Chapter Eighteen

 

The door to the lab opened and Robert walked through despite every instinct in his body telling him to run. There was something going on that he didn’t understand, something at play that hadn’t surfaced yet.

“Gentlemen, it’s good to see you, though the circumstances aren’t optimal.” Levi Green smiled as though inviting them to join his barbecue. “We should get together and have drinks someday when we’re not at each other’s throats. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“Where’s Rebecca?” He wasn’t playing games with this monologuing motherfucker. Levi seemed to love to talk about his evil plans for hours before they got down to business. It was one of his worst flaws, and that was saying something since the man was pretty much akin to Satan in Robert’s book.

“No small talk, huh?” Levi had two men near him. They were muscular men dressed in the same manner as the rest of the mercenaries. The others were scattered around the room. “That’s not very civilized, but then I did shoot you, so I suppose there’s some justification. Let’s see what you brought me.”

He snapped his fingers and one of the men came forward holding his hand out.

Tucker kept the bag in his grasp. “Why should I turn this over to you when we haven’t even seen Dr. Walsh yet?”

“Well, it could be because I have a bunch of men with guns and you don’t have any,” Levi mused and then sighed, a long-suffering sound. “Look, I put this together in a hasty fashion. It’s why I’m surrounded by a paid army. I couldn’t get a team here in time, though given the nature of the transaction, it’s better this way. If this doesn’t go well at least these guys won’t be reporting everything to their commanding officers, who can then be questioned by my bosses.”

“You’re losing control.” Solo had told them she thought Levi was getting desperate. Here was the proof she’d told them the truth.

“Not the golden boy anymore?” Tucker asked, still holding the bag despite the fact that the guy with the gun was staring him down.

“It can be very hard to stay on top at my position. I’m not one of the big bosses.” Levi stepped closer to Robert. “You should know all about this, Sarge. You have some power, but you’re always still at someone’s mercy, and they often have none.”

That was Levi, always dropping hints that he knew more than he was saying. He knew he should ignore it, but impulse forced him to ask the question. “Did you look up my records?”

A secretive smile played along Levi’s lips. “I didn’t have to. I’ve known who you were all along. You played a much bigger part in the reason I’m involved in McDonald’s case than you can imagine. I know it wasn’t kind to lie to you or to keep what I know secret, but it was necessary. Honestly, I thought the reasons you were important were gone, but it’s been pointed out to me recently that anything that is lost can be found again.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” He was sick of feeling like he wasn’t in on the joke.

“Come with me,” Levi said with a welcoming smile. Like he was a long-lost cousin inviting him home. “Come back to DC and work with me. A whole world will open up for you. You won’t need to try to remember. I can lay your life out for you and you won’t have to wonder anymore.”

Sure he would. “I’m not buying into your lies.”

“You bought into Emily’s,” Levi replied. “She told you many, and I’m not merely talking about when you were married. I bet she lost her shit when she walked in and realized you were still alive. She couldn’t have expected that. I wish I could have seen it. She had to work hard to cover up what she’d done, and one of the ways she did it was to lie about the present. I can fix that for you. I can hand you back your life. Your mother isn’t dead, Robert. Neither is your brother. Dante told me Emily fed you a bunch of lies about how you weren’t on speaking terms with them. She didn’t want you to remember.”

Could he be telling the truth? “Yes, she had an agenda and so do you. Did you work with her?”

“You are not listening to me. I didn’t work with McDonald, so I didn’t work with your wife either,” Levi explained. “I came in after you were taken. I rather came in because you were taken, but that’s a long story. It’s one I would love to tell you. We can talk about it over a beer in DC.”

“I’ll pass. If I’ve got family out there, I’ll find them on my own. I’m not going to owe you anything.” He had to worry about the family he had. He had to worry specifically about Tucker. Levi was playing Mephistopheles again, and Robert would bet Tucker would be the one tempted next.

Levi was on the ropes and he needed to bring in something big. Having one of them cooperate would go a long way to securing his place again.

