RYAN CRADLED HIS HEAD in his hands. The sounds of snoring and keystrokes mixed together. After hours without sleep it was difficult to feel completely human.He hadn't seen Carson in going on seven hours.At seventeen minutes after eleven, she'd crawled down into a small craft.Ten minutes after that they'd lost both of the back-up trackers.The closest thing to a lead they had was that they hadn't been able to find any evidence that the small boat had gone ashore, which meant the boat was most likely still in the water or they'd traveled farther than they could locate using the drones and what security cameras they could access without Zain's magic touch.If they didn't get a lead on Carson in the next five hours, the chances of her coming back alive diminished greatly. Kidnappings like this were different from Aegis Group's normal gig, even the teams. While they specialized in bringing people home, it wasn't usually a situation that was already headed for execution.Her death m
JOE'S FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED to leave tonight. He'd flown here to find Kawa and figure out what the hell was going on with rescuing Jules. If he'd have known what a delay would mean to bringing her home, he wouldn't have hesitated. This was the closest anyone had been to her in years.He stared out the front window of the coffee shop and wondered where had it all gone wrong?From the beginning he and his sister had been raised to put others first. He'd gone into politics while she needed to be closer to the action. She'd started out as a journalist then moved into documenting history as it happened. He still wasn't entirely sure why she'd gone to Syria in the first place, but that was where she'd disappeared.He'd called on every favor he was owed in those first few months trying to get her returned safely, but each time he was told their hands were tied. Syria was a land where they had no reach. They were at a stalemate with the Russians over that one plot of land and they couldn't e
CARSON HAD EXHAUSTED HER mediocre medical knowledge. Now all she could do was keep Frankie comfortable as she whimpered in pain.The few things Carson knew were that the bullet must have bounced off the wall or floor, then hit Frankie in the lower back to the left of her spine. There was only one wound, so her television doctor degree told her the slug was still in there and if they didn't get Frankie help soon she could die. What TV hadn't prepared Carson for was the slow, oozing way the wound bled. It was always so fast on shows."She's burning up," Mom whispered. She'd screamed herself hoarse at the door yelling for help earlier."I don't know what else to do." Carson kept her hands pressed tight to Frankie's back.Dad stroked Frankie's wild hair off her face.They had no options. No hope. Nothing.Unless one of them got out of here.She stared at the impossibly small window.If there was a will, there was a way."Dad? Can you stand for a few minutes? I want to try somethin
CARSON'S HEAD ACHED, AND it felt like there was sandpaper inside her knee. But she was free. Which was more than she could say for her family.The fall from the window to the deck below hadn't killed her. She'd managed to land feet first, which in hindsight maybe wasn't such a great thing. Something was wrong with her knee, but she couldn't allow that to slow her down. There was a goose egg on the back of her head from where she'd connected with the railing, but her vision wasn't blurry. She could move, she could hide and maybe she could get off this boat.She pressed her back against the metal wall. The deck she'd fallen to was an open level below the uppermost deck where the cargo was stacked. Even down here she could see where pallets, crates and containers would be stored. Except the boat had been unloaded, which made hiding harder.A masculine sing-song voice drifted toward her in a language she didn't understand. Another man answered him. It wasn't the same language that Kawa'
CARSON WAS GOING TO have to run for it.She'd only seen two ways off the boat. There was some kind of door a few levels below where she'd hit the deck. She'd tried to get close to it, but there were always people in that area. Which left the forklift ramp at the end of the ship.She'd made it most of the length of the boat without being seen, but that was by chance. There was too much open, exposed ground from here to her exit. For her to get closer she had to take the stairs up one level then walk herself down the ramp.Someone would see her.Would her knee hold up to a run?Pain shot up and down her body with every step. That would be worse at a run. She could do it so long as she didn't trip.All she had to do was get off the boat and find someone. Anyone at all. She'd scream her head off if she thought she'd be heard.Carson tried to listen for voices or footsteps, but it was difficult to make out subtle sounds.What she wouldn't give for a hat or something to disguise her.
"WE SHOULD GIVE OURSELVES up.""No, we can't.""They'll throw us in a hole and we'll never get out.""We can't stay here."Kawa listened to the not so quiet conversation going on behind him.He'd known he did not have his men's faith, that they were here because they'd been assigned and now their fates were tied together. There still had to be a way out of this."Stop. Be quiet." He turned to face them.The woman stared up at him."There has to be a way off this boat," he said. The next logical step was right there. He couldn't think of it though. "Think. How do you get off a boat this size?""The doors?""Lifeboat.""Yes!" That was the word he'd been looking for. "We need to get to the lifeboat."Problem was, he had no idea where that was or how to get there and the FBI were right behind them. But if they could find it and get off the ship, they might survive another day.***RYAN CREPT DOWN THE hall, peering into rooms.This was going to take forever.By himself h
CARSON BRACED HER HANDS on the door leading into the tangerine colored submarine looking boat."No. No, leave me," she begged.Kawa turned toward her. If she weren't more afraid of what would happen on the boat that look would have scared her."Get in here," he snarled and grabbed her."No," she wailed.He yanked on her arm. She pitched forward going to her knees hard on the floor of the boat. The pain shooting up to her hip was worse now. Tears prickled her eyes.She curled her legs under her. Could she run? If she was too hard to control would they leave her? Or would they kill her?The remaining man climbed into the boat, leaving Kawa standing over her.They were going to make her get in that thing.A bang rang out, the sound of it echoing through her memory.For a moment everyone paused.Another blast of gunfire, closer this time, rang out.A man yelled. Another called out, maybe for help.The man at the front of the boat shouted something at Kawa who drew a gun.Cars
CARSON SAT HUNCHED IN the cold, metal chair. She'd never known wrenching a shoulder out of its socket could be so painful. The muscles across her back ached and there was a deep soreness in her chest. The paramedic who'd seen her at the dock had warned her she might have some other injury he couldn't tend to and Agent Walker wasn't about to allow her something as simple as seeing a doctor.She'd lost count of the hours left alone in this room with nothing more than two metal chairs and a table.At least they'd taken the handcuffs off?Whatever came next she could handle it.Mom and Dad were safe.She had to believe Ryan had found Frankie.The nightmare was almost over. At least she hoped so.Whatever happened to her, she'd be okay. Somehow or another even if she was at fault. It was still surreal that Agent Walker had arrested her. She'd been in so much pain at the time she hadn't quite heard everything he'd said.The air kicked on, blowing another blast of frigid air through t
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