Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
“We could torture our enemies without laying a hand on them,” she replied. Did he honestly think this wasn’t something that kept her up at night? She lived with the men McDonald’s drugs and therapies had damaged. She knew how ruined they were. Not that he knew that little fact of life, and she didn’t want him to. “We could throw out the justice system and put a potential criminal under the influence to find out anything we wanted.”
“And that’s wrong?” Levi asked with a sigh.
“It’s a slippery slope.”
Levi huffed, a sound that let her know he thought she was foolish. “Almost all technology is and yet I would bet you wouldn’t get rid of the Internet or your car.”
“Why are you telling me this? It has to be classified.” She would completely understand if Ezra had told her, and she was fairly certain this was the second piece of intel he’d meant to give her, but Levi tended to toe the company line. If a piece of information was classified, even if it could help one of his field agents, Levi Green would keep that shit tight. Why was he opening up now?
“Because if those underground fuckers get to this tech first it could hurt our country,” Levi said, fire in his voice.
She was well aware that Ezra was now the spectator, his eyes shifting between the two of them. “Again, not understanding why you’re telling me.”
“Tell me you don’t know where those boys are.” He stared at her like he could see through to her soul. “Ezra was allowed to talk to a few of them a couple of months ago. He claims he’s not sure where he was taken, but I have my ideas.”
Yes, this was the second thing Ezra had wanted to tell her. The Agency was getting angsty about the Lost Boys. She’d known the CIA and several other intelligence groups—not to mention countless big pharmas—wanted a crack at testing her boys, but up until now they’d been fairly quiet about it. She’d known at some point that would change. Apparently they’d reached the tipping point.
“Boys? Are you talking about the men McDonald experimented on?” She gave him her best dumb girl look. “I’ve met a couple. Why would I know where they are? I hope they’re back with their families. That’s a partial lie. I do know where Theo Taggart is, but then so do you.”
Levi sighed and a look of disappointment crossed his face. “Yes, I thought you would say that. I know why Taggart wants to protect those men, but eventually someone will come for them. I think he would want it to be his own country. Those men hold the key to breaking open everything McDonald was working for.”
“Slavery? Loss of home and family?” Ezra finally spoke.
“It doesn’t have to be that way.” Levi pushed his chair back. “But it might be if it falls into the wrong hands, and whether Taggart likes it or not, he can’t hide those boys forever. Someone will find them, and then the blood that spills will be on everyone who hid them from the Agency. It’s time to pick a side. War’s coming and it won’t be pretty. I hope you two don’t choose poorly. I’m going to meet with Riley. Kayla, think about what I said. I know you have influence. Ezra, I have to go. Can I trust you to bring her up to speed on how we want her to handle Hunt, or are you going to hold her hand and commiserate on how rotten a boss I am?”
Ezra didn’t look up at him. “I think I can handle it.”
Levi sighed and sent her a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Kay. I know I’m being a dick, but this is important. And someday, you’ll tell me about that tongue thing. This dude’s a total prude. See you soon and take care of yourself.”
He walked off in the direction of the parking lot.
“Being a dick is that guy’s natural state,” Ezra said under his breath.
So much of this crazy op fell into place. “You’re here because you’re worried Levi is going to use this op to get me to talk. I won’t. You know how I feel about those boys.”
She loved Tucker and Owen. Cared about all of them. They’d started out as strays who needed shelter, but they were part of the team now. And she didn’t let her team down.
“Watch out for him. Don’t underestimate Levi Green. He wants to move up and he knows if he can bring in one of McDonald’s victims, it will help. The Agency wants that tech and they’ll do a lot to get it. The only thing that’s saved Theo Taggart is his last name.”
“Big Tag would burn it all down if they took his brother, and he wouldn’t believe that there was an accident or that Theo walked away,” she warned.