She followed him through the eerily quiet space. Though she was sure all were supposed to be welcomed here, she still felt out of place. Nonetheless, she continued behind him down a plaster corridor. Brass wall sconces, which held flickering candles, lit their path making her feel as though she were inside an ancient castle tunnel instead of a church in present day Baltimore.
At the end of the corridor Reid stopped at a door. He reached for the handle and after a moment of hesitation turned to Julianna. “I haven’t spoken to my brother in a long time. He agreed to keep my bag here in case I ever had an… emergency.”
Her mouth fell open. Being an orphan was part of the requirement of being a member of ETE 7. Boss had explained that was why she was perfect for the job. No attachments. No weaknesses. “Your brother! You have a brother?”
“Sort of, Boss knows nothing of him. No one does, not even you, until now. We don’t really stay in touch. Even though my brother doesn’t know the details about what I do, he knows it’s dangerous. He wants nothing to do with my life, but agreed to do this one last thing for me.”
Her eyes widened at the realization. “Is he a priest?”
He nodded and licked his bottom lip. “Noah was my foster brother. We grew up as teenagers together. He took one path, I took another.” Reid hung his head. “For a long time I thought I was fighting the evils Noah warned me about, now I’m wondering if I’ve turned into the man my brother feared I would become.”
Julianna fought the emotion bubbling up inside. “We were fighting evils… at least we thought we were. That’s what matters.” She shivered, not sure if she was trying to convince Reid or herself.
The musty smell was overwhelming in the tiny room. He looked around and went to an antique trunk in the far corner. He unlocked it with a second key. Blowing out a sigh of relief, Reid held up a simple cloth messenger bag. “I knew we may need more cash and extra bullets someday. I also packed a basic first aid kit and a flash light. I would have stored an extra gun in here, but Noah wouldn’t allow it.”
“We? Did you anticipate another person when you set up this contingency plan?”
“Yes, you, Julianna. It was always you. I know you don’t remember, but at one time I meant as much to you as you did to me.” His words were strained.
She swallowed, uncomfortable with his confession. Especially inside a church. The man really did love her. Or at least the part of her that she couldn’t remember.
He shut the trunk and left both keys on the top. “Ready?”
Julianna nodded and followed him out. When they got back outside, Reid pointed to the used car lot in the distance, illuminated by street lights. “We need a car.”
“It’s too dangerous to own a car. They could track us or blow us up. Isn’t that why we left our Jags behind?”
Reid kept his eyes trained on the lot. “I never said anything about owning it.”
She walked along side him on edge. “You’re going to steal a car? Isn’t that sort of criminal?”
He smiled at her without stopping. “I’m just going to borrow it. I’ll give it back.”
After he found an older model sedan and unlocked the door, they got inside. The strong smell of a pineapple air freshener filled her nose. Reid dug through his bag. He pulled out a small screwdriver and placed it on his lap. With the car in neutral, he shoved the screwdriver into the ignition. When he turned the tool, the car roared to life.
Julianna’s eyes widened. She’d not expected the car to actually start.
He grinned. “This only works on cars manufactured before the nineties.”
She rubbed her hands on her jeans. “You knew you would need to steel a car?”
Reid pulled out of the lot and onto the street. “No, but I like to be prepared just in case.”
The man was full of surprises. “How did you even know how to do that?”
“I grew up in some pretty rough foster homes. Once upon a time, I lived with a few boys that stole cars for weekend joyrides. I watched and learned. Then I stole one myself… not one of my finer moments.”
***
No matter how many bites Julianna ate of the club sandwich, she still couldn’t push down the lump of uneasiness in her throat. Her life was turned upside down, she couldn’t go back to her apartment and allegedly she was engaged to a man that was full of surprises. A brother? A car thief? What next? Even all her training hadn’t prepared her for Reid.
She watched him refill his cup at the soda machine, one of those new kinds where any flavors can be added with the touch of a button. His handsome profile made her heart accelerate. There were worse guys she could’ve been engaged to. It wasn’t as if she didn’t feel some connection to him, even after he’d pushed her away. Was marriage something she had wanted? If only she could remember the whole puzzle and not just keep getting bits and pieces. The doctor had told her that it was possible to get her lost memories back someday. She’d even thought about hypnosis, but the idea frightened her.
Reid sat back down at the small round table and pushed a chocolate chip cookie covered in plastic wrap toward her. “I know you have a sweet tooth.”
She couldn’t help the corners of her mouth lifting into a small smile at his thoughtfulness. Something about being with Reid made her emotions spill out in spite of all the training she’d had against it. She unwrapped the cookie and broke it in half handing him a piece. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He winked at her.
The hunks of chocolate melted in her mouth. She wished he would quit making her knees go weak. This wasn’t like her. She was always so in control, so unaffected. When they finished the cookie they left the sub shop. To strangers, they probably looked like any other couple out having lunch. Instead, they were both packing and ready to take out anyone that looked the least bit suspicious, not to mention driving around in a stolen car.
