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All Chapters of Aegis Group: Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

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Chapter 131

ZAIN UNLOCKED THE FRONT door of the apartment and stepped in, Andrea right behind him. He wanted to do a sweep of the place before allowing her in, but it was raining, and Andrea was soaked to the bone."I always miss the rain until I'm home," she said, teeth chattering.He dropped the bags just inside the entrance and locked the door behind her while straining to listen for noises. It was a little past midnight, and Andrea lived a good hour away. Crashing at her friend's place was a matter of convenience-and it also had a higher probability for being safe. Still, he rushed through, giving the rooms a once over."You really didn't have to come home with me. I'd have been okay, I swear." Andrea gripped the handle of his laptop bag. Her hair stuck to her face and there were goose bumps all over her chest. His hoodie swallowed her, but at least it'd kept her warm until now."We aren't having this conversation again." He took the bag from her and rolled it to the side so she wouldn
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Chapter 132

"YOU REALLY THINK MY place is dangerous?" Andrea handed Zain her keys."I'd rather be safe than sorry." He shifted the rental car into park then took her keys."The blue key. You don't seriously think I'm in danger here, do you? That stuff was at the con. Hundreds of miles away." She was clinging to the hope that the attack, the fliers, were some random asshole who hated the game, that it wasn't a personal attack. And she was ready to change into clean clothes. Her clothes. Stuff that fit. "You're being paranoid.""I'm okay with that.""Fine. Suit yourself."Andrea cradled her latte and sat back, content to watch Zain's backside as he walked to her front door. The apartment was a point of pride for her. The first true mark that she'd succeeded as an adult. It was small, but it was hers, and she'd managed well enough on her own. Unlike Crystal, Andrea hadn't come from money. She'd had to scrape things together for school. Somehow, it'd all worked out. At least until now.She
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Chapter 133

ZAIN CHUCKED THE BAG of ruined stuff out onto the stoop. The pile of things on top of the ruined sofa was easily as tall as he was. Between himself, Andrea, Crystal, and a few friends, they'd managed to excavate the worst of it. There wasn't much left to be salvaged.He hurt for Andrea.In all his time, he'd seen maybe one revenge job that equaled this level of hateful destruction to property. What was more, the break-in only confirmed his fear.Whoever was behind this was connected to Grunge and Dark Matter Games.It was someone she knew.It had to be.The only people who'd known they were leaving had been at the booth that morning. It was a short list of people. Maybe seven names, outside of the girls.What he wouldn't give to be able to fly back and question every one of those people himself-but he couldn't leave Andrea. Letting her out of his sight was not happening.The cops were skeptical the two incidents were connected.Andrea's games and computer were missing
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Chapter 134

ANDREA CLUNG TO THE arm rests on either side, her feet braced against the floorboard. The man-she recognized him-but from where?"Oh my God!" She squeezed her eyes shut as the man passed another car on the shoulder."Shut up," he snapped.He had a gun. She needed to do what he said.But dear Lord, was he trying to kill them both?"Watch out!" She really should not have opened her eyes, but closed-she was going to be sick."I said shut up." He reached across, grabbed a handful of her shirt and shook. Threads popped and fabric ripped.He released her, snatching the wheel in both hands."I'll stop. Whatever it is I'll stop, I swear," she said. Andrea would promise the man anything, if he'd let her go. She wasn't brave, she wasn't strong, she just wanted to get away."You bet you'll stop." He stomped on the breaks and the car skidded a good ten feet, almost into the intersection.The car was stopped.That was important.Why?Because-stupid, stupid, stupid-she coul
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Chapter 135

ZAIN YANKED THE FIAT into the parking lot.He could see the rental.The empty rental.Where was Andrea?Who was that man?He shoved the car into park and got out, his hand on the gun. In the distance, he could hear sirens-no doubt the cops on their way to Andrea's house, or maybe his location, if Gavin was still in communication. Either way, it wasn't Zain's problem.The lot was empty, save for the rental. Smoke leaked out from under the hood and the driver's side door was still partially open. He approached with care, peering into the back seat, steeling himself for anything. Or at least as much as he could.If Andrea...he couldn't go there. Not now. Not when she still needed him calm and level headed.He turned in a circle, searching for something, any sign of them.The car that'd left the parking lot was now beat to hell. He could only hope Andrea had survived the collision uninjured.A few vehicles had pulled over to the side of the street running parallel to th
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Chapter 136

