The Single Lady Spy Series Boxset

by Tara Brown

  “Bullshit!”

  “It’s true. Dr. Drusack is the name of the man who sat next to the creepy lady when we were being sworn in to protect the world and blah, blah, blah. He sat there stone-faced, treating us like we had violated something sacred by showing up there and knowing too much. Well, he also happens to be the same doctor who took just enough nanobots off Janice to bomb the hospitals.”

  Coop paused, making his thinking face for a moment. “So you are trusting a doctor we don't know over a member of the Burrow?”

  His question was valid but I was right. “Yes. I saw her face. The moment she realized the bombings had occurred, she put two and two together. I suspect she has a memory like yours.”

  “So the Burrow is part of the secret organization known as the Organization? This scientist is innocent of all blame in the deaths of tens of thousands of doctors and sick people in Saudi, and somehow your father and Servario are both guilty along with the Burrow, but she’s innocent?” He sighed. “It’s a bit rich, Evie. Even for Servario.”

  “Where’s my mom?” Something told me she might know what the truth was in this mess.

  “Downstairs with the kids. They are loving the giant heated pool in the backyard.”

  I winced as I climbed from the bed, hobbling to the closet and praying for clothing. “Did you know Jack was rich and French and all that jazz?”

  “Of course.”

  “Of course,” I mimicked and pulled on a sweatshirt and some jogging pants. It was all a bit big but it was better than nothing.

  “Jack doesn't keep women’s clothing here like some international perverts we know.”

  I groaned. “Can we stop the childish behavior, please?” I turned, hating that I suddenly sounded like a mom. Coop cocked a grin but I lifted my finger. “Think about what you’re about to say. Think about the fact that I nearly killed Servario two days ago. And he hasn't pissed me off hardly at all.”

  “I was just going to say that it’s good to see balls-to-the-walls Evie is back. She’s my favorite.”

  “Fuck you.” I went to the door and limped out to the hallway.

  “Oh come on, Evie. Don't be so spicy.” He hurried to my side and lifted me into his arms. I groaned as he touched my ribs. Worry filled his eyes. “What did he do to you?”

  “He protected his cover and I protected mine.”

  He swallowed, not arguing that fact. He knew the cost of falling for someone. He was the very person who once told me that loving someone you worked with made you weak.

  Instead of talking about it anymore, I leaned my head on his thick shoulder and let him carry me downstairs, gingerly.

  Luce was stewing in the corner of the massive great room; Fitz was outside with the kids, swimming in the steamy pool; and Jack sat in the corner staring at Luce with a forlorn look in his eyes.

  Clearly, they weren’t better.

  Jules came up out of the water and waved, causing Mitch to turn and smile. “What did you tell them to get them here without a problem?” I asked.

  “Holiday. They believe this is a chateau in France we have on timeshare from Jack’s family.” Coop smiled as he spoke, “They’re jazzed to be here.”

  “Where’s Mom?”

  Luce’s eyes lifted when she saw me. “She took Janice for a stroll. Said she wanted to talk to her. How are you feeling?”

  “Oh Jesus! Really? Did you all forget about Steve and the flesh stripping?” I wiggled to get down from Coop’s arms and hobbled, motioning at Jack. “Come and show me where!”

  “To be honest, I did forget about Steve.” Jack jumped up and hurried past me to a huge door down a long, wide hallway. He ran down the steps with Luce hot on his trail. Coop stayed with me as I barely made it down the long winding staircase. At the bottom a scream came from a long ways away.

  “How big is it down here?”

  “The house is fourteen thousand square feet, not including the basement. God knows how big it is. It was built in the fifteenth century—well, started anyway. When Jack bought it, there wasn’t much left of it. It was in ruin. He spent eleven million euros fixing it up and making it what he wanted it to be. It took the builders two years to get it right. He’s only had it up and running as a home away from home for a little while.

  “It’s beautiful but weird he’s so rich.”

