Page 75 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

I take a deep breath, staying as calm as I can, ready to act the minute I have an opportunity.

After what seems to be only fifteen minutes, we slow down and pull into a parking lot. The building attached to it is boarded up and looks about one strong wind away from collapsing.

“Let’s go." Clark is the first one out of the car, but he slams the door, leaving me to be Amos’s problem. Amos isn’t a big fan of me, so he's not careful as he yanks me out and shoves me toward the building. The man who drove us here opens the rusted metal door at the back of the dilapidated structure, and I follow Clark inside to discover it might be slightly more stable than I initially thought.

There's a handful of other people in here, all of them on computers, and I'm starting to get even more confused about what's going on.

Amos grabs my arm and hauls me toward an empty desk, slamming me down into the seat as Clark comes to prop his ass on the corner. He gives me a smile. “I want you to give it to me."

I blink, looking around the space for some hint of whatitis, but there's nothing. "What are you talking about?"

I glanced at Amos, just in case I need to brace for another hit, but he doesn't move.

Clark sighs. "You're too smart to play stupid, Julieanne." He leans down, getting close enough I can smell the stink of his breath. "I want the scrubbing program you sold me." His expression hardens. “And this time I want the correct version.”

My eyes go to the people hunched over laptops. Not a single one of them spares me a glance. I didn't expect any of them to offer me help, but one of them could at least look at me. They don't though, so it seems like I am completely and totally on my own until Vincent gets here.

"I didn't create a scrubbing program." I offer up the truth even though I know they're not going to accept it. For some reason, this asshole thinks I'm responsible for the magical program that hid the source of the people who came for me in Tennessee…

Oh shit. I think I know who came for me now.

Clark's jaw clenches, and I swear one of his eyes starts to twitch. "Cut the shit, Julieanne. We know it was you. You did a real good fucking job of hiding it, but you missed something.” He leans closer. “One tiny little slip-up sent us right to your IP.” He smirks. “Bet you wish you spent a little more time putting that program of yours to work now, huh?”

I try to swallow, but my mouth has gone dry. Panic like I've never felt before settles into my body. Into my soul. It takes everything I have to speak. To keep my voice from shaking the way my whole body is. "Okay, you're right. Itwas me." My throat’s tight, gripped by fear unlike anything I've ever known.

I didn't make the program, but I have to believe him when he says it originated from my IP. They tracked me down somehow, and there’s no reason for them to lie. But if I didn’t do it, then someone else with access to my computers must have done it. There's only one other person who could be responsible, and I will protect my son at any cost. I love Vincent. I don't want him to lose another person he cares about. But I love my son more. And I'm sure if Vincent understood the circumstances, he would see why this is the only choice I can make.

I take a steadying breath, knowing what's coming next. "But you can fuck all the way off, because I’ll never give it to you."

27

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SUCK IT UP AND EAT CROW

VINCENT

I STARE IN complete shock as Amos walks Julieanne to an SUV, his grip tight on her arm. She's stumbling along, and her uncoordinated movements could easily be blamed on the slickness of the sidewalk and her less than appropriate footwear.

But if I watch closely, I can see where she's pulling against his hold. I can see how she's trying to get free. I can also see the beige liquid soaked into the front of Amos’s white tactical gear, and I hope she nailed him right in the face with the entire cup of scalding coffee. God knows it would be less painful than what I'm going to do when I get my hands on him.

I just have to find him first.

"Send all the footage you have of her to Elias. I want him to comb it for every bit of information we can get.” I clench my fists, trying to keep my head even though the rush of my pulse is making it hard to concentrate. “Then I want him scouring the feeds from every public camera in a five-mile radius.”

The man monitoring the property nods. "Yes, sir."

I walk out of the room, but my steps immediately shift into a run. My breath is heaving when I reach the tactical room I left not long ago. Most of the team is still there, and they look my way as I start barking orders. "Suit back up. I want you ready to go the minute I say the word." I pause, before turning to the lead. "Call everybody who's in town. I want them all here, now." I don't wait for confirmation he understands my orders. I don't fucking have time for it.

Racing back out into the hall, I cut through the building, cursing myself for building a place so goddamn big.

I reach my office and collide with Heidi in the doorway. I barely manage to grab her as she tips back, keeping her upright instead of knocking her to the floor.

Her eyes lock onto mine. "I think I found something."

Fifteen minutes ago I would've been fucking thrilled, but not now. Now there's only one thing I need to find. "Julieanne's gone. Amos took her." I rake one hand through my hair, fighting to come to terms with the situation.

I should have seen this coming. Should have sensed the discontent in my second. But even thinking back, it wasn't fucking there.

Heidi grabs my shoulders, shaking me hard. "Calm down. We will find her." She leans forward, eyes fixed on mine. "Who the fuck is Amos?"

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