by Jade Powers
“No idea. A donut shop five or ten minutes away. My car is still at the airport. I’m on foot, and I have no idea where Lucas is. We were going to meet at my car but the airport is swarming with Kendall’s militia. I don’t know what to do.”
“Give me the phone number listed on the pay phone.”
Lauren rattled off the number.
“Okay. Stay put. I have a friend in Miami I would trust with my life. We served together. He’ll help.” Sven disconnected the call before Lauren could say another word. Men. She needed more than Stay put. Maybe the name of his friend would have helped. Maybe a code word that would confirm who to trust when they arrived.
Lauren returned to her seat in the donut shop. Her coffee was lukewarm. Removing her last honey glazed from her purse, Lauren settled back down, thankful that the cashiers were more interested in refilling the cinnamon rolls than in watching their customer pull a wrapped donut out of her purse after clearly deciding to leave.
She watched as customers came and went. After a half-hour, Lauren ordered another coffee. She wanted another three donuts, but her figure wouldn’t stand for that kind of intake. Talk about freshman fifteen. After the move to Miami, Lauren had gained ten pounds. She needed to sign up for a gym, but now wasn’t the time to think about a workout.
The next pair of customers gossiped about the airport. As they walked in, one was in mid-sentence when she said, “At least an hour. I guess someone called in a bomb threat.”
Lauren strained to hear their conversation.
“I’m in no hurry to pick up Ron. His plane isn’t supposed to arrive for another hour anyway.”
With a sigh, Lauren returned to her coffee. The ladies were at the counter and already moving from bomb threat to glazed. Maybe Lucas used it as a distraction. He was a thousand times more resourceful than Lauren, although she bet he never kidnapped a lady to steal...borrow...her car. That was something she would never tell anyone.
By her third cup of coffee, Lauren was starting to get fidgety and scared. No mysterious rescuer. Also, two police cruisers had passed within fifteen minutes of one another. Lauren wanted to go home, take a bath, and forget Kendall and all of this craziness. Instead, she rubbed her eyes and watched the window.
She was just about to buy another donut when a blonde guy in jeans, a button-up shirt, cowboy boots, and sunglasses sauntered into the shop. In a loud voice, he said, “Lauren Nong?”
Wow, he really knew how to butcher a girl’s name. Not that she could afford to be picky. Lauren almost corrected his pronunciation before she realized that she wanted rescue worse than accuracy. She said, “I’m here.”
Lauren climbed into the cab of his Ford 150. He totally did not fit the whole Miami laid back atmosphere. The guy belonged in Texas or Arkansas, but Lauren would be forever grateful that at this moment, he was in Miami.
“We’ll head back to my place. I have some sweats and t-shirts that might fit you.”
“Thanks.” Lauren didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but somewhere at the airport Lucas was still fighting his own way to freedom. She said, “Did Sven tell you anything about Lucas?”
“We haven’t heard anything.”
Lauren couldn’t relax. She replayed her actions again and again in her mind, trying to think of a way the outcome could have been different. She left Lucas, running without warning. That was her first mistake. Then there was the kidnapping. Worse than a mistake, that had been wrong on so many levels. She could have stayed in the parking garage and waited.
The bomb scare would have rousted everyone out. If Kendall’s force had faked the alarm, she would have been trapped. They would have the technology to find her...and Lucas as well.
She traveled away from the airport with an ever-increasing sense of guilt.
Chapter 14
LUCAS FROZE IN THAT key moment when the elevator opened to two men, clearly on Kendall’s payroll. He was always a fast thinker. He stepped past the men, pretending Lauren was his adopted sister, and said, “Grandma doesn’t have to know, Sis.”
Lame, yes. But he had nothing else.
Apparently Kendall’s special security force knew it, too, because they immediately blocked Lucas from moving. The bluff call was more than humiliating. Lucas was already considering his next move when Lauren made hers. Her sprint left him standing with his mouth half-open. She surprised Lucas, but more importantly, she surprised the two guys who thought to hem them in.
