Heatseeker (Atrati)

by Lucy Monroe

  Jamila just stared, and then finally she said, “I think, someday, I would like to be what you are.”

  “You’re smart enough and strong enough to be the best.” Rachel made no attempt to dissuade her.

  “I graduate from university in only two years. Perhaps I could finish those years elsewhere. I have money, left me by my mother. And dual citizenship from her legacy, as well. She never renounced her citizenship in the United Kingdom, so I was born both an Egyptian and British citizen. I do not have to stay in Egypt.”

  This time, Rachel let the relief flow through her. She hadn’t known what to do about Jamila’s future, but, unlike Linny, the young Egyptian woman had a plan. And the means to make it happen.

  Jamila had been assaulted not an hour ago, and here she was, making a plan … to take back her power.

  “You are amazing,” Rachel said with feeling.

  “I believe you are, as well, Agent Rachel Gannon, but I think I would like to see your true eye color.”

  Rachel laughed as this incredible young woman had meant her to, her smile lingering as Kadin pulled the Land Rover to a stop in the alley behind the safe house.

  Mrs. Abdul ushered Jamila toward the back of the house, speaking in low tones to her. The Egyptian woman waved off Rachel’s offer to go with her.

  Something about the Moroccan woman inspired confidence and security in Jamila. Rachel wasn’t about to insist.

  Kadin took her to their room and pulled her into his arms, just holding her in a fierce embrace for several minutes. “Tell me what happened.”

  She told him, feeling safe in his strong arms. When she was done, he pulled away and looked down at her. “She’s not dead.”

  “Not like Linny.”

  “She’s going to survive all this and come out stronger on the other side.”

  “She’s strong already.” A lot stronger than Rachel had even begun to realize.

  “Yes.”

  Neil and Wyatt hadn’t arrived yet, and she asked Kadin about it.

  “They’re transporting Ralph Giroux and Terne Lavigne. It was decided Giroux should not be brought here to the safe house.”

  “Lavigne?”

  “He’s alive, and Jayne wanted him brought in for questioning. But he needed medical care, so my team is taking him to a secure facility.”

  “Where are they taking Mr. Giroux?”

  “To the airport. The sooner he is returned to a familiar environment, the better for him.”

  Rachel nodded. “Neil and Wyatt will be escorting him?” she asked, feeling abandoned, though she knew her emotions were not rational.

  Maybe there was more trauma left over from her time in the mountains than she wanted to admit, because the thought of the Atrati men leaving filled her with a panic she could barely hide.

  “No.” Kadin reached out and placed a calming hand on her cheek, showing he saw even what she tried to cover up. “Ethan and Beth are meeting them at the airport and will stay with Ralph Giroux until his caregiver arrives. Spazz and Cowboy will be back in plenty of time to go with us to Egypt.”

  “Whit isn’t going to approve that.”

  “Of course he is. The case is blown right open. He needs agents in there gathering evidence before Dr. Massri has a chance to destroy it.”

  “But—”

  “Shh, angel. Just go with it. Okay?”

  She nodded, but inside she was filled with confusion. She felt prick after prick against the bubble of numbness until her emotions threatened to spill out and take her over.

  Jayne found Rachel on the rooftop, where Kadin had left her to get her some fruit juice and make a phone call to his chief.

  The other TGP agent was surprisingly placid about Rachel stealing her gun, but she was livid about the possible compromise to her investigation.

  She ended her rant with, “What were you thinking?”

  That, at least, Rachel had an answer for. “I was thinking Jamila Massri wasn’t going to be collateral damage.”

  “Chuma hadn’t targeted her because of you. She was in his sights all along. That doesn’t make her collateral damage,” Jayne said in a flat tone.

  “He still hurt her.”

  “But not because of you.”

  “Does it matter?” Rachel demanded.

  “Not to me, no.” Jayne fixed her with a pointed stare. “But I think it does to you.”

