by Amy McKinley
“Agreed.” Jack pulled his phone from his pocket. “We need to agree on what we tell Rich because he will be involved due to the unaccounted-for drones.”
The next few minutes consisted of us agreeing on the details—we would share Hugo’s involvement with Ahmed. The contract with Samir for Lily’s rescue was through Gray Ghost Security and would stay that way, at least for the time being. My history with Hugo, who I suspected was a terrorist, would remain between us.
“Kara said she’d be in town tomorrow.” She’d bent over me to whisper for me to find her, and her voice had cut through the haze of the shock of her knifing me. Even though I had understood why she’d done it, my guard would be up when our paths crossed again. “I’ll meet with her and find out what our next move is.”
10
Keegan
Warmth from the sun heated the bricks on the side of the grocery store that I leaned against. Just out of sight of mainstream foot traffic, I scanned the faces for Kara. I guessed she would get away in the morning, as her words to me about meeting her here had been laced with a frantic edge. The locket and her anxiety over Lily lessened my suspicion and the hatred that had flooded me the first time I’d spoken to Samir. Both parents were on the same page, desperate to protect their little girl.
I eased back an inch, ensuring I couldn’t be spotted unless someone neared the narrow alley. The shops in town, if they were still in business, were running on skeleton crews. I’d done my homework. There was a lawyer’s office that looked as if it’d had a full crew of ten that was down to one. The restaurant across the way was nearly empty, and the bakery no longer carried flour, effectively halting production. Up the road a mile or so was a neighborhood that was better off than that desolate, politically oppressed area. Most of the people who passed through were on their way to what few jobs were left. Few possessed vehicles. Many walked for miles.
Those who drove vehicles picked up people hitchhiking along the road in what had become ridesharing, as public transportation ceased to exist in many areas or was too dangerous to risk taking. I was pulled from my thoughts as the sound of voices drifted my way. One in particular caught my attention.
Shifting, I gained a view of Kara climbing out of a car along with several others. They were not soldiers or from the wealthy neighborhood where she resided. It seemed the protests didn’t extend to Ahmed’s daughter. Does she care about her country?
The people with her wore baggy clothes that had seen better days. The political turmoil had caused an immense amount of suffering.
The more I scrutinized her actions and their responses, the clearer her intentions were. She cared, and the people knew it, which was why I guessed that the outrage shown at Ahmed’s yesterday didn’t extend to her. She was greeted favorably in the town rather than accosted.
After she exchanged hugs and offered each person a brown paper bag that looked like a sack lunch, she set out to the string of sparsely populated, if not outright abandoned businesses.
I counted down the seconds until Kara would pass where I waited. Three. Two. One. My fingers curled around her bicep, and I pulled her to me. She pivoted and struck at my head with her other hand. I ducked with ease.
Her eyes went wide, and her body visibly relaxed. “I’m sorry.”
I brushed aside her apology. It wasn’t necessary. What bothered me wasn’t that she’d reacted as expected, but what had happened before. “You got the drop on me yesterday. Not many do.”
A mischievous grin pulled at her lips, and her amber eyes sparkled with mirth. “I had an incredible teacher.”
In accord, we both moved deeper into the shadows the buildings offered. We wouldn’t have much time, and I needed to make the most of it, no matter how much Kara distracted me.
Her hand curled around my forearm, halting me from moving back farther, so I shifted us to the side of the building. When I turned, the pain and desperation bleeding from her gaze stopped my heart.
“I need your help, Max.”
A spark of fury burned as my given name brought with it a barrage of emotions from the past. “Keegan, not Max. Don’t call me that name anymore.”
“Okay.” Her gaze bounced back and forth between my eyes. “It slipped. It’s different and not how I picture you, but I’ll remember.”
The anger fizzled away, and I smirked. “That was the point.”
“Right.” She nodded, her gaze sweeping over my long hair. “I need your help. Things at home are escalating, and there are few I trust to get Lily out safely.”
