by Lexi Blake
“You’re going to do what I tell you to do.” Levi came to stand in front of him. “Unless you want to change your mind. There’s a place for you in my office.”
“I want what you promised me. We gave you what we could. Now let us go. You don’t want Big Tag after you.” A knot formed in his gut because every instinct he had told him this was going to go bad. He’d known it could, but now he realized the moment was here. This wasn’t a handoff. Levi could have easily blown that safe on his own. He wanted something more.
“Like I said, I don’t, but I’m in a position where I no longer have a choice.” He turned back to the man looking through the files. The mercenary simply shook his head, causing Levi’s jaw to tighten. “Nothing?”
The man shrugged. “There’s plenty here, but not what you’re looking for. He’s got blackmail material, but it has nothing to do with McDonald.”
Levi nodded, a sharp movement. “Take it all anyway. Let’s get ready to move out. I don’t like the fact that Solo let herself be taken. It means she’s planning something, and we’re out of time. Bring me Mr. Tucker.”
“No,” Rebecca shouted.
Dante tightened his arms around her like a python getting ready to squeeze the life out of his victim.
The two men with hands on Tucker started to move him toward Levi, who was opening a briefcase.
Robert started to struggle. He wasn’t sure what was in that case, but it would be bad. Levi would use whatever was in there on Tucker. “What are you doing?”
Tucker looked back, fear in his eyes. “I’ve been here before. God, Rob, I’ve been here.”
He couldn’t stand that look on Tucker’s face. “Green, take me instead. I’ll go with you.”
He would find a way to get out later, but he couldn’t let them take Tucker. Tucker was his responsibility.
There wasn’t an ounce of compassion on Levi’s face as he pulled out a hypodermic needle. “That plan doesn’t work for me. I don’t actually need you, Robert. I was trying to be a nice guy.”
“What the fuck is that?” Solo asked, her eyes wide.
“It’s the cure.” Rebecca managed to get the words out around the hand on her throat. Tears coursed down her cheeks. “But we don’t know what it’s really going to do. It could kill him. I’m begging you not to do this.”
“I’m sorry but the truth of the matter is I don’t need Tucker at all.” Levi’s voice sent a chill through the room. “I do need Dr. Razor.”
Tucker started to fight, trying to pull away from his captors, but they drug him closer and closer to the needle.
Robert kicked out to the side, making contact with the first asshole’s knee and cutting his legs out from under him. He gained his balance and struck the other man trying to hold him with a swift uppercut to his chin. He heard a low growl and the crunching of bones, but he had no sympathy. That asshole had something he needed.
“Don’t let him get a gun, damn it,” Levi shouted.
Something hard hit his back and he suddenly was held down by two hundred pounds of mercenary. He rolled to the side, trying to get that gun in his hand. He managed to force the fucker off him and pulled the pistol free from the unconscious guy’s belt. He glanced up in time to see Solo thrust her zip tied hands high in the air only to bring them down hard. She pulled her hands apart. The ties broke and she was grace in motion. Solo brought her arm up and back, making contact with the man behind her.
“Fall back.” Levi shouted the command.
The doors to the lab burst open and he wasn’t alone anymore. His brothers were here. Owen and Jax strode in, guns out. They were followed by Theo and Ezra.
And Ariel. She was there, his angel with a semiautomatic. She didn’t even hesitate. She immediately fired, taking out the man coming for him. One minute the guy was raising a weapon to fire a shot that would have taken off Robert’s head, and the next he was slumping to the ground.
The lab was in complete chaos. Glass shattered from the bullets flying. Ariel reached his side, ducking down because they had a little cover from one of the desks.
“Are you all right?” Ari asked.
“I’m fine.” He tipped the desk over to give them more cover. The sound of lab equipment crashing warred with the gunfire. “God, Ariel, I didn’t want to put you in danger, but I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you here.”
There was no one else on earth he would want watching his back, helping him save Tucker.
