His Last Breath

by S. M. Butler

  “Kill me then. But know as soon as you do, everything you had in that safe you found me sifting through will go public.”

  His eyes narrowed, his finger slid closer to the trigger. “You’re lying.”

  “As you said, Dad,” she stressed the word, stretching it out into two syllables. “Everything I know, you taught me. I am your daughter, if not by blood, but by your machinations. Shoot me now, and everyone in the world will know what you’ve done.”

  She closed her eyes, sure she was going to end up with a bullet between her eyes now. Hot tears fell down her cheeks. It was the biggest bluff of her life. That stupid SD card was sitting in a shoe hundreds of miles away. Maybe Chris found it, but the nature of his job meant he couldn’t act on it. Long moments of fear trembled over her as her father pondered whether she was lying or not.

  But it wasn’t until she heard the door close that she felt brave enough to open her eyes again.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chris couldn’t remember the last time he’d stayed in a real hotel. Crappy little cash-only motels, sure. But this… and sitting at a table across from the man that killed him… well, that was a different story.

  “I can’t figure you out.” Giroux’s French accent was deep when he spoke.

  Chris didn’t reply. He just watched Giroux.

  “What was it… two years ago now?”

  “Surprised you remember,” Chris said.

  “I remember every person I’ve ever killed,” Giroux replied.

  “Nice,” Chris muttered. “You’re a son of a bitch.”

  “I shot you twice. You should be dead. Yet here you sit, as healthy as can be.” Giroux’s dark eyes swept over Chris. It was hard to believe someone as sweet as Abigail could have come from a man like the one before him.

  “I’m a fast healer.”

  “I see,” he said. He leaned back in his seat. “So, what have you been doing with my daughter?”

  Chris zeroed in on Giroux. “What?”

  “I’m not stupid. I know the reactions of a man who is emotionally involved with a woman. I wouldn’t be much of a businessman if I didn’t.” Giroux didn’t move, only tapped his fingers against the table. “I’m a very good businessman.”

  “You’re nothing but a murdering psychopath,” Chris sneered.

  “I am the man the world made of me,” Giroux replied.

  It wasn’t a denial, Chris noted. Of all the things he thought might happen on this mission, sitting across the table from an international arms dealing monster that almost killed him wasn’t it.

  “Right,” Chris muttered.

  “You and the ones like you… You all look down your nose at people like me.” Giroux laughed. “But you’re no different than me. You kill to protect your lives, the ones you love.”

  “I protect my country.” That wasn’t strictly true anymore. He had no more allegiance to countries. Not since he became a Reaper. He was the world’s defender now.

  “Yes, just like your Senator Lewis. He calls himself a patriot, kills women in the name of your president, kidnaps my family to extort me.” Giroux rolled his eyes with a haughty scoff. “The price of your protection is high.”

  “What’s your point?”

  “This is the mess your patriotism has involved my daughter in.” Giroux leaned on his elbows toward Chris.

  “You’re one to talk about involving her in messes,” Chris snarled back.

  Giroux roared and the next thing he knew, Chris was stumbling back as the table went flying. Giroux grabbed him by the throat, the barrel of the gun Chris hadn’t seen pulled resting against his temple. “I should finish what I started two years ago.”

  “Go for it,” Chris smiled. “You’d be doing me a favor.”

  Giroux’s frown deepened as he searched Chris’s face for whatever he was looking for. He released him, shoving him away. He ran his hand through his dark hair as he stared at Chris. “You take all the fun out of killing you.”

  “Guess you’ll just have to find someone new to kill for absolutely no reason.”

  Giroux smirked. “I always have a reason.”

  Chris wanted so much to respond, but his phone started ringing as soon as he opened his mouth. Grinding his teeth, he pulled it from his pocket and glanced at it. Jordan. He frowned and answered it, grateful from the reprieve of this particular one-on-one. “Send it.”

  “Hardy, we have a problem.” Jordan sounded winded.

  “What’s going on?”

