Remember Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #3)(12)
Ryan chuckled as if enjoying some private joke, and murmured, “For once.”
He shuffled me into the back of a military truck, where we waited for the ACEs to detain the three superthugs and explain the mess to the local authorities. The truck was one of those canvas-covered trucks with two long benches on either side. I couldn’t see anything outside, but I could still hear what was going on. The ACEs worked quickly and efficiently to clean up the scene. They gave the cops a watered down version of the story—one that had nothing to do with superpowers and that sounded a lot more like three escaped convicts had busted up the joint looking for cash.
Poor Motel Guy was carted off to the local hospital in an ambulance, but the medics said he was going to be okay. Major Wilks told the cops that he’d send someone to question the guy after he was feeling better. I doubted he’d remember much, considering he was still unconscious.
My existence was kept out of the equation altogether. The cops never even knew I was there.
After ten or fifteen minutes, a handful of soldiers began to pile in the truck around me. I muttered a quiet thanks when one of them handed me my purse and another set my suitcases in the truck, suddenly feeling a lot more awkward as I realized they planned on taking me with them for an extended stay. But then, it’s not like I had anyplace better to go. I wasn’t going back to live with Tony after learning how he’d lied to me.
Ryan and Tyson claimed the seats on either side of me. Ryan scooted in closer than necessary, leaving zero space between us. When I questioned him with a flat look, he gave me a shameless smile and slipped his arm around my waist, tucking me neatly to his side. “You still seem pretty dizzy to me. Can’t have you falling over while I’m responsible for you. The major would have my hide.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but I didn’t have the energy—or, if I’m being completely honest, the desire—to pull away from him. Giving up, I relaxed against his shoulder and let my eyes fall shut. I released a slow, deep breath, hoping it might calm some of the pounding in my head.
“I can’t believe that worked,” one of the other soldiers muttered, making everyone in the back of the truck laugh.
“Major doesn’t call him Romeo for nothing,” another joked.
I could practically feel the cocky smirk wash over Ryan’s face and was compelled to burst his bubble. “It didn’t work,” I drawled lazily, not bothering to lift my head from his shoulder or even open my eyes. “I just don’t have the energy to argue. Please tell me one of you has some painkillers.”
“I’ve got some aspirin.”
I opened my eyes and found the soldier sitting across from me holding out a small, white bottle. Another soldier produced some water. As I swallowed a handful of pills, I looked around the truck at the group of men that called themselves the ACEs. There were eight of them in total, not including Major Wilks, who was riding in the front of the truck with the driver. Their ethnicities varied, but they were all guys and all in obvious excellent physical health. They weren’t all gorgeous, but they were the kind of soldiers that would make a girl join the Army just for the chance to see them shirtless every now and then.
I guessed their ages ranged from their mid-twenties to early forties. Besides Tyson, in all his teenager glory, Ryan was clearly the baby of the group. He was also by far the best looking of the bunch. Seriously, how could one guy be so hot?
Ryan caught me staring and smirked as if he knew exactly what I’d been thinking. I tore my eyes away from him and continued my study of the other men. They all met my eyes as I swept my gaze around the truck—checking me out as much as I was checking them out. Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and awe. A few of their smiles were even flirtatious, though none of them said a word.
Finally, the soldier who’d given me the medicine braved breaking the silence. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, Angel.” His tentative smile was nice, and made me realize that he was a really good-looking guy. He had wavy brown hair, brown eyes, and smooth brown skin. My guess was that he was part Polynesian, or something of the sort. He was older than Ryan, but only by a few years at most. “We’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
“How did you find me?”
“We were keeping tabs on a group of people we believe could be involved with a man named James Donovan. He’s—”
“The CEO of Visticorp. I know.”
Everyone seemed so surprised that I knew who Donovan was. Ryan and Tyson both frowned at me, and Tyson asked, “How do you know about Visticorp?”
“I was raised in their labs like some kind of testing rat. I escaped after the explosion. They were supposed to think I was dead, but those men who attacked me were working for them. I have no idea how they found me.”
Tyson’s frown got even bigger. He shook his head and opened his mouth to say something, but Ryan caught his attention and shut him up with a look. I waited for them to explain the strange interaction, but Ryan just smiled at me and said, “Donovan found you the same way we did. You went to see a doctor about your amnesia.”
I knew they were keeping something from me, but I was too distracted by what Ryan said to make them tell me what it was. “You found me because of Dr. Rajeet?”
Ryan nodded. “Donovan disappeared after the Visticorp explosion. We can’t find him, but we believe he’s teamed up with a doctor or scientist to continue one of the experiments he was working on in the Vegas lab. This afternoon, your doctor e-mailed your medical files to a number of his colleagues and asked them to come visit him to study your test results. Several of those men were on our list of possible suspects. One of them had to have been Donovan’s partner. He must have realized you were Rajeet’s amnesia patient and sent Donovan’s superthugs after you.”