Agent S5: Jaydan (8 page)

Jaydan nodded at the compound sitting high on a peak in the distance. “Routines, security intel, weak points.”

His sky blue eyes went from Jaydan to her, and back. “What makes you think I know anything?”

Jaydan said, “You knew Keegan would be at the luau. Not only do you know something, I’d wager you’re obsessed.”

Good call, Rose
.

Shaking his head, Dylan picked up the board and started to walk past them. “Sorry, I can’t help you.”

Jaydan turned to watch him walk away. “Then I can’t do anything about the MP’s that are on their way to arrest you for desertion.”

Dylan stopped, his back ramrod straight. Throwing down his board, he turned around, eyes blazing.

“They labeled me a
deserter
?” He pointed at his chest, his nostrils flared. “I freaking served my country with pride. I’m proud to be a Marine.”

Hope’s eyes widened. The genuine hurt surprised her. Dylan came off as a cocky badass, a man that just didn’t give a hoot what anyone else thought.

But, everyone had something they cared about. His service record mattered to Dylan McCall.

Hope spoke in a soft voice. “What happened?”

He hesitated, eyes downcast, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Curse words tumbled from his mouth in low mumbles, his hair falling over his face in clumped strands. After several moments, all muttering stopped, his hands in white-knuckled fists.

“That happened.” He pointed beyond them. She and Jaydan turned to look at the compound.

Jaydan said, “Care to elaborate on that?”

“Only at a secure location, and only if you can guarantee the safety of my folks and sisters back home.” He looked up at them, his eyes downturned and filled with resignation. “I’m dead either way.”

Rose lowered his voice, his tone one of compassion. “Hell man, you know there’re no guarantees. But, I can have agents posted at their homes if the situation warrants it.”

Dylan gave a nod. “Oh, it damn well warrants it. Trust me.”

Jaydan planted his hands on hips. “Then, let’s do this.”

“Let me shower and I’ll meet you somewhere.”

With a sarcastic chuckle, Jaydan said, “Yeah, that’s not happening. We’ll follow you home.”

“You’re there.” He walked to the backpack and gathered the contents. Basic toiletries and a few clothes lay in the sun, a small, white plastic box peeking out from inside the pack.

“You’re homeless?” Jaydan stared at him with drawn brows.

“No. Kansas will always be my home.” He looked around, arm extended. “This is the location of my latest op. I’d say I’m pretty damned lucky. It’s a helluva lot more comfortable than carrying around a sixty pound MOLLE pack in the Afghan mountains.”

Hope smiled to herself. Distress ran deep inside him but he tried to put on a brave front. Courage runneth over with Dylan.

Seemed like a perfect fit for D.I.R.E.

“You can come back to the house with us.”

Hope uttered the words before she realized it.  Besides, it would make things more comfortable having someone else in the house. Things were too tense between them now. After the vision she’d had today, she had to stay focused and be prepared for anything. Knowing Jaydan would end up on the floor, covered in blood, told her she’d soon be faced with protecting them both.

Jaydan glared at her. “He can?”

Giving her a quick onceover, Dylan winked at her before he smiled at Jaydan. “Damn, a hot shower
and
I get to live with her. Sweet.”

Jaydan placed his hand at her lower back. “You were right about the dead part, McCall. Go near her and -”

Stepping away from Jaydan, she headed to the SUV. “You can both go screw yourselves. I’ve got higher standards.” Glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled at their stunned faces. “Hurry up. We’ve got work to do.”

***

“Damn, what happened here?” Dylan stared at the area between the seats where the center console used to sit.

“I broke it.”

Climbing in behind the wheel, Jaydan looked at Hope sitting beside him. A deep blush stole over her face as she stared out the windshield without moving.

Dylan glanced back and forth between them. “That isn’t broken. That’s ripped from the floor.”

Leaning down, he picked up a green swatch of material and studied it before a dawning light lit his eyes. He held out the panties to Hope in the front seat. Glancing down, she snatched them from his hand, her blush going from deep red to dark burgundy.

“Yeah, the automotive engineers don’t take into consideration that people screw in the front seat of their vehicles,” Dylan said. “They assume people will climb in the back.”

Shutting her eyes on a sigh, Hope muttered under her breath. “God help me.”

Jaydan smiled inside. McCall was about to get his ass kicked.

Dylan said, “You’d think they’d design the steering wheel to fold back into the dash. And why can’t they do the front seat console like the back seat cup holders where they fold up into a seat back?”

Hope’s hand fisted in her lap. “Seriously, McCall. Can we drop it?”

He sat back against the seat and looked around. “Sure. You guys may want to consider climbing back here next time. There’s a lot of room.”

Aw, hell…

Opening her door, Hope climbed out of the SUV and walked away.

