Zack (In the Company of Snipers Book 3)

by Irish Winters

  Zack pulled her off the ground, his lips pressed harder to hers. He hadn’t planned to kiss her, but she needed to be kissed–to be loved. It felt right. Mei kissed him back, her arms tight around his neck and her feet no longer touching the sidewalk. A soft, sad sound escaped deep from within her throat. This woman needed so much more than one kiss.

  Her tongue skimmed his lips, and he let her enter, another pleasant surprise that just possibly she might want him the way he was beginning to want her. The busy city fell away. One minute they were kissing, the next she was hammering his mouth, demanding more, her tongue pushing against his with rampant hunger. Their teeth collided. She laced her fingers around his ears, pulling him into her and biting his lower lip. It seemed she poured all her loneliness and pain into her kiss, like if she gave it away she could be strong again.

  A ragged moan lifted out of her. He let her win, let her take what she needed. The ferocious fire of her hunger roared through him. The memories of all those other chicks in his life vanished in the heat and passion of this one real woman. At last she pulled back, panting into his still open mouth, breathless with the daring thing she’d done, her fingers clutching his collar.

  Dark eyes sought his. Regret flickered. Anger, too. He prepared for a slap. It didn’t come. Instead, she burrowed under his chin, breathing hard, and he let her. This fierce, mean woman was in his arms, trembling, her heart pounding against him like it belonged to a scared little girl. Her slender body hugged into him. His fingers traced the sharp edges of her spine and shoulder blades. Alex was right. Mei was starving, and not just for food.

  “I like this,” he whispered, his own heart pounding a noisy beat. She wasn’t the only one who was scared. He’d overstepped the invisible line between agent and client, and he’d done it with the Wicked Witch of the West.

  She didn’t speak, and he was glad. There were no words for the tender moment. Like a happily married couple, they stood there in each other’s arms. He absorbed the feeling that had sprung up between them, stroking her cheek when he pushed a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. She had delicate ears, a soft curl of skin that looked more like fine bone china beneath his rugged fingertip.

  When she lifted her face, Mei searched his with wondering eyes, and he couldn’t look away. Heck. He could barely breathe until she took a step back.

  “There. Was that good enough, Agent Lennox? Do you think we fooled them?” She nodded sideways in the direction of the Lincoln.

  She couldn’t have hit harder if she’d punched him square in the solar plexus. He actually felt dizzy. He’d kissed–Hagatha.

  “Let’s get it over with. I have work to do.” With one hand still in the center of his chest, she pushed away.

  “Wow,” Todd breathed in his ear. “Were you and Ms. Xing—?”

  “Shut up,” Zack growled.

  “No, I was going to say, good plan. You sure fooled—”

  “Drop it!” Zack snapped his earpiece off. He followed his wife in a daze, trying to catch his breath and his equilibrium, only now he had to deal with the fact that Todd and David had heard and probably seen them. The operation just kept getting better and better. He began to seriously consider a divorce in his immediate future.

  Mei didn’t speak as she passed through the aisles of the store, and she didn’t smile. Neither did he. He couldn’t, not with his heart stuck in his throat like it was. The kiss had singed a heated spike straight through to his soul. It still burned.

  He watched her, though. Pretending to be happy while walking through a baby boutique was hard work for a mother with a missing child. Her fingers skimmed the rail of a pink baby bed occupied by a fluffy teddy bear. For a second, she faltered. Her lips tightened, and he wanted her back in his arms. Mean as she was, she was hurting, bleeding from a hole so deep she truly had nothing to offer the world but pain and anger.

  Wordlessly, he went to her side and secured her trembling body under his arm. She could hate him; she could hurt him. He wouldn’t let her fall apart. “Let’s go.”

  “Yes,” she said quietly, all her bravado drained and her energy with it.

  They left the store the same way they entered, together, but very much alone. He opened the car door for her. Pretending to tie his shoelace, he scanned the street for the Lincoln. It had moved and was parked half a block ahead of them on the other side of the street.