She was on her knees, but she managed to take his face in her hands. “Rob, I love you. I need you to hear that.”
He couldn’t help but smile. He’d given her a hard time about not saying it, but he’d known what she was doing. “I know, baby. Now give me some cover. Levi is trying to shoot Tucker up with god only knows what in an insane attempt to bring back Reasor.”
“Oh, my god.” Ariel nodded his way. “You have to get him away from here. I’m better at a distance. I’ll cover you.”
“If you can get a shot, take it,” he said before brushing his lips over hers. “I love you.”
The room went quiet as quickly as it had been thrown into chaos.
“Let him go, Levi.” Ezra’s voice boomed through the quiet room. “We’ve got you. There’s no way out.”
Robert looked over the table and realized they were in a standoff. Tucker was in Levi’s grasp, a needle in his neck. Levi hadn’t pushed the plunger yet.
Dante was using Rebecca like a shield. Two of the mercenaries were left standing. It looked like Owen had taken a bullet to his left arm, but he was still there, his gun aimed in Dante’s direction, but from there he couldn’t get a clear line of sight. Rebecca was in the way.
Ariel might be able to do it. They were in the perfect position for a woman with spectacular aim to take a shot.
He didn’t want to put this on her. He knew he should be the one to take Dante out. She’d wanted out of this life, but Ariel was Rebecca’s best option.
“Drop the weapon, Owen, or I’ll be more than happy to put a bullet through your bitch’s brain,” Dante growled. “Do you know how much I hate you all? It would be my pleasure to kill her.”
He watched as Rebecca mouthed the words to her lover. I love you. She was ready, was going to give Owen the power in that moment. The power to save her.
But he knew damn well Owen wouldn’t take the chance.
Owen dropped the weapon. “Just let her go. You can do whatever you want to me, but let Rebecca go.”
“Excellent.” Levi seemed perfectly calm despite the fact that he was surrounded. “Now the rest of you can do the same or you’ll lose more than the lovely Dr. Walsh. I’m not actually sure what’s in this needle. I only know that Dr. McDonald thought it was a cure in case she ever needed to access one of her soldier’s past memories. At least that’s what her notes said. She’d never actually tried it. So back off or I’ll use this on him. Solo, you know you can’t kill me.”
“I can let Beck kill you,” Solo said, but she lowered her weapon.
“I don’t think that was within the parameters of your mission,” Levi replied with a chuckle that held not an ounce of humor. “She’s playing all of you, you know.”
Or Levi was lying. Robert looked down at Ariel. They couldn’t see her, might have missed her coming in with the rest of them. She nodded up at him as though she understood.
“Robert, I meant what I said. Lay down that gun,” Levi commanded.
“I’m okay, Rob.” Tucker’s words came out shaky.
“Stay still, brother. Don’t move.” He had to get Tucker out of this. The problem was they were only going to get one shot and they needed to take out two people.
“Rob, I’m okay,” Tucker said, more solid now. “Do what you have to do. I’m okay. I’m going to be okay.”
Tucker was telling him to take out Dante, to make the choice to sacrifice him if they had to. He was choosing Rebecca’s life and Owen’s happiness over his own.
Ezra hadn’t put down his gun
yet and neither had Theo. Jax was too far back, but if the fighting started again, he would move in.
He caught Tucker’s gaze, saw the resolve there. Tucker was ready for anything that might happen. He was at peace with it.
He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if Rebecca died.
“I’m not joking, Robert,” Levi warned. “I’m going to do this if you don’t put that fucking gun down. All of you.”
He would do it anyway. Levi had always meant to do this. He’d always meant to shove that needle in Tucker’s neck to try to unleash the beast inside him. It’s what he’d been building toward the whole time.
Rob glanced down and gave Ariel the signal.
Ariel rose. Time seemed to slow for him, but he knew it couldn’t have been more than a second or two. He watched as she rose and without a single hesitation took the shot.
A hole appeared in the middle of Dante’s forehead and his big body dropped.
