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Now, the issue he faced was his need to protect Nikki from Agent Garcia, and her network.
Not to mention, from Damen, himself.
As the plane touched down and taxied along the runway, he considered the night ahead of him. The remainder of the night. He’d have to let the program he’d launched run for the next several hours.
The next several hours.
His jaw clenched. This would likely become the longest night of his life. Certainly, the most tense one. Because Nikki Kane was along for the ride.
The ding signaled that the airplane door had been opened and the passengers began to file into the aisle and exit to the jet-way. Damen stood and gestured for the two men in the row across from him to step before him. Then he retrieved his bag from the overhead bin and encased Nikki’s laptop inside. He slung the strap over his shoulder and reached for the Louise Vuitton rollaboard he knew, from his research, belonged to Nikki.
He snapped the handle upright behind him and waited for Nikki to precede him. They disembarked and Damen maneuvered just so, allowing one FBI agent to lead the way and the other to bring up the rear.
Damen already knew Nikki had no other luggage with her. They bypassed baggage claim and headed straight to ground transportation. A black Escalade rolled to a stop in front of them. The lead FBI agent opened the back door. Damen assisted Nikki inside and they all settled in.
“I didn’t cancel your reservation at the Plaza,” Damen informed her. “Someone else will check in for you. We’ll pick up the tab.”
“I’m not staying at the Plaza?” she asked, clearly disappointed. “That’s one of my favorite hotels.”
“We’ve diverted the tracking signal. If anyone planned to intercept you there this evening, they’ll be in for a surprise.”
Her gaze narrowed on him. “And yet…something tells me that won’t keep them from homing in on my whereabouts.”
“No, it will not. It’s just a diversionary tactic. I can’t fully cut off the tracking signal until I’ve disconnected the dongle from the port. It’ll continue to transmit until I’m done. However…if we can send off similar signals throughout the city, it’ll confuse Garcia and her people. Send them in various directions and buy us some time.”
“And where, exactly, will we be staying?” she queried.
With a grin, he said, “Not a skeevy motel, I promise.”
“I’ve tented through the desert, Agent Castillo. I’m not a prima donna.”
“I didn’t take you for one, Nikki.”
He didn’t say another word until they eventually arrived at the Waldorf-Astoria. She shot him a saucy look. “Definitely not skeevy.”
“I told you to trust me from the beginning, right?”
“Humph.”
He shook his head while fighting a grin. “You’re a bit much, Dr. Kane.”
“I prefer to think so.”
He stepped out of the SUV and, once again, thrust his hand toward her to assist her. She ignored his offering this time and that made him chuckle.
“Beautiful and independent,” he murmured.
“Don’t forget it.” She breezed past him, following Agent Number One into the lobby. Actually, it was Agent Cruz, but the agent and Nikki had never been introduced. And in ten minutes, the FBI guys would be replaced with Damen’s own people, so there was no point in exchanging names now.
The four of them headed to the elevators.
“Don’t we have to check in?” Nikki asked. “Collect a key? Hear what suite we’re assigned to?”
“There’s someone waiting for us,” was all Damen said.
One of his colleagues stepped in front of the panel of buttons and made a selection. He didn’t move away.
Nikki gasped. “You’re not even going to tell me which floor we’re on?”
