by C. J. Barry
“Did the trace come through for Bart’s text message?” Max asked.
“Just got it,” Carl said and slid a printout across the desk. “Times Square. Sorry.”
“Damn, damn,” Seneca said, stopping. “Damn!”
Max agreed. Chances were pretty slim that Hager was working out of Times Square. “Anything else?”
Carl sighed. “We found MacGregor’s body in a sewer drain near his house. I’m betting that Hager was involved.”
Seneca stopped and gaped at Carl, pain etched on her face. Then she covered her eyes with her hands. “This can’t be happening.”
“I’ve told our units to follow up every lead we get,” Carl said, giving Max an apologetic look. “I’ll call you if we find something promising.”
“Thanks.” Max stood up.
Seneca was beside herself. “We should talk to MacGregor’s neighbors.”
“No,” Max said, softly.
She blinked a bunch of times, her eyes red and tired. She needed sleep. “I’m not going to just sit here and wait for the fucking lead fairy to present us with clues.”
She really needed sleep. He nodded good-bye to Carl and took her by the arm. “I have a plan.”
That got her as far as one of XCEL’s surveillance vans. She slid into the passenger side, ready to rumble. “Where to?”
Max hitched his head to the rear of the van. “The cot in the back.”
As he expected, she didn’t like that. “That’s your plan? Are you kidding me?”
This wasn’t going to be easy. “You cannot function without sleep.”
“Watch me,” she said, crossing her arms.
Stubborn woman. “Let me rephrase. You can’t operate safely without sleep.”
She frowned. “Are you afraid I’m going to put you at risk? I think we’re well past that.”
He decided to change tactics. What she needed was a challenge. Something a little dangerous to keep her interested. Max leaned closer and traced the V-neck of her shirt with his finger. “Tell you what. You give me ten minutes. You, me, and the cot.”
She narrowed her eyes, but there was a hint of the challenge he was hoping for. “And if I’m not asleep by then?”
He sighed. “Then we’ll go after bad guys everywhere.”
“I love it when you talk dirty,” she said, a slight smile curling her lips.
“All I have to do is mention guns. Now get in the back.”
He followed her through the equipment and weapons to a small cot normally used for sleeping and injured agents. Max lowered it while Seneca looked at it and then at him, not knowing what to do next.
“Relax,” he said.
Seneca raised an eyebrow. “If that’s your entire plan, then we may as well stop now.”
Max smiled. He’d spent most of the last few minutes working diligently on this plan. He wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her. With his fingertips, he stroked her lightly from her breasts to her thighs. With every caress, her muscles relented and the tension subsided. It took a few minutes, but she finally wrapped her arms around his neck. He unsnapped and unzipped her jeans, and then whispered, “Sit.”
She moved to the middle of the cot, and he dropped to the floor in front of her. Her eyes followed him as he tugged her jeans off, and then loosened and unbuttoned her shirt.
She licked her lips. “You know, Hager could be anywhere in this city.”
He exposed her black bra and black panties and felt the blood rush to his groin. This was going to be a lot harder on him than it was on her.
“We could be out there now, checking the hot spots . . .” She gave a little shudder as he slipped her shirt off.
Max slid the bra straps over her shoulders and pulled it down to reveal her breasts. She inhaled sharply as he leaned forward and wrapped his lips around one nipple. He felt her breathing quicken and deepen. Then he moved to the other one and gave it similar treatment. Seneca moaned a little and arched into him.
Just when he thought he had her, she murmured, “Maybe Hager is at Times Square. You never know. We should follow up.”
A lesser man might have quit, but there was no way he was leaving her like this. Max put his hands around her waist and then under her bottom, slowly removing her panties. Seneca lifted her hips enough for him to slide them off.
“Aren’t you worried we won’t find him?” she asked.
“No.” He was, but at the moment, he didn’t care. He was on a different kind of mission. He kissed her to shut her up and ran his palms along her thighs, spreading her legs so he could position himself closer. His thumb rubbed the sweet spot gently, then faster, and her breathing became deeper as he matched his kisses to the caresses.
“Max,” she said against his lips, her voice hushed. His body responded hard and fast, but he held himself in check. This wasn’t about him.
Her arms locked around his neck and she moaned, pushing her hips toward the pressure of his thumb. He concentrated on her body and the small nuances that told him what she needed. Her skin began to flush, heat rising in her face and chest as she kissed him hard.
Finally, she broke off the kiss and dropped her head back. Her expression was pained, but he knew where she was. He flattened his thumb and slowed his motions until she gritted her teeth and he watched her face as she climaxed. It suddenly dawned on him—he’d live for this. To see her do this in his arms.
But then what? Life like this? Making love in a van because they couldn’t go home? Killing Shifters all night? Worrying about every person they ever knew being used for ransom? He’d seen this before, and it never ended well. Too much blood would be spilled to make it work. There was only the present, and for now, she was his.
Her face softened, and she collapsed into his arms, her body trembling. He held her close and caressed her neck as she recovered. He inhaled her scent—moist and sexy.
“I’m not tired,” she said, but she sounded otherwise. Besides, she wasn’t getting off so easy. If he let her go now, she’d drag her exhausted ass back to work.
