“Then we need to see the pictures they took.”
“It goes deeper than seeing their pictures.” Catal pointed to the photo of the men talking to the boys. “I think they might be our kidnappers.”
Chapter 5
Selena paced her small living room. Dawn was breaking on the horizon and she’d spent another restless night. Her stomach churned and she popped another antacid. Sleep was impossible. When she closed her eyes, she had visions of Tarrin crying for help. Every possible scenario replayed itself in her mind like an endless loop of a horror film. Exhaustion left her brain full of cotton balls and made her question every decision. She’d been right to ask for help from aHunter4Hire.
Details of the kidnapping had been kept from her. She’d left Columbia because she wanted to be free of the lying, cheating, and killing. Learning to survive on her own in a strange country had been difficult, but it had been honest. Now she knew differently.
She thought Nikki was a friend and there was a bond of trust between them. To find out that Nikki thought she was capable of kidnapping Gates cut deep. Almost as deep as Catal’s betrayal. His treachery had cut to her soul.
How come his presence gave her comfort?
She should have forgotten him years ago, but Catal was the only man she had ever desired. He was part of her essence, as necessary to her as breathing. It was a truth that hid deep within her. She wasn’t prepared to admit that to anyone, least of all herself.
Selena straightened her shoulders and pushed Catal out of her mind. He was unworthy of her love. She had made a life for herself without him. She had a fantastic job and a wonderful son. That was the way she wanted it to stay. The only thing she needed from Catal was his help in getting Tarrin back.
Then, why did she feel so empty?
Seeing him was as if the past years hadn’t happened. She longed to throw herself into Catal’s arms and let him take care of everything. It was just a throwback to when she had been young and trusted in true love. She wasn’t that person anymore. Catal’s betrayal had forced her to grow up. That and finding out she was pregnant a month after arriving in the United States.
There was a sharp knock at her door and then it opened. Steve Walters came in and slammed the door behind him. The dishes in her cupboard rattled and Selena backed up a step.
“How dare you bring criminals into my home?” Steve’s hair was disheveled and he looked as if he’d spent a sleepless night too.
Selena’s heart raced at the thunderous expression on his face. “I asked for help.”
“From known criminals and mercenaries?” Steve’s nostril’s flared. “Why didn’t you just ask one of the gangs from south LA for help? You would have got a better response.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Firbin stand. “These guys will find the boys.”
“The FBI have it under control.” Steve took a step toward her. “I want to know how long you planned on hiding your background from us?”
“My past life has nothing to do with the kidnapping.” Selena took a deep breath. “I left that behind years ago.”
“Don’t you think it was something you should have told Nikki before you accepted the job?”
Selena held Steve’s gaze. “Nikki knew that I had a past I was running away from when she hired me.”
Steve shook his head. “I told her at the time that she couldn’t just pick a nanny up off the street, but she defended you.”
“I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“What about this criminal brother of yours?” Steve’s voice rose. “The FBI seem to think he might be involved.”
“Juan doesn’t know where I am.” Selena fought back the pain of leaving her brother. He had been more of a father to her until his need for vengeance had taken control of him. “I haven’t spoken to him in years.”
“But you know where he is.”
Selena shrugged. “I’ve heard rumors. Believe me, he’s not involved in this.”
“Why should I trust you?” Steve leaned close. “You put on this goody goody act, but all the time you’re nothing but a piece of trash that Nikki picked up on the street. Just having you in the house has put Gates life at risk. I should kill you for that.”
Firbin reacted with a speed that took Selena’s breath away. She’d forgotten how quickly a Hunter could move. Firbin held Steve against the wall by the throat.
“I will kill you for disrespecting a woman.”
Steve struggled, clawing at Firbin’s fingers.
Firbin tightened his hold.
Selena grabbed Firbin’s arm. “Put him down. He is angry. Steve would never hurt a fly.”
Firbin looked over at her. “You are Catal’s pair bond. I will protect you with my life.”
Selena swallowed the lump in her throat. Would Firbin still protect her if he knew how she felt about Catal? She doubted it.
“Put him down.”
Firbin released Steve. He fell to the floor in a slump. He glared up at her as he rubbed his neck.
“These men are beasts.”
“We are warriors.” Firbin took a step back. “We do not allow women to be disrespected. It goes against the code we live by.”
“So you just kill anyone who violates your code?” Steve’s voice was sarcastic as he stood.
“Yes.” Firbin crossed his arms. “If you wish to speak to Selena, then do so in a civil voice.”
“She put my son at risk by being in my house.” Steve pushed away from the wall. “Isn’t there a rule about that in your code?”
“She did not harm your son.”
“She knows people who could.”
“That’s unfair,” Selena protested. “My son was taken too. All I want is for them both to be found. You know I love Gates too.”
“Then you should never have accepted Nikki’s offer to be his nanny.” Steve rubbed his throat.
Selena shook her head. “I’ve been a good nanny to him.”
“You pretended.” Steve went to the door. “Just like you faked being such a good person, insisting you didn’t want a man in your life. That was all for show.”
