Page 32 of Black Bay Protector
“I just need some time alone to think,” she told him. Her hand fluttered by the side of her face. “There’s too much.” She shook her head. “It’s all just too overwhelming. I need to be alone. Please.”
Fuck, this hurt. But denying such a simple request would only hurt Paige, and he’d die before he’d do that.
Nodding, he took a step back. “All right. Take as much time as you need.”
Her eyes were unfocused as she stared off into space, her arms hugging herself again. Jace wasn’t sure what to do. Should he just walk away? That felt wrong. Maybe he should offer to show her some place quiet where she could think? He wasn’t used to this sort of thing, was so out of his depth that it wasn’t even funny. The last time he’d been around an upset female it had been Lark and he’d fixed that by letting her kick his ass until she felt better. He didn’t think that would work with Paige though.
Clearing his throat nervously, he gestured over his shoulder. “Should I, ah, go?”
She blinked, clearing away the fog from her eyes. “I’m just going to walk around for a bit if that’s okay?”
“That should be fine.” Jace looked around thoughtfully. “There’s a nice spot up in the guard tower,” he pointed out. “You can watch the ships. I sometimes go there when I need to think.”
She looked up to where he indicated and nodded. “Will they let me up there?”
“I’ll clear it with the General.” And then hesitantly, “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
He wanted her to say yes, wanted her to tell him that she needed him to hold her and make everything all right, but she didn’t. She shook her head, and with a wan smile, told him, “I’ll see you later,” and headed toward the tower.
Jace watched her go, feeling bereft, but after a moment, he managed to pull himself together. He’d told her he’d get her access, so that’s what he’d do. After that… He’d wait for her. For however long it took, because he wasn’t going to lose her. Not if he could help it. He’d give her space, give her time to think and grieve in private, but he wouldn’t let her push him away forever. Jace was nothing like her past boyfriend. Paige was worth fighting for. What they had together was worth fighting for. And if Paige needed him to prove it, that’s what he’d do.
Doctor Craig Jerome exited the back of the black, armored SUV and looked at the head of his security detail. “I won’t be long,” he told the man. “Keep your eyes open. I wouldn’t put it past him to be watching us right now.”
The head of security nodded. “He won’t get past us.”
Craig didn’t argue the point and let the man keep his delusions. The Commander would make mincemeat of the team of five before they could get a single shot fired, but hopefully, there was still some time before the soldier caught up to him.
Consulting the face of his Piaget watch, he grimaced. He should have already been gone. When he’d learned the Commander was targeting him, he should have gone home right then and packed a bag, but stupidly, he hadn’t. Instead, he’d looked for a way to remotely shut the Commander down and instead, discovered a data breach. The Commander had recently accessed certain Hub files, and Craig had realized what the soldier intended to do. He was going to try to liberate the others like him and that couldn’t happen.
Following protocol, he’d immediately initiated the move to one of the other locations they kept on stand-by. Even with that delay, he would have been able to get away in plenty of time if the higher-ups hadn’t called a meeting. Why it couldn’t have been done via a secure conference call he had no idea, but they’d insisted on a face-to-face. Valuable time was lost in unnecessary discussion while they played the blame game, and now he was cutting it close. When he’d tried to explain to his bosses why the need for expedience was paramount, they’d given him a security detail. Like those weak individuals would be any sort of match for the soldier he’d created.Fools. They had no idea what they were dealing with.
Hurriedly unlocking the door to his home, he entered, locked the door behind him, and reengaged the security system. He had a bag packed for just this type of emergency. He just needed to get it and clean out his safe, then he’d be on the road, moving as far away as possible from the Commander and his deadly intentions.
A light flicked on, startling him enough that he jumped and let out a frightened squawk. The Commander was lounging in his recliner, a pistol in his hand, laid casually on his thigh. A small smirk on his face.
As Craig’s eyes focused on the threat, he realized with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that he’d miscalculated. He’d thought that the Commander would have waited to ambush him outside, not come in and make himself at home. It was an error that would cost him his life.
He should have had his security detail clear the premises first. He’d designed his soldiers to be able to bypass any security system, and while the detail he’d been assigned would have been no match for the Commander, their deaths would have bought Craig valuable time to get away.
He took pleasure in at least foiling one part of the Commander’s plan though. “You’re too late,” he sneered, finding his bravado in petty spite. “The others have already been moved. They’re out of your reach.”
The Commander’s smirk never faltered as he cocked his head at a slight angle. “I’m not here for them.” Raising a hand, he tapped his temple with a finger. “Can you unlock them? The memories you took from me?”
A bargaining chip he hadn’t realized he held. This he could use, Craig thought with relieved glee. All he had to do was convince the Commander that he could restore his lost memories, and then once he got him on the table, he could fix the flaw and have his asset back in line…
“You’d make a terrible poker player, Doc.”
The Commander raised the gun. Two rounds to the chest and one to the head marked the end of Doctor Craig Jerome.
As the pathetic excuse for a security detail that the good Doctor had arrived with swarmed the house, Grady slipped past them with ease, not bothering to engage. They weren’t worth his time, nor were they on his list. They were nothing but hired guns doing their job.
Doctor Anne Dietrich, however, had made his list. Unfortunately, she wasn’t at her house. A quick search told him she was on the run. Drawers were open with clothes hanging out haphazardly as if she’d packed in a hurry, and toiletries were missing from her bathroom. Her home computer’s search history didn’t yield any results, but he struck gold when he broke into her office at the medical facility.
Accessing the relevant data was child’s play. She’d booked a flight to Norfolk, Virginia, rented a car, and according to her search history, was potentially heading to Black Bay Penitentiary. An interesting choice on her part. While some might agree she belonged behind bars, he had a very different plan for her.
It looked like he was heading to Black Bay. But first, there was something he needed to do.
Chapter Seventeen
