In Destiny’s Shadow

by Ingrid Weaver

  He moved the pump nozzle to the next tire. While it inflated, he mentally replayed the route to Benedict’s stronghold. He hadn’t been able to detect the stronghold’s entrance on his last time there, but he suspected there was an access tunnel somewhere behind the trailers. There was probably a natural entrance behind the Anasazi village, but he wouldn’t waste time searching for it. Benedict knew he was coming. The fastest way for Anthony to get in would be to give himself up. Once he was inside the cave system…

  The cave system. Sweat dampened his palms as he thought about entering that dark, closed-in space. He wiped his hands on his pants, refusing to let the dread take hold. Nothing was going to stop him.

  Those who walk alone are the first to fall….

  The woman’s words replayed in his head so vividly, Anthony glanced around to see if she had returned. He was still alone. And alone was the way he wanted it. It was his destiny to face Benedict, to avenge his mother and to protect his family. This was what he lived for. He didn’t care what happened to him after he killed the bastard.

  Your anger will not win her for you. It will push her farther away.

  The anger made it simple. It gave him strength. He couldn’t remember a time without it. He was certain he was capable of killing Benedict. The skills he had learned while working for Jeremy, combined with his psychic talent, made him more than a match for an ordinary man. Sure, he hated caves, but he hated Benedict more.

  The second tire was full. Anthony shut off the pump and carried it to the third tire. Before he could start filling it, his gaze was caught by the blood spots on the gravel.

  Your anger will not win her.

  He would be willing to give up his life to stop Benedict.

  What would he be willing to give up to save Melina?

  Anthony attached the pump nozzle to the last tire, his thoughts whirling. It wasn’t simple. It hadn’t been simple since Melina had burst into his life. She must be terrified. She had bled on the gravel. How badly was she hurt? Was she afraid he wouldn’t come for her? What would happen to her if he died before he could get her to safety?

  But vengeance was what he lived for. He couldn’t change his destiny, could he?

  Those who walk alone…

  It would be 3:00 a.m. in Philadelphia, but Jeremy Solienti picked up the phone on the second ring. His greeting was as gruff and businesslike as always. “Solienti here.”

  Anthony was relieved to hear his friend sounding like his old self—the beating Benedict’s men had given him months ago might have crippled another man, but not Jeremy. The retired mercenary was too tough to be kept out of commission for long. “Hello, Jeremy.”

  There was a brief pause. “Anthony, where the hell have you been? I should fire you for dropping out of sight like that.”

  The sharp comment was typical of Jeremy. So was the warmth beneath the words. Anthony tucked the receiver against his shoulder as he slipped a fresh water bottle into his backpack. He looked around his room to see if he had missed anything. “Sorry to get you up but—”

  “You didn’t. Danielle did ten minutes ago. She was asking if you had called.”

  “Dani? Is she all right? What happened?”

  “She’s fine. She and that nephew of yours are back in Chicago.”

  He dropped his pack on the floor. “Why? They were supposed to stay on that island in the Mediterranean, where they were safe.”

  “She got spooked. So did Elizabeth. They’re both convinced you’re in trouble.” His voice roughened. “I’ve been spooked myself and I don’t need any of their woo-woo powers to tell me that. Anthony, what’s going on? It’s been months since anyone heard from you. We’ve been worried. A lot has happened since you disappeared.”

  Anthony had cut himself off from Jeremy, and from his family, in his pursuit of Benedict. He’d wanted no distractions and no interference. He’d thought this was the best way to protect them, that it would be safer for everyone if he kept them out of it.

  Yet it seemed that distance hadn’t cut off the link he had with his sisters. It hadn’t changed the concern that Jeremy had for him, either.

  The minute someone cares about you, you shove them away.

  He braced himself against Melina’s words. But there was no time to think about them. He was already delaying more than he wanted to. He had to stay focused. “I found Benedict Payne, Jeremy.”

