Lethal Memory (A Counterstrike Novel Book 2)

by Jannine Gallant

  “Easy. I don’t intend to hurt you, but if you keep fighting me, you’ll injure yourself. I’m here to help.”

  After nearly a minute, her struggles weakened. Finally, she stopped flailing and sagged backward. He slid an arm around her to hold her steady.

  “I’m a doctor, Riley. I need to assess your condition so we can get you out of here. Do you understand what I’m saying?” He glanced over his shoulder when Wolf and Luna entered the shed and stopped just inside the doorway. “Luna, I need you in here to hold a light so I can check her injuries before we move her.”

  “I’ll keep watch outside.” Wolf stepped back and pushed the door shut.

  Riley whimpered softly.

  Luna turned on a flashlight and shined the light on her own face. Her deep brown eyes reflected a wealth of sympathy. “I’m Luna, and I’ve experienced fear and pain, too. I know it isn’t easy to trust.” She held the light on Noah without blinding him. “This is Patch, and he’s one of the nicest men I’ve ever known. You can trust him to take care of you.”

  Terrified blue eyes stared up at him through straggling brown hair, stiff with blood. Her face was battered and bloody. Finally, she nodded. “Please, don’t let that man . . . hurt me. I can’t take anymore.”

  Observing the extent of her injuries, Noah fought to keep his expression neutral as he gently touched her cheek. “I’ll keep you safe. I promise. We need to evacuate you, but I don’t want to risk further harm if we can help it. Can you tell me what hurts most?”

  “My head is pounding, and my left knee is horribly swollen. I don’t think I can walk.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll carry you.” He slipped the pack off as he spoke. “What about your back? Can you feel your hands and feet when you move them?”

  “I can feel everything. He burned me when I couldn’t answer his questions, and the pain is still pretty intense.” She lifted a shaking hand.

  Red marks the size of the round tip of a cigarette marred the back of her left hand. It was no wonder she’d yelled when he’d grabbed it.

  “There’s blood in your hair. I’m going to touch your head now to see how badly you’re injured. I’ll be careful.” He held her gaze as he gently probed her scalp beneath the matted hair. His fingers encountered a shallow depression and dampness. “Did the men who took you hit you in the head?”

  “I assume so.”

  He frowned as he removed his fingers. “I want to wrap that for protection before we try to move you. What do you mean you assume so?”

  “I don’t remember it happening. When I woke up, I was in so much pain I thought I might pass out again, but I held on. After that, the one in charge stopped the younger, mean son of a bitch from hitting me.”

  “What do they want to know?” Luna asked.

  Noah took out a sterile pad and gauze bandages. Carefully, he placed the thick pad over her head wound.

  “About backup files on a flash drive. I couldn’t give them the answers they want because I don’t know where it is. I don’t remember.” Her voice cracked.

  He paused what he was doing and tilted her chin to look into her eyes. “You don’t remember being taken from your lab?”

  “What lab?” Tears ran down her cheeks. “I don’t remember a lab. I don’t remember anything about my life before I woke up in this place.” A harsh sob shook her slender frame. “I didn’t know my own name until they told me.”

  Noah met Luna’s shocked gaze before once again focusing on the battered woman beside him. “We’ll get you the help you need. Most memory loss is temporary. But right now, I want to finish wrapping your head to protect your injury so we can get you to safety. Unfortunately, I can’t give you anything for your pain until I know if you’re allergic.”

  “I don’t have a clue.” Her voice was flat. Defeated. “It doesn’t matter. Just get me the hell away from here.”

  The shed door opened a crack. “Lights out,” Wolf said in a low voice. “Someone’s moving inside the house.”

  Noah finished fastening the bandage in place, and Luna extinguished the flashlight. In the dark, he could hear Riley’s shallow breathing and feel her fear.

  “We’re ready. I’ll be carrying Riley,” he whispered. “We’ll follow your lead.”

  Wolf opened the door wider and nodded, the movement just visible in the faint moonlight. Somewhere in the distance, a door shut with a sharp click.

