Page 116 of No More Spies

It was precisely why they were parked where they were.Cooper stared out the window and then opened the door.

“Hey,” Ian began.

“He’s here to talk to me,” Cooper replied, hopping out ofthe van. In the moonlight he could see the shadowy figure moving toward them.Every few seconds he would stop and ensure the guards weren’t on their roundsto his left and then he would move again, gaining ground.

It was definitely Zach. Tasha was right. The man moved withpredatory grace, clinging to the trees like a shadow. And then he was simplystriding toward the van.

TJ had gotten out and stood behind Cooper, obviously lendinghis support. His hand was on the M16 on his chest.

Zach’s hands came up. “Hey, brother. I’m not here to hurtanyone on this team.”

Big Tag now stood at the front of the car, his eyes staringout at Zach. “I’ll decide that.”

Charlotte had other thoughts. She got out of the van andwalked right up to the man, throwing her arms around him. “Are you okay?”

“Charlie,” Ian barked out.

“You know damn well he’s not here to hurt us.” Charlottestared up at Zach and gave him a maternal once-over. “Are you all right?”

Zach’s eyes closed, and Cooper thought he was trying hard tonot get emotional. He was dressed for battle, but Cooper noticed he didn’t havea holster on him. If he was carrying, Cooper couldn’t tell. Zach opened hiseyes again and gazed down on Charlotte. “I’m as best as can be expected. I missyou. I miss everyone.”

“Then why don’t you come back in?” Big Tag offered.

“I’m going to pretend like I see nothing.” Drake kept hishead down. Probably because he was supposed to arrest Zach on sight. “I knownothing. You were never here.”

“I appreciate that,” Zach replied before looking to Ian.“And you know why I don’t come in. Until I have something solid the Agencywants, they’ll toss me in a cell somewhere. Or worse. They’ll get rid of theproblem. The problem being me. I’m close. When I have some leverage, you’ll bethe first to know. Hey, Lou.”

Lou gave him a wave. “Hey. Do you know anything that couldhelp us save Kala?”

“I might have a plan,” Zach said mysteriously.

“How do you know she’s here?” TJ asked.

Cooper rather thought he knew. “He had someone watchingDevi. He told Kala he was worried about her. I didn’t actually hear that convobecause he shot me, but it’s in Kala’s report.”

Zach had the grace to wince. “I’m sorry, but you were alittle heated, and I was worried we were going to throw down.”

Yeah, he was working on it. He was willing to do anything ifhe could get Kala and Devi out of that house alive. “What’s your plan and I’lltell you if I’m going to talk to you the next time I see you or take your headoff.”

A ghost of a smile played at Zach’s lips. “Good to know.” Hegot serious. “I do have someone watching Devi, but he’s one guy, and he didn’trealize what was going on until they were taking her and Kala out. He’s afriend of mine. A mercenary who’s worked with my mother from time to time.”

“And he followed her here?” Big Tag asked. “Because I’munsure of how you figured out where she is. Unless someone on this team istalking.”

Well, that wasn’t even vaguely disguised as non-threatening.“No one on the team is talking to him behind your back. Kala talked to him andimmediately reported what happened. You’re pissed Charlotte hugged him and isacting like she’s twelve kinds of fine with him showing up, but I’m pretty sureshe was checking him for weapons.”

“He doesn’t have any,” Charlotte agreed. “But he is carryingsomething. I don’t know what it is, but it’s taped to his waist. Small. Itmight be a detonator. If they don’t carefully inspect him, he might get in withit.”

Yep, Kala had come by her suspicion honestly.

“It is a detonator, and it’s taped to my body withspecifically colored adhesive that blends with my skin,” Zach admitted.

Ian’s lips curled up. “I should have known, but don’t tellme you weren’t worried about him.”

“I was. I am. And so are you. Let Drake be the angry bossright now,” Charlotte advised. “Zach should understand we’re ready to talk whenhe is, and we’ll withhold judgment until we know the full story.”

“What she said, but none of that explains how he knew wherewe were,” Ian agreed. “If he’s got eyes on us, we have to know.”

“No eyes.” Cooper knew what happened. “Zach didn’t know thetracker didn’t work last time. He was on the run before we figured it out. Hewould have looked for her tracker. Now, I don’t know how he got the new login,but that’s how he wasn’t confused.”

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