Running on Empty (35 page)

Chapter Twenty-eight

Sitting in a van a block from the meeting place wasn’t her idea of being involved. However, it was a concession from Declan, and one she had decided to accept. Especially since she wouldn’t put it past him to knock her out and tie her up to keep her from being involved. This way, at least, she’d be able to get there in a relatively short amount of time when things went sour. And she didn’t for a moment believe that this wouldn’t go sour. It was as stupid a plan as any she’d ever heard. What pissed her off was the fact that she couldn’t come up with a better one. 

Declan was right. They weren’t going to give up trying to extract information from him and could strike anytime. Waiting around for that to happen would be counterproductive. Facing the bastards and playing them was the only way. Still sucked lemons, though. 

“Can’t believe he’s doing this without our backup,” Jackson grumbled. 

She pulled her gaze away from the three monitors in front of her. She knew Declan had agreed to his friend’s involvement as another concession. Jackson wanted to help, and even though he wasn’t in the thick of things, the man had been kind enough to agree. 

Sabrina was glad to have him here for another reason. When things went to shit, he’d be able to help.

Playing the helpless female didn’t sit well with her, and she was sure Declan saw through the thin veneer she’d adopted. It didn’t matter. Keeping Declan safe was the only concern she had. Ego went out the back door when it came to protecting the man she loved. 

Wanting to ease Jackson’s worry without revealing anything, Sabrina threw him a reassuring smile. “I’ve seen the guys he’s hired to help out. Looks like they can do the job.”

“Not like a trained agent.”

Sabrina didn’t respond to that complaint. What could she say? Noah, Aidan, Justin, and Jake were close to Declan, behind closed doors, ready to assist. Since they couldn’t tell Jackson about LCR and their involvement, Declan had claimed he’d hired some former Special Forces guys to help out. There was actually quite a bit of truth in that. 

Thankfully, Jackson had bought the story, even if he didn’t like it.

“You really think they’ll show?” he asked.

“Yes. They know it’s a setup, but Declan’s right. They’ll be arrogant enough to think they can win.” 

“Risky as hell.” 

“It is, but pulling them out from underground is our only hope to capture them.” 

“As elaborate a setup as they had, they’ve got some big money backing them. They bring an army in, Declan doesn’t have a prayer.” 

She winced at the image but couldn’t deny the truth. Maybe that’s why their lovemaking had held felt so desperate. It had been as if they were saying good-bye to one another. For the past two days, they’d hardly spoken to each other. Whenever she’d had something to say, she had used as few words as possible. Declan, not to be outdone, had used mostly grunts and body language to get his message across. 

“He’s better trained than they are.” 

“You trying to convince me or yourself?” 

She lifted her shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. Saying that Declan was better trained than anyone else was all she could come up with to reassure herself that he wouldn’t die tonight. She simply didn’t know what he would face.

 “So you and Declan are back together, right? His being gone didn’t mess you guys up?” 

Even though he was their friend, Sabrina didn’t feel comfortable spilling her guts to him. She gave him a vague, “We’re working through things.”

“Seems as protective of you as ever.” 

Yes, Declan had always had that protective streak. Even in their early years, when he’d been her trainer and so incredibly tough on her, she’d always been safe with him. He would always do everything within his power to take care of her. 

Her gaze riveted to the screen, Sabrina sat up in her seat. “We’ve got some activity.” 

She and Jackson watched as Declan strode into the building. No one in his right mind would assume he would come in unarmed, so he didn’t bother to conceal the SIG Sauer in his right hand. If they checked, they’d find at least five more weapons on him. She hoped like hell that no one got close enough to try. 

The expression on his face was grim, implacable, and determined. She knew that look…had seen it on his face many times in the past. His intentions were clear. He would end this thing tonight, no matter what.

A movement in the corner of another screen caught her attention. Her breath caught and held. She shook her head in denial.
No. Just no.
 

“What the hell?” Jackson snarled. “No. No way in hell. This has got to be a mistake.”

