Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
“All’s quiet down here,” TJ replied.
“I’ve got someone I’m watching,” Big Tag said. “Tash and Lou, there are a group of five men walking into the front entrance. I need you to see if you can get facial ID on them. They’re walking past the Boots store right now.”
The train pulled in, sound humming through the space and making the floor buzz under Zach’s feet.
“Where do you want to take her?” Zach asked. “We can’t talk out in the open. Do you think she’ll agree to come back to the house?”
Where she could meet Devi. Where he would find out how deep in she was and how hard his father would come after them all.
“She’ll come back with us and we’ll figure it out from there,” Cooper said with a surety Zach didn’t possess. “I wish we were the ones rolling in via train. I would feel better if we were meeting them at The Garden. It’s got great security.”
And was packed with MI6 agents who would be derelict in their duty if they didn’t bring in the wanted criminals. It was precisely why Ian set it up this way.
At some point his mother would be forced to trade her expertise for safety because there was nowhere safe to keep her off the government’s radar. Huisman or the Agency. They would want the same thing from her. He hoped they would have different means of achieving their goals.
“We have facial ID on one of the men,” Tasha said in a completely calm tone. “He’s Interpol, and we’ve got a couple of metro police vehicles pulling up now.”
Shit. He didn’t like the fact that they weren’t coming in vests. They were sneaking in. Like they wanted to do this quietly. Because that was how they would bring in a rogue operative. He would bet there was someone with MI6 with them.
“It could be something else,” Lou offered. “I’m not hearing radio chatter about Zach.”
“Stay calm. The train is almost here,” Ian said, his tone perfectly even. “Let’s see where they go. It looks like a couple are heading down. TJ, blend in.”
“Will do,” TJ answered.
There was a little static in his ear. He started to reach for the comm.
“There are tunnels, you know.” The new voice in his ear made Zach still.
A voice that haunted his fucking nightmares. He looked around as if he could see Huisman watching them. How the hell had he known?
“Is that?” Cooper began and his hand went to his jacket pocket.
“It’s Dr. Huisman, Mr. McKay. How is your beautiful wife?” Huisman’s voice sounded silky smooth over the comms. “Congratulations on your nuptials. I was so sorry I did not get an invitation.”
His brother stepped back and had his cell out.
“Not talking to me?” Huisman chuckled over the line. He spoke English with a French accent, having spent his formative years in Quebec. “Well, that’s all right. I’ll see how she is myself when my men bring her to me.”
Zach touched his earpiece. “Tasha? Lou?”
“Oh, I’m afraid they find themselves without connections right now. My group has some inventive men in it. Geniuses. They can ensure that certain devices in a small space cease functioning,” Huisman purred over the comms. “I find it infinitely helpful. A complete communications blackout would disturb people and have them asking questions. Thank you for placing your techs where I could use the device on them but leave your comms working. This wouldn’t be as much fun if I couldn’t talk to you.”
Don’t panic. His first instinct was to pull his gun and start looking around for Huisman, but what if that was exactly what Huisman wanted? What if Huisman didn’t know where he was, and a man suddenly looking around would be an X marking his spot.
“Zachary?”
He turned and his mother was there.
Older. Far more worn than the last time he could remember seeing her. Shannon Reed’s dark hair had grayed, and she had it in a long braid that curled around her neck halfway down her chest. She wore dark pants and a flowy blouse, and seemed to have all her things in a worn leather backpack she slung over one slim shoulder. He registered the woman standing next to her, but she was like a blur since he could only concentrate on two things at a time—his mom and the beast that stalked them all.
“Mrs. Flanders, you need to go,” Cooper said, his voice tight. “We’re compromised, and he has eyes on us.”
A gasp came out of his mother’s mouth as she took in Cooper. “You’re him. My sister told me she found you. You look like my father.”
Cooper gave her a nod. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Reed. I would love to talk further, but we need to move. Quickly and quietly. Don’t attract any attention.”
“Where will you go?” Huisman asked. “The way I look at it, you have two choices. You can try to run, but your mother won’t be able to keep up. Or you can stand there and wait for Interpol to arrest you in front of her and hope your biological brother will get her out in time. Which will you choose?”