Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
TJ went a little pale. “I didn’t say that. I said she was out of practice.”
“Not what I heard.” Kala’s lips tugged up.
“Yeah, I definitely heard him say his mom was super old,” Tris concurred as he walked into the room.
TJ was going to be his brother-in-law. “I’ll let your mom know everyone is being mean to you. And TJ, I will get her out of there.”
“I know you will. And Devi knows where the cameras are.” TJ sat down and pulled one of the energy drinks laid out on the table toward him. “I looked through the footage you flagged last night. Did you see when she stopped and reached down and tied her shoe? Her shoe wasn’t untied. She pretended for her guard. She stopped right where the camera would pick her up and while she was down there, she flashed a peace sign.”
“Whoa, didn’t she and Bri and Devi used to send each other coded messages?” Kala seemed to think. “When they started dating they would try to be in the same places for the first couple of dates.”
TJ nodded. “A clenched fist meant save me. A peace sign let them know she was okay and they could relax. She’s okay, Zach. She’s strong, and I think maybe your mom is helping her. I saw them going into the dining room together. She was holding your mom’s hand.”
Tears pierced his eyes. Was his mother working hard to ensure his girl was okay?
“The question becomes why risk bringing Zach in at all?” Big Tag put his fear into words and then winced. “Damn it. He’s got something up his sleeve. Something that will make Zach or this whole team look bad.”
“We can’t worry about that right now,” Zach replied. “All that matters is stopping him and getting Devi back.”
“I think he’s more likely setting up Ben.” TJ sighed and took a long sip of the energy drink. “He’s not my favorite guy or anything, but I know he’s not working for that fucker. Otherwise, why would he have put us all in harm’s way to make us believe Huisman’s the bad guy?”
“I don’t think we’re the real targets. He’s playing with us, and I don’t like it.” Big Tag looked Zach’s way. “I think you have the potential to get close to him. We all know the minute he realizes we’re raiding the place he’ll leave, but you might get into the same space. Langley wants us to bring him in.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Zach vowed. He didn’t care what Langley wanted.
Big Tag nodded. “Do it. Any of you. If you get the chance, take the shot. We’re not playing games anymore. Take him out and we’ll let Henry’s team deal with the fallout at Disrupt. I think MI6 is planning to send an agent in to take Lucy’s place. Once Huisman is done, we’re out of this mess.”
The door came open and everyone in the room went tense until they realized it was Cooper. He walked in and shrugged out of the jacket he was wearing. “I’ve got us a helo, but we’re kind of stealing it. I’m afraid this is going to have to go down today.”
Big Tag sighed. “I’ll go inform Drake. Someone wake Kenzie up. I’ll let Drake be the one to tell the Canadians it’s go time whether they’re ready or not.”
Cooper put a hand on Zach’s shoulder. “You ready, brother?”
Zach nodded. He was ready to get his girl. No matter what he would make sure Devi was safe.
* * * *
“It’s done?” Huisman stood in the lab, arms crossed over his chest and eyes on his prize.
Three small bombs he meant to explode midair over three heavily populated cities here in Asia.
Shannon turned from her place at the high table where she’d been working diligently. Or rather seemed to be working diligently. Devi happened to know Zach’s mother could have finished this project two days before but she kept putting it off, forcing Huisman to collect more “parts.”
She’d done a good job of buying them a little time. Time for Zach and the team to move into place and make plans.
Devi had to hope they were out there and they’d worked their magic. Last night when she’d been allowed to go to the loading docks to pick up a package for Shannon, she’d taken a chance. She’d stopped in front of one of the CCTV cams to tie her shoe and flashed a peace sign, hoping her brother would remember the signals she and Bri and Daisy used when they were younger. She hoped it told TJ that she was safe and they could take their time. Rushing in might get someone killed. It was all she thought about when she lay awake at night. She thought about her cousins dying. Her brother dying.