by Laura Scott
Target For Revenge
Laura Scott
Copyright © 2020 by Laura Iding
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Dear Reader
Chapter One
January 18 – 7:04 p.m. – Washington, DC
“You’re up to your pretty eyeballs in danger.”
A deep voice from the shadows sent Sun Yin into instant attack mode. She executed a roundhouse kick, aiming high and hitting her mark. A muffled oomph gave her a surge of satisfaction. She danced to the side and kicked again, only this time her foot was deflected away, sending her off balance. With the grace of a ballet dancer, she spun and found her center before striking again, determined to neutralize the threat.
“Sun! Stop! It’s me, Mack.”
His words came a second too late; her next kick hit him square in the chest. He grunted but didn’t strike back, although if the man in the shadows really was Macklin Remington, he could have easily held his own against her.
“Stop already! I didn’t come here to hurt you.”
She went still, every sense on alert. It was impossible to see his face clearly in the darkness. Was this guy really Mack? It would explain why he hadn’t fought back. Yet why was he lurking in the shadows outside her house? “Where did we last meet?”
“The Mensa roundtable in Geneva, Switzerland.”
Sun let out a deep breath and relaxed her guard. No one knew the details of her Mensa group meetings, except those who were there. “Why hide in the shadows, Mack? I could have killed you.”
“Yeah, right.” He stepped forward, revealing his tall, broad-shouldered frame and blond hair. He dismissed her assertion with a wave of his hand. “We’ve sparred too many times for you to beat me. I know all your tricks.”
They’d often fought as teens, verbally and physically, so there was an element of truth to his statement. She stared at him, trying to understand why Mack was here in Washington, DC. The last time she’d seen him was more than five years ago, at her last Mensa roundtable. They’d practically grown up together in the Mensa boarding school they’d both attended, until they’d gone their separate ways.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Mack asked.
“No.” She and Mack had spent more time fighting than getting along, and she was in the middle of a case. He’d broken her heart by dating her best friend, Abigail, and she still hadn’t forgiven him. She wasn’t in the mood for a trip down memory lane. “Why are you here? What makes you think I’m in danger?” She didn’t point out that her job with Security Specialists, Incorporated put her in danger every single day.
“Sun, please. Let’s go inside.” Mack glanced around the area. It was dark and cold, a hint of January snow in the air. “We need to talk.”
She didn’t move. “About what?”
He blew out his breath, a puff of smoke forming in the crisp air. “You’re being targeted. Someone is going to great lengths to find you.”
A shiver of apprehension shimmied down her spine. “How do you know?”
“Because they found and attacked me.” Mack’s voice turned grim. “Thankfully, I managed to get away relatively unscathed. I came here to warn you.”
“You played right into their hand,” Sun said in a rare spurt of anger. “You led them straight to me.”
“No, I did not. Give me a little credit, will you? I took precautions to avoid being followed.”
She didn’t believe him. Oh, she believed he’d tried his best not to be followed, but Mack wasn’t an undercover operative the way she was. Her current role within Security Specialists, Inc. had taught her a lot about staying under the radar.
“Thanks for the warning.” She was anxious for him to leave. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
When she moved toward the door, he caught her arm. She could feel the heat of his hand through the sleeve of her thin coat. It took all her willpower not to toss him over her shoulder like a bag of bricks.
“Sun, please. I’m worried about you.” Mack hesitated, then added, “I think they’re really searching for your mother.”
Her heart stopped, and her breath froze in her chest. Her mother had escaped North Korea long ago, before Sun was born. But the current regime maintained lengthy memories and did not tolerate defectors.
If there was the slightest possibility her mother was in danger, Sun needed to be prepared. “Come inside, then.”
“Gee, thanks.” Mack’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on her, but she ignored it.
Moving quickly now, she unlocked the door and went inside, Mack following close behind her. As always, she did a quick sweep of her house, looking for anything that may have been disturbed.
Paranoid? Maybe, but if Mack was telling the truth, there was good reason to be. After clearing the house, she returned to the kitchen, flipped on a light, and faced Mack.
Oddly enough, he looked older, wiser, more serious, and more muscular than she’d remembered. In her mind, he was always the pesky kid who constantly teased her. He’d treated her like a little sister, while she’d secretly wanted more.
The way her pulse kicked up proved she wasn’t as immune to him even after all these years as she’d have liked. Brother, remember? She needed to keep him firmly in the annoying-friend bucket. Anything else was unacceptable. He preferred cute perky blondes like Abigail. Steeling her resolve, she tipped her chin. “Start at the beginning.”
Mack pulled out a chair and sat, rubbing the center of his chest where one of her kicks had landed. “You’ve been practicing.”