  “We have a breach. Bea got taken.” Jordan paused. “Someone is telling Lewis’s guys where to find us and they’re picking us off one by one. You’re not safe there.”

  “What? Who?”

  “It’s either Jack or Scott. Because it’s damn sure not me, and you like that girl too much. I’m pretty sure that’s how they beat you to that motel.”

  Chris ignored Jordan’s half-hearted attempt at humor and focused on the rest, ignoring Giroux, who righted the table he’d just flipped and calmly sat down like he wasn’t listening, though Chris knew he was. “Nathan vetted the whole team. There’s no way they’d sell us out.”

  “I’m telling you… that’s what’s happening,” Jordan said. “Bea and I got fucked six ways from Sunday. Walked right into an ambush at the first rally point. I barely got away. Bea didn’t make it back. Not sure if she’s alive or not.” Jordan paused. “No one knew where that location was except for our team.”

  Shit. Chris couldn’t even consider that someone might be helping Lewis. He didn’t want to think any of them were capable of that betrayal. Granted, most of the team was new, only a few months under their belts. These were people he lived with, worked alongside every day. Even Jack, he trusted with his life, despite the fact he was an asshole.

  “I need you to come here. We’ll figure out our next move from there.”

  Chris gave Jordan directions and hung up, slipping the phone into his pocket. He turned to find Giroux looking intently at him, curiosity ebbing over every inch of his body. “You and your team are not quite as tight-knit as you would like, yes?”

  “It’s not any of your business,” Chris replied. “I’m only here on good faith that we don’t want Abigail hurt.”

  “I could have killed you all in that motel room. Jack knew that. It’s why he did what he did and offered you up like a sacrificial lamb.” Giroux smiled. “I’m interested to know what you offered him that my family could not.”

  “We didn’t threaten his daughter.”

  Giroux laughed. “Ironic, isn’t it? Alex has always been a loose cannon. I suppose my situation may have given my brother ideas on how to maintain a leash on a spy.”

  Chris didn’t reply. His chest throbbed in time with his pulse, right where his scars were. He could not have ever seen something like this happening, sitting across from the man that put those scars there. He wanted to reach across the table and choke him until his eyes were dead and lifeless. But the one thing holding him back… Abigail. Whatever their mission had been before, she deserved a conversation with her father. Even if that guy was a mass-murdering psychopath.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Abigail finally managed to contort her body enough to get her hands in front of her. It had been hours since she’d seen her father, even longer since she’d had anything to eat or drink. It felt like she was still drugged from when they’d taken her, though it should have been flushed from her system by now.

  She glanced around the room, looking for anything she could use. She’d escaped her father once, by a miracle of a stupid guard with a penis for a brain. No doubt, her father would make sure that wouldn’t be an option this time.

  The door opened, the light from above filling the dim room, broken by the shadows of the incoming men. She watched as two filed in, one carrying someone in dark clothes. They dumped their package on the floor unceremoniously and Abigail gasped as she recognized Bea, the small woman who’d all but threatened her if she told Axel about the Reapers.
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br />   Her face was bloody, all dripping from one side of her face, and she looked so still, Abigail thought she was dead. Then they left, not even sparing her a glance and the silence came back. She crawled her way over to the unconscious woman and checked for a pulse, grateful to find she was warm and there was, in fact, a pulse.

  Her handcuffs clinked as she checked the woman over, looking for any other injuries. There was a long cut on her hip, already bandaged. Bea’s hands were cuffed behind her, as they’d done to Abigail. They’d taken her alive, but why?

  Where was Chris now? Was he dead?

  She rubbed her face, trying to clear her head. She was scared out of her mind here. As much as she was sorry Bea was dragged into this mess, she was at least glad for a familiar face. Hopefully, the woman didn’t kill her when she woke up.

  It wasn’t long before she started to stir. Abigail was sitting across the room when she did. Still, her father hadn’t been down to see her or Bea since she’d been dropped in here.

