Betrayal (39 page)

“Yes.” The word was spoken with the heavy emphasis a frustrated parent gives a wayward child and Jamieson bristled. “Once the subjects have been secured,” Kaufmann continued, “the team has instructions to burn the facility and its inhabitants to the ground.”

Jamieson shook his head. It wasn’t that simple. If one person who’d interacted with the subjects escaped the fire, or wasn’t there at the time the fire was set, the authorities might receive another call about abnormal human behavior. It was the last thing the program needed. He made a note to send a cleanup crew to guarantee the job was done to his satisfaction.

Jamieson glanced out his window. “Make sure that this time you fulfill your obligations,” Jamieson warned. Then he hung up the phone.

He tapped his fingers against the heavy cotton paper of his blotter. He needed that damn microchip. He was also going to have to find a way to eliminate Andros and destroy the SSU in the process. Jamieson couldn’t afford any leaks regarding Kaufmann’s work. Not now, so close to the anniversary demonstration. Nothing could interfere with the President’s plans.

The President had been promised a uniquely vicious, absolutely loyal private army to carry out the attacks he demanded. Jamieson had been confident Kerberos would exceed the President’s demands. But now he wondered if Kaufmann’s men would remain mentally stable long enough to carry out their mission.

Or if the CIA or DOD would find the program and shut it down before the team deployed.

He heard a tearing sound and glanced down. His fingernails had scratched deep grooves into the otherwise pristine blotter.

Fucking scientists. Why couldn’t they live up to their promises? If Kaufmann failed him, Jamieson would make certain the man was torn apart by his own subjects. While Jamieson watched.

Chapter 32

Four Weeks Later

Monday, Evening

Georgia

A
man with short blond hair and the golden eyes of a jaguar stepped into Rafe’s room deep inside the SSU’s recovery center, Gabby by his side. Emotion flooded Rafe and he trembled, remembering voices telling him to kill this man. Feeling the other man’s throat under his hands. But not in the lab. Someplace green. And hot.

“Jungle,” Rafe said, pulling the word from his deepest memories. “Kai.”

There were other images, too. Not of violence, but of happy times. Kai laughing. Kai grunting with exertion as he bench pressed while Rafe spotted him. Kai tipping a bottle of beer to his lips while Rafe slugged down Ouzo.

Kaufmann’s scientists had ordered him to kill this man, but he was no enemy. Now that the voices in his head were mostly silent, Rafe remembered what this man was to him. Friend. “Sorry,” he said, wishing he could fully express himself in words. Hating that his communication skills remained blocked.

Kai nodded. His eyes were suspiciously bright as he cleared his throat. “Apology accepted.” He stepped further into the room.

Gabby moved back, easing toward the door, but Kai’s hand reached out and stopped her.

“It’s good to see you again, Rafe.”

Rafe barely heard Kai’s words. The sight of those masculine fingers encircling Gabby’s wrist sent him into a rage.

He grabbed Gabby’s arm and yanked her away from Kai, then shoved her behind him. He took an aggressive step toward Kai and shoved the man back hard enough to make him stumble.

“No touch Gab-by,” Rafe warned the other man, his voice little more than a growl. “Gab-by mine.”

Kai held up his hands palms out and backed up a step. “Hey, there’s no threat from me, Rafe. I’ve got a girl of my own.” Then his face twisted in realization. “Ah, shit. That’s right. You don’t know.”

Kai’s words should have eased Rafe, but the primitive part of him still insisted that he keep Gabby sheltered from the other man’s gaze. He shuffled to the side, blocking Gabby from moving around him.

“Rafe, Kai’s no threat,” Gabby pleaded. Her hand came to rest gently between his shoulder blades. “Come on. Get out of my way. Kai’s a friend. And a colleague. We’re both in charge of your recovery team. Kai’s not my lover.”

“Rafe, remember Susana Dias? Dr. Nevsky’s daughter?” Kai asked. “You were sent to kill her and retrieve the microchip.”

Rafe nodded slowly. He remembered fire. Shadows in the jungle. Following Kai and a woman.

Kai ran a hand over his hair. “I’m uh…” He sighed and looked down. “I’m uh, kinda…”

“Coward,” Gabby taunted over Rafe’s shoulder.

Kai raised his head and threw Gabby a glare. “I’m in love with Susana. Okay?”

