Page 89 of Lethal Game

"It is. Science should not be used to destroy mankind. This is why I left, so I could do good in the world, not evil. But here I am again, being forced to do an evil man's bidding."

"Because of me and Mom. You shouldn't do it." She paused as an inescapable fact hit her hard. "They're going to kill me anyway. Hopefully, Mom will be okay. But I'm not getting out of this, and neither are you. You should just let them kill us."

"Youaregetting out of this," he said fiercely. "By playing along and going with them, I will buy you as much time as I can for someone to save you. If I can't detonate them early, I will try to leave some clues at the venue to show where the bombs are located. Whatever happens with me, don't blame yourself. I loveyou, Alisa." He gave her a sorrowful look. "And if you have a chance to tell your mother I love her, too, please let her know how sorry I am. And tell her that being with her, our family, was the best time of my life. I only wish I hadn't been selfish enough to take a love that has now ended like this."

She could hear the break in his voice. He really did love her mother and her. That part of him was very real. "You'll tell her yourself," she said defiantly, but inwardly, she was losing hope.

The door opened, and Novikov strode in, flanked by his guards and someone else.

Her heart stopped. "Oh, my God," she breathed. "You?"

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Jason had only been in the office a few minutes and barely had time to wash the dust from the explosion off his hands and face when he got a call from Mick Hadley.

"I found the van that took Dominic Ilyin," Mick said shortly.

"What? How do you even know about that?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm behind a container store at Howard and Davis Street in Hollywood. Ilyin is dead."

"And the kidnapper?"

"There's no one else here," Mick said. "I'm sending you a photo."

He checked his messages as a photo appeared of a man bloodied and beaten lying in the back of a van. "It looks like Ilyin," he muttered.

"He gave me an address before he died. I need you to get a team together and meet me there."

"Wait a second. He was alive and gave you an address? I thought you said he was deceased."

"He talked before he took his last breath. You're wasting time, Jason. I'd do this myself, but it's your turf."

"We almost got killed chasing a lead. How do I know this one is better?"

"Because it is," Mick said. "You're going to have to trust me."

He would never trust Mick, but he had to go. What choice did he have?

"I'm sending you the address," Mick said. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Don't stall on this, Jason. I don't think Novikov will be there much longer."

"I'm on my way." He ended the call and walked into Flynn's office where Flynn and Beck were talking. "Hadley found Ilyin dying in a van in Hollywood. Before he passed away, he gave Mick the location of where we can allegedly find Novikov." He handed his phone to Flynn so he could see the photo of Ilyin.

Beck moved around the desk to take a look as well.

"It looks like someone tortured that information out of him," Beck commented. "Is this Hadley's work?"

"I don't know. But I have an address. Mick is meeting me there. I realize this could be a distraction or another setup, but it could also be real."

"I'll go with you," Beck said immediately. "We'll grab whoever else is still here."

"I have a meeting with Homeland Security, so you two run this," Flynn said, picking up his phone. "I'll give the HDU team the address as well."

He appreciated the fact his new team was willing to do whatever needed to be done, even though his last lead had not panned out. "Thanks," he told Beck as they left Flynn's office.

"No thanks required. This is what we do, Jason." Beck paused. "Did you tell your former partner about this lead?"

"I haven't seen her since we got back. I'm sure she heard about the explosion and knew she wouldn't be my favorite person to talk to right now."

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