Reid's Deliverance (17 page)

She searched her purse for a tissue. Whoever came in would think she had a good reason to cry. Stupidity didn’t fit as a qualification.

“Here.” The impeccably dressed man from the waiting room held out a white handkerchief. The intensity of his gaze, one blue eye, the other brown, startled her. His handsome features had an unnerving, ethereal quality.

“No, thank you.” She rifled through her purse. “I have tissues someplace.”

The man sat beside her on the pew, almost invading her space. “Why are you crying?”

How rude. Didn’t he know better than to ask that type of question in a hospital? She scooted away. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

He placed his arm behind her on the back of the pew and slid closer.

A cloying, acrid scent like roses and burning cloves assaulted her senses.

“Don’t you like talking about your boyfriend?” A harsh grin turned the perfection of his face into a mask of pure malevolence. “I’d like to hear all about him.”

Lauren curled her fingers around the stun gun. Her heartbeat pushed out of her chest. One push to his hip or torso should take him down. She whipped it out.

He disappeared.

Where did he go? Pain exploded in the back of her head. The world tunneled into darkness.

Lauren peeled her eyelids open. She was lying on the backseat of a car. Her head pounded. A cloth gag robbed moisture from her mouth. Fear and sweat trickled down her spine.

Where was she? Where was the man who’d taken her? What did he want? She squirmed. A tingling ache radiated through her shoulders from the strain of her hands tied behind her.

The back door opened. The blond man from the hospital chapel peered in. “You’re awake.” He pulled her into a sitting position. “I’m removing the gag, but if you scream, you’ll regret it.” His brow rose with an indulgent expression. “Trust me. You don’t want that.”

He tipped a bottle of water to her lips, and she greedily chugged. “Who are you and why are you doing this?”

His gaze narrowed as if considering the questions. “You’re my insurance policy.”

She swallowed hard, forcing water past the tightening in her throat. “For what?”

“I need your boyfriend”

“He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t mean that much to him.” She prayed for that. Reid had more important people to save.

He chuckled. “We both know that’s a lie. Time to go home.” He stepped aside and let her get out.

Dirt crunched under her wedge heels as they walked through the trees. They were east of the cabin. Chances were she knew the area better than he did. She could fight and get away. Lauren pretended to stumble and sagged heavily.

His hold loosened.

She spun and kneed him in the balls.

He let go and Lauren ran, kicking off her sandals in the process. She sprinted in the direction of the pond. Twigs snapped. Gravel dug into her soles.
Please! Let someone be there
.

Full body contact slammed her to the ground. He crushed her ribs as he fisted her hair. His exhalations heated the tears on her cheek. “Try that again, and I will hurt you. Permanently.”

Her captor hauled her up so hard her shoulder popped. Lauren sank her teeth into her bottom lip, stifling a yelp. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hearing it. “You won’t win.”

He yanked her back against his chest. His cologne mixed sickeningly with the scent of sweat. “Yes. I will. I’m what’s least expected. He won’t see me coming when I take back what’s mine, and your boyfriend will help me do it.”

As she looked into his eyes, cold slithered through her. Fair trade didn’t exist in his DNA. He’d hurt Reid. “Who are you?”

His arrogant grin didn’t reach his eyes. “My brother’s worst nightmare.”

Thane and Reid materialized in the woods near the cabin.

Reid triangulated his position according to the sun and pointed left. “This way.”

“You sure about that?” Thane adjusted the backpack hanging from his shoulder.

“Definitely.” Reid’s past and present had sorted itself out clearly now.

“Are you sure you don’t want to change?” Thane eyed Reid’s torn and muddy clothes. In contrast, Thane, dressed in cargo pants, boots, and a T-shirt, appeared ready for an afternoon trek.

“No. Let’s get this done.”

They climbed uphill. Reid filled Thane in on Dent and Project Samson. “After Dent crashed, I grabbed the canisters. I knew something was wrong as soon as I phased. I couldn’t control it.”

He led Thane past the clearing where he and Lauren had stopped on their hike. He’d let impatience get in the way. If they’d only hiked a bit longer, he may have remembered. He would have left, and Lauren wouldn’t hate him.

