She glared at him, feeling more than a little insulted at his genuine shock. She’d been trying to help. “I would’ve been fine, Warrick.”
His hands slipped to her shoulders, his strong fingers biting into her flesh as he glowered down at her. “No, you wouldn’t have. What the hell were you thinking? You’re so damn impulsive. God help you if your brother knew what you were up to.”
Even as her flesh burned where his fingers touched her, it was anger that heated her belly now. “You know, if those things are friends of yours, you could try being a little grateful that I was attempting to help them.”
“Grateful?” he repeated. “Have you seen the state they’re in?”
“They’re a little…”
“They’re damn near feral, Sienna. They have no control over themselves right now. You have no idea what they even are, do you? Never mind what you were getting into.”
Oh, she had a decent clue what they were after reading the files earlier today. Accepting it came a little slower. But now having seen them…
“I could’ve handled it,” she muttered defiantly.
He gave a harsh laugh. “The hell you could have. And when we find out what’s been done to them…” His grip tightened on her shoulders and his expression darkened. “Hold on a minute. You know what’s been going on, don’t you?”
Her pulse quickened and she drew her bottom lip between her teeth. For a moment, she wanted to tell him everything. Explain the jump drive and everything she’d seen on it. Because this was Warrick, the only one she’d trusted to put a bandage on her scraped knee when she was a child. And right now, more than anything, she wanted Warrick to step in and fix things again. Tell her everything would be okay.
But then she remembered the words Leo whispered as he’d folded the jump drive into her palm this morning.
I’ve done a terrible thing, but it can be made right. Give the information on this file to your father. Don’t trust anyone with this. You may run into someone who thinks they are friends of these creatures—but all is not as it seems. You can only trust your father. He is the key to saving them.
And it was just a little too coincidental that Warrick would show up tonight. What reason did she have to trust him? He’d broken her trust six years ago. How could she really be sure that Warrick wasn’t here to hurt the creatures?
What if his only intent was for him and his friends to free the things and then have them terminated? How did she know he wasn’t just as sick and secretive as her employer?
“Sienna?”
Trust no one but my father, she repeated the mantra in her head.
Forcing her expression to become blank, she gave a small shrug and lied outright. “I don’t have a clue what’s been going on.”
Warrick swore quietly and glanced beyond his shoulder off into the darkness. A moment later he turned back to look at her. “The hell you don’t. I’m sorry, Sienna.”
“For what?”
He took a step forward. “For this.”
Warrick palmed her mouth again, knowing Sienna would scream the place down once she realized his intent. Disbelief flashed in her eyes just before he lifted her off the ground and carried her across the field to where two passenger vans sat waiting in the darkness.
She was lying. He knew her well enough to recognize her signals. The way she’d nibble on her bottom lip and avert her gaze. He just hoped she wouldn’t have another panic attack. He’d been damn lucky he’d been able to ease her out of the first one. He knew the signals. Remembered how she’d had a couple when she’d been a teen.
When they got close enough for her to spot the van Sienna went wild. Kicking his shins and screaming against his palm. He reached the van and fortunately Hilliard was already waiting for him with the door open.
“She the tango?” The agent’s eyebrows rose as he stepped back so Warrick could bring her in the van.
“Unfortunately.”
Hilliard’s smile widened. “Nice. Can I watch her?”
Warrick snarled and cast the agent a glare. “Go help Rafferty and Larson load up the hostages. It’s a fucking mess in there.”
Agent Hilliard’s smile faded and he gave a somber nod. “You need cuffs for her?”
Warrick pulled Sienna into the front seat and, even knowing he’d catch hell for it, gave a swift nod. Sienna screamed in protest against his hand and gripped his wrist, trying to pry him away.
Hilliard pulled the cuffs that were hanging from his belt loop and winced. “Better get ’em on her quick. I’ll be back soon.”
In less than ten seconds Warrick had one cuff around her wrist and the other secured to the handle above the door. He pulled his hand from her mouth and waited for the scream. Surprisingly, it didn’t come.