The cat hopped off her lap and headed for the pillow at the head of the bed. She walked in a circle twice and lowered herself gracefully to the soft, downy pillow, closing her eyes, still purring.
Nina might be alive. Jude was heading for Dresden. Anna Beth Caine needed saving.
And it was all okay, because Ella had her team at her back.
It was time to kick some ass.
Chapter 20
Jude was cold. Sevastopol in the Crimea region of Ukraine wasn’t a pleasant place in the midst of winter, and as he watched Georgia head his way with a bottle of whiskey, his current state of mind made the location even less so.
“Have one,” Georgia said with a grin as she tossed back a shot of amber-colored liquor.
“I’ll pass,” Jude told her. “And maybe you should lay off a bit?”
Georgia had proven to be a valuable asset when he’d needed to get Ella out of Dresden’s house. On this go-round, she was proving to be a pain in the ass that he was struggling to keep sober. The woman could drink Jonah Knight under the table, and that was saying something. Jude had once watched Knight down an entire bottle of Scotch, then start in on a fifth of gin on the same night.
“You my daddy all of a sudden, Dagan?” Georgia asked, quirking a brow at him.
“Nope. You do you, G,” Jude replied with a shrug. His neck prickled. “What do you see?” he asked, leaning in as she gestured him to come closer.
“Looks like we’ve got company,” she whispered in his ear. “Fedir and his men just walked in.”
Jude glanced up as the man walked up and sat down, grabbing the whiskey Georgia had been drinking and pouring himself a snifter. “You the one needs ride to Simferopol?” His English was bad and so accented it was hard to follow.
“Yeah, I need transpo,” Jude said, “and Georgia told me you’ve got architectural plans for that mansion,” he added with a smile.
“I’ve got them. Cost you big,” Fedir said. “And I want know why you want.”
Jude shook his head. “Not your concern. I’ll pay whatever you’re asking.”
“I want go with,” Fedir said suddenly. “The devil in that house has my sister.”
“I don’t do rescues,” Jude said impatiently. What had Georgia gotten him into? He just wanted a fucking reliable vehicle and the plans to the bastard’s house.
“I go or no plans,” Fedir stated implacably.
He threw Georgia a look full of retribution.
“Come on, baby, let’s help him out,” Georgia wheedled. Something in her tone told Jude this was important to her too. He wished he knew why.
“You go, you handle your own business. I want the plans,” Jude bit out.
The man handed over a rolled set of plans and tossed back another whiskey. It seemed that was all people did here…drink.
“I always take care myself,” the man said darkly.
Jude grabbed the plans, stood, and tossed some money on the table. “We leave in the morning. Six.”
He walked out of the bar and headed toward the ship docked in one of the berths along the shore. He’d tracked Dresden out of his mountains and all the way to Ukraine. He had one mission—blowing Dresden’s head off.
Ella would be free. Jude would be free. Hell, the world would be free. That’s all that mattered to Jude right now. He didn’t give a shit about any shadowy group on the fringes of society looking for world order or power. He didn’t give a shit that the Piper was invested in all of this for personal reasons. He cared about two things: Ella and his team.
“Wait up,” Georgia called. “Jesus, Keeper, what’s your issue?”
He turned on her as they came to the ship. “Why are you here? What’s your op?”
She couldn’t meet his eyes, gazing instead over his left shoulder. “I’m only here helping you.”
“I’m calling bullshit.”
“Then call it,” she huffed, turning around and walking away.
“What do you owe the Piper?” he called out.
She stopped on a dime, spine stiffening, and Jude knew. She was in the Piper’s pocket. “You don’t want to know,” she whispered.
But Jude heard.
“I’m going to suggest you head back stateside. I’ve got it from here,” Jude replied.
“I can’t,” she said miserably.
“Tell me why,” he demanded.
“Because I’m not here for you, or Endgame. I’m here for Loretta Bernstein. She’s my objective.”
“She’ll eat you alive,” Jude told her. “I don’t know why the Piper involved you in this, but you’d do better heading home and taking refuge at Quantico. You aren’t cut out for CIA work, Georgia. They have no soul and will suck yours from your body to compensate.”
“I know, I know!” She paused. “But I owe him. He helped a friend of mine a few years ago when he was in a sticky situation in Afghanistan.”
“And that put your ass on the line? Must be a helluva friend. Because let me assure you, Loretta Bernstein will knock you down and keep moving,” Jude assured her. “The woman is a stone-cold killer. And how do you know she’s here anyway?”
“Got intel right before you called me wanting help here. I was coming and decided to let you hitch your wagon to mine.”
“Bullshit. The Piper told you I was headed this way and thought I’d help you out. I’m getting pretty sick of him manipulating me,” Jude growled.
She shrugged. “Okay, maybe.”
“Just like Fedir, you’re on your own. I’ve got one mission…eliminate Dresden. Other than that, nothing else matters to me. We clear? In, out, home.”
She nodded.
Jude’s satellite phone rang. He ignored it. In fact, he turned it off. He was solo now.
“You realize Endgame is headed this way?” she asked him suddenly.
“It doesn’t matter. I have a head start, and hopefully, I can put a bullet in Dresden’s brain before they get here.” His words were a vow.
“I’m heading back into town. There’s more information to be gained,” she told him.
He snorted. “Stop drinking, G.”
She snapped her fingers. “Shucks, you figured me out. Look,
