“Henry.” Saying his name left a sour taste on her tongue. “Are you ready?” she asked, a bite to her voice.
He looked up at her with weary eyes and a sullen face. “Yes.”
She sat across from him and analyzed the materials before them. “Why didn’t you run sooner? Why did you wait until the formula was complete?”
“Focus,” the agent snapped. He adjusted his shoulder strap, which housed his gun.
Sweat trickled down the side of Henry’s face. The blood had been scrubbed from his body, and only the marks of violence remained. “Hand me the chloride,” Henry said with a booming voice, offering the guards evidence of their work.
There was no chloride. Henry knew that, but clearly they were acting like they were following orders. She grabbed a clear vial of liquid and handed it over to him. He was staring down at the counter in a daze.
“I told you I was weak. I thought I was helping the country, and why not make some money while doing it?” he whispered, before adding, loudly, “and I need the empty flask.”
“I don’t buy it,” she muttered under her breath while searching through a box of empty flasks and test tubes. Ava glanced over at the guard and was surprised to see him leaving the room. But she knew they weren’t really alone. Her gaze darted to the camera above the door for a brief moment before she turned her attention back to Henry.
“Greed was the trigger, but then I regretted it.”
She shook her head and studied the chemicals they had—could she make some sort of gas to knock the guards out? Probably . . . but there was a risk that they could still get killed in the process of trying to escape. She’d have to save that as a last resort.
“And they told me they’d help me find my sister,” Henry mumbled.
Her brows quirked in surprise, and she gaped at him.
“They said they knew where she was. She dropped off the radar fifteen years ago.”
Yeah, because she’s in the freaking group that scammed you. “They told you they could find her? And you believed them?”
“They showed me pictures,” he whispered as he poured liquid into a flask, the contents of which began to bubble. They were doing absolutely nothing related to the chemical weapon, just buying themselves time to talk while the agents probably watched the camera feeds outside the room. “All these years I thought she was dead,” he said so low she almost didn’t hear him. He released a ragged breath. “What do you know about my sister? You and Ted were talking about her yesterday—and her son?” He shook his head in disbelief. “My sister has a son?”
Thankful her back was to the camera, she mouthed, “Sophia works for them.”
Henry’s brows snapped together. Disbelief clouded his eyes as his trembling hand set down the flask he had been holding. He massaged his temples for a moment before speaking. “I don’t understand—”
“Cameras, remember,” she whispered, reminding him to keep his voice down. “You should never have taken on this project, but if you didn’t—someone else would’ve, and maybe they’d have been more compliant.”
She could see the frustration in his eyes. He obviously wanted to learn more about his sister, and the nephew he didn’t know about, but instead he replied, “What’s the plan? We can’t keep stalling. They want the formula.”
“That doesn’t mean we have to make the right one.”
Before Henry had a chance to respond, the door to the room opened and in Ted walked, dressed in military fatigues and a black, tight-fitting T-shirt. Another agent followed him and shut the door behind them.
“We’re working on it,” Ava said, assuming Ted would ask.
His face was tight and his lips drawn in a straight line. He approached them, hands behind his back, and he cocked his head, studying Ava with distrust painted in every line of his face.
Ava dug up the courage deep inside her to confront the beast of a man. She wanted answers. The truth. And if she escaped, she wanted information to help bring the bastard down. “If I’m going to do this, I want to know why. And I don’t want you throwing the pay grade B.S. in my face. You’re going to kill me anyway. If you want me to work with a clear mind, then tell me the truth.” She had to be careful not to mention how much she already knew because she’d betray the fact that Sophia had come to her in warning.
Ted cracked his knuckles and smoothed a hand over his shaven jaw. For some reason, it bothered her that the asshole had taken the time to shave, given all that he’d put her through.
“Ava,” Henry cautioned.
“You’re not what I expected, Miss Daniels.” He folded his arms and leaned his hip against the neighboring lab counter. “Could’ve used a woman like you in the agency.”
She ignored his comment. “Just give me answers, and I’ll work quicker,” she lied. She folded her arms across her chest, squeezing into oblivion the nerdy girl who had held her back so long.
“Ava, my dear, you couldn’t possibly understand.” His words were surprisingly soft. He glanced over at Henry, who was toying with a few burners and prepping chemicals, acting as though he were doing something high level when in reality he was performing a combination that a student would make in chemistry class.
Ted pushed away from the counter and moved toward Ava. His long fingers touched her shoulder, and she flinched, moving back and bumping into the lab counter, almost spilling a rack of chemicals. “Our current administration has gone soft. The president wants to shut us down—thinks there’s no need for our agency anymore—that Homeland can handle everything.” He snuffed out his laugh as he placed his free hand on her other shoulder, boxing her into a space that was way too small.
“So you’re giving the president a reason to think you’re necessary?” She could almost see the shock in her eyes from the glimmer of reflection in his pupils.
“We are necessary,” he bit out.
He was insane. And Aiden had been right. The people at the mosque were innocent pawns in the corrupt game of political power and domination.
“I’m not all bad,” he said, dropping his hands from her shoulders and placing them in his pockets.
