by Billi Jean
“And you’re drugged as well? Why? How much did you take? For how long?” she asked, but went right on to ask, “Did you know me? From Iraq? Is that why you wanted to aid me now?”
The way she’d asked made it sound as if she hoped he hadn’t simply showed up to help her because she’d helped him. He wanted to reassure her, but right here, right now, he didn’t think was the time or the place.
“He swallowed enough to get you out of here. I think saving your ass twice more than makes up for you bandaging his wounds once. Especially since you’re the reason he’d been near death to begin with, don’t you? Now, let’s get moving.”
Dare fisted his hand on his rifle and barely stopped himself from bashing Tazz’s head in. The thought was followed by an eerie, second-by-second screen shot of exactly how to hurt Tazz the most. Adrenaline mixed with shock punched enough pissed-off power through his system to back up the craziness, too. A chill crept up his spine like a goose had done a tap dance on his grave. Was this the drug? Had to be. There was no other explanation and if he’d not felt it, seen first-hand what the shit could do, he’d not have understood what Tazz struggled with now. He kept his hands on his gun to keep them off his oldest friend, but got right in Tazz’s face.
“Look, man, I get it now. I get how freaky out of control you must be, just from the one dose, I can see that. But I warned you already, man. Don’t ever talk to her like that again,” he gritted out, so pissed-off he had to clench down on his jaw or yell at the man.
Tazz’s frown stayed front and center. He didn’t back down quickly enough, so Dare shoved him against the wall with the rifle stock pressed tight to his throat. “Never let me hear it, bro, you get me?”
Tazz blinked and the crazy light left his gray eyes. He glanced at Kylie then met his eyes again. “Sorry, man. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“It’s the drug. I get it now, Tazz. I get it.”
“Shit fucks up your thinking, but I’m here, I’m steady, man.”
Relief, more than he wanted to admit, rushed his system. Tazz was solid—a friend he’d depended on too much over the past to lose now. Knowing Tazz, he fought the drug with all he had, and still some of the shit messed with him.
“I know you are. You got my back, buddy, I know it. So do you.” Dare released him and turned to Kylie and took her hand. She looked like she struggled with tears.
“You were never to blame for me getting shot up. It’s what I do. Right now, what I do is save your ass so you can look at me like I’m some kind of hero again, okay? We play it that way and, Kylie”—he pulled her closer, danger or not, Tazz shifting impatiently or not, and made her meet his eyes—“I saved you because I’m not going to let you go so easily, okay? Hell, I don’t think I’m ever letting you go,” he murmured against the silk of her hair. “Even if I have to handcuff you all over again, I’m not going to be easy to leave behind. It worked out pretty well for me the last time. I was kinda thinking you thought so too.”
Relief, more at his admissions, than his lame humor he guessed, filled her beautiful face. The tears receded from her eyes, but the worry remained. “You’re right, Daren. It’s the drug. I never saw this before, I never—” She swallowed and closed her eyes, ducking her head then mumbled, “I closed my eyes to so much. I’m sorry. Sorry I never stopped it when I realized that it was harmful.”
“Now’s not the time, Kylie,” Tazz broke in, sounding so gentle, Dare turned a glance on him. The man was tense, but in his eyes, Daren recognized the man who’d move mountains to save a friend. “My government is to blame for this, kid. Don’t forget that.”
Dare nodded, connecting dots he didn’t like. “Government backing comes with a price, Kylie. If a scientist could make someone more fit, more able to survive almost anything”—he tilted her head up—“then our government would want it. Not only to use— Yeah, they would,” he said when she opened her mouth to say something, “but to stop anyone else from getting it first. Didn’t you take history in school, baby? Who dropped the bombs first? It’s a race that us dumbass soldiers never get a say in.”
“Until now,” Tazz muttered. “We gotta go, buddy. You all set, kid?” Tazz asked Kylie.
She nodded.