  “Hostile approaching. He’s armed.” GQ’s voice came through Noah’s earpiece. “I don’t have the right angle for a clean shot.”

  Footsteps crunched gravel in quick succession.

  “Get the professor out of here. I’ll eliminate the target.” Wolf disappeared into the night.

  “There are at least two kidnappers.” Noah spoke in a low voice as he eased Riley into his arms.

  “Got it,” GQ answered over the radio. “I’ll watch for more trouble.”

  Luna grabbed Noah’s backpack and slung it over her shoulder before heading out the door. Noah followed.

  “Hold onto me if you can,” he whispered, his lips pressed against Riley’s ear. “I may have to run, and it’ll jar you.”

  She wrapped her arm around his neck and nodded.

  He hurried silently through the darkness, following the shadow ahead of him. Riley didn’t weigh much, but she was a tense bundle of nerves. He understood her fear. Had seen it more times than he could count.

  Piffft.

  The quiet sound was just audible in the silence. A shot from a silenced weapon. Wolf had undoubtedly taken out the target who’d left the house. As lights sprang on behind them, footsteps slapped the paved driveway.

  “Lonzo, what the hell is going on.” There was a pause before the voice spoke again, “Lonzo, where the hell did you go?”

  “Move out.” Wolf spoke quietly as he ran up behind them.

  “Hold on.” Noah gripped Riley tighter to his chest and sprinted across the grass.

  Powerful floodlights lit up the yard, spotlighting them.

  A curse echoed, followed by the loud crack of a rifle shot. A bullet dug into the turf a foot to his right. At a second shot, Noah zigged hard left then right. Behind him, Wolf grunted but kept pace. As they closed in on the trees, Noah put on an additional burst of speed.

  “The second target is down.” GQ spoke through his earpiece. “No sign of any other hostiles.”

  Noah let out a relieved breath and slowed when they reached the woods. Once under cover, he headed toward the road where they’d left their SUV.

  “You hanging in there?” He glanced down at the woman in his arms as Luna dropped back and turned on a flashlight to illuminate the path.

  “My head feels like it might fall off. At this point, I wish it would.”

  “Only about a hundred yards to go.” He didn’t say anything more until they reached the deserted country road where their vehicle was parked.

  Wolf unlocked the doors of the big Suburban with a click and raised the rear hatch. Grimacing, he handed the keys to Luna as GQ joined them. “I took a hit, so you might want to drive.”

  Noah gently lowered Riley onto the pad in the back of the Suburban, then turned to look at Wolf. “How bad?”

  “Just a flesh would on my thigh. Nothing but a graze. With a little pressure, the bleeding will stop. Your first priority is our client.” Tight lines bracketed his lips, belying his cavalier attitude. “Toss me a bandage, and I’ll be good to go.”

  “We’ll get out of here first, in case they have backup coming, and then I’ll check out that wound.” Noah climbed into the rear with Riley. “Let’s go.”

  Moments later, they sped down the road on their way to the deserted field where the Counterstrike chopper was waiting. Noah handed a first aid kit up to Wolf before focusing on his patient. Beneath the hand he laid on her forehead, Riley’s skin was hot, and her pulse was rapid. He’d be amazed if she didn’t have a raging fever brought on by infection. Still, she seemed stable enough to make it back to Boston, which was pr
eferable to taking her to a hospital in Georgia.

  As desperate as her kidnappers were, he didn’t want to risk an environment they couldn’t control.

  “How’re you holding up?” He spoke as gently as he could.

  “I hurt so bad, I’m a little lightheaded.”

  Noah held her hand, unable to offer her anything other than moral support. “You can’t remember anything about your medical history?”

  “No.” Her fingers tightened around his.

  “I’ll hack into her records as soon as we get to the chopper.” Luna slowed the Suburban slightly to turn onto the highway.

  Riley let out a harsh breath. “Who are you people?”

  “We help victims when they need it.” Noah kept his voice low and soothing.

  “I’m grateful.” After a moment, she whispered, “What am I going to do?”