Owen was on Rebecca in a heartbeat, throwing his body over hers and getting her out of the line of fire because the last two mercenaries were still fighting.
Robert took his own, firing at the last of Levi’s men.
He turned the gun on Levi, but Tucker was in the way. They were too close in height to get a solid line of fire.
“Well, that didn’t go the way I wanted it to.” Levi sighed. “At least I’ll still get something out of it. Time to wake up, Razor.”
Robert yelled as Levi pushed the plunger and Tucker’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.
Robert took aim because Levi wasn’t living through this.
Solo stepped in front of the gun. “I’m so sorry, Robert. I can’t let you do that.” She touched her ear. “Boys, it’s time. Take him into custody. Dr. Walsh, I think you should check on Tucker.”
“Kim, what’s going on?” Ariel’s hand brushed his as she came to stand beside him.
“What do you think is going on?” Ezra’s eyes burned as he took in his ex-wife. “She used us and now she’s going to save her boyfriend and take the data. I should have known this would happen.”
A group of men in all black moved into the room like the black ops team they were. These weren’t mercenaries. This was pure American military, and they obviously answered to Solo.
“I feel okay.” Tucker was still on his feet. His hands were shaking, but he was able to move away from Levi, who was surrounded by Solo’s men. “A little dizzy, but I’m okay.”
Robert rushed to Tucker. Ariel was right behind him. Tucker had gone pale, but he seemed solid. He wouldn’t be satisfied until they’d figured out what the hell Levi had shoved into his system.
“Let me take a look at him.” Rebecca’s hands were shaking, but she moved to examine Tucker.
“Beck, I’m so sorry it happened this way, but I need Levi alive,” Solo said, her voice low. There was a look of naked pain on her face when Ezra took a step back from her. “I’m following orders.”
“Yes, she’s only following orders.” Levi was in handcuffs but he was still breathing, so Robert couldn’t call it a win. He was also flanked by several soldiers, as if they’d been ordered to ensure the man survived. “Looks like I’m walking away with the girl again, Ezra. Your girl.”
“You can have her.” Ezra turned his back.
“Beck, please. I’m following the letter of my orders. Can’t you see that? I should take Tucker, too, but I’m not going to. I’m going to leave that part out of my briefing. Come with me.” Solo sounded vulnerable. “You can be right there when I interrogate him. We need to figure out what he knows. I can make this right. I can get you back in the Agency. Come with me.”
“The funny thing is I was going to ask you to have coffee with me when all this was done.” Ezra shook his head, a rueful gesture. “You got me. You always did. At least you showed your true colors before I got back in deep.”
“Beck, you have to know I’m doing this for you,” Solo said.
“Are we under arrest?” Ezra asked.
“No.” Solo shook her head. “Absolutely not, and we’re going to clean the whole place up. We’re taking care of everything so you can get your people out. I promise this is going to work in your favor in the end.” Her cell phone rang and her face fell. “I have to take this. Please wait for me. We can talk. We need to debrief.”
“We have nothing at all to talk about.” Every word from Ezra’s mouth dripped with ice. “And I can’t wait. I have to get my team back to London before Damon realizes Jax is gone. Good-bye Solo.”
Solo took a deep breath and answered her cell. “Good evening, Mr. President.”
She walked off to talk to her boss.
He couldn’t think about it right now. He had to focus on Tucker. “How is he doing?”
Ariel was right behind him, her hand on his shoulder. “We should get him to a hospital.”
Tucker shook his head. “No. I want to go home. I’ll be fine. You can’t take me to a hospital. You know why.”
Tucker tried to stand, but his eyes rolled back and Robert had to catch him.
Tucker’s body began to seize and Rebecca shouted out.
He looked down at his brother and prayed he would survive.
Chapter Nineteen
“How is he today?” Ariel wrapped her arms around Robert, hugging him from behind. She breathed him in, loving everything about this man.
