by S. E. Smith
He buried his face in her neck, holding her tightly against his taut length. “I can’t deal with them looking at you like that right now and I definitely can’t deal with you looking back, even in curiosity. I’m terrified of losing you, Terra. You should be back on your world with your mom and Tilly and the others, not in the middle of a firefight that is guaranteed to be nasty,” he said hoarsely, pulling back to look back down at her. “I can’t stand the thought that something could happen to you.”
Terra pressed her lips briefly against his. “Then think about what we are going to do when this is over. Think only of being safe so we can try to make that baby you promised me. Think of settling your mother into my world. Think only about staying safe for me. I will not come in until it is safe. I have promised you that. RITA will let me know what is going on. She will monitor the sensors that you deploy. I will be there if you need me, to help remove your mother and provide medical attention.”
“You promise?” Cosmos asked as indecision scorched his insides.
“I promise to remain safe until I am needed,” Terra said. “Believe it or not, Mak did a very good job of training me to defend myself. I am also stronger and faster than you.”
“Really?” Cosmos said skeptically.
Terra grinned and moved so fast Cosmos was left startled as he felt his feet leave the ground where they had been standing by the door. His breath left him when he found himself lying on his back in the middle of his bed with Terra straddling him. He was still trying to catch his breath as she leaned over him.
“Really,” she assured him.
“Damn!” Cosmos muttered. “When were you going to tell me you could do that?”
“On our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary,” she responded leaning over him and brushing a kiss tenderly across his lips. “Tilly said men get intimidated by women who are stronger than they are until they have more confidence in their relationship.”
Cosmos slid his hands up under Terra’s arms and rolled suddenly so that she was lying under him. “I think I’ll take my chances,” he murmured sealing his lips over hers.
Neither one heard the knock on the door or it slowly opening. Jason poked his head inside and shook his head. He hated breaking the two love birds up but time was short. RITA had informed him a few seconds before that the warehouse was surrounded. Unless they wanted to risk civilians getting hurt, they needed to get their plan moving.
“Uh, Cosmos. I hate to break this up but we need to get our asses in gear,” Jason called out. “If you don’t leave soon, Avilov will know that even your high-tech jet could never fly that fast. They have to see you leaving, man.”
Cosmos slowly finished kissing Terra before he raised his head and gave Jason a quick nod. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” Jason responded with a respectful nod to Terra who lay flushed and glowing on the tousled bed.
Cosmos reluctantly rose up and held his hand out to help Terra up. He gripped her hand tightly as they walked out of his room. He paused as Terra gently touched her younger brother’s arm. Derik looked down at her and smiled sadly before he turned away. Terra glanced once more at Derik before she let Cosmos lead her down the stairwell to the front door.
“I worry about him,” she murmured. “Something has happened to him.”
“He’ll be alright,” Cosmos said, noticing the change himself from the excited boy from a few months back that he had first met, to the solemn warrior now. “I’ll have a talk with him when this is all over. Maybe he feels like he can’t talk about it yet.”
“You are a good man, Cosmos Raines,” Terra said as he opened the front door and stepped out onto the front step. “Don’t you ever forget that.”
“I’ll just have to get you to remind me when I do,” he said huskily. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“You’re damn right you will,” she responded kissing him deeply before stepping back and slowly closing the door behind her.
Cosmos took a deep breath and turned to climb into the taxi that arrived to pick him up. He glanced at the man behind the wheel. He recognized one of Jason’s men as the man grinned at him. With a nod, he ignored the feeling of stares causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. Jason was going to need Avery’s expertise again soon.
*.*.*
Cosmos watched the video feed on his iPhone. He had sensors all over the adjacent buildings since he realized what was happening. He cursed the fact that he had relied so heavily on the municipal camera system and the ones he had directly hooked to his home base instead of taking a more aggressive stance.
He should have either brought his parents back home or assigned additional security to them. They had several bodyguards but the men had been killed when they were taken. If he had, his father would be alive today.
