Deadly Game (GhostWalkers #5)(83)
Author: Christine Feehan

Ken rubbed his throbbing temples. There were so many threads, and he had to pull off a precision escape to get all the women out. Don’t worry about her. If he knows she’s pregnant, he grabbed her in case you all manage an escape. My guess is Sean tipped him off to what you’re all planning, and he doesn’t want to take a chance on losing her. Do you know where she’s being held?

The man who is paired with her is named Kane. He’s with her. Rose thinks he’ll help, but I’m afraid for her, and I have no idea where she is.

Damn it. This is getting complicated. I have to get back to Jack, hon. Hang in there. Ken swore again, rubbing his hand over his face. You get that, Jack?

Yeah, I got it. I say screw waiting for the senator. The waters are getting murkier. Grab your woman and let’s get the hell out of Dodge. Jack sounded decisive.

Ken had been contemplating precisely that all morning. He had reluctantly left Mari right before the guard came with her food. She hadn’t even clung to him. There was no last kiss, no protests, and no tears. She simply watched him sneak away, like a thief in the night. It shamed him to leave her there. He had made love to her and left his prints on her. The sex had been rough and wild. She had given him everything she was, and he had just left her there in that cage.

He despised himself. What kind of man would do that? None. Monsters did that. Sick, depraved men who didn’t respect a woman. He hit the back of his head against the cement wall and felt a burst of pain.

Cool it, bro, we’ve got company, Jack watched the small plane circle above their heads and begin descent. The senator is arriving. Jesse did some digging, and he thinks Whitney could have as many as twenty supersoldiers in his employ. Another psychic test was given out about six months ago.

Ken swore softly. There was no stopping Whitney. You know, Jack, Whitney isn’t just a mad scientist conducting illegal experiments. He has too much help and he’s too well covered. He’s up to something far bigger than we ever imagined. And he can’t be alone in this like we all thought.

The plane is down. I see two men getting off. Neither is familiar. Jack crawled through the thick foliage for a better view. He adjusted the viewfinder. Nope, I don’t recognize any of them, but Violet knows them. She’s acting very comfortable with them. Whoever they are, they’re GhostWalkers. They’re covering the senator like a blanket.

Ken hated being trapped inside the walls, unable to see for himself what was going on. He didn’t trust Violet at all. He wanted to get Mari out. His goal had narrowed to one person.

We’ve got trouble, Ken. Sniper lying up in the trees about a hundred and fifty yards from me. Oh yeah. I recognize that son of a bitch. Remember Mitch? Big guy, smart mouth. Thought he could take the instructor and ended up staying in bed for a week? He’s got to be one of Whitney’s supersoldiers.

Jack watched the woman walking beside the senator. She looked confident and tough. Her gaze was restless, searching the trees and bluffs, and twice she said something to one of the senator’s guards and he immediately moved a step or two to further blanket her husband. Senator Freeman reached out and took Violet’s hand even as he nodded and smiled, clearly feeling as though he was safe.

There’s no way the senator and Violet believe that Whitney put a hit out on him, Jack reported. They’re walking in like they own the place. They’re cautious, but not ‘we’re f**ked’ cautious.

And Violet thinks she’s safe because she managed to get her own team in place. The senator must have been the one who tapped someone at the top to change the team, Ken concluded.

Mari’s got to warn them, Ken.

Ken rested his head in his hands. He didn’t want to have Mari get in the middle of Whitney and the senator’s battle. And she would.

There was deep affection in Mari’s voice when she spoke of Violet. She obviously thought of the woman as family. And if Mari got in the middle of Whitney’s fight with the senator, her chances of survival took a sharp downturn. Whitney already disliked her. She was a rebel and stirred the other women to mutiny. If he decided to eliminate one of the women to keep the others in line, his most likely choice would be Mari.

If they’re walking in like they own the place—maybe they do. Maybe we have this all wrong, Jack. We know Freeman helped Whitney lure us to the Congo. Maybe they’re strutting because they have reason. Mari trusts Violet, but that doesn’t mean Violet’s not part of this whole thing. She could have sold out for money and power. People do it all the time. Fuck the senator and his wife, I’m not letting Mari risk her life for them.

Ken felt Mari stirring in his mind. Violet says they’re on their way up.

Don’t you tell her anything, Mari, about your escape plans, Ken cautioned. Think of the other women. I’ll be monitoring the conversation, so don’t worry about relaying me information.

Senator Ed Freeman and his wife, Violet, entered the facility, flanked by the security team. Mari, we’re going to come talk to you about things and then Ed will straighten everything out with Dr. Whitney. Violet’s voice was calm, controlled, and very confident.

We want out of this facility, Violet.

There was a slight hesitation on Violet’s part, but when she replied, her voice was even smoother. Ed is going to try to help. I told him about the breeding program and he thinks it’s appalling. He’s ashamed he ever helped Whitney.

Mari pulled back abruptly. On some level she had known, but the confirmation of the senator’s complicity still shocked her. What did he do for Whitney?

There was a small silence. He didn’t know about us, Mari.

Don’t make excuses; just tell me what he did.

Violet sighed, clearly reluctant. He was on the appropriations committee and kept Whitney well funded.

And . . . , Mari prompted.

Violet was silent for another long moment. Ken’s stomach hardened into knots. He resisted sending another warning to Mari.

Mari, we’re here to help you. This is unnecessary.

Maybe to you. I don’t think you’re all that safe, Violet. You and your husband may be the ones needing help. You’ve been away from Whitney a long time.

What does that mean? What do you know?

Mari caught the impression of Violet striding down a narrow hall, suddenly looking around herself warily. Answer me, Violet, or you’re on your own.

Damn it, Mari. We came here to help you. Violet hesitated again and then capitulated. He helped Whitney draw a couple of GhostWalkers to the Congo for some experiment he was conducting. Ed didn’t bother to ask what it was. He just was the bait to draw the men there. In return, Whitney and the others put him in a good position for the vice-presidential candidacy.