Page 86 of Radar

“We’ll give you that opportunity, Xander.” Hiro patted Xander’s shoulder as he passed behind him. “For now, let’s go have a talk and see what she’s willing to share.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Elyssa

Sunday

Washington, D.C.

Elyssa was lying on the floor with her head resting on Radar. She had been going over the years she had known her Uncle Orest. What had they talked about? The joy of life. Of food. Of tickling babies to hear them laugh. Of art and music, either of which could move him to tears of empathy. Uncle Orest had a warmth and an inclusiveness, a lot of worry for humanity, and a little good-natured scolding about her health and safety.

What in the world could Uncle Orest possibly have done that would bring the FBI, the CIA, and not one but two DIA officers to meet her plane?

The DIA meant it had something to do with military security, right?

And Uncle Orest did work with scientists all over the world.

There was a mistake. There had to be a mistake. Some kind of circumstance that aligned Uncle Orest with someone or some act that was innocent on his part.

A knock at the door had her turning her head.

The group filed back in.

Xander came immediately to her side with his whole “ta-dunda-dun hero to the rescue” energy swirling around him as he crouched by her side.

Did she hate it?

No. Actually, quite the opposite. It was new to be the focus of that kind of attention. Elyssa could get used to it if it wasn’tattached to some government guy who had her uncle in his sights.

With a lift of his eyebrows to ask permission, and a slight nod from her, Xander checked her pulse.

Elyssa loved his hand on her. But since they’d had sex, he’d been a constant source of internal conflict. Elyssa believed what he said about not knowing her before he bedded her. But still, he called Uncle Orest a target.Seriously?

“I’m fine. I was just more comfortable here.” She accepted Xander’s hand as she got up in stages. The government people found places around the table. Each one took out a business-style card and lined them up in front of the chair at the head of the table.

And that was the seat where Xander led her. He, then, reintroduced “the team.”

As Xander sat down cattycorner to her, Radar lifted his head from the floor to see if there was a command, but none came, so he lay back down, curling into a ball.

“I’m sorry you were attacked,” White said. She sounded sincere but no-nonsense. She was sorry bad things were happening, but that wasn’t going to change the facts, and they were here about facts.

Elyssa decided she’d listen and answer because there was no reason not to.

“You should have seen her escape. It was the stuff of movies.” Xander’s voice was rich with pride. “I mean, Radar got to bite the bad guy, and that made his day. But the moves Elyssa used while she was getting dragged over the field were pure pipe-hitter shit.” Xander turned Elyssa’s way. “Was that a rugby technique?”

Pipe-hitter,Elyssa thought she’d heard that term in TV shows about special ops types. Everyone in the room looked like they could easily be in that category. These were the kinds ofpeople that you could bounce quarters off their abs. Special ops spooks? Elyssa stared at Xander, thinking of his bruised body. Well, that made more sense, didn’t it? He was on some mission, and there was a fight. Elyssa blinked away the emotions of pride and horror, turning to address the group. “That technique gets you up on your feet again when they’re trying to drag the ball from your hand.” Her voice was dispirited. They were obviously trying to show they were on her side because she’d need people on her side in the next few minutes.

“We want to talk to you about your Uncle Orest,” White said, reaching into her briefcase and pulling out a file.

“Is he okay?” Elyssa whispered.

“Perfectly fine,” White smiled. “He had a good flight to San Francisco.”

“He’s going to meet the family in Singapore,” Elyssa said.

“What can you tell me about that?” White opened the file and pulled out a piece of paper.

“Just that he asked me to go with him. I couldn’t go on the same flight because I’m an attendant at a wedding this weekend. I was going to join him, leaving on Monday.”

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