Disillusioned

by Christy Barritt

  Bobby sat in the backseat, and he still looked dazed with either sleep, medication, or trauma. Maybe all of them. He wore a baseball cap and glasses. He’d also shaved, which made him look much more clean-cut than the photos circulating of him, which were mostly from his time in captivity.

  Beside him, Nikki had a new hair color and style. Marti had brought the dye, and she’d gone from glossy, dark, and long to a mousier shade of brown. She’d trimmed her hair to her shoulders and given herself bangs. Kade thought that Nikki would look good with any hairstyle. She had that kind of face.

  She wore a T-shirt and jeans, which gave her a much different look than her normally refined clothes. She appeared younger, more vulnerable. She remained quiet, deep in thought, as the miles rolled past, and Kade wondered exactly what she was thinking about.

  The SUV had tinted windows, so no one should spot them. However, Kade didn’t want to underestimate the manpower that was going into this search. Threats to national security weren’t taken lightly, and Bobby was probably at the top of the FBI’s most wanted list now. If Raz was compromised, they’d be walking into a precarious situation.

  “I’m sorry about last night,” Bobby muttered.

  Kade tensed. “I’m sorry” wasn’t going to cut it. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You’re going to have to do better than that, Bobby,” Kade said. “You could have killed us.”

  Bobby let out a long, sad sigh. “I felt like I was in a daze. I was sure ARM was in the house, and I knew it was either kill or be killed.”

  “You didn’t recognize me?” Kade glanced in the rearview mirror, noting for the first time that Bobby had aged a decade over the past two years.

  “No, I thought you were one of them.” Bobby ran a hand over his face. “I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

  He might be. Kade didn’t tell him that, though. It wouldn’t help anyone to say that aloud.

  They crossed their first obstacle—the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. They’d had to stop to pay the toll, and the attendant hadn’t looked twice at them. The bridge spanned twenty miles over and under the water until reaching Virginia Beach. Once they were across, they hopped onto the interstate and headed to Richmond.

  Kade had tried to pick a place far enough away that no one would guess they were on the Eastern Shore. He hoped his plan worked, because he was starting to feel like he was in over his head.

  And he never felt like that.

  Of course, this was the first time he’d ever dealt directly with domestic terrorism.

  Kade knew this was risky; he didn’t want to put Nikki in this position, especially because the authorities already knew she was involved. If Kade’s own connection to Nikki and Bobby could remain hidden for a while longer, it might buy them some time.

  He’d worn a disguise when he’d picked them up and even changed license plates so the authorities couldn’t trace his car. Basic evasion procedures. The government they were eluding was the one that’d taught him the tactics. Still, the authorities had probably already looked at security footage from the apartment complex and the shopping area where Kade had met them, and it was just a matter of time before they were able to track them down.

  “Tell me more about Raz,” Kade said.

  Nikki shrugged. “He’s inspirational, really. He had a hard childhood. His dad left when he was young, his single mom worked two jobs to make ends meet. He was a great student. Or at least he did well enough to get a full ride to UVA law school.”

  “How did he become connected with your family?”

  “He and my father met while playing racquetball at the gym. My dad was in his midtwenties at the time. I think Raz is younger by four or five years.”

  “Is he married?”

  Nikki shook her head. “He was married once, but I don’t think it lasted very long. They didn’t have any children. Now Raz is just dedicated to his career. He ran for political office once—state attorney general. He lost, but barely.”

  “He’s done well for himself though, right?”

  “He’s a good attorney, so he’s got a good reputation. He’s worked with senators and public figures. He even started a talk radio program not too long ago simply to ‘challenge himself,’ as he said. Without his help, I would have never gotten Bobby back home. He also paid for Bobby’s medical treatment. I’m going to pay him back when I have the funds.”

  Kade let that sink in a moment. He was surprised Nikki didn’t have more money considering that her family was fairly affluent. He would have assumed she received a nice life insurance policy payout after her parents died.

  When they reached Richmond, he instructed Nikki to call Raz and tell him to meet her at the Blue Moon Café. He knew that if the authorities were working with Raz the time limit would seriously hinder their ability to set up operations.

  Before Kade drove to the café, he swung by his friend Will Titan’s house to drop off samples of Bobby’s medication. Will had told him to leave them in the mailbox outside. That way Kade wouldn’t have to go into the drugstore and risk being spotted.

  There was just enough time to get to the Blue Moon. It was in a middle-class area, so they’d easily blend in among the shopping center’s other patrons. The café was sandwiched between a large furniture store and a hair salon, and the big parking lot would give them the ability to hide.

  Kade only knew about the place because he’d met Jack there on occasion for lunch. He circled the block several times and didn’t see anyone doing surveillance in the area. However, that didn’t mean anything. The best guys blended in so easily that even trained agents couldn’t recognize them.

  “You remember what we talked about?” he asked Nikki. They’d reviewed escape plans, questions that she’d ask, and worst-case scenarios on the trip here.

  She nodded. “I think so.”

  “I’ll be close. If you need help, you remember the code words?”