She still looked shell shocked. From the current discussion or from being kidnapped herself, Dare wasn’t certain. He sighed with relief, too happy to have her back in his arms to question his luck. Unable to resist, he brushed his lips against her petal soft ones and breathed her sweet scent in.
“Dare, we need to go, man.”
Dare didn’t need Tazz’s reminder. Already he knew they didn’t have time for this. He still cupped his hand under Kylie’s chin and tipped her head slightly. “You heard the man. We need to move. You good to go?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Good, now, let’s get going, hit it, baby.” He released her chin and brushed a kiss to her lips.
“Okay, I can do that. But you still have my father to save if you want the hero look.”
Her strength amazed and thrilled the hell out of him. She even managed a faint smile with the teasing. “Deal. Now, we hafta run. Down the stairs, okay?”
She leaned her head on his chest and exhaled. “Oh great, run.”
“Now, Dare. The strike is in thirty minutes and if that radio blaring in Arab doesn’t get you moving, I will. There’s going to be around fifty of them up here any minute now.”
Fifty? Shit. He dropped his hand from her hair and she stepped back without him having to say a word.
“That’s a party I’d rather miss,” he told her.
Tazz nodded sharply. “Agreed. We go down, then, and out the same door we came in.”
“Stay in the middle of us, Kylie,” Dare warned.
“She will. You put the goggles back on. Kylie, get that extra jacket on.” Tazz handed her a rolled up camo jacket. Dare helped her into it, buttoning it to her throat and handed her the side arm again.
“If we are separated, you get out of here and run. We’re not far from a base. Get a taxi, whatever you have to, but go there. I’ll find you so—”
“I’m not losing you—”
“The only thing you two are losing is my patience. Move out!” Tazz growled.
She smiled impishly at him, but took off right after, mocking Tazz’s bent-over run with enough exaggeration that Dare choked on a laugh. He liked that she was a mixture of shy and smart-ass because she landed in enough trouble. If it weren’t for the danger they were in, he’d have her back to the wall, those lush legs around his waist again, and this time, there wouldn’t be any stopping him from sinking into her until they were both satisfied.
Down boy, he told himself, wincing when the goggles tore at his stitches. Seconds later, he was after Kylie down the stairs, pausing only once to find a less painful position for the hard-on punching up against his pants.
It wasn’t unusual to experience a hard-on in response to danger, at least not for him, but this was a hell of a lot different. His body had surged to full erection the moment she’d wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her small body to his. Just looking at Kylie’s soft lips and he’d had to wipe his brain clean of the image of her giving him the blow job of his life. Even now, racing after her, his body pulsed in time with his heart, growing harder instead of easing off.
Her sweet scent lingered in the air, either a body wash or lotion, or just her, and she left him aching to get her to safety so he could find out everything about her. What shampoo she liked. How she smelled so good even hours after a shower. If she liked pizza and beer or if she preferred wine with an elegant meal. He wanted her safe, so they could have time to learn more about each other without the pressure of the mission hanging over them.
She tripped down a step and he caught her arm automatically.
Get your ass in gear, Dare. Ass. In. Gear.
They took the next two flights of stairs much easier, and he managed to not think about how damned cute she looked in the
camouflage jacket for about ten seconds out of the sixty.
“This way,” Tazz murmured as soon as they reached him at the ground floor.
Dare took one more look back the way they’d come to confirm no one followed, then turned his attention back on Tazz. Dare settled his nerves with more effort than he liked and tried to concentrate. The easy part was over. Now they needed to rush. The stunner would hit in less than twenty minutes. That was still enough time for things to go bad. If there were fifty men down here, there was a lot of room for mistakes—and he had Kylie’s safety to secure.
“We keep it quiet, Ky. There was no one on this level when we arrived, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t take another way down to cut us off,” he warned. “You stay close to me, keep your eyes open and do exactly what I say, no matter what I say, got it?”