“You mean because I refused your advances?” Selena’s voice was low. “Nikki is my friend. How could you even think I would sleep with you?”
“The offer no longer stands.” Steve sneered. “I wouldn’t touch you now that I know your background.”
“I didn’t ask.” A shiver of revulsion skittered across Selena’s back. “You should be with your wife, not harassing me.”
“You just better be certain you’re not the reason Gates was taken.” Steve opened the door. “I’ll have the courts throw you so deep into jail that you’ll never see the light of day.”
Steve slammed the door shut behind him. Selena blinked back her tears and rubbed her arms. How could he even suspect her of being a part of the kidnapping?
“The man has no honor.” Firbin’s deep voice spoke from beside her. “How did you come to live in such a house?”
“I had no job and a baby on the way.” Selena sighed and sat. “When I ran into Nikki at the park, it was heaven sent.”
“Nikki hired you as a nanny right away?”
“She had a big acting job and a new baby.” Selena shrugged. “She was desperate.”
Firbin nodded. “This is how humans find work.”
Selena frowned. “Not usually. We talked for a couple of hours. I loved Gates on sight and I had nowhere to go. She offered me a job and a home.”
“You have been here many years. They do not treat you right.” Firbin’s voice was stern. “There is no trust or honor.”
“I had nothing to do with the kidnapping. I would never hurt Gates or my son.” Selena fought back her tears. “I just want the boys found.”
“You are wasting energy.” Firbin’s voice was firm. “Catal and the others are dealing with it now.”
“I can’t rest until Tarrin is back with me.” Selena’s voice cracked. What did this man know about her fears?
; “We will find the boys.” Firbin nodded. “Catal is very familiar with the ways of your world. He will find them.”
Selena frowned at Firbin’s choice of words. “You mean he knows about Hollywood and the stars?”
“I mean Earth. You are his pair bond. You know how difficult Catal’s life on this world has been. It has made him strong.” Firbin grinned. “He is very good at getting information and working outside of your laws. He has helped us since the beginning.”
Selena’s breath caught in her throat. How long had Catal been with these men? They looked like the other Hunters who’d been in Catal’s unit in Columbia, but they didn’t sound the same.
“By beginning I take it that means when you met. When was that?”
“About eight months ago.” Firbin’s voice turned serious. “We were destined for execution and instead, our leader, Ardal ordered us to fight. We killed our captors.”
It figured that these guys would get caught sooner or later. You couldn’t go through life as a hired soldier and not upset some government along the way. Selena shivered with remembered fear. She’d always worried about the life of danger Catal lived.
“And Catal found you?” Selena hoped he hadn’t help with the killings, but she knew that wasn’t likely. Death followed mercenaries.
Firbin shook his head. “Not right away. He and his unit found us after we crashed on your planet.”
“An airplane crash?”
Firbin grinned. “No.”
“I see. So Catal helped you?” Selena forced her voice to stay calm. Firbin couldn’t be serious about crashing on Earth. They’d talked earlier about being from another planet, but that was a joke. It had to be a misunderstanding. Even if Firbin thought he wasn’t from Earth, she knew Catal was human. She’d made love to the man, and aside from being very large, he was human.
“He was one of the older Hunters who saved us.” Firbin walked into the small kitchenette. “Coffee? It is one of the great pleasure of this planet.”
Selena shook her head. “How did Catal help you?”
“They rescued our leader from the government agents who wanted to kill him. After that Catal stayed with us, helping us create new identities and lives. He is very knowledgeable.”
“Why would he do that?” Selena couldn’t keep the confusion from her voice. This didn’t sound like the man her brother claimed deceived them. Juan had insisted that someone had made a higher offer for Catal’s services. He had betrayed Juan and slaughtered everyone.
Firbin’s eyes widened. “Hunters help each other.”
“So you just announced that you were part of his organization and they accepted that?” Selena frowned. “There had to be some other reason.”
“He is one of the brotherhood. Even though he crashed landed on this planet when he was ten, he is still one of us.” Firbin turned back to the coffeemaker. “His training was interrupted, but he learned many excellent skills surviving on Earth.”
Selena’s legs felt weak. She sat on a nearby chair and put her arms on the table. “So Catal is from the same place as you. That means you knew him before you came here.”
“No. He is clan Saidir and older than me.”
“Did you all grow up in the same town?” Selena’s head started to spin and she gripped the edge of the table to stay upright.
“All Hunters are trained on Beligia which is an outer moon of Cygnus.”
“And that place isn’t on Earth.” Selena forced back her hysteria.
Firbin swung around. His eyes scanned over her face. “You did not know.” It was a statement, not a question.
“He forgot to mention that detail.”
“He said you were his pair bond.” Firbin sat beside her and took her hands in his. “I assumed you would know this about him.”
Selena shook her head. “He never told me anything about himself or his true mission when he was fighting in Columbia. He pretended to be working with us, but all along he was our enemy.”
“I do not know what his assignment was.” Firbin’s eyes narrowed. “I do know he would not do anything dishonorable.”
“How can you be certain?” Selena’s voice was low. “You didn’t know him then.”