“How involved is Ahmed with the Dark Wings?” I used to think he wasn’t too deep, but after Hugo showed up, I knew better. Ahmed gave the impression his daughter was there on loan and to learn to fight, whereas Hugo was connected for life.
“He’s involved.”
It was enough. “Why would you stay with your daughter if he’s married to the organization?”
She reared back as if slapped. “You think I wanted my daughter to grow up in the same household as Ahmed?” Baring her teeth, she whisper-yelled, “He wouldn’t let me leave.”
I should have walked away, but I couldn’t. I knew firsthand what it was like to be a child owned by the organization. “Tell me everything.”
“I don’t have much time. Ahmed is expecting me back. Lily is in terrible danger, and Samir… I took advantage of his business trip and attempted to fly Lily to him, but Ahmed stopped me. So I set Samir free in the only way I could by telling him not to return. I’d overheard Ahmed mention Samir’s usefulness, and it was an indication of the threat here to him, which deepened when I tried to send Lily there.”
“Why is Ahmed a danger to Samir? And what’s stopping Ahmed from going after Samir?”
“I believe there’s a business connection of Samir’s he plans to exploit. My husband has been safe until now. Hugo, to my knowledge, is a new associate of Ahmed’s, and whatever they are working on together has upped the risk to us all. I can find out what’s going on there if that’ll convince you to help us.”
As if I wouldn’t. “I’m in, Kara. But we could use some help. Hugo has possession of small drones. We were sent to retrieve them. Does Ahmed have them?”
“I-I don’t know. Hugo was in meetings with my father early yesterday morning. I’ll find out whatever I can. Just promise me that you’ll get Lily out.”
I nodded. “How well do you know Hugo?”
“I only met him once, about a week before I was sent to retrieve whatever possessions he had on him,” she explained. “After that initial appointment with Ahmed, something happened. Ahmed was holed up in meetings with the president. Then the company was seized…”
Things were becoming clearer, and I fished for more information. “Hugo must have brokered a deal with Ahmed and the president regarding the drones.”
Kara shrugged. “Something must have gone wrong.”
“Seems that way, especially because the company was seized shortly after.”
Kara pressed her lips into a tight line. “I’m not surprised. My guess is that the president ordered Ahmed to recover the drones and to bypass negotiations with Hugo, who he deemed expendable.”
“The kidnapping must have been an unexpected occurrence, then, and not one orchestrated by Ahmed.”
She shook her head. “No, Ahmed didn’t have anything to do with that. He did learn that Hugo was among the others who’d worked for GH Envirotech. The Americans were supposed to be on their way out of the country.”
“That’s when you were brought in?”
“Yes. I was sent to retrieve the bag or whatever he had on him.”
“You were kept in the dark, then, not told that what you were to recover were insect-sized drones?”
“Exactly.”
She’d said she trusted a few people. “The nanny, do you trust her?”
“Yes. Andrea has been with me since Lily was born. She’s our best option.”
The fact that she used Hugo’s name so casually bothered me. “Y
ou do know who Hugo is, don’t you?”
“Only that he’s an associate of Ahmed’s.”
“He’s also my uncle.”
“What?” She took a half step back. “I had no idea.”
“I shouldn’t expect that you would. You never met him when we were at the Dark Wings’ camp. He’s very dangerous, especially now that he knows I care about you.”
Her lips parted, and she sucked in a breath, softening before me.
My fingers curled into a fist, and I fought the urge to touch her, the memory of her soft skin a brand in my mind. I took a step closer.
“You care about me?” Wonder saturated her words as her hand lifted then fell back to her side, inches from resting on my chest.
My fingers uncurled and, seemingly of their own volition, moved toward her hip as my gaze dropped to her lips. I knew how they would taste, how soft her skin was, and the throaty noise she made when she let go. I willed my hand to fall back to my side. We both knew it wasn’t the time or the place to get lost in each other.
