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Max almost winced when he looked over at the man on his left. He’d gotten so caught up in talking dig with Hudson, he’d nearly forgotten the man was with him. A questioning half smile spread on Kairo’s face. That was the question, wasn’t it? How long could he keep Ed and the gang with him? It wasn’t like he could tie them up for an entire year as they waited for the new excavation season.
Even though he wanted to keep Ed close for far more than a year.
“We’re still working things out,” Max replied slowly as he dragged his eyes from Kairo to Hudson. “But I’m hoping that we can get this grave robber problem resolved before we start the dig next season. We should have just the usual security patrolling the site.”
Kairo leaned toward the camera. “We’ll stick around as long as we’re needed. We won’t leave until the job is done and we know Max is safe.”
Warmth spread through Max’s chest, and he stared down at the table because he couldn’t meet Kairo’s or Hudson’s gaze. Someone had his back. This was nice. Really fucking nice.
“Hey! You know, you feel familiar,” Hudson suddenly exclaimed. “Have I seen you around the digs?”
Kairo cringed and Max cackled, releasing those awkward feelings into the ether. He couldn’t help it. He had to say it.
“Kairo Jones is the son of Dr. Janet Jones.”
“Shit! General Jones? Taskmaster extraordinaire Jones?” Hudson cried.
“Oh, good grief,” Kairo moaned and dropped his face into his hand.
Hudson’s booming laugh filled the room again. “No one runs a tighter dig than Dr. Jones! Even I’m scared of that woman.”
“That’s why if something happens to me, I’m handing the dig over to Janet. She’s got all my research, all my notes. She’s ready to step in and take this to completion,” Max quickly explained. He didn’t think anything would happen. Ed and his friends would keep him safe, but he’d also had his share of experiences where shit just went wrong, no matter how carefully you planned. Lining up Janet Jones to take over allowed him to sleep at night. This way he knew the tomb would be found and properly explored.
“Good to know, but you’re finishing this dig,” Kairo said firmly. Max could only smile at him. The confidence was nice, but Max was also pretty sure that Kairo wanted his mother nowhere near this dig after everything Max had gone through.
“Since we’re on the topic of excavating some dirt, why don’t you tell me where you want me to begin my work? All I’ve been able to get out of you is Luxor. I fucking already knew that!” Hudson shouted, shaking his fists at Max. “I can’t even get you to tell me which bank I’m working on!”
“It’s for your own protection. I—” Max broke off when Hudson jerked in his chair and twisted around to look over his shoulder.
“What the…” his friend softly started and trailed off. He turned back with a crooked grin.
“What happened?” Max asked.
“I heard a noise and I’m the only one here in the office, but there’s been a stray cat some of my assistants have been feeding. They leave one of the windows cracked for it. Sounded like it just knocked some papers off a desk.” Hudson waved a hand at them, dismissing it all completely.
Max glanced over at Kairo, his stomach tightening into knots as the hacker didn’t appear to be dismissing the noise so easily. The entire reason he’d not told Hudson about where he’d be conducting his initial survey work was to keep him from becoming a target, but they were really at the point they couldn’t wait any longer. Other people—at least those outside the government—needed to know things if they were going to get any work done.
“Hudson, I’m going to get a couple of my teammates to come get you and bring you somewhere,” Kairo started in a low, calm but urgent voice. “This could be nothing, but we want to be sure that you’re safe.”
There was a soft clicking noise behind Hudson like someone was clicking their tongue. Hudson began to twist in his office chair to see where the noise was coming from when a gun moved into the camera view and pressed to his temple.
“Oh, I think it’s too late for that.” Rive’s face appeared on the screen sideways as she leaned down, nearly placing her head on top of Hudson’s.
Max slammed backward in his chair, his breath leaving him as though he’d been punched in the stomach. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kairo sliding over to his own computer and furiously typing. The man was probably organizing all the troops and getting them mobilized to save Hudson while Max just sat there in shock.
“Rive…” Max exhaled when he could finally get his lungs working properly. “He doesn’t know anything. I haven’t told him where I think the tomb is.”
