So, step one, make sure Kay made it safe and sound to ASI undetected, then step two, get the motherfucker who'd targeted her.
It felt good to have a plan.
Kay was still pounding the keyboard, frowning, when he pulled up in front of a ten-story city-run garage, then turned into it. Joe and Jacko were on the second story, as arranged. Jacko was wearing his usual scowl. He saved all his smiles for his wife. Joe-who'd nearly died on his last mission and had lost so much weight his kidney had slipped-was back to fighting weight. Of course, living with a world-class chef didn't hurt.
"Honey," Nick said as he pulled up beside the white Transit van. She hadn't even heard him, peering into the screen as if it held the secrets to the universe. Well, maybe it did. "Honey," he said again, touching her shoulder.
Kay blinked and surfaced. "Oh!" She looked around at the garage, puzzled. "Where are we?"
"We're switching vehicles. You're going on to ASI and I … have a few things to see to. I'll join you at ASI later."
She stared at him, her eyes so very blue, the only spot of color in the gray garage. "You guys have found out where this guy is, haven't you? And you're going after him."
Goddamn. Nick sighed. It was going to be hard living with Kay if she was going to be able to read his mind so easily. "Yeah, I'm tagging along with the police. And you're going to ASI to do your thing with Felicity."
She nodded. "Fine. There's some data I'd like her to help me with."
Oh God, he could have kissed her. She wasn't clamoring to go with him. She was letting him do his thing while she did hers. He was really good at what he did and she was really good at what she did.
Teamwork.
He could have kissed her on the mouth. Then thought-what the hell. Leaning over, he gave her a noisy smack on the lips. It was so fast, she didn't have time to react, just stared at him with that luscious mouth slightly open.
"What was that for?"
"Oh, nothing," he said casually. "Just that I love you."
Nick got out and walked around to the passenger side of the SUV. Kay was looking slightly shell-shocked as he helped her down.
She was off balance. Good. He'd been off balance since he'd met her. Evened things up a bit. Why should he be the only one stumbling?
"What did you say?" she demanded.
Nick gave what he hoped was a mysterious smile. "You heard me." He held her arm while walking her to Joe. It wasn't just a gentlemanly gesture. He liked touching her, he liked the idea of delivering her over to Joe's care, like precious cargo. She was precious cargo, the most precious in the world.
Nick speared Joe with a cold glare. They'd fought in Afghanistan together and they understood each other just fine without words.
Take care of her. If anything happens to her, I'll hold you responsible.
It's okay. I got her.
Kay was watching their faces, eyes flicking from his face to Joe's.
"You got the place?" Joe asked.
"Yeah." He did. On his cell, he had an address and GPS coordinates. He also had where the SWAT team was staging, with a detailed map of the area.
Kay got into the van with Joe, watching solemnly as Nick crossed to get into another SUV driven by Jacko. This one rode lower than the one he'd driven. It was heavily armored.
Kay mouthed, I love you too.
Nick nodded and Jacko pulled out. It took all of Nick's willpower not to turn around for one last glimpse of her.
"She'll be okay," Jacko rumbled in his basso profundo voice.
"Yup."
"Doesn't make it any easier."
"Nope."
They rode in silence, Nick reading over what intel they had as Jacko navigated the streets. They were all good drivers and in SEAL training, they'd all taken combat driving lessons. But Jacko had lived in Portland longer than Nick, who was a newcomer. He was driving.
"Bud's planning on going in hot," Jacko said after fifteen minutes of silence. They were driving through a light industrial area, mostly warehouses, most of them rundown. Every once in a while, Nick caught sight of the river, steel gray, white-capped.
The weather had turned unexpectedly cold and windy.
Nick didn't give a fuck, barely noticed. The only effect it had on him was ballistically-recalculating windage if it came to snipering.
Because the cops might have rules, but Nick didn't.
That sick fuck was going down.
ASI Headquarters
Kay had almost forgotten how beautiful ASI headquarters was. Well, of course. John's wife Suzanne was amazingly talented. At one point, John and Suzanne had lived on the premises but as ASI grew, it took over the building, which had once been a shoe factory.