She didn’t want to believe it, either, but the ugly proof was on the screen in front of them. They now knew who the traitor was. But, oh, sweet heavens…why?

Declan stood in the middle of the room and waited. He wasn’t alone. McCall and three LCR Elite team members were out of sight, ready to assist. No one would expect him to show up alone, but revealing his backup would do him no favors. He would pretend this wasn’t a setup until it became necessary to stop pretending.

Knowing that Sabrina was a block away was both reassuring and worried the hell out of him. She would come running, guns a’blazing if this thing went to shit, which she definitely believed it would. And because the possibility was all too real, he felt fear for her. He didn’t want her involved, but didn’t have the heart to trick her into staying completely out of it. 

Jackson would see to her safety—no matter what went down. 

He heard footsteps and turned immediately to his right. When he made out the person coming toward him, a mule kick to the chest couldn’t have surprised him more. 

“Declan? I’m here.” 

“So you are.” 

“You said you wanted to talk. But why here? I could’ve come to Sabrina’s apartment again.” 

And because he had to know, he said, “Why, Albert?” 

“Why what?” 

“Don’t play games with me. Why did you betray your country? Betray me and Sabrina?” 

“What are you talking about?” 

He wanted to play games? Then Declan would oblige. “I sent a message, underground. Set up the meeting to talk. You’re here.” 

“What the hell? I got a phone call from you. Said you wanted to meet me. You gave me this address. Said you had an idea of the traitor’s identity.” 

Could that be true? Was this just another hoax? Or was this a setup to try to grab Albert, too. Or was the old man lying? 

Unable to take the chance, he held his gun steady and said, “Why don’t we wait and see if anyone else comes, then we’ll decide if you’re telling the truth?” 

His expression one of both anger and resignation, Albert nodded. “Fine. But when this is over, we’re damn well going to have a long talk.” 

They waited ten, then fifteen minutes. Deciding no one else was coming, he called out, “Okay, guys. Looks like this is over. Come on out.” 

Appearing out of the darkness were McCall, Thorne, Kelly, and Mallory. Even though he hadn’t needed them, LCR’s backup had been much appreciated.

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to keep her away from the questions he had for Albert, Declan spoke into his mic. “Sabrina, you and Jackson want to join us?” 

No answer. 

“Sabrina? Jackson?”

Shit!
Declan took off. Running from the building, he raced down the street. The black van was still there. But why wasn’t she answering? 

“Sabrina, dammit, check in.” Then, “Jackson, can you hear me?” 

Silence.

His gun at the ready, he reached the van and then jerked to a halt. The back doors lay on the street. Jackson was on the van’s floor. Blood trickled from his forehead—he was either unconscious or dead. And Sabrina? She wasn’t there. 

Declan knew his worst fears had been realized.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Sabrina listened carefully. She’d woken several minutes ago and, realizing immediately what had happened, quickly regulated her breathing. If they thought she was still unconscious, she might be able to pick up something.

Other than a dull headache and a wrenching in her shoulders from her wrists being cuffed and tied to her ankles, she felt reasonably good.

So far, she’d heard nothing substantial or helpful from the men who surrounded her. She had yet to see them, but there appeared to be five distinct voices. Three were American and two French. Unless someone else showed up, language would not be a barrier. Now if she could just figure out the identity of the traitor, the moneyman calling the shots and, oh yeah, a way to escape.

Declan must be going crazy. And he was sure to be blaming himself. He wouldn’t agree, but this was all on her. She had insisted on being involved. And Jackson? He had to be okay. There was no reason for them to want him. She was the prize—she would be what they wanted so they could get at Declan again. 

She remembered little of what had happened. Someone had knocked on the van’s back door. Jackson had stood and gone to look out the window. There’d been a small pop. Before she could react, the doors had dropped away, and two masked men were there. She remembered electrified agony rushing through her body, knew she had been Tasered. Then nothing.

How would they use her to lure Declan? She had no doubt that he would comply with their demands. He might deny his love to her face, but she knew his heart. Declan would give himself up to save her. 