  “Heal. That’s the primary goal after your safety.”

  “And if I can’t remember anything, then what?” She wiped the hand he wasn’t holding across her face. “They called me professor, but I can’t teach what I don’t know. Am I married? Do I have kids? I don’t even know where the hell I live!”

  “Hey, easy.” He brushed the matted hair away from her forehead. “One step at a time. First, we focus on your recovery.”

  She gazed up at him before looking away. “I guess.”

  Giving her time to process, he spoke again. “The grad student who works for you said you’re not married. I know that much.” For some reason, saying those words gave him a sense of satisfaction.

  “Oh.”

  “You’re not alone in this, Riley. I’m here to help you.”

  “The woman driving was right.” She closed her eyes as more tears slid down her cheeks.

  “About what?”

  “You’re a nice man, Patch. But you have a funny name. All of you do.”

  “They’re team nicknames.” He bent close. “I’ll let you in on a secret. My real name is Noah.”

  “Thank you, Noah.”

  “For what?”

  She gripped his hand even harder. “Giving me something to hold onto.”

  * * * *

  “Counterstrike recovered Riley. I just received word she’s back in Boston but pretty banged up. I haven’t been allowed to see to her.” Charles Brasher chewed on his lip and stared out his apartment window at the brick wall across the alley. “The coordinator in contact with me said it’ll probably be a few days before she’s in any shape to have visitors.”

  “What about her research?” The voice on the other end of the line was edged with urgency. “Did she give it up to those goons after they hurt her?”

  “From what little I’ve been told, she didn’t. Her memory is impaired, but I don’t know how badly. It’s possible she doesn’t remember where she put her backup drive. Actually, I’m wondering if she even has one.”

  “What the hell do you mean by that?”

  “I mean, once the cops finished processing the lab, I let myself in and searched every conceivable place she could have hidden it and found nothing. Then I went through her house from top to bottom. The place was already trashed, so I didn’t even have to be careful.”

  The man calling the shots—the one who always called the shots—swore. “I hope to God you didn’t leave prints.”

  “I’m not an idiot.” Charles took off his glasses and cleaned them while he held the phone to his head with his shoulder. “I wore gloves, but she definitely didn’t stash any paper files or an extra hard drive in her home. I checked around outside while I was looking for her spare key. Unless she dug a hole somewhere and buried a damn flash drive, it isn’t on her property.”

  “Since she wasn’t expecting any trouble, there’s no reason she would have done that.”

  “Exactly, which is why I’m beginning to think there are no backup files. All that data is stored in Riley’s head and nowhere else.”

  A sharply drawn breath was the only response for several long seconds. “I need her latest work. The lab techs pieced together the info you brought out already, but apparently no one in my employ is as brilliant as Professor Adair. They tell me they’ve hit a brick wall, and frankly, they doubt she made the headway she claims.”

  Charles put his glasses back on and turned away from the uninspiring view outside his window. “I know she was onto something huge. The last few days before the kidnapping, she was practically giddy. Anyway, once Riley recovers from the beating she took, I’m sure she’ll head straight back to her lab.”

  “I don’t have time to wait while she heals. You said she had a major breakthrough, and I damn well want that information now.”

  “Hey, I did my best to warn her those two cretins were coming for her. I’m not the one who set that fiasco in motion.”

  “I told Murdock he was jumping the gun. He didn’t listen.” His benefactor’s voice chilled. “He doesn’t seem to know who’s in charge. His mistake.”

  Charles wasted a moment in pity for the hapless CEO of Vortex before pleading his own case. “Look, I called Counterstrike. It isn’t my fault they didn’t reach her faster. I don’t know what you expect me to do now.”

  “Find out how badly she’s injured.” The man controlling his life barked the order. “Report back, and we’ll make a decision once I have all the facts. Might be, we’ll need to take the woman ourselves to extract the necessary information. Brute force obviously failed, but there are other ways.”

  Sweat broke out across his brow, and he shivered. “I’ll go see her as soon as possible. Don’t panic.”

