Page 72 of Storm Warning

“Sergei must be some kind of high-payoff target,” he added. “What else do you know?”

“Well, I know a lot. More than I’m supposed to. With all those hours together, he told me more than he should have, but he was nervous. I think he just needed to talk. He was afraid. He’s a scientist, a physicist, who developedtechnology and weapons for the Zarovian military. Well, hewasanyway. He’s dead now. He’d been working on a new project but learned that someone within the government agency in which he worked was selling the project to an arms dealer—Charles Whitman. I didn’t recognize his name when John brought him up, but Sergei told me about him.”

“Now we know where Whitman fits in.”

“Sergei didn’t feel comfortable with what he knew would happen to his project. He spoke to his supervisor about his concerns, and a week later, that man died—radiation poisoning.”

“Murder?”

“Yes. The effect was instant. Sergei feared for his own life. He couldn’t tell another soul. When Sergei was speaking at a conference in Europe, someone within our government approached him.”

“A CIA operative?”

“Maybe. He didn’t say. And arrangements were made. If he delivered the project to the US instead, so that it wouldn’t land in the hands of a notorious arms dealer who had arranged to sell it to a terrorist group targeting US soil, then he could be extracted. He couldn’t just get on a plane to the United States. Zarovia is a post-Soviet democracy.”

“So, still struggled with political instability. I get it,” Hawk said.

“He was too valuable for his government and, unfortunately, to the unscrupulous government official who planned to sell to the arms dealer.”

“And the tale grows darker still,” Hawk said. “Sounds like US intelligence was hard at work thwarting a plot against Americans. What else do you know?”

“Sergei was able to have the device sent somewhere.”

“It’s crazy to think he got away with that when it soundslike he was being watched closely.” Hawk rubbed his forehead, looking more haggard than she’d seen him in the almost three days she’d known him.

This was bad. Really bad. Dangerous bad.

“What about this device you mentioned?” he asked.

Remi had a sudden thought, and she could hardly breathe. “You’re not a spy, are you? Sent to get close to me and find out what I know?”

“While that’s within the realm of possibility, no, I’m not a spy.” His smile was filled with sadness and compassion. “Remi, you’re in so deep.”

“Well, since you’re not a spy, are you sure you want to know? Because telling you could put you in danger.”

He scoffed a laugh. “I’m in this with you now.”

They remained sitting in his vehicle in the parking lot, the rain coming down in sheets. He was probably waiting for her to get to the part about his brother. Maybe he couldn’t drive and focus on the conversation. She didn’t blame him.

“What’s this about?” he asked. “What’s the device that Sergei sent?”

“I’ll get there, Hawk. But I think you want to hear this next part.”

“Cole.”

She nodded. Tears spilled, and she didn’t care. “On the helicopter extraction that night, I was strapped in next to Sergei. He should have felt relieved, but he was so nervous. I remember he looked at me when I tried to reassure him and said, ‘You don’t understand. They don’t let you go. Ever. I’ll never be safe. I’ll never be free, and neither will you.’

“Then chaos erupted. Alarms sounded. The helicopter started spinning. There was lots of shouting and cursing. I think the pilots were trying to land before we crashed.” Remi squeezed her eyes shut, but she couldn’t stop theflood. She’d been a soldier. She should have been able to tell this story without tears, but her emotions were running high as she relived it.

“It’s okay, Remi. I’m sure it was terrifying.”

She opened her eyes. “I know you understand. You’ve been through it. I’m glad you’re here, Hawk. I’m glad you’re the one in this with me.” And she was. She truly was. She squeezed his hand.

“I need to know what you were going to say about Cole.”

Right. She released his hand and wiped her cheeks. “I don’t know what I saw, really. There was fighting in the group. Sergei told me the extraction had been compromised and we needed to jump. He said we were over water. I think he pushed me out. It all happened fast, and I’m having trouble with details. I remember seeing an explosion.”

“What happened next?”

---