  “That’s what Danielle said. Some reporter named Becker called Liam about an hour ago claiming the same thing.”

  It took a moment for him to process the facts. Melina had called Liam? Liam was the contact she had been so vague about?

  Liam Brooks was the FBI agent who had been assigned to Danielle’s case—and had won Danielle’s heart—five months ago. How would Melina have known that Liam was connected to Anthony’s sister?

  Anthony swore as the truth hit him. Melina hadn’t known. Out of all the possible contacts she could have had in the FBI, Melina’s just happened to be Liam Brooks.

  This was no lucky coincidence. It was Danielle’s talent at work.

  “But the call got cut off before she could tell him where Benedict was,” Jeremy continued.

  The smashed phone. The blood on the ground. Anthony pushed the images out of his mind. He gave Jeremy a brief but thorough summary of the events of the past week, including his deal with Melina. He finished with a description of how and where they had found Benedict’s stronghold.

  Jeremy whistled. “That’s some defensive position he’s got himself.”

  “That’s where Benedict has Melina. The bastard wants to do a trade. Me for her. I plan to be there by dawn.”

  Jeremy knew Anthony too well to waste time arguing. His reply was terse and to the point. “You’ll need backup.”

  “Yes.”

  “Liam’s a good man. You can trust him. He organized the raids that shut down the Titan Syndicate drug labs last month. He could get the manpower to handle whatever Benedict can throw at him now.”

  “A full-scale raid isn’t the best way to get Melina out. We need a quick, surgical strike.”

  “Do you have proof Melina Becker is still alive?”

  It was a reasonable question. No different from the other reasonable questions that Jeremy might ask during the planning of any job. Yet it delivered such a blow to Anthony’s heart, it was a moment before he could reply. “She has to be. I would feel it if she wasn’t.”

  “Feel it? She’s not psychic, is she?”

  “No. The connection we have is from something else.”

  Jeremy whistled again, this time slow and soft. “She’s more than a business partner to you.”

  Anthony didn’t deny it—his friend couldn’t have missed the hitch in his voice. His partnership with Melina had gone beyond business days ago—probably from the first moment he’d touched her. He just hadn’t wanted to see it. “She’s an exceptional woman, Jeremy. But right now she’s a pawn in a game she never should have been involved in. I’ll fund the whole job. Transportation, extra equipment, whatever you think is necessary.”

  “From what you described of Benedict’s setup, quick and surgical isn’t going to be easy.”

  “I don’t care what it costs. Just help me get Melina out.”

  “I used to have a team that could handle an assignment like this,” Jeremy said. “They were the best I’ve ever trained. They were unbeatable.”

  “Jeremy—”

  “But they were stubborn as hell. They broke up. The full team hasn’t worked together in years.”

  “Do you want me to beg?”

  “No, son. What I want you to do is make a phone call. It’s one that’s long overdue.”

  The phone rang six times. It was answered on the seventh. The voice that came through the receiver was high-pitched and slightly breathless. “Hello?”

  Anthony grabbed the edge of the window frame and tipped back his head, inhaling fast. He’d thought he’d been prepared, but the sound of her voice scraped open the wou
nd. How long had it been? Over two years since they had spoken. He had been so full of anger at her desertion, he had vowed to let her break the silence first.

  “Hello? Is anyone there?”

  This was no time for pride or dwelling on past hurts. With Melina’s life at stake, everything else was immaterial. Anthony spoke fast before she could hang up. “Dani, I need your help.”

  There was a stunned silence. Then his sister’s voice shrieked through the line. “Anthony! My God. Where are you? We’ve been so worried. So much has happened—”

  “Danielle, I don’t have much time. Please, listen to me.”

  “Anything. Whatever you need. Just tell me.”

  He felt an ache behind his eyes. It was so easy, as if the arguments and the two years apart had never happened. There was so much he wanted to say and a hundred questions he wanted to ask. Later. If there was a later. “I need us to be a team again. You, me and Elizabeth. Just like in the old days.”

