Page 22 of Hot Zone

Five

The leader of Alpha Team stood in front of his employer’s desk, wincing.

“What do you mean, you couldn’t find the document? It had to be in the lab! I had solid intelligence that the professor keeps it there!”

“There wasn’t time, sir. The smoke bombs started to wear off and we had to get out. We did succeed in locating the safe and identifying the type of locks on it. The thumbprint system will be easy enough to circumvent, but the retinal scanner and the digital lock itself will be a bitch. We could just blow the whole thing up. Everything inside would be destroyed and your professor would be out of business.”

“That’s no good. She’s no doubt got a copy squirreled away somewhere. Besides, I want to read that book.”

“Then why aren’t we trying to track down the copy, instead?”

His employer studied him speculatively across his burlwood executive desk. “I don’t know where to begin looking for it.”

“With all due respect, that’s what we’re for, sir.”

He answered with a slow nod and a dawning smile. “Make it so, then. But hurry.”

“What time frame are we looking at for retrieval?”

The client’s gaze clouded. “I don’t know exactly. My contact wasn’t specific. He just said I needed to be in possession of the information in that notebook soon.”

“Or else what, sir?”

“I’ve been told that whoever possesses the data will be in a position to take over the world. If I don’t get my hands on it, I won’t be that person.”

The Alpha Team leader stared. Ooh-kay, then. Note to self: the boss man was a whacko megalomaniac head case. Oh, he and the boys would keep working and taking the guy’s lavish money. But any need to die for the client had just dropped off the bottom of the scale.

His employer was speaking. “…can’t emphasize enough the importance of what you’re doing. Time is of the essence. That journal is critical. Everything depends on it.”

Tessa roused slowly from…sleep? A faint? A conk on the head? She wasn’t quite sure. She hugged Rustam a little more closely, enjoying the shelter of his unbelievably strong arms.

Whoa. Rewind. Rustam’s arms? She jerked upright, startled and furious with him and at herself for getting into this situation. She had no business sitting in anybody’s lap, dammit! She had important work to do and this was a huge distraction.

“I gather by the look of horror on your face that you are awake and ready for another battle of wits?” he said wryly.

Irritation slitted her eyes. “Don’t get sarcastic with me. You’re the one who dragged me out here and then kissed me. Women in this part of the world may swoon at the slightest flex of your perfect biceps or one sultry look from those sexy eyes of yours, but I’m not that gullible.”

He grinned lazily and drawled, “Perfect biceps? Thank you. Say something else nice about me.”

She tried to leap out of his lap, but a casual tightening of said biceps held her firmly in place. “Oooh! You’re infuriating! I hate men like you!”

“Temper, temper.” He tsked. “And as for this swooning business. Seems to me that’s exactly what you just did for me…”

He laughed, a mellow sound as lazy as a summer day. Since when was he Mr. Easygoing? She frowned. For that matter, when was she ever this cranky?

Rage bubbled up from deep inside her for no apparent reason, like lava spilling out of a volcano. An urge to do violence, to hurt someone, all but overcame her. Thankfully, Rustam released her just then—before she lost control and scratched his eyes out.

She leaped to her feet and whirled to glare down at him. As quickly as he turned her loose her anger dissipated, leaving her drained, but calm once more.

He gazed up at her pleasantly for a moment, then his dark eyebrows slammed together. He jumped to his feet with such agility and speed she barely saw him move.

He snarled, “Do that again and I will kill you.”

“Rustam, I am a patient person. But if you do not cease making wild accusations and talking in riddles, I am going to lose my temper.”

“And then what?” he threatened silkily.

“I don’t make threats,” she replied evenly. “I just do what the situation calls for.”

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