As Julianna sat down in the silver sedan he’d borrowed, another piece of her memory flashed. She saw herself holding Reid’s hand. She felt the chain around her neck which held the round diamond, felt its weight, its promise. He’d been telling the truth. For a moment she wanted it—all of it. Reid, his love, a future. Then she got angry when she realized she’d had it and Boss had taken everything away from her. It was time to make him pay.
Reid looked over at her before starting the car. “Are you okay?”
She rubbed her lips together. Okay? Nothing was okay anymore. “No, but I will be.”
***
It was time for Reid to collect on a long overdue favor. It was a good thing he’d not used it up before now. As they got closer to the city, Julianna fidgeted in her seat. He saw her rub below her collarbone with her thumb as if feeling for the ring that no longer existed. The ring he’d put on a chain the night he’d gotten down on one knee and proposed. Wearing the ring around her neck instead of on her finger had kept their relationship secret.
Or so they thought.
Reid parked the sedan. Julianna looked at him questionably before opening the car door. Maybe it was better that his fiancée didn’t know everything yet.
They stepped out onto the sidewalk. “I know a brilliant hacker that can help us.”
Julianna eyed him like she expected him to turn on her at any given moment. It wasn’t surprising that she was suspicious—it was how they were wired. “You can trust him?”
“Yes. He’s a harmless kid living in his mother’s basement and owes me a favor.” Reid motioned for her to follow him. They walked down the street and around the back to make sure they weren’t followed. When he was positive they were in the clear, he led her around to the side of the house.
She looked from the row house on the end of the street to Reid. “You’re sure Boss doesn’t know about him?”
He walked down a set of stairs to a door and knocked in code. “I’m positive.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why does he owe you a favor?”
“No time to talk about that now.”
Th
e door swung open. A kid that was maybe eighteen or nineteen stood in front of them wearing a wrinkled Bazinga T-shirt and blue jeans. His tube socks were mix-matched and judging from the pile of laundry in the corner of the basement apartment, the others were hidden somewhere in the dirty mound. His light brown hair was shaggy and he was the opposite of athletic.
The kid stepped aside to let them in. “I wondered when this day would come. Just didn’t know you’d have a hot chick with you.” He grinned his approval of Julianna, until Reid slapped his back bringing him back to reality.
“Weasel, I’m here to collect that favor. Let’s get to it.”
The kid tore his eyes away from Julianna and went over to a large metal desk home to pizza boxes, Chinese take-out containers and Mountain Dew cans. A massive computer monitor and keyboard set in the middle of all the garbage. Reid handed him a piece of paper. Weasel looked at him for a moment before nodding. They had an unspoken language. The less Julianna know the better. Reid picked up a folding chair, tossing the comic books from the seat. He pulled up the chair and sat next to Weasel. Julianna stood beside them looking out of place.
“Your name is Weasel?” She scrunched her nose as she looked around the room.
He grinned over at her as his fingers glided over the keyboard. “Yep, ’cause I can weasel my way in and out of any secure site.”
Julianna raised an eyebrow. “And here I thought it was because of the way you live. What is your real name?”
Weasel ignored her as he hacked away.
Reid chuckled. “Be nice. The kid’s a genius. A slob, but a genius.”
Twenty minutes later, Julianna shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Reid glanced at her. “You might as well have a seat, it may take a while.”
She looked at him as though he offered her spoiled milk, then smiled. “I’ll stand, thank you.”
Reid watched Weasel manipulate the machine like he’d created it himself. Probably had. Technology was never something Reid had excelled in. But knowing people’s weaknesses, he was a master at.
The kid’s eyes grew big. “I’m in. This is some highly classified shit.”
More true than he knew. Reid nodded. “Yeah, and you know what happens if you talk.”
Weasel’s fingers paused on the keyboard for a brief second. “I don’t think I can get you what you need.”
Reid flashed his Glock for persuasion. He wouldn’t shoot the kid, but Weasel didn’t know that.
He hunched back over the desk. “Well, maybe I can, but it will take a while, even for me.”
Reid nodded. “Just make sure you aren’t noticed. Get in, get what we need and back out without a trace. Things could get real bad for all of us if you don’t stay invisible.”
The young hacker moved his shoulders up and down, took a deep breath, then went back to doing what he did best. Reid stood up. He couldn’t watch. If this didn’t work, if Weasel couldn’t get the file they needed, they may never find out the truth. They would never be free. He didn’t like looking over his shoulder constantly and he sure as hell didn’t like running.
Julianna walked over to Reid as he stood looking through a crack in the dusty mini blinds covering the small window overlooking the street. “How long is this going to take?”
For the first time since he’d grabbed her out of her apartment, Julianna looked nervous, almost as if she were afraid of the truth. “We can’t rush him. It takes as long as it takes.”
They both looked over to Weasel. He was in another world. If anyone could get what they needed it was this kid.
Julianna nodded and walked over to a part of the wall that wasn’t covered in super hero posters and leaned against it with her arms wrapped around her middle.
Reid felt the overwhelming need to protect her—to assure her things would be okay. But he didn’t know that they would. Instead he just stood silently beside her… waiting.
“Bam! I got something.” Weasel stood up and let Reid take his seat. Julianna rushed over to look.
