Page 127 of Bad Enough

I’m truly a terrible human being.

Midas broke through his musing. “I’ve got something. No idea what. It doesn’t make sense. He said, ‘Salieri.’”

“The composer?”

“I don’t think that’s how he meant it. But I’ll be digging.”

TB nodded. “Ready for me to take out the trash?”

“I’ve got what I need. You okay, or do you want Nemo to take care of it?”

“Nah, that fucker’s mine.” He sighed. “Will she hate me for this?”

“TB, she knows you’re not squeaky clean. She hasn’t run screaming for the hills yet. Just don’t tell her details. But ridding the world of that assnozzle is not going to change the fact that she loves you.”

“I don’t deserve her.”

“Yeah, you do.” Midas pushed off the wall and stepped up to him. In his hand, he held a piece of paper. “I did some unsolicited research for you. Check them out.” Then he exited the restroom.

TB looked at the piece of paper with only a web address on it. When he looked at it closer, he didn’t recognize the business, but it was clear what type of business it was. Did he dare?

Whatever the answer to that question was, it would have to wait. Pocketing the paper, he looked up at his reflection and ran his fingers through his hair. Time to do some waste management.

49

JUNE 25TH

TB

Why am I so goddamn tired?

Everyone was waiting for him when TB entered the conference room, including Steel and Demon back from their own garbage run. He looked at Waters. “It’s done.”

There was a look of concern on his team leader’s face, but he said nothing to him. Instead, he spoke to the group as a whole. “Now that we’re all here, our friends have some more direct information for us on our missing SEAL.” He locked down the room’s security measures through the starfish and turned to the telescreen where Loki sat. The background looked like he might have been on a corporate jet of some sort.

“Loki. Thank you, again, for your help with recovering Flame and the other women. Extra hands are appreciated.”

“No problem. He had our girl, Medusa, so it was a no-brainer.”

Stepping forward, TB added, “She defended my woman. She has my marker anytime she needs it.”

Loki gave a head nod. “I’ll be sure to tell her. She may need it someday.”

Waters added, “My boss said no markers needed. Any of you, anytime, anyplace, we’ll be there.”

“As will we. I’ve given your computer guru a way to contact us should you need. But right now, I have something you want more than a marker.” Loki shared his screen. On it were photos of two Egyptian men in designer suits, each with a hand on the arm of a tall, blond-haired man who’d clearly seen better days. He was wearing casual clothes as if he were an underling or even a client of the men escorting him, but closer observation revealed an almost healed black eye and several scabbed-over cuts on his face and forearms.

“Lose something?” Loki asked.

“Ka-Bar,” Steel confirmed.

“These photos were taken in Sallum back in April when we were there. He was taken into a warehouse that’s listed as an import/export company. Chances are they’ve moved him, but it’s a place to start.”

“Any chance you know who the two suits are?” Waters asked.

“Hemeda and Pilis Kader. The warehouse is owned by the family business.”

Waters looked to Midas for confirmation. “Zahra’s brother and a cousin,” the computer tech replied.

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