Dangerous Connections (Aegis Group Book 9)

by Sidney Bristol

  He whirled to face Alban. “Where are the others?”

  “I don’t know where Delem and Michil are.” He grimaced. “I haven’t heard from them since we split up to search the building.”

  That wasn’t good.

  Igney had heard a lot of gunfire. Was it possible the other men he’d brought with him were dead?

  If both Chayan and Pasley escaped, leaving Igney with just the woman, he knew it would be his hide that paid the price. Failure would not be tolerated. Not this time.

  He began to sweat.

  Had he made the right choice? Or had he unknowingly signed his death warrant?

  WEDNESDAY. UNKNOWN, New York City, New York.

  Silas watched as yet another group left out the side door and didn’t return.

  The building was emptying. Beyond that first ten or so minutes when they’d escaped, no one was coming after them.

  “They’re leaving,” Pasley said quietly.

  “But did they take Ekko with them?”

  “No.”

  The man sounded certain.

  “What makes you say that?” Silas asked.

  “The relationship is...” Pasley’s mouth screwed up for a moment. “Parasitic, not symbiotic.”

  Silas nodded.

  That made sense.

  China, or in this case Chinese drug dealers, would use or aide the DSS enforcers so long as it also met their needs. But they weren’t going to stick their neck out for them.

  “I can work with that. Come on.”

  Silas took the lead. There was more light here. It was easier to see, but they also ran the risk of being seen.

  Two men stepped out of a room ahead of them. Silas plastered himself to the wall and went to a knee. The two turned away from them, never seeing Silas nor Pasley.

  A voice rose sharply, yelling something Silas didn’t understand.

  He glanced back at Pasley’s grim face.

  “Igney,” he said softly.

  Silas’ whole body stiffened.

  “He’s at the front of the building then. That way.” Pasley nodded through the walls. “Come here.”

  Silas backtracked to a small, mostly finished room they’d passed.

  They had to plan this.

  “Okay, there are two halls running parallel the width of the building.” Silas drew invisible lines on the wall. It was pure guesswork from what he could see. “Igney is here, at this hall that runs down the middle of the building. Where he can see three fucking exits. Damn.”

  “He expects one of us to come at him,” Pasley said.

  Whoever approached Igney would do it while giving the man a clear shot at them.

  Pasley was in bad shape. There were knife wounds he hadn’t mentioned that had begun oozing, not to mention the bruising and damage Silas couldn’t see. But it wasn’t like Silas was much better.

  “I’m going,” Silas said. “I want you to circle this way, down that middle hall. Wait until he’s focused on me.”

  “He won’t be alone,” Pasley said.

  “He won’t have many at his back either. I know we took out two of the DSS upstairs. So he has one guy on his side and whatever gangsters will still obey him.”

  Silas checked the chamber of his stolen gun, then his other ammunition. He could take on a small army with the bullets he had, but he was one man and he, too, was injured. Igney was not. The odds were not in their favor. That didn’t matter. This was Silas’ job.

  He regarded Pasley for a moment. “I can trust you to not stab me in the back?”

  Pasley stared back at Silas. “Yes.”

  “Prove it.”

  And then Silas turned his back and retraced their steps. He didn’t glance back at Pasley once.

  The man had reached out to Ekko. Silas wasn’t sure if it was to offer or ask for help, or simply to be heard. But Pasley had picked his side. Silas wasn’t going to second guess that, not with Ekko’s life hanging in the balance.

  He turned left at the first opportunity.

  The halls were empty now, unlike before. It was almost eerie.

  Silas flattened himself to the wall and peered around the corner.

  Igney stalked around a figure kneeling on the floor. Another man stood by, nervously glancing this way and that.

  Two men.

  Ekko.

  And Silas.

  He wasn’t going to count on Pasley. Not until the man proved himself.

  What was the right move?

  Silas closed his eyes and tried to think.

  Two on one weren’t great odds. Evening the field would be ideal, but that meant an offensive move first and hope that they didn’t react by killing Ekko. But if he played it safe, they might kill him before he could save Ekko, and that would mean leaving her fate up to Pasley.