Reid couldn’t believe his eyes. ETE 7 was not a government run operation, at least that he could see. It looked to be a private run organization headed up by B. Voss. No Boss mentioned just a B. Voss which sounded a whole lot like Boss to him. A coded list made up of seven people, not including Voss. Son of a bitch. What the hell was going on? There was only one address listed. It was their best shot at finding Boss. Any luck it would be his headquarters or even better his personal residence. He turned to look at a pale Julianna. “Is that proof enough for you?”
She stood grasping the back of his chair like it was the only thing holding her up. “I don’t understand,” her voice cracked.
“We’ll get answers. I promise you that.” He looked over to Weasel who was downing a bag of cheese curls. Hacking must have given him the munchies. “We were never here. You’ve fulfilled your debt. Now stay out of trouble, got it?”
He wiped his greasy orange fingers on his shirt. “Got it.”
Reid memorized the address and grabbed Julianna’s hand. “Time to go.”
When they were outside, Julianna looked at Reid. “Are we going to check out that address right now?”
“No, we have no idea what we are up against. We’ll get a room near by and then wait to scope the place out in the middle of the night. Boss never contacted me after ten p.m. If it’s his headquarters, it’s a safe bet he won’t be around after that time.”
***
The nearest room to the boarded up warehouse happened to be a cheap motel. The kind a person rented for the hour instead of the night. Julianna saw a cockroach scatter up the dingy wall and she jumped into Reid’s arms.
He laughed. “You’re afraid of a little bug?”
“Little? You call that thing little?” she screeched. “I’m not going near that bed.”
“You’re a trained assassin. Go kill it, if it bothers you.”
She swallowed and looked over at the wall. Shivers ran down her spine. Her feet seemed to be glued to the floor. Reid shook his head and removed his shoe. He smacked the creepy-crawly with a sickening crunch. “Another hour and we’ll be out of here.”
Julianna cringed and shivered. Bugs were something that made her squirm. Especially ones that were as resilient as those. Any bug that made an audible sound when smashed made her want to run in the opposite direction. The fear must have come from her past.
She rubbed her arms and stood next to Reid as he peered out the window to the warehouse across the street. The only part of her touching the room was the soles of her shoes. She’d give those a good scraping on the concrete later.
When Reid motioned that is was time to leave, she couldn’t get out of there fast enough. They walked across the street. If not for the light of the full moon they would have had a hard time seeing anything.
Reid picked a lock on the side of the building. They stepped inside. From a bug motel to the kingdom of rodents and cobwebs. The emptiness wasn’t much of a surprise. The location only confirmed that Boss was a part of this in some way. Their meetings had always taken place in random warehouses or empty buildings. It was three a.m., so they didn’t have much time before the sun came up and to get back to safety. Reid walked around with his flashlight, Julianna by his side. “There has to be something here, some significance. This was the only address listed.”
They searched and searched the place with the beam of Reid’s flashlight. She stayed close behind him.
Julianna sighed and crossed her arms. “There’s nothing here, we’ve combed over the place for an hour.”
Something had to be here. He could feel it. “I won’t accept that. I’m not leaving here until we find something.”
He walked along the walls a dozen times shining his light into every nook and cranny. Frustration coursed through his body. He hated when he couldn’t find something he wanted so desperately, kind of like when he’d searched so long for Julianna and had never found her. What was it they were taught? Hide in plain sight. He stopped
walking, causing Julianna to slam into the back of him.
“What?”
“Boss’ table was always set up in the exact center of the building every time I met with him.” Excitement built inside his chest as he counted steps to the precise center of the empty space. He looked down and saw barely visible hinges on a metal hatch inlaid in the concrete.
He turned to Julianna. “Here!” With steady hands, Reid picked the lock embedded in the metal.
Julianna bent over him, her long silky hair brushed over his face, before she moved it to the side and damn if it didn’t smell good. Inside the compartment was a dark brown briefcase which held an accordion style file. Reid smiled, grabbed the folder and put the briefcase back how he’d found it. He stood up clutching the file.
“What do you think’s in there?”
He tucked the papers into his jacket. “Answers.”
They left the dark building with the only lead they’d had since the day they ran. Reid felt sweat form on his forehead despite the chilly air. They got into the car. Reid drove away. They wouldn’t look inside the file until they were a safe distance away from the warehouse.
***
Julianna paced the small, but bug free motel room while Reid read over the file for the third time. Should she tell him she knew Brandon Voss? Why did Brandon want her dead? Were Brandon Voss and Boss the same man? The height and build were the right, even the hair color, but their eyes and voices were different. Contacts could change the eyes, but their voices were so unlike. Of course she’d been medicated in the hospital when she’d met Brandon. Her head had felt kind of fuzzy until a few days after she’d met Boss. She hadn’t had a clue what she was going to do or who she was, then Brandon Voss showed up giving her a life line. His eyes were kind and she’d even imagined what it would have been like if he were her father. He’d taken her for a long drive, on which he’d told her about ETE 7. About Boss. About her saving good people and belonging to an organization so special and important that it was classified.
Protecting the Enemy Page 4