Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2) (11 page)

“The only thing I can promise is that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you live through this,” Jax said, keeping his voice low.  This wasn’t the time to hash out their personal demons.  “We have no idea what the fallout will be.  Let’s focus on what we need to do and deal with the rest later.”

He could see her accept that was the only answer he could give her.  They’d had this conversation too many times to count, but it wouldn’t change until the situation altered course.  With a slight nod of her head, Emily turned back to the door and waited for him to open it.  

Once they were inside, the background music was the only thing that could be heard.  The sound was so low that the only sounds Jax could distinguish were melancholy.  Emily went to remove her hoodie when he laid a hand on her arm, shaking his head.  He’d spotted the surveillance cameras immediately. 
Taryn was busy covering the area where the news station was located, not the various individual locations.  They were easy to notice since the gallery floors and walls were pristine white and the only color that appeared was on the canvases spread far apart from each other.

“May I help you?”

The voice came from a classic elderly woman who had aged with grace and still remained beautiful in her own right.  Her reddish blonde hair was sprayed to stay in place, while her make-up had been precisely applied.  There was an air of elegance surrounding her, but it seemed to explode upon setting eyes on Emily.

“Oh, my dear,” the woman whispered, a manicured hand covering her lips.  “
You — you’re alive.”

“What the hell, Emily?” Jax asked in a low voice, although he made sure she knew that he wasn’t pleased with this turn of events.  “You know her?”

“Ms. Lansing, I’m here to pick up the painting that you’ve been so kind as to hold for my aunt,” Emily said loudly, as if the original exchange hadn’t happened.  She reached into her pocket and pulled out a receipt, handing it over to the woman.  “Would you please wrap it for me?”

Ms. Lansing seemed to pull herself together and s
he gave a small, if not nervous smile.  Her eyes flickered to him, and Jax did his best to flash a grin when all her wanted to do was ask Emily what the hell she thought she was doing.  As a former agent, she knew better than to have any contact with anyone she knew.  Those kinds of mistakes were what got people killed.

“I met this woman once or twice in my mid-twenties,” Emily said.  She turned and faced him as Ms. Lansing crossed the sterile showroom and entered a back room.  “She’s an old friend of my aunt, but the distance is what is relative here.  No one would think I would hide evidence within a prominent art gallery in New York City.”

Jax removed his sunglasses and pressed his fingers to his eyes, trying to stem off the headache that was forming.  He needed more caffeine to deal with her rationalizations.  Knowing it made no difference now, Jax situated himself so that he could see the back door and the entrance.  He didn’t want them to be boxed in should they be approached.

“Taryn just got confirmation that Ryland took the operation.”  Jax turned his head slightly, not surprised by the information Kevin had relayed, but taken aback that corroboration had come through.
  Various voices could be heard in his ear, but Kevin’s came through loud and clear.  “She has video surveillance of Ryland meeting with Alekseev’s security chief.  Crest, she needs you to look at his photo.”

Jax’s gut twisted.  If Taryn needed Crest to get a visual on this guy, then it wasn’t a contractor that made mistakes.  This meant they were dealing with
one of an elite few when it came to hired assassins.  Their time was running out.

Chapter Thirteen

“Crest, who is Ryland?  I overheard Ethan say that Taryn had a
video surveillance picture of him.”

As Jax and Crest engaged in a conversation that she partially listened to, Emily’s thoughts were running at a thousand miles per second.  She tigh
tened her grip on the small USB drive, which contained the digital recordings she was about to air on international television.  She glanced toward the entrance of the media station and then in the opposite direction, catching sight of Connor and Kevin walking around the central news desk.  The other two men were nowhere to be seen, which made her think that they were watching the outside of the building. 

Emily knew she should be worried about Ryland, but right now, her stomach was tied up in knots over the fact she wa
s about to accuse the Secretary-General of murder.  Would it backfire, like Jax suggested?  Would the public only hear the fact that the NSA was listening to private conversations?  Or would the travesty of the crime Alekseev committed take front and center?

“We’ll discuss it at a later date,” Crest said, his voice consumed with tension, which garnered Emily’s attention.  “Just know this…he changes his appearance as easily and more
often than Jessie does her nail color.  We’ll never see him coming, so as much as I advocate a strong offense, our defense has to be equally as determined as Bataan.”

Emily felt a chill travel down her spine and her fingers itched to hold her weapon in protection against an unforeseen evil.  It was hard to defend against an opponent she couldn’t see coming.  Jax’s hand came to rest on her lower back and although it did nothing to relieve the tension, it did give her the strength to start walking toward the heart of the station.

“Place this in your right ear,” Jax said, as he walked beside her.  He was holding up a small earpiece, similar to the one that he had in his.  “Whatever you say, we’ll hear.  You’ll also be able to hear the rest of us.  Do not hesitate if I tell you to hit the ground.  Understand?  If Crest’s body language is anything to go by, Ryland is a worthy adversary that we can’t underestimate.”

