Remember Jamie Baker (Jamie Baker #3)(81)

He tried to hold his poker face, but he cracked a smile and let out a soft chuckle. “All things considered, Angel, you’re a hell of a soldier.”

“Yippee. Just what I always wanted to be.” I rolled my eyes just in case Major Wilks missed my sarcasm—which he totally didn’t because it had been over the top—but deep down I was proud of the compliment.

The banter broke the stifling tension in the command center, replacing everyone’s shock with a sense of awe. I doubted there were very many people in the world willing to go toe-to-toe with Major Wilks, and even less who’d survived such an altercation.

I grinned at Geek again and he blinked at me. “That was…” He shook his head as he searched for a word. I expected him to say amazing or awesome or even stupid or insane. What came out of his mouth was, “So hot.”

“Hot? Really? That’s what you’re going with?”

He nodded. “I totally understand Romeo’s obsession now.”

Groaning, I rubbed my hand over my face and looked to Major Wilks for backup. He was no help, holding his hands up as if to say I was on my own this time. Well. I supposed I deserved that after reaming the guy in front of a room full of people. “Whatever. At least tell me you found something on Dr. Chen.”

Those were the magic words. Both Major Wilks and Geek sobered up as if they each had “serious” switches and I’d just flipped them. “The phone number you gave us is untraceable, just as you suspected. It’s a burner phone that we’ve tracked to a dead end. We can try to trace it when you call, but considering the tech these guys are using, I’m sure they’ll be set up to bounce the signal all over the world, and they’ll hang up long before we can get a reliable trace.”

I nodded. “Not surprising. And Chen?”

Geek shook his head. “The man’s a ghost. Doesn’t exist. That’s hard to do entirely.”

“But not impossible. Especially not for someone like Teddy.” I shrugged. “He and I both have several aliases that will pass as real but don’t technically exist. If he can do it, I’m sure others working for Donovan can do it. Or maybe Teddy’s the one who did it for Dr. Chen. You said he worked for Visticorp before the explosion, right? I assume they didn’t have him scrubbing toilets.”

“Very true,” Major Wilks agreed.

Geek sighed. “If that’s the case, then we’re doomed. Seriously, your friend is downright diabolical in his tech skills.”

“Or maybe he’s just diabolical in general,” I grumbled, thinking of how he’d basically held me hostage for six months so that he could woo me. I took a breath and tried to focus. “Okay, so calling and sending me in is our only option.” I met the major’s intense gaze with no fear. “What do we need to do to make it happen?”

Major Wilks hesitated, but I could see in his eyes that he was already on board. Without answering me directly, he picked up a phone on Geek’s desk and sent his voice through the PA system for the entire base, ordering all ACEs to the debriefing room immediately.

Adrenaline shot through me. This was it. Game on, Donovan. This is one Angel you won’t be happy to see.





We’d hashed out a somewhat desperate—and, I’ll admit, shoddy—plan by the time Ryan, my parents, and Becky arrived back on base and stormed into the debriefing room. Johnny G gave them a quick rundown, and when they were caught up Ryan turned his furious eyes, full of blazing blue fire, on me.

I’d fearlessly gone head-to-head with superthugs and a decorated military major, but I squirmed under Ryan’s angry gaze. “Jamie, this is a stupid plan and you know it. You’re going to get yourself captured or killed. You have no idea what you’re dealing with, but they will be ready for you. Just like last time. You’re being overconfident.”

His warning pissed me off. Mostly because he was right. “This, coming from the King of Cocky?”

Ryan shut his eyes and took a few breaths. I’d learned his mom was very into yoga and meditation. The breathing was a technique she’d taught him when he was young to help him deal with his real father, who, as far as I could tell, was the only person capable of making Ryan lose his temper. Other than, apparently, me.

With a shake of his head, he whispered, “I’m not feeling cocky right now, babe.” When he opened his eyes again, they held so much emotion that I sucked in a gasp. “I’m scared. Terrified.”

The whole room froze, as mesmerized by his emotion as I was. People had been stunned watching me argue with Major Wilks, but this was different. It was as if Ryan were slaying us. He was most certainly piercing me. My chest ached as I drowned in the despair his eyes held. “I lost you this way once before, Jamie. To the very same man you’re talking about facing now. The situation was almost exactly the same. Your friend was in trouble, and you charged off without a solid plan and no backup for if things went wrong. This time, Donovan will only be even more prepared for you.”

I shook my head, desperate to fend off his argument. I couldn’t let him talk me out of this. “I won’t be alone this time. I’ll have you and the ACEs to back me up.”

“You hope. But we can’t guarantee that. And a squad of human soldiers against how many superthugs? You don’t know what you’re up against.”