Agent T3: d'Artagnan (Superhero Romance) (The D.I.R.E. Agency) (16 page)

“Jim Monroe was the founder of The D.I.R.E. Agency.”

Rachel gasped as Kate’s gaze narrowed on Robinson’s face.

Mitchell’s pained groan came from deep in his chest. “
No
...”

“This compound,” Robinson said, “my hire, the agent enhancements, were all his idea. He asked Mitchell to head up the agency so he could keep a low profile and live a simple life in Creekmore.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Jocelyn saw a tear fall from Rachel’s hung head. It hit the floor with a splash.

“So there’s no money?” Kate’s frantic gaze shot to Robert then back to Robinson
.

“No. It was all invested in this compound and the satellite offices around the world.”

Mitchell groaned again, the sound muffled against his swollen lips. “No…”

Robinson lowered his voice. “I’m sorry, Mitchell, but it was bound to come out sooner or later.”

Jocelyn could see the wheels turning in Kate’s head. She’d counted on that money. She’d expected it. Anger pulsated off her in beats.

“The gold.” She turned to Jocelyn. “Where is it?”

Jocelyn lifted her chin. She wouldn’t let this evil woman intimidate her.

“I brought it here the first time we tried to buy the weapons technology from Jim. I haven’t… touched it since.”

She turned to Rachel, her voice laced with feigned affection. “My loving daughter. Where’s the gold?”

Rachel continued to hang her head, eyes on the floor.

“Did you hear what he said, Rachel?” Kate shouted. “Jim brought in
millions
of dollars yet, I had to
work
? He died and
I’m
left with the bills when he wouldn’t give me
one
dime of the money he made from designing weapons?” Her tone hardened. “I deserve that gold, Rachel. Where is it?”

No response
.

“
Look at me
.” Kate shoved back Rachel’s head.

She let it fall forward. “I’d rather die.”

Kate looked down on her with great disdain. “This is all your fault, you know. If you would’ve just married Cody like I wanted you to do, I would’ve had the money I wanted and none of this would’ve transpired. If anyone’s to blame, it’s you, Rachel.”

An idea hit Jocelyn. If she could convince Kate and Robert to buy into it, she could give them all a chance at freedom.

“
Enough
.” Jocelyn spat the word to get their attention.

“I’ll tell you where the gold is located. Just leave her alone.”

Kate shared a confident grin with Robert.

“Jocelyn, no…” Cassandra’s voice held a warning tone.

Shaking her head, Angela wailed behind the tape.

Rachel looked at Jocelyn with flat, aqua eyes. “You have no right-“

“It’s in the time machine.” Jocelyn took a deep breath and broke eye contact. She turned to Kate. “But you’ll need me to get you inside.”

Robert squinted at her. “Why is it in the machine?”

“Dar was supposed to return me to the past today. He thought it would be…
cool
to fund the Allies’ war effort with the opposition’s money.”

Robert stuck out his bottom lip and tilted his head. “The irony
is
d’Artagnan...”

He pulled Jocelyn to her feet. Her knees buckled as she tried to straighten. He hauled her to her feet again. Blood rushed to her calves and feet, stinging her skin.

“I’ll send a couple of men with her,” Robert said.

Kate gave him an incredulous look. “You trust these double-agents with thirty million in gold?” She shook her head. “No. I’ll go.”

He clasped her arm in a firm grip. “We’re not getting separated, Kate. Not ever again.” Robert spoke into a radio. “Rose...” He shook his head. “Damn, I’ll be glad when I get my blue tooth back.”

Rose’s voice sounded clipped. “Sir.”

“Get up here. I need you to look out for our prisoners until I get back. Bring some of your men. I expect the three of them here at any time.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jocelyn knew that once Dar, Tristan and Aidan returned, they would get them out of this. She just had to buy time until they arrived.

“You’d better not be lying to me, little girl. If I don’t find gold in that machine, I’ll put a bullet right here.” He poked the area between her brows. “Then again, I might do that anyway, since you’re so important to my son.”

She backed away. “d’Artagnan would never let you hurt me.”

He pulled back his head. “Dar? Dar is off in some… time warp somewhere. You’re on your own.”

She didn’t believe that. Not for a second. He’d always protected her. This time would prove no different.

The office door opened. A man in camouflage came in, carrying an automatic rifle. “I’ve got men posted out in the hall and around the outer perimeter.”

“Good. If anyone gives you trouble, shoot them.”

#####

Dar, Tristan and Aidan teleported into Mitchell’s office, guns extended. Mitchell laid on the carpet, his face and torso resembling bloody road kill. Angela and Robinson nursed his wounds with paper towels and water from a mini-frig. A man in camouflage stood with his back to the door as Rachel and Cassandra ran to greet Tristan and Aidan.

“
Rose
?” Dar stared at the soldier in disbelief.

He gave Dar a brief nod. “Naylor.”

Rachel shook Dar’s arm to get his attention. “Never mind him. He’s with us. Robert and Kate took Jocelyn to the time machine.
Go
.”

Panic choked him. “What? Why?”

Cassandra said, “She told them the gold was there to

get them out of the room.”

Curse words spewed from his mouth. Dammit, why did she do that? Why did the smallest person in the room have to be the biggest hero?

Tristan kissed Rachel and set her away from him. “Let’s go, Naylor.”

“Rose and I will clean up here at the compound.” Aidan’s gaze sized up Jaydan.

Stomach clenching, Dar backed up to Tristan and locked forearms. It had come down to a choice between his father and Jocelyn
.

No freaking contest
.

Green plasma billowed in the office before the floor fell out from under them.

