Page 122 of Sweet Little Spies

The Sprinter had come from someone Parker had called Tim,who’d assured them it was fully kitted out. One of the features was the windowtinting. They appeared normal, but when put into secure mode, they darkened andcouldn’t be seen through from the outside.

The guard tried to stare inside and then attempted to openthe passenger-side door.

Aidan reached for the gun Cooper had given him. This must beone of the two guards TJ had seen doing patrols of the grounds. They’d beenlucky he hadn’t seen the team as they’d gotten out and worked their way inside.

They were inside now, right? They had to be.

The guard stepped back and seemed to think about what to do.His hand went to the radio on his belt.

And then a familiar figure stepped in behind him. Aidan felthis eyes widen and heard Lou gasp.

Zach Reed was covered in blood and had handcuffs danglingfrom one wrist. He also had a big knife in his hand. A knife he used on theguard’s throat, slicing into the man’s jugular and spraying blood against thewindow.

“Zach’s out. He got away but he looks hurt,” Lou was sayingover the comms.

Aidan slid open the door as the guard hit the ground. Zachlooked primal standing there, his eyes on the guard and blood dripping from hishands.

“Hey, Zach.” Aidan kept the words quiet. He felt like he wasin the presence of a dangerous predator.

Zach looked up suddenly and seemed to realize who wastalking to him. “Aidan.”

“And me.” Lou had rolled the window down. “You need to getin the van and let Aidan look you over. The team is inside the house. We needto be ready to go.”

Zach seemed to shake something off, stepping back. “Good.Huisman sent half his guards with me. They’re dead now, so it’ll be a fairfight. Doc, Kala’s going to need you. Carys, too, if Huisman decides to fuckaround with Tris. I have to go.”

“Go?” Lou scrambled out of the van. “Go where? You’re hurt.”

A ghost of a smile hit the captain’s lips. “Back to hell,sweetheart. Should’ve known I wouldn’t belong here. Take care, Lou. Aidan, youcan get in through the garage. No one’s guarding it anymore.”

And with that, the captain jogged off looking like the finalsurvivor of a horror film.

“Yes, that was Zach,” Lou was saying. “I don’t know, AuntCharlotte. He ran away.”

The fact that she’d called Charlotteauntlet himknow how shaken Lou was. Aidan couldn’t be. He couldn’t let panic take over.Zach’s words rang in his head. Carys might need him. Kala definitely neededhim. He secured the pack over his back and made sure the safety was off thegun. His heart thudded in his chest. “Lou, I have to go in.”

She nodded. “I heard him. I’ll update the uncles…Ian. I’llupdate Ian. Be safe, Aidan.”

Aidan took off, trying to remember the schematics Parker hadattempted to drill in all their heads the night before. He retraced Zach’ssteps. It wasn’t hard. He followed the blood.

Was Zach hurt? Should he have tried to stop him? A headinjury could have made him do irrational things.

Aidan stopped as he rounded the corner that brought him tothe open garage. It was set back from the road, and that seemed like a goodthing now since there were bodies everywhere. Zach had put the knife he’d hadin his hand to use. Aidan stepped over them, trying to avoid slipping.

He entered the kitchen and could hear someone talking.

“Don’t.”

Tristan. Tristan had shouted the word. Aidan inched down thehall and then felt a hard hand on his elbow.

Cold blue eyes stared down at him. Big Tag was not happy.

“Zach got away and told me Kala needs me,” Aidan whispered.

A brief nod was all he got, and then Adam moved around himwith Ian following.

“Carys!”

Tristan’s shout threatened to shake Aidan’s world. He didn’tthink. He ran toward the sound, evading Ian and Adam.

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