Deadly Game (GhostWalkers, #5)(99)

There was a small silence. She all right?

Sean was going to force himself on her. He’d been her friend; they trained on her GhostWalker team together. It’s obvious she had genuine affection for the f*ckwad, and for him to betray her like that . . . Ken hit the cement with the flat of his hand, needing to expel his pent-up anger in some physical way. She was pretty torn up, Jack. Ken took a deep breath and forced his mind and body back under control. I’m going to be taking the women out through the corridor the minute you give me the signal. I marked the way to make the run fast, but if you get a shot at Sean, take him out.

You’re certain?

He’ll never stop. Even if we don’t get Whitney, and Whitney gives him a direct order, Sean is going to keep coming after her. In the end I’m going to have to kill the son of a bitch and she’ll have a hard time forgiving me.

She isn’t a stupid woman, Ken. You’re underestimating her. Not that I mind killing him one way or the other.

Take him out, Jack, if you get the chance.

Jack briefly laid his head on his arm. His brother’s emotions swamped him at times; then he’d recover, pull back, and regroup. But Ken was at a boiling point. Roger that. Is Mari organizing the women?

Ken reached out to Mari. Hey, baby. How you doing? It’s a great day for freedom.

There was a short silence while he counted his heartbeats. Yes, it is. There was a smile in her voice. Everyone’s excited. I’ve cautioned them about telling anyone the new escape route, and they’re waiting for the word. Her voice dropped an octave, the sound brushing like velvet on the walls of his mind and stirring his body in spite of the cramped, uncomfortable quarters. I can’t wait to be with you in your home.

Ken closed his eyes and allowed that breathy, sexy sound to wash over and through him. He could admit, there with the walls closing in on him and the dark surrounding him, that he had fallen hard for Marigold. It had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the emotion threatening to choke him. He would continue to deny it, but right now, in this place, with her soul brushing against his, and cement walls separating them, he admitted it. “I love you more than life, woman.”

He swallowed and leaned his head against the concrete blocks. I can’t wait for us to be there together either.

Mari’s softness vanished and she got down to business. Whitney grabbed Rose. She’s the one who was afraid she might have conceived. He has us pee in a cup every morning, so if she is, he knows it. He’s going to hold her over our heads while the senator is here, to keep us in line.

Ken rubbed his throbbing temples. There were so many threads, and he had to pull off a precision escape to get all the women out. Don’t worry about her. If he knows she’s pregnant, he grabbed her in case you all manage an escape. My guess is Sean tipped him off to what you’re all planning, and he doesn’t want to take a chance on losing her. Do you know where she’s being held?

The man who is paired with her is named Kane. He’s with her. Rose thinks he’ll help, but I’m afraid for her, and I have no idea where she is.

Damn it. This is getting complicated. I have to get back to Jack, hon. Hang in there. Ken swore again, rubbing his hand over his face. You get that, Jack?

Yeah, I got it. I say screw waiting for the senator. The waters are getting murkier. Grab your woman and let’s get the hell out of Dodge. Jack sounded decisive.

Ken had been contemplating precisely that all morning. He had reluctantly left Mari right before the guard came with her food. She hadn’t even clung to him. There was no last kiss, no protests, and no tears. She simply watched him sneak away, like a thief in the night. It shamed him to leave her there. He had made love to her and left his prints on her. The sex had been rough and wild. She had given him everything she was, and he had just left her there in that cage.

He despised himself. What kind of man would do that? None. Monsters did that. Sick, depraved men who didn’t respect a woman. He hit the back of his head against the cement wall and felt a burst of pain.

Cool it, bro, we’ve got company, Jack watched the small plane circle above their heads and begin descent. The senator is arriving. Jesse did some digging, and he thinks Whitney could have as many as twenty supersoldiers in his employ. Another psychic test was given out about six months ago.

Ken swore softly. There was no stopping Whitney. You know, Jack, Whitney isn’t just a mad scientist conducting illegal experiments. He has too much help and he’s too well covered. He’s up to something far bigger than we ever imagined. And he can’t be alone in this like we all thought.

The plane is down. I see two men getting off. Neither is familiar. Jack crawled through the thick foliage for a better view. He adjusted the viewfinder. Nope, I don’t recognize any of them, but Violet knows them. She’s acting very comfortable with them. Whoever they are, they’re GhostWalkers. They’re covering the senator like a blanket.

Ken hated being trapped inside the walls, unable to see for himself what was going on. He didn’t trust Violet at all. He wanted to get Mari out. His goal had narrowed to one person.

We’ve got trouble, Ken. Sniper lying up in the trees about a hundred and fifty yards from me. Oh yeah. I recognize that son of a bitch. Remember Mitch? Big guy, smart mouth. Thought he could take the instructor and ended up staying in bed for a week? He’s got to be one of Whitney’s supersoldiers.