Page 77 of Dust and Ashes

She drew the weapon Stairns had left for her and crept down the hall. The two agents were about to fall to the floor, chin to chest. She checked the pulse on the closest one and found a faint thrum. Surely the hospital had security. Or staff to sound the alarm. But there was no one around.

What is going on?

Kenna found a cell phone in the inside suit jacket pocket and used the agent’s thumb to unlock it. She found what looked like conversations with the handler in his texts. She dialed the number.

“ASAC Barnes’ office.”

“Your guy in Cielo Ardiente on the detail for Special Agent Oliver Jaxton, and his partner, have both been compromised. They need backup immediately.”

“And your name—”

Kenna tucked the phone back where she’d found it without hanging up.

Then she prayed, grasped the handle, and stepped into the room. Her heart squeezed in her chest at what she saw. “Get away from him.”

ChapterTwenty-Two

“Back. Up.” Kenna lifted the gun.

Jax strained, his body leaned over toward her. Reaching for…the call button. He spotted her and gasped.

Kart turned from his spot over by the window, a gun of his own in his hand. “I’ve been waiting for you to show.”

She held hers raised. “Put it down. Backup is on the way, so you getoneshot to leave here alive.”

His mouth curled up at the corners. “Straight to the point. I like that about you.”

Jax managed to right himself. They’d taken the tube out of his throat, but he didn’t look like he could push over a piece of paper right now. Kart moved the gun to point at Jax, who tensed. “I know you.”

He was still out of it, then? But memories were coming back. Maybe he remembered Kart along with the torture. If not for the fact Javier wasn’t here, she’d have shot him right now where he stood.

“Remember what I said?” Kenna kept her focus on Kart. “He dies, you die.”

Kart chuckled.

“There’s nothing funny about any of this,” she said. “Where’s Javier?”

Jax glanced between them. “Kenna?” His voice sounded raspy, and he was definitely confused as to what this was.

The guy probably wanted to know where his detail might be. Then again, if this was the first time he’d woken up since the compound, then he needed to be caught up on a lot of things.

She couldn’t get into it all right now, though. Not with Kart here…but no child.

What was the plan?

“Why are you even here?” Kenna asked. She wanted to shoot his leg, or some other fleshy part of him and get him to start talking. But the risk he might shoot Jax was far too high. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to see you. Obviously.”

Kenna wanted to scream at him and demand answers.

He thought he had the power here, but he didn’t. As soon as he told her where to find Javier, he would realize it was true.

“I go where I want. I do what I want.”

“Is that right?” She lifted her chin. “Like drugging FBI agents so you can sneak in here?”

“I had some help, but I have to say that was pretty creative.” Kart swung the gun over to her and smirked. “How about I kill you instead of him?”

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