  “He’s a tech genius, it’s not that weird. He’s like MacGyver. He got to the safe house in Portobello and had it completely secure for you guys within minutes and back up and running with all the tools you would need. He even had MI6 on standby, using their own system to run an op to come and get you if you didn't get free of Servario within a set amount of time.”

  “I guess.” I shook my head. “Lucky he didn't use MI6 though—they think we’re rogue agents.”

  “Not anymore. That's been fixed. You aren’t even in the system now. He’s a genius.”

  The scream filled the hallway again, making me want to hurry to the poor girl my mom was likely filleting. But I didn't. I turned to Coop. “I’m sorry.”

  He paused, looking down and then nodding. “I know.”

  I reached up, even wincing when my arms lifted. Everything still hurt. I cupped his cheeks. “No, I mean I am sorry for everything. I can’t believe your sister did what she did, and I feel sick for your family. I’m sorry for us and the way things have been. And I’m sorry for being so back and forth about everything.”

  “I’m sorry, Evie. I’m the one who should be. My sister endangered your kids. She sold you out. I want to say I can’t believe it, but I know it’s true. He’s a psychotic bastard, but I don't think Servario would lie to that degree. I know he would die protecting you. I can’t imagine how horrible it was to hit you, but he did it to protect you. He might be insane but he loves you. His claim that my sister sold us out is a stretch for me to believe, but too many of my memories are suddenly explained. I also believe she is likely dead as a result of it.” He reached up and cupped my face, running his thumb over my fat lip. “I don't care about anything but you and our little family.”

  “I know. I just wish this were all less complicated.” My heart melted and all the bad things that had happened over the past few weeks melted with it.

  “We can uncomplicate it. I can say I forgive you for the Servario thing, and I don't care if I ever marry or have kids.” He lowered his face to kiss me but the screaming got much worse. He paused and chuckled. “Your mom is a sick bitch.”

  “I am aware of that.” I nodded. “But let’s not even whisper that. She won’t hesitate in killing you.” I pulled from his embrace and hobbled down the long hallway looking forward to whatever we would find. It had to be an improvement on what was currently happening between us. I didn't need him to say things like “family.” The same way I didn't need Servario to say things like “change the world for you.” I needed everyone to help me uncomplicate this.

  We passed several rooms, all of them seeming to be half finished. “The eleven million didn't cover the dungeon.”

  “Nope.”

  He hurried ahead as another scream tore through the dank space. I tried to hurry, but my bare feet on the ancient tile floor wasn't a great feeling.

  When I rounded a corner I hoped would be the last, I stopped. Luce and Jack were peeking in a doorway left ajar. Coop must have already gone in.

  “Get out, Cooper! We will know everything we need to in no time!” my mom snapped. I hurried into the room that might have been a storage space before my mom turned it into a torture cell.

  “No!” I spun, taking it all in, groaning at the blood dripping from Janice’s face. “Mom, stop!”

  She turned. “Darling, you’re awake. You look terrible. Go back to bed.” She scowled at my feet. “Are they bleeding?” She grimaced at me—my mom who had blood spatter on her face and arms grimaced at me.

  “You can’t torture her. She hasn't done anything wrong.” I viewed Janice and knew immediately that wasn't quite true.

  “She has sec
rets, Evie. Everyone has secrets.” My mom sounded like she was reminding me to do my homework or that if I didn't tuck my tooth under the pillow the fairy might not come.

  By the cuts and marks on Janice’s skin, I knew this was not my mother. This was the thing she became when she detached. I knew that thing well enough. I too became something in the heat of the moment.

  “Can I have one chance to try to talk to her?” I asked softly, staring into Janice’s eyes.

  Mom sighed. “Fine, I need to get some other tools anyway. These are really terrible instruments.” She hurried from the room, scolding Jack the moment she got out into the hallway. “You really ought to keep a better torture cell, young man. How is anyone meant to get answers with these? A corkscrew only goes so deep. You need wider instruments. Do you have any thin hose?”

  “Gross.” I shuddered and spoke to Coop, “Give us a moment?”

  He wanted to say no, I saw that, but he didn't. He motioned his head at the hall. “I’ll be right there.”