“He may have been a mercenary, but he still had honor. He would not have been disloyal to those who hired him.”
“What if the people who really hired him were a government agency that wanted to destroy my brother and other paramilitary groups?”
Firbin looked at her for several seconds and then shrugged. “This is something you need to ask him. Catal acts with honor now and I know he would never betray his pair bond. No Hunter would.”
At that moment Selena heard a buzzing noise. It seemed to be coming from Firbin. He reached up and hit what looked like a mini blue-tooth communicator on his ear. He frowned and then hit it again.
“The FBI have news.” He stood and walked to the door. “You can stay or come with me.”
“It’s about my son.” Selena pushed the chair away. “I want to know what is happening.”
Firbin moved to the front of the house, but kept Selena behind him. When they reached the room where Nikki and Steve were, there was a cluster of agents already there. Firbin let Selena move to the front of the crowd, but he kept her within arm’s reach.
Agent Kelly was speaking. “They have decided on a ransom drop. They’ve set it up for this afternoon.”
“That’s not enough time to get that amount of money together.” Steve’s voice was frantic. “The bank just told me that they couldn’t help.”
Agent Kelly held out her hands in a conciliatory manner. “We told them that when they called, so they’ve decided to lower the ransom back to ten million dollars.”
Firbin grunted.
Agent Kelly turned to him with narrowed eyes. “Do you have something to say?”
“They do not sound like very experienced kidnappers if they cannot decide how much money they want. Are you certain they have the boys?”
“We’ve asked to speak to the boys, but they’ve refused.”
“That is not a good sign.”
Nikki gasped. “You don’t think Gates is alive.”
Firbin crossed his arms. “It is possible.”
The world started to spin. Selena felt her legs give way and she would have fallen if Firbin hadn’t put his arm around her. He eased her into a chair. Until now she had refused to believe that something horrible might happen.
“Tarrin is alive. I still feel him with me.” Her voice was weak, but Firbin heard her.
“We need to make certain before the ransom is given.”
Agent Kelly cleared her voice. “This is not our first kidnapping. We have asked for a proof of life and they have agreed. So you both can stop thinking the worse. Once we have the proof, then we will agree to the drop.”
“What is the proof?” Firbin asked.
“We need a picture of the boys with today’s newspaper.” Agent Kelly’s voice was stern. “They will be sending that to us shortly.”
“How will it be delivered?”
“They’ll be emailing it to the FBI.”
Firbin nodded. “We will need time to get the drop site ready.”
“You’re not invited.” Agent Kelly turned away from Firbin, but before she could speak the door of the living room opened.
Catal and Partlan walked in.
“I told you to leave.” Agent Kelly clenched her fists. “This is an FBI investigation.”
“The FBI are waiting for proof of life.” Selena’s voice was faint. “They’ve given them a ransom demand.”
“I’m not telling you where the exchange is taking place.” Agent Kelly’s eyes narrowed as she turned to Selena. “You are to have no further contact with these men. I don’t want them finding out anything else.”
“We don’t need your information. The drop site is at Greystone Park.” Partlan’s voice echoed through the room. “We already have two men stationed there.”
Chap
ter 6
“How the hell do you know that?” Agent Kelly’s raised voice reverberated through the room.
Partlan crossed his arms. “I told you that we are determined. We broke into your system hours ago.”
Agent Kelly’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll have you arrested.”
“You could try.” Partlan turned to Nikki and Steve. “Do you have the money?”
“No.” Steve’s shoulders slumped. “It’s Saturday and the bank will be closed. Besides, that kind of cash is difficult to get together. We might look as if we’ve got plenty, but we spend it. It takes a lot of money to keep up to Hollywood standards. I still need a bit of time to raise all of it.”
Selena sagged against the back of her chair. “We’ve known for a week. I thought you’d made arrangements to have the money on standby.”
Catal moved to her. He clasped her hand in his and squeezed. “We’ll make certain the money is there. There will be no excuse for the boys not to be exchanged.”
“How do you plan to do that?” Steve’s voice was belligerent. “I’ve been trying to raise the cash for a week.”
“We have our share now.” Partlan’s voice was cold. “We do not waste time on such trivialities when the lives of children are involved.”
“You’re lying.” Steve stabbed his finger at Partlan. “No one can raise that kind of cash in a few hours.”
Partlan motioned behind him and Breanon walked in with a black sports bag in his hands. He passed the bag to Partlan, who threw it at the feet of Agent Kelly. She bent and opened the bag. Bundles of green bills came into view.
“You can count it. There is the ten million that we promised.”
The tight grip on Selena’s chest loosened. She took a deep breath and looked at Catal. He was looking down at her with unblinking eyes. A surge of calm and tranquility flowed through her. She fought back tears of relief. She heaved a sigh and turned back to the others.
Agent Kelly zipped the bag shut and stood. “This doesn’t mean that you can come to the drop site. We’ll have the area covered. I won’t stand for your interference.”
“We brought the ransom money.” Partlan raised an eyebrow. “We deserve to hear the details.”
aHunter4Life (aHunter4Hire) Page 5