  No.

  Silas turned to the corner. He didn’t dare lean out far or make himself a target. He was a good shot, but he wasn’t Paxton.

  Silas took aim.

  Igney wasn’t staying still. He moved about, showing his agitation.

  Silas drew in a breath.

  Igney paused.

  Silas squeezed the trigger.

  The blast sounded louder than normal reverberating off all the concrete and metal.

  Ekko flattened herself to the ground.

  Good girl.

  Igney leaped away, while the other man—who’d been standing just behind Igney—slumped to the floor.

  Damn.

  Igney scrambled the few feet to Ekko and pressed the muzzle of his gun to her head. She whimpered loud enough Silas heard her from this distance.

  Igney yelled words Silas didn’t understand, but he didn’t need to. That gun at Ekko’s head said enough.

  “I’m here,” Silas called out and stepped into the open, hands up, gun dangling from a finger.

  Please, Pasley, don’t betray me now...

  “Where is he?” Igney snarled, anger making his words difficult to make out.

  “Your friend? I don’t know.” Silas began walking. He locked eyes with Ekko, willing her to believe in him.

  There were tears dampening her cheeks. She was bound again at the wrists and ankles, a gag shoved in her mouth. The closer he got the more he could see. Like the flaking, dried blood. Bruises that had begun to color. Swelling around her left eye.

  “He is not my friend. Stop right there,” Igney snarled.

  Silas did as ordered.

  “Put down the gun.” Igney reined in his anger, a coldness chilling each word now.

  Silas bent and placed the gun on the ground. He hadn’t expected to get close to Igney with it, anyway. Silas had taken his one shot and he’d made it count.

  It was one on one now.

  He pushed the gun away with his foot and held his hands up.

  Igney watched Silas come closer until he was twenty or so feet away.

  “Stop,” Igney snapped.

  Silas took two more steps before complying.

  “Where is the man?” Igney demanded.

  “Man? Which man? What man?”

  “The traitor. Chayan.”

  “Oh.” Silas nodded. “He’s dead. Your men shot him. His body is upstairs.”

  Ekko yelled into her gag and slumped forward.

  I’m sorry, Silas whispered in his mind.

  It was better for Igney to believe that than the truth.

  All this was now was a waiting game.

  As soon as the others could they’d call the police. Shortly this place would be surrounded and Igney would be done for. Silas just had to survive. He had to keep Igney distracted from Ekko and focused on himself.

  “You’re lying. He’s not dead,” Igney said far too forcibly. Trying to convince himself.

  Silas gestured to the blood down the front of his shirt from the man he’d stabbed. “This isn’t my blood. You stabbed me down here, not up here.”

  “No.” Igney shook his head, then repeated himself in what Silas suspected was Daurian. “Where is Pasley?
”

  “I don’t know. We all got separated.”

  “And you came back for her?” Igney sneered.

  Silas took another step closer. “That’s my job.”

  “Stop. Stay there,” Igney snarled. “I should kill you both. That’s what I should do.”

  A shadow moved, becoming the figure of a man who shouldn’t be able to move like that. Not given his size.

  Pasley.

  “Is that what you were ordered to do? Kill us? You haven’t exactly done a good job of it up until now. We’ve brushed past you how many times? I even heard you were standing outside our window and didn’t even know we were there. And you want to call yourself some sort of expert killer?”

  Igney’s eyes narrowed in rage. In that moment Silas could see the difference between Pasley and Igney. While they’d both been forced down the same path, Igney embraced it while Pasley survived it.

  Silas held his breath.

  Pasley was so close.

  Igney whirled, gun up and fired blindly. Pasley threw himself out of the way, but wasn’t fast enough. Silas heard the man cry out and knew the shot had hit.

  At the same time Silas sprinted forward. Less than twenty feet separated them. He yanked the long knife from where he’d sheathed it at his back.

  Ekko dove forward, flattening herself to the ground.