This was how they’d started every morning for the last three weeks. She would wake up warm and safe in Robert’s arms, but he would slip away while she was getting ready and she would find him here.
“He’s stable.” Robert’s hands covered hers and he held her there. “No change.”
Tucker lay on a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV. They’d transformed one of the living spaces to a room where they could take care of Tucker. He’d gone into a coma that day in Germany and hadn’t woken since. Luckily they’d been in a lab with medical equipment. Rebecca had worked with the medic on the black ops team to stabilize Tucker and keep him out of the hospital system. He was perfectly healthy according to Rebecca, with the singular exception of the fact that he wouldn’t wake up. The drug seemed to have only affected his brain, and specifically the parts dealing with memory. None of them understood why he was in a coma, but Rebecca remained certain he would come out of it.
Tucker had missed their wedding. It had been a small affair, held right here in The Garden. They’d married alongside Rebecca and Owen. None of them had wanted to plan a big wedding after what had happened. They hadn’t wanted to take the time. They’d realized tomorrow wasn’t a guarantee and hadn’t wanted to wait a second longer to be tied to the ones they loved.
She’d always thought she would have a big wedding, but now she knew the marriage was the most important thing.
Her husband was the most important thing.
“He’s looking good today.” Rebecca strode into the room, glancing down at the clipboard in her hands. Yesterday had been testing day. Rebecca was completely focused on her patient. Between her and Stephanie Carter, Tucker had all the medical care he needed.
“He looks the same,” Robert replied. He shifted to gently pull Ariel to his side, his arm sliding around her shoulders. “He always looks the same.”
Any time they were in a room together, he had a hand on her. He would tangle their fingers or drag her onto his lap. Her husband was hungry for affection, and she was more than happy to give it to him. It was good to be connected.
“Maybe on the outside.” Rebecca gave them a sunny smile. “But his latest tests give me great hope. I still don’t completely understand what the drug did, but he’s healing. I think it’s only a matter of time before he wakes up.”
“But who will he be when he wakes up?” Robert asked the question that had been haunting them all since that day. “Will he be Tucker or someone else?”
Rebecca lost her smile. “He’ll be himself. I have to believe that. We all have to.”
Because the idea that they could find themselves
losing Tucker and being left with the man known as Razor was unthinkable.
Ariel reached down to touch Tucker’s hand. He was warm and looked like he was sleeping. He looked so young lying there. It was hard to believe it had been weeks since she’d seen him smile or listened to him tell a terrible joke. “He’ll be Tucker and we’ll deal with whatever comes next.”
Robert needed to understand that she would do anything to help the men.
“We should get down to the conference room,” Robert said. He leaned over and put a hand on Tucker’s head. “I’ll be back this afternoon, brother.”
She often found him in here. He would sit and read out loud or put a game on the telly and talk to Tucker while he watched. All the lads took turns sitting with Tucker.
“I’ll stay with him,” Rebecca offered. “I don’t need another conference meeting. Owen will talk about it endlessly. I liked it better when we weren’t at war.”
They’d always been at war. It was simply out in the open now. And the man they were at war with was nowhere to be found. Kim had done everything she’d said she would. She’d handled the cleanup at Kronberg. She’d given them the cover they’d needed to get Tucker stabilized and back to England.
And then she’d disappeared with her prize and hadn’t been heard from again until the night before. They’d all gotten the message that they would be meeting with Kimberly Solomon this morning, but she wasn’t sure what they would be talking about.
God, she hoped they weren’t at war with Kim. Ezra still wouldn’t mention her name without cursing.
“Thank you,” Robert said as he took Ariel’s hand and started to lead them out.
“Are you all right?” She knew she asked the question far too often.
He led her to the hallway that would take them to the lift. “I’m as good as I can be, and you’re the reason why.” He brought her hand up and kissed it even as he kept walking. “I love you. I know I say it a lot.”
“I like to hear it.” She squeezed his hand. “I love you, too. Are you ready for this? You haven’t seen her since that day.”