“Dammit to hell, McCall. I ought to knock you into next week.” Climbing out of the vehicle, Jaydan went to Hope who’d started walking down the street, phone to her ear.

“Les…”

She kept walking. “Yes, I need a cab -”

He grabbed the phone out of her hand. Gasping, she whipped around and popped him on the chest as he held it behind his back. She shook out her hand.

“Baby…”

“Don’t
baby
me, Jaydan. Give me back my phone.” She held out her hand.

A frustrated Hope Powers really turned him on.  With her flushed face, glittering jade eyes and full, pink lips chewing his ass like nobody’s business, he couldn’t stop his system from revving up. What used to irritate him about her now…
aroused
him. He wanted to kiss away her aggravation, love away her anger.

Pleasure her until she smiled like she did last night after she’d climaxed.

He closed the distance between them. “Kiss me and I will.”

She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Not if you were the last man on earth. I told you, I have higher standards.”

Anger rolled inside of him like boulders down a mountainside. “I was good enough last night.”

“That was before –“ She cleared her throat.

Determination, swift and sure, shot through him, spurring his annoyance into anger. He knew he’d pleased her last night.

“You were wet as hell, Les – “

She gasped aloud.

“I felt you come.” He clutched her backside in his hands and held her against him. “Don’t lie.”

She shoved him away. “You and your ego had better back off.” Her voice shook, sobering him. “Last night was a mistake. You said so yourself.”

Pain speared his chest with sharp tenacity. He’d done this to her. Brought down all of this pain and anger on her beautiful head. He deserved everything she threw at him.

“I learned from it, Jaydan. Want to know what I learned?”

His voice was just above a whisper. “What, Les?”

“I’m better than a quick romp for you or anyone else. I’m smart, I’m successful - despite my father’s money. I invented something that no one else in the world has ever done. It might even bring home Natalie’s sister. I’m more than a freak visionary that likes to shop. And, I’ll be damned if I’ll let you, or anyone else use me again.”

Her chest heaved, tears brimming in her eyes. He’d never meant to hurt her, had never intended to
use
her at all.

God, is that how she saw it?

He’d needed to hear that, needed that splash of cold water thrown in his face. They were here to rescue Keegan and he’d turned it into an affair.

Stepping back, he handed her the phone. She took it with hesitancy. “You’re one hundred percent right, Le, uh, Hope. I’ve acted like an ass. That changes now.”

He held out his hand for a shake. “All business from here on out. Let’s get Keegan and get home. Agreed?”

Folding in her lips over her teeth, she nodded and accepted his hand. “Agreed.”

Steering her toward the SUV, he held a hand to her back then snatched it away. He’d have to get used to not touching her.

Opening her door, he settled her inside before he shut it, his eyes never connecting with hers. Walking around, he climbed in and started up the engine.

Leaning forward, Dylan rested each elbow on the front seat backs. “There’s one thing I feel I should mention before we go any further…”

Jaydan’s solemn voice sounded sad to his ears. “What’s that?”

“I could die at any moment.”

“Thanks for the clothes, Rose.”

Dylan walked into the kitchen, clean-shaven and shower fresh. Jaydan’s clothes were a size too big for him, but smelled better than anything inside Dylan’s backpack. She’d thrown the clothes in the washing machine and set the load on heavy duty. That was the extent of her domestic duties for him.

“No problem.” Jaydan tossed him an apple before taking a bite out of his own. He motioned for him to sit at the island adjacent to Hope. “The agency will compensate you for your intel.”

Irritation laced his voice. “I don’t need a handout. I’m doing this because I want to see Matheson go down. That’s the only payment I need.”

Hope rested her arms on the remote view notes of the compound. “Why? What did he do to you?”

Jumping up from the stool, he paced the length of the kitchen. “The guy is some kind of… of mad scientist. I still don’t understand everything I saw in there.”

Jaydan sat back on the barstool. “You were inside the compound?”

Nodding, Dylan stopped to stare at him. “I was there a couple of times. Once when I was first taken. Another time a few months later.”

“Taken?” Hope sat up in her seat. “As in kidnapped?”

His gaze swiveled to her. “Yes. The first time, I was taken while I was out on patrol in Afghanistan. My team had just taken some fire and managed to waylay the mofos. We were on our way back to the Humvee when I got knocked out from behind.” He scratched his head. “I still think it was one of my team members. I would’ve heard someone come up behind me.”

“What happened after that?” Hope said.

“I woke up in a prison cell, in a cave.”

Heart slamming against her ribs, her gaze shot to Jaydan.

“Where?” Jaydan’s voice came out in a harsh bark.

Dylan shook his head. “You won’t believe me – Mongolia. The freaking Altay Mountains.”

Jaydan jumped up from his chair and shoved a hand through his hair.

Hope rubbed her hands down her face. “Good God…”

“What?” Dylan’s gaze bounced back and forth between them. “You know it?”