  Igney spun toward Silas, but Silas was too close for Igney to get a shot in. Silas batted the gun away with his knife and punched with his left hand. Igney staggered back, but Silas had a hold on his wrist and wasn’t letting go.

  The gun went off, the muzzle fire creating spots of white in Silas’ vision and making his ears ring. Igney snarled, throwing himself at Silas. The move caught him by surprise. He tripped over Ekko’s foot and went down, Igney on top of him. The fall drove all the air out of Silas’ lungs. Pain shot out from his ribs and he knew his strength would soon fail. Already his arms were shaking. He clung to Igney, knowing that if he lost his grip, it wouldn’t be just him who died. Igney would kill them all.

  Silas stared up at the man above him. Igney’s face was red. The tendons on the side of his neck stood out. He was enraged and desperate.

  Suddenly a foot struck out, connecting with Igney’s head.

  Silas used the momentum of the blow in his favor, rolling Igney off him. Igney didn’t give up his grip on the gun. He held tight to it just like Silas held his knife. They were locked in a struggle, and Silas was exhausted. Blood loss, days of worrying, travel and now fighting for the woman he loved. He had to dig deep.

  Igney’s gaze went over Silas’ shoulder. He lunged, forcing Silas to roll a bit with him or lose his grip.

  Ekko swung something. Silas didn’t know what, but she caught both their arms, sweeping them up as the gun went off again.

  Igney’s left arm buckled and Silas drove the knife home, into his chest at the base of his throat. There was a moment of shock as Igney stared at Silas, eyes open wide, his mouth working.

  “Sorry,” Silas whispered.

  He hadn’t wanted to do this. Killing had never come easy to him, and he knew he’d remember Igney’s wide eyes for the rest of his life.

  “Silas?” Ekko’s voice wavered.

  He pushed Igney aside, his death rattles gurgling in his throat, and looked up at Ekko.

  She had Paxton’s belt looped loosely around her waist. When had that happened?

  “Silas.” She went to her knees, clinging to him.

  “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Silas asked.

  “I’m okay. Ch-Chayan—”

  “Isn’t dead. Paxton got him out. They’re getting help. He’ll be fine.” At least Silas hoped Chayan would be. All the strength seeped out of him, leaving him weak.

  “Oh, my God.”

  Silas allowed himself a moment to squeeze her and breathe in the scent he’d begun associating with her. It was faint under all the blood and sweat, but it was there.

  “Pasley,” she said. “Oh my—Pasley.”

  Silas pushed to his feet and wobbled.

  Shadows on the other side of the doors moved.

  “Down. Get back,” Silas barked, adrenaline giving him more strength.

  The double doors burst opened and men in dark clothes advanced in, guns up. They were too synchronized, too smooth to be more Daurians or the Chinese gangsters.

  “Herrera?” someone called out.

  Silas squinted at the lights shining at him. “Who the fuck is that?”

  “God damn, Herrera.”

  The lights clicked off, revealing Logan Muller, the leader of Troy Team.

  Silas gaped at the man. He hadn’t heard or seen much from Logan or his team since they’d relocated to Washington on a long term government contract.

  More people spilled in behind him. Not just the rest of Troy Team, but police.

  The cavalry had arrived about five minutes too damn late. But they were there.

  Silas’ knees buckled and he sat down.

  The fight was over. His fight at least. Someone else would have to make sure Ekko and Chayan actually got to the UN. Silas was spent.

  WEDNESDAY. UNKNOWN, New York City, New York.

  Ekko clung to the stretcher bearing Silas out to the parking lot.

  She hadn’t realized how bad his injuries were. He was barely keeping his eyes open. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she kept pace with the two paramedics. Silas covered her hand with his as they came to a stop at the bumper of an ambulance.

  Paxton, Brett and Vito were sitting inside. They were worse for wear and grim, but seemed okay.

  All around them police were marching uninjured people they’d arrested to sit in a line next to a chain-link fence blocking the sidewalk. The night was lit up with swirling lights that made her head spin.

