Page 14 of Power Term

I shake my head.

“Answer it. What if it’s someone who knows something?” He shoves my shoulder, urging me into action. “Or her?”

At that, I immediately slide a finger across the screen and hold it to my ear.

“Who is this?” I demand. My girl is missing and in danger. No time for damn pleasantries.

“Vlad.” A bolt of shock wakes up every strained brain cell. “I heard about your president. Have you found her?” The concern in his voice is clear, easing the tight ball of tension that’s taken root in my chest. This is her friend, the Russian president, and he’s worried about her. At least we have him and his unrestricted access to data on our side.

“No. We’re gathering evidence now and looking into a few leads.”

“I have a suggestion.”

“Suggestion?”

“An inkling, if you will.”

“We’re on our way to investigate a suspect. I don’t have time for this vague bullshit. Spit it out.”

“Your secretary of state, he knows more than he tells.”

“What?” Pulling the phone form my ear, I tap the Speaker button and hold the small device between me and Tank. “Why do you say Rosen?”

“I said an inkling. And I do not trust him. He works for the higher bidder, not the best of your country.”

Tank nods, his thumbs already flying over the screen of his own cell, no doubt looking into the exact location of Todd now.

“We’ll look into him, but, Vlad, I need more. I need to know where to find her.” I clear my throat. “Can you help me?”

“I heard nothing of this. No talk. I will search as you search.”

The screen flashes before going dark, signaling the call was ended.

“Todd Rosen,” I muse. “I don’t see it. The fucker is just a weak-ass idiot. But Vlad has never steered Randi wrong.”

“Agreed. I have his location. He’s at home, forty minutes away. Let’s start with the director, then go see what Rosen knows.”

Together we sprint down the alley, the pounding of our boots reverberating off the walls and sending the curious rats scattering.

“I won’t make it if we don’t find her,” I admit, hoping the growing noise of the scene drowns out my fear.

“You won’t have to find out, Trey. We’ll find her.”

When we turn the corner, we fight through the crowd, working our way toward the other side of the sea of people to Tank’s SUV.

“Let’s stop by my place,” I tell him. “I need to change, grab my badge and papers. Maybe grab a few more weapons too.”

“And whatever Beth made for breakfast,” Tank adds in. “What?” His brow rises at my huff. “We have to eat to keep our energy up. We won’t be sleeping until she’s safe in the White House once again.”

He’s right. I won’t sleep until she’s safe in my arms.

And once she is, I’ll never fucking let her go.

Chapter Four

Randi

Holy fuck, hell hurts. At least I assume I’m dead and in hell with the near suffocating dry heat. Dribbles of sweat slide along my spine and between my small boobs. And the hurting part, well, it feels like someone took a sledgehammer to my head a few hundred times. Its battering pulse feels like my brain might ooze out through my ears under the pressure.

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