She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, praying for patience. “If you’re not going to tell me what you know, then leave. I’ll figure it out on my own.”
“Still stubborn, aren’t you?” Mack offered a crooked smile. “I’ve missed your sass.” When she scowled, he went on. “I was in Central Park, New York, when two Asian men attacked me. One held me in place, punching and hitting me, as the other demanded to know where you were. They used your full name, Sun Yin-lee. I didn’t answer them and was able to get away. Still, I heard enough of their own personal conversation to be concerned.”
“Like what?” Intrigued, Sun dropped into a seat across from him.
“They mentioned a North Korean defector going by the name of Hana Yin-lee.” Mack’s expression turned serious. “I remember you mentioning your mother’s name was Hana.”
“Yes.” Her voice sounded faint, and she worked hard not to show her deep, visceral reaction to the news. “What language were they speaking?”
“A North Korean dialect.” Mack leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “This is serious stuff, Sun. Sounded to me as if they’re seeking revenge, for what I’m not sure.”
The knot of fear in her stomach tightened. “Revenge against my mother? Or me?”
“I don’t know,” Mack ad
mitted. “Possibly both. This must have something to do with those devoted to Kim Jong-un.”
Her stomach tightened to the point she felt sick. Kim Jong-un was known to be a brutal dictator when it came to finding and executing those he considered traitors. He had no qualms about doing so, even killing members of his own family.
Living here, halfway across the globe in the United States of America, wouldn’t protect them if Kim Jong-un wanted her or her mother dead.
Weren’t there rumors, though, of him being sick? Not that Sun expected those who served the regime wouldn’t still carry out his orders.
“I need to warn her of the danger,” Sun murmured, thinking fast. She hadn’t seen her mother in years, specifically to keep her safe. The timing couldn’t be worse as the FBI had hired Security Specialists, Inc. to find intel on a potential nuclear threat coming from North Korea. She had, in fact, just come from a meeting with a North Korean defector known as Hyun-woo.
A coincidence? She didn’t believe in them.
“I agree,” Mack said. “When do we leave?”
“We?” She gaped at him in surprise, momentarily forgetting he was there. “This is my problem, not yours.”
“Wrong answer.” Mack’s expression tightened, and for the first time, she realized how far he’d come from the prankster he’d once been. He was only two years older than her twenty-nine years but looked very much like a man determined to do what he felt was best. “I was attacked, Sun, which means we’re in this together.”
Every instinct in her body rebelled against the idea of teaming up with Mack, but there was no denying that he was in danger too. Those men had attacked him in Central Park.
Because of her.
And Kim Jong-un’s insatiable thirst for revenge.
* * *
January 18 – 7:15 p.m. – Chicago, IL
Professor Jarek Zeman stood staring out the window of his condo, watching the rippling water of Lake Michigan. He’d been searching for Hana recently, and with the help of a private investigator, he had finally gotten his first big break.
To learn after all this time that Hana was last seen in Geneva, Switzerland, was crazy, considering that was where this had all started just over thirty years ago. He’d met her here, in Chicago, but she’d come from Geneva to study here in the US.
Not once had he stopped thinking of Hana. Stopped yearning for what they’d once had. But she’d pushed him away, insisting he must leave her alone for his safety and hers.
Honoring her request was the hardest thing he’d ever done. And to this day, he called himself all kinds of a coward to have given up so easily.
Well, not anymore. The cancer scare had convinced him there was no time to waste. He was going to find Hana and make her understand how important she was to him. Of course, there was always the chance she’d moved on to someone else. Was married with children. A family.
The family he’d been denied. Oh, he knew Hana would have wanted him to find someone else, but that had proved impossible.
Without hesitating, he turned from the window and sat behind his computer. He booked the first available flight out of O’Hare to Geneva, Switzerland.
It was time to put the past to rest and look forward to the future.
* * *
January 18 – 7:17 p.m. – Washington, DC
Mack wasn’t sure what irritated him more, Sun’s timeless and graceful beauty or her ridiculous stubborn streak.
He’d always been secretly fascinated with her. Oh, he’d tried to treat her like a younger sister, but it hadn’t worked out very well. The whole time he’d dated her best friend, he’d thought of her. Sun was as tough as ever, determined to prove that her petite, slender stature didn’t hinder her ability to fight. The way she’d kicked him in the stomach and the chest with surprising force made him smile.
All hint of humor faded when he thought of Sun being in danger. He’d done his best to cover his tracks in getting here. Had taken twice as long as normal in order to make sure he hadn’t been followed.
But the truth of the matter was if he could find Sun, so could others. Especially Kim Jong-un’s men.
