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Arrieta smiled, slow and sinister. “I will consider it.”
12
“Have a seat.” Arrieta indicated one of the other chairs.
“Why? So you can have your goons truss me up like a Thanksgiving turkey too?” Kyle sent a pointed look to Natalie, who rolled her eyes at him. His tension eased a bit. If she was still feisty, she was okay. He couldn’t see any marks on her, other than the scratches from the accident. Natalie could take care of herself; that he knew. Didn’t mean he would leave her on her own, though, no matter how badly she might’ve hurt him.
“Agent Matthews and I were just getting to know each other better,” Arrieta said.
Natalie spat in his direction, and Kyle bit back a grin.
“In fact,” Arrieta pulled out a chair and smiled at Kyle as if they were old friends and not archenemies, “I was going to convince her to come work for me.”
“Like hell,” Natalie hissed.
“So vehement in your denial, yet so misguided.” Arrieta gestured toward the seat diagonal from him once more. Kyle seated himself compliantly, though he still kept an eye on the entrance. He’d left the rest of the team outside with strict orders not to interfere until they came up with a solid rescue plan. “Have you finally discovered the truth, Lieutenant Commander Matthews?”
“What truth is that?” Kyle asked.
“That Coran Williams and your own government are to blame for your brother’s death.” Arrieta crossed his legs and sat back, like a lazy cat toying with a mouse. “They knew my plans—they could have stopped them at any point, but they chose not to. And then afterward, they set you and your men up to take the fall, just as they had set me up to be tortured and die alone.” His dark gaze flicked from Kyle to Natalie, then back again. “You should have known better than to trust your country. Both of you. The United States government is a useless sham controlled by major corporations. It must be stopped. Whatever the cost.” He narrowed his gaze. “It is time for a clean sweep, and I am the man with the broom.”
Kyle crossed his arms and exhaled. “I’m here. But how do I know I can trust you? What’s to say you won’t turn on me like you’ve turned on everyone else who’s tried to help you?”
Arrieta slammed his fist down on the table, his teeth bared in an animalistic snarl. “I am no traitor. I am a true patriot!”
“Huh?” Natalie said. “I think I’ve heard those words before. Haven’t you, Kyle?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “From your buddy Coran.”
“Coran Williams is no friend of mine.” Arrieta scowled. “He was a means to an end. Nothing more. He had his uses—this house, for example. But soon I will wash my hands of him once and for all.”
“As Kyle and I will be discarded in the end, too?” Natalie struggled against her restraints, cursing. “You’d better hope you’re long gone when I get out of these, because I will beat your ass so bad it’ll take DNA to identify the remains.”
“Oh, Agent Matthews.” Arrieta laughed. “You are quite entertaining. And here I thought it was your job to bring me in alive and unharmed. It will almost be a shame to kill you.”
“How the hell do you know what my orders are?”
“I know everything about you, Agent Matthews.” Arrieta turned back to Kyle. “You, too, Lieutenant Commander. Makes it so much easier to find the right…persuasions.” He moved Kyle’s phone down to the end of the table, far out of reach. “Can’t have you calling your team for help, now, can I?”
“That’s it, then?” Kyle rolled his eyes and gave his best nonchalant act, though his blood was surging with adrenaline. The guys should’ve come up with something by now. What the hell was taking them so long? He stared out the windows to the woods beyond. “We won’t play your little game, so you’ll blow our brains out and take your toys elsewhere?”
“Something like that, yes.” Arrieta pulled a gun from his waistband and cocked it, aiming for the center of Kyle’s chest. “Would you like to die now, or”—he transferred his aim to Natalie’s forehead—“ladies first?”
Kyle clenched his fists, contemplating his options. He could take Arrieta, but not without the possibility of him firing on Natalie. He needed a distraction, something to throw Arrieta off his game. A distraction like his team.
They could show up anytime now, and that would be spectacular.
As if on cue, a loud bang issued from outside. The windows quaked, and Arrieta swiveled to look. In a split second, Kyle dove for Natalie, toppling her chair on its side and shielding her with his body.
Another boom sounded, followed by a spray of shattering glass.
Kyle covered Natalie’s face.
Next came yells and curses as a scuffle ensued.
Kyle could hear Scotty’s voice. “Grab Arrieta! He’s climbing through the broken window!”
“I’m going after him!” Spencer replied.
