Chapter 49

CHAPTER

FORTY-NINE

Kai and Gage left to get the cell phone, hoping this risk was worth it.

As they drove through the mountains, Kai kept his eyes wide open. They were a good thirty minutes away from where they were meeting Alfie.

The rest of the team was still trying to figure out who Rafferty really was and any other information they could find out about him. Larchmont had called in some favors, but he didn't sound hopeful. Larchmont was also working to secure a location to have their pacemakers removed. Trevor said he was close to getting the actual security footage from Landon Jean-Pierre's house.

Maybe they would make some progress.

Finally, Kai and Gage pulled over at the rest stop where they were supposed to meet Alfie.

The area was public enough—but public could be a good or bad thing.

Kai and Gage could be recognized as wanted killers.

But it also meant that if this was a setup, other people would be around.

Which meant those very people could be hurt.

Kai pressed his lips together. There was no good way to do this.

He glanced at Gage. "You ready for this?"

"I'm ready to find some answers."

"Then let's go."

They climbed from the SUV in time to see Alfie pull into a parking space not far away.

This was it.

Kai prayed the meeting went well.

Tori found herself distracted as she thought about what Kai and Gage might be doing right now.

She couldn't stop praying for their well-being.

Part of her wished she was there with them, though she knew her presence would do no good.

Still, she hated not knowing what was going on.

As Stephen began to stir beside her, Tori took his temperature again.

It still held steady. Though that was a good thing, she prayed he might get some real medical help soon. If he took a turn for the worse, there would be little she could do.

"Where are the rest of the guys?" Stephen blinked, every action appearing as if it took painful effort.

Tori turned toward him. "They went to meet a guy named Alfie."

He squinted. "Who is Alfie?"

"He was a friend of Dr. Jean-Pierre, the man we're accused of killing." She pulled out her phone, found the picture she'd taken of him outside the apartment building, and showed it to Stephen.

His eyes widened. "His name isn't Alfie."

Tori's muscles snapped taut. "What do you mean?"

He raised a hand and pointed his finger at her screen. "His name is Rocky. He and I went through Project Elevate together."

Her heart nearly stopped. Certainly, she hadn't heard Stephen correctly. "What?"

Stephen's gaze suddenly looked much more alert. "He became Rafferty's right-hand man."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Tori stood, panic racing through her. "I have to let Kai and Gage know. They've been set up."

She quickly dialed Kai's number.

But there was no answer.

More panic bombarded her.

She dialed again, desperate to get through.

But again, no answer.

How was she going to warn them?

Tori had to somehow figure out a way to stop them before they got themselves killed.