“I’m not done yet.”
She leaned back, her eyes hooded. “What else did you have in mind?”
He grinned. Her eyes widened as he spread her legs and dipped his head between them.
Seneca surfaced to a gentle shake. She swatted at the hand. It was safe and warm where she was, and she didn’t want to come out.
“We have to move, Seneca,” a deep voice said.
Mmm. She snuggled in the blankets, aware that she was completely naked. Then she remembered several amazing orgasms and Max.
Max. Sexy, amazing Max.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He was smiling at her but something was wrong.
“What time is it?” she asked, waking in a hurry.
“Noon.”
She sat up, taking the blanket with her. “Did we get a lead?”
He shook his head. “Not quite. Apollo called me. He’s in trouble.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
They found Apollo in the alley behind their boxing gym under a pile of cardboard boxes. Sunlight streamed between the buildings. Max smelled the scent of Shifters and blood even before he saw it.
“Oh God,” Seneca said as she knelt beside Apollo.
His face had been battered, both his eyes purple and swollen shut. His workout clothes were caked in mud, his mouth was cut, and blood streaked his shirt. There were numerous bruises and slashes on his arms.
“What happened?” Max asked as he pulled the trash away from his friend.
“Remember I told you that every time you have a plan, I end up in the middle of it?” Apollo said, his speech slurred.
Seneca checked his eyes. “Who did this to you?”
“Shifters,” Max answered for him.
Apollo grabbed his arm and whispered, “We gotta talk. Privately.”
That didn’t sound good. Seneca looked from Apollo to Max with a strange expression on her face, like she wanted to say something but ch
anged her mind. “Noko isn’t here to heal him.”
Max asked him, “How many were there? Did you recognize any of them?”
Apollo shook his head. “Is anyone listening to me?”
Max told Seneca, “Let’s get him into the van. If he shifts, he’ll heal faster.”
Seneca nodded and together they lifted Apollo, each of them taking an arm. They walked him to the van and laid him down in the back.
Seneca handed Max the first aid kit. “I’ll drive us to a safer location.” Then she moved to the front of the van. The second she was out of sight, Apollo slapped a cell phone in Max’s hand. “Hager wants to talk to you. Just you. They were pretty adamant about that.”
So Hager was behind this. He should have known they’d start going after people he cared about. Luckily, that was a very short list. Max waited until the van was under way before he flipped open the cell phone and checked the phone list. There was only one number on it. He dialed, and it picked up on the second ring.
“Ah, I see you received my message,” a man answered.
“Hager,” Max said. He finally had the murderer, and all he could think to say was, “It’s about time you stepped out from behind your goons.”
“Well, my goons got the message across, didn’t they?”
Max glanced at Apollo, who had morphed to Shifter form. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was even. He’d survive, for today, but what about next time?
The rage threatened to swamp him and undermine a mission he’d worked on so hard and for so long. Max wanted nothing more than to tell Hager that he knew he killed Ell and all the other Shifters back on Govan. He wanted to, but he realized if he did, he’d lose a key advantage.
“What do you want, Hager?”
“You. I’d like you to join my organization. And bring in Seneca, of course.”
Max tamped down his anger and settled for a heartfelt, “Fuck you.”
Hager chuckled. “Now, now, you must give me a chance to explain. You see, if you don’t join me, I’ll need to resort to drastic measures.”
“You want me? Come and get me,” Max said.
“We could do it that way, but there would be a lot of blood and death. Besides, family is so much more important. I think Seneca would agree.”
Max stilled. Noko. “If you can find them.”
“Oh, I already have.”
Max cast a quick glance toward the front of the van where Seneca was driving. Noko would be the one thing she would surrender for. In a heartbeat.
Hager continued. “Besides, now that XCEL is no longer in business—”
“What?” Max said.
“Oh, you haven’t heard. The operation has been shut down by the brilliant committee that oversees it. You have nowhere to go, Max. And no one to protect you.”
Max kept his tone even. “I don’t believe you.”
“Yes, you do. You knew it was coming. And so did Seneca. Think about my offer. You have six hours.” The phone disconnected, and Max closed the cell phone.
“What’d he want?” Apollo asked.
“He wants me to join him. And bring in Seneca.”
Apollo rolled his head back and forth. “You really gotta stop pissing people off.”
“Doesn’t matter. I won’t do it,” Max said.
Apollo grunted. “Figured as much. Although—”
“What?”
“It would be the perfect opportunity to see Hager’s operation,” Apollo finished.
Hell. Apollo was right. How else was Max going to get inside and get to Hager? He could blow them all up, which would be ideal except that Seneca would have to be there too. Unless he figured out a way for her not to be there.
“You know I can’t help you with Hager. Not in this condition,” Apollo said. “I need at least twenty-four hours.”
Max squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay.”
Then Apollo opened one eye with considerable effort and looked at him. “Get the bastard.”
“Plan on it,” Max said.
Once Apollo was settled in a hotel room, Max called Carl from an adjoining room. As soon as he answered, Max asked, “Did the Committee shutdown XCEL?”