Rafe sensed that this confession was out of character for Kai. But it made Rafe feel more comfortable. “Good,” he said. He looked around the room. “Here?” He didn’t mean here in this room, but here in the building.

Kai’s expression tightened. “No.”

“He’s too much of a coward to go after her,” Gabby muttered, stepping around Rafe and crossing her arms over her chest.

Rafe looked from Gabby to Kai and back again. He didn’t understand. Why would Kai want to be away from his woman? Rafe pulled Gabby closer, so her back was against his chest. He crossed his arms over her stomach and pressed his cheek along the side of her head.

She stiffened, then relaxed against him.

“Gab-by go. Rafe go, too.” God, she felt so good in his arms. Made him feel strong in a good way. Protective rather than destructive. “Why Kai no go Su-sa-na?”

Kai raised his eyebrows. His eyes went from Rafe’s arms circling Gabby to Rafe’s face. He blew out a breath and gave a wry smile. “Why indeed?” Then he added under his breath. “Although she’s more likely to kick my ass than welcome me back.”

“Fight,” Rafe said strongly. “Fight for woman’s love.” He squeezed Gabby and pressed a kiss below her ear. Gabby was his strength. His center. His calm. Without her, he’d have lost his mind long ago. “Worth everything.”

“Yeah,” Kai said softly. “You got that right.”

K
ai let himself into his room. For a moment he stared blindly around the small space, feeling like a different man than when he’d headed down to the labs this morning.

His first meeting face-to-face with Rafe had gone smoother than expected. Rafe might not be able to communicate yet at an adult level, but his rages were finally under control. For the first time, Kai felt they were close to having the old Rafe back.

Maybe tonight he’d be able to sleep without nightmares waking him up. Nightmares of Rafe rampaging through the jungle, killing everyone Kai loved. Dreams where Kai stalked Rafe, then was forced to kill his friend.

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. One thing these weeks working with Rafe had given him was acceptance of his violent instincts.

Compared to Rafe, his instincts were quite tame.

He walked over to the bookshelf in the corner. On the top shelf sat Dr. Nevsky’s journals, covers worn from the countless times Kai had flipped through them. He’d tried to understand the mind of the man who had created the program that had nearly destroyed Rafe. Nevsky’s absolute belief in his purpose and his complete lack of morals had made for chilling reading. How much worse had it been for Susana, knowing Nevsky was her father? Knowing he’d experimented on her? God, Kai wished he’d been with Susana when she read them. And he damned Ivanov for giving the journals to her in the fist place.

He fingered the binding of one of the journals. He’d tried calling Susana to see how she was doing, but she’d refused all his calls. He’d sent letters she never answered. Would it have killed her to let him know she was okay? The only reason he knew she was alive and well was the recent broadcast on the Adventure Channel, highlighting her recent discovery.

That altar Susana had found on their way back to her camp had indeed been part of the lost city of Amerinis. The archaeological world was abuzz with the find.

Kai was damn happy for Susana. She’d achieved her dream. Only…beneath her brilliant smile, he thought he saw a hint of sadness. Of vulnerability.

Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Hoping she missed him as much as he missed her. Without her, life was dull. He needed her.

Needed her laughter. Her passion for life.

Seeing the affection just now between Rafe and Gabby had caused an ache to form around Kai’s heart. He wanted a future with Susana. Wanted to be able to wrap his arms around her and feel her body pressed against his.

Hell, he was completely in love with her. And terrified that the real reason she’d left was because, despite what she’d said back in Ivanov’s lab, she didn’t really love him.

Why else would she have left without saying good-bye?

“Fight for woman’s love,” Rafe had told him. “Worth everything.”

Yeah, buddy, you got that right.

It was time for Kai to go get his woman.

Tuesday, Morning

Montana

N
iko slowly set down the phone. The soft click of the receiver hitting the cradle echoed in the silence of his cathedral-ceilinged living room. A kernel of hope struggled to unfurl deep inside him.

God, he so wanted to believe that this time Rafe really was improving.

At night he dreamed of stalking the halls of the SSU labs, coercing the scientists into working harder. But he knew that Kai, Gabby and the rest of their team were doing their best. Their problem was that Kaufmann had only used some of Nevsky’s complex and unconventional drugs. And Gabby had only copied a few of Kaufmann’s formulas to disk before she ran.