She sank back down on her stool, feeling somewhat better with a few feet of distance between her and the madman.
“I don’t want to kill anyone, which is why I want the antidote on hand. When the chemical contaminates the drinking water in D.C., and people get sick, they’ll have some time until they die, right?” He turned toward her, awaiting an answer.
She did the sick calculation in her head. Considering the chemicals used—a day, maybe . . . it depended on the level of concentration. “Twenty-four hours or less,” she responded as repulsion colored her cheeks.
“So, we’ll have plenty of time to save the day. No one needs to be permanently harmed.”
“And you think the president will just change his mind and keep your agency running?” God, she was going to throw up.
“Yes,” he answered with obvious confidence.
“You’re crazy.”
“What do you think, Henry? You’ve been silent in all of this. You took on the job for the money and to find your sister—”
“Which you lied to me about. You had no intention of ever helping me find her.”
Ava noticed the shudder in Henry’s hands as he set down a beaker and focused his green eyes on Ted. For the first time, she saw the anger exploding inside him, and she worried what he’d say.
“Does my sister know about this? What you’re doing?” He pressed his palms on the counter.
Shit. She blinked a few times, staring at the veins in Henry’s hands, trying to figure out what to say or do. Could the man never keep a secret?
“What are you talking about?” Ted cocked his head and rested his hand in a casual manner on the butt of his gun.
Henry moved away from the bench and approached Ted, hands balled into fists at his sides. She’d wanted him to rise up and lose his cowardliness, but not right now. Not like this.
“Henry, please
.” Ava hung her head low in defeat.
“Was it her idea to show me her pictures, to entice me to work for you guys by offering me the hope of finding her?”
Ted reached his hand back and slammed his fist into the side of Henry’s skull. It all happened so fast, and Ava hadn’t a chance to react. She watched in horror as Henry fell to the ground, his eyes wide open as his body shriveled against the concrete.
Fangs and claws that Ava had never known she had begged to be unleashed, to rip apart the man standing before her. The traitorous man. She leaped off the stool and started to move toward Henry, but Ted shoved her away. His large paw of a hand reached out and gripped her chin. “Who have you been talking to? I know the Irishman didn’t tell you this. I know that he doesn’t know about—”
The opening of the door shifted Ted’s attention momentarily, but he didn’t lose his grip on her face.
Her mind raced for an explanation to offer Ted, one that wouldn’t also get Sophia killed.
“Boss, Doug just pulled up,” the man at the door said as his eyes shifted toward Ava. “He has Aiden.”
Ava could barely see the agent. She was too focused on the pressure in her jaw as Ted squeezed her face. “No,” she cried out. No, they can’t have Aiden. No, God, please.
“How motivated are you to complete your assignment as quickly as possible? He will die, no matter what. But it’s up to you how painful it will be.” His voice was laced with an unbearable iciness—the kind so cold that it actually feels hot to touch.
“But how can you kill Sophia’s son and brother?” she accused. “She works with you.” Her eyes caught sight of Henry as he scrambled to get off the floor.
Ted jerked his hand away from Ava and took a cautious step back. She could almost see his brain working, shifting like the gears of an old clock.
A smile skirted his lips. “Where’s Sophia?” he asked one of the agents who was standing in the doorframe.
The agent shrugged.
“I thought I told you guys to keep tabs on her.” Ted moved toward the door, and the agent took a step back, clearly intimidated.
“I’m sure someone here knows,” the agent was quick to respond and hurried out the door.
Ava watched as Henry made his way to his feet. A new gash on his face had caused a steady stream of blood to streak down the side of his neck, staining his T-shirt. “How are we supposed to complete the task when Henry can’t even see,” she accused.
Henry held a hand over his wound and squinted in Ted’s direction. “I’m not helping you. I’ve changed my mind.”
Ted reached for his sidearm in one swift movement. “Not for Ava?” he asked while pointing the gun at her.
Ava gave Henry the nod, appraising his decision to stand up to Ted. But at the same time, she also knew that Ted could find someone else to mix the chemicals, now that they had the equation.
“I don’t need the antidote for my plan to work. If people die from an attack, the president will realize his mistake in closing us down.” Ted cocked his gun. Safety removed. His eyes were laser focused on Henry, but his gun was trained on Ava.
She kept her arms at her side, trying not to show weakness.
“Believe it or not, I don’t want to kill Americans, but, in the long run, it’s for the good of the country. If I have to make martyrs out of some for the sake of the nation, then so be it.”
“Okay.” The word slipped from Henry’s mouth with obvious unease.
Ted lowered his gun. “Bring Aiden in here.”
The agent left the room and shut the door behind him.
“Who is Aiden? Is he Sophia’s son?” Henry asked, directing his question to Ted. He held his bloody hand out in front of him and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Yes. Aiden’s your nephew,” Ava responded in a low and pained voice when it was clear Ted had no intention of answering.
Ted grinned as Henry sank to his knees in obvious shock. “Damn man was a thorn in my side. I didn’t kill him because I respected Sophia. But it looks like Sophia is a traitorous bitch. I should’ve followed my instincts and put a bullet between Aiden’s eyes six months ago.”