“Kara”—I couldn’t get involved, not with all the uncertainty, regardless of how much I wanted to—“how will you get your daughter to me? If you can do that, I can take her away from here, but you should be with her. It doesn’t make sense for you to stay behind.”
“We’ll see. If I can get away without compromising Lily’s safety, I will. For now, let’s plan on meeting here tomorrow, in the alley by the boutique. I’ll keep tabs on Ahmed and try to get information on the drones.”
We came to extract the kidnapped Americans, not knowing one of them was my uncle. That changed things. “Good. The drones do need to be recovered. If you can’t get to them, I’ll break in.”
“No.” Her eyes hardened. “That would put Lily in too much danger. I’ll do it.”
“Fine. You have two days to get any intel you can about Ahmed and Hugo’s meetings, contacts, and most importantly, to recover or locate the drones.”
“I told Ahmed you’re dead. Hugo should receive the same information.”
“If he believes that.”
She nodded, her understanding clear in her somber expression. A flash of pain crossed her features, then she reached forward and placed her palm over the concealed knife wound on my chest. “I’m sorry for giving you another scar.”
That woman was my kryptonite, and I hoped she wouldn’t be the death of me.
11
Keegan
I let myself into the small room we were renting and stopped short when I took in the cell pressed to Jack’s ear and the lines of strain around his mouth. Sprawled on the couch, Hawk scrolled on his phone, shedding no light on the cause of Jack’s distress.
The door clicked shut behind me, and I waited with my arms crossed over my chest and my feet spread wide. Whatever news he had to share, I had no choice but to wait. He clipped out a response, pressed the speaker option on his phone, then met my gaze. Hawk shifted, his screen no longer holding his attention.
“Rich is on the line.” Jack dropped onto one of the chairs near the round table in the middle of the room.
Rich cleared his throat. “Stuart Greene, the Director of National Intelligence Services, collapsed during yesterday’s National Security Council meeting. They’re determining the cause of death. Until we know for sure, we can’t assume it was by foul means. However, another member reported seeing a mosquito on his neck right before he fell to the ground.”
“He was known to support the removal of the Venezuelan president,” I replied. It sounded like it could have been an assassination to keep Stuart from influencing the vote to add the Venezuelan president to the kill list. “Possibly lethal nanoweapons, then? Seems George could be more involved than he was letting on. Have the recovered hostages been questioned?” His employees could have had vital information that would help us determine if insect nanobots were sold in America through George or only in Caracas. How is Hugo involved? And is he still here, or did he fly to America with help from Ahmed?
“Seven days from now, a meeting for the National Security Council is scheduled. We need those drones recovered before then.” Rich paused. “I don’t think I have to spell out the threat we’re facing.”
“We’ll get it done,” Jack responded before disconnecting the call.
“Who from our team is handling interrogations for George Hammond and the recovered employees?” Hawk stood and grabbed one of the protein bars we’d brought with us.
“Mike and Liam are on it. We’re to focus on recovering the drones and Henry Adams, aka Hugo Chavez.” Jack swiped his cell from the table and shoved it into his front pocket. “Assuming he hasn’t fled the country.”
“Not likely.” My gut said that, unless he’d already left, he wouldn’t go anywhere until he was sure, for the second time, that I was dead. “From what I can gather, he’s working a deal with Ahmed.”
“Will this be a problem with Kara?” Jack’s eyebrows rose.
“No. She’s going to help in any way she can. Based on how desperate she is to get her daughter out of the country and away from Ahmed, I’d say odds are that we’ll find out where the drones are—or at least about any meetings surrounding their purchase—swiftly.”
“Since you’ve been reported as dead”—Jack notched his head in Hawk’s direction—“we’re heading out to see if we can locate Hugo. The last thing we need is for him to flee the country with nanoweapons. We’ll reconvene tomorrow night.”