“And I happen to know that your brother tried to move heaven and earth when you died because he knew something was wrong. He didn’t believe that military report,” Levi said, his voice thick with sympathy. “I admired him very much. It was sad what happened to him.”

“What happened to my brother?” The question came out of his mouth before he could think to stop it.

“Come with me and find out,” Levi replied simply.

His brother was still alive but something bad had happened? Did his brother need him?

“You won’t find him or your mother because I hid them. Do you understand? That wasn’t McDonald. I did this, and when I make a person disappear, no one finds them. If you want to know what happened to your family, you have to come with me.”

Levi’s words were getting to him. His family. He’d felt them in his heart, in his dreams. “What did you do to them?”

“Everything your brother did, he chose to do. You can’t pin this on me. I’m the good guy here.” Levi took a step back as though he realized he wasn’t going to win this one. “I protected your mother. Ask Owen what can happen when McDonald uses a family member for leverage.”

Anger simmered in his gut. “You’re using her right now. You want to play the good guy? Tell me where she is. No quid pro quo. Just do the right thing.”

Levi’s eyes rolled. “You should be on your knees thanking me, but I get it. I have a thankless job. I’ll send your mother your regards if I see her again.” He turned to Tucker. “All right then. I made my play. Tucker, give over the bag.”

“Not until I see Rebecca.” Tucker had a tight hold on their only leverage. “I’ll give you the bag once Rob’s out of the building and all the men and Dr. Walsh are safe.”

“You are under the mistaken impression that this is a negotiation.” Levi nodded and three of his men circled Tucker.

He saw the moment Tucker decided to fight. His body went tense and there was a look in his eyes that always hit before Tucker lost his shit. If they were in a fair fight, he would welcome it, but he couldn’t trust that Levi wouldn’t decide to take Tucker’s legs out. Literally.

“Hey, I don’t think this is going to work.” Robert used a calm tone, trying to get Tucker to chill. “Give it up. We always knew it would likely come to this.”

Tucker stood in the middle of the larger men and stared them all down.

“Come on, Levi. Give us something. We’ve done your dirty work again. At least let us see Dr. Walsh is here and alive.” He had to get Tucker to back down or this could go very poorly.

“Dante, bring her out.” Levi looked to the side and nodded again. The door to the back of the lab swooshed open and Dante strode out, a meaty hand on Rebecca’s arm.

“Levi, I am begging you not to do this,” she was saying as she scrambled to keep up.

“I thought I told you to gag her.” Levi tsked his lackey. “Good help is so hard to find. Rebecca, we have talked about this endlessly. You know I’m a reasonable man. If Tucker merely turns over what I need, everyone is free to go. We’ll only have a problem if the files containing evidence of all the high-level people who worked with McDonald aren’t in that bag. I’m worried it’s not there because some asshole already stole it.”

“You don’t know what it will do.” Rebecca struggled against Dante’s hold, but she was so small compared to him.

“What is she talking about?” Robert didn’t understand what Rebecca was talking about.

Levi had closed the space between himself and the doctor. He loomed over her. “Do you want me to use my other method right now? I’m quite desperate. I’ll do it. It doesn’t matter that Big Tag will come after me. There are sharks out there with even bigger teeth than his, and they are circling. Do you want to push me?”

Rebecca went still and tears coursed down her cheeks. “I’m begging you.”

“And I will try very hard to accommodate you,” Levi promised. “As a matter of fact, why don’t you leave with Robert now and I’ll handle the rest of our transaction with Tucker.”

“Yes,” Tucker said quickly. His whole body was tense as if he was holding something in. His skin had paled. He was obviously trying to keep his shit together. “Rob, get her out of here. This is a bad place. Get her to Owen and leave the building.”

What the hell was Levi planning to do? He couldn’t leave Tucker here alone.

“No,” Rebecca said. “I need to be here.”

Levi turned, the normally placid expression on his face going hard. “Give up the bag, Tucker, or I swear I’m going to lose my patience, and you won’t like it when I lose my patience. I’m not sure which one I’ll do first, but one of your friends is about to take a bullet. I’ll keep shooting until you comply.”