“I’d phased to the cabin once in the future. When I realized I wasn’t going to make it back to the team, I focused on getting to a safe place. At the time, coming here made sense.” He stopped near a cluster of trees. “It felt like I was splintering into pieces. I barely remember burying the canisters and marking the tree.” He pointed to his shirt tied to one of the limbs. “I passed out. You know the rest.”

Thane unzipped the pack and took out a folding shovel. “Your story tracks so far. Let’s see if it’s here.” He dug into the damp earth. The dirt he piled near the hole grew higher and higher.

It has to be there.
Reid resisted the urge to drop down and scoop dirt out the hole.

Thane hit metal.

A breath of relief whooshed out of Reid.

“Jackpot.” Thane smiled as he dug around the silver case. He reached for DELILAH.

“Wait.” Reid grabbed his arm. “Put on the gloves. When I grabbed the case from Dent’s car, the canisters were leaking. What’s inside of them burned my hand.”

“I think we found the cause of what messed up your phase. Nanotech manipulates matter on a molecular level.”

Realization dawned. “That probably explains what happened today after the accident. I knew I’d busted a rib, and the EMT’s said my shoulder needed to be stitched up. By the time I got to the hospital, I was fine. DELILAH must have healed my injuries, but it killed the other guys in Project Samson. Why not me?”

“Your phase ability maybe, and because you’re too stubborn to die.” Thane put on the gloves and took out the case. His phone chimed a marimba tone. “That’s Celine.”

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“Nope. We need to get this done.” He chuckled wryly. “And I also need more time to prepare for what she’s going to say about you and Lauren.”

No doubt Lauren had already called to tell her friend how he’d screwed up.

Reid wrapped the case in the tarp they’d taken from the grill on the deck. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to put you in the middle of me and Lauren or for Celine to give you grief.”

“I know.” A slight smile tipped up Thane’s lips. “One things for sure. I won’t get any peace until you phase, but I can handle it. She’s worried about Lauren, that’s all. Celine and I are still solid.”

Trust. Love. Would he and Lauren have had the same under different circumstances?

Thane slid the case into the backpack. “You should reach out to Lauren before you leave.”

“No. I shouldn’t. She won’t listen to me.”

“You’re giving up.”

“I don’t have a choice.” Reid slipped the pack on his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have let things get as far as they did. I made a mistake.” He jerked the strap tighter. “I have a job to do.” A fact he’d overlooked with his confession at the chapel. He couldn’t be in a relationship with anyone. Good thing he’d kept his mouth shut about her forgetting him once he’d phased. He’d already come across as a total ass. What was he going to do? Try to win her over again here or in the present? That’s why he never went back to any woman for more than one night together. Lauren was right. He needed to stay away from her. Period.

Thane’s cell chimed. He glanced at the screen. “It’s Lauren. Doubt it’s me she wants to talk to.” He held out the phone. “Last chance.”

Reid’s breastbone tingled. Chances were he’d see her again at The Song. She wouldn’t recall being mad at him, but he would. After what they’d shared, he didn’t want to remember anger as the last thing that existed between them.

He answered. “Lauren, I’m not leaving until we straighten things out.”

Silence.

Had they lost the connection? “Lauren, did you hear me?”

“Reid.” Her voice quivered. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Tightness loosened in his chest. “I shouldn’t have insisted we talk at the hospital. I should have waited until we got home.” Home. He’d said it. She’d heard it. He couldn’t take it back, and he didn’t want to. “Tell me where you are.” He handed Thane the backpack. “I’ll come to you.”

“No! Reid, you can’t. He forced me—” She screamed.

Dread flashed over him. “Lauren.” His heart thundered. “Lauren, answer me.”

“Sorry, Reid.” A deep male voice replaced Lauren’s. “She can’t talk right now.”

Anger, fear, they coiled like tentacles around Reid and squeezed. “Who is this?”

Thane’s gaze locked with Reid’s.

“I’m Kell.”

Reid willed his hands not to shake as he switched the call to speakerphone. “Kell, where’s Lauren?”

“Safe for now.” Mocking arrogance laced the man’s tone. “You and I need to talk.”

“We can talk about anything you want but not until you let Lauren go.”

“Well, well. I did pick the right bargaining chip. Lauren claimed you weren’t interested in her.”

Reid tried to swallow, but all the moisture had dried from his mouth. He’d left Lauren unprotected. He should have made sure she made it back to the cabin. “I’m the one you want. Tell me where you are and I’ll come to you.”

