Page 45 of Rise of the King (Checkmate 5)

Kane’s blade is in my pocket since I never put it down, and my Glock sits tucked in the back of my jeans. Sophia has seen my gun, but she doesn’t ask, and she never stares for too long.

It’s not illegal to carry weapons in this state. It’s not illegal to carry concealed, either.

So either she trusts I have a weapon for the right reasons, or she’s going with the “I don’t ask, he doesn’t tell” mantra I’ve been working with for so long.

I love that she lets me be. She doesn’t demand answers; she doesn’t check my phone or ask why I hardly sleep. She just minds her own business and watches me out of the corner of her eyes when I’m doing something she might not be sure she wants to know about, like not sleep or check my emails twenty-two hours of the day.

Tossing the last of my things into my bag and leaving my Winchester in its carry bag beneath my mattress, I zip the tote and set it aside, then I sit on my bed and run a hand through my hair.

Think. Think. Think.

Where do I go first? Where do I go next?

Taking out my phone, I reopen Ace’s email and study each word in case I missed something.

Kane’s out. He’s heading back to his girl. He doesn’t even know he has a contract on his head.

So my first decision is, do I let him know? Send an anonymous email?

He can’t know it’s me; he thinks I’m dead, and when I come back to him, it won’t be via an email. It won’t be while I’m thousands of miles away and he can’t see me in the flesh to make sure I’m okay.

I was always his responsibility, just as he was mine. In his mind, he failed, because I’m dead. That will hurt him.

My coming back will hurt him too.

Then it’ll hurtmewhen he kicks my ass for lying.

Scrolling back through my emails with Ace, I scan what we’ve written about Peter Aguilar, about Cole Fenney, about the drop from three days ago.

I wrack my brain from the time I spoke to Cole and Pete. Did they say anything that would help? Something I missed? Something that’ll give me a heads up on where to go next?

Cole said he gets texts from Pete.

Pete said he gets texts from the fucker I executed earlier this week.

But Ace said we don’t have to interrogate them, just exterminate. Which means he knows which step is up.

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From: KingOnD8

Subject: Where do I go?

Who’s next? I have to move now; send me to the next step, or send me home.

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From: AcesAndEights

Subject: re: Where do I go?

I don’t know right now. I’m working on Stan Corrin’s comms now. I’ve been working on it for days. The higher we go, the more secure their data.

Stan is the suit from your last mission, but I already had his devices, hence, no interrogation needed. I have his comms and agenda, collected intel and gave you your mission.

I have letters; they’ve made it a puzzle.

TN – is Trenton Neal, I assume. I’m still trying to find him.

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