AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.Better put, a leap of faith.“You said in order to let me go, you wanted my vow you’d not be prosecuted and that an investigation into Seshat’s disappearance would be backed by the full force of SIS.”
“Yes.”
“You’ve got it.Even if it means I have to be reinstated at MI6.”
Puck smiled.A genuine smile.It was the first I’d seen since Beak and Vulcan were killed.He stood and put his hand on my shoulder.“Thank you.”
Just as he released the ties binding my wrists, the building’s alarms went off.He raced out of the room and through the door, pulling it closed behind him.
Seconds later came the sounds of muffled shouting too far away for me to ascertain what was being said.
I’d rarely been a praying man, at least for myself.For Katherine, Quint, Wren, and Decker, I’d said many.Also for the agents and operatives I oversaw.
Today’s prayer was for me—and for Puck.I looked up at the ceiling, then closed my eyes.“Please, God, I beg you.Whatever is happening on the other side of that locked door, let us walk out of here alive.”
Wait!I hadn’t heard the lock click!I rushed over and grabbed the handle.When it unlatched, I raced out of the room.
18
GEORGE
It would be impossible for me to count the number of ops I’d been on in the course of my career as an agent.It didn’t matter if it were a thousand before or a thousand that would come after; this one was different.This one was personal.More than that.Mylife depended on it.
I was thirty-four years old and had never experienced the love of a man like I knew deep in my soul I would with Z.He and I were meant to be together, and if Puck had done anything to keep that from happening, I’d not think twice about killing him.
I looked out the window of the SUV, wishing we were being transported via helicopter instead.We were almost two hours away from where Z was being held.
That we’d arrive in the middle of the workday was to our advantage.We were able to get a read on the location of the warehouse Puck had rented via the NRO overheads.While it was in an older development, many of the buildings in its immediate vicinity were quite busy.And that meant noise.A lot of noise.Not only that, but big trucks parked there would allow us to avoid any cameras Puck may have set up.
Wren, who was seated beside me, reached over, took my hand, and squeezed my fingers.“Not much longer.”
I’d say five minutes would be too long a time to wait.However, she had to be just as anxious.Probably more so.
I closed my eyes for several seconds, reminding myself I couldn’t think about Z as the man I loved.I had to think of him as a hostage who it was our mission to rescue.
After taking several deep breaths, I opened them to review the plan Nem, Decker, and Pinch had crafted and forwarded to each of us.They’d determined entry points based on the building’s schematic and divided us into teams.I was assigned to the second unit to enter the building.
We arrivedone hour and forty-five minutes after we left Vauxhall Cross—slightly over eighteen hours after Z was abducted.If this were any other kidnapping, time would be against us.Our window was rapidly closing, at least statistically speaking.However, there was nothing textbook about what we were dealing with.My biggest concern going in was Puck’s state of mind as well as his level of desperation.I truly didn’t think he’d harm Z, at least not intentionally.
I watched as Pinch’s team, who occupied the first SUV to pull in, exited the vehicle.It was their job to confirm the points of entry as well as determine how many people were in the building along with where they were located.
I listened through the comms as each member of the team validated their positions, then I heard the one vital piece of information I’d been waiting for.
“Two people confirmed inside, close proximity to one another,” said Pinch.
I checked my mobile as what was indicated on the Doppler device was superimposed on the building’s schematic.It showed two people inside a storage room.
“Wait for my count,” Pinch commanded.Several minutes felt like hours before I heard the sound of someone kicking in a door, followed by the building’s alarm going off.The image on my mobile immediately changed, indicating the movement of one person exiting the room.
When Pinch announced we’d deploy on his count of three, I exited the SUV and assumed the position I’d been assigned.
We stormed the building, and the first thing I saw was Puck standing with his arms in the air.Seconds later, I heard the one voice I prayed I would.
“Stand down!Stand down!”Z shouted, coming out a door, waving his hands in the air.
“Z!”I said, pulling off my helmet and racing toward him as he ran to me.“Thank God you’re all right.Thank God, thank God,” I repeated as tears streamed down my face.
His eyes bored into mine, and he cupped my cheek.“I should never have waited to say this.I love you, George.I love you so much,” he said right before his mouth crashed into mine.