“We’re at the cabin.”

Shit. Had this maniac followed her home?

“I’m on my way.” Phasing power threatened to burst from Reid’s pores. “But, Kell, if you hurt a hair on her head, put a mark on her skin, or do anything to make her scream again, I will hunt you to the ends of the Earth and end you.”

Kell chuckled. “Ends of the Earth. I’ve been there and I don’t plan on going back. As far as ending me, someone already tried and it didn’t work. Lauren will be there, angel. See you at the cabin.”

* * * *

“He’s a fucking lunatic!” Reid paced along the tree line. “You heard it in his voice. This isn’t a straight-up trade. He’s not going to let her walk.”

“Which is why you can’t phase in there like a wild man. We’re going after this bastard.” Restraint shaded the anger in Thane’s tone. “But we’re doing it with a solid plan. You’re phasing, so you can be there in seconds. We have time to work this through. Now think. Kell. Have you heard his name before? Does Lauren know who he is? Do you?”

“Why the hell would I know him? I shouldn’t have left her alone. I should have picked up on him being around her and done something about it.”

“You’re wasting time. Blaming yourself doesn’t help Lauren. Focusing on who this guy is will.”

Reid met Thane’s hard gaze. He forced a calming breath and shoved away a vision of the things Kell could do to cause Lauren’s screams. “No, and Lauren’s never mentioned him. Aside from her, I’ve only been in contact with you and Celine.”

“Is he associated with the mission?”

“How could he be? The mission is six months in the future.”

Thane’s mouth flattened to a grim line. He gripped Reid by the shoulders. “Could your memory be off about it? Are you sure you didn’t phase to this point in time for the mission?”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure. I arrived on mission two years, six months, and eight days from the present at zero four hundred hours. Do I need to break it down any further? What do you want? Minutes? Seconds? Do you really think I’d show up purposely on this timeline and possibly jeopardize you and Celine?” All the things Reid had said to Thane before he’d left rolled in. Could he blame Thane if he did?

“No. I don’t.” Thane gripped Reid’s shoulder. “But I had to eliminate the possibility. Do you have any idea why this guy may have fixated on you?”

“No. We have to go. We’re wasting—”
Lauren will be there…angel
. Disbelief backed him up. He grasped the sides of his head. “He fucking called me angel. The hospital. The girl I saved. The deputy said Jenny called me angel.”

Thane scowled. “You think he’s the one that took her?”

“He came to talk to us in the waiting room. He took down Lauren’s name, phone, and address.”

“Did it sound like him on the phone?”

“No, but if he is involved, he could have an accomplice. Wait a minute. There was also a guy sitting there reading. Suit and tie. Clean cut. A wealthy executive-looking type. He had weird eyes. One blue. One brown. He was already there when I found Lauren in the waiting room.”

“Okay. We have two possibles.” Thane unfastened an ankle holster with a subcompact. He handed it to Reid. “If it’s the deputy, he’s got training. Suit and tie is a wildcard. Either way, keep your head on a swivel.”

Reid checked out the pistol. He’d gotten too comfortable. With two weapons in the cabin, he should have had one on him. The risk of carrying without identification should not have outweighed Lauren’s safety. He secured the holster to his boot and covered it with his jeans. “What’s the ammo situation?”

“Enough to get us in and out.”

“You’re not coming.” He checked the knife sheathed on his other ankle. “This is on me. I caused this. I’ve already jeopardized Lauren. I’m not pulling you into it.” Reid breathed against a raw feeling in his chest. “You love Celine. You have to worry about taking care of her now. I get why you left the team. I want you to enjoy the life you planned.”

Thane pulled a Glock from a holster hidden by his shirt. “You must think being away has made me stupid. Otherwise, you wouldn’t try to feed me bullshit. Just because I couldn’t let anything happen to Celine doesn’t mean I’m okay with you dying.” He checked the magazine and slammed it back in. “You’re not just going in for a trade. You’re gearing up for a fight. Sure, phasing is your ace in the hole, but you don’t know how many are out there. You need me to watch your back. We’re putting the canisters back in the ground, and I’m going with you. What’s the plan?” The stubborn glint in Thane’s eyes matched the set of his shoulders.