  When he closed the door I focused on Janice. “I am sorry. She doesn't trust anyone.”

  Janice started to shake and sob as tears streamed her face, clearing away some of the blood from her pale cheeks.

  “What have you told her?”

  When she didn't speak I sighed. “She is going to tell me everything you told her. That's how we work. So spill.”

  “No-nothing. Just that I knew why he wanted them.” She scrunched up her face and shook her head, but the words came out past her tight and trembling lips, “I knew about the Organization and their goal to save the planet from us. I didn't disagree with their manifesto. They came to me with their plan. Dr. Drusack, he said it would be simple. They-they would utilize it only on Third World Countries, already too far gone to fix, and lower the population and crowding. It is only a matter of time before the whole world explodes in sicknesses we cannot cure. The bubonic plague was back this year, in Colorado. They had an actual plague outbreak in Madagascar. The Ebola crisis isn’t over, and it isn’t near to being over, but they have stopped giving accounts of the scenes of rising death tolls in the news. It was making people sad. They were writing in to the newspapers and complaining.” She laughed and cried and made bubbles out of spit and blood as she dangled from the ceiling, barely touching the floor with her tiptoes.

  “And you agreed with the culling of the population?” She disgusted me. “There were children in those hospitals, and Saudi Arabia isn’t a Third World Country. It’s the largest oil source in the world. You see the difference, right? Who’s the next target? Western Canada? Very Third World there, let me tell you. All that free health care is horrid.”

  She laughed again. “What you’re saying is true. And I agree. I had no idea he would use it for evil. I thought he meant what he said: he would use it to free the people in terrible places, living under horrid circumstances. He lied to me.”

  “So you didn't program the nanorobots to bomb?”

  She shook her head. I believed her. But I’d also believed her when she looked so shocked.

  “Where is the research?”

  Again, she started to laugh.

  “Is there research or did you steal it?”

  Her eyes widened and the smile left her blood-coated lips. “It’s my bloody research! I wrote every bit of it!”

  I hobbled to the corner to an old wine bar and lifted myself gingerly onto it. It took effort I didn't really have but standing hurt more than anything. I sighed and struggled not to say the words I had to say, but it was no use. My mother didn't care about the research. “She’s going to kill you,” I warned. “It’s her way. You’ve been tortured and seen the castle and all our faces. She’s going to kill you, and your research will be found eventually by someone else, and they’ll take credit for it. If you tell me where it is, I will destroy it.”

  Her eyes filled with tears as the last shred of hope faded. “I won’t ever tell anyone what I’ve seen or said to you.”

  “Like you told Drusack you wouldn't tell anyone about his evil plan?”

  Her lower lip trembled. “I swear.”

  “She won’t believe you, she never does. She doesn't have compassion, and she doesn't care if the research is found. She has no loyalty to anyone but me. I am sorry though. When she starts peeling your skin off, I won’t be able to see you again. I can’t bear to see it.” I slumped and waited for my mother to return. Janice sobbed until she lost her footing, and from what I could tell by the screaming, she dislocated one of her shoulders. I didn't get up to lift her. I didn't move. I forced myself to hold tight to the wine bar, even to the point one of my nails broke.

  “There is no research!” she sputtered. “It’s all-all in my head!” she stated as she tried to get back on her tiptoes but slipped again in the blood and urine. Her feet slid on the stone floor. “No one will ever find it! I have it memorized! Catalogued! I do the work and burn or hide the evidence! I leave only the parts I need, the ones no one would be able to retrace my steps with!” She pleaded, “Please don't kill me!”

  Piss poured down her legs, and I knew she was telling the truth. She wasn't a hardened spy like the rest of us. She was a scientist. She had protected her baby for as long as she could. I slowly slid off the bar, grunting from the pain in my feet and ribs as I hobbled to the door. When I opened it, Coop stared at me with confusion. “What did you do to her?”

  “She slipped in the blood and piss, dislocated a shoulder. She’s telling the truth. The secrets will die with her.”

