Forsaken Duty (Red Team #9)(95)

The boy nodded.

“Owen,” Ace called. “Lion has your son. He has Beetle. He’s bringing him down.”



Owen huffed a broken sigh. He looked up when Lion came in the cave, his arm on the shoulder of a young boy. Owen nodded. Tears filled his eyes.

“Lion, take the boys and Ace back up to the Syadne tower. Do it now.”

When they were out of sight, Owen wrapped his arm around Roberta’s neck. “Addy tried to be a good daughter. She tried to make you proud of her. You. A monster. Of course, it never worked. But you could have shown her a little decency by helping her get away from the turd you married. For your cruelty to her, you’ve earned your fate.”

He slipped his knife between her ribs and cut upward to her heart, ending her life only seconds before he tossed her into the acid pool below.

King roused enough to scream and stretch his broken arms toward her. Owen knelt beside him. “Don’t worry. You’ll see her in hell shortly.” He pushed King after his wife, then walked away.





29





Owen walked at first, then walked faster, then ran back toward the Syadne tower. He prayed that Addy was still alive, that she might rally enough to see her son before she passed. God, he hoped she was still alive. What were the chances that Max was able to get into the Omni system and crack the code that was killing her?

He took the stairs by twos and threes, then rushed into the room where he’d left Addy with Beck, Max, and Angel when Kit had alerted them that King was in the elevator.

Addy was still lying where he’d set her. Augie was draped over her stomach, crying. Owen looked over to Beck, who was standing behind Max. He shook his head.

“We got in, boss,” Max said, without looking back at Owen. “Greer and Nathan have control of the application. They’re making some adjustments.”

Owen knelt next to Addy and took her hand. It was cold. How much longer could she hold on? He put his hand on his boy’s back. “Beetle. Augie.” The boy looked at him. “I’m your father.”

His son blinked. He thought Augie might argue. Instead, he looked at Lion for confirmation. Lion nodded. Augie’s chin trembled. He threw himself at Owen. Owen held him tight.

“You killed him, didn’t you? You killed Edwards? He hurt my mom so much.” Augie sniffled. “I thought he’d killed her when he took me. I never thought I’d see her again.”

“He’s done,” Owen said. “He’s not going to hurt anyone anymore. We’re going to stay here with your mom. My men have a way to help her.”

“Is she going to live?”

“Yes. Yes, she is.”

“Got it!” Max shouted. He lurched out of his seat and hurried over to them. He knelt beside Addy and pushed a button on his phone. Nothing happened. “How will I know it worked, Nathan? Nothing’s happening.”

“The app shows the nanos received the signal,” Nathan said. “Give it a minute.”

Doc Beck came over and took her pulse. Owen moved to her shoulders and drew her up over his lap. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he put his face against hers. “C’mon, Addy. You can do this. You’re stronger than this. This is the last time you’ll have to fight back from anything. Augie’s here. Troy’s waiting for you at home. C’mon, Laidy.”

The room went quiet. Doc Beck pressed his fingers against her throat. Owen looked up at him and saw him shake his head.

“No. No. Goddammit. No.”

Doc Beck looked crushed as he got up and moved away.

Owen shoved his face against Addy’s hair and cried. When he looked up a minute later, his team had come into the room. Lobo, too. They stood as silent witnesses to Addy’s passing and the black hole of Owen’s grief. He bent his head and kissed her hair. She still smelled so much like his Laidy. How was he ever going to live without her?

“Dad. Look. She opened her eyes,” Augie said.

They were open. Was it just a death reflex?

Addy arched her back and gasped for breath. Beck ran to her side, but he needn’t have bothered. She reached up and held Owen’s arm in a weak grasp, then turned to her son.

“Mom!” Augie said. “You are alive.”

She tried to lift her arm, but didn’t have the strength. Augie hugged her.

Owen put his face in his hand and tried to calm the pain in his heart. His team was laughing and hugging each other.

“She’s coming out of it,” Nathan said. “We’re getting a read on her vitals from the nanos. She’s going to be okay, Owen.”

“But we have to stop this from happening to anyone else,” Joyce said, her voice coming from a little farther away than Nathan’s.

“We do. And we will. We have control of this lab now,” Lobo said.

“What now?” Owen asked the Ratcliffs. “Does she need to go to the hospital?”

“I don’t think they could help her,” Nathan said. “They don’t have the specialized equipment of the sort she might need. But it looks like it’s reversing itself. She really just needs rest and monitoring. Bring her home, Owen.”

“Addy, I’m going to take you out of here. Just close your eyes. Augie and I have you,” Owen said. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye. Owen scooped her up, blankets and all, and started for the elevator. “Val, bring one of the cars around. Augie, hold your mom’s hand so she knows you’re with us.”