Tucker passed the bag to the man in front of him. “There. There’s your freaking intel.”

The man took the bag and immediately moved to a laptop set up on one of the long tables. He started going through the drives.

“Let Rebecca go now.” Tucker’s voice was tight. “Rob can take her to Owen and they’ll leave the building.”

“I don’t think Dr. Walsh is ready to go yet,” Levi said.

“Tucker, you need to get out of here,” Rebecca began before Dante slid his hand around her throat.

Robert started toward him. “Hey, let her go.”

He was immediately hauled back by two of Levi’s guards. They gripped his arms tight.

Tucker was held by the other two.

“I told you they would be difficult,” Dante said. “They won’t listen to reason. It would be better to put Robert down now and do what you’re going to do.”

“If I can get out of this without Big Tag coming down on my ass, I will.” Levi moved to the man who was working on the laptop. He picked through the bag and pulled out the three drives they’d found. “You should worry, Dante, because Big Tag is going to be looking for you. He’ll bring along his whole Scooby gang. You won’t like what John Bishop can do to you. Or Kay. I don’t particularly want to meet up with Kay again. I think she took our last interaction too personally.”

The last time Levi and Kayla Summers had met up, she’d been waterboarded at his command. Still, Robert thought there were far worse enemies Levi hadn’t mentioned. “I think you should worry more about Ezra.”

Levi chuckled. “I don’t worry about Ezra at all. I killed him once. He got lucky and happened to be wearing a vest. I can kill Ezra in my sleep. He knows who the better man is. The only reason I don’t is Solo has an inexplicable affection for the man. She’s going to come around. One of these days she’ll see him for who he is, and then everything will fall into place. Or she’ll realize I’m the better bet. If I can finish this job properly, I’ll be a king at the Agency. She’ll be my queen.”

“You’re psychotic.” He’d been around Ari too long. He knew a lot of terminology. “You’ve got a narcissistic personality disorder with delusions if you think that woman is hiding her love for you.”

“A narcissist only thinks of himself. I assure you, I’ve done everything I’ve done for my country and for her.” Levi’s eyes had gone cold. “I love her in a way Ezra never could. His love was a fragile thing. The first time she screwed up, he dumped her. I assure you, my love can survive the apocalypse. I mean, what’s a little assassination attempt among friends, right, Solo?”

The door came open and Solo was being led in, her hands in zip ties in front of her. Her long blonde hair had come out of the ponytail she usually wore and there was blood on her cheek.

Levi stalked toward her and stared for a moment before bringing his hand up to brush the blood off her cheek. He inspected her carefully. “You should be very happy that blood wasn’t hers. I gave specific instructions about how to handle her if she should manage to show up.” He’d never taken his eyes off her. “Hello, Solo.”

“I swear, Levi, if you don’t cut me out of these right fucking now we’re going to have a problem,” Solo snarled his way.

He merely winked at her and looked oddly satisfied. “We always have problems and we always work them out. Now where are your friends, because I struggle with the idea that you walked in here alone. These men are not the cream of the crop. If they caught you, it’s because you allowed them to catch you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Solo looked Levi straight in the eyes. “I came here for the data and you know it. I came for the same thing you want. I wanted it so I could turn it over to my boss and send you and your bosses straight to jail.”

“Why do you try me so?” He ran a hand over her hair. “We could work together.”

“Maybe it’s that tiny penis you’re packing,” Solo replied with an arrogant smirk. “Is that why I can’t quite remember sleeping with you? I needed a lot of liquor to get through that night.”

Levi’s hand came up and he slapped Solo right across the face, his big palm open. The sound cracked through the lab and Solo’s head snapped to the side.

Robert tried to launch himself across the room, but those hands held him fast.

Solo spit blood and her eyes came back, flashing fire Levi’s way. “There you are, you son of a bitch. That’s the Levi Green I know. You mistake obsession for true love. You know what Beck has never done to me in all his anger? Hurt me physically.”

