Page 82 of Lethal Game

"Then you must have seen what happened."

"What were you doing there?"

"I picked him up at the Elliott Tower and followed him. He parked in front of a liquor store and waited for the traffic to clear so he could cross the street. A van pulled up next to him, and then he was gone. I was stunned. I tried to keep up with the van, but I lost it in traffic."

His story matched what Nick had said, but Patrick was leaving out some important information.

"How did you know Ilyin was at the Elliott Tower?" he asked.

"Stephanie called me. I was surprised because there was tension between us after what happened three years ago. Shesaid you were keeping her out of the investigation, and she had a good lead that she couldn't chase herself. Her CI told her Ilyin might be staying at the Elliott Tower, so I went to check it out. I wasn't there more than ten minutes when I saw him leave the building, so I followed him. Once I had better intel, I was going to call you, Jason."

"You should have called me right away. What's your game, Patrick?"

"There's no game," Patrick denied, giving him a look of surprise.

"You're acting shady. So is Stephanie. She has some CI who seems to know where Ilyin is, but she can't tell me who her CI is."

"I don't know who he is, either. Stephanie wouldn't say. Look, we're just trying to help. I may be retired, but I want Novikov behind bars. Stephanie feels the same way. We can both be assets. Use us."

He shook his head. "I can't use you. You don't work for the FBI anymore, and Stephanie is part of the LA office, which is excluded from the investigation, on orders of the director. If you have information, you have to give it to me. That's it. That's the bottom line. Stop chasing leads yourself."

"Got it," Patrick said, with irritation in his voice. "But you're being shortsighted, Jason. I was an agent for thirty years. I know a lot about Novikov and his organization."

"Believe me, so do I. Is there anything you can tell me about who picked Ilyin up?"

"I didn't see the driver. The van came up fast, slammed on its brakes, and drove off just as quickly. Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side to see how Ilyin got in, if he was willing or if he was grabbed. Maybe you can get footage from a camera in the area."

"We're trying." He paused as his phone vibrated. It was Savannah. "I need to get this."

"Go ahead," Patrick said.

"Jason," Savannah said. "I have bad news."

"What's happened?"

"Alisa has been kidnapped."

"What? How?" he demanded, fear rocketing through him.

"She left her mother's room to take a break and ran into your former partner, Stephanie Genaro. The guard said Stephanie showed him her ID. He had no reason to think she was a threat, and she likely wasn't the threat."

"What does that mean?"

"Alisa said she was heading to the cafeteria to get lunch, and Stephanie went with her. They got in the elevator where they were attacked, although the camera was covered, so we don't know exactly what happened. When the elevator doors opened, two men moved a patient on a gurney out of the elevator. The doors closed. When they reopened, Stephanie was found unconscious on the floor. She wasn't visible at first, but she was in the elevator when the attack occurred. Alisa was taken away in the back of a private ambulance."

He swore as he hit the table with his hand. Patrick gave him a startled and concerned look.

"Stephanie is regaining consciousness," Savannah continued. "I'm on my way to the hospital to talk to her."

"I'll meet you there."

"What happened?" Patrick asked.

"Alisa Hunt was kidnapped by Novikov."

"Can I help?"

"No. You and Stephanie need to stay the hell away from this investigation before you get someone killed." It wasn't Patrick's fault that Alisa was missing, but he was the nearest person he could yell at. Stephanie would be next. But ripping them apart wouldn't get Alisa back, and fear ran through him as he jogged to his car. He had to find her. He had to save her, but he had no idea how he was going to do that.

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