Hope spoke in a low voice, her body still with shock. “My brother was there.”

“
What
?”

Jaydan leaned back his head against shoulders. “He’s one of our agents, now. Riordan St. James.”

Pulling up the photo app on her tablet, Hope showed him a picture of Riordan. “Do you recognize him?”

Rushing forward, Dylan snatched it from her hand. “Yeah. I saw him.”

A short, succinct curse shot from Jaydan’s mouth.  Dylan’s eyes went soft with sympathy.

“They tortured the shit out of him. Electrocution, whips, bamboo shoots – you name it. He was in isolation most of the time.” He handed back the tablet. “He’s one tough sonovabitch.”

Hope couldn’t hold back the tears that spilled from her eyes. “He still is.”

“And’s about to marry Keegan Meeks’ sister.” Jaydan turned around to face him.

“Who?”

Hope said, “The woman at the luau. Kiki. Her real name is Keegan Meeks.”

Dylan planted his hands on his hips. “You’re kidding me?”

Hope shook her head. “No. That’s why we’re here. Keegan was kidnapped as a child and never found. A few days ago, we picked up a lead that led us here.”

“Damn, there’s no telling what she’s seen and been through. Matheson is one, psycho mofo.”

Hope frowned at him. “Matheson had to be young when she was taken. He couldn’t be responsible for her kidnapping.”

Dylan held out his hands palm up. “Sorry, I can’t help you with that. But, I can tell you he’s doing human testing.” His nostrils flared. “They took blood, skin, hair, saliva, sperm – you freaking name it.”

Tension radiated off Jaydan like microwaves. “So, he has a lab where he does these tests?”

“Yep,” Dylan said, taking his seat again. “The place is dark, with steel doors, concrete walls, like a bunker. Other than my holding room, I only saw hallways, an exam room and a lab. I was never in a room with another victim but I would hear them in the hallways, or hear the technicians talk about them. I wasn’t the only one.”  He gave a bitter chuckle. “I fought them every chance I got. Matheson finally got sick of me and decided to put a stop to it once and for all.” Lifting his shirt, Dylan pointed at the scar on his chest.

“What is it?” Hope glanced at his chest before meeting his eyes.

“In a nutshell?”  His glance went to Jaydan.  “A freaking GPS tracker with a kill switch.”

“Kill switch?” Jaydan spoke in a raised voice.

Lowering his shirt, Dylan nodded. “Yeah. All he has to do is detonate it and my heart stops. He hit it once to scare the shit out of me.”

Covering her mouth with her hand, Hope couldn’t believe it. How could someone be so cruel?

“Why did he want you so bad?” she said. “Why not use someone that would cooperate?”

Dylan shrugged. “I don’t know. There was something about me he wanted.”

“So, why let you go?” Jaydan said. “Why not send you back to Mongolia?”

“His guards were never able to catch me after I escaped. After a while, they gave up. But, he always knows where to find me.”

God above, they were dealing with a monster. One that sounded like he’d stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

Hope took a deep breath and let it out. “How’d you escape?”

“I acted like I was unconscious while they transferred me from a gurney to my bed. I knocked out the tech and chained him to my bed. I made it all the way to a steel door when I ran into –“

“Keegan.”

He nodded. “I grabbed her in a choke hold and told her to show me the way out. She opened the door, led me up a few flights of stairs and outside without any trouble.” His gaze went to the granite countertop, a frown maiming his brow. “When we reached topside, I told her to come with me. She said Matheson would detonate my tracker when he found out I’d taken her. I had a better chance on my own.” He raised his head to look at each of them. “I told her I would get her out somehow, or die trying. That was three months ago.”

So, Dylan lived like he was dying. He had nothing to lose, knowing he could fall over dead at any moment.

How did someone live that way? Then again, didn’t Jaydan live that way, to a certain extent? Every mission could be his last.

Shutting her eyes, she willed away the thought. Jaydan was the strongest man in the world. He stood feet from her, fearless, brave and confident. He believed in the reason
why
he would one day die.

Was that day the scene in her vision?

Hope shook her head, disposing the terrifying thought. She had to stay focused on Dylan.

Keegan gave Dylan purpose - and an out. Without her or some kind of proof that he’d been kidnapped, he would face court martial.

A knock sounded at the front door. She exchanged a worried glance with Jaydan. Dylan backed out of sight, into a corner of the kitchen.

Sauntering to the door, Jaydan yanked it open. “Well, what do you know…”

Leaning back on her stool, Hope tried to see who was at the door. With no luck, she made her way to stand behind Jaydan.

The young boy from yesterday stood on the porch, one foot on his skateboard. He held out a note.

Yesterday, they’d thought Dylan sent the note. That he’d been the one to lead them to Keegan.

