The CIA agent kicked with strength he didn’t think she had left. Mouth tight, Brody held on to the slippery ankle.
“Let go.”
Capturing her other ankle, he yanked. Stone landed on her butt with a jarring thud. Shoving her flat on her back, Brody crawled up her body, dodging punches. With a grunt, her shoulders came up and a powerful fist connected with his jaw twice. Not expecting such a hard punch, his head flew back, and pain shot through his body.
When he got to her chest, she kneed him in the groin. Bright red stars flashed before his eyes and he almost puked.
But she didn’t stop him. Nothing could because A.J.’s life depended on him taking her, and he’d do it, or die trying.
He buried his face between her breasts while she pummeled his back. Her hot breath brushed against his hair but she didn’t let up. Instead, her punches and jabs grew harder. Finally he lifted his head, and her fist connected with his cheekbone.
Damn that hurt. Grabbing her hands, he managed to straddle her. His full weight held her hips down. Raising his face, he took a lung full of air. He couldn’t see out of his left eye. The crazy woman had probably blinded him.
Brody had fought a lot of men in his career and on occasion had handled a few women, but not physically. In the fourteen years of action between being a Ranger and a Falcon agent, he’d never seen a woman put up a struggle like this. And here he’d never taken women agents seriously. This encounter had educated him the hard way. Stone complimented her gender.
He wanted to protect himself, not break bones. As he stood, he pulled her upright then turned back toward her house. Stone dug her feet in and refused to move. Out of patience, Brody yanked on her arms. Still she wouldn’t budge.
She kicked his knee backward and Brody went down. This time he brought her with him. She struggled to get free, and she had no honor in her efforts. Brody found himself dodging elbows, teeth, and very dangerous knees and feet.
The familiar taste of blood filled his mouth, and Brody spit.
“You son of a bitch, let me go.”
Brody’d had enough. He jumped to his feet and pulled out his 9mm. “I’m through fucking with you, lady. Get to your goddamn feet. Now!”
Chapter 3
Stone shoved the hair from her eyes and slowly stood. She brushed at her soiled nightshirt and bare skin, and then glared at him with a narrowed gaze.
Brody motioned with the gun for her to start walking. “If you don’t want to end up in the morgue, do what I tell you.”
“What choice do I have?” she tossed over her shoulder. “You’ll probably kill me anyway.”
“That’s not my intent. Whether you live or die depends entirely on you. Understand?”
“I get it.”
He guided them back the way they’d come from. When she turned toward the entrance, he shoved her in the direction of a waiting black SUV. “Get in.”
“You’re not even going to let me get dressed?”
“No need.”
She shook her head.
Guilt pricked his conscience, and for an instant Brody wished there could be another way, something besides kidnapping a CIA agent. None of this sat right, especially snatching a woman. However, she had been his immediate objective, and it had been accomplished. He had Kate Stone, CIA operative. Even if she was so sexy she had his body doing all kinds of weird things.
His task was to save A.J., and Stone was the only thing he had to bargain with. Brody cleared his throat and held the gun on her until she scooted to the passenger’s side. He’d carefully disabled the interior lights so nosey neighbors couldn’t witness anything.
Watching her closely, he flipped open the glove compartment and took out several zip ties. He gently secured her hands, and ankles then took a rope from the back floorboard and tied her to the seat. Once he had her secure he looked at her. “Just in case you try to jump out.”
He yanked down the seatbelt, draped it across her body, and clicked it into place. “Don’t want anything to happen to you.” Holstering the gun, he went around to the driver’s side, got in, and started the engine. That was another reason his ass would hang. Unauthorized use of a company vehicle. Oh well, if that’s all that happened, he’d be damn lucky.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
A glance at her trembling hands had guilt pecking at his conscience like a buzzard on a corpse. He didn’t want her scared, mad or helpless. That wasn’t his plan. But it was critical to this operation that she simply cooperated and let him get the job done.
Remorse moved his hand to cover hers. He stared into her pretty face. “I won’t hurt you. You aren’t the intended target. Just go with me for a while.”
When she turned to him, he didn’t need night-vision goggles to see the fierce anger and hate sparking from her black ice eyes.
“Go to hell!”
***
Kate wanted her freedom back, but the kidnapper had her tied up like a pig for roasting. What could this man possibly want with her? Where were they going and why? As the car engine fired to life, and pulled away from the curb, she had to find out.
“Who are you, and what agency do you work for?”
He glanced at her. In the dimness she made out light brown, almost blond hair, light-colored eyes, an unflattering nose, and a strong jaw line. Not handsome or remarkably unique, but certainly dangerous. After seeing his swollen eye, she hid a satisfied grin.
“You don’t need to know anything about me. What’s important is that you play it cool. If you do I’ll have you back to your comfy bed in a matter of hours.”
“Are you an American?” she asked.
He braked, turned, and stabbed her with a sharp look. “Hell, yes, I’m an American.” His features hardened from the insult.
“You’re not acting like one.” Kate tossed her head back to get the hair out of her face. “You’re putting your country and its people’s welfare in danger.”
“That’s not my plan, Stone. I’m trying to save a friend’s life.”
