Project Terminal: End Game (2 page)

She frowned. “I’ve got respect, Morris.”

“Or are you afraid you’ll run across Reed’s dirty magazine collection lying on the coffee table?”

“You’re a pig.”

“You’re right.” He shot her a wink which she did her best to ignore. “With Max in tow, he’d have given me a heads-up to dispose of anything like that. I’m sure she’d disapprove of her man having his eyes elsewhere.”

Amelia snorted. Reed and Max had been hot and heavy before Reed had bailed on the project. Amelia had refused to join in the rounds of gossip that followed the relationship. He respected her for it—he hadn’t gotten involved in it either.

An engine sounded in the distance and they both turned toward it. He caught the glare of sunlight on a windshield. “Looks like Reed’s here.”

Amelia blew out a breath, grabbing her shoes off the ground. “Thank God.”

Chapter 2

“Morris, St. James, good to see you.” Reed nodded toward them before heading to the back of his Jeep Cherokee.

Amelia turned her attention to Max who rounded the front of the vehicle.

Max flashed a broad smile while shoving her glasses up her nose. “You’ve cut your hair, Amelia. I like it.”

Amelia had respected Max as a scientist. But after finding out her involvement in creating R1LN, she couldn’t exactly trust her. She tilted her head in the woman’s direction. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Max, you look beautiful as ever.” Morris strode forward as if to embrace Max, but Reed appeared with an armload of duffel bags, his eyes narrowed. Morris stopped a few feet before Max. “I hear you’ve performed a miracle and found a cure.”

Max tucked her short hair behind her ears. “I wouldn’t go that far, I think the miracle lies in a woman named Laura Swift. She survived being infected, and I used her blood to develop an initial cure. I have a bit more work to do with it before I’ll be comfortable giving out mass doses.”

“Where is Laura now?” Morris asked.

“Damian is watching over her. Damian Gonsalves. It’s a long story, but she’s in the hospital. She’ll be okay, though.”

“Why don’t you help with the equipment, Morris,” Reed interrupted, squaring his shoulders toward Morris. Amelia watched the subtle body signal exchange. A lazy smile spread across Morris’s face, he didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. Amelia frowned, not particularly in the mood to break up a school yard brawl over a girl.

Morris was the first to break eye contact. “Sure, Preacher.”

Morris sauntered behind the SUV. The rest of them walked to the cabin. Reed unlocked the door. Inside, the cabin was tidy and one room. A bed sat against the far wall, a wood cook stove doubling as heating off to her right, a few chairs and a table to the left with a big stack of books on top. A few Christian, but the majority mystery novels. Very utilitarian.

“I use lanterns for the most part, but there’s a generator out back for Max.” Reed dropped his bags next to the bed. “Sleeping arrangements will have to be made. Max can have the bed, and the rest of us will take turns sleeping every couple of days. I brought a couple extra bed rolls.”

Morris came in and stopped close behind Amelia. His body heat warmed her back and gooseflesh broke out over her arms. She clamped her teeth together and moved away, turning for the door. “I’ll get the generator going.”

“There’s a couple of full gas cans in the Jeep,” Reed said as she escaped out the door.

Hidden behind the SUV she took a moment to inhale a clarifying breath. Maybe the thin mountain air was getting to her, because she couldn’t focus on much else except Morris. His presence palpable everywhere, even at a distance, and nothing could be more aggravating. It’d been a year and a half since she’d seen him, and in that time he’d remained in the back of her mind. A source of consternation in the daytime, and dreams which had left her shaking and breathless upon waking. When you could go days without sleep, your dreams were more vivid and realistic. Much
too
realistic.

She grabbed the two gas containers and stepped around the back of the vehicle. “Damn it, Morris, get out of my head,” she vented out loud.

Morris was there, staring down at her, his eyes bright as the sky above. “I’m in your head?”

Her face flamed hot to her ears. “Don’t sneak up on me.”

“Let me help.” He reached for the gas containers.

She yanked them out of his reach. “I’m more than capable of handling a generator. I have a degree in engineering.”

“I’m simply being a good southern gentleman.” He sounded much too amused.