  “We’re going to Egypt.”

  “It’s not your case any longer.” But there was no heat in Jayne’s words.

  “Jamila’s my asset. She knows where her father keeps his secret files.”

  “And she’s not about to share that information with me,” Jayne said before Rachel had to. “Naturally. I didn’t save her from a man attacking her.”

  “I didn’t go in after Jamila to flip her.”

  “No. You didn’t, but that’s not what my report is going to say.”

  “You want to save my career.” For so long Rachel had thought she was alone, and now, suddenly, she was surrounded by people intent on helping and protecting her.

  It was overwhelming.

  “You’re a damn fine agent, even if you are more emotional than is prudent.”

  Coming from this woman, that meant a lot, even with the caveat. “Thank you. I think.”

  “Whit and Beth think a lot of you.” Jayne’s tone said that meant something to her. “Both of them quite firmly asked me to watch out for you. They said they’d have my head if I didn’t.”

  “They did?” Again, Rachel was surprised.

  She’d tried to keep her boss’s daughter at a distance since joining TGP. But Beth never recognized boundaries, even when Rachel was constantly setting them.

  Now she couldn’t help wondering if maybe she shouldn’t be so careful to keep people out.

  It was a startling concept for her.

  “Yes. The Old Man himself is worried about how the torture you endured might affect you.”

  Rachel shrugged. “There are worse things in life than physical pain.”

  “Yes,” Jayne agreed. “But that doesn’t mean that going through the pain, and the realization that death is probably your only way out, doesn’t have a profound effect on you. It does.”

  “You sound like you’ve been there.”

  “I have.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “Most people don’t. Just like most people in Jamila Massri’s life from this point forward will never hear about what happened to her before you got to that room, but it will be with her all the same.”

  “How do you know …”

  “I’ve seen that look in a woman’s eyes … more than once. Cover like mine has a dark side few women want to talk about.”

  “You?”

  “Would kill a man who tried.”

  Rachel believed it. “Jamila wants to be like me.”

  “She could do worse for a role model.”

  “Danger is inherent in our lives.”

  “But we’re prepared to deal with it.”

  “Even torture.”

  “Even that.”

  Rachel nodded. “Kadin has Roman Chernichenko working on transport to Egypt.”

  “I’ll fly with you. I assume the others will be coming, as well.”

  “Yes.”

  “Jamila can stay with Beth and Ethan.”

  “Jamila wants to be the one to get the files from her father’s house.”

  Jayne didn’t look surprised, or even resigned. If anything, her expression was approving. “She needs to take back the power.”

  “Yes.”

  Jayne nodded her assent. “Keep an eye on her.”

  “Better than I have so far.”

  “Bullshit,” Jayne said succinctly. “The woman’s alive and a lot less damaged than she could be.”

  “If I’d gone in sooner—”

  “Chuma wouldn’t have been otherwise occupied when you shot Lavigne. He’d have gotten to the Viper in the drawer that much faster. Both you and
Jamila might well be dead right now.”

  “You were listening in when I told Kadin what happened.”

  “It’s what I do.”

  “Well enough that I didn’t even realize you were there.”

  “You were talking with the door open.”

  Rachel laughed a little.

  “What?”

  “I thought Neil and Wyatt were being sloppy, talking about the case with the door open. Even in a safe house.”

  “And then you did it. Says something for how secure you feel around these Atratis,” Jayne opined.

  “They stayed to help me.”

  “Different teams of the Atrati have different reputations.”

  “Oh?”

  “Kadin’s team used to be led by Roman Chernichenko. They had a reputation for doing what they wanted but always getting the job done. They still do.”

  Rachel could see that. Easily. “Kadin’s pretty stubborn.”

  “I’d say pot and kettle, but I think you know that.”

  Rachel sighed and nodded. “I do.”

  “That’s not the only thing you two have in common.”

