the other two analysts too. She wouldn’t have that blood on her hands.
He shoved open the back door with startling force, then dropped her arm and pulled out a key fob. She jumped when an alarm beep sounded. He trained his gun on her once again and handed her the keys. “You’re driving.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“We’re just taking a little drive.” He took a step forward and pushed the gun to her chest.
She froze at the feel of cold steel pressing through her shirt. Uncontrollable shivers rippled through her. She’d only ever felt like this once before. When her foster father had pressed a knife to her neck—
She clutched the keys in her hand. The jagged metal piercing her skin forced her to think. Wordlessly she moved away from him and toward the SUV. He followed suit and got into the passenger side, never taking that gun off her.
“There’s a back way out of here, so follow my directions. If you listen, you just might make it out of this alive.”
She started the engine, then kicked it into drive. “Why are you doing this?”
“You’re my ticket out of the country.” He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and laid it in his lap. “Follow this way.” He pointed toward the right. The private airport was large, but the layout was simple.
She knew exactly where he was taking her. The back exit was where she and Jack had entered the first time. She kept driving parallel to the surrounding fence until they came to the opening. She started slowing the vehicle even before he ordered her to stop.
“Get out and roll the fence back. Don’t do anything stupid.” As if to prove his point, he shifted his gun to his other hand, straightening it in her direction.
Without looking at him, she slid from the vehicle and did as he instructed. If there had been neighboring woods or any place she could run, she’d have taken the chance. As it was, there was nothing but a semi- demolished building across the street. The building might provide some cover, but it wasn’t likely she’d make it across the four-lane road, over the other fence, and into the building without being shot in the back.
And she really didn’t want to die that way. Okay, she didn’t want to die period. The only thing that gave her hope was the fact that he hadn’t shot her yet. He needed her for something, which meant he would keep her alive until then.
“Turn left and follow this road until you see signs for 95 South, then get on,” he ordered as she slid back into the driver’s seat.
Then he pulled out a phone and dialed a number before pressing SPEAKER and placing it on the dash.
When Jack’s familiar voice came on the line, her hands jerked against the wheel.
“Yeah?” Jack said.
“If you ever want to see your girlfriend alive again, you will do exactly as I say.”
“Who is this?”
“Thomas Chadwick. Now listen carefully. Sophie’s life depends on it.”
Sophie clutched the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. She thought about speeding up and trying to crash, but he was strapped in too and still firmly held the gun on her. If she tried, she’d probably end up shot.
“I’m listening,” Jack growled.
“You’re going to trade Vargas’s life for Sophie’s.”
“No.” Jack’s answer was automatic.
With that one word, Sophie’s heart cracked wide open.
“I don’t think you understand the situation.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Sophie watched her captor reach into his pocket. Before she realized what he was doing, he flashed a knife in her direction. With the click of a button, the blade whipped open and he sliced into her arm.
“Aah.” Instinctively she swerved as he cut her. She cried out as the pain registered. Blood dripped all over the seat and her jeans. Her arm throbbed, but the laceration was shallow at best.
“Sophie?” Jack’s deep voice raked over her.
Thomas answered. “She’s fine. Just a little cut. If you don’t do what I say, she’ll have bigger cuts all over her body. Bitch won’t be recognizable by the time you get to her.”
Ice chilled her veins. She’d die before she let that bastard torture her.
“Why do you want Vargas?” Jack asked.
“He owes me a lot of money and I can’t get out of the country without it or him. I
For a moment Sophie’s world went fuzzy. That meant Vargas had definitely been captured. Before she ran to the bathroom, he’d still been free. “Is Hannah alive?” she asked before she could think about censoring herself.
“She’s fine,” Jack answered.
“One more word out of you, and I’ll cut through your muscle.” Thomas didn’t yell, but his voice had a deadly edge to it that told her he’d have no problem following through with his threat.
Biting her lip, she focused on the road in front of her and tried to block out the pain in her arm.
“As I was saying, you’ll bring Vargas to a location of my choice and I’ll give you the girl. It’s a simple trade and no one has to get hurt.”
Jack was silent on the other end for painfully long. “You know I can’t give you Vargas. He’s too valuable.”
Thomas looked in her direction, but she stared straight ahead. Tears stung her eyes, but she fought them back.
“You don’t care what happens to the girl?”
“Vargas is too valuable, so if that’s all you’ve got, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” Jack’s voice was monotone, uncaring.
Then he disconnected.
All the air sucked from Sophie’s lungs. Tears blinded her vision, but she managed to keep the vehicle straight. There was a sign for 95 South, so she turned right as the man next to her cursed.
“How long have you known Stone?” Thomas demanded.
“A few days.” Her words came out scratchy and unsteady. She tried to ignore the jagged talons of the raw pain raking through her, but it was impossible. Jack didn’t care what happened to her. She was expendable. A sob built in her throat, but somehow she managed to shove it down. Just barely.
“Damn it! I thought . . .” He tapped the gun against his leg, then made another call. Thomas didn’t put him on speaker this time, but in the quiet vehicle, she could hear every word.
Jack answered immediately. “I told you I’m not making a deal.”
His words were just one more nail in her coffin and one more punch to the gut.
“I can give you information on Vargas, but, more important, on his contact, Abu al-Ramaan. No matter what he says, Vargas doesn’t know shit about the man. I’ve got a list of probable targets and a list of Abu’s contacts along the East Coast and some in California. He wants to unleash biological terror within the next couple months. I’m the only man who can help you.”
“How could you possibly have this information?”
“You think I keep all my eggs in one basket? Vargas would kill or betray me with no problem. Unfortunately I need my fucking money. I’ve worked too hard to get shortchanged now. I know you guys will hunt me down, but with enough cash, you’ll never find me. It always pays to have a backup plan.” He sounded so proud of himself. So smug and sure.
“Where do you want to meet?”
“Uh-uh. You get Vargas, then head south. Once you’re on the road, call me and I’ll give you further instructions. If I even think you’ve brought a team, I’ll put a bullet in her head before you can get within a mile.”
“Your information better be good.”
“Trust me, it is. Oh, and, Jack?”