“You require a reminder every now and then, Solo. I’m sorry. I lost my temper because I know you’ve been spending time with him. It doesn’t do well to spark my jealousy,” Levi said, going right back to cool and collected. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“You’ll keep your fucking hands off her.” He might not trust Solo fully, but he wasn’t about to let her be abused. He wouldn’t let anyone be abused.

God, it was why he’d gone into the Army. He could remember it as bright as day. He’d stood in front of his mother and told her he was going to protect his country and make her proud.

“Stay with me.” Tucker’s voice broke through the fog. “Don’t leave me, Rob.”

Except for a moment he’d heard the name Russ instead of Rob.

He shook it off. It was another life. He needed to stay in this life. “I’m here. I’m not going to leave you.”

“You’re going to do what I tell you to do.” Levi came to stand in front of him. “Unless you want to change your mind. There’s a place for you in my office.”

“I want what you promised me. We gave you what we could. Now let us go. You don’t want Big Tag after you.” A knot formed in his gut because every instinct he had told him this was going to go bad. He’d known it could, but now he realized the moment was here. This wasn’t a handoff. Levi could have easily blown that safe on his own. He wanted something more.

“Like I said, I don’t, but I’m in a position where I no longer have a choice.” He turned back to the man looking through the files. The mercenary simply shook his head, causing Levi’s jaw to tighten. “Nothing?”

The man shrugged. “There’s plenty here, but not what you’re looking for. He’s got blackmail material, but it has nothing to do with McDonald.”

Levi nodded, a sharp movement. “Take it all anyway. Let’s get ready to move out. I don’t like the fact that Solo let herself be taken. It means she’s planning something, and we’re out of time. Bring me Mr. Tucker.”

“No,” Rebecca shouted.

Dante tightened his arms around her like a python getting ready to squeeze the life out of his victim.

The two men with hands on Tucker started to move him toward Levi, who was opening a briefcase.

Robert started to struggle. He wasn’t sure what was in that case, but it would be bad. Levi would use whatever was in there on Tucker. “What are you doing?”

Tucker looked back, fear in his eyes. “I’ve been here before. God, Rob, I’ve been here.”

He couldn’t stand that look on Tucker’s face. “Green, take me instead. I’ll go with you.”

He would find a way to get out later, but he couldn’t let them take Tucker. Tucker was his responsibility.

There wasn’t an ounce of compassion on Levi’s face as he pulled out a hypodermic needle. “That plan doesn’t work for me. I don’t actually need you, Robert. I was trying to be a nice guy.”

“What the fuck is that?” Solo asked, her eyes wide.

“It’s the cure.” Rebecca managed to get the words out around the hand on her throat. Tears coursed down her cheeks. “But we don’t know what it’s really going to do. It could kill him. I’m begging you not to do this.”

“I’m sorry but the truth of the matter is I don’t need Tucker at all.” Levi’s voice sent a chill through the room. “I do need Dr. Razor.”

Tucker started to fight, trying to pull away from his captors, but they drug him closer and closer to the needle.

Robert kicked out to the side, making contact with the first asshole’s knee and cutting his legs out from under him. He gained his balance and struck the other man trying to hold him with a swift uppercut to his chin. He heard a low growl and the crunching of bones, but he had no sympathy. That asshole had something he needed.

“Don’t let him get a gun, damn it,” Levi shouted.

Something hard hit his back and he suddenly was held down by two hundred pounds of mercenary. He rolled to the side, trying to get that gun in his hand. He managed to force the fucker off him and pulled the pistol free from the unconscious guy’s belt. He glanced up in time to see Solo thrust her zip tied hands high in the air only to bring them down hard. She pulled her hands apart. The ties broke and she was grace in motion. Solo brought her arm up and back, making contact with the man behind her.

“Fall back.” Levi shouted the command.

The doors to the lab burst open and he wasn’t alone anymore. His brothers were here. Owen and Jax strode in, guns out. They were followed by Theo and Ezra.

And Ariel. She was there, his angel with a semiautomatic. She didn’t even hesitate. She immediately fired, taking out the man coming for him. One minute the guy was raising a weapon to fire a shot that would have taken off Robert’s head, and the next he was slumping to the ground.