  Rachel knew Jayne wasn’t talking about the mind-blowing sex. “What do you mean?”

  “You both lead with your emotions. For each other.”

  “He doesn’t have feelings for me.” Not real ones. “He still sees me as some fantasy he created in his head when we were kids.”

  “You’re wrong about that.” Jayne sounded so certain.

  “How would you know?”

  “Because a man like Kadin Marks doesn’t lose his shit over a fantasy.”

  “You’re right, Jayne. I don’t.”

  Rachel spun around. “How long have you been standing there?”

  “Too long for you not to have noticed. You’re tired, angel. You’d better sleep on the plane.”

  She wanted to talk on the plane. Her emotions were leaking out around the edges, and she knew that the only way to get a handle on what was going on inside of her was to have it out with Kadin. Once and for all.

  “Later, angel. We’ll talk later. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Are you reading minds now?”

  “Just yours.”

  Jayne snorted, but she didn’t say anything, just turned away. “I need to call the Old Man before we take off.”

  “When do we have to be at the airport?” Rachel asked Kadin.

  “Roman has a jet scheduled with a takeoff slot in two hours.”

  “What did Jayne mean, that you lost it?”

  “When I figured out you’d left on your own, I might have gotten a little loud.”

  “But you left the earbud in the Land Rover. You expected me to take off after Jamila.”

  “I wanted to be prepared for it; I didn’t expect it. Those are two different things.”

  “Oh.”

  He sat down beside her and pulled her in to his side. Like a lightbulb coming on in a room that had been dark too long, she realized something. He was always touching her. If they were in the same room, he wanted to be next to her. Right next to her. Not just on the same couch but touching, and his hand was always reaching out to offer comfort.

  Would a man be that attached to a woman he didn’t really see, a woman who was no more than a fantasy?

  “What’s happening at Lavigne’s house?” she asked, because as much as she wanted to figure out what was happening between her and Kadin, she still had a job to do.

  Even if she was officially on leave.

  “Nothing so far. We sent in a cleaning crew. When and if Dr. Massri goes to the house to collect his daughter, there will be nothing to see but a mansion completely empty of people.”

  “And Lavigne?”

  “He’ll be interrogated by your agency once his condition is stabilized.”

  “They’re flying in another agent?” This assignment just kept getting bigger.

  “Whit recalled Ethan.”

  “He can’t do that, can he? Ethan took a leave.”

  Kadin shrugged. “He can if Ethan doesn’t argue.”

  “So, Ethan’s doing the interrogation?”

  “Jayne would do it, but gathering evidence in Egypt is a higher priority because of the timing constraints.”

  “She’s scary good.”

  “So is Ethan.”

  “How do you know?”

  “The man worked FBI before TGP. He’s got a rep that would make him a good Atrati.”

  “He’s a spy.”

  “Who does whatever needs doing to get the job done.”

  “That can be bad sometimes.”

  “It can, but he’s got a solid moral compass.”

  “Good to know, considering he’s the father of my only friend’s baby.”

  “Beth isn’t your only friend.”

  “Until yesterday, I didn’t even acknowledge she was one.”

  “Well, you can make it a banner day and admit I’m your friend, too, Rach.”

  She looked up at him, the malaise she’d been struggling with since the torture starting to melt away under the heat of the emotions in his dark eyes. “Are you?”

  “You have to ask?”

  “I think I want the words.”

  “Yes. Rachel, I am your friend, and if you let me, I will always have your back.”

  She nodded, her throat too tight to speak.

  “He’s not the only one.” Neil came toward them across the rooftop garden, his eyes still bright with adrenaline, Wyatt close behind him.

  “I thought you two were meeting us at the airport,” Rachel said, having no idea how to respond to the mercenary’s offer.

  “And let this big lug pack up my babies?” Neil asked with horror lacing his voice as he waved toward Kadin. “Not a chance.”