  He discreetly activated his earpiece again. “Anything?”

  “The car is registered to a Mr. Robert Smith. He reported it stolen two nights ago.”

  “You call the police?”

  “Waiting on your say so.”

  “Do it. Let’s give this joker something to think about.”

  “Will do,” Todd replied.

  “Thanks, Todd.”

  “No problem. See you back at the office.”

  Zack rounded his car, glancing at the Lincoln. Darkly tinted windows made it impossible to see how many people were in there. Who were they watching, him or her?

  “How about we grab something for lunch before we head back?” Zack asked as he pulled away from the curb and drove past the Lincoln. “I know a sushi bar if you’d like.”

  “Okay.” Her voice was very soft in the quiet car.

  He sucked in a big breath to apologize. “Hey, listen. I’m sorry, Mei. I was out of line. I got caught up in the moment, and—”

  “Forget it.”

  “No, really. I’m sorry.” He rested his hand on her arm.

  She brushed him off. “Drop it.”

  “Where is he?”

  Mother looked up from her computer screen. “Who? Alex?”

  “Yes, of course I mean Mr. Stewart,” Mei hissed. Agent Tao wasn’t anywhere in sight. Who else would she want around this place? She glanced into the work bay with its black granite counters, polished steel trim, and leather office chairs. Even at work, these people lived better than she did.

  “He had a meeting with the Interpol Director.” Mother glanced at Agent Lennox. “What do you need? Can I help?”

  “I need a quiet place to work,” she snapped. “Is anyone in the Sit Room?”

  Mother shook her head. “It’s all yours.”

  “Do you need anything?” Agent Lennox offered.

  Why was he still here? Didn’t he get the hint? She’d certainly given him enough.

  “I need my laptop. I left it with your boss.”

  “He figured you might need it.” Mother lifted the laptop up to her counter. “Here it is.”

  “Thanks.” Mei slid it over the edge and turned toward the Sit Room. She had work to do, and she needed time to think. Time was running out. LiLi was still missing, and darn it, Agent Lennox was standing there, his eyes boring through her every defense. How did he look right through her like that? The man was annoying.

  “What?” She bit his head off again. “What do you want now?”

  His eyes flashed, but he stepped back just like she knew he would. Men didn’t stand up to an alpha female. As kind as he’d tried to be, that’s all he was, another weak, spineless—

  No. She couldn’t finish the rant. Nothing spinning around in her head was true, not when it came to Agent Lennox. He might not engage in verbal abuse when she taunted him, but he wasn’t like Christopher at all.

  She stormed off to the Sit Room and shut the door behind her. Taking the first empty chair at the table, she fired up last year’s Christmas present from her boss at the car dealership. His banner year in sales had translated to a bonus for her–a MacBook Pro, and about the only friend she had left.

  Her stomach hurt from eating too much, but all the western-style sushi filled with raw Alaskan salmon, cucumber, onion, and avocado tasted delicious, and having actual food in her stomach felt good for a change. Agent Lennox must have known she was hungry. He’d played her like a fool, somehow figuring out that sushi was her one culinary weakness. Unfair!

  It didn’t help when he ordered tempura shrimp and salmon sashimi that melted in her mouth. She
was so hungry, she couldn’t stop stuffing her face, but now she was ashamed. Had LiLi eaten at all today? Was she even warm?

  Mei brought up the website on Attorney Richards again, but instead saw the tender look in Agent Lennox’s eye when he’d kissed her. He might have initiated it, but she ended up being the one who’d all but assaulted him. She couldn’t help that either. The gentleness he’d offered filled the aching hole she’d carried since Christopher had deserted her at the first hint of morning sickness. Not until Agent Lennox lifted her into his arms did her starving self take over, and like the sushi, she couldn’t stop. The hungry beast within had come roaring out to devour everything in its path. Him.

  Poor Agent Lennox. Poor LiLi. Poor me.

  She slapped the laptop cover closed and buried her face in her arms on top of it. Agent Lennox wasn’t in the room, and yet he was. Why now? Why him? It made no sense. She was on the most desperate hunt of her life. The last thing she needed was a distraction so strong, an attraction this fierce.

