Page 74 of Toxic Vengeance

A sharp ding sounded, and an alert came up on screen. Eden looked at Amber. “What’s it mean?”

The hacker’s face was somber. “It means I need to talk to Kiyomi, asap.”

****

Seated on a sofa in the library at Laidlaw Hall, Kiyomi was in the middle of compiling data on the list of remaining suspects they needed to look into when her cell rang. Seeing the number on the display, relief hit her. “Hi, Amber. You guys on your way here now?” The team had had one hell of a scare. Well, several of them, but thank God everyone was okay.

“Just landed at the Cotswold Airport.”

“How’s Zack?”

“He’s hanging in there. Just wanted to let you know we’re all still alive. See you in a bit.”

“You bet.”

“They’re back?”

Kiyomi’s heart skipped a beat when she looked up to find Marcus standing in the doorway. His powerful frame all but filled the opening. “Yes, and coming straight back here with Zack. He’s apparently doing okay.”

“I’ll get his room ready.”

“I’ll help.” She followed him up the stairs, turned the covers down on Zack’s bed and started gathering towels and other things they might need for him. Marcus came in a minute later carrying an Army-issue med kit and set out various instruments and dressings.

When the others arrived fifteen minutes later, Eden and Heath immediately brought Zack up to check his wound while everyone else gathered in the library to talk with her and Marcus about what had happened.

As soon as they finished the debrief, Amber pulled her aside. “I need to talk to you about something.”

A thread of unease wound its way up Kiyomi’s spine at the other Valkyrie’s somber expression. “All right.” She followed Amber over to the teal velvet sofa and sank down on it. “What is it?”

“We can talk alone if you prefer.”

The unease intensified. Everyone was watching her, as if they knew something she didn’t. “No, if everyone else already knows, they can stay.”

Amber nodded and opened her laptop. The guys began to file out of the room, leaving the women behind. Marcus turned to leave with them but she shot a hand out to grab his forearm on the way past.

He stopped instantly, his gaze darting to hers.

“Please stay,” she said quietly. Whatever Amber was about to say, Kiyomi wanted him here. He was part of this and deserved to know what was happening.

He nodded once and walked to the other side of the room, moving toward the fireplace. The fire he’d lit just before everyone arrived snapped in the grate behind him as he sat on the upholstered leather fender bench bracketing the hearth.

Unable to take the suspense any longer, Kiyomi sat next to Amber on the tufted, teal velvet couch. “What did you need to talk to me about?”

“I’ll show you.” Amber turned Lady Ada around so Kiyomi could see the screen. “I found something on the flight back,” she said, opening several files.

Kiyomi scanned everything. A list of names, phone numbers and geographical coordinates. “What does it mean?”

“Both Bennett and Zack’s handler placed a call to a number in the Atlanta area prior to dying. And I found someone else who’s been calling that area periodically as well.” The gravity in her gaze made Kiyomi’s heart beat faster, then Amber hit a button and brought up another screen.

More numbers and coordinates. Some painfully familiar to her. “Damascus?”

“Yes.” Amber hit another button, and a picture popped up on screen.

Kiyomi’s stomach clenched, all her blood vessels constricting as she looked at the man’s face.

Fayez Rahman. The man from her nightmares.

Her skin prickled, a chill washing over her. “You’re sure it’s Rahman?”

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