Nick had just reminded her that her old life was gone. Her friends, the job she loved-gone. The place she worked for, which to her had been the very epitome of virtue, everyone working hard to save lives … well, that place was compromised. Stained with blood and greed.
She mourned losing the CDC while anger burned hot in her heart. Corrupt men had tainted its mission-and they were going to pay. One man in particular if what she suspected was true.
But in the meantime, she'd been … orphaned. It was an odd word for what she felt, but it fit. She remembered the moment she heard that her parents had died. It had felt like that. Like the bottom of her world had suddenly disappeared, leaving a cold and empty abyss. Things she'd loved and counted on were gone.
But Nick's mention of a possible job at ASI, even a consultancy job, filled her with hope. She could do a good job for them, save lives. She knew most of the operators at ASI and she liked each and every one of them. She knew Suzanne and Allegra. Lauren, Isabel, Summer-they were all great women. And Felicity was one of her best friends.
Up until now the future hadn't been in her thoughts. The future was a great gray wall and she couldn't see over it or around it. The present was bad enough. But Nick had made her think of the future.
A future with ASI. Maybe. A future with Nick. Maybe.
If she survived the next 24 hours, which wasn't a given.
Bad men were after her, using the same high tech and ferocity armies used to hunt terrorists. Relentless and unyielding. Who knew how long she had to live?
Kay pushed open the door, expecting to find another huge server farm-and instead encountered a huge human wall with a ferocious scowl.
Adrenalin shot through her body.
Oh my God! This was the end! They'd found her!
The air whooshed out of her lungs as her heart set up a frantic tattoo. She screamed and tried to scramble back and met Nick. He held her arm.
Kay tried frantically to free herself. Didn't Nick understand that they'd been found? Why was he holding her back? Why weren't they running for their lives?
She scrabbled with her feet to get away from the huge, menacing man looming in the doorway. He was looking at her narrow-eyed, his enormous hands curled at his side. He wasn't reaching for a gun but with those hands, he didn't need one. It looked like his entire body was a weapon.
Fear tightened her throat. "Nick!" she croaked, her voice raw.
Nick's hands fell on her shoulders and he squeezed gently. His head bent and his lips brushed her ear. "It's okay, honey. He's one of the good guys."
Kay's eyes widened. Her heart was still hammering its way out of her chest.
One of the good guys?
He looked terrifying.
A few things broke through her terror. The man in the doorway wasn't moving; he was completely immobile. Surely if he was going to attack her, he'd move. Wouldn't he? And Nick wasn't attacking him. Nick was almost overly protective. If he felt the man was dangerous, wouldn't he do something? But Nick simply stood still, holding her shoulders. Against her back, she could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady and slow.
She stopped pressing against him, stilled her feet and simply stood, trembling.
"Kay, meet Matt Walker, the new guy at ASI. I've known him for ten years. He's a friend. I told you about him."
The terror in her calmed. Oh God. She'd lost it, totally. Nick had told her about Matt Walker, but she'd completely forgotten.
She tried a smile. "The guy who knocked out the warlord."
The man's face didn't change, but he nodded gravely. "Broke his jaw and three teeth."
"Excellent." She relaxed. "Yes, Nick told me about you." She hesitated then offered her hand, hoping he wouldn't crush it. She needed her hand for work. "How do you do?"
He shook her hand, taking it gently in his, giving a little up-down shake then giving it back to her.
Time to make amends. "I'm sorry I … reacted the way I did. Please accept my apologies."
He dipped his head in acknowledgement but said nothing.
Now that her mind wasn't rattled by panic, she saw he wasn't as huge as he first appeared to be. He was taller than Nick, but Nick was of average height. He was broadly built like Nick. But unlike Nick, he gave off an aura of menace. Or, if not menace … something. Something that made her want to take a step back.
The man, Matt, looked over her head to Nick. "Got a shuttle right here to get through this farm. Then a vehicle at the other end. It's shielded." He had a deep voice, like Nick, but gravelly, as if he didn't speak much.
"There another drone up top?"