The other man’s dark eyes narrowed, but he nodded.
There hadn’t been a guard at the back door before, but Jack wasn’t taking the risk. They rushed down the rest of the hallway. When they reached the metal door, Jack opened it two inches.
Relief slammed into him. It was clear. Grasping Vargas’s upper arm, he jerked him outside. Once they were in the relative safety of the SUV, Jack secured the man’s cuffs to the side handle, then gunned the engine. Their window of opportunity to escape undetected was rapidly shrinking.
Getting Vargas out of holding was only half of his problem. Actually getting off the property undetected was going to be the hard part. Instead of driving parallel to the fence outlining the property, he drove behind two hangars, then made a sharp left and sped across the tarmac. The NSA had given orders that all flights be grounded. By driving this way he was putting them out in the open, but the path to the back gate was a lot shorter.
“Where are you taking me?” Vargas snapped.
“Your friend Chadwick wants to make a trade.” Fear for Sophie’s safety a living thing inside him, Jack glanced in the rearview mirror as he maneuvered around parked planes. No one was behind them.
“You know about him?” Vargas’s voice was cautious.
“I do now.”
“I take it from our escape that you are working alone.” It wasn’t a question.
“Your friend has something I want.” Jack’s fingers flexed around the steering wheel. The back gate was still open. No doubt from when Sophie and Chadwick left. Jack was counting down the seconds until he wrapped his hands around that bastard’s neck. When he’d heard Sophie cry out in pain, he nearly lost it. The knowledge that if he’d reacted he would have put her in more danger was the only thing that stopped him.
“Something or someone?”
Yeah, as if he was going to have that conversation with Vargas. “How long have you worked with Chadwick?”
He shrugged. “Long enough.”
Nice, evasive answer. “Who approached whom?”
Vargas shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “We approached him, of course.”
Somehow Jack doubted that. Jack was silent as he followed the signs toward I-95.
“Ninety-five South? Where are you taking me?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Intentionally, Jack jerked the vehicle sharply as he took the ramp onto the highway. When he did, he retrieved his phone from his pocket and held it down next to his left leg. His phone was usually set to silent, but he’d also set the tone to mute.
Wesley was going to be pissed, but texting him was the only way to communicate.
The message was choppy at best, but Wesley would figure it out. Or at least Jack hoped he would.
After pressing SEND, Jack made a show of pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialed Chadwick. Even though Vargas looked uninterested, Jack knew the man was watching his every move. He redialed Chadwick’s number and waited.
He answered midring. “Do you have him?”
“Yes.”
“Good, put me on speaker.”
Jack did as the man ordered.
“Miguel?” Chadwick spoke.
“I’m here,” Vargas said.
“Is anyone following you?”
Vargas turned around as he answered, “Not that I am aware of.”
“Is anyone with you?”
“No, he’s working alone. Took out two of his men to free me.”
“Can you get us out of the country?”
By now Wesley would have grounded every flight in Florida. Something he had the power to do and something Chadwick no doubt knew. Chadwick’s order to free Vargas was a tricky bet, but Jack understood why he’d done it. He clearly didn’t have all the funds he wanted to live his life on the run, and a man like that, who’d betrayed his country, would never be satisfied without all the money he’d been counting on. However much it was, Jack could only guess.
Vargas looked at Jack, a smirk playing across his hard features. “Do not worry about the transportation. I have men on standby.”
“Good. As soon as we get off the phone, Jack, you’re going to throw your phone out. If you don’t, Miguel will tell me at the meet and your girlfriend will pay.”
“Where’s the meet?”
“Do you know where the Channel Five Bridge is in Long Key?”
He’d grown up in south Florida. Of course he knew. “Yes.”
“Turn off onto that abandoned strip right before the original Overseas Highway.”
“We’ll be there.”
“If you’re not, your girlfriend dies.”
“If you don’t have the information you promised, you won’t make it to jail.”
Chadwick hung up.
Though he was loath to do it, Jack tossed his cell out the window. He’d give the slimy bastard credit. He’d covered a lot of his bases. Just not all of them.
“What information has he promised you?” Vargas asked.
Jack shrugged and increased his speed.
“How do you know he won’t betray you?” Vargas spoke again.
Jack internally smiled. Vargas was getting nervous. “I don’t, but he’s got better information than you. I’m willing to take the risk.”
Vargas was silent, so Jack reopened the conversation. “There’s a man that works for you I’m interested in. You sent him after me a few days ago.”
“I don’t know who you are talking about.”
Jack gave a brief description of Levi but didn’t say his name because he assumed Levi had used an alias. Vargas didn’t respond, so Jack guessed he knew exactly who he referred to. “Why wasn’t he with you today?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Like I said, it’s personal.” Jack couldn’t give the guy a reason, so either he told him or he didn’t.
Vargas shifted against the leather seat, causing his handcuffs to jangle against the side bar. He didn’t speak for so long Jack gave up on him answering. Finally Vargas sighed. “What does it matter? The man you speak of doesn’t work for me anymore.”
“Why not?”
“He did a few contract jobs, then left to hook up with some Russians—which he thinks I don’t know about. He did not follow orders well. Who is he?”
“I’ve been after him for a few years. Thanks for the tip.” Jack made a mental note about the Russians. He’d put Levi out of his mind for the past day, but he wanted to find his friend when all this was over. He just hoped Levi hadn’t gotten in over his head.
Chapter 22
FUBAR: Fucked-up Beyond All Recognition.
In the deafeningly silent vehicle, Sophie fought to keep it together. Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them back. It was hard, though, when she knew she was going to die.
Had no doubt about it. Jack didn’t give a shit about her. Only information and his damn job were important