Cosmos, you must not blame yourself, Terra’s soft voice brushed across his mind. You did what you could. Now, you must focus on rescuing your mother. If you think of the what-if’s, you will leave yourself vulnerable.
You are a good woman, Terra, Cosmos sent back. I don’t think I’ve told you that near enough.
You can show me later, she responded warmly. I am going through the Gateway now. Come to me, my mate.
Two more blocks and we should be clear. The jet will take off in fifteen minutes. I have another man who will act as me.
Be safe, she whispered before he felt her mind disconnect as she moved through the Gateway causing his chest to ache at the distance and silence that suddenly swamped him.
Cosmos waited as the driver pulled into a narrow alley. A man stepped out of the back of a building. Cosmos opened the door and nodded to him. They were built almost identically with the same color shaggy brown hair and hazel eyes. Cosmos shrugged out of the coat he was wearing and handed it to the man along with the scarf he had wrapped around his neck. Finally, he handed the man the black leather satchel he was carrying.
“Keep your head down,” Cosmos instructed. “We look alike but a facial identification scan will pick up that you aren’t me.”
The man smiled in amusement. “No one will know. I walk like you, talk like you, and use the same hand gestures. I’ll keep my head down and move quickly between the taxi and the jet. I have to get going if this is going to work,” he added slipping the scarf around his neck exactly like Cosmos had worn it.
“Good luck,” Cosmos said turning away.
“I get the easy part,” the man said lightly. “I get to travel in style for the next fourteen hours before I get to kick some ass, if you guys leave me any.”
Cosmos looked over his shoulder at the man, steely determination glittering in his eyes. “There won’t be if I can help it,” he said before he pushed the sequence to activate the portable Gateway.
The man and the driver just shook their head as Cosmos vanished through the shimmering doorway. “I wonder what in the hell his brain looks like under a microscope,” the driver muttered under his breath.
“I don’t know,” Cosmos’ double responded with a thoughtful look. “But I bet you it’s scary as hell.”
Neither man said another word as they got back into the car. There was a lot depending on everyone doing their job. Theirs was to make sure that it looked like Cosmos Raines was getting on a jet for Hong Kong.
Chapter 19
Cosmos nodded to Teriff and the others as he walked into the room set up for their departure. Helene was dressed in a black form-fitting leather outfit that matched the typical Prime Warrior uniform. She had covered her hair with a black knit cap. Brock was scowling as she double-checked the weapons that had been issued to her. Even with her covered from head to toe in the black outfit; there was no denying she was a female. Her long curves easily gave her away.
“Back off!” She snapped as Brock crowded her again.
“You will stay behind me,” he demanded angrily.
“Нет!” No! She retorted in Russian. “Not unless it is to shoot your ass so you will get out of my way. Terra, Angus a
nd I will go after Cosmos’ mom while you take out everyone else. If you do your job, then I will not have to worry about getting shot.”
“Is everyone ready?” Cosmos asked quietly as his eyes searched the room for Terra.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her thread her way through the warriors. She was dressed the same way as Helene. He was going to have to remember she looked delicious dressed in leather when this was over. His face flushed a little when he felt her soft chuckle in his mind. Pulling his focus back to the task at hand, he looked around the group, pausing when he saw Angus tightening the strap holding his glasses on.
“Angus,” Cosmos started to say before the words died in his throat at the narrowed-eyed look the elder Bell gave him.
“I will be with Helene and Terra,” Angus said. “Ava knows me. She will need my help and a familiar face.”
Cosmos drew in a deep breath, nodding when he realized he would just be wasting precious time and energy trying to change the man’s mind. His folks had fallen in love with Angus and Tilly. All four of them were brilliant in their own way.
“Just… keep your head down and follow Helene’s orders. Tilly will have my ass if anything happened to you, not to mention Tink, Hannah and Tansy,” Cosmos said grimly.
Borg rubbed his head as he thought of his mate. “Just make sure if it does, Hannah does not have a frying pan near her,” he joked to relieve some of the tension.