One of them stepped in Lauren’s direction, leaving a slight opening for Lucas. He sprinted in the opposite direction. Not ideal. If Lucas were to be honest, he would consider that as a hacker and spy, he completely sucked. He should have known what was coming. He should have seen that Kendall would have the airport locked down. The guy had freaking spies everywhere. He was like a spider with lines that moved out in every direction. Just a little, tappity-tap on the web and he would know Lauren’s every move.
Lucas considered this while he was running down the concourse, ducking and dodging so as to avoid bowling over little old ladies and their grandchildren. One look over his shoulder and Lucas realized the men weren’t following him. They must have gone after Lauren.
With a sigh, Lucas stopped running. He stopped at a souvenir shop and bought a huge Dolphins Hoodie, baseball cap, and sunglasses. If he brought the hood up over his hair, he’d look ultra-suspicious. He put on the sunglasses, hoping that his former ROFL t-shirt was distinct enough that Kendall’s goons used it as a descriptor.
His next step was figuring out where Lauren went. Their last conversation revolved around getting back to the car, so that would be her logical conclusion. She would expect to meet him there. They needed a distraction, the bigger the better.
With a heavy sigh, Lucas worked his way around the airport, strolling past Kendall’s men as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He knew he looked different, but some little part of him clenched every time he passed a security guard or cop or even just a tall guy in sunglasses and suit. He was gonna get an ulcer. He watched for Lauren, tracked the movement of people as he sought her out and worked his way toward baggage claim.
Lucas waited by the roundabout luggage carrier until a dozen people were leaving the airport, suitcase in hand. Allowing them to provide cover, Lucas followed the group into the parking garage.
At least three guys in fatigues guarded entrances and watched as people and cars moved through the parking garage. Those were the ones that Lucas noticed. Somewhere another dozen would be holding entrances and watching movement. He turned on the sidewalk, away from the crowd and the movement, away from the parking garage. They needed Lauren’s car, but with the level of security in that place, the car would never make it out. They would all be looking out for someone driving the make and model of Lauren’s car.
He needed to get her out of there.
Rental car. Right.
Lucas followed the rental agency signs until he found Perch Rentals with their blue and white signboard and promise of the lowest rates. The counter was quiet with two women in crisp blue uniforms, navy pants and that company-favorite, the standard polo shirt, designed to torture employees with better taste. Name placards were pinned to the polo shirt, also navy blue.
Pulling out his wallet, Lucas strode to the counter. He didn’t bother removing the sun glasses, just in case someone was watching. He said, “I need to rent a car. Just a standard four-door is fine.”
“I need your license.”
Lucas slipped his license from his wallet and handed it over.
With a frown the woman said, “You’re only twenty-three.”
“And?” Lucas asked.
“You have to be twenty-four to rent a car for insurance reasons.”
Lucas stood at the counter in a daze. Three months. His life might be forfeit because he was born three months too late. He could vote, get drunk, go to war...but he couldn’t rent a damn car. His plan had been mostly solid. Rent a car and then drive into the parking garage and find a spot near
Lauren’s car. Eventually she would try for her own car, and together they would make a mad dash for the exit.
He couldn’t believe the luck. He said, “Thanks.”
Now that his stellar plan to drive undercover right next to Lauren’s car had turned to ashes, Lucas had no idea what to do next. As he strode away from the rental agency, one of McFarland’s agents met him on the sidewalk.
“McFarland is recalling you to Virginia.” Lucas vaguely knew the man by sight. He’d seen him around before. He didn’t know his name or rank and was certain they had never been in a position to be introduced.
Lucas said, “That’s fine, but I’m rather stuck at the moment.”
“No, you’re not.” The man pulled out a ticket and handed it to Lucas. He said, “Be on the next flight to Virginia. If Kendall doesn’t back off, McFarland will pull his contracts.”
“I can’t abandon Lauren. Kendall’s guys have been all over the airport. He’s out of control, and she’s in danger.”
“Let me give you some friendly advice. You are being given a way out. Take it.” The man’s suit was tailored and of the finest quality.
