Page 102 of Elusive Promise

As he got into the SUV with Damon, he called Parisa, but she didn't pick up. "She's not answering." He sent her a text:Where are you? What building?

"How does she know it's Everly College?" Damon asked. "Did Isaac tell her?"

"No. He said theKaala Kauawill fly today, and apparently that translates to the Raven will fly today. Parisa said she knows it's Everly, because the person who made up the story works there."

"Jasmine Kumar teaches at Everly. Ben Langdon is enrolled there. And Neil Langdon is a guest lecturer," Damon said.

"It has to be Neil." His stomach turned over at that thought.Would Parisa have to kill the man who had saved her life?

Damon took out his phone and punched in a number, then said shortly, "We need all agencies at Everly College to evacuate classrooms and dorms. Suspected bomb or bomber on a roof or a ledge. I'll be there in ten minutes." He set down his phone, then gave Jared a hard look. "Police, FBI, and Homeland Security, as well as campus police, will respond to the threat."

"Good."

"So, let's get to you. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm CIA," he admitted. "At least for now. I've been operating off book."

"I figured it was something like that. You've been after Naru since Paris?"

"Yes. He killed a fellow agent."

"Sorry. Why is that off book?"

"Because a key suspect was also a CIA asset."

"What?" Damon exclaimed.

"I didn't know Isaac was the asset until just now. But it finally makes sense why the agency wanted me off his tail."

"This is going to be a bureaucratic nightmare."

"Definitely," he agreed. "I'm happy that Naru is in FBI custody."

"Because you don't want the CIA to protect him."

"I don't," he said, meeting Damon's gaze.

"I get it," Damon said with a nod. "You want him to pay."

"Yes. But making him pay won't mean anything if this bomb goes off, if Parisa…" He couldn't finish the sentence, because the thought was unthinkable. "I can't lose her."

"You're in love with her," Damon said, making it a statement and not a question.

"I might be," he admitted.

"Well, you're not going to lose her. She's my friend, too."

"She told me. She also told me about Vincent Rowland. Would he be aware of what's going on now?"

"Oh, yeah," Damon said tightly.

"Then Parisa might have more to worry about than just the Raven." Fear ran through him, and he prayed that this time he'd get there in time.

Twenty-Four

Parisa had never been to Everly College before, but she was guessing the Raven would be near the language arts building, if her supposition that Neil Langdon was involved was correct. Although, she couldn't stand to think Neil could be a part of any of this. But he was the one who had made up the story about the raven. He was the one who had told it to every student who came through his classroom.

As she ran between buildings, the story ran around in her head.

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