Night Watch (Kendra Michaels #4)(99)

He tilted his head. “What would you do if I said it had?”

“I’d have to adjust to the situation.” She moistened her lips. “But it would scare me and make me angry.”

He smiled. “And make you go after the bad guys for me?”

“Not right away. I’d need to get you somewhere safe first. But I have someone who would show me how to do it later.”

“Amazing,” he said gently. “You must tell me about that someone. But I’m more interested in your dedication to punishing my oppressors. I feel honored.”

“Bullshit.” She braced herself. “Now, is there any immediate or permanent damage?”

“No. Weakness and soreness after the convulsions caused by the shots, but no damage. I’d be able to keep up with you, Kendra.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I don’t know what we’ll be facing once we get—”

Kendra was startled by the sound of the dead bolt being thrown on the large door at the far end of the lab. The door suddenly opened, and two men with automatic rifles shoved a third man into the room.

The third man wore a dark hood identical to the one that had been placed on Kendra. His hands were bound behind his back, and he fell to his knees.

The men with the rifles left the room and locked the door.

“Friend of yours?” Waldridge asked Kendra.

“No,” Kendra said as she moved toward the prisoner. “But I think he may be a friend of yours.”

She pulled off the hood.

It was Hayden Biers.

He was dressed just as Kendra had last seen him, but his shirt was now torn and showed several bloodstains on the chest and collar. His hair was covered in perspiration.

Waldridge turned to Kendra. “You said he was safe.”

“I thought he was.” She picked at the duct tape binding his hands behind him, but wasn’t able to loosen it. “Dr. Biers?”

“Kendra … I’m sorry.” He tried to stand, but fell weakly back to his knees.

Waldridge quickly stepped toward him. “Take it easy, Hayden. It may take a few minutes.”

Biers looked up at Waldridge as he approached. “Charles … I was afraid you were dead.”

Waldridge grimaced. “Not yet. But Dyle is constantly persevering toward that aim.”

“What happened?” Kendra asked.

Biers shook his head. “They knew Jessie Mercado was looking for me. I suppose they were watching her home and office. They grabbed me in her apartment.” His gaze shifted to Waldridge. “I’m sorry, Charles. I had one job, and it was to not let myself get caught.”

Waldridge shrugged. “I obviously didn’t do so well at that job either.”

The dead bolt rapped, and the door was once more thrown open. This time Ted Dyle entered the room. But the two men with automatic weapons were a silent threat behind him. Her gaze flew to the guard on his right. White hair, gray eyes, fortysomething … It was the man she’d seen when she’d been taken. That must be John Jaden. She could see how he might be in charge. There was a quiet air of authority about his demeanor and the coldness was also evident. Iceman …

“Good evening, Dr. Michaels.” Dyle was dressed more casually than in the photo Kendra had seen, in which he was wearing a suit. Here he wore slacks and a white pullover shirt. His sleek dark hair was as carefully barbered as she remembered from that night in Monterrey. “I see you’re with us again. It’s delightful to meet you at last. Though I’ve always been a fan from the first time I heard you speak. Inspiring. Really inspiring.”

“And did I say all the things you wanted me to say? I understand that you were forcing Dr. Waldridge to make me dance on your strings.”

“Not true, Kendra,” Charles said. “They were my strings, and I was careful to make sure that nothing you said would be against your principles. Dyle merely wanted Night Watch to become a household name, and I could go along with that.” He met Dyle’s eyes. “As long as he realized that I had full control of any project in which I was involved.”

“The man who pays the bills makes the rules,” Dyle said. “Stubborn. Incredibly stubborn. Eventually, you’ll come to realize that.” He turned back to Kendra. “Did you enjoy your time with Waldridge? I wanted to give you a little time to become reacquainted. By the way you were tearing around L.A. and San Diego trying to find him, I gather you wanted that desperately.”

“You’re fully aware how grateful I was to Waldridge. You were there from the beginning.”

“Really before the beginning of your association. I was there with the money when he was developing that stem-cell operation. I thought it had great promise. Not wonderful monetary potential, but I could see what Waldridge was working on down the road and that you were only the beginning.” He inclined his head. “Quite a splendid beginning. I was very upset when Waldridge let you run out on us.”

“You mean and actually have a life?”

“Debts must be paid. I’ve been trying to demonstrate that to my friend, Waldridge, during our time together, but he’s not being reasonable.” He smiled broadly as his gaze shifted from her to Waldridge, then Biers. “The band is back together. Or at least two of the three. Regrettable that Dr. Shaw couldn’t join us.”