“Okay,” she said, sounding steady. But she also reached for his free hand. He gently caressed the pulse in her wrist, reminded again of how fragile life could be as he navigated them through the parked cars. He wished like hell this was already over. Her eyes were still too wide and her color was off, as if someone had bleached the natural warmth of her skin until it looked ghostly white. The bravado from moments before was missing, but she didn’t look as if she were too scared to continue. She scanned the area, continuously checking in on him, too.
“You’re doing fine, just a bit longer and we’re out of this.” He bent and brushed a kiss along her forehead. They reached Tazz at the exit door, and he settled her more firmly against his body.
“Dare, are you here?”
Tazz’s pissed-off whisper brought a brief smile to his face. He met Tazz’s angry gaze and raised his goggles off his eyes. “Standing in front of you, man.”
Tazz zeroed in on him, but shook his head and laughed softly. “You two hit the fence where we came in. I’ll circle around and see what we’re up against,” he said.
Dare frowned. That wasn’t the plan. They stick together. At all costs, the team always sticks together. The safe house was for emergencies and so far this had been a cakewalk.
“What about the hit? They—”
“It’s going to be an isolated blast to stun them, that’s all. Knock out the power and leave them wondering what the hell’s going on. Then we’ll discover why they’re in Japan and what they’re up to.”
“The man you took down, Mohammad, said his brother is hurt. He wanted my father to cure him, bring him back from nearly dying. I tried to tell him that—”
Tazz stopped her with a quick hand up. “Got it. You two go and bunk down. I’ll contact you when I can,” he said, the smartass smirk back in full force. “See if you can get some rest,” Tazz added with a look at Kylie that made her stiffen in Dare’s arms. She shot him a searching look and he realized he’d pulled her closer, while he’d begun caressing her waist instead of her wrist.
“Oh, oh, I don’t—”
“Later. I’m sure you two will be fine. Now’s the time, Dare. Now.” Tazz jerked the door open, and headed off, gun up and ready. Dare pushed Kylie forward and followed to where the first clump of overgrown shrubs lined what used to be a formal garden. Tazz took off with one more hand sign indicating a go ahead.
Dare pulled Kylie into his arms. Whatever Tazz had been hinting at, no doubt him bedding Kylie, seemed to have alarmed her. He tipped her head up to reassure her, when yells split the silence.
Kylie gasped and he turned to see three men running toward them. Thanking whatever bit of luck he had that they’d not fired at his exposed back, he pushed Kylie behind him at the same time as he fired off three quick shots. They went down one after another and he hauled Kylie into motion.
“Damn, we have to get out of here,” he muttered.
They raced across the deserted grounds, made it to the trash and he pushed her from behind to get her around to the back right as more shots sounded. Another yell in Arabic followed them. Seconds later, two men burst from the exit door firing without even seeing what they fired at. He ducked. Sheer dumb luck might have them actually hitting him. He knelt and aimed, squeezing off three rounds but only hitting one in the leg. The other dove behind the fountain, then lifted his rifle and fired at the night sky.
Dare waited. As soon as the man’s head came back into view, he aimed and hit the guy’s right arm. The rifle went flying and the man went down with a scream of pain.
“Holy shit, what kind of organization is this?”
Through the link, he heard Tazz say something, but the static was too loud. “Repeat that, bro.”
“Get out of here, they’re amateurs. No need to stay. I’ll clean this up.”
No more shots were fired, and when he scanned the area, he saw no one, but he heard running. And it was getting closer. “Copy, just don’t get hit by a crazy stray bullet.”
Tazz laughed dryly. “Copy that, man.”
Dare pulled the com link from his ear. Kylie hadn’t moved from where he’d parked her. She opened her mouth, but he shushed her with a shake of his head.
“Not yet, we go, now.” He pushed up the chain-link fence where they’d come in, and watched the area as Kylie ducked under and out.
“Daren?”
He turned and followed her. Halfway out, he heard more gunfire. The rapid tat-a-tat was followed by more, then yells.
“What of your friend? Is he really staying?”