Carl replied, “Yes. And all the other agencies around the country. For assessment, they said, which is bullshit because we all know if XCEL comes back, it’ll be a very different agency.”
Max had never heard Carl sound so bitter. “You’ll still be part of the process, though, right?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t been tapped yet.” Carl sighed. “How did you find out?”
“I talked to Hager. He offered me a job.”
Carl gave a short laugh. “Unbelievable. Look, I know it seems bad, but come into the office, and we’ll figure something out. They haven’t locked the doors yet.”
“We’ll be there shortly,” he said as Seneca walked in from the bathroom and lifted an eyebrow in question.
“See you then.”
Seneca crossed her arms and stood in front of him. She looked beautiful, and he wished they had more time. For everything—for sex and laughter and life.
She said, “Are you going to tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?”
He eyed her. “I kind of like the sound of the second option.”
She gave him a no-nonsense smirk, and he went with option one. “Hager’s men attacked Apollo to send me a message. And provided a cell phone so I could talk to Hager directly.”
“How nice of them. And?”
“Hager wants me to join him.” Max left out the part where Hager wanted her too. Knowing her, she’d jump at the chance.
Seneca blinked. “Join his organization? Are you kidding? Does he know that the woman he murdered on the ship was your wife?”
“Doubtful.”
Seneca shook her head. “So what did you say to him?”
Max smiled.
Seneca smiled back. “How did he take that?”
“Not well,” he admitted, and then added, “He knows where Noko is.”
Her smile faded. “I’ll warn her.”
“She’s already being watched,” Max said.
“My relatives can handle it,” Seneca said, but she didn’t sound convinced.
“And the Committee shut down XCEL.”
Seneca took a step back in obvious shock. “What? No. They can’t.”
“They can, and they did. Hager told me; Carl confirmed.”
She ran her fingers through her hair and turned away from him. “I can’t believe this. How can they do this now, of all times? We’re on the verge of war here, don’t they understand that?”
“Apparently not.”
“Idiots,” she continued. “Friggin’ short-sighted, bureaucratic dickheads. How do we fix this?”
It would be the perfect opportunity to see Hager’s operation. The thought kept coming back to him. “I don’t know.”
Seneca narrowed her eyes at him. “Out with it, Dempsey. How do we stop Hager?”
The perfect opportunity. And maybe the only opportunity. He didn’t have a lot of choices left. Whether Seneca agreed or not, he was going to have to take Hager’s offer.
“I might have an idea, but I’ll need Carl’s help.”
Seneca walked into their temporary headquarters like a woman on a mission. She was beyond furious, beyond reason, and she didn’t give a damn. The Committee was going to get an earful from their most effective agent. But as she walked through the room, the hair on the back of her neck went up. Something felt off, and it wasn’t just that Price was at his desk and rest of the place was empty except for stacked boxes.
“I guess they weren’t kidding,” she said to Dempsey. He was very still, his eyes scanning the room. It felt dead, like a morgue. Lifeless.
Price looked up when they walked by and said, “I’ll need your weapons and passkey to this office.”
Seneca kept walking. “Bite me.”
She pushed open Carl’s door and found him behind the desk. “What the hell ha
ppened?”
Carl smiled at her. “And a good day to you too.”
“Not in the mood, Carl,” she said, planting her hands on his desk. “How can they shut us down?” She waved a hand toward the window. “Do they think they have someone else who can do a better job?”
“You get no arguments from me,” Carl said. “Calm down. We’ll discuss—”
“Discussion is not going to solve this,” she snapped. “Discussion is not going to find Hager.”
“But a real, planned strategy might,” Carl said. “Sit down. Please.”
Seneca pursed her lips. She’d give him thirty seconds. After that, she was taking her guns and shooting something. She sat next to Dempsey, who was unusually quiet. Everything was wrong. The office, the people, the boxes, the boss. “Where are the other agents?”
“Handing in their gear and doing exit interviews. You’re supposed to report too,” Carl said, leaning his elbows on the desk.
“We can’t do that,” Dempsey said.
“I know, but we’ll have to move fast.” Then Carl rummaged through the files on his desk, for a few seconds. “Seneca, I need the file on Price’s desk with the Committee’s last report. And don’t hurt him.”
She wrinkled her nose. “You take all the fun out of working here.” But she got up, opened the door, and closed it behind her. Price sat at his desk, watching her as she approached. Her skin began to crawl. Price was acting extra weird.
Then he lifted a gun from under his desk and shot her. She felt a sting in her stomach and looked down to find a tranquilizer dart embedded there. She yanked it out, but the damage had already been done.
The office spun violently. No.
She opened her mouth to yell, but nothing came out. Her body had became numb in seconds, her muscles uncooperative.
Price wavered in her vision as he stood up and walked toward her, his face twisted in a smile. Shifter shadows converged behind him, ebbing and flowing against chairs and desks.
She felt the carpet under her knees and realized she’d fallen. Her fingers fumbled clumsily for her gun, but just when she thought she had it, someone yanked it away. Her hands dropped and she fell backward, staring at the long panels of fluorescent lights.