  Bea groaned, but it sounded more like an angry snarl as she recovered. When her eyes opened, she focused immediately on Abigail. She pushed her way to a sitting position, wincing in pain as she did.

  “Do you need help?” Abigail asked.

  “No,” the low voice said. She pushed to her knees and glanced around. “Where are we?”

  “Basement of my father’s house.”

  “Galveston or Dallas?”

  “Galveston.”

  “How long was I out?”

  “I don’t know. You’ve been here for a couple hours, maybe.”

  “That asshole got the jump on me,” Bea ground out. Her eyes searched the room, maybe looking for exits. “I’m going to kill that fucker when I get out of here.”

  “There’s only one way out,” Abigail said.

  “Then that’s where I’m going,” Bea replied. She tested her cuffs. “Just as soon as I get these off.”

  “It won’t do any good,” she told her. “My father has men outside that door all the time.”

  “Never been in a prison I can’t break out of.” Bea smiled fiercely. Abigail believed her, but it was hard to have faith in a woman barely over five foot when she was handcuffed in the basement next to her.

  ~*~*~

  When Jordan arrived at the hotel, he was in all black gear, a black beanie in his hand, his hair half-flattened by the beanie, and half sticking up. He carried a gun, which he refused to surrender to Giroux’s men. Instead, he burst into the hotel room, with Giroux’s men hot on his heels.

  Giroux lifted his hand to his men as they grabbed Jordan, and they instantly released him. Jordan glanced around in surprise. “Nice place.”

  Chris ignored the comment. “What happened?”

  “There was a lot of men. They swarmed us, me and Bea. We were both caught. They were going to take us both to Lewis, but Bea caused a huge distraction, got me loose, and told me to get lost and get backup.”

  Jordan’s face was darker than Chris had ever seen as he focused on Giroux in the room. “They want you more than anything. We’re just the people standing in the way.”

  “Of course, Lewis wants me. He has my daughter. Imagine his political career if he can be the one to have brought down a Giroux. I’m not stupid.”

  “No, there’s something else involved here,” Chris shook his head. “This can’t just be a revenge play or political favor.”

  “Daniel Lewis has never wanted anything more than the Presidency of your country,” Giroux said. “We worked together, years ago. I got him the money he needed for his campaign. I thought having a friend in the government would be a good idea.”

  “Something happened?”

  “Yes. He decided he no longer wished for my services. You don’t get in bed with a Giroux and then decide halfway through you don’t wish to continue.” Giroux smiled. “It seems I’m really bad at killing that man. After an attempt on his life, he bunkered down, had my daughter kidnapped, and my wife murdered.”

  “You tried to kill him.”

  “Several times. When she escaped him, I sent Claude to find her. At the same time, I delivered vengeance on Lewis. Blow after blow. I didn’t let him rest. If he dies, she’s safe. She can live her life without worry. That’s all I want for her.”

  “This is all well and good, but…” Jordan said. “Someone is helping Lewis.”

  “If they’re picking us off, they have to be tapped into the trackers,” Chris said. “Oh, shit.” He picked up his phone and called Jack. It rang four times before he hung up. He called Murphy this time, letting it ring before his voicemail picked up.

  “What are you thinking?” Jordan asked quietly.

  “Jack isn’t answering. Murphy was with him.”

  “Your brother-in-law?” Jordan blew out a breath. “When you fuck up, you go all the way.”

  “Jack is smart, but if they’re using our trackers to find us… it’s not him.”

  “Scott?”

  Chris nodded. “He has the access. He has the know-how. He knew every step of the way what we’ve been up to. He could have easily called her location into Lewis. Jack was with me and Murphy the entire time.”

  “If we cut him out, he’ll know we’re on to him,” Jordan said.

  “So we don’t cut him out,” Chris said. “Let’s tell him exactly where we’re going to be.”

  “He’ll know if we’re lying. We’re tagged.”

  “Oh, your trackers are disabled,” Giroux interjected. “Sorry, I was eavesdropping. I had them shorted out when we arrived. His too, when he came into the room.” He pointed at Jordan. “I take no chances.”

