Page 35 of Saint

“How do we find her?” asked Saint.

“Right now, we’ve got drones searching up and down the eastern seaboard, which is where we believe she lives,” said Paige. “The drones are fitted with radiation detection devices, but very specifically, we’re looking for the combination of red and blue radiation, appearing pink.”

“It’s remarkable what you all have done,” said Luke, shaking his head. “We’ve done some outrageously brilliant, geeky, strange things, but this just might be number one.”

“Thank you,” smiled Ryan. “But as I said, this was a total team effort. It wasn’t just the old guard at G.R.I.P. It was Ivy, Marilisa, Stephanie, Victoria, and even Wyatt.”

“What now?” asked Cam.

“Now, we wait for the data to return from the drones. Until then, no one leaves this property, and I do mean no one,” said Ryan.

Luke and the other leaders nodded at Ryan, appreciating that he was taking control on a subject he knew more about than any of them. This is what true leadership looks like. Like their fathers before them, everyone should lead when their time arrives.

Unless you were Matthew and Irene. Then, you were the unofficial king and queen of leadership.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“Luke!” yelled AJ, running toward the massive conference room.

“Does no one actually use the comms system embedded in our fucking heads? Why do we have it? Instead, you’re yelling like a kid and–“

“Luke!”

“What?”

“I just got a hit on Michelle Fryar. She’s having lunch. Here. In New Orleans,” he said.

“What the fuck? No. No, that can’t be right. Where?”

“She’s at Brennan’s. She’s alone, but she just arrived. I asked the staff to stretch out the service.”

“Let’s go,” said Luke, running toward the waiting vehicles. Not knowing for sure if she truly was alone or if she had dozens of men hidden around, they were taking all precautions.

“I’m going,” said Kane, standing beside Saint.

“Kane,” started Eric.

“I’m going. I don’t care if she sees me.”

“We’re wasting time. Let’s go,” said Saint.

Concerned that they wouldn’t make it in time to get to her, they took the Osprey, landing on one of the hotels nearby. As a dozen men exited the building, all eyes turned to see the massive figures running toward the Quarter.

“Staff has cleared the restaurant other than her,” said Eric as they opened the door. When they walked in, she was speaking softly to the manager.

“I don’t understand what’s taking so long. I don’t mean to be rude, but I just want my lunch so that I can meet my friends,” she said quietly. Looking up, she spotted the crowd of men, and the manager backed up.

“She’s been incredibly polite, Luke,” he said. “No yelling, no demands, she’s just been lovely.”

“Is there something wrong?” she asked, staring at the men. “Do I know you?” Kane stepped forward and stretched out his hand.

“My name is Kane,” he said.

“Hello. I’m Misha. Michelle, but my friends call me Misha,” she said, shaking his hand. Kane held her hand, giving it a firm shake several times.

“She’s not lying, and all I feel is goodness. True goodness,” he whispered. “How is this possible?”

“No. No, I met her,” said Saint. “This is the same woman we met in Virginia.”

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