She brushed by him, wishing for anyone else to keep watch with. Instead of taking the hint, he doggedly followed at her heels. He stood back, silently watching her fill the generator. It took a few tries but she finally got it started, its rattling hum echoing around them. A beacon to anyone within miles of the cabin.

“Shouldn’t be anyone up this way to hear it,” Morris said as if reading her mind.

“Last thing we need is a curious hiker up here.”

He lifted a shoulder. “Nothing for them to see, except a few military buddies hanging out. This will be the first time we’ll be working together, outside of training exercises, Amelia.” His voice had dropped to a low rumble, and again she hated his effect on her. She crossed her arms over her breasts before he could see her peaked nipples. “And I have a bad feeling about what’s coming our way.”

She dared a glance at his face. His lips were drawn into a line as he studied her closely. The seriousness of his look left her uneasy. “Suddenly psychic?”

“We’re putting a stop to something people have dedicated years of their life to. Something they’ve worked hard for, and I doubt they’ll go down without one hell of a fight. I know I wouldn’t. Not when it’s important.”

The way he studied her sent shivers over her skin. She couldn’t help but feel he had more on his mind than just the project. He was too close again, his body heat enveloping her. She tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. They were such a dark and startling shade of blue they made her think of glittering gemstones. His gaze dropped to her lips.

When had she last been kissed? The errant question teased her mind. Not since before joining Project Terminal. For the most part, men were intimidated by her height, and she’d been accused of being too aggressive. Amelia would label it as assertive, but tall and assertive didn’t quite meet the male opinion of attractive. Unless you were a supermodel, and she certainly didn’t fall into the model criteria with her big boned and athletic frame. Even tall men avoided her, preferring a petite woman to make them feel masculine.

No one wanted to date Sasquatch, and her sex partners could be counted on one hand with fingers left over. Not that having a man in her life was important since she had her career, her boring teaching career outside the Air Force.

Morris moved closer, and she froze like a rabbit caught in a wolf’s stare. His warm breath brushed her lips. Her heart rate faltered while warning bells chimed in her head.

“Did I ever tell you I have a thing for hazel eyes, darlin’?” His voice wound around her like a noose. Just the thing she needed to break the spell, and she stepped back, sucking in gulps of air to her suddenly starved lungs.

“I’ll take first watch,” she choked out. Amelia bolted.

* * * *

“Swift will be discharged in two days.” General’s voice broke into Doc’s concentration. She glanced over her shoulder to the burly man, her hands still buried inside the corpse on the table. An experiment which hadn’t panned out the way she’d hoped. The virus was still taking too long; she wanted to cut the twelve hour incubation period down to six.

“And we’ll have people in place to take her.” It wasn’t a question but a demand.

General nodded. “Gonsalves won’t be a problem, not this time. I’ve got Carlton on board. Rick Carlton.”

Relief washed through her at the mention of the super soldier’s name. Exactly what they needed to deal with Damian Gonsalves and his damned determination. She pulled her hands out of the dead man’s insides and removed her gloves, moving to the sink to wash up. “Perfect, as long as he understands this will be a takedown. We need Damian out of the way for good then we’ll deal with Preacher. And my sister.”

“You still want Carlton to bring Max in alive?” He sounded annoyed, and Doc lifted her chin, staring down at the slightly shorter man.

“I won’t have my sister’s intellect thrown away. She’d still prove invaluable if I can get her to work with me.”

“And if you can’t? Max has made it clear she sides with Reed. She’ll stop at nothing to destroy everything we’ve worked for.”

She decided to ignore his objections. “When Laura Swift is retrieved, bring her straight here. Dispose of Damian’s body someplace where it can’t be found, I’ll leave those details up to you.”

General grumbled something obscene, but Doc didn’t really care what the fuck he thought. She was in charge of the project and hell if he’d bulldoze over the top of her. She squared off with him and he narrowed his eyes, making him look more the fat rodent. One which would be gotten rid of as soon as Laura was in custody and Damian and Preacher were dealt with. She’d need test subjects and what better than a rat?

“Carlton will be here late this afternoon and ready for orders,” General said, breaking her mental planning.