Emily’s steps faltered a bit as realization sunk in.  The team had heard every word she and Jax had exchanged.  They’d heard her practically beg him to tie her to his bed and fuck her.  Normally, she wasn’t the type to care what other people thought, but this situation was a bit extreme.  Damn.

“Did you hear me?” Jax asked, a tightness in his voice that indicated he didn’t like how this day was going. 

“Yes,” Emily said and then cleared her throat.  She knew that Crest was behind them and decided now was the time to ask for one more favor.  Why not?  She owed them more than just her life.  “Crest, would you please have someone verify that my aunt has left the country?  She’s always followed my directions, albeit reluctantly, but I need to know she’s safe.”

“A friend of mine is currently enjoying a break overseas and appreciating the art,” Crest replied, giving Emily her answer.  She looked over Jax’s shoulder and smiled her thanks, hoping it conveyed how much she truly appreciated the extra miles he was putting in.  She was now understanding Jax’s original anger at her for potentially ruining the life he’d built.  “Let’s get this over and done with.”

Emily was able to really view her surroundings, her vision
no longer obscured by the walls of the hallway.  There was an upper level with a balcony that circled the middle of the station.  She could see people walking around the shadows, but couldn’t make much out other than that.  The open vulnerability made her uneasy.  At the center, the ceiling was vaulted, allowing for metal structures to be the anchor for heavy lighting and camera equipment.  Vast amounts of cords dangled and lights flashed from various angles, giving the sense of disorder when it was obvious it was anything but. 

“Ms. Jenkins, thank you for allowing our client to use your network for this live press conference.”  Crest stepped forward, shaking
hands with the beautiful anchorwoman.  The blonde was meticulous in her appearance, with her classic red suit and high heels.  The smile that Emily assumed was usually false shined bright with this woman’s eagerness to get the scoop of the year.  “We appreciate that your station was willing to work with us on our demands.”

“It’s our pleasure, Mr. —”

Ms. Jenkins allowed her voice to drop off, hoping that Crest would fill in the blank.  Even Emily knew that wasn’t going to happen, so when the blonde turned toward Jax with her hand held out, Emily stepped forward.

“Ms. Jenkins, let me reiterate that I am grateful for your time and that of your station.  Where would you like me to sit?”

From the slight tightening of Ms. Jenkins’ mouth, it was obvious that she wasn’t happy she couldn’t garner more information.  That was just too bad, because this woman was only getting what Emily wanted her to get.  She was pointed out the far chair, so she and Jax walked around the V shaped wooden anchor desk.  Her position would allow for her to better see Ms. Jenkins and the camera, although the anchorwoman didn’t seem to realize this wasn’t a question and answer session.

“Let’s get you ready,” Jax said softly, kneeling down.  His action brought him to eye level as she sat straight in the uncomfortable chair given for guests.  There was a glass of water to her left, although Emily had no intention of drinking it.  “You certainly aren’t dressed to go on live television, are you?”

The humor in his voice was a first and her eyes flew to his.  Jax’s soft lips were curved up at the corner, giving him that boyish charm she remembered.  He lifted up the small black mic and carefully attached it to her sweatshirt.  She wasn’t sure why, but what she was about to do suddenly caved in on her and the feeling of losing control brought a snap of panic that she wasn’t used to.  She’d become immune to the threatening feeling she’d been living under, but now that it was finally coming to an end, terror balled up in her chest.  It would have been better had he remained distant. 

“You’re not going to panic on me now, are you?”

Emily shook her head, not able to speak past the lump in her throat.  He then held up a hand, silently asking her to let go of the small device that she had a death grip on.  It was humorous, considering that Kevin now held the rest and would be the one to operate the recorder.  She understood she had to release it and trust that it wouldn’t end up in the wrong hands, but it was hard to do when she’d only had herself to rely on for so long.  She swallowed hard and then cleared her throat.  It was time to end this.

“As long as you don’t,” Emily replied, returning his half smile.  She also wanted to make one thing clear.  “Next time I’m being broadcast to your entire team, let me know.  There’s a lot of stuff that they should know about Jax Christensen that they probably don’t.  With the exception of Connor.”

“My earpiece is in and activated.”  Jax winked and for a brief moment, she felt like they were in the past and nothing had gone wrong to waylay their lives.  The spark of merriment disappeared and in its place was a gravity and plea that she listen closely.  “This place is crawling with staff, although this was such an abrupt event, everyone who is here should belong here.  That doesn’t mean something can’t go wrong, so you listen closely to my voice.  In the meantime, recite what you want to convey the minute Ms. Jenkins gives you the go ahead.  Remember, in and out.”

Emily gave a nod of her head and forced herself to release the small piece of evidence into his hand.  He looked as if he hesitated, but instead of saying anything else, he stood and walked to where the cameraman had positioned a large camera sitting
on top of a tripod.  He tossed the evidence to Kevin who was only a foot away, standing in front of what looked like a sound machine.  She’d lost sight of Connor and Crest.

