Page 123 of Shadow Operative

Because something was going on here . . . something that was more than met the eye.

Nia didn’t know why she needed to go to Rob’s apartment. She just knew she had to get there.

Maybe she’d find answers there.

You should have told Gage, a quiet voice said inside her head.

Yet the voice seemed distant.

Distant and unreachable.

Nia almost felt as if she wasn’t in control of her own mind, and her mind controlled her actions. And her actions . . .

She wasn’t sure exactly what she would do next.

What was going on?

Why did it feel as if Nia was looking at herself from afar, unable to control anything?

Yet she was helpless to fix it.

She spotted the building up ahead and told the driverto stop.

But she had no money. How was she going to pay this guy?

Even though she was cognitive of that fact, her emotions and anxiety seemed to be turned off.

She opened her door and stepped out, her bare feet hitting the asphalt.

Before she could walk away, the cab driver lowered the window and yelled, “Hey, lady. You need to pay up. I don’t know where you think you’re going.”

A man stepped toward them. Thrust some money at the driver. Told him to stay put a minute.

Nia studied the guy.

He was one of the men who’d been in Rob’s apartment when she and Gage had broken in and hid in the safe room.

Danger . . .

Yet she couldn’t move.

“We figured it was just a matter of time before you came.” The man reached for her arm. “I’m going to need you to come with me.”

“Where to?” Nia asked, possessing no will to fight.

“You’ll see.” He led her back into the taxi. Climbed in beside her. Slammed the door.

Then they took off.

chapter

sixty-one

As the yellowcab with Nia inside wove through traffic, Gage’s muscles tensed.

They were wasting time—time they didn’t have.

“Keep an eye on that cab,” he muttered to Austin.

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