The lab was in complete chaos. Glass shattered from the bullets flying. Ariel reached his side, ducking down because they had a little cover from one of the desks.

“Are you all right?” Ari asked.

“I’m fine.” He tipped the desk over to give them more cover. The sound of lab equipment crashing warred with the gunfire. “God, Ariel, I didn’t want to put you in danger, but I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you here.”

There was no one else on earth he would want watching his back, helping him save Tucker.

She was on her knees, but she managed to take his face in her hands. “Rob, I love you. I need you to hear that.”

He couldn’t help but smile. He’d given her a hard time about not saying it, but he’d known what she was doing. “I know, baby. Now give me some cover. Levi is trying to shoot Tucker up with god only knows what in an insane attempt to bring back Reasor.”

“Oh, my god.” Ariel nodded his way. “You have to get him away from here. I’m better at a distance. I’ll cover you.”

“If you can get a shot, take it,” he said before brushing his lips over hers. “I love you.”

The room went quiet as quickly as it had been thrown into chaos.

“Let him go, Levi.” Ezra’s voice boomed through the quiet room. “We’ve got you. There’s no way out.”

Robert looked over the table and realized they were in a standoff. Tucker was in Levi’s grasp, a needle in his neck. Levi hadn’t pushed the plunger yet.

Dante was using Rebecca like a shield. Two of the mercenaries were left standing. It looked like Owen had taken a bullet to his left arm, but he was still there, his gun aimed in Dante’s direction, but from there he couldn’t get a clear line of sight. Rebecca was in the way.

Ariel might be able to do it. They were in the perfect position for a woman with spectacular aim to take a shot.

He didn’t want to put this on her. He knew he should be the one to take Dante out. She’d wanted out of this life, but Ariel was Rebecca’s best option.

“Drop the weapon, Owen, or I’ll be more than happy to put a bullet through your bitch’s brain,” Dante growled. “Do you know how much I hate you all? It would be my pleasure to kill her.”

He watched as Rebecca mouthed the words to her lover. I love you. She was ready, was going to give Owen the power in that moment. The power to save her.

But he knew damn well Owen wouldn’t take the chance.

Owen dropped the weapon. “Just let her go. You can do whatever you want to me, but let Rebecca go.”

“Excellent.” Levi seemed perfectly calm despite the fact that he was surrounded. “Now the rest of you can do the same or you’ll lose more than the lovely Dr. Walsh. I’m not actually sure what’s in this needle. I only know that Dr. McDonald thought it was a cure in case she ever needed to access one of her soldier’s past memories. At least that’s what her notes said. She’d never actually tried it. So back off or I’ll use this on him. Solo, you know you can’t kill me.”

“I can let Beck kill you,” Solo said, but she lowered her weapon.

“I don’t think that was within the parameters of your mission,” Levi replied with a chuckle that held not an ounce of humor. “She’s playing all of you, you know.”

Or Levi was lying. Robert looked down at Ariel. They couldn’t see her, might have missed her coming in with the rest of them. She nodded up at him as though she understood.

“Robert, I meant what I said. Lay down that gun,” Levi commanded.

“I’m okay, Rob.” Tucker’s words came out shaky.

“Stay still, brother. Don’t move.” He had to get Tucker out of this. The problem was they were only going to get one shot and they needed to take out two people.

“Rob, I’m okay,” Tucker said, more solid now. “Do what you have to do. I’m okay. I’m going to be okay.”

Tucker was telling him to take out Dante, to make the choice to sacrifice him if they had to. He was choosing Rebecca’s life and Owen’s happiness over his own.

Ezra hadn’t put down his gun yet and neither had Theo. Jax was too far back, but if the fighting started again, he would move in.

He caught Tucker’s gaze, saw the resolve there. Tucker was ready for anything that might happen. He was at peace with it.

He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if Rebecca died.

“I’m not joking, Robert,” Levi warned. “I’m going to do this if you don’t put that fucking gun down. All of you.”

He would do it anyway. Levi had always meant to do this. He’d always meant to shove that needle in Tucker’s neck to try to unleash the beast inside him. It’s what he’d been building toward the whole time.