“I want him on watch outside the hospital first thing tomorrow after he’s briefed.”

General rubbed his palms together, the scratchy sound annoying her.
Yes, it’ll be nice to be rid of him for good.

Chapter 3

Gabe paced back and forth outside the cabin. Inside he heard Max and Preacher in conversation and he did his best not to hear what they said. The bits and pieces that caught his attention let him know the pair had rekindled their old flame. Not that he could blame the other man, Max was an attractive woman. Tall, though not as tall as Amelia, and not nearly as enticing as the headstrong soldier. He’d never met such resistance as St. James showed him, and he had to admit it’d been a blow to his ego in the beginning. Perhaps that’s why he felt so determined now to woo her into bed. Just an hour ago he’d almost had her in his arms and his cock swelled with the memory. No doubt she’d be a hard one to handle in the sack and he’d meet the challenge head-on. Take his time to learn every inch of her body…

He growled, frustration forcing his feet to move faster. Fuck if he didn’t need to get laid in the worst way. Not that opportunities hadn’t presented themselves while working in the private sector of security—basically a bodyguard to spoiled socialites and politicians. Women had made themselves available to him. And a couple of men, but he didn’t swing that way. He’d kept it professional, though now he wished he’d indulged a woman or two. At least he’d be more focused now and not hung up on one hot super soldier who wouldn’t give him the time of day.

The rumble of a car’s engine echoed up the mountain and he stopped, training his directional hearing toward the sound.
Down in the canyon a few miles away.
Amelia would be waiting, but she’d need help if someone had indeed discovered their hiding place. He jogged out toward where she’d taken position within the pines to watch the rough trail leading to the cabin. It’d be a hard go for a car to make it over the jutted and rock hewn road, but not impossible. Amelia’s Honda Accord had survived the trip.

He found Amelia squatting behind a tree, barefoot, focused toward the sound. She frowned but didn’t look his way when he joined her and hunkered down.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“Still go barefoot when you’re expecting action?” He grinned, eyeing her bare toes.
No nail polish.
Then again, he wouldn’t expect Amelia to indulge in something so frivolous.

“I need to feel the ground, shoes make too much noise.” Her voice was flat. “I can handle this on my own.”

“We don’t know what’s coming, St. James.”

“It’s one car, not a whole platoon marching up the mountain.” She scowled, finally looking at him. Her eyes glinted challenge in the shadows.

“We’re in this together, remember that. It’s not you against the project, it’s all of us,” he fired back. Hell if he’d leave and put her in any kind of danger. Maybe calling women the weaker sex was antiquated and inaccurate, but he still had his genteel upbringing behind him. He’d watch over her whether she liked it or not.

She remained quiet and turned her attention back to the canyon. They waited until they spotted the car. An old rust bucket of an Oldsmobile which probably hadn’t been through a carwash since the eighties. He made out a large form in the driver’s seat, next to him the much smaller frame of a woman. Gabe frowned, he knew the man.

“Is that Gonsalves?” Amelia whispered.

“Fuck if it isn’t the bastard. What’s he doing here? Is that Laura Swift with him?”

They stood and walked out to the trail. The car stopped about one hundred yards back. The soldier would be sizing them up, working out the best plan to take them both down if needed. He’d be armed.

Gabe lifted his hands. “We’re here with Reed and Max,” he called out.

The driver’s side door opened and Gonsalves got out, keeping the door wide as a shield. “The two of you and who else?”

“It’s just us. Max and Reed are back at the cabin,” Amelia answered. “Why are you here?”

* * * *

Gonsalves seemed overly cautious, but Amelia couldn’t blame him. He could be walking into a trap. He reached behind him then held up a Glock. “I want the two of you to stay in sight and in front of my car, understand? I won’t hesitate to put either of you down.”

“We got it,” Morris called out. They turned and walked up the trail, the car following at a distance.

Amelia hadn’t had much experience with Gonsalves. He’d come later into Project Terminal, right before she and Morris had left following Reed. But she
did
know his aim was dead accurate, the best shot in their super soldier ranks.

They paused in front of the cabin and Reed stepped outside, his sniper rifle on his shoulder. “What the hell?”