Page 102 of Security Breach

The back of David’s neck prickled. Was there a blind spot in the coverage or had someone hacked into the security system to prevent him from seeing danger from another direction?

Seconds later, Jon entered the security room. “Where?”

“South perimeter, quadrant three. I only see one man.”

“We’ll deal with it. Wake Eli and get your woman to safety. I’ll scan for another intruder and keep an eye on this one. He’s half a mile out. We have time.”

Not enough to suit him, especially with a second intruder lurking nearby. David pushed back from the desk, jogged from the room, and took the stairs two at a time. How had the team located the safe house? He tapped on Eli’s door.

The door swung open almost immediately. “Sit rep.”

“One man in the south quadrant, half a mile out. Jon’s tracking him on the security monitor.”

A frown. “Where’s his partner?”

A question that had been plaguing him. “I don’t know, and I don’t like it.”

“Wake Emma. There’s a full security setup in the safe room in the office. She’ll be able to see everything going on without risk to her safety. Do you remember the code?”

When David nodded, Eli reached into his Go bag for two extra magazines for his Sig and an ear piece for his comm system. “Gear up, and don’t let your guard down. I’ll wake Jackson when Jon and I leave the cabin. Your job is to protect Emma.”

David hurried to his room to grab extra magazines for his own weapon and shoved them into his pocket. That done, he hurried to Emma’s room and knocked on the door.

Emma threw open the door seconds later, eyes wide, fully dressed except for her shoes. “What’s wrong?”

“Company. We need to move you into the safe room.”

She rushed back into the room and returned with running shoes on her feet and knitting bag in hand. “I’m ready.”

David led her to the first floor. As they hurried toward the safe room, a wave of dizziness hit David. He pressed his hand to the wall to steady himself, frowning. Was he more tired than he realized? The hallway tilted.

“David?” Emma stumbled into his side. “I feel strange.”

A heavy thud came from the security room.

David shook his head, hoping to throw off the dizziness. Although he tried to continue toward the safe room with Emma, his body wouldn’t cooperate, limbs grew heavy and brain sluggish.

Eli stumbled into the hall. “Gas.” His knees gave out. “Save Em.” The operative collapsed on the floor, unmoving.

David clumsily wrapped his arm around Emma to help her to the nearest window. At that moment, Emma went limp and slid from his grasp to the floor.

Fighting the lethargy sweeping over him in a tidal wave, David bent to drag Emma to safety, but listed sideways, falling against the wall.

As he slid to the floor, David mustered enough strength to drag himself over Emma in a last-ditch effort to protect her. He’d failed the most important person in his life. The darkness closed in.I’m sorry, baby.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Emma woke in total darkness on a vibrating floor. She frowned. That didn’t make sense. Remaining still, she evaluated the sounds and scents around her.

As the fog in her mind cleared, Emma realized she wasn’t in the safe house. The sound of an engine grew louder, and her head thumped against the floor.

She was in a vehicle? Emma moved her head and felt material tug against her skin. Her heart skipped a beat. She had a blindfold over her eyes. Did a Hunt Club team kidnap her?

She had to escape from this vehicle. The greater distance she traveled from David and the others, the less likely help would reach Emma in time to spare her life.

Emma refused to consider that a rescue might not come at all. The last thing she remembered was feeling weak and dizzy while rushing to the safe room at the cabin. If one of the Hunt Club teams had poisoned them, what were the chances they left David and the others alive, but kidnapped her? Slim to none.

Tears burned her eyes. Agent Jordan was right. She should have remained in WITSEC instead of dragging David into this mess. If the Hunt Club team had murdered him and his friends, she would never forgive herself.

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