Page 36 of Kept By The Agents

His hands went to the wound, trying to staunch the blood flow as he choked and gagged. It was too bad he'd die of blood loss before he could suffocate on the very liquid that kept him alive. It would have been satisfying to see. This would do as a paltry second.

Some might call us monsters. Being able to kill a man, to watch him die, so dispassionately probably proved them right. The main difference, in my mind, between men like that and men like us, was we only sought revenge on evil people. We killed to protect others.

Tonight's kill wouldn't have necessarily been sanctioned by our higher ups, but when we were out on assignment, we followed our own orders. There was no time to call and ask permission when we were hunting down the worst of the worst in this world. Our government knew that. So we made our own rules out here. Back in the states, when nothing was going on? We followed commands. That control shifted into our own hands the minute we took a case.

"Let's go."

We looked left, then right, after leaving the house. We'd take a long, convoluted way home. We couldn't risk the Raleka finding where we were staying. Finding Catalina.

CHAPTER 16

Catalina

Drumming my fingers on the table, I cast Weaver a pleading look. "They've been gone a really long time."

"Mmhmm," he hummed, shoving his glasses up on his nose for the millionth time that day. He'd finally given in a few hours after the guys had gone and brought his laptop down to the kitchen table. He'd gotten sick of me hanging over his shoulder, asking questions.

"I could-"

"No."

"You haven't let me help at all, Andrew."

His eyes met mine when I used his first name. I couldn't read the emotion in them before he shut it down and went back to work. "Only have one computer. If you're using it, then I can't."

Sighing, I drummed my fingers louder. With every tap I could see him getting more and more tense. Good. Then at least I wouldn't be the only one going out of my mind.

"I could text Boris. If he hasn't blocked my number. Maybe he's gotten some kind of news." Brandon wasn't stupid. He'd taken my cell phone right before we'd left the first safe house. I wasn't even sure which of the guys had it.

"No."

"Or I could call Alyona. Or maybe go see if I can dig up my own information. Maybe at the local bar."

That got his attention. He frowned at me. "Hell no. A single woman going to a bar in this part of the city is just asking for trouble."

"I know, but I have to do something. Anything." I flopped my head down onto my criss-crossed arms on the table. "I'm going out of my mind sitting here, worrying." The sound of my voice was muffled by my arms.

His chuckle had me raising my head. "Dramatic much?"

I scowled at him. "Fine. Then let me work on the computer. Give me something to do, so I don't have to think about what could possibly be taking those guys so long."

"We've done stakeouts that lasted over seventy-two hours before," he informed me. "Trust me, they're fine."

"They're fine," I mimicked, then sighed again. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not very good about sitting still."

"I've noticed," he replied with a wry smile. He was cute when he smiled, there was a dimple in his left cheek. Too bad he was grinning down at the computer screen and not me.

"Have you found anything helpful?" I asked, standing and pulling my chair closer so I could peer at the screen from the side.

"Most of Boris's intel is outdated," he started, giving me an irritated frown for invading his space. "Though he had a list of names of men who were possibly working with the Raleka. I've got their home addresses, but we're going to have to pay them a visit in person."

"I could-"

"No." The first few times I'd asked to help by leaving the house, he'd snapped at me. Now his voice was monotone as he answered automatically. I doubted he even heard my offers at this point.

"I also have a lead on a building."

That had me perking up. "Really?"

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