  “You’ve got it. And I know I speak for Liz. I just got off the phone with her and she’s as anxious about you as I am. When and where?”

  “How fast can you two get to New Mexico?”

  “Liz told me that Cole has the corporate jet standing by. They could leave Philadelphia within the hour, pick me up here and we’ll be there by mid-morning.”

  Cole Williams was Elizabeth’s new fiancé. Anthony had fences to mend with both him and Liz. He had been filled with resentment when his sister had turned to Cole instead of to him, but like his problems with Dani, the issues all seemed irrelevant now. That was part of the past. His concern was the future.

  “Is this about Melina Becker, that newspaper reporter?” Danielle asked. “She called here asking for Liam. She said she was with you.”

  “Benedict abducted her.”

  “Oh, no! We were afraid something happened. We heard her struggle.”

  The phone. The blood. Don’t think about it, Anthony told himself. “He has her at his stronghold. It’s northwest of Santa Fe near a town called Antelope Ridge.”

  “Antelope Ridge?” She drew in her breath. “Antelope! Oh, my God. The postcard!”

  Anthony frowned. How could Danielle have known about the postcard Benedict’s men had left under his Jeep?

  Her next words answered his question before he could ask. “Last spring a medical student who had been mixed up with the Titan Syndicate was killed trying to get a message to Liam. She had written it on a postcard but all we could make out were the first three letters. Ant. It must have been Antelope. She must have been trying to tell Liam where Benedict was building his stronghold. If only we had realized—”

  “Dani, we don’t have time to go into this. We have to rescue Melina. Benedict wants to trade her for me.”

  “That son of a bitch.” Danielle’s voice trembled with sudden vehemence. “Not again. People are nothing but tools to him. What’s the plan?”

  “Jeremy has the details of the location and will supply anything you need. He’ll be contacting Liam to coordinate this with the FBI, but whatever happens, they can’t move in on the stronghold until we get Melina out. Benedict expects me to be alone. We can’t risk tipping him off.”

  “Anthony, you’re not agreeing to the trade, are you? Benedict won’t keep his word.”

  “No, he won’t. He’s too volatile. That’s why I have to get there before he changes his mind and hurts Melina.” He pushed away from the window and retrieved his backpack. “I’m on my way now. That will buy Melina some time and provide a diversion while you and Elizabeth locate her and get her to safety.”

  “No. That’s too risky for you.”

  “Risky, but within reason. I’ll leave the detecting devices disabled as I work my way into the stronghold, to make it easier for you to follow. The central power source is electrical. I intend to disrupt it once I’m inside the cave system, so bring your night vision equipment and be ready to move fast.”

  “Wait. Did you say cave?”

  “Yes. Jeremy has the coordinates.”

  “My God, Anthony. You’re going into a cave?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know how that affects you. You won’t be able to function. You have to wait for Elizabeth and me.”

  “I can’t. Every minute Melina is there alone increases the danger she’s in. It’s my responsibility to ensure her safety.”

  Her voice turned harsh. “Don’t you dare pull this noble, self-sacrificing bull again, big brother.”

  “Danielle—”

  “That’s what drove us apart in the first place. You were angry because I broke up the team, but you were the one who didn’t want to share. You want everything done your way.”

  “I realize I made mistakes, Dani. I—”

  “Can’t you understand that you’re not alone? You never were alone, even after you cut me off.”

  His vision blurred. He rubbed his thumb and fingers against his eyes. “I know that now. Our connection was never really broken. You’ve always been in my heart, I just didn’t listen to it.”

  “Anthony, I—” Her voice broke. “I love you. I never stopped, no matter how angry and hurt I was.”

  “Same goes for me, Dani. I’m sorry for pushing you away.”

  “We both did our share of pushing, but it’s not too late to change.”

  God, he hoped not. “I’m trying.”

