Page 23 of Thorn

“The contract comes through a private entity, but if you follow the string, it leads back to Russia.”

“Omega is working with Russia?

“Oui. Just not directly.”

Brigitte had called the information about Omega kidnapping Juliette classified. Maybe she’d share something about papa bear. “Why are you going after David DuBois? Why is Russia interested?”

“You first.” She shuffled a pillow into her lap.

“I told you. Our task was to shadow DuBois and provide necessary security from deplaning until he was headed back to the U.S., nothing more. It seems we landed in a minefield.” Thorn had been in that position for years – functioning as a small piece of a larger puzzle, necessary to the whole picture but never getting a chance to see that whole picture. He’d learned to put his head down, follow orders, and move on. Speculation only made him nuts.

She canted her head. “David’s brain holds many secrets.”

“Omega’s goal is to get those secrets, so they want to capture him. And you want to…”

“Make sure those secrets don’t become a liability.”

“Do you know where they took Juliette? Would you help us get her back? She’s an American citizen, we won’t let that go.” That had popped out of Thorn’s mouth as some kind of card he was willing to play. The truth was, Thorn didn’t have any information on Juliette. He had no idea of her citizenship status.

Brigitte was silent, studying him. She shook her head. “You either know that is the truth or you’re trying to play me.” She waggled her pointer finger at him.

Thorn memorized those words. Sure, English was a second language for her, but still. Thorn thought he’d picked up a clue. He switched to a different tack. “When we got our hands on DuBois at the airport, from my perspective, it looked like your team tried to shoot him while they could. I’m guessing you hadn’t identified us yet and didn’t know we were the good guys.”

“’Good guys’ is perspective. Everyone working for their own government thinks they’re the good guy.”

“Okay, we’re the allies, then,” Thorn amended. “Omega, working for someone in Russia, was shooting back at your team, trying to save DuBois, so they had another opportunity at the capture, possibly thinking DuBois would cooperate with them because of his daughter.” Thorn rubbed his index finger over his chin. “Was that your team that chased us out of the airport on motorcycles?”

“No, it was not. They are unknown subjects, unsubs as you like to call them.” She looked at him earnestly, the laughter that had been in her eyes a moment ago had dimmed. “You and your band of merry men have caused us a great big headache.”

“Brigitte,” Thorn held her chin between his fingers and kissed her, “we’re going to get DuBois back to the States, safe from Omega’s hands, we can provide him security there.”

She sighed as she pulled away from him, rolling onto her back. “Wedon’thave the same goals, I can promise you that.”

“Sure we do, we want to secure what this man knows. We can’t be going around killing the scientific community because they know science.”

She looked him in the eye for a long time as if she were trying to puzzle something through. “Is that what they told you?” she asked softly.

“No – it’s what I surmised. Am I reading this wrong? It sounds to me like you want him neutralized.”

Her fingers played with the sheet, looking very comfortable with their discussion. “I follow orders.”

Thorn scooted up to lean his back against the upholstered headboard. “A good soldier, doing what you’re told without a lot of rhyme or reason.”

“’Need to know,’ isn’t that how you Americans phrase it? In most cases, I probably never know. Sometimes, I’m glad. Sometimes, it haunts me. It’s part of the territory.” She pushed to the edge of the bed. She looked at him over her shoulder. “The answers are above my pay grade. It doesn’t matter, I tick this assignment off my list and then there’s another, and another, and another.” That thought seemed to fatigue her.

Thorn felt the worry lines deepen across his forehead. “It’s a choice. You can stop.”

“Isn’t that a little hypocritical? You left the battlefield and your brain, your muscles, your spirit all demand that you serve. Take out the bad guys.”

Thorn shook his head a slow no. “I’m not on a battlefield any more. I don’t kill unless I’m being attacked. I only apply the necessary force to accomplish my objective and get out. Iniquus doesn’t take contracts that require ‘taking someone out’ or imprisoning, or transferring people to those who do. That’s an Omega gig. It’s not who I am. I don’t think it’s who you are either.”

She’d climbed from the bed as he spoke. “You don’t know anything about me.” She stood, arms crossed beneath her naked breasts. Defiant.

“I know you moan when I lick your thighs.” His lips quirked into a lascivious smile.

Brigitte narrowed her eyes. She turned, and walked, naked and immodest, to the bathroom, throwing a “Fuck you,” over her shoulder.

“Okay,” he called after her. “But let me drink a glass of juice first.”

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