Undercover Captor (Shadow Agents #5)(41)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“Die?” Anton finished.

“No,” Mercer snarled.

“I’ll trade my life for theirs,” Tina said.

Anton smiled. “I was wondering when someone would finally see reason.”

She didn’t think this man had seen reason in a very, very long time.

Anton’s lips pursed as he seemed to think about her offer. The silence and the tension stretched in the little room until—

“Mercer stays with me,” Anton finally said as he inclined his head. “Every minute. I want to see his face when he learns of your death.”

He was going to take her offer.

“You and your agent there… I’ll tell you exactly where to go. My men don’t need to take you there. They’ll just be waiting for you to arrive.”

No, more like waiting for them to walk into a trap, but Tina stayed quiet. He was talking, and that was what she’d wanted him to do.

“They’re hidden in a Mardi Gras float graveyard in New Orleans.” He rattled off the address easily, almost as if it didn’t matter. “You’ll find it near the river. Get down there, and only you two go in. The place is wired, and if more agents show, my men have orders to detonate. They’ll kill the women in an instant.”

Tina forced herself to speak through numb lips. “We can’t get down there fast enough. The time you gave us—”

He laughed. “Bring me a phone. Mercer’s phone will do nicely. I’ll tell the men to keep them alive, until you get there.”

We can’t believe anything he says.

“Remember, dear, only you and your agent Lancaster are to go in. Try to send in any cops or other agents first and you’ll watch the world explode.”

* * *

DREW DRAGGED TINA out of the interrogation room. His hold was too hard, too rough, but he couldn’t let her go.

He pushed her into the first empty office that he found. His glare made sure no one followed them inside. He slammed the door. Rounded on her. “What the hell are you doing?”

Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes glittered up at him. “Saving your family.”

“By sacrificing yourself?” He wanted to shake her. He wanted to kill Anton Devast.

“I’m not going to die.” She said the words with total confidence. “We just bought time, and we’ll be able to figure this out.”

Oh, damn it, that trust again. She had to stop seeing him through rose-colored glasses. See me for what I am. “We go in that building, we find them—and we are going to face off against at least a dozen of Anton’s men. They aren’t just going to let me grab my sisters and walk away. They’re going to try to take you.”

“That’s why we will have backup. Anton said that other agents couldn’t go in first. They can be there, though, waiting for the perfect moment to attack—”

She didn’t understand. Tina hadn’t lived her life, day in and day out, with evil. She wasn’t getting the way that men like Anton Devast operated. “The minute we walk in that door, he could order the explosion. End us all in one instant. Backup won’t do any good then. There will only be pieces left of us.”

Tina flinched.

I’m hurting her. He immediately dropped his hold. Stepped back.

“It’s not much of a plan,” Tina said, voice soft. “But it’s the only one I had. Now we know where your sisters are. We have their location. We can get them out.”

And all I have to do is trade your life for theirs.

“You’re not even his daughter.” He’d go back in there. Tell Devast the truth—

“That doesn’t matter anymore.” Then she laughed, and it was a bitter sound, so unlike anything he’d ever heard from Tina. “Actually, maybe the lie is the only thing that does matter at this point. Because if Anton thought I wasn’t Mercer’s real daughter, then your sisters would be dead. He wants us in New Orleans. He wants us in that building, and as long as we are still alive—we have a chance.”

He hated this. “I don’t want you at risk.”

She walked toward him and closed the space he’d created. Tina touched his cheek. Her fingers were light against that rough scar. She’d never minded his scars.

I can’t let her die.

But he couldn’t stand aside and let his sisters suffer.

“We won’t go in unarmed. We’ll get hooked up to EOD surveillance. Mercer and his men can watch our every step. Sharpshooters can be placed around the building.” She was speaking so quickly now, her words tumbled together. “They can learn the locations of Anton’s men from us. They can give us backup. We can do this.”

He pulled her against his body. Put his mouth on hers. Kissed her—hard and deep and desperately.

She was trying to be so confident, but she was wrong. He’d been on so many missions that had gone to hell without warning. You couldn’t predict every moment. Could never plan for every contingency.

They were taking the bait Anton offered, but were both of them coming out alive?

It was a long shot.

“I trust you,” Tina whispered against his mouth. “We can do this.”

She shouldn’t trust him. Drew put his forehead against hers. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t.”

No, he wouldn’t let her die.

But I still might lose her.

The door opened behind her. Mercer stood there, filling the doorway. “This is a suicide mission.” His voice was grim. The lines on his face were deeper than Drew had ever seen them.

Tina turned in Drew’s arms so that she could face the director. “It’s only suicide if we don’t come back.” Her shoulders brushed against Drew’s chest. “We will.”

Mercer swallowed. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I never wanted this for you. If your father were here, he’d—”

“My father was a brave man. He wouldn’t leave three innocent women to die.”

Mercer advanced into the room. “You’re innocent.”

“They’re Drew’s sisters.” Her voice broke.

Drew’s own heart squeezed. She was risking everything—for him.

“You’re a lot like your father,” Mercer whispered. “He was always so damned proud of you.” Mercer straightened his shoulders. His gaze turned to Drew. “I know you’d prefer for your own team to have your back on this one, Lancaster, but Mancini is recovering in the hospital right now. She’s out, but Dylan is on his way to the airport. Two other EOD agents—Gunner Ortez and Logan Quinn—will meet you in New Orleans. Gunner is the best damn sharpshooter I have. I want his eyes on that building at all times. On you.”