Page 102 of Spy With Me
“He doesn’t know they have Devi and my mom?” Zach asked. Theworld felt like it was running in slow motion.
“No, and it’s going to stay that way because no matter whatmy daughter says, we have to look into the allegations,” Big Tag announced.“The Canadians’ mission concerns Huisman and ensuring he can’t do whatever itis he plans on doing. Our mission is to support theirs. On the surface.”
“Our real mission is getting our people back,” Kalasurmised.
“Then why are we working with him at all?” Kenzie’s lipsflattened into a stubborn line.
“Because we keep our friends close,” her father said, “andour enemies closer. Kenz, you’re going to be in charge of working with theoperative on the ground. We’ll fly into Kathmandu, get what we need, andhopefully meet the Canadians in a day or two. I’m going to hope bombmakingtakes some time.”
Time was the one thing they didn’t have. He didn’t like BigTag’s timeline. Not one bit.
“All I care about is getting Devi and my mom out of there.”Zach wanted to be on a plane now. He glanced over at Lucy, who was excellent atputting together logistics at a moment’s notice. It wouldn’t be the first timeshe’d helped him out.
Cooper stood and pointed a finger his way. “You are notditching us and making a run for the facility. Lucy, if you help him, I’ll finda way to make your life hell.”
Lucy’s head shook. “Well, you already did by bringing yourpsycho wife here and ruining years of undercover work. No. I will be going homewith my parents and licking my wounds. I can’t help anymore. I have to figureout what I can do and hope I don’t get fired.”
“She’s been ordered back to Langley, and so have I.” Henry’sexpression was grim. “We’re taking a flight back tonight. My wife… Well, she’spretty emotional right now since she’s worried she somehow screwed up.”
“I’ll talk to her, Dad.” Lucy crossed her arms over herchest, a defensive position. “None of this is her fault.”
“No. It’s not.” Henry held a hand out to Tag. “I’m sorryit’s gone this way. If you need me, I’ll tell Langley to go to hell.”
Tag’s head shook. “We need to go in fast and tight. Kenziewill handle the Canadians. Lou will work tech. Tash, you need to find us a baseof operations close to that mountain. Zach and Cooper’s only job is to get ourpeople out. Tris and I will find the anthrax and ensure Huisman can’t use itagainst anyone. Henry, we’ll talk when we get back. I’ll handle things throughDrake for now.”
Kala held up a hand. “Uhm, hello. Still here.”
“Still shot,” Tag countered. “I should send you back withHenry.”
“Please don’t,” Henry said.
“I’m not going anywhere but to Nepal.” Kala stood, and ifher side was bothering her she didn’t show it. “I’ll stay in the background,but I’m not going home. My cousin is out there, and my team needs me.”
They started arguing, but Zach couldn’t take it anymore. Hestood and walked back toward the bedroom where it was apparent Devi had triedto get away. There were tiny pieces of safety glass all over the bed they’dshared. Proof of how low he’d brought her. She should be home and safe. Sheshould be applying for the internships she wanted or working on her business.She should not be trying to survive being kidnapped by a fucking terrorist.
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop.”
Zach turned and Cooper stood there, his mouth a flat line.“I’m thinking I got my fiancée killed.”
“She’s alive. I know she’s alive, and we’re going to saveher.” Cooper walked in, avoiding the glass by the bed. “From what I can piecetogether, she saved Kala and likely Lucy, too.”
“Devi shouldn’t have to save anyone. I should have beenhere. I shouldn’t have left her.” The guilt was starting to eat him alive. Hefelt so fucking numb, and he knew it was a way to delay the pain, but it wascoming for him.
“Devi would always save whoever she could. Don’t make herless than she is. And if I’m reading Huisman right, Devi was likely taken toforce Shannon to do Huisman’s bidding. I think he was trying to take either youor me. I had to fight off a guy.”
“You mean you killed him.”
Cooper shrugged. “It was him or me. He had a syringe. Louwill run it through one of her many instruments and come up with what was inthere, but I think we all know it was a sedative. It’s how Huisman works. Hedidn’t get either of us, so Devi will have to do. I suspect he always meant totry to get Kala back, and Devi was an insurance plan. We can’t blow the placeup if Devi and your mom are there.”
That was an excellent point. He needed Devi alive.
“He’ll hurt her.” Every possible scenario was going throughhis brain at this point.
“Not if Shannon complies. Do you think she will?”
He hoped she would, to a point. “I think this is my mother’sworst nightmare. I don’t know. I don’t know if she’ll shut down. She’s capableof anything. The truth of the matter is I don’t know her. I know the factsabout her life, but she’s been in and out of mine for so long that I don’t knowif she’ll build a bomb to save the woman I love. I only know I put her in thisposition.”
“You didn’t,” Cooper insisted. “Look, man, I know how youfeel. I know what it means to do something and have the consequences be so overthe fucking top you can’t imagine it. I didn’t mean for anything to happen andyet it did, and I was a fifteen-year-old kid.”