  “I don’t need your lip, boy. Just get me some answers!”

  The phone went dead. Charles hung his head and breathed through his mouth as his stomach rolled. Riley trusted him. She’d given him a huge break when she chose him as her research assistant on such a life-changing project. Regret for his betrayal squeezed his chest like a python crushing its prey.

  What the hell have I done?

  It was too late to back out now. He was in far too deep.

  Chapter Three

  Riley lay in bed, the book she’d been reading closed beside her, feeling like crap and bored out of her mind. What little of it is left. The cynical thought only added to her depression and anxiety. Somehow, she knew she wasn’t a lie-around-and-do-nothing type of person. She usually had a purpose twenty-four seven. Not anymore.

  Her head ached, but not badly enough she couldn’t worry about her future. That, and her nonexistent past. Sliding her legs, clad in soft flannel pajama bottoms, over the edge of the bed, she reached for the crutches leaning against the wall and eased herself upright. Noah had told her there was no major damage to her swollen knee, and if she stayed off it for a week, she could expect full mobility again. She hoped he was right.

  Making her way into the adjoining bathroom, she stopped in front of the sink and stared at herself in the mirror, hoping for some sense of familiarity. A butterfly bandage held the cut along her jaw closed. Apparently, she’d have a thin scar that would fade over time, but stitches hadn’t been necessary. A nasty-looking purple bruise surrounded one blue eye. Her lashes were long and thick, and her nose was normal looking. At least the creep who’d tortured her hadn’t broken it. She supposed she was pretty enough—or would be once the abrasions and bruises healed. Wholesome attractiveness, not movie star glamour.

  Looking in the mirror was like studying a stranger. It creeped her out. But not as much as the bandage taped to her head that apparently covered a fracture in her skull. Noah had shaved part of her hair. Luna had assured her it was in an area that could be covered with careful styling. Right now, her long, dark brown tresses were pulled back in a ponytail to stay out of her face. At least her hair was clean. The other woman, whose apparent skill set included hacking computer databases, had washed it for her. Luna had also somehow gotten her medical records for Noah to study before he prescribed any drugs. After a couple of mostly pain-free days, feeling like a zombie, she’d told him she w
as ready to cut back.

  Hence, her current state of misery.

  After using the toilet and awkwardly washing her hands, she maneuvered back to her bed and sat on the side. The comfortable room they’d given her in the Boston townhouse, decorated in soft shades of blue, was beginning to feel like home. She was dreading the fast approaching time when she’d have to leave this safe place to return to her unfamiliar life.

  She turned quickly at a light tap on the door, and her pulse immediately sped up, which was completely unwarranted. Before she could analyze her response too deeply, she called out, “Come in.”

  Noah entered and paused on the threshold. “You look better. How’s the head feeling?”

  “It aches, but the discomfort is manageable.”

  The doctor walked fully into the room and took a seat on the chair beside her bed. “You seem more alert. Any memories returning?”

  She started to shake her head, but stopped when throbbing shot through her skull. A vision of a field of corn filled her mind, the stalks swaying in a hot, stiff breeze. She was sitting atop a red tractor, squeezed in beside the older man she’d seen once before in her mind. He wore denim overalls, a blue plaid shirt, and the same straw hat with a rip in the brim.

  “Riley? Are you okay?”

  Startled by Noah’s voice, the image faded. She blinked and focused on his concerned brown eyes. “I remembered a cornfield and a farmer. He was probably in his early sixties. I was squished onto a tractor seat beside him, and though I didn’t see myself, I know I was young. Maybe seven or eight.”

  Reaching out, he took her hand between both of his. “That’s terrific. Anything else?”

  “I saw the same man in a flash of memory when I was still in that shed. Just his face, but I felt like he would be worried about me.” She shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t a real memory. Could be, I’m just imagining things.”

  “Old memories have the strongest neural pathways in our brains. They usually return first, so an image from your childhood makes sense.” After a moment he released her hand. “Luna put together a file. Everything she could find online about your life. I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too much information too soon, but—”