RANDY PUSHED PAPERS AROUND George's desk. Eli had already ransacked it during the day, but maybe the remnants would tell Randy something. He'd already been over Fiona's desk. Even Randy's workspace had more personality than hers, and that was telling.A few of the employees had drifted over on their way out to ask where Fiona was. Besides the obvious panic over George being gone and the fabricated memo Eli had leaked about the company being bought, there was considerable unrest over Fiona's absence. Quite a few people seemed unable to function without some sort of answer or input from her.Interesting.For someone with so much influence, she'd hardly left a trace.It was normal for people to keep mementos, pictures, or even utilitarian items that held some sort of personality. Fiona's desk was bland. Even her sticky notes were uninteresting. It was the desk of someone who could pick up and leave in a moment's notice.She'd planned this.Whoever Fiona was, she'd been ready.
MARCO BRACED HIS HANDS on the kitchen counter, his every fiber aware of Fiona's nearness.Why couldn't she see it? Her life was in danger. And she wanted to risk it handing in a notice? Her life wasn't worth dotting the Is and crossing the Ts.If he had his way, he'd bundle her up on the back of his Harley and head out of town. Go back to his bunk room at Aegis and...he didn't know what, but he'd be able to protect her with the rest of his team at his back.This was all his fucking fault."Marco?" Fiona's small hand rested against his back. Her voice trembled. He hated when she sounded like that."Fine. It's a plan." One he didn't like, but he couldn't force her to do anything."What's wrong?"He straightened and turned to face her.How could he answer that question when he didn't know the answer himself?These urges...they went beyond wanting to protect her because it was the right thing to do. It was a...a...need.Marco didn't like needs, and he didn't like whatev
LILA'S HANDS SHOOK.She hung up the phone and turned toward her computer.Marco Benally.She didn't know the name, but she had a bad feeling about it. Probably not the same kind as Scott though.Her fingers flew over the keys. It was late, but maybe...just maybe a few of her old so-called friends were awake.The minutes ticked by.She raked a hand through her hair.Why had she ever gone into the private sector? It was so much more cut-throat than working for the CIA, something she hadn't believed was possible.Her phone rang, the number Unknown."Hello?""Lila, what the hell?""Hello, Paul." She eased back into her chair. This was good. Paul had always liked her, invited her out for drinks. He was flirty without being a creep. She was pretty certain she could weasel information out of him."Why do you want to know about Marco Benally?" Paul didn't sound anywhere near as happy to talk to her as she was him."He's involved with something I'm working on.""Are.
MARCO HAULED THEIR THINGS into the dump of a motel. They'd gone thirty miles south of the highway to a sleepy little town after Ghost had boosted them a four wheel drive truck and changed the plates. Fiona was holding it together, but barely.He needed to get her changed, her hair up, something to disguise her appearance.Things had gone to shit pretty fast. He'd known going back to Denver was a mistake, but he hadn't known how to tell Fiona without admitting his guilt.This was all his fault.Fuck."Marco..."She stood between the two queen beds, remote in her hand.The news played the security tape loop on repeat.There was Fiona, walking toward the camera. The video glitched, and then the truck was there, Ghost was pushing her into the cab...Son of a bitch, they'd worked fast.Fiona sat down on the edge of the bed, her shoulders slumped.Whoever was behind this would trace the truck back to his dad if Ghost didn't get ahead of this fast enough. He and Ghost ha
FIONA SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID it, but...it was out there now.Her hands shook. She hadn't said those words to anyone. Ever. Not that it mattered now, because when the Marshalls saw the news and the Missing Person Alert, her life was as good as gone. Or at least this one was. Her face was on the news. Nova-and others-would be looking for her. She didn't think plastic surgery would hide her identity at this point, not that she wanted to go under the knife. Or could.She wasn't safe. She'd just been exposed in the very worst of ways. Sure, knowing someone had seen her moments of passion with Marco in her very home was a violation of her privacy, but this was an exposure that could kill her."You...what?" Marco continued to stare at her."I've been in the Witness Protection program since I was nineteen." She rubbed her palms over her knees. How much should she say? How much could she tell him? She'd begun. It was had to figure out where to stop except...the ending."Why?""Long sto
MARCO GRIPPED THE STEERING wheel with both hands. He had very little idea of what to expect, who might still be at home or if the police here were mobilized and out to get them. Ghost wasn't answering, which meant they were on their own, and they needed supplies. Plus, Marco couldn't go to ground without checking on his family, though doing so might put Fiona at risk.It was a no-win situation."What do we do if someone is here?" he asked. Again."Run to your parent's house, get on the ATV, and head for the biggest rock on the horizon," Fiona repeated his words down to the pauses for emphasis."Good. And?""And then call Aegis."He could see her glance at him from the corner of his eye. She was probably biting her lip. He was becoming well-versed in her expressions, the way she looked when they discussed her real past, versus her fictional one.If he could go back in time and put things back the way they'd been, he'd do it in a heartbeat.Ghost had warned him there woul
FIONA LET THE ATV roll to a stop. The adrenaline dump had burned off a few miles back and now she was starting to drop in a bad way. Her hands shook. Her teeth chattered. Her stomach hurt.All the running, the lack of sleep, the stress of it all were taking their toll. To top it off, she was sure there'd been more than one gun shot back there. She hadn't yet seen Marco, which worried her.Was she on the right trail?Had he been caught?Was he okay?What if she was lost?She could see herself going until the gas ran out, leaving herself stranded in the middle of nowhere.The breeze whipped across the desert, slicing through her hoodie. She shivered and hunched down in her seat, eyes on the horizon behind her.Wait...What was that sound?She killed the engine and strained to listen.That was another engine, wasn't it?Her heart rate kicked up.What if it wasn't Marco?What if it was the NueEnergy thugs or the Good Global guys? She had no way to tell until the
MARCO HELD IN THE groan of pain until Fiona was out of the bathroom. He covered his mouth with a hand and squeezed his eyes shut.This wasn't going to be fun.Until the hole healed up a bit he wasn't going to have the ease of movement he needed. Less mobility meant they would be sitting ducks for either of the corporate goon squads to swoop in and scoop them up.He dug around in the first aid kit. It wasn't the best, but at least he had some over-the-counter painkillers and the essentials. He'd done more with less. A lot less.First thing first, he washed his legs, careful to ensure the grit got out. The bleeding had stopped at least, which was something. And he didn't have to dig the bullet out. Also a bonus.The best he could tell from a little feeling around was that the bullet had gone in at an angle and from the rock rise, missed his femur and gone out the back. There was a big dent in the ATV where he thought the bullet hit before bouncing off, probably into the sand ne
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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