Every time the team thought they’d managed to counteract all the drugs working in Rafe’s system, they’d been thwarted by an unknown compound blocking their progress and had to start again.

On top of that, Rafe had been psychologically and physically tortured to the point that he felt physical pain whenever asked about his captors.

Although Ryker had forbidden the team from discussing their work, Gabby had stayed true to her promise and called every week with an update. She’d just phoned, saying she thought Rafe was finally on the road to recovery.

She warned Niko not to come rushing to the compound yet, because the progress might not last. Although Rafe still wasn’t allowed to have outside visitors, she’d told Niko that Kai had just met with Rafe and the meeting had gone well.

Niko spun away from the phone, hope stubbornly refusing to stay cowed. Dammit, he wished Jenna was here. He needed…

Jenna’s golden retriever, Monroe, leapt up from his place in front of the empty fireplace and ran to the door, barking excitedly. Niko’s three dogs chased after him, adding their voices to the din until Niko could barely hear the sound of an approaching vehicle.

Niko yanked the front door open as Jenna’s hybrid SUV pulled into the drive. He bounded down the steps. As soon as his wife was out of the car, he pulled her into a fierce hug.

“What’s wrong? Is it Rafe?” Jenna demanded even as she returned his hug.

“Gabby thinks this is it. They’ve seen some improvement in cognition and his rages are subsiding.”

“Oh, thank heavens.” Jenna squeezed him again and ran her hands soothingly over his back.

Niko pressed his cheek against her hair. He wanted to say something, but his throat was too tight for words. Fine tremors shook his body.

“I’ve been so afraid,” Jenna murmured. “For you and for him.” She held him for several long moments until his trembling stopped and the tears that had threatened to unman him retreated.

Finally he set her away from him and pressed his lips to hers.

“When do we leave?” she asked.

He smiled, loving the way she understood him so well. “As soon as we can find transport. The SSU doesn’t want us there—”

Jenna snorted. “Tough. Let them try to keep us away.”

Niko laughed. He picked her up around the waist and swung her around. The dogs barked happily and danced around their legs. “God, I love you.”

She smiled down at him. “Let’s leave right now.”

Wednesday, Evening

Georgia

T
he last person Kai expected to see on his way out of the research facility Wednesday night was Jenna. But she stood waiting for him at the bottom of the steps.

“Jenna!” Kai engulfed his sister in a hug. “What are you doing here? I thought you and Niko were in Montana.” After Niko had been banned from seeing Rafe, Jenna had convinced her husband that some quiet time at their Montana cabin was in order. But Niko could only tolerate a few days of peace and had quickly convinced Ryker to send him out on missions.

Jenna gave a rueful smile. “We were. Then Gabby called and told us you’d made a breakthrough with Rafe.” She held her hands out and shrugged. “I know we’re not supposed to be here, but Kai, it’s been killing Niko to be so far away. How would you like it if I needed help and Ryker told you to stay away?”

Kai shook his head. “I’d hate it.” She was all the family he had left.

“So, how’s he doing?”

“Walk with me and I’ll tell you.” He filled her in on Rafe’s progress. “Seeing Rafe so savage has been rough. Until recently he was angry all the time.” Kai looked down at his sister. “I felt the same after seeing what happened to mom, dad and the twins. And you.”

Jenna glanced at him in surprise. No wonder. Although he’d helped his sister work through her emotions, he’d never talked about his own reaction to the murders.

He cleared his throat. “I…uh…felt guilty for putting them in danger. And I was scared that even if I’d known about the threat from Alvarez ahead of time, I would still have gone undercover because Nevsky had to be stopped.”

Jenna’s eyes were soft with sympathy, but he expected that would soon change.

“I was angry at the injustice of it all. Sickened by the brutality of the attack. I kind of lost it.” He looked away, unable to bear seeing her eyes change from sympathy to revulsion. “I…ah…tracked down the assassins and killed them. Slit their throats and scalped them.”

“I know.”

He whipped his head around. “What?!”

“Ryker told me how the men died. I always suspected it was you. Who else would kill them that way? Thank you.”

He stared at her like a fool. Unable to accept that she wasn’t rejecting him. Unable to believe the love shining from her eyes. “You’re not…repulsed? Scared of me?”