She scoffed. “Some friend.”
“That’s right. He is some friend. He’s my fellow agent and I’m getting him out of a hellhole alive no matter what I have to do.”
“Good. At least he’s worth you spending the rest of your life behind bars.” Kate had learned nothing from their conversation so far. The guy was a babbling idiot and didn’t make any sense at all. If he intended no harm then why not tell her what he planned to do?
“Damn right he is.”
Cars zoomed by as he turned on the headlights then headed down Central Drive toward the freeway. Inside the vehicle the scent of new car and leather surrounded her, signifying no expense had been spared on the automobile. By the way the vehicle moved, she guessed it was armor plated. Where would he get something like this?
When her abductor turned the air conditioner vents in her direction, Kate nearly sighed aloud with relief. Her body continued to sweat as adrenaline pumped through her veins, forcing her body to stay in the fight-or-flight mode.
She stared out at the dotted white line of the highway. “Where are we going?”
“You keep asking that, but all I’m saying is just down the road a little,” he replied.
When he left the residential area and exited onto Highway 183 heading west, Kate wiggled in the seat to find a comfortable position. Her feet burned, they had to be bleeding. Her right shoulder throbbed from an injury in their scuffle. Other than that, she’d be all right.
She was thirsty as hell, but that was to be expected. She didn’t often jump out of bed and run an all-out race for her life but she’d die before asking for water.
Her assailant hadn’t tied her up too tightly, and luckily her hands were in her lap.
Tugging against her restraints, Kate swallowed a lump of fear. Eventually she’d get around to mentally scolding herself for allowing someone to infiltrate her home. Being at the mercy of someone else was never a g
ood position. And it could be especially bad for a CIA agent who knew enough secrets to jeopardize the security of the country.
Her last assignment had been a nightmare, and Kate wondered if the guy next to her had anything to do with it, but quickly cast the thought aside. The operation had gone sour quicker than a politician could change his mind, and that not only angered her, but her superiors weren’t too pleased either. Two agents had been killed in Iraq, and two were captured.
She had been the lead agent on the assignment. She’d done the job to the best of her ability but they’d walked right into an ambush. Upon her return, Kate received some disturbing Intel she’d not felt safe enough to repeat. Mostly because she didn’t know whom to trust.
Since returning, there’d been rumors the agency was considering assigning her to a desk job until they evaluated her competency. So far they had taken a wait and see attitude. In the meantime she’d been working her sources to find out what had happened in Iraq.
Five years of hard work down the tubes in less than twenty minutes in the middle of hell. Kate blinked back angry tears. Thank God the helicopter had arrived in time to extract her and two other agents. Sadly, there was nothing they could do for the remaining four.
Still, the whole mission ran through her mind every night, and with the information she’d gathered, Kate suspected a setup. But by whom...and why?
The driver turned off the freeway and took 820 north, leaving the bright lights of the mid-cities behind. “If I’m going to be back in soon, at least tell me where you’re taking me.”
“I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
She had to reason with the guy before it was too late. “Listen,” she pleaded, trying to negotiate her way out of this mess. “You seem like a fairly levelheaded guy. And you know your stuff. You’re no amateur.”
His gaze pinned her, and a crooked smile tilted the left side of his mouth. “I’ve been flattered before, Stone.”
“You really need to reevaluate what you’re doing. If this is as harmless as you’ve obviously convinced yourself, why not talk it out? We’re both smart people. Whatever trouble you’re in, we can figure a way out together.”
“Nice try. But no.”
Anger cooked the blood in her veins. “Don’t be stupid. Kidnapping is federal. They’ll put you so far behind bars you’ll never see the sun.”
“God,” he said sharply, smacking his palm against the steering wheel. “I knew I forgot something.” He gave her a hard, annoyed glare. “The damn duct tape.”
Kate squared her shoulders. “Go to hell.”
“That’s affirmative.”
***
Brody didn’t want to be in this situation. In fact for the last two weeks, he’d considered every alternative other than abducting a federal agent. Perhaps his actions were inexcusable, and after this gig played out, when all the dust settled, his career would pretty much be over. Frank Hamilton, of Falcon Securities, would tear him a new asshole before tossing him out the door.
Neither his record as a damn good agent nor his experience, which had saved the day on countless missions would matter.
Hamilton did things by the book. His book. And Brody’s plan didn’t have a chapter.
If everything went according to plan, A.J. and Stone would be home tomorrow, safe and sound. Brody would face the fall out alone. But it would be worth it. A.J. would be out of that drug dealer’s hands, and the CIA agent only a little put out for her trouble.
A string of lights dotted the opposite side of the highway, and the full moon shone brightly. The tires hugged the road as Brody looked down at his watch. Right on time.
By all accounts, everything went like clockwork, except for Stone being a crazy CIA agent who wanted to kill his sorry ass.
He turned off 820 to I-35 and headed northeast. Two miles down the road he exited right and drove five miles before turning left onto a dirt road. He went another fifty meters and then stopped behind the other Falcon agency vehicle.