With a flash of light, Dar and Tristan appeared in the sand beside the time machine. Robert and Kate stilled at the door panel, Jocelyn between them. Her arms hung at her sides, her legs shaking where she stood. Tear tracks marked her pale cheeks, her eyes bright with hope
.

She smiled at him.
Smiled
at him in the face of danger. God, he loved her.

Dar crossed his arms over his chest. “Taking Kate on a trip, Robert? Might want to avoid sixteen ninety-two Salem. They burned witches back then.”

Gasping, Kate turned to Robert. “Are you going to let him talk to me like that?”

Robert growled. “Hell no.”

The butt of Robert’s rifle swung in Dar’s face. He caught it in his fist. Robert’s arms shook as he fought to wrench it from Dar’s one-arm grip.

“You got your one shot at my face when I was a kid. It won’t happen again.”

Robert grunted, sweat dotting his brow. “You think you’re some superhero with your time travel powers. You’re just a criminal posing as a D.I.R.E. agent. You’re no better than the rest of the traitors up at the compound.”

Bracing his feet in the shifting sand, Dar gripped the gun with his other hand. “D.I.R.E. has made me stronger than you, old man. Or, is it that you’ve become weak in your rotting, old age?”

Robert gritted his teeth. “If I’ve become weak, it’s because of all of the knives you put in my back.”

Dar jerked on the gun. Robert tightened his grip
.

“Yes, because you’ve been so honest and loyal to us throughout
our
lives.”

“Why should I? You and your sister have been nothing but a nuisance to me. I ought to kill Angela for leaving me to raise you.”

Dar hardened his heart against the harsh words. They picked at him, daring him to feel the hurt.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing…”

With a loud growl, Robert released the gun. It fell back against Dar’s chest. Robert whipped out a knife and stabbed at Dar’s stomach, hitting titanium.

Jocelyn gasped. Robert’s round eyes shot to Dar’s face.

With all of his pent-up rage and disbelief, Dar hauled back and punched Robert in the face. He hit him again, harder, his rabbit punches flying at a pace his father could never hope to match.

He’d had it with the hatred, the evil, the worry, Kate-

“Stop,” she cried behind him. “You’re killing him.”

Dar paused, mid-swing, the blood rushing through his veins like whitewater rapids. His father swayed where he stood, a cocky grin splitting his bloodied face
.

“I always knew you were soft.”

A shot echoed across the desert. Dar dove for Jocelyn and knocked her to the ground. Looking back, he saw Robert’s eyes roll back in his head before he fell to the sand, a bullet hole in the back of his head.

Pain, swift and razor sharp, shot through Dar’s chest and up his throat. He physically shook as it threatened to spew from his mouth
.

Jocelyn’s hand on his cheek sent instant calm filtering through him. Tears rolled down her temples. Pulling him into her embrace, she held him there, her lavender scent wafting under his nose
.

“I’m sorry.” Her whisper brought a lump to his throat. “I’m so sorry.”

Gritting his teeth, Dar tried to shake it off. He told himself Robert meant nothing.

As if she could see his thoughts, Jocelyn said, “He was still your father.”

That’s when it hit him. She didn’t know about her own father.

He raised up on his forearms. “Joce, your father…”

She searched his gaze, her brows pulling into a pained frown. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Sitting back on his haunches, Dar pulled her against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. “So much death, Dar. Will we ever see happiness? Will we ever find a moment of joy?”

He kissed the top of her head. “You’re my happiness, Joce.”

“I don’t want to go back, Dar.
I love you
.”

He tightened his hold on her. “I love you, too, baby. We’re staying together, Joce. I don’t see how keeping you in the future could possibly cause more damage than we’ve already seen. If anything, we’ve made things better.”

“You know, that’s true.” Reappearing, Tristan spoke behind them.

He held Kate’s arm in a firm grasp, her eyes staring into nothingness. She didn’t look at his father, didn’t shed a tear
.

How could someone so cold have raised Rachel and Aidan?

“With all of the people that have come to the future,” Tristan said, “how will we ever know how their actions affected the future? If nothing else, VonFussenhoffer and Chalmers’ disappearance from the past would have to change things for the better.”

A jeep sped toward them kicking up sand, Aidan at the wheel. Skidding to a halt, he jumped out. Kate broke away from Tristan and rushed to him
.

“Aidan.” Kate went to hug him – and grabbed the gun from his side. She pointed it at him. “Get over to the machine, by Tristan.”

Dar jumped to his feet and put Jocelyn behind him. Aidan stared at his mother with wide, incredulous eyes.

“Have you completely lost it, Mom?”

“Move, Aidan.” She followed him to the machine, the gun pointed at his back. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just want the gold.”

“There is no gold, Kate,” Dar said, as he kept Kate in front of him. “She said that just to get you out of the room.”

“It’s true, Mom.” Aidan held his hands in the air. “Just give this up already.”

Tristan watched Kate with a guarded expression. Dar knew they could take her at any time. He just waited for an all clear from Aidan
.

“No, Aidan.” She screamed. “I’m tired of being poor. Do you understand me?”

“You had an affair with Jock Brewster for years, Kate.” Dar said. “You had a key to his house.”

Aidan whipped around to glare at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Brewster told me, Aidan.” He hated the pain he saw in Monroe’s eyes, but he had to know the truth.

With a crescendoing growl, Kate turned to Dar. He felt Jocelyn grab his PPX from his side
.

Kate fired. He fell back into Jocelyn – who fired under his arm. They hit the ground in a cloud of dust.

Kate slumped to the sand, a hole in her forehead.

Dar flipped over, his heart racing in his chest. “Are you okay?”