  The door cracked open and a red-haired man peeked inside. Mei straightened and brushed her emotions off her face. “What do you want?”

  “Ah, ma’am,” he said politely. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, but I made some fresh coffee. Would you like a cup? I can bring it to you.”

  “No, thanks.” She shook her head, but changed her mind. “On second thought, yes. I could use some coffee.”

  “We’ve also got tea, juice, or milk.” He took a step into the room. “I’d be glad to run out and get you something to eat if you’re hungry.”

  “Coffee will be fine,” she insisted.

  He returned in two seconds flat with a tray filled with a big mug of coffee, creamer, sweetener, a plastic spoon and a small plate of pumpkin cookies. “Here you go,” he said. “Thought you might like a snack about now.”

  “You didn’t have to do this,” she said, surprised he was thoughtful.

  “This?” He raised his brows. “It’s is just me being friendly. Don’t think twice. I’m Todd Chandler by the way.” He placed a napkin beside her cup and the cookies alongside her laptop. “I was with David in the surveillance van. ’Sides, I get hungry when I’m undercover. That was a tough thing you did today. I imagine you’re starved.”

  “Not really. We stopped for lunch on the way back.”

  “You did?” Todd did have a charming smile. Mischievous green eyes smiled too. “It’s good to know old man Zack remembered how to treat a lady.”

  She didn’t respond, just sipped her black coffee and let the warmth of it soothe her rattled nerves. Agent Lennox did know how to treat a lady. That was the problem.

  “He’s worried about you.” Todd lingered at the door. “Thought you might want to know.”

  Mei heard what Todd really meant to say. He’d overhead her snap at Agent Lennox, and thought he needed to run interference. That’s all. That’s what men did. They covered for each other.

  “He’d die before he let anything happen to you. Hope you know that, too.” Todd shut the door and left her alone with the very unsettling thought.

  She didn’t see that one coming. Agent Lennox would die for me?

  FOURTEEN

  “What are you gals up to?” Zack had to ask. Mother looked like she was in a trance after her less than friendly encounter with Mei. Ms. Xing remained hidden away in her self-imposed dungeon, the Sit Room. Just as well. He leaned back in one of Mother’s many extra chairs, folded his hands behind his head, and relaxed for the first time all day.

  “We’re playing the game David found. Black Dragon Conquest,” Mother answered without looking up. “It’s sick, and I don’t mean sick in a cool way. Whoever wrote the file format for the game has one disgusting, twisted mind.”

  Ember glanced at him. “You know how in most games you get to kill monsters and minions of the evil overlord? Well, in this game you’re not the hero; you’re are the minions of the beast. You hunt children. I’m at the twenty-second level. I’m rich. I’ve got over eight million yuan,” she shrugged, “but I feel really creepy.”

  “No,” Mother murmured. “This game’s not about fun. I’m leaning toward a different approach. I’m thinking we need to stop playing and take a look behind the scenes of the game.”

  Ember arched a mischievous brow at Zack. “Oh, oh. That means compilers and debuggers. You might not want to hang around for this part.”

  Mother turned to him, a determined glint in her blue eyes. “There isn’t a game on the planet I can’t break.”

  “Hold up. Before you start disassembling and decoding, can I join you for a minute?” Todd asked. “Hi, Ember. She’s got you playing, too?”

  Zack caught the shy look Ember shot Todd, and the way she made room for him to pull a chair alongside hers. Hmm. Mother might be right. Something was up between these two kids.

  “Boss treating you any better?” Mother asked.

  Todd scowled his answer.

  “That’ll pass. Don’t let him get to you.” Zack chuckled. “He’s hard on new recruits.”

  “Why? I’m not some FNG. I was Army, like old man Murphy. I’ve done my time.”

  Zack grunted. “Might be good if you don’t keep reminding him you’re a pansy-assed Ranger for one thing.”