ANDREA GRITTED HER TEETH. The car bumped over what felt like train tracks. She'd lost all sense of direction and time after they'd taken four or five turns. At first, she'd had some kind of idea that she could remember where they were going, keep track of it somehow, but she'd given up on that. Instead, she clutched the seatbelt across her chest with both hands and did her best to keep her breathing slow and steady.Her cheek still hurt from where her kidnapper had hit her for hyperventilating. Since she'd gotten her breathing in check, she'd also stopped crying. Somewhere in there was when she'd lost her bearings.What was it Zain had said about being kidnapped?They'd had the conversation yesterday. Why couldn't she remember what he'd said?His cousin's girlfriend, they'd talked about her. How she'd tried to fight back and wound up getting into more trouble.He'd told her to do nothing.To wait to be rescued.How could he rescue her when he didn't know where she was? Th
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Chapter 137

ZAIN PARKED THE FIAT outside of the police station.Hours spent canvassing the area where Andrea had gone missing and the apartment complex had turned up nothing. Not a thing. Besides the people on the road, no one had noticed the man, Andrea or their car. How could they just disappear? He itched to be at his computer, to do something that might yield a lead, but he had to leave that up to Gavin and pray the kid realized what was at stake here.He pushed the front doors open and checked in at the front desk. The officers on scene had connected him to the Detective Bowman that Crystal and Andrea had wanted to speak to."Bowman is on his way," the officer at the desk said after a quick buzz.Zain checked his phone again. Nine texts from Crystal, two from some of the guys and one from his boss. Fuck. He'd leave that for later. Chances were, whatever Crawford had to say wouldn't be good."Mr. Lloyd?" A man in his late thirties opened the double doors leading into the rest of the
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Chapter 138

ANDREA SQUEEZED HER THIGHS together. She'd been here-how long? And she really had to pee.Footsteps thumped toward her from her left. Last she'd heard, the guy had been on her right. She swung her head toward the sound, struggling to make anything out through the black fabric, but it was too dark.She held her breath.He was right there.In front of her.Thump-thump.He was close enough she could feel his presence, the way the floor vibrated with each step.A hand grasped the bag, catching strands of her hair, and jerked it off. Her head snapped forward, her chin almost bouncing off her chest as he ripped the bag away. She hissed at the pinpricks of pain along her scalp.He crouched in front of her, the bag fisted in one hand.It was dark. Night had fallen. But there was enough light from the kitchen to make out his face. He stared at her, his head tilted to the side, his hair falling over his brow.Crazy.He was batshit crazy."What kind of processor are you ru
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Chapter 139

ZAIN HIT PRINT AND stared at the mug shot.Kevin Lee.He was as good as dead."I've got him," Zain said out loud.Max sat up straight, his head swinging toward Zain."What? Who is he? Let me see." Max got up, circled his desk and leaned over Zain's shoulder. "We're just now starting to get tips from Crystal's vlog.""Can we release the name?""Do I want to know how you found him?""Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to." Their facial recognition access was a favor. One they'd paid dearly for by almost losing one of their guys. But the FBI, CIA and NSA all owed Aegis a big, honking debt. So Zain got to play with toys that were so far above what he'd been able to do before. The capability alone was terrifying. And he got access to it."Let's see if he's got a file before we discuss releasing his name." Max returned to his desk, tapping out the name."He does." Zain pressed his lips together. He'd skimmed the police records on Kevin as soon as the Ae
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Chapter 140

ANDREA HUGGED HER KNEES to her chest. Her butt was numb from sitting on the wooden stairs. The complete darkness made it hard to tell the passage of time. How long she'd been down here. Alone.Well, almost alone.She'd found Crystal's cat.October was content to lay next to Andrea and purr.Her arms had stopped burning. After the overwhelming fear had died down, she realized the cuts were shallow and mostly scabbed over already. It didn't change the fact that the psycho had cut her. Blood still flaked off her skin and stained her clothing.She sucked in a deep breath.Where was Zain?He'd said to wait for him, to do nothing, but shouldn't he have found her already?What was taking so long?She stood, gripping the railing with both hands while her legs remembered what they were good for. October meowed, the sound punctuated with a question mark, as though she were asking, When are we going home?"I don't know, October," Andrea whispered.There was a grimy window ac
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