“Renata was babbling to the nurses when she was delirious,” Sandra answered the question in her eyes. “All I can say is she’s led a very interesting life.”
Charly hoped she had not confessed to murder. High fever definitely could cause altered realities and hallucinations.
Bristow buzzed the intercom to their lab. “Are you almost ready, Charly? Garrison wants us home within the hour.”
Charly knew he couldn’t say more because Sandra was with her. “Give me fifteen. We’re done here but need to clean up.”
“Copy that.”
When Bristow signed off, Sandra nudged her. “Does Ginger boy have a girlfriend?”
“I haven’t asked. So far, I haven’t seen him with anyone.”
“He seems like the strong, silent type. You’re surrounded by hotties. I’m jealous.”
“Don’t be. Putting up with a bunch of type-A personalities will give you permanent heartburn.” Or migraine.
“Reaally?” Sandra teased. “I don’t see you complaining about Mr. Latin Lover.”
Charly gave a shake of her head and smiled, thankful that continuous air in her positive-pressure suit cooled her burning cheeks. It had been seven days since Antonio left for Rio de Janeiro. He said he had a few loose ends to tie up with Andrade Industries, but the good news was that Ponce-Neto had given up information that could help them figure out the murky family tree of the Skoryks.
After emerging from the personal shower, they both exited the lab. Bristow was already waiting right at the exit.
“Dr. Bennett!” A guard hurried toward them. “Your father is making a scene in the lobby.”
“Our car is right at the covered parking,” Bristow muttered.
“Let’s see what he wants,” Charly sighed.
“No. Stay here. After what he did to your wrists, I don’t want him to even breathe on you,” the former Navy SEAL stated grimly. “I’ll take care of him.”
“But …” Charly made to follow the guard and Bristow, but Sandra pulled her back. “Didn’t you hear the man? He said stay.” Sandra looked around and checked her watch. “Tell you what. Let’s go to the break room and see what’s in the fridge. They’ve been stocking it with gelato recently. Just text him to let you know when to come out.”
“Hmm …”
“It could take a while.”
The break room was just down the other hallway, but when they turned into the corridor, four men dressed in black with their faces covered approached with guns raised.
“I’m so sorry, Charly,” Sandra whispered behind her. “They have my family.”
Charly spun around and immediately slammed into a wall of black.
A hand gripped her shoulder and she slowly raised her eyes to her assailant’s face. With his other hand, he lifted the mask, revealing scarred flesh and eyes that gleamed of malice.
Marco “Jacaré” Cordova.
“What’s going on here?” a voice spoke behind them.
Charly glanced behind her and saw the microbiologist on their team stagger back into the break room.
“No,” Sandra whispered. “Don’t hurt them.”
“Kill them all,” Jacaré ordered.
A scream lodged in Charly’s throat as a hand covered her mouth and a needle stabbed her neck.
Charly fought and clawed as she was hauled bodily to the emergency exit that was always supposed to be locked.
On their way to the garage, bodies of the security guards littered the skyway until finally her vision dimmed.
Then it was lights out.
29
Why the fuck was no one answering their phones?
It should be noon in Los Angeles and he would be arriving in the City of Angels in nine hours just as soon as Oscar got them up in the air. Antonio paced the hangar, recalling the last time he made a grand entrance … when he decided to go after Charly. In a way, he was going after her again. He was determined to get rid of all the dangers surrounding them.
Martinez did find records of Olga Skoryk’s 1996 expedition to the Amazon jungle. He combed all the documents and, at first glance, there didn’t seem to be anything amiss that would point to Marco Cordova. But it appeared the passenger manifest of the plane that took them back to Kiev had been altered to allow one extra passenger.
Jacaré surviving was almost a given. What remained a question was Olga’s brother and how he was involved in all this.
The CIA had a lot to answer for, unless Garrison hadn’t been in the loop. Antonio knew the agency consisted of layers, but it was impossible he didn’t know of this one, especially since it was right under his nose.
He glanced at his phone again, irritation rising inside him. Had he become chopped liver already that they didn’t need him?
Jacaré was not finished, but Detective Woodward had assured Antonio that they would post police officers to guard both entrances of Downtown Medical to protect Renata.
He swiped Charly’s number and it rang repeatedly until her voicemail picked up and he left his fifth message in the past four hours. “Charly, minha querida,” he sighed. “Please ignore my rant earlier. I’m just disappointed I was not able to talk to you. I’m coming home. So, expect me.” He was about to end the call when he added, “I love you.”
He turned around to see Nico staring at him with his mouth open.
“What?”
“You said the L word.” Nico grinned smugly.
“Don’t be a child,” Antonio muttered and strode past the young man to get on the plane. When Nico snorted a laugh behind him, Antonio was tempted to double back and smack the young man upside of the head.
Antonio was new to this love thing.
He strode down to the cockpit. “Oscar, how much longer?”
“Yes, Oscar, how much longer?” Nico parroted behind him. “Our boss is anxious to see his lady love.”
Antonio scowled at the young man. “It’s not too late to leave you behind.”
“Aw, Tio Antonio,” Nico stuck his lower lip out. “We need some good news and Tio Luis approved you know?”
Nico spoke the truth. Words backed up Antonio’s throat, and he had to force them out. “How would you know?”
“He told me of your conversation in the limo on the way to the unveiling.”
“What are you doing, Antonio?” Luis