“How did you find me? McFarland shouldn’t even know I’m here.” Now that Lucas realized how weird it was that one of McFarland’s men would show up just at the point when he was about to be grabbed by Kendall’s men, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. This was the ultimate set up.
“You’ve got bigger things to worry about. Get on that plane.”
Lucas felt a well of relief when McFarland’s man strode away. He could have followed Lucas into the airport. He could have watched Lucas take that flight. Lucas checked the ticket. He had more than an hour before boarding.
Lucas found an unoccupied bench and sank down into it. He now knew a few things. McFarland no longer trusted him. This was a test. He could either take that flight and pass or stay at the airport and fail. Secondarily and more important, McFarland was tracking Lucas by some means. When he asked how the guy found him, McFarland’s man hesitated. He must know that Lucas was wearing a tracking device. That’s how he found Lucas so easily.
An hour wasn’t much time to figure out a course of action. Lucas needed to find Lauren. That was his first priority. And he wasn’t going to do that sitting on this bench. Lucas knew one thing. He wasn’t about to get on that flight to Virginia. As for the second thing, he had to figure out how McFarland was tracking him.
If only Lauren hadn’t taken off at the freaking speed of light, maybe he could ask her. He would call Drake. They weren’t on friendly terms or even acquaintance terms. Hell, Drake didn’t even know he existed. But Lauren had given him Drake and Sven’s numbers, insisting that he might need him. She was right. It was his last chance to get help. He might as well use them.
He found a couple of pay phones, but they were both in use. While he waited, he watched the airport. There were a handful of loiterers, all male. Most of Kendall’s forces were covering the parking garage.
Finally the lady with her screaming three year old got off the phone. Lucas stepped up and took her place, pulling the scribbles of numbers out of his pocket. Drake answered on the first ring. Lucas went through his litany of problems, starting with his relationship to Lauren and the trouble they were in with Kendall, and moving to the tracking device somewhere on him and the fact that he had no idea where Lauren might be. He hoped Lauren was right about these guys. Because if they couldn’t be trusted, he was in deep trouble.
Drake said, “Take the flight to Virginia. We’ve heard from Lauren. She’s safe. We have plans to get her out of Miami. She’s refusing, but I’ll tell her you’re safe.”
“You did? Where did she call from? Is she okay?” Lucas couldn’t believe Lauren got to a phone first. He would have imagined her stuck in some janitorial closet hiding until Kendall’s goons left.
“Lauren made it outside the airport. She’s worried about you, and she won’t leave Miami despite our best efforts to convince her otherwise.”
“What should I do?” Lucas asked. He could be head strong at times, but with Lauren’s life in the balance, he didn’t want to make a critical error in judgment.
“McFarland is a dangerous enemy. Take the flight to Virginia. It will get you out of trouble in both places. Hear what he has to say. You and Lauren can meet up here in Sun Valley at a later point.”
“Fine. I’ll fly to Virginia, but it’s under protest and only because I don’t think Lauren would leave Miami otherwise,” Lucas said. He hoped it was the right decision. He hung up the phone with Drake. He had the feeling that he was missing half of the vital information in this little spy game.
LUCAS BOARDED THE PLANE with a copy of The Miami Times, freshly purchased from the book store. He also grabbed the latest Honor Herrington novel. He waited through boarding and the flight attendant’s emergency spiel before picking up the paper, even though he desperately wanted to read it.
The headlines were wrong in so many ways, and would definitely piss Lauren off. Chinese Spy sells Company Secrets. The picture of Lauren was slightly fuzzy and out-of-focus, but a friend would guess it was her. Lauren would probably be angrier about the paper calling her a Chinese spy when she was from Cambodia than she would about being written up in the first place.
Settling back to read the article, Lucas glanced out the window. They were lifting off now with the wings dipping as the plane circled. The article referenced Kendall enough that a kindergartener would know he was the one to plant the story. The gist of the story was a non-story. They were very careful not to exactly smear Lauren’s name. As a matter of fact, they didn’t even use her name, just a lot of innuendo and hints. Overall it wasn’t that bad, not like Lucas had imagined. He thought she would be a household name by now.