  “Where’s Chayan?” she asked. Her heart was tearing in two, aching for both men.

  A little distance away an ambulance took off, sirens blaring. She hoped it was the one with Pasley in it.

  “Ma’am, I need to look at that wound,” a paramedic said to her.

  She held tight to Silas’ hand. “What about Chayan? Older man, little taller than me? Salt and pepper hair?”

  Silas had said he was fine... But he wasn’t fine. They’d ripped his shirt open and had a mask over his face. He could barely open his eyes.

  “I think that’s the gentleman who was taken to the hospital,” the uniformed man said slowly.

  Too slowly.

  She glanced at Silas. The other paramedic was swabbing the knife wound to his stomach.

  “He’ll be okay.” Silas’ voice was strained and funny sounding through the mask.

  “Is he going to be okay?” she demanded of the paramedic.

  The man glanced at Silas then the other paramedic before smiling. “Yes, he’ll be okay, but we need to get to the hospital now.”

  God, she wanted them to all be okay.

  “Need to load this one up,” the other medic said over his shoulder to Paxton and the others. “Keep your knees in.”

  “I’m going with him.” She took a step as the stretcher rolled forward.

  “Actually.” A man with dark hair and fair skin stepped in their path. She hadn’t noticed him standing there. “Miss. Kaur?”

  “Who are you?” She didn’t have it in her to be nice.

  “My name is Shawn Edwards. I work at the United Nations.”

  “Stop. Stop now,” Silas growled at the paramedics. He pushed the mask up off his face and pushed up on an elbow.

  Ekko could only gape at the man while clinging to the stretcher.

  “You had an appointment that my team was made aware of a few days ago. Considering current events, we wanted to hear from you right away.”

  Ekko opened and closed her mouth. “Is now really the right time for this?”

  “The committee is in a late-night session. Matters are progressing quickly and we need information. Whatever you can tell us, ma’am.” Shawn’s gaze was grim. “I can’t say m
ore than that, but...it’s serious.”

  Her stomach tightened. What else?

  “Go.” Silas squeezed her hand. “Go. I’ll be fine. Pax?”

  He slumped back against the stretcher.

  Silas was so not fine.

  Paxton climbed out of the ambulance and stood next to her. “I’ve got this. You get better.”

  She glanced at him.

  When this had begun, she was a one-woman-army. But then Silas had been there, supporting her, working with her. It felt wrong to go without him, but she also couldn’t shake the sense of urgency.

  “Okay.” She leaned over the stretcher and pressed a kiss to Silas’ lips.

  “I’ll find you.” His voice was rough. From the pain?

  Her heart throbbed in her throat as he rolled away from her. She had a feeling she would be the one finding him.

  Paxton squeezed her shoulder. “He’ll be fine.”

  “Ma’am?” Shawn gestured at a dark car sitting at the sidewalk a short distance away.

  “Thanks,” she mumbled up at Paxton.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust this Shawn Edwards, she’d just been shot at and run off enough roads she wanted someone at her side she could trust.

  Paxton fell in behind her and Shawn as they strode to the car.

  “What’s the situation?” she asked.

  He glanced over his shoulder. “The Daurian government has taken the team into custody, for their own safety.”

  “Oh, no...” She sank into the back seat of the car, stunned.

  Shawn joined her and Paxton sat in the front along with a driver. Shawn talked her through all of it, the protests, what they knew about the raids on the depots, how many had died. Action would be taken, but information was scarce.

  What they needed—who they needed—was Pasley. Someone with an inside view into not just the government, but those enforcing the law. She was their best, most current source.

  She had to frame everything in the right words. She had to convince them to take a chance on a man who didn’t look like he deserved it. But she also had to be fair.

  Her head was pounding worse by the time they reached the United Nations building with all the colorful flags rippling in the evening breeze. Goose bumps broke out on her arms and she wished Silas was there.

  She paused outside looking up at it all.

  This had been her goal. To bring Chayan here.