethan's body last night.""What? Why?""Something about their beliefs or whatever.""That can't be right." Luke shook his head.Ethan wasn't
Aegis Group Chapter 188
ABIGAIL FORCED HER HANDS to relax, her toes to not tap.She should have left as soon as Luke shut the door to go get breakfast. Her contact was ready whenever she arrived. The new identity, her money, it was a fifteen-minute jog away. And instead of doing the smart thing, she'd gotten more towels.Stupid, girl. Hearts get you killed."Zain's not going to waterboard you. I'd kick his ass before it ever got that far." Luke reached across and grasped her hand.Abigail shouldn't smile or get the warm-fuzzies from that sort of statement-but she did. What did it say about her life that professions to not be waterboarded were romantic gestures?"I prefer my ass not kicked." Zain pushed the room door shut behind him. "Morning.""You know how to knock, motherfucker?" Luke let go of her hand and stood."Wasn't sure if you'd hear it."Luke pulled one of the chairs over, allowing Zain to join them. He had a large tablet in hand and a grim look on his face."What's wrong?" Luke as
Aegis Group Chapter 189
LUKE INHALED THE FRESH ocean breeze, the familiarity of the sounds and smells orienting him as he rose from sleep to wakefulness. He blindly reached across the bed, searching for the warmth he was missing.Cool sheets.No Abigail.He turned his head toward her pillow and listened.Drip.Drop.Splatter.She was there.She wasn't gone.He smiled and sat up, letting his legs fall over the edge. A quick glance at the clock told him it was early afternoon. Probably time to start moving, get some food in their bellies, and prepare to move out. Their overnight flight home would be rough, but after what they'd been through? Piece of cake.Luke shuffled around the bed and leaned against the archway leading into the bathroom.Fluffy white bubbles obscured all but Abigail's head. Her hair was pinned up, the better to highlight her long neck and delicate features.How could someone so small be so dangerous?It just underscored the fact that appearances were deceiving.A
Aegis Group Chapter 190
Luke stroked Abigail's hair, his mind stuck on that vow.He would make this work."I think I'm turning into a raisin," she mumbled against his neck."I'd lick your raisin." He didn't like the way she was breathing, a little too hard, a little too heavily. He had a mental countdown going until the Aegis staff doctor could look Abigail over."I bet you would." She chuckled.They sat up, and he climbed out of the tub first. He grabbed towels, wrapping them around her. Instead of letting her walk the dozen or so steps to the bed, he picked her up and carried her back to their nest of pillows and blankets, following her down onto the mattress.The way she smiled at him... It was the kind of smile that made a man want to do anything to keep it in place.He pulled her closer until they lay face to face, he stroked her hair, his other hand between hers.Abigail had lived her life shrouded in secrets, full of double talk. He couldn't begin to imagine what she'd had to survive.
Aegis Group Chapter 191
ABIGAIL WAITED FOR THE all clear signal before she crossed the road and entered the nondescript, older building through a side entrance. The store front boasted used tech, from cell phones to computers, while the back of the shop was much more.The young man waiting for her never said a word. He didn't even look her directly in the face.He flipped the locks and led her through the racks of surplus merchandise to the back of the storage area. An older man sat at a workbench, the guts of an iPad scattered in front of him."You're late," he said."I had to be careful." She shed the coat and reached for the hanging clothes bag. "For me?""Everything you asked for.""The money go through?""As always.""I need some drugs. Painkillers, if you have them.""Like what? Morphine?""No." Morphine would make her itchy. Sleepy. She just needed the edge taken off. Her rib was broken, but something else wasn't right. Until she was clear of Luke, she didn't have the luxury of seei
Aegis Group Chapter 192
"TELL ME ONE THING.""What?" Luke stared at the idling truck."Why are you fighting so hard for a woman who just left you?" Marco's stare bored into Luke. "I don't see you going after Dianna."Luke had never loved Dianna. He'd liked her. They'd had a good time together. But he'd always known that with her, the end would be the same. She'd leave him after she healed. Once she could pick up the pieces of her life.Abigail was different.Wasn't she?"Zain still has you on this flight. You can go with us." Marco hefted his bag up on his shoulder.Marco had a point. Ever since Luke had made the choice at the hotel to stick to her, she'd been trying to shake him. The difference was he'd begun to see a change in her. The way she looked at him. It'd started with the night she'd asked him to make love to her.She was leaving him, because in her warped sense of honor, she was protecting him.Well Luke didn't need protecting."Nah, man. I'm staying." He backed up and watched t
Aegis Group Chapter 193
ABIGAIL KEPT ONE HAND wrapped around the pistol deep within her bag and the other pressing the goggles harder over her eyes. The sand and wind combined to make the trek south one hell of a ride. Too bad the truck she'd hitched a ride on didn't have AC. Or windows. At least it had an engine and decent enough shocks. The pills had numbed the pain, but she could tell something wasn't right. Was it the fluid in her lung?Once she got over the border, she could arrange for better transportation and a doctor. In two days' time she could meet with one of her old sources, someone more than likely with a finger in at least one pie that would help her.Zach was slippery. He'd gotten away with so much. But he wasn't infallible. He'd always been the kind to leave a few lose threads, like when he hadn't confirmed her death. If she'd been able to confirm his death so much wrong in this world could have been prevented, but she'd had to run. Hide. Survive. Unlike Zach, she learned from her past. I
Aegis Group Chapter 194
FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.Yael wasn't there.Hassan clutched the top of the truck as it bounced along the highway out of Egypt toward Libya. They'd have a few more hours of transport for him to come up with a plan, a backup. Contingencies.Of course the idea to snatch Yael and Luke from the compound was just too easy.The only reason Nador had found the hit appealing was for revenge. And the man Nador was really after had left, or maybe he'd never been there. What the hell did Hassan know?Hassan knew shit.This was when he needed to be Zacharias. With all of his connections.That bitch was ruining his plans. His life.All because she wouldn't die already.The truck slowed, pulling off the pavement and onto the shoulder. He leaned forward, peering through to the back of the cab."Why are we stopping?" he asked.The men in the truck with him didn't answer.They were a silent lot, much like Nador.A Hummer coming from the opposite direction crossed the median and pulled
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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