  “I assume you delivered Terne Lavigne and Ralph Giroux into the appropriate hands.” Kadin didn’t seem offended not to be considered good enough to pack up his teammate’s equipment.

  “Lavigne is in lockdown at the secure medical facility. Ethan and Beth met us at the airport just like they promised and took custody of Giroux. He took a shine to Beth right away. He’s currently bedeviling Ethan—in perfect English, mind you—with the statistical probabilities of Beth having twins.”

  “How did he know she was pregnant?” Rachel asked.

  Cowboy shrugged. “That man is scary smart.”

  “Did he seem okay?” Kadin asked. “Even a highly functioning autistic can get very agitated being taken out of his comfort zone.”

  “Oh, yeah. The thing he seemed most upset about was the food being so many different colors. Apparently, he’s partial to green food.”

  “Well, that’s healthy, I guess.”

  “I’m betting his caretaker keeps a bottle of green dye in her kitchen. That’s all I’m sayin’.” Cowboy winked at Rachel.

  And she felt herself smiling in response. “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “We’re leaving in an hour.”

  Neil and Wyatt both nodded.

  “We’d best get to it.” Wyatt turned his attention to Neil. “I’m fixing to get our kits stowed.”

  “Thanks.” The warm look Neil gave Wyatt surprised Rachel.

  Wyatt looked shocked, but he was quick on his feet, and he leaned down to bestow a light kiss on Neil’s cheek. “Get your toys packed up, baby.”

  Neil turned a little pink and waved the other man away. “Go on, hon, get out of here.”

  Cowboy stared. “You called me hon. You haven’t done that in at least a year.”

  “I also told you to get going.”

  Cowboy left, a bemused smile on his rugged Texan features.

  “You’ve forgiven him,” Kadin said with more satisfaction and happiness than Rachel would have expected.

  Neil nodded.

  “You’re going to give him a second chance?” Kadin asked in a tone that said the answer really mattered to him.

  “Yes.” Neil looked up, his expression quizzical. “You care abou
t his happiness.”

  “I care about both of you, but, yeah, Cowboy’s been a friend since our grunt days. You’re good for him.”

  “I’ll try to be, but if he tries to go back into the closet, I’m taping C–4 and a detonator to the door.”

  Kadin laughed. “I’ll push the button.”

  Neil grinned. “Yeah.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Neil walked into the room he’d been sharing with Wyatt. Though they’d spent the nights in separate beds.

  “We’re leaving in forty-five minutes.” He’d packed his equipment in record time, even skipping a couple of steps on the less fragile of his “babies.”

  Wyatt looked up from Neil’s duffel. “I’m almost finished here.”

  “Good. I’ve got something I need you to do.”

  Wyatt paused, as if he could tell by the quality of Neil’s voice that what he was talking about wasn’t work related. “Do you, now?”

  “I do.”

  “What might that be?”

  “Oh, I think you’ll figure it out.” Neil pulled his Ozzie T-shirt over his head and shucked out of his jeans.

  Just in case the other man wasn’t getting the right clue.

  “We’re heading to the airport.”

  “We don’t have time for everything, but we have time for something.”

  “Why?” Wyatt watched him warily. “Is this just sex? Because I don’t think I can do that, Neil.”

  “This is me.” Neil waved his hand toward his already hard cock. “Giving you another chance. Do not screw it up.”

  Wyatt’s features spasmed, and he pressed the finger and thumb of one hand to his eyes. “Tell me I’m not dreaming, that you’re saying this for real.”

  Neil crossed the room and laid his hand on Wyatt’s chest. “I love you, my cowboy. It’s not something I can stop, and my heart is more grateful than you’ll ever know that you finally got your head out of your ass.”

  Wyatt’s hand dropped, wet gray eyes glittering with a joy Neil never thought he’d be the cause of in another person. “Mine, too.”

  “Your mama may never change her mind about family holidays,” Neil warned.

  “Then we’ll make our own holiday traditions.”