  He clenched his jaw and stared me down before pulling his pistol from the back of his jeans and handing it to me. He grabbed the magazine from his pocket and slapped it into my hand, squeezing me and maintaining eye contact. I took both and turned back for the room, closing the door. I shoved the mag into the gun and loaded it, taking the safety off.

  “Please!” Her dark eyes darted to the piece as she shook her head desperately. “I swear, there is no research. I used the lab Dr. Drusack built for me in that Bad-something place, but I never told him what I was doing, and I destroyed the machines I used. The notes in my apartment are decoys. I’ll never tell anyone anything.”

  I lifted the gun, not a single tremor in my hand, and placed my finger on the trigger. “I know you’ll never tell anyone, Janice. I’m sure of that.” I lifted the gun as she squeezed her eyes shut and screamed. I pulled the trigger, hitting the rope above her head, releasing her arms and letting her fall to the ground. She cried out in pain from the fall as I walked to her, my bloody feet stinging from her spit and blood and piss on the floor. I grabbed the arm that was okay and lifted her off the ground. “But now you are dead, you do not exist, and you can never leave this house. You will be part of our team. Agree to that or die. That's all there is.”

  “Okay.” She turned her head and vomited on the floor next to me as I dragged us both from the room.

  Coop looked even more confused as I hobbled the two of us out of there. “Janice will be needing a doctor, one who will not speak to her.”

  Coop shook his head but didn't say anything. I had to imagine it was my expression convincing him to stay silent. I handed him the Australian and leaned against the wall as my mother found her way back downstairs.

  “What the bloody hell is going on?”

  “She has never written it down. She has an eidetic memory, the same as Coop. She doesn't have research. She knows how to make nanorobots and she knows everything she needs, and when she was done building them for Drusack, she destroyed the work. She doesn't have a real lab dedicated solely to this or evidence anywhere. If we kill Drusack and destroy his house, no one will ever be the wiser. He used the bots he had. Maybe not all of them, but most of them. She has the methodology in her mind.”

  “This is a foolish notion, Evie. She has the ability to kill the world off with little effort and no detectability. No one would ever see her or her little monsters coming. She has the power to kill everything, Jules and Mitch, you and me. That is too m
uch for one person to have.”

  “Yes, but I fear the Burrow and their motives far more than her. We need her. Drusack is one of the Burrow and part of the Organization.”

  Mom nodded. “I know. This is exactly the one area your father and I disagree on. I would never work for the Burrow in the manner they want me to. I don't agree with population control. I don't agree with playing God. And they’re famous for believing they are helping the world. I knew it was only a matter of time before all those weapons and inventions would become a temptation.”

  “But you and everyone have said the Burrow is helping the world be free of the radical inventors and scientists who come up with ways for the Organization and their likes to misuse creations meant to heal the earth.”

  “That is true, my dear. That is what the Burrow has long been intended for. But the power is in the hands of old people, people like me. People who have lived their lives and seen how the world has changed. They’re old school and afraid. And now, in the last decades of their lives, they feel they have insight young people do not. They think differently than they used to. You have to remember this cache of weapons and brilliance has only ever been protected by one generation. Now that this generation is old, they do not quite feel the way they once did. And they are sitting on a mountain of possibilities. I knew this would happen.”

  “So we are back to destroying the Burrow?”

  “This has confirmed it for me, my love. Drusack is a founding father. He lived in Germany during the Second World War. He was a small boy watching as the German army led the Jews to camps. He witnessed the horrors and the pain and the chaos it all created. He was a German who suffered for no reason. No one ever considers the Germans who were just people of a country and had no say in what was done. But after the war everyone in Europe hated Germans. Everyone in the world hated them. His grandfather was a scientist, like him. He was forced to work for the Nazis. Vincent’s grandmother was taken to a concentration camp. She died there as a hostage, held as ransom to force his grandfather to work. No one ever considers the people of this great country who suffered under a madman and his dream team of torturers.” She exhaled deeply. “The point I am making is that if someone like Vincent Drusack can see the point in the Nazi propaganda, then it is time to destroy the Burrow and we need to do it fast.”