  “What? You telling me to embrace the suck?” Todd grumbled. “That’s all I do around this place. He looks right through me.”

  “Don’t matter. Either way, you’ve got to prove yourself first. That’s the way the Boss is. Until he sees you in action, you’re just a wannabe on his payroll. Might as well be a fobbit.”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Mother demanded. “Is it more of the military speak no one else gets?”

  “Just guy talk.” Zack smirked. “A fobbit’s a Ranger who plays it safe and never leaves his forward operating base. You know, like a rabbit too scared to come out of his hole in the ground.”

  Todd shook his head instead of answering.

  “And FNG is, umm, just the latest new guy in the squad. It’s not a compliment,” Ember grinned. “You know how it is. They might all be soldiers, but each service thinks it’s better than the rest.”

  “Cuz we are.” Zack snorted. “Ask the boss. He’ll tell you.”

  Ember thumped his bicep with the clenched point of her knuckles. Hard. “You Marines. All the same.”

  “And your point would be?” Zack glowered. His intimidation factor would’ve worked if he and Ember hadn’t known each other for years. The day he worried her was long gone. True, Alex tended to hire more Marines than snipers from other services, but again, that’s just the way the guy was. When it really came down to it, he was looking for certain kinds of men, their choice of military branch aside. Murphy, Harley, and Todd were Army. Ember, Navy. The only one not associated with a branch of service was Mother. And of course, Zack was a Marine through and through. A big ‘Oorah’ echoed in his head. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Oorah!

  “Right now I just want to keep my job,” Todd muttered.

  “Then break this darn game,” Mother said. “That’ll make him take notice.”

  “Think I just did. Look at this.” Todd pointed to the maze of tunnels Mother’s video character had just entered. “Make your scary dude bump into this wall. Right here. See?”

  “Why?”

  “Easter eggs, Mother. I found Easter eggs hidden in the game.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Way cool.”

  “Wait. What the heck are Easter eggs?” Zack pulled a stool into Mother’s workspace and joined them. He’d played a few video games in his time, but no way was he as sharp as these addicted gamers.

  “You Marines wouldn’t understand,” Ember teased, leaning away from Zack’s hefty fist aimed at her bicep. “Ouch. Don’t hit me,” she giggled, rubbing her arm despite the fact he’d never made contact. “Okay. I give. Easter eggs are hidden rewards. They might allow a player to jump ahead in the game, rack up points, or find clues. Stuff like that.”

  “But they also e
xpose data and coding,” Mother said. “Every game’s got vulnerabilities. The key is knowing how to compromise and use those weaknesses so no one knows you’ve been inside their event decisions.” She winked at Zack. “It’s kinda like politics.”

  He had to smile. Mother was the consummate gamer, online and off.

  “Yeah,” Todd said. “It’s fun when you’re playing a fun game, but this one is just plain scary, and it’s in Chinese. I can’t figure some of it out.”

  “David can translate.” Mother reached for her phone and dialed the senior agent.

  Zack made room for David at the terminal. Before long, more and more agents stopped by to watch.

  Mother turned to explain. “The hero in this game is named Jiāng-shī.”

  “Which is Chinese for zombie,” David said quietly, “and zombies deal in death. The creature sucks the life force out of anyone he encounters.”

  “What’s the matter with you?” Mother glanced over her shoulder at him “You sick or something? You’re awfully quiet.”

  He scrubbed his face with one hand. “It’s this game. It’s evil.”

  “Maybe I can help.” Todd took over Mother’s joystick. “Watch this.”

  Zack and David leaned into the screen while Todd moved the zombie hero through one cavern after another with its basket of eleven little gingerbread-type cookies.

  “What are those supposed to be?” Zack pointed at the basket.

  “Children,” David said tiredly. “Jiāng-shī’s mission is to deliver these eleven children, more if he can acquire them while he is inside the cavern.”

  “Where’s he taking them?”

  “I still don’t know,” David sighed.

  “Right. We haven’t gotten far enough in the game. All we’re doing is raking up points and winnings,” Ember said.