  “I’m calling Nathan,” Chris said.

  “No need, I’m here, Mr. Hardy.” All three of them shot their attention toward the door as Nathan strolled in the room like it was Sunday at church. “Quite a mess you boys have caused.” He glanced at Giroux. “Mr. Giroux. Je suis heureux de vous rencontrer.”

  “Somehow I doubt that,” Giroux replied. He glanced toward the door.

  “Your men have been detained momentarily, Mr. Giroux. I need mine to continue their mission.”

  “Ah, you’re the leash holder,” Giroux laughed and sat down in an armchair. “I knew there had to be someone. That one,” he nodded toward Chris, “isn’t devious enough.”

  “It’s not his job to be devious. We will be leaving now.”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Giroux pulled his gun out and pointed it at Nathan. “The deal was he stays until my daughter is returned to me.”

  “The deal is off,” Nathan said, his eyes turning dark and dangerous. Giroux stood as Nathan squared his shoulders, standing at an angle.

  “I’m not a man to make an enemy of,” Giroux replied.

  “No doubt of that at all,” Nathan replied. “But neither am I. I will walk out of here with both of them, safe and sound, or my next order will be to launch an air strike on your weapons stash in South France.” Nathan smiled as he saw the surprise on Jean Giroux’s face. “How many billions do you have locked up in that warehouse? Are you prepared to watch it burn?”

  “You would call an air strike on an ally’s soil?”

  “I’m not with the government. I don’t really care about allies.” Nathan’s face remained impassive. “I don’t really care about you either. Which is why I have a sniper trained on you right now. Lower your gun or he fires and we walk out of here anyway.”

  Giroux’s face darkened, but he lowered the gun.

  “Thank you.” Nathan smiled, sly and full of savagery. He turned toward where Chris and Jordan stood watching. “Well, let’s go. Things to do.”

  “This is not over,” Giroux growled.

  Nathan’s smile widened, the savagery and malice sliding into plain view. “No, Mr. Giroux. It most certainly is not.”

  Chris and Jordan followed Nathan out, nipping at his heels like puppies. It was rare that Nathan would show such a powerful hand, but it never failed to make Chris remember exactly who he was working
for.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Abigail stared at the wall while Bea worked on her cuffs. It had been hours since her father had been down here. Which either meant he was busy with another of the team, or he just didn’t feel the need to visit her anymore. God, she so hoped he didn’t have Chris.

  There was no way out. No way to get free.

  Bea eyed her carefully. “Are you shutting down on me, girl?”

  Abigail shook her head. “I don’t know what that means.”

  “It means don’t give up,” she said. “We’ll get out.”

  Abigail scoffed. “He’s going to kill us. We’ll just disappear.”

  Bea laughed as she fiddled with the cuffs behind her. “I’ve been dead before. It didn’t stick.” She groaned and looked down at her hip. “What is that? Can you lift my shirt for a minute?”

  Abigail crawled over to her and lifted her shift slightly, revealing the bandage she’d seen earlier.

  “Fuck, they found the tracker.” Bea’s face turned sour.

  “Tracker?”

  “He had to have told them where it was. That son of a bitch.” Bea fell back on her haunches.

  “Who?”

  “Scott. He’s the only one who could have done it.” Bea pressed her lips together. “I need to get these cuffs off and then we can worry about getting out of the room.” She looked at Abigail. “Why did they put yours in front?”

  “They didn’t. I’m limber,” Abigail replied.

  Bea’s dark eyebrow arched and a smile played at her full lips. “Damn, no wonder Hardy likes you.” She chuckled. “I don’t think I can contort myself enough to do that.”

  Chris. Her lungs constricted painfully at the sound of his name. Bea’s face softened. “Hey, Abigail. Stick with me, girl.” Abigail didn’t reply. There was no way out. She was stuck in this place. “Hey! Maybe you can help me pick the lock.”