“Or a hammer,” J’kar piped up.
“Or a gun, knife, explosive, throwing star…,” Mak said with a grin. “Gods, my Tansy just needs her hands.”
“Or a kiss,” Angus said with a smile.
The men turned and looked at Angus in puzzlement. “A kiss?” Teriff asked.
Angus’ smile turned to a huge grin. “It was a really awesome kiss.”
Brawn groaned and rubbed his crotch. “I want to meet some of these females, Teriff. You will be working with my clan as well. Are there females that do not mind a desert environment?”
“Arizona,” RITA2 and Angus said at the same time. “Or the Middle East, Africa, parts of Texas…”
“I want a map of your world when we get back,” Teriff ordered before he turned. “Right now, though, I want the man who would harm my family,” he snarled out looking at Cosmos as he said it.
“For family,” Cosmos replied as RITA2 opened the doorway to an alley not far from the warehouse where his mother was being held in Hong Kong.
*.*.*
“You each have a comlink with RITA,” Cosmos said quietly. “Spread out but wait for my signal. I’ll deploy the sensors. They should be online within thirty minutes. It will take them that long to position and start their feedback to RITA. Once we know whether there is anyone with my mom and her location we can start moving in. If the area where she is being kept is clear, RITA will program the position into the Gateway so that Helene, Terra and Angus can go in and get her out. If not, I’ll go in as if I am giving myself up. I’ll create a diversion and Helene can take out the target while Angus and Terra get my mom out. You guys are part of that diversion so don’t screw this up.”
Terra bit her lip, still not liking that part of the plan. “You cannot give yourself up. He will kill you.”
Cosmos shook his head as he patted his stomach. “Not with the prototype suit on,” he said.
Terra started to protest but realized that Cosmos was right. Until his mother was safe, they were restricted as to what they could do. The man holding her would use her to force Cosmos to do what he wanted.
“We will wait for your signal,” Teriff said and motioned with his hand.
Within seconds, the figures vanished into the darkness. Cosmos pulled the bag he had on his shoulder off and knelt down. Opening it, he pulled out the small box of sensors he had packed.
Opening the box, he accessed the programming for them. “RITA, deploy sensors.”
Terra, Angus, and Helene stood back as the tiny silver bugs opened and took off like a swarm of bees heading to their hive. Angus’ eyes were wide with awe as he watched the activity. Cosmos fought the small smile that threatened knowing the writer in Angus was already plotting how the sensors would work in his next story. He stuffed the empty box back in the bag and stood.
“Let’s go,” Cosmos said looking at the readings coming through his right contact lens. “Helene, I want you, Angus, and Terra to remain at least a block away until we know the location of the guards. If it’s clear, RITA will signal for you to do the hop between Baade and the warehouse. If not, be ready to come in but watch your back. While we will try to engage Avilov’s men, he may have a sniper or two that we miss. I’ve sent the sensors out but he could have someone placed in an outer building and we might miss them.”
“I will,” Helene promised quietly. “I will not move until I know it is safe to proceed and even so, I will still be careful.”
Cosmos looked at Terra for a moment before he muttered a low curse. He stepped up to her and pressed a hard kiss to her lips before stepping back again. His eyes glittered fiercely with his struggle between leaving her and wanting to stay.
“Go,” she whispered. “I am my father’s daughter,” she reminded him.
Cosmos nodded and turned, disappearing down the alley. It was time to take out Avilov once and for all. He would not fail his mother.
Chapter 20
“Raines’ jet refueled in Hawaii over an hour ago,” Afon said. “I have reservations about having him come here.”
Avilov looked up with a frown at the current world news he was skimming. Another one of his companies that he thought had been undetectable had been raided. He was down to just a handful now. The current loss would affect his revenues by millions.
“What is it now?” Avilov growled out.
He was getting tired of Afon’s continued questioning of his orders. The man was beginning to overstep his boundaries. If he continued, it might be time to start looking for his replacement.