“Keep in touch.” Unease skated along my skin, raising the hairs. “And don’t let him know you’re there. Hugo hasn’t made you yet, but if he does, the people he’s connected to make me look like a novice.”
Hawk and Jack stopped and regarded me for several seconds. I regretted saying what I had, but worry about their safety overruled my desire for self-preservation.
“When are you checking in with Kara?” Jack asked.
“We’re meeting tomorrow in town, midmorning.” By then, I hoped to have some answers or a sense of direction. Given that she had the same type of training, I had no doubt she would deliver, but I worried regardless. If the heavy hitters from Dark Wings were involved—and by Hugo’s presence I guessed they were—she was in danger.
Kara
“Mommy!”
I stepped into our family room in the east wing of Ahmed’s house, and my heart burst at the sight of Lily running toward me. Her long hair lifted as she ran like a superhero cape wrapped around her head. If only I could make her invincible.
I dropped to my knees, spread my arms wide, then closed them around her when she launched herself at me. I pressed my nose to the spot in between her neck and shoulder and inhaled. To me, she’d retained that innocent, sweet baby smell. Lily was my world. I would do everything in my power to ensure her safety.
“It’s time for bed, my sweet.” I pulled back enough to ruffle the silky hair on top of her head. “Did you brush your teeth?”
“Uh-huh.” She flashed a toothy grin for inspection. “Nanny Andrea already read me a story. Will you tuck me in?”
“Of course, my big girl.” I stood and clasped her tiny hand. Her room was next to mine. I wanted to keep her close. Andrea had the one directly across from Lily’s.
She crawled into her bed then flopped back against her pillow. I pulled the pink blankets up to her chin. “Snug as a bug?”
“No.” A yawn stole any other words she’d planned to say, and I tucked her in loosely, with room to move around as she wanted.
“How were your lessons today?” While she could technically go to preschool, I was worried about sending her, given how hated my father was and his connection to the president. There was no way I would risk Lily incurring any fallout from desperate and impoverished people. I did what I could to help the people of Caracas and would continue to do so. I did not agree with what the government was inflicting on the people.
Because of his position and connections, my father was exempt from experiencing hardship and poverty. I figured he could
spare any amount of food I could smuggle out to the villagers as well as rides, clothes—anything I could do to help. Lily yawned, and I focused on her. Our time together was precious, not something I cared to squander with dark thoughts of the state of Caracas.
“Lily, your lessons?” I gently reminded her as she finished another huge yawn.
“Fine.”
“Did you like what you were learning?” I had a tutor come for a few hours each day to help her learn to read and basic math, among a spattering of other subjects. She was young but a sponge, and I wanted to take advantage of the time to propel her forward in her studies.
“It was boring.”
Hmm, too easy? “Did you already know the answers?”
She shook her head. “No. We did waaay too many numbers.”
Math was one of her least favorite subjects. “I’ll look over your lessons and see if there is a way to learn them that would be fun.”
“’Kay.”
I smoothed her hair off her forehead and brushed a kiss there, then on each cheek. “I love you, baby girl.”
Her eyelids fell to half-mast. “Not a baby, Mommy.”
“Maybe not, but you’ll always be mine.”
The corners of her mouth lifted in a sweet smile before she gave in and drifted off to sleep. It’d been a long day, and I felt her exhaustion in my bones. Making sure her nightlight was on, I turned off the overhead one and closed the door.
Andrea wore a frown when I walked in. Mentally, I prepared for the argument I knew was coming. If she hadn’t been a good friend of Mama’s, I’d never have put up with her opinions. But Mama was dead, and Andrea was all I had left of her.
I motioned for Andrea to follow me as I sank into the couch, pulling one of the throws around my shoulders. It wasn’t cold in there, but I wanted a shield of sorts from whatever she was upset about. I had an idea.
She stood with her arms crossed and that frown chiseled into her pretty features.
