Page 61 of Sweet Little Spies

One of the worst things a surgeon had to worry about wasinfection. A surgeon could do miraculous work, and it could all fall apartbecause of a tiny bit of bacteria. Staphylococcus, streptococcus, pseudomonaswere simply the most common. There were always new threats to deal with.

They didn’t have to go looking for them or figure out a wayto make one do its deadly work better.

Of course he could come up with a couple of reasons… “Sothey were planning on selling the research?”

“I’m sure my father would have at some point,” Dare agreed.“He’s in prison right now awaiting trial. He wasn’t a good man. Money was myfather’s god, and he didn’t care how he got it.”

“This is one of the things we learned while we were inSydney. Tandy was potentially developing a stronger version of anthrax,” Tashaexplained. “A stronger version, one that could be dropped on a large populationfor maximum effect.”

“Why would anyone want to make anthrax more deadly?” Carysasked. “I don’t mean to sound naïve, but I’m expected to believe a world-famousdoctor, who’s known for his philanthropy, is behind a plot to murder hundredsof people?”

“Oh, if my intel is correct, we’re talking thousands. Maybehundreds of thousands,” Tris said quietly. “Murder, though, isn’t the principalmotive. What we believe is happening is disruption. We believe Huisman is thehead of a connected network of groups called Disrupt.”

“I’ve heard of them, but they’re not some terrorist group.”Aidan was confused. “Disrupt America is about dismantling systems that nolonger work in the modern age. They press for things like health care reform.”

“Our hospital recently got a grant from DA to buy high-techcrash carts built specifically for maternity patients.” Carys leaned forward.“I wrote the proposal myself. Texas has one of the First World’s worstmaternity outcomes. Disrupt is trying to help us change that.”

“The surface organization does excellent work,” Trisexplained. “But we believe there’s a smaller, more elite group within thegroup.”

“Like a star chamber or an illuminati society,” Zachcontinued. “They use all the resources the public face has to push their ownagenda. Which is chaos. We have reason to believe the inner membership hastargeted a couple of large cities in Southeast Asia as test runs. Especiallylooking to disrupt trade routes.”

“Canadian intelligence took out the Tandy Group and foundthe research Huisman told us would be there.” Tris sat back. “But I looked intotheir systems, and I found a hack roughly two hours before the raid. Theypulled down most of the research files, including the anthrax project. It tookme a while, but I managed to trace the hack back to Montreal, where the HuismanFoundation now resides.”

“And the arms dealer who kidnapped TJ verified it wasHuisman he was working with,” Tasha agreed.

Aidan had been the one to check TJ out after he’d come homefrom his adventures with a German cattle prod. He’d been physically all right,but it proved how dangerous the job was.

Tristan sighed and took a sip of the water he’d selectedover beer. “So that’s what we’re working with. Oddly, no one is listening tothe criminal over the doctor. Not that we’ve pushed it. For now we’re in thisodd place with Huisman. He knows we’re a CIA team investigating things thathappen around him. How much more he knows is a mystery.”

“It’s one of the things we think you can help us figureout.” Zach set his glass on the table next to Tristan.

Tasha threaded her fingers through her fiancé’s. “If we’reright and Huisman is the one behind the attempt on your life, then we have toworry he’ll try it again.”

Zach’s head shook. “We can’t be sure Aidan and Carys werethe target. I would say it’s unlikely. If I were to bet on it, the attack wasabout TJ. There’s a faction of the illegal arms world that believes TJ isconnected to The Jester.”

“Or someone’s finally figured out I took over the role, andthis is about me,” Tristan concluded. “Either way, we’re going in knowing thisis a dangerous situation. I don’t think Huisman is going to try anything whilewe’re in Montreal. We’re too close to his home base, and if the man valuesanything in the world, it’s the Huisman Foundation. He won’t allow any scandalto taint it.”

“Or he’s good at pretending and he doesn’t care aboutanything and we’re walking into a trap.” She sighed and sat up, pulling the icepack off her wrist. “Either way, I need a session. I get the feeling the restof the week is going to be a whole lot of my cousins trying to kill me so theycan save me. Not really looking forward to it.”

How did he go from worried everyone he loved was going todie to horny as hell in the space of a couple of seconds? “You should go andget dressed.”

She stood and frowned down at him. “So you can talk to Trisbehind my back?”

“Yes.” They needed to game-plan. “We always talk about playsessions.” He should be honest with her. “Even when he’s not here. You shouldknow most of the time we did some hardcore kink play it was because he talkedme into it.”

A brow rose over Carys’s eyes. “You talked to him about oursex life?”

Since he’d first known what sex was. “It’s always been oursex life. The three of us. It’s hard to break habits.”

“It’s not a habit. It’s who we are,” Tris argued.

Zach stood up. “And this is turning into a therapy session.I think I’ll play as long as I’m here. You three get your shit together.”

“I’ll see you in the locker room,” Tasha said as she andDare joined Zach. “We can talk more if you want.”

Carys waited until they were gone. The lounge was startingto empty out as everyone began getting ready for the evening. She turned toTristan. “What do you mean I’m with you until the op is over? You genuinelyexpect me to sleep with you while we’re working? I understand I have to keep upappearances with Aidan, but you’re supposed to be his bodyguard.”

“And I assure you I know how to sneak into your bed, baby.I’ve slipped through Sean Taggart’s excellent security system more times than Ican count. It wasn’t Aidan who hacked the system and shut off the sensors toyour bedroom window and looped the cameras.” Tris crossed one leg over theother, looking like a decadent brat prince. “If getting into your silky pantiesis the reward, I can make anything happen.”

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