Page 51 of Avenging Jessie
He raised a finger to his lips and slid out of the chair without a sound. The hardwood floor creaked under his weight, so he hugged the wall, keeping his movements controlled.
His gun was in hand. The injury slowed some things, but not that. Any decent agent could shoot with either. The cold steel felt almost comforting in his palm as he moved toward the door.
The shadows in the hallway outside the peephole shifted.
Could be them. Could also be someone who’d been able to intercept the message. He unlatched the deadbolt, keeping the chain engaged. “Yeah?”
A low voice came back, calm, steady. “I brought the sugar you ordered.”
Tessa’s voice. He’d know that tone anywhere—dry, faintly amused, but with an edge that said she was ready for trouble.
He slid the chain free and opened the door. Tessa and Tommy slipped inside like they’d done it a thousand times. Both were dressed in dark jackets, cargo pants with full pockets, and boots scuffed from travel. Tommy carried a duffel that could easily have been stuffed with gear or explosives.
Jessie sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. “You made good time.”
“Didn’t exactly stop for sightseeing,” Tessa said. “Now tell us what the hell happened.”
Tessa didn’t bother taking off her coat before she claimed the arm of the couch. Tommy dropped his duffel beside the coffee table and crouched to unzip it. Inside, Spence caught a glimpse of weapons, extra comms gear, and a portable jammer. Always prepared.
Jessie got up and hugged him. He gripped her back, hard. She yawned again and plopped down on the cushion, raising a bare foot to brace it on the table. “We tailed Hastings to a private data center. He had a crew of hackers in the basement—kids. One of them breached the FBI’s internal database while I watched. But Hastings was after the CIA.”
Tommy’s head snapped up. “Langley?”
“That’s what it looks like,” Spence said. “I dropped a virus in their system. Wiped everything they had before they could do any harm. But it’s possible Hastings got away. I can’t confirm his death.”
Tessa swore under her breath. “And Brewer?”
“No sign of him,” Jessie said. “It appears that Hastings has his own agenda, and it may be tangled with Brewer’s, but Brewer may not know anything about it, either.”
Tessa made a face that showed she was mildly impressed.
The vibration in Spence’s pocket got all of their attentions. He pulled out his phone with his good hand, saw the encrypted incoming call, and gave a sharp nod. “It’s Dec.”
He hit the speaker. “Go.”
“We’re in Munich,” Declan’s voice came, battle-worn and impatient over the static. “Location?”
Jessie shot Spence a questioning look, but he didn’t hesitate. “Dropping you a pin now. ETA?”
A pause. “Five minutes.”
Exactly four and a half minutes later, the knock came—different rhythm this time, quick and light. Spence opened up and ushered in Meg and Dec, cool, humid air following them.
Acknowledgments were made quickly. Meg pulled off her gloves as she crossed to the table. “As soon as we landed, I got an encrypted message. I think it was from Flynn.”
Jessie straightened. “What did it say?”
“That the Brewer lookalike I saw in D.C. is the real deal.”
Spence’s gut tightened. “That can’t be right. I’m sure he’s here.”
Jessie nodded in agreement. “If he’s planning something for the summit, he’ll want to be there to watch it happen. That’s how he operates.” She glanced at the cuckoo clock. “And we’re running out of time to stop it.”
That’s when it hit Spence like a flashbulb.
“He’s done it before,” he said, almost to himself. “He throws up a flare in one place and hits the real target somewhere else.”
“What are you talking about?” Dec grunted.