Rob glanced down and gave Ariel the signal.

Ariel rose. Time seemed to slow for him, but he knew it couldn’t have been more than a second or two. He watched as she rose and without a single hesitation took the shot.

A hole appeared in the middle of Dante’s forehead and his big body dropped.

Owen was on Rebecca in a heartbeat, throwing his body over hers and getting her out of the line of fire because the last two mercenaries were still fighting.

Robert took his own, firing at the last of Levi’s men.

He turned the gun on Levi, but Tucker was in the way. They were too close in height to get a solid line of fire.

“Well, that didn’t go the way I wanted it to.” Levi sighed. “At least I’ll still get something out of it. Time to wake up, Razor.”

Robert yelled as Levi pushed the plunger and Tucker’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.

Robert took aim because Levi wasn’t living through this.

Solo stepped in front of the gun. “I’m so sorry, Robert. I can’t let you do that.” She touched her ear. “Boys, it’s time. Take him into custody. Dr. Walsh, I think you should check on Tucker.”

“Kim, what’s going on?” Ariel’s hand brushed his as she came to stand beside him.

“What do you think is going on?” Ezra’s eyes burned as he took in his ex-wife. “She used us and now she’s going to save her boyfriend and take the data. I should have known this would happen.”

A group of men in all black moved into the room like the black ops team they were. These weren’t mercenaries. This was pure American military, and they obviously answered to Solo.

“I feel okay.” Tucker was still on his feet. His hands were shaking, but he was able to move away from Levi, who was surrounded by Solo’s men. “A little dizzy, but I’m okay.”

Robert rushed to Tucker. Ariel was right behind him. Tucker had gone pale, but he seemed solid. He wouldn’t be satisfied until they’d figured out what the hell Levi had shoved into his system.

“Let me take a look at him.” Rebecca’s hands were shaking, but she moved to examine Tucker.

“Beck, I’m so sorry it happened this way, but I need Levi alive,” Solo said, her voice low. There was a look of naked pain on her face when Ezra took a step back from her. “I’m following orders.”

“Yes, she’s only following orders.” Levi was in handcuffs but he was still breathing, so Robert couldn’t call it a win. He was also flanked by several soldiers, as if they’d been ordered to ensure the man survived. “Looks like I’m walking away with the girl again, Ezra. Your girl.”

“You can have her.” Ezra turned his back.

“Beck, please. I’m following the letter of my orders. Can’t you see that? I should take Tucker, too, but I’m not going to. I’m going to leave that part out of my briefing. Come with me.” Solo sounded vulnerable. “You can be right there when I interrogate him. We need to figure out what he knows. I can make this right. I can get you back in the Agency. Come with me.”

“The funny thing is I was going to ask you to have coffee with me when all this was done.” Ezra shook his head, a rueful gesture. “You got me. You always did. At least you showed your true colors before I got back in deep.”

“Beck, you have to know I’m doing this for you,” Solo said.

“Are we under arrest?” Ezra asked.

“No.” Solo shook her head. “Absolutely not, and we’re going to clean the whole place up. We’re taking care of everything so you can get your people out. I promise this is going to work in your favor in the end.” Her cell phone rang and her face fell. “I have to take this. Please wait for me. We can talk. We need to debrief.”

“We have nothing at all to talk about.” Every word from Ezra’s mouth dripped with ice. “And I can’t wait. I have to get my team back to London before Damon realizes Jax is gone. Good-bye Solo.”

Solo took a deep breath and answered her cell. “Good evening, Mr. President.”

She walked off to talk to her boss.

He couldn’t think about it right now. He had to focus on Tucker. “How is he doing?”

Ariel was right behind him, her hand on his shoulder. “We should get him to a hospital.”

Tucker shook his head. “No. I want to go home. I’ll be fine. You can’t take me to a hospital. You know why.”

Tucker tried to stand, but his eyes rolled back and Robert had to catch him.

Tucker’s body began to seize and Rebecca shouted out.

He looked down at his brother and prayed he would survive.