Steely eyed, Jake Taylor, another Falcon agent, got out and walked toward them. Brody didn’t want Kate to hear too much, so he exited the SUV and met his coconspirator in the middle of the road.
“You got her?” Jake asked, trying to see through the tinted windows. “She give you any trouble?”
“Hell yes, she did. She fights like a goddamned alligator,” Brody said, rolling his shoulder. “And meaner than a snake.”
“Told ya.”
Brody stepped closer and leaned his head back. “Is my eye black? Did she give me a black eye?”
Jake laughed. Of all the Falcon agents, Jake was the most easygoing and yet the most deadly. “She did.”
“Son of a bitch!”
“Let’s get going.”
Jake’s chuckle chimed in with the hum of insects, and a howling coyote in the distance. “The plane’s revved and ready to go.”
“I’ll get her and meet you there.”
“Make it fast. If you want us to stay off the radar and away from air patrols, we have to get moving.”
“I’ll catch up with you.”
Jake sprinted toward the twin-engine plane as Brody opened the passenger side of the car.
An owl hooted somberly through the mesquite trees, catching his attention. Looking around, Brody saw nothing out of the norm as the smell of dirt and exhaust filled his nose. “Okay, we’re almost done.”
He released her from the seat and cut the bonds on her legs, but he left her hands bound. Clasping her arm, he started toward the waiting plane. She limped a little but otherwise stayed with him.
When they got to the wire fence, Brody picked her up and placed her on the other side. He then stepped between the wires and they walked to the plane.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked for the millionth time. “At least tell me that.”
“Just a little trip over the Mexican border.”
“Why?”
Jake stuck his head out the tiny cockpit window. “Get a move on.”
Brody stepped up the pace, and when they reached the plane, he lifted her inside. He shoved her feet aside, and hopped on board. Sliding the door shut, he put his hands under her arms and lifted her into the seat. She moaned.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You hurt your shoulder?”
“No, you hurt my shoulder.”
That made him pause. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t hurt her. That he’d return her safely back home as if nothing had happened. “It wasn’t intentional,” he grumbled. “You could’ve made this a whole lot easier.”
“Oh really? I’m expected to make it easy for you to come into my home and kidnap me?”
“This isn’t really a kidnapping. I’m bringing you right back. All you’ll lose is a night’s sleep.”
“Really?” She tossed him a sour look of disgust.
The plane taxied down the remote, concrete runway and Brody let out a pent up breath when the small Cessna lifted into the air and wheels came up. He fastened her seatbelt, then climbed into the seat next to Jake and stared into the blackened sky. “I hope we make it in time. That crazy gang is capable of anything.”
“Let’s just hope Frank doesn’t shoot us when this is over.”
“I know. But I’ll cover for you, Jake. I’ll tell him I held a gun to your head.”
“Oh yeah, like he’d believe shit like that.”
“Maybe if all goes well, he’ll be so glad to see A.J. he’ll forget how it all came about.”
Jake shot him a disbelieving grin. “You’re shitting me, right? We got an ass kicking coming no matter what happens.”
“I know,” Brody replied. He stared out at the window and thought of his friend A.J. Was he still be alive? Were they torturing him? Not knowing frightened the living hell out of Brody and made day-to-day existence impossible.
Then of course, there was Kate Stone. Taking her hostage and bartering with her life to save A.J. was going to cost him big time. However, he had no intentions of letti
ng Chavez near her. She was just the carrot to entice an asshole.
Hopefully, Frank would look at it the same way.
“Anyone mind telling me where we’re going?” Stone asked from the backseat “I have a right to know.”
“Taking you to meet up with an old friend. You two can celebrate and catch up on old times.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You will.”
Chapter 4
Kate clamped her hands between her knees to keep from shaking. Her stomach knotted and her muscles twitched. She nibbled her bottom lip as she tried to figure out why she’d been kidnapped. Where were they taking her? What were their intentions? All things considered, her situation didn’t look good.
She fought the urge to open the cabin door and jump. For all she knew they’d use her and then have no reason to keep her alive. Plus, she’d seen their faces. She could identity her abductors. That wasn’t a good indication a hostage would be released in the end.
The direction of the plane told her they were headed south toward Mexico. When they crossed the border, things might get more complicated, especially since she no longer had contacts in that region of the world.
Again she’d give anything for her cell phone or some way to reach the agency to let them know she’d been abducted. Perhaps they’d help get her out of this mess. She was, however, reluctant to call in the big dogs since coming back from Iraq.
The horror of her last mission didn’t come close to her present position. Yet, she hadn’t asked for this. Whoever this guy was, he definitely had a plan, and expected her to play a big part in it. She only hoped he’d thought this through carefully and told the truth when he said no one would get hurt.
Despite the pain in her feet and the discomfort of having her hands tied, Kate rolled her shoulders then winced and tried to relax. While she had a period of forced inactivity, perhaps she could regain her composure.
Completely in the dark about the mission, Kate hoped for the best and waited for the unexpected. God willing, they’d all walk away from this in one piece.
Over the roar of the Cessna, Kate heard bits and pieces of the men’s conversation. Their body language indicated the pilot wasn't as keen on the idea of the abduction as her captor.
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