“Tazz has it in hand,” he told her and urged her into motion.
They made it to the first building, but as soon as they did, shouts broke out behind them. He pressed against Ky’s lower back to get her around the corner and took up a position next to her. Two men ran after them, one with an assault rifle, the other had nothing Dare could see, but he wasn’t counting on him being unarmed. They spotted him, and the one with the gun raised it, but the other stopped him with a yell in Arabic.
So they want her alive.
Life had just given him a chance.
“We run. Just stay with me.”
“I will,” she whispered.
He centered his focus on the next few blocks of twisting streets and mapped out the area in his mind within seconds. A path became clear, one that would hopefully lose the men behind. But first he’d better scare them into thinking he’d shoot their asses if they drew too close.
Bracing his shoulder on the building, he leveled his rifle and took aim at their feet and shot. They skidded to a halt. The man without a gun dove behind a car, and the second guy landed on the other side. Dare continued to fire, then stopped. He counted to a hundred then fired again, drilling the area for a count of ten. He repeated the same but counted much longer the next time.
“What are you doing?”
“Buying us some time.”
“Are you trying to kill them?” she asked.
He glanced at her and shook his head. “No, the more of them alive, the better chance of finding out exactly what’s going on. I will kill anyone that tries to kill you, or me.”
She bit her bottom lip, but didn’t show any sign of disagreeing with him. He gave the men one more round of fire, then stood away from the wall, shouldered his rifle, took Kylie’s hand and pulled her into motion. They made the first street without hearing anyone in pursuit. He took them down that short block then crossed the street and went right down the next. Kylie stumbled once, but he caught her arm and pulled her along, not willing to slow their pace just yet.
After a few pursuit-free minutes, he guided Kylie across a street and up the steps of a hotel.
“We’ll take ten in here, let you get your breath, then we have to keep moving,” he said, scanning the area quickly. The marble foyer was empty, thankfully, and he spotted no one behind a small, check-in desk. The place was expensive, though. From behind the counter, Dare made out voices speaking in Japanese. They must have been in the office off to the side. No one appeared to be lounging at the bar, or at the tables set up near a massive stone lined aquarium.
He led them past the check in, through a carpet
ed area and on to where he spotted an elevator sign. Next to him, Kylie tried to catch her breath, but she kept up with him until they reached the four elevators. As soon as they did, and he stopped, she collapsed against the marble wall, breathing hard and fanning her face with her hands.
Damn, she was cute. “We stop here for a bit,” he told her, letting her rest. He moved back to the carpeted area and watched the entrance. No one was in sight and from where they stood he had a clear view.
“I can’t go that fast. Not in these”—she gestured to her high heels with an exasperated huff and slipped one of the amazing four-inch heels off. They were those high heels with an inch under the front and four in the back. The creamy tan suede had a strip of black like a buckle along the top of her toes, but he’d bet his last dime they hurt like hell to run in. She’d not said a word until now though.
“Shit, sorry, baby. I think we lost them,” he said, but modified it when she gave him a quick relieved glance, “at least for now. Catch your breath. I’ll keep an eye out.”
She nodded, still breathing hard.
He pulled out the pouch Tazz had handed him and ignored the passports, money and keys he found inside, and concentrated on the address for the safe house instead. He knew the location. They were about twenty minutes on foot from there. If he let them walk. Kylie massaged her tiny foot, before she slipped the high heel back on, and did the same to her other foot. Hell, he didn’t want to cripple her. She’d raced along in those things, though, without a word, so he guessed she would manage if they had to.
Returning his focus to the pouch, he found a slip to a garage and guessed that one of the keys was to a car parked there. Another code listed the car license and space where it was parked. The address was also in code, but he quickly deciphered it and realized the location was familiar. With a quick scan of the entrance, then check in desk, he found the name and address for the hotel on a sign by the fish tank advertising some doctors’ conference at the hotel.
The garage was only two buildings away from where they were.