  “It looks like we’re in for a rough winter.”

  He pulled to a stop a block away from the café and surveyed the streetscape again.

  Nothing suspicious stood out to him. Maybe Raz was trustworthy.

  “The wire working okay?” Kade asked.

  Nikki touched her earpiece, Kade’s voice coming through loud and clear. He’d instructed her how to put it on as they drove. “Yes.”

  “I’ll be listening to everything in case you need help. Okay?”

  Nikki put her hand on the door handle. “Here goes nothing.”

  “You’ve got this, Nikki,” Kade told her.

  Just before she climbed from the car, Bobby spoke. “I don’t trust Raz, Nikki. Be careful what you tell him.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Nikki’s hands trembled when she opened the door to the Blue Moon Café. So many things could go wrong. Each scenario had played out in her mind several times, and none of them ended well. Don’t think like that, she told herself. Stay positive.

  “You’re going to be great, Nikki,” Kade said into the earpiece.

  “Easy for you to say,” she muttered, forcing a smile at the hostess.

  “Actually, it’s not.”

  Her cheeks flushed. She forgot he could hear everything she said.

  “I’m meeting someone,” she told the hostess as the scent of french fries and bacon wafted around her.

  She scanned the inside of the restaurant. The place had bright blue walls and black booths. Nothing fancy. If she had to guess, there were about fifteen people eating inside, mostly couples and young families enjoying a late lunch.

  Across the restaurant, in a booth in the back corner, she spotted Raz. Good old Raz.

  Debonair was the best way to describe the man. He wasn’t quite six feet tall, and he had thick black hair sprinkled with gray. His skin always looked tan, and he spent all his free time at the gym. He could easily be married—he was handsome, accomplished, and wealthy. Nikki had always assumed he was single because that’s the way he liked it
.

  Nikki was certainly grateful for his steady presence in her life. In fact, he was the one who’d helped her escape from Pierce and who’d finalized their divorce. It had built a bond of trust between them.

  Raz stood as she approached and kissed her cheek. Yet his gaze traveled beyond her. Was he looking for Bobby? Or for someone else?

  Her spine stiffened.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he said, sitting back down. “I’ve been worried.”

  Nikki slid into the booth beside him, unwilling to turn her back to the rest of the restaurant. She needed to be on the lookout, to be aware of everything going on around her. It was just one of the many skills her dad had taught her. He’d lived that kind of life. Breathed it.

  “Did you bring anyone with you?” She scanned the restaurant’s patrons once more.

  “No.”

  “Did anyone follow you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Has the government been in contact with you since the incident at the hospital?” She didn’t have the luxury of being polite right now.

  He pressed his lips together. “I think you and I both know the answer to that question. Every government agency is looking for Bobby. Where is he?”

  “I can’t tell you that.”

  He let his head fall to the side. “Come on, Nikki. It’s me. I’ve always been there for you. Always.”

  “Don’t give in to him,” Kade said in her earpiece, snapping her away from the guilt that started to swallow her.

  At that moment, a waitress placed two coffees on the table, along with some bread and two salads.

  “I went ahead and ordered,” Raz explained. “It’s past lunchtime, so I thought you might be hungry. I thought it would give us more privacy as well.”

  Nikki didn’t think she could make herself eat if she tried. She needed to get the information she came for and then get out. “Tell me what you know, Raz,” she said. “What do you know about the fire? And what happened with Steel Guard? I thought they were the best in the business, yet somehow they handed Bobby and me over to terrorists.”

  “What? Steel Guard?”

  She stared at him a moment, realizing he had no clue about the fiasco after they left the hospital. “You didn’t know? The guys driving us tried to kidnap us. That’s why we never made it to the rental.”

  “That’s crazy. Why would they do that?”

  “I don’t know. I hoped you might have some more information.”

  “I wish I did. Listen, Nikki, before we go any further, I need to say this: you need to turn your brother in. It’s the only way you can get any help. By running, you’re only making this worse. George Polaner told me that we could work out a deal.”

  “You talked to the secretary of Homeland Security?”

  “I did. And I think you should work with him. It’s the only way out of this mess.”

  Her jellylike insides began to harden. This was an argument and a fight she needed to get used to. “You’re not answering my questions, Raz. You said you had information for me. Tell me or I’m leaving.”

  He looked off in the distance and sighed, long and heavy, before licking his lips. “I’ll hire an investigator to look into Steel Guard. They’re supposed to be the best, so I want to know what happened, where things went wrong. I’d never do anything to hurt you or Bobby, Nikki. Your parents would want me to look out for you. You’re like a daughter to me.”

  Was he stalling? Nikki thought he must be. Two men eating soup by the window glanced their way. Nikki’s shoulders tightened. The longer she stayed here, the more uncomfortable she became.

  Raz leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Did Bobby tell you why he called Colombia that day?”

  Nikki swallowed hard, sweat sprinkling her forehead at his mention of the call. She’d kept that silent, knowing how it would make her brother look. Somehow, talking about it made her feel like she wasn’t being loyal to her brother.

