Page 91 of Fire and Ice

More Guardians poured into the room.

"What are the orders, Agent Pierce?"

"Take Peter Coltrane to our DEA contact."

"I'll never talk!" Colt spat out vehemently.

Maia spun around gripping Colt's throat and squeezing until it became difficult for him to breathe. "Oh, I think you will. The DEA won't torture you. They'll use coercion."

His dead eyes suddenly held a spark of fear.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Maia turned and walked out the room.

***

Maia and Jack exited Addison Music Hall through the delivery dock located in the rear of the building. DEA agents, AGS Guardians and some Feds were milling about. A huge stash of Rave-IX had been discovered in the backroom. The Baltimore Police Department was in charge of regulating the orderly evacuation of the crowd from the venue.

The music venue was in walking distance from the hotel. Jack was able to grab an AGS jacket from one of the guys and put it over Maia's shoulder.

"Are you sure you want to walk?" Jack asked quietly as he looked at Maia's stilettos.

"Yes, I'm used to it."

"Stop blaming yourself."

"I shouldn't have allowed him to take me to Colt," Maia said. "Colt knew what I looked like. I endangered Lee's life. I got too aggressive."

"We all wanted to get Rick back. We had to step up the game."

"One life for another? I hardly think that's fair."

They continued to walk in silence. Halfway to the hotel, Jack grabbed Maia's hand and was relieved when she didn't pull away. He needed to touch her. Seeing her at the mercy of the Russian's gun had punched him in the gut with ice-cold fear. Jack was amazed at how he had been able to take the shot calmly when he was no where near calm inside. It was almost like a vacuum: all he saw was the need to eliminate the threat. He also let the episode with Lee play out. Jack realized that now Maia's cover was blown she had to live with the consequence of her deception which was hurting someone she cared about. But the end-result was that they got Colt. That should have given her some consolation, at least.

Jack was concerned that the fallout might make Maia question the prudence of emotional entanglements. The thought sent a panic through him and he felt compelled to remind her of what they had.

"How did you all know where I was?" Maia's question broke through Jack's introspection.

"I had Scott track your cellphone."

"I'm surprised they let you back there."

"Aah, we kind of forced our way in."

"What?"

"We outdrew their security and subdued them."

"Oh my God, McCord! You're going to give Viktor an apoplexy."

"No, you give him enough of those yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

They reached the lobby of the hotel. Jack wrapped his arms around Maia and lowered his head to her ear. "Invite me upstairs," he demanded suggestively, deliberately tickling her neckline with his warm breath.

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