The flight was fairly short and didn’t give Lucas much time to reflect on his decision. He worried about Lauren’s opinion. She no doubt would have wanted him to travel with her to Idaho, but he needed to deal with McFarland first.
An escort waited for Lucas when he landed at the gate, an armed escort. He followed the men to their car, climbing into the passenger seat as if he weren’t practically a kidnapping victim. His only relief was in knowing that Drake knew where he went. At least if he disappeared, someone would know where to look.
They drove him on base. McFarland was waiting for Lucas in a large office that seemed gaudy. The bookshelves were lined with huge volumes that Lucas was certain McFarland had never read. He stood patiently until McFarland waved him toward a chair.
McFarland wore his full uniform today, maybe a reminder to Lucas of his power...or maybe he had another meeting later. He was a one-star general who knew senators and important businessmen, but he was a four-star pain in the ass. He said, “You’ve been busy,”
Lucas knew from the grimace that McFarland was not giving Lucas a compliment. Lucas said, “I like to think of it as being proactive. Nothing traced back to you.”
“No. But you were in Kendall’s scope for a good three weeks. That’s not what I want to talk to you about. Kendall fired Lauren and set her up to be virtually unemployable in her field. You should be able to convince her to get on board with my group.”
With a grimace, Lucas said, “May I be blunt?”
McFarland raised his eyebrows, “You’re not already?”
Lucas said, “Lauren thinks you were behind the Spokane raid. She won’t work for you. She would rather flip burgers at a fast food restaurant for the rest of her life. Those were her exact words.” Lucas searched McFarland’s face for anger or disappointment. Instead, those eyes held cold calculation. Lucas worried that he had given too much truth, that he had betrayed Lauren.
“I will need to talk to her myself. Of all people, she can better understand how it feels to be the target of vicious rumors,” McFarland’s eyebrows knit together, and his eyes held that distant frost. Those small pupils gave Lucas the shivers. McFarland added, “You can tell her that if I had been in charge of the Spokane raid, no one
would have survived. I don’t make mistakes. I don’t miscalculate. And I sure as hell don’t botch an easy job. She will believe that.”
“Um...you really want me to say it like that?” Lucas asked.
“She is a person to whom truth is important.” McFarland tapped his pen against his desk, a frown still etched across his features.
“What is it?” Lucas asked. Somehow he didn’t think McFarland had dragged Lucas all the way back to Virginia for a chat about Lauren.
McFarland pierced his eyes with a steady gaze, the lion’s measure of the gazelle. He said, “Forget everything you have seen or discussed in the past twenty-four hours.”
“As it relates to?” Lucas asked.
“Just keep your mouth shut. You’re a smart man. If a topic comes up that reminds you of today’s adventures, just be quiet.” McFarland stood and held a hand out to Lucas. Lucas shook it, wondering what had just happened.
This was the moment. Lucas bit his tongue. If he said the wrong thing, McFarland had the power to destroy him. He needed a way out. Now that he knew how much Lauren meant to him, and how much she mistrusted McFarland, he needed to disentangle himself from McFarland. He said, “I don’t want to play this spy game anymore. It’s getting dangerous. I don’t think I’m spy material. Of course I’ll ask Lauren to consider joining your team, but please let me go.”
Lucas wasn’t sure if ‘please’ would win over a military man. It worked on his mom well enough. McFarland tapped him because of his uncle, so Lucas was fairly certain he would at least live another day even if McFarland was disgruntled.
McFarland nodded as if it were no big surprise and said, “Payments will stop as of the next pay period. If you decide you want back in, just let me know.”
He walked Lucas to the door. Lucas hesitated. He felt like this was too hard and too easy all at once. Like he’d just lost a fortune over one bad month that was mostly caused by Kendall anyway. But then he was through the doors. He wasn’t about to take back his words, not when they were so difficult to say in the first place.