No!
She wouldn’t allow it. She still had her locator device in her arm. LCR would track her down, just as they had before. They would—

The memory returned of what had happened right before the attack. Albert had appeared. He was the traitor. How could that be? How could he have done this to her and Declan?

Her mind was scrambling to fight back despair when footsteps approached. She continued to breathe in easy, regular breaths. Damned if they would know that—

“Okay. Up and at ’em,” a gruff voice shouted. He pulled at the rope locking her hands and her ankles together. What was happening?

She heard it before she felt the tug on her restraints—the squeak of a pulley. Wrenched from the ground, she was hefted up and found herself hanging several feet in the air, facing downward. Her hands locked behind her and bound to her ankles, she swung back and forth like a pendulum. The pressure on her shoulders and back was immense. An unwilling screech of agony shrieked from her mouth.

Someone gave her braided hair a nasty tug. “That’s a good girl. Give us a good show.”

Fighting the pain with all her might, Sabrina raised her head and faced a camera. They were filming her. No. She refused to give them the entertainment they wanted. Biting the inside of her mouth until she tasted blood, she lowered her head, determined not to utter another sound.

The laughter of several men erupted, but before she could raise her head to get a look at them, something struck her in the stomach. Took her breath.
Shit, that hurt.
Another hit, then another.

 Her chin tucked against her chest, she drew in a breath as she absorbed each blow. They wouldn’t hear a peep from her.

More laughter. Then their fun really began. Unable to stop, the pain immense and overwhelming, her screams erupted. Minutes, hours later, her voice hoarse from the strain of her cries, a hard hit landed on her head. The blessed relief of darkness descended.

LCR Headquarters

Declan sat across a table from Albert. Even while everything was screaming inside him to run out the door and try to find Sabrina, he had no choice but to do the work. Sabrina’s tracker had stopped working within an hour of her disappearance. They’d traced the signal to an old airstrip outside of Fairfax, Virginia. And then it disappeared. 

“I love Sabrina like a daughter, Declan. And you like a son. I’d never betray either of you, much less the Agency or my country. You need to stop focusing on me and look for someone else.”

“You’re the only other person who knew about the tracker in her arm.”

“Maybe she told someone. Noah McCall knew about it. Maybe he—”

“No,” a cold voice said.

Declan didn’t bother glancing over his shoulder as the LCR leader entered. If there was anyone almost as motivated to find Sabrina, it was McCall.

“Then I don’t know what to tell you. As I’ve said a hundred times already, I got a call from you, from your cell phone. You asked me to meet you at the warehouse. You said you believed you had targeted the traitor and wanted my input. I talked to you.” Albert took off his glasses and rubbed his bloodshot eyes. “I even asked you if you’d caught any of Friday’s Nationals game.”

“And what did I say?” Declan asked.

“That you’d been too busy trying to catch a fucking traitor.” Albert lifted a shoulder in a halfhearted shrug and gave him an apologetic smile. “I reprimanded you for your language. Sorry.”

Dammit, that sounded exactly how one of their conversations might have gone. “McCall, what about the phone?” 

The LCR leader placed Albert’s cell phone on the table. “The block on the phone that prevents calls from being logged is a damn good program. Took our techs a few hours, but we found a back door in. A phone call came from your cell phone, Steele. Yesterday morning. The call lasted less than a minute.”

Unable to sit still any longer, Declan surged to his feet and began to pace. Someone had been close enough to clone his phone? Several people qualified, including Albert.

He eyed the man who’d been his friend and mentor for almost half his life. Albert had trained him, taught him everything he knew about lying, deceit, and taking advantage of another person to get the job done. Declan knew what the man was capable of. Question was, was he capable of betraying his country for financial gain? His heart said no. His brain told him it was possible.

“I can’t take the chance with you, Albert.” 

“If you’re telling the truth, Marks,” McCall said, “you’ll be released after Sabrina’s rescue. Until then, feel free to enjoy LCR’s hospitality. If you’re not, I’ll leave it to Steele to decide your fate.”