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“Stay off ladders. And don’t trip over any paint cans. Or inhale paint fumes. Or?—”
“Easy there, Dad,” Mya said while peering back at me over her shoulder. “She’s a scientist, and I’m, well, whatever I am now. We’re good, don’t worry.”
Oliver jerked his thumb toward them. “Want me to follow them?”
“Not on your life, Lucas.”
Mya’s use of Oliver’s last name inspired a devilish grin from him. They needed to screw already and save us all the headache.
“I’m too tired for them,” Griffin said, coming up alongside me. “Seems like Mason’s idea to stay outside was the smarter choice.” He gave me a quick pat on the shoulder, his way of letting me know we’d catch up on that lecture later.
“Go. Sleep,” I told Diana since she’d yet to budge.
“Okay,” she only mouthed back.
I waited for her to leave with Mya and Dallas before I faced the rest of my teammates who were still hanging back.
“After Diana wakes up, I’ll get a list from her as to what she needs for a lab,” I said, barely able to keep my head up at this point. “I don’t want to have to resort to relying on Diana as a backup plan if an EMP weapon is detonated. She doesn’t deserve that kind of pressure or guilt. Let’s find the bastards before they can set one off.”
Easton stepped forward, breaking away from the others. “Fucking PACE. I’m with you on this. Primary over emergency every day.”
“Speaking of plans,” Teddy piped up. “Alyona ever reach out? Nothing new from her blackmailer?”
“No, but I have a guess where Alyona took off to. I’ll get a hold of her soon.” Sleep first. “Go secure the property while I shut my eyes for a second.” I wasn’t even sure who I was talking to at this point. “You think you can handle that?”
Gray stopped whatever conversation he’d been quietly having with Sydney near the French doors leading to a room off the foyer. “We’re good. Go rest. We could use Carter Dominick again.”
“And that means?” I waited for Gray to hit me with the blow I already felt coming from two countries away.
“You know exactly what I mean,” Gray said casually before resuming his private conversation with Sydney.
Easton caught my eye next. “If we’ve got a shot in hell of stopping an attack and preventing the outbreak of wars, then we gotta do what we gotta do, man. And in your case, that means becoming the man everyone fears, doesn’t it?”
“Or better yet,” Jack tossed out, dropping a duffel bag by his boots, the thud echoing around the foyer, “just be the devil yourself.”
47
CARTER
Nightmares like I hadn’t had in years had jolted me from sleep, and I’d woken in a sweat. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I slipped on my Apple watch, checking the time. It was already the afternoon, which meant I’d been out for four hours.
Shit sleep was almost worse than no rack time at all. Visions of Diana screaming and reaching for me while I’d been chest-deep in quicksand, unable to help her, had played on some sick loop in my head during those four hours.
Noticing one of my two disposable phones was lit up with a notification, I picked it up from the nightstand. A text from Gray.
Gray: Bravo was rerouted here. Meeting up with them to chase leads on the other hostages.
I sent him back a quick message, then peeled off my sweat-soaked shirt while catching sight of my duffel bag by the door. I had no clue who’d dropped off my things while I’d slept, but hopefully they hadn’t witnessed me clawing at the air, trying to escape the lethal mud my subconscious was mired in.
After a shower and change of clothes, I placed a call to Alyona, wanting to get it over with so I could find Diana and check on her.
“Was expecting you to reach out sooner,” she answered, her voice sounding as tired as I felt.
“Since you haven’t made an effort to call me, I’m guessing no more threatening emails?” I leaned off the edge of the bed, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder while sliding my boots over from where I’d left them before passing out.
“Nothing. But since I don’t have the package, I’m working on safe transit for my parents and sister to a secure location. I’ve already funneled my money to new accounts.”
“It’s good to be prepared, but I think you’re safe. We have reason to believe you were a decoy so we wouldn’t expect the attack in Poland.” I knew that would be good news for her, not that she’d take it at face value and relax. Not that any of us could relax until this was over.