  “I haven’t asked,” Nikki finally said.

  “Nikki.” Raz’s voice took on a fatherly tone. “Be smart.”

  She couldn’t let him play on her emotions, intentionally or not. “Who’s framing Bobby?” she demanded.

  He pressed his lips together for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. “Have you ever considered that maybe he’s not being framed? That maybe he was building a bomb in your basement?”

  Nikki stared at Raz, realization finally hitting her. How could she have been so stupid? So trusting? “You don’t really know anything, do you, Raz? You just said you had information to get me here.”

  Raz let out a breath before locking his gaze with hers. “Nikki, I promised your parents I would look out for you. I’d be doing them a disservice if I didn’t ask these questions.”

  “You know Bobby’s not a terrorist.” Memories of her brother’s confrontation with Desmond caused unrest to slosh inside her.

  “Just like you knew Pierce Stark was your knight in shining armor.”

  Her cheeks reddened. That had been a low blow.

  Raz’s hand covered hers. “Look, all I’m saying is that you believe the best in people. I need to remind you that people change. They’re not always who we think they are. And everybody—everybody—has the capacity for evil.”

  Did he include himself? Nikki’s throat tightened at the thought. She scanned the restaurant one more time. A man had paused outside, right by the window. He wore a suit, and he glanced inside quickly before pulling out his cell phone and looking away.

  It could be a businessman on a late lunch break.

  Or it could be someone tailing her.

  “Get out of there, Nikki,” Kade said into her earpiece.

  She stood, and her throat tightened as she glanced at the door. Danger was closing in. She could feel it in her blood.

  Raz gave her a pointed look. “You need to be careful, Nikki. You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. No idea. I wish you’d come back with me and let me help.”

  “Nikki, you need to leave,” Kade said again. The urgency in his voice ratcheted her anxiety to the next level.

  She glanced at Raz once more. “If you really do care about me, will you do me one favor, Raz?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Give me twenty seconds before you tell the surveillance team where I am.”

  Nikki glanced at the front door. She could only guess who was waiting on the other side.

  Her eyes continued to scan the space, stopping at the cash register. Beyond that was a doorway where the servers rushed in and out. Kade had walked her through what she should do when it was time to leave. She’d go through the kitchen. There was a back exit there—an outside door that allowed for deliveries and taking out the trash.

  There could also be officers back there, but it seemed a better possibility than what waited out front.

  Walking calmly, she headed toward the center of the dining area. As soon as she got close enough to the kitchen door, she sprinted inside. She collided with a server carrying a tray full of sandwiches and soup. He cursed beneath his breath as porcelain shattered on the tile floor.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  She kept running, knowing she had no time to waste.

  CHAPTER 16

  Nikki dodged cooks, waitresses, and a deliveryman until she reached the back door and darted outside. The cool air felt charged around her.

  A man rounded the corner of the building, coming her way and blocking off her route to Kade’s waiting car. She ran toward the fence beyond the perimeter of the strip mall. Moving quickly, she climbed it and fell to the other side.

  “Nikki, where are you?” Kade asked.

  “I’m headed toward the neighborhood behind the restaurant.”

  “This wasn’t a part of our plan,” Kade said.

  “I had to improvise. There’s someone following me.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Kade wasn’t going to make it in time, she feared. She glanced
behind her. The guy chasing her was fast. Though she worked out and kept herself in shape, she was probably no match for him. Still, she’d give it everything she had.

  But where should she go that wouldn’t put innocent people in danger? Kids played in neighborhoods. What had she been thinking?

  She rounded the side of a house, desperate to put distance between her and the man following her. She dared not look back again—she didn’t want to lose time.

  Thankfully the neighborhood was big and spacious, with wide yards and lots of trees. She headed toward the woods behind one of the houses. She figured her chances were better there.

  “Nikki, where are you?”

  “I’m headed toward the woods. No idea what’s on the other side.”

  “You’re making it hard for me to help,” Kade mumbled in her earpiece.

  Nikki looked back. The man was out of sight. Her gut told her he was still coming, though. “Hopefully I’m making it hard for this guy, too.”

  “I’m looking all of this up on my map program now,” Kade said.

  Nikki stopped in her tracks, bending at the waist a moment as she tried to catch her breath and take in her surroundings. “I’m at a stream, Kade.”

  “A stream?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Nikki, how deep is it? Can you walk in the water?”

  Bobby. That was Bobby’s voice.

  She stared at the creek a moment, contemplating her options. It didn’t look that deep based on the rocks and gentle current. “I think so.”

  “Walk down the stream. If he’s got dogs, it will help you because they’ll lose your scent,” Bobby said.

  “Got it.” She stepped into the water, which instantly chilled her. It might be early autumn, but this stream was cold.

  “Nikki, if you keep going down that stream, it looks like you’ll hit a highway in less than a mile. Do you think you can make it that far?” Kade asked.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  She ran through the stream. Water splashed up her legs, soaking her jeans. Her ankles threatened to twist, to give out, to slow her down in the slippery, uneven terrain.