  “Then prove it. You think getting Benedict is your responsibility, but you’re not the only one who wants a piece of the bastard who ripped our family apart. All six of us have a score to settle.”

  “All six?”

  “Yes, six. Like I said, a lot has happened while you’ve been gone. The babies Elizabeth and I thought we remembered when we were kids…they were real, Anthony. Liam found the other triplets. Hawk, Darian and Cassandra. They’re alive and safe and—”

  “He found them?”

  “It was more like they found us.”

  “And they’re safe? You’re certain?”

  “Yes. They’re fine. Benedict can’t hurt them.”

  He’d been wrong. There were more than a hundred questions he wanted to ask.

  The younger triplets were alive! Two brothers. Another sister. Where were they? What kind of people had they become? Had they learned to use their talents the way Dani, Elizabeth and he had? Were they together? Were they happy?

  Would he get the chance to meet them?

  The elation he should have felt at the news was submerged beneath his worry over Melina. He checked the time. Why did there never seem to be enough? “I’ve got to go.”

  “Anthony…”

  “Dani, there’s one last thing.”

  “Anything. What?”

  “Wish me luck.”

  Chapter 12

  The elevator started downward with a bump. Melina stumbled sideways, her legs still wobbly. The duct tape they had used to immobilize her earlier had cut off her circulation. It was only now starting to come back.

  One of her captors, the man with the basset-hound face and the stubbly eyebrow, grabbed her arm and yanked her upright. “Don’t try anything cute or I’ll tape you up again.”

  Tears welled in her eyes as he wrenched her shoulder. She bit her lip, refusing to make a sound of complaint. Even if she got away from these two goons, where would she go? She had seen nothing but windowless rooms and stark white corridors since she had regained consciousness.

  She lifted her hand to her head. The shallow cut the gun butt had left in her scalp had scabbed over, leaving a crusty line in her hair. How long had she been out? How long had she been here? She didn’t know the answer to either question.

  But she did know where she was.

  These were Benedict’s men. The one who had hit her with the gun was the same one who had fired at her from the van last week. She had seen him again yesterday when he’d been patrolling the phony archaeological dig along with his tall, thin companion. So it was reasonable to assume this had to be Benedict’s stronghold.
/>   She should have been more cautious. She should have paid more attention to her surroundings when she had tried to make her phone call. More than that, she should have called Liam the instant she and Anthony had found this place.

  Anthony. Did they have him, too? Was he hurt?

  She felt a stirring of panic but pushed it down. Now, more than ever, she had to stay in control of herself. She would focus on the facts. She would regard this as a story.

  The story of a lifetime.

  If she lived to tell it.

  She breathed in slowly through her nose, striving for calm. The men beside her smelled like cigarettes. Beneath that, the air had a stale, metallic tang, confirming her belief that they were in the stronghold. What else did she know? The corridor she had just left had wound like a maze, the dips and turns likely following the contours of the natural cavern. Anthony had been right. This complex must have been constructed within a cave system. A big one. How far was this elevator going down? They had to be below the base of the cliff by now, but it was hard to tell.

  The elevator glided to a stop. She was better prepared this time. She locked her knees and barely swayed, but then the door slid open and she was propelled into a room of riveted steel. Pools of light shone starkly on a huge oval table surrounded by high-backed chairs. A four-sided monitor, like a small version of the display screen at a hockey arena, hung suspended over the center of the table. It was blank. The table was bare. All the chairs were empty save one.

  Melina didn’t need an introduction. The man who sat enthroned at the head of the table had to be Benedict Payne.

  She stared, her stomach slowly folding itself into a knot. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t this. He didn’t look like a madman. He didn’t look like a monster, either.

  His silver hair was trimmed conservatively, as was the silver goatee that adorned his chin. His suit was the color of charcoal and had the understated, perfect fit of expensive tailoring. His hands were clasped sedately on the table in front of him, his fingers slender and pale as if he never wielded anything heavier than a pen.