Page 121 of Storm and Tempest
She squeezed his hand. “Look at me.” He turned his head to her, and she frowned. “What’s going on?”
There hadn’t been time to tell her. “It’s a long story. The doctor gave me something to help.” He wasn’t sure there was time now. “Dad, what do you think changed? Was it thatDominatusmade it sound like I turned? Or was it something else?”
“That definitely tripped something, the team here thinking you switched sides. I stuck with the ladies, just to make sure they were okay. One of the MSI guys was asking too many questions about how they knew each other and a bunch of personal details that might sound like small talk but was way too much like prying. Zeyla got upset with him. Maizie was working and didn’t need to be disturbed. When I asked him to leave the room, he got mouthy with me until I threatened to inform Preston he was bothering us. Then Maizie told us that Kenna had been found, and he ran out of the room anyway. That’s when things went sideways.”
Jax frowned. Ramon looked about as happy as he was.
His dad continued, “I stepped out of the room to ensure he was going to tell Preston and Jonas that you knew where to find Kenna. It had been hours since the others left, but no one slept much, and Zeyla never left Maizie’s side. Mr. Jonas came out of his office and had Preston and I wait in there. He spoke with his people, and by the time we realized he wasn’t coming in, it had been an hour. I don’t know what happened.”
“Dad.” He needed his father to quit beating around the bush and just say it.
“The men who stayed behind, and Mr. Jonas, Maizie and Zeyla—they’re gone. The lab is a mess, a computer screen was smashed, and there’s blood smeared on the wall.”
“Where’s Preston?”
“He ran to the security office to look at the cameras.”
“I want to know what he finds.” Jax paused. “Can you go there?”
“Of course, Son. I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s happening. I feel like we were all duped.”
A nurse appeared at the curtain. “Guys, I’m gonna need my phone back.”
Ramon said, “I can go to the store and grab one I can load up with minutes.”
Jax nodded to him. “Dad, we’ll call you back from a different number, okay? Try to figure out where they went and what happened.”
“Are you coming here?” his father asked. “If Mr. Jonas works forDominatus,and he took them…”
“I know,” Jax said. “We’ll figure it out.”
Ramon ended the call and handed the phone to the nurse. “Thank you so much for letting us use your phone.” He followed her through the curtain, asking about a nearby store where he’d be able to buy a phone.
Jax shifted on the bed, turning to face Kenna again.
“You’re worried about her?”
He nodded. “I can’t believe Earl Jonas might be working against us. He’s been part of this fight for years. Even Preston trusted him.” His thoughts stuttered. “I can’t believe he might’ve taken them.”
Jax explained about the MSI team having taken over the platform—assuming they’d followed his plan to try and convinceDominatusthat it was still in their hands—and a bunch of other random details that dropped into his mind in an odd order. Hopefully, she pieced it together.
Kenna said, “If Jonas heard about the plan to fake it toDominatus, then maybe he’s going to them with the informationthat his men are in control of the facility. That it’s fallen into our hands.”
“I hope they all lose their minds.” His heart started to beat harder in his chest. “I’m not leaving Maizie and Zeyla there when he’s probably only taken them as a concession for how royally this has been screwed up.”
“We need a way to get there. Where are they?” She frowned. “Where are we?”
“We’re in Anchorage. They’re in Seattle. It’s too far for a helicopter.”
“Charter flight? We could find a private company to take us. It’ll be faster than trying to get flights today.”
Jax nodded. “Neither of us is fit to travel, let alone go on a mission, and Ramon has a bullet hole in his shoulder.”
“Has that ever stopped us before?”
He knew the answer to that, but the situation had changed. “I’m not putting you in harm’s way.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere near danger right now. But I am coming with you.”
