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Callum wiped a hand down his face. “The agent who was killed was undercover in Joaquin Martinez’s organization.”
Both Mark and Ian sat up straighter. Joaquin Martinez—he and his organization generally known as justJoaquin—was definitely as ruthless as Mosaic had been. Perhaps his organization wasn’t as big, but he was smart, efficient, and brutal—an ugly combination.
“We have intel thanks to the micro transmitter Zodiac was able to place on him at that wedding in the islands last year. But he discovered it and our agent a few days ago. Transmitter and agent came back to us in pieces.”
“Shit,” Ian muttered.
Zodiac had been happy to help with the undercover mission, but damn, it sucked it had resulted in someone’s death.
“Before we lost our guy, we got word about Joaquin’s latest venture—a genetics research lab. Human subjects being brainwashed through chemical subjectification and gene editing and then being controlled by him.”
Ian bit out a curse. That was exactly what had happened when Zodiac Tactical had been battling Mosaic.
Mark scrubbed a hand down his face. “What is he using them for?”
“The two we know about so far were both used for theft. One—white male, twenty-three years old—broke in to a jewelry store in Sacramento. One—black female, twenty years old—hit a pawn shop in Dallas. Both killed themselves when they were about to be taken into custody.”
That wasn’t what Mark had been expecting. “Killing themselves seems like overkill for a break-in.”
Callum nodded. “Our undercover man was able to get us enough intel that we knew they were both victims of the brainwashing—postmortem blood and tox reports confirmed. I’m not sure we would’ve ever linked the two together otherwise.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Mark saw Jenna and Craig stand up from their table and hug each other. He thought they both would leave, but Jenna walked him to the door, and then, with one more hug, turned back and sat down alone at the table.
“What do you need from us?” Ian asked. “Zodiac will help stop this sort of mind-control bullshit in any way we can. Like you said, I’m invested.”
Ian smiled over at his wife on the other side of the bar, and Callum and Mark looked over too. She waved at him and hooked her thumb toward some of the Linear Tactical gang who were getting ready to leave, obviously signifying she was going with them.
The love between Ian and Wavy was damned near palpable.
Ian wasn’t lying when he said he was invested. Mark knew he would use any and all of his considerable fortune to stop Joaquin. Not to mention his resources from owning Zodiac Tactical, one of the most well-respected security businesses in the world.
Mark would be right there by his side when Ian did it.
“Mostly, I needed to get in touch with you to get to Jenna. She’s not exactly taking my calls these days. I thought coming here to Oak Creek would be the least painful way to talk with her.”
Mark couldn’t help but grin. “How’s that working out for you?”
“I don’t currently have a crossbow bolt projecting from my body, so I’ll call it a win.” Callum rolled his eyes. “But we need Jenna’s help. Without it, we’re going to remain two steps behind Joaquin, and people are going to keep dying.”
Mark glanced over at her, and Ian and Callum continued to talk about details. She’d ordered some food, and the Eagle’s Nest owner Lexi had brought it over. Jenna still looked stressed even when she smiled at Lexi and began to eat.
Just once, Mark would like to see Jennanotlooking that way. He’d like to see her smiling, relaxed, tousled.
He’d like to be a part of making her all three.
He turned his attention back to the conversation. Whatever he wanted with Jenna would have to wait. First, he needed to help stop a killer.
Chapter 6
Jenna was running out of excuses to stay at the Eagle’s Nest. Craig had left thirty minutes ago, needing to get back to his job.
It had been good to see her brother. Jenna was well aware that she was the cause for the distance between them. He’d sacrificed a lot to get her out of captivity, and she truly was thankful. But she’d kept him at arm’s length, not willing to let him know how much of a mental mess she was.
Craig was torn about her agreeing to help Callum. Honestly, so was she. When Callum offered to help have Craig reinstated as an active agent, that had definitely tipped the scales in his favor. But she would’ve helped either way.
What choice did she have? The traffickers using the chemical subjectification and gene editing may have been the monsters, but Jenna was the Dr. Frankenstein who had given them their powers. If she could take the powers away, it was her responsibility to do that. She should already be back home digging into the particulars of the case.
But someone had moved her car away from the front door.