Ava wondered what had happened to Ted to shape him into the murderous man he was today. At some point, he had to have been good, right?
“It’s sad, really.” She sighed as she kneeled on the floor near Henry. She pressed her hand on his shoulder but steadied her eyes on Ted. “I bet you once were a patriot. A hero, even.”
Ted rolled his eyes at her and shoved his gun back in the holster before clipping it in. “I am a patriot. And if you’d just done your job to begin with, you’d be one too.”
She almost laughed. “No. I was always a loose end to you. I was always dead.”
Before he had a chance to speak, the door opened, and Ava’s breath caught in her throat. A figure stumbled in, a black bag over his head; behind him, holding his wrists, was a man she knew. The man from the train. He had helped her to a cab in the rain. Shock seized hold of her body as his gray eyes focused on hers for a brief moment. He shoved the black-bagged figure to the ground, gripping his gun and training it down.
Was that Aiden on the floor? The agent had said it was. She gulped as she studied the figure. It couldn’t be. The frame of the person was much too lithe. Not nearly tall enough. Or maybe she was just fooling herself, and hope had blinded her.
“Doug?” Ted started for his gun as if he’d just drawn the same conclusion as Ava.
“I wouldn’t do that, Ted.” The person on the floor ripped the bag from her head as Doug aimed his weapon at Ted.
Holy shit. Sophia freaking Davidson. Ava’s mouth dropped open, and she gripped Henry’s shoulder.
Was this her miracle?
Sophia was on her feet with her gun drawn and focused on Ted, but Ted’s gun was steadied and aimed right back at her.
“I have six men out there. You don’t actually think you can get away with this, do you?” Ted’s knuckles whitened as he held his gun. “Why are you betraying me?”
Sophia’s attention dipped down to the floor, taking note of Ava and Henry before drifting back up to Ted. “You betrayed me. Betrayed our country.”
“I knew you’d gone soft, but I never thought you’d do this. And Doug—I thought I could trust you.” Ted shook his head. “Pathetic.”
“Drop your gun,” Sophia ordered. “It’s over. Your plan’s not going to happen. I won’t let it.”
“Shoot me, Sophia. That’s the only way you can stop me.”
Ava’s eyes darted back and forth between Sophia and Ted. Ted was standing in front of her and Henry, and she wondered if she and Henry would be caught in the crossfire. Henry gripped her arm, struggling to see out of his swollen eyes.
“Please, don’t make me do this, Ted. You weren’t always like this. We’ve saved lives. What we’ve done matters. But it’s over. The funding’s been pulled. It’s time to call it quits.”
“The country needs us, Sophia. I knew you would never agree to my plan. I apologize for not including you, but—”
Her brows shot up in surprise. “Apologize?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Apologize for what? Using my brother? Getting seven innocent people arrested? Violating world treaties? Preparing to launch a chemical attack?” Her shoulders were visibly shaking—not from fear, Ava could tell. From pure hatred. “And what about my son? Do you apologize for executing a plan to kill him?”
“I have to put the country first. Feelings second.”
“You have no feelings,” Ava interrupted.
The door to the room pushed open, and Ava saw the shapes of men she knew—the agents that had been standing guard outside. She ducked down as the scrambling of footsteps reached the doorway.
She tried to remember the prayer she’d learned when she was young. The prayer one says at the moment before death.
The sounds of gunfire echoed in her ears as she crouched low, gripping Henry. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to remember the prayer, knowi
ng a bullet would pierce her flesh at any moment, snuff out her life for good.
And then the noise stopped.
And the fact that she could hear meant she was still alive. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Gun smoke swirled around in the air above her head. “Henry?” she called. “Sophia?”
“Yeah.” Henry commenced a hacking cough.
“Ava?”
The sound of Sophia’s voice was the sweetest she’d ever heard. There was a hand on her arm, and someone was pulling her up. It was the man from the train. The man known as Doug. “You,” she muttered.
“Are you all right?” he asked with his brows pinched together.
“Yeah,” she replied, feeling breathless.
“Ava. Henry. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”
Ava looked down at Sophia, who was on the floor, pressing her knee into Ted’s back as she tied his hands together.
Once the smoke cleared from the room, Ava watched in awe as Sophia and Doug moved around, tying up Ted’s men. All were injured, but no one was dead. It was an impressive feat, given the deafening sound of war that had passed as she sat hunched on the ground.
“Are you okay?” When all the men were tied up and no longer a threat, Sophia approached Ava and rested a hand on her shoulder.
“Your brother needs help,” Ava said. Henry was still sitting on the floor.
“Is that really you?” he asked. He struggled to open his one good eye.
“You’re hurt,” Ava said to Doug. Blood was trickling from the side of his face and down his right arm.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” He rested his hand on her shoulder before averting his focus to Sophia. “I don’t mean to rush you, but Homeland Security will be here any minute.”
“Is Aiden okay? They never got him, did they?” Worry caught in her throat so that she could hardly choke out her questions.
Sophia helped Henry to his feet and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, supporting the weight of his body. “No, he’s fine. When they contacted Doug to retrieve Aiden, Doug called me. Finally, we knew where you were.” She released a weary breath.
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