Afon kept his face blank. He was much better at hiding his feelings than the man sitting in front of him. Avilov’s face may not be able to show the expression it had before his surgery but his eyes always spoke of what he was feeling. Afon had learned a long time ago when he was just a boy trying to survive to see the next day to look at the eyes. They always told what a person was planning. He could see his own death in Avilov’s eyes. He had already made plans to leave before that happened. He would not kill the man who had taken him off the street and shown him what money and power could do when they were plentiful. He would let Avilov’s arrogance be his own downfall.
No, it was time to depart, Afon thought.
He had always trusted his gut feeling. It is what had kept him alive when men like Avilov thought to erase him. He would not be here when Raines arrived. As far as he was concerned, if Raines had one silver-eyed monster working with him then he would have more. He had seen how quickly the male had killed. He was a killing machine. It was time to disappear.
“You have employed me to see to your safety. I have posted additional men around the warehouse should something unexpected arise,” Afon said quietly with a bow of his head to show his respect. “Is there anything else, sir?”
Avilov stared darkly at his right-hand man’s face for several long seconds. Afon made sure he kept his expression blank and his eyes shielded. Avilov rose out of his chair to walk over to the thick, bullet-proof glass he had installed before his arrival. He didn’t answer Afon for several minutes as he stared down at where the men were patrolling.
“Have you heard from the team that went into Raines’ warehouse?” He finally asked turning to stare at the cold figure standing at attention.
Afon’s eyes flickered briefly before he gave a curt nod. “They have taken it and are in the process of photographing and dismantling the equipment,” he said stonily, not voicing his doubts about the conversation he had with the man in charge of the mission.
“And the girl?” Avilov pressed with cold, greedy eye
s.
“She has been captured,” Afon responded. “They will deliver her here per your request.”
Avilov grinned in delight. “Good, good. You may go. Send in Frazer,” Avilov said turning and dismissing Afon.
Afon bowed and turned sharply. He knew why Avilov wanted the American mercenary. Afon had been against hiring the man. He was cruel just to be cruel. Afon did not believe in playing with those he killed. It was a good way to get yourself killed if you weren’t careful. He believed in killing cleanly and quickly, in and out like a ghost. If you played with your prey they often turned on you, becoming the predator.
Afon closed the door quietly behind him and headed down the stairs. He called one of the men walking a close perimeter to him and gave the man instructions to have Frazer report to Mr. Avilov’s office immediately. Afon straightened the cuff of his pristine dark blue shirt. It was time to leave.
*.*.*
Cosmos’ eyes narrowed as he watched Afon Dolinski step out of the warehouse. He leaned back into the shadows when the man turned and looked in his direction. He knew there was no way the man could see him but Dolinski didn’t move for several long seconds. He released his breath when he saw the man raise his hand. A moment later, a dark sedan pulled up. A man stepped out of the driver’s seat, holding the door open for him. Dolinski made a brief comment to the man before he slid into the driver’s seat, shut the door and drove off.
Cosmos frowned as he watched the red tail lights glow briefly as the car slowed to turn the corner. Something was off but he wasn’t sure what it was. Pulling further back, he accessed the sensor information on his contact lens.
Most of them were in place. A few of them were still trying to find a way into some of the rooms in the warehouse. He needed to see if RITA had picked up anything else.
“RITA, full update,” Cosmos whispered.
“Teriff and the others are in place. Helene, Angus and Terra have moved to the top of the building a block away. Avilov’s men have expanded their perimeter. There are still four rooms that have not been accessed in the warehouse. You are looking at thirty-eight men. They are heavily armed and wearing protective vests so aim for head, neck or lower extremity shots. I can take down the security system. They are depending greatly on their manpower. One room is heavily re-enforced with bomb-proof glass and four inch steel re-enforced walls. I’m trying to get a sensor in there now. There is a smaller room off to the right of it. I think your mom may be in there,” RITA said. “And Cosmos, be prepared… they have your father’s body hanging from the beams,” she said as gently as she could. “I’m sorry.”