Chapter 2

two

LIAM

I pulled away from the curb outside Paul's house. As I drove along North Second Street, I kept my truck three vehicles behind the small red car that had reversed out of the driveway.

For the last week, I'd watched Paul Stevens and his niece. It wasn't the most exciting assignment I'd ever had, but it was necessary. His situation was less complicated than some of the others my team was observing, but that didn't mean it made him any safer.

Paul lived the kind of life that never drew anyone's attention. He ran his own business from home, had a small group of close friends, and spent more time at activities for his niece than doing something for himself.

On the surface, he didn't appear to be anyone the FBI would be interested in. But sometimes, the people you least expected caused the most issues.

Paul's car turned right into East Vine Street. He'd been here before. One of his friends lived in a brick and plaster apartment halfway along the street. Sure enough, he stopped in front of his friend's home .

I slowed but kept driving. As Paul opened the driver's door, he didn't appear to notice me. Had he always been this careless about what was going on around him? I was good at my job but, after four days of being followed, he should have known I was there.

As soon as I could, I made a U-turn, parking my truck a short distance from the house. Reaching for the camera on the passenger seat, I pointed it toward his car.

I already had enough photos for the FBI, but I wasn't taking any chances. Tomorrow, I was flying back to Colorado. Paul would be on his own and more vulnerable because of the little girl. Anything I documented might save his life, especially if the terrorist group found him.

Paul's brother was creating one of the most advanced military defense systems of the twenty-first century. A terrorist group had threatened to kill him.

Now Paul was in danger because of his connection to a brother he didn't even know existed.