Chapter 5

CHAPTER

FIVE

Kai's thoughts continued to race as they headed out of the city.

What if Larchmont really had commissioned the murder of one of his operatives?

Kai had never heard of this Nathan guy. But some information was on a need-to-know basis. He was in the dark about many aspects of the program he'd endured.

But what if the facts were worse than he'd ever imagined?

He didn't want to ask those questions. But it was imperative that he did. Unless he knew the truth, he would never truly be free.

Most of his life he'd been an obedient little soldier. He'd done whatever was required. He'd been programmed to be that way.

He'd been through experiments, through medical trials, through rigorous physical and mental training to become the best of the best. Sometimes he wondered if what he'd been through was morally sound or even legal.

Those weren't the only things included in this program. He'd also been taught multiple languages and an array of miscellaneous skills like cooking and falconry and auto repair. He'd been on covert missions all over the world, missions where he needed to act as a shadow. Missions where, if he was caught, the US government would deny knowing him.

Then the program ended, and he'd been left to adjust to civilian life—in a manner of speaking, at least. He was no longer officially military, but the ties still remained strong.

He knew one thing from his experiences: he had no room in his life for love or a family. Normal wasn't a possibility—not after everything he'd learned and done.

Sure, Kai had volunteered to participate in the program. But he'd been fresh out of high school when recruited. The program had been painted in such a positive light that he'd truly had no idea what he was getting himself into.

By the time he knew, it was too late. He'd vacillated between feeling honored to have been chosen and feeling trapped. If he could go back and do it again . . . he would have said no.

He crossed his arms over his chest as tension threaded through him.

He needed help if he wanted to get through this. He thought about his teammates. Thought about who he could trust.

A few names came to mind. But one came to the forefront.

Gage Pearson. His colleague was smart, trustworthy, and working an assignment only two hours south of DC in Richmond. It was only a surveillance gig—nothing too pressing.

Maybe he would ask Gage for some help. Kai liked to think he could do this alone, but he knew that wasn't true. Plus, he remembered the Bible verse from Ecclesiastes 4:12. "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

He'd found that to be true. He'd been trained to be independent. But sometimes, it was necessary to get other opinions. To have someone watching your back. To know there were others you could depend on.

Without thinking about it anymore, Kai grabbed his phone and called Gage. He'd need help securing a hotel, especially if he wanted to do it off the books.

He didn't think his bank cards were being traced. But he couldn't take the chance—particularly if Larchmont might be involved.

Gage would have the resources to do what was needed without being caught.

Kai would have his colleague rent a room.

Then Kai and Tori would head to the hotel. Once there, he and Tori needed to have a serious talk, and Kai would have to make some big decisions—decisions that could impact his future.

Tori tried to quell her anxiety, but the task felt nearly impossible. Too many things ran through her mind.

The biggest one being the immediate threat on her life.

She'd been through a lot of challenges in her twenty-eight years. But being on the run had never been one of them.

Her brother's image drifted through her mind.

She was doing this for him. For Nathan. She couldn't give up. He deserved better than that. If he'd been killed, then whoever was responsible needed to be brought to justice.

The taxi pulled up to a hotel about an hour outside DC. Tori wished she'd been paying more attention. Wished she knew if she and Kai had traveled north or south or west.

But she had no idea where they were. She only knew the population wasn't as dense here. The buildings weren't as close. They had to be somewhere in Northern Virginia. It was the only area that made sense.

Kai paid the driver. Later, Tori would need to think of a way to pay him back. She hadn't known things would escalate so quickly or she might have considered these scenarios earlier and planned for them.

Then Kai escorted her into a room on the second floor of an upscale chain hotel that appeared to have been recently renovated. It even smelled clean.

She froze when she saw a tall man with dark hair and a five o'clock shadow waiting inside for them.

"It's okay," Kai said. "He's with me. Tori, this is my friend I was speaking to on the phone. Gage. Gage, Tori."

The two of them exchanged a stiff nod.

If Kai trusted this man, then she needed to also. She was out of options.

"Why don't you have a seat?" Kai pointed toward a table in the corner with chairs tucked underneath.

She pulled out a chair and lowered herself there.

Gage pushed a bottle of water toward her. "You might need this."

She twisted the cap off and took a long sip, not realizing how thirsty she was. All the running and anxiety—and maybe even the salty soup—had dehydrated her.

When she put the bottle down, both men still stared at her.

"I need you to tell us everything." Kai crossed his arms, all business. "Even if you've already told me, I need you to tell me again. So Gage can hear."

The request seemed fair enough, all things considered.

She went through the story. Told them how Nathan had died. How she suspected that someone he worked with—or for—had secretly killed him. How she'd managed to track Kai down. How she thought that Nathan and Kai had been a part of the same military program.

When she finished, she leaned back in her chair, grabbed her water to take another sip, and then waited to hear their reaction.

Had she come this far only for Kai and Gage to continue denying what she said? Or would Kai own up to the truth?

Because she knew in her gut that she was on the right track, even if he wouldn't admit it.