The boy’s presence today proved their theory wrong.

“You get around.” Jaydan took the note and read it. His shoulders visibly stiffened.

Snatching the note from his hand, she read it twice.

You are cordially invited

to

Dinner

tonight, seven o’clock in the evening

the Matheson residence

RSVP via messenger

Looking at the opposite side of the note, it wasn’t addressed to anyone.

“Tell him I’ll be there,” Jaydan said.

The boy shook his head. “He said the girl.” He pointed at Hope.

Jaydan spoke with conviction. “That’s not happening.”

After hearing Dylan’s horror story, she didn’t want to go near the place, either. However, they had to get to Keegan, and Jaydan would be with her.

He’d protect her.

Hope said, “Tell him we’ll be there.”

Jaydan glared at her. “Like hell. I don’t want you anywhere near that place.”

She glared back at him. “What are you saying, Rose? The strongest man in the world can’t protect me?”

Clamping his jaw shut, his nostrils flared. Despite how they felt about each other, he would protect her. His job demanded it, his instinct allowing nothing else.

Pulling a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet, he handed it to the boy, his gaze on Hope. The boy ran off.

He shut the door. “I can’t protect you if you do something foolish.”

“I’m not an airhead, Rose.” She clenched her fists at her sides. “This will give us a chance to scope out the compound and find the best way to get her out.”

His sad eyes bounced off her as he walked back to the kitchen. “I know you’re not an airhead, Hope. I’m worried about you trying to be a hero.”

***

Accepting Jaydan’s hand, Hope exited the boat Dylan had commissioned for them. She stepped on shore of Matheson’s island, her sandaled feet sinking into the soft, thick sand.

Jaydan and Mitchell had decided he would keep his infrared video feed running the entire evening. If all went well, they could find Keegan and escape on the boat. The video would provide evidence against Cyrus and clear Dylan, who waited far away from the island at the airplane hangar.

Hope started toward the wrought iron gate at the compound entrance. Jaydan held her back, his hands grasping her upper arms tight.

“Promise me you’ll play it safe tonight. Don’t leave my side.”

She had to put aside the way he made her body feel, how he swayed her heart and messed with her head. She already hated their stilted conversation, the strictly business demeanor, the stoic expressions.

Before last night, even when they’d fought, he’d made her feel alive.

She missed that.

“I promise, Rose. After what Dylan said, I don’t
want
to leave your side. I want to get in there, find Keegan and get out.”

She didn’t consider herself a wilting flower or weak. She could handle intense situations. However, human testing and kidnappers intimidated her on an entirely new level.

Taking her hand, he led her up the incline to the front gates. “Remember, we’re supposed to be engaged. Act like you like me.”

Hope frowned to herself. She did like him - entirely too much. That’s why she’d slept with him.

Tonight, he looked like the cowboy again, incredibly handsome and virile. In his signature jeans, belt buckle and boots, he wore his black shirtsleeves rolled up to give his armbands clearance. His dark hair curled on the ends, his jaw already dark with stubble.

Holding open the gate, the guard from the luau sported a healthy bruise on his cheek, his lip cut. With a brief nod, he pointed to a concrete walk on his left. When the gate slammed shut behind them, Hope jumped, eliciting a squeeze of her hand from Jaydan.

“We’re fine...”

His calm voice brought her pounding heart back to a steady beat.

Rather than the lush, manicured lawn she’d expected, the landscape on either side of the walk ran wild to the island. It grew thick and abundant, untethered, in vibrant green brilliance. The walk looked odd, out of place in the natural environment.

Two cerulean doors appeared several feet ahead, a rusted, brass doorknocker on the right door. Reaching the stoop, she took a closer look. Engraved on the knocker was a swastika over the letter M.

Nausea settled in her stomach. Circumstances continued to look bleaker by the minute.

Jaydan shoved back the hair from his forehead to allow his armband a better view. Glancing over at her, he gave her an encouraging smile.

The nausea melted away like snow on a sunny day. She would be okay as long as she remained by his side. He knew what to do in these situations. He was one of a handful of men on D.I.R.E.’s super squad of agents. If she had to do this with anyone, Jaydan would be her choice.

Raising his hand to knock, the door swung open from inside. Another handsome, blond man ushered them inside a large, two-story foyer done in rich shades of gold, tan and navy. A massive chandelier, containing thousands of glass baubles, hung above a cherry wood table that held an elaborate bouquet of fresh gladiolas.

“Right this way.”

He led them into a living area off the foyer. Stepping inside, Hope felt like she’d stepped onto the set of a Humphrey Bogart movie.

Done in a hodgepodge of Streamline Modern and Art Deco design, the minimalist room contained two red sofas and a cream accent chair. Large, inlaid wood-framed mirrors accented the white walls. Black geometric patterns bordered the room all the way around.