Defenseless (Salvation, #5)(70)

“You’ve been in her office.”

“And?”

“Let’s not play games. I won’t hesitate to kill her.”

“I want proof she’s okay,” I demand.

“File first.”

“No dice. Let me remind you of my background. I’m not dumb. I’m not new at this. I want proof of life, and I don’t mean some photo you could’ve doctored for all the hell I know. I want to talk to her or video with a date and time stamp. I mean, my memory isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.” I fake being bored with this. I can’t remember how the hell she did that security thing. I doubt I’ll ever crack it.

“You’re in no position to make demands.”

“Actually, I am. So proof of life by tomorrow, or I’ll find her and kill anyone who stands in my way. Your choice.” I head down the stairs without looking back. I just made one hell of a move, but I have no other options.

If I fail, I lose her. If I lose her, I lose me.





I grab the Metro past my hotel. I’m too keyed up to sleep, and there’s no way I’m going to anyone with this. I get off at the Capitol and decide to walk off my nervous energy. I need to move, think, and plan.

I wish I had someone here that I could trust. I consider Frank, but then I wonder if I’m willing to put him in the middle of this shit.

My brain needs to run through it all and try to recall how the hell she turned that office into her fortress. I’ll never remember that code, and even if I do, turning over the file is a mistake.

There’s no way in hell I’m going to let them keep her. Plus, who will believe the CIA has her hostage? This entire situation couldn’t be any worse if we tried. She’s in trouble, and I don’t know if I can save her.

The hairs on the back of my neck prick. Great, another mystery visitor. I move a little faster, and the footsteps behind me follow. I’m not armed, I’m in a strange city, and I’m being stalked by my own government. The same one I served and took a bullet for. How’s this for irony?

“You can go home now, I’m not going anywhere,” I say aloud, probably sounding like a psycho.

I hear a laugh. “I think you could use a friend.”

I turn, and find Frank standing there. “You know I could’ve killed you in a second.”

Frank grins. “I could’ve laid you out before you got a punch in. Let’s not forget that I went through the same training as you.”

“We probably shouldn’t talk,” I say as he continues to follow me. “It’s not safe for you to be around me.”

“I’ll take my chances.” He laughs as if he couldn’t give a shit less. “What’s our next step?”

No way. He’s not getting involved. “I think this should be a solo mission, man.”

“They got her, didn’t they?”

“I’m serious.”

He huffs. “If it were my girl, I’d want a partner. Someone who can access information, find leads, and kill quietly.”

I get what he’s saying. We’re both former SEALs, but there’s a line I won’t cross. Dragging someone else down doesn’t seem like a good idea. I don’t know anything about Frank’s life. He could be married, a father, and I have a feeling this won’t end well. I can’t be responsible for ruining his life. Don’t I sound like Jackson now?

Fuck that. All I can do is give him the options, and then it’s his choice.

“Look, I’m going to get her back by any means necessary. I can’t sit back, and I don’t know you, but if you’re in . . . you’re in. If you can’t for any reason do whatever that means, then walk away now.”

Frank stops in front of an Irish Pub and extends his hand. “Well, the least you can do is buy me a beer. If I’m willing to go on a suicide mission and all.”

I laugh. “Deal.”

We grab a table in the back. Both of us sit so we’re able to see the door. Rule number one: Never turn your back on the enemy or the unknown.

Once we get our drinks, we get into planning.

“I’m assuming this has to do with the incident I was looking in to?” Frank drinks a beer while I sip Scotch.

“Yup.”

“How high up do you think this goes?”

“No idea, but considering the visit I had, I’m not thinking it’s a low man on the totem pole.”

Frank nods. “I didn’t think it was, considering the move they made last month. No one just drugs someone at a family function. There’s motive behind an attempt like that. Any chance her family is involved?”

“I don’t think so. Her mom lost her husband not too long ago. I doubt she’d want her daughter dead.”

He mulls that over, hesitates a few times, and then finally shares what’s on his mind. “Look, her brother though, he’s pretty intent on winning the election. There’s a lot of backhanded stuff that goes on behind the scenes. I think we should look at all of them. I don’t know that if my sister’s life was on the line that I’d be meeting with another operative.”

My brows lower. “What do you mean, another op?”

Frank pulls out his phone, swipes to a photo and lays it on the table. “That’s Mandi Milostan, she’s an operative. The one who was tailing her.”