“May I have some name to introduce you as?” Ms. Jenkins asked as she took the seat on the opposite side of the V.  “The audience will relate to you better.”

“I don’t need them to relate with me.”  Emily hadn’t meant to sound so standoffish, but her nerves were wracked and this wasn’t a social call.  She reached up and placed the earbud in position.  It was eerily quiet.  “I just need to give them evidence of a murder that happens to be an international incident.”

* * * *

Ryland smiled at who must be a beautiful intern, as she was walking by with more coffees than she could carry.  The place was all hustle and bustle, or at least had been, until his target had walked on the set of the station.  Everyone seemed to be glued on the secretive interview that was about to take place.  He glanced below, making certain they had yet to roll live.  A man was kneeling in front of his target, adjusting her mic.  It was obvious that he was helping her in this endeavor, along with the man standing a couple feet away.  His smile faded.

From this angle, he couldn’t tell if there were any more men or women who’d come with her.  Had Ms. Weisslich had the wherewithal to hire bodyguards?  Or was there more to them?  It was rare that he underestimated anyone.  Now that he thought about
it, there was only one person who had that honor.  He merely brushed her memory aside and concentrated on the task at hand.

Presuming what dear Emily’s next move would be hadn’t been that hard.  She had limited options.  Who else besides the Attorney General was she going to give the evidence to?  Ryland usually kept his part minimal…doing what he was hired to do.  But being given two high paying missions in the same week warranted his interest.  He needed to protect himself first and foremost and what intrigued him was the loose string in the name of Schultz Jessalyn. 
He’d yet to be given Jessalyn as a target.

Given that all he had to do was monitor calls into surrounding media and radio stations, Ryland hadn’t even needed to really exert himself.  Grace Emily was making this relatively easy, although he did need to get his hands on that evidence that she just presumably handed over to one of the men. 

Ryland kept walking around the circular upper half of the station, not stopping even when he reached his destination.  Climbing the stairs, he was able to get a better visual and noticed a shadow off of one of the hallways.  Still ascending, he came to the rafters where darkness kept his form hidden.  Maneuvering carefully, he kept to the outside as he circled the structure.  What he found didn’t surprise him as much as it peaked his interest.  His target had definitely brought assistance and from the way they were stationed, they knew exactly what they were doing.

Well, well…this changed the game.  Ryland wouldn’t be able to just take her out quickly and be done.  No, she had to go and play more than just the
pawns in this game of chess.  Ryland quickly amended his plans as he saw the exchange of evidence between two of the men, while the cameraman prepared to take Grace Emily live on international television.  It was time to play his gambit, but first, he needed a delay.  

* * * *

The back of Jax’s neck itched and he quickly glanced around, wondering what caused the intuitive sentiment.  It had never failed him in combat, and when he glanced toward Connor, his partner seemed to be searching for something as well.  Jax looked to his left, but couldn’t spot Crest. 

“Eyes on Emily,” Crest ordered, his voice coming in loud and clear over the earpiece.  Where had he gone?  “I brought Lach in.  He’s up in the rafters.  I don’t like where the exit door is positioned to the roof.”

“We should have cleared the station.”

That comment came from Kevin, who was waiting for his cue to play the evidence.  Jax was getting antsy himself and he agreed with the response.  They should have cleared the station, or better yet, had a remote television van come to the hotel.  Unfortunately, they were running out of time now that Ryland was confirmed as the contractor.  They had no idea how much of a lead this man had on their whereabouts.  It was better to execute this quickly and efficiently.

“No time.”  Had Crest positioned himself on the second floor?  “Jax, move this along.”

“We need to go live now,” Jax said, as he turned to the cameraman whose name was Steve.  “Do what you do and make it happen.”

“There’s something wrong with our feed,” Steve said, shrugging his shoulders as if this happened regularly.  Jax wasn’t at ease with this in any way.  “Our technicians are looking for the short.”

“You have a lot more cameras.” Jax pointed to the surrounding equipment.  “Use one.  Now.”

“It’s not the camera,” Steve said, giving him a look that made Jax want to wipe it off immediately.  “I’ll try and simplify this for you.  There seems to be a problem with the feed that transmits to the satellite.  That means no camera will work right now.”

“Clear out.” 

Crest’s order was instant.  Connor pulled his weapon, keeping an eye on the exit behind him down the hallway.  Kevin’s attention was on the soundboard, hopefully obtaining the thumb drive with the evidence that he’d placed inside the equipment.  Jax crossed the distance between him and Emily, whose gaze had never wavered from his.  He knew she heard every word that was said, but she hadn’t panicked.  In fact, she had an obstinate look on her face.

“It’s not worth the risk,” Jax said, already anticipating her argument.  “It’s too coincidental.  We need to abort.”

“No,” Emily replied, ignoring Jenkins gasp at what Jax assumed was her reaction to Connor and his weapon.  “Have them fix it and let me do this.  We’re here, for crying out loud.”