Page 59 of The Captive
Seventy-five thousand bucks.Good to know how much money his fellow soldier was willing to defect for.
“More?”Kilo asked his boss in an indifferent tone, curling his fist again.
“No, we’ll save the rest of Delta’s punishment for later.”Le Clair clapped his hands.“Tie them up and get them in the van.”
Relief rippled through him when he noticed Oscar approach with Lana.Although faint smears of blood covered her forehead, she looked unharmed.Their eyes locked, and the hurt and anger he’d seen on her face since last night had vanished, replaced with cold fear.He wished he could reassure her, but as Kilo clamped his wrists together and wrapped a thin black cord around them, Deacon knew there was nothing he could say.
They were in Le Clair’s control again, and this time, there would be no escape.
“What are you going to do with us?”Lana asked in a shaky voice directed at Le Clair.
He smiled broadly.“I’m still debating the best way to kill you both.Or should I say, the most entertaining way.”He nodded in approval as Oscar tightened the cord aroundLana’s wrists.“You’ve really been a pain in the ass, princess.I’m overwhelmed with anticipation at the thought of finally being rid of you.”
“What about my father?”Desperation crept into her tone.“You said something about an exchange.”
“Funny you should ask.We’re on our way to meet your daddy right now.”
The look of shock on Lana’s face matched the one Deacon tried to hide.The deathly chill in his bones told him this was just another game, and Le Clair’s next words confirmed it.
“Rather admirable of your father to trade his life for yours, huh, princess?”Le Clair smirked.“Unfortunately, Daddy dearest isn’t very smart.If he were, he’d realize that the men he pissed off don’t care about his life.They’re eager for his death.”
Lana gasped.“You’re going to kill my father?”She swayed on her feet, looking close to fainting.“So this is all a trap?Make him think he’s going to give himself up for me, and then kill him?Kill all of us?”
“That’s about the gist of it.”Le Clair gestured to the white van, then nodded to Kilo and Oscar.“Get our passengers settled, boys.”
Deacon stiffened as Kilo dragged him toward the van.This “exchange”…it was simply another word for bloodbath.They would all be slaughtered—Hank Kelley, his daughter, Deacon himself.His own death didn’t bother him.It was Lana’s.The thought of watching her die sent pulses of rage to his blood.It spread, heating his insides, squeezing his heart, until he could barely see straight.
No way.There was no damn way he would let Lana be killed.
As they neared the back of the van, Deacon took a breath, set his jaw and whirled around.He launched himself at Kilo, barreling into the bigger man with such force they both went crashing to the ground.Despite his bound wrists, he landed a hit to Kilo’s jaw, hard enough to split the man’s lip.Blood spurted from the corner of Kilo’s mouth.He spat it out, dark eyes blazing with ire.Before Deacon could blink, he was on his back with Kilo’s fist in his gut.
“Enough with the games.”Irritation tinged Le Clair’s words.“Give it up, Delta.You’re not going anywhere.”
After one last punch into Deacon’s side, Kilo wiped the blood from his mouth and angrily hauled Deacon to his feet.“Get in the van,” he snapped.
Holding his fastened wrists against his belly, Deacon managed a resigned nod, then climbed into the back of the van.A pair of panicked blue eyes greeted him.
“What the hell are you doing?”Lana barked as the doors slammed shut with a loud thud, bathing them in darkness.“Whatwasthat, Deacon?They could’ve killed you.”
“They’re going to kill me anyway,” he said grimly.Slowly, he lifted his hands.“It was the only way I could get this.”
Lana’s eyes widened as a bluish light illuminated the darkness.It was the screen of Kilo’s cell phone, which Deacon had swiped from the man’s pocket when he lunged at him.
“We have to call my dad to warn him,” she whispered.
Deacon shook his head.“His phone will be tapped,” he reminded her, already dialing a number.
“Who are you calling then?”
“An old contact at the Bureau.”When the switchboard operator of the Hoover building came on the line, Deacon lowered his voice and said, “I need the extension for Colin Reilly.”
He waited, stifling a groan when a few beats of elevator music met his ears.Reilly didn’t keep him waiting for long,though.Several moments later, a familiar Boston accent barked out a greeting.
“Reilly, it’s Deacon Holt.Listen carefully, because I don’t have a lot of time here.”
A wary pause.“Holt?”
“Yes.”Impatience rose inside of him.“I need you to get a message to someone.It’s a matter of life and death.I’ve got Lana Kelley here with me.”