If that’s who attacked him. If not for his own expertise in martial arts, that little encounter may have ended much differently. He’d pretended to be helpless to get as much information as he could, before fighting back and breaking loose.
He hated the thought of Sun being placed in a similar situation. He cleared his throat. “We need to move. Now. Tonight.”
Sun stared at him through her dark slanted eyes. “It’s not that easy. I have other commitments.”
“Nothing more important than your life.”
She grimaced and nodded. “Okay, but we can’t go far, not until I connect with my boss and maybe our FBI contact.”
“Feds?” He lifted a brow. “Impressive.”
“Private company, actually, but we do a lot of work for the Feds.” Sun rose to her feet. “Better to call him from the road. I’ll be ready to leave in ten.”
He didn’t doubt her statement, Sun was always precise. Rubbing the back of his neck, he tried to ignore the deep sense of foreboding.
Sitting here in her kitchen felt a lot like being one of those goofy rubber ducks in a shooting gallery, just waiting to be picked off.
He sighed. At some point, he’d have to tell Sun the entire truth about why he was here. The attack in Central Park was only part of it. Not yet, but soon. His phone buzzed silently. He scowled at the number displayed on the screen and let the call go to voice mail.
He didn’t have time to talk to his boss.
Right now, nothing was more important than getting Sun out of here.
Mack rose and began pacing the length of the kitchen. He watched as the seconds ticked by slowly. He felt certain Sun would want to head straight for Geneva, the last known location of Hana Yin-lee, but he couldn’t let her do that. There was too much going on here, in DC.
Somehow, he needed to convince her to stay put. How he’d manage that, he had no clue.
It would be easier to stop an active volcano from erupting.
He scrubbed his hands over his face, the lack of sleep catching up with him. When Sun returned carrying a small duffel, he was relieved. “Ready?”
“Yes, but we need to head out the back, just in case.”
He silently approved of the strategy and eased ahead of her. “Allow me.”
“I’m not helpless,” Sun protested.
“I never said you were.” Why did she have to argue over every little thing? He admired her stubborn streak, but at times like this, it was maddening. “But if something happens to you, who’s going to warn your mother?”
That silenced her, at least for the moment. He peered through the window first, making sure no one was around. He’d checked out the entire property while waiting for Sun to come home.
Which reminded him. “Where’s your car?” he asked in a hushed tone.
“Why do you think I have one?”
He ground his teeth together in frustration. “Because you were always partial to Jeeps, and there’s one registered under Security Specialists, Incorporated, which is the private company you work for.”
She stared at him in the darkness for a long moment. “And how did you know that?”
“You’re wasting time,” he said curtly. “I don’t have a vehicle. I flew in from LaGuardia and took the Metro here. Just tell me where you keep the Jeep.”
“I pay for a parking spot a few blocks from here.” She gestured with her hand to open the door. “Let’s go. May as well find out sooner than later if you’re right about not being followed from New York.”
He bit back a sarcastic reply, pulled a gun from the shoulder holster that was under his winter jacket, and stepped outside. He’d had to use his credentials and lock it up to fly here, but Sun didn’t ask about how he’d managed that. Instead, she appeared relieved to see the weapon.
Even though he felt certain she was equally armed and
dangerous.
Mack led the way through her small fenced-in yard, heading to the gate that opened into an alley. Sun was close on his heels, covering his back. He opened the gate and slid through, keeping a sharp gaze out for any hint of a threat.
Moving silently together, they lightly ran along the edge of the alley to the next cross-street. From there, Sun gestured to the left, and he allowed her to take the lead. He had no idea where the parking place was.
He’d studied maps of DC and could easily bring them into his mind, but that wasn’t the same as knowing everything around them. From what he could tell, Sun had been living here for at least two years now.
So close, and yet so far.
The wind coming in from the north was sharp, stealing his breath. The streets of DC weren’t all that different from those of New York, and lights from various homes slashed through the darkness.
They went more than a few blocks, taking a variety of turns, then retracing their steps. Once again, he was impressed with Sun’s ability. Earlier, she’d approached her house in a similar manner, coming in silent and quick.
She paused at a corner coffee shop. “That’s the parking garage.”
He nodded, raking his gaze over the four-story parking structure sitting across the street. “Which level are you on?”
“I pay extra to be on the ground floor, easy access in and out.” She stared out at the structure. “It occurs to me that if you found the Jeep, others might have too.”
“Maybe.” He couldn’t deny the truth in her statement. Then again, his job granted him access to a wealth of resources most people didn’t have. He held out his hand. “Give me the keys, I’ll go in and check it out.”
