parking lot in front of Sanctum, five big men around her all in black tactical gear. They were all holding guns, and they hadn’t come alone. They’d brought someone familiar with them.
“Is that MaeBe?” The question came out on a gasp because it was obvious MaeBe hadn’t wanted to be with them. She was on her knees, a gun to the back of her head and blood on her face. It looked like she’d been worked over, one of her eyes almost swollen closed. She had a gag in her mouth and her hands were in zip ties that were so tight, Noelle could see blood on her wrists.
“Yes. They probably tagged her when she went by your apartment. Then they followed her, caught her when she tried to go home, and waited until the middle of the night when no one would be here.” Hutch stood. “MaeBe isn’t a field operative. She’s never faced anything like this.”
There was a brief knock and then the door came open. Kyle stood there, wearing sweats and a T-shirt. He also had a gun in his hand. “I want you both in the bathroom. I don’t know what’s going on, but until I do, you two are going to lockdown. You barricade this door and then lock yourself in the bathroom. Hutch, you carrying?”
Hutch frowned. “No, I’m not. I’m in Sanctum. I’m supposed to be safe.”
Kyle didn’t know what was happening outside. Noelle’s heart was pounding as she heard a trill. Was that a cell? “I thought we didn’t have service.”
Hutch stood as Kyle pulled his cell out of his pocket. “Are you on Wi-Fi?”
Kyle nodded. “Yeah. I always move to Wi-Fi when I come in here. Service isn’t great inside the club. I think Tag likes it that way. Shit. We don’t have cell service because Jessica Layne’s blocking it. Is she outside?”
Hutch nodded. “Yes. I’m going to assume she’s taken over our Wi-Fi. She’s got some great hackers on her staff, and after tonight we can assume she’s got some we don’t even know about. We can’t call out, but she can call Kyle because she has his number and his phone is on Wi-Fi. Don’t answer it. She can’t be sure we’re in here.”
Noelle cried out when she saw Jessica nod to one of the men in all black who moved behind MaeBe.
He hauled her up by her hair and landed a wicked punch to MaeBe’s midsection, tossing her to the concrete when he was done.
How much pain had MaeBe already taken? She wasn’t a hardened operative. She was a goth girl who was good with computers and liked playing board games with her friends.
“I’m serious,” Kyle said. “Lock yourself in the bathroom.”
He hadn’t seen what was happening outside. He had no idea they had MaeBe and she was in immediate danger.
The cell trilled again. Hutch had a hand on her arm. He would do anything to save her. Even give up another young woman. He was desperate and he would buy time, but Noelle couldn’t buy it with MaeBe’s life.
Kyle cared about MaeBe. How would he feel if she died in that parking lot and he could have answered that phone?
They needed to buy some time. Despite the fact that Jessica Layne had dampened cell phone reception, surely they’d triggered an alarm or the Michael person would find the edge of the cell bubble and make a call.
“They have MaeBe,” she said, turning the laptop around. “I think they know we’re here.”
Kyle moved in, watching the laptop with no expression in his eyes, and then he swiped his finger across his phone’s screen. “Hello?”
Hutch cursed under his breath and grabbed his boots, shoving them on his feet.
“Hello, Kyle. If that is your real name,” a feminine voice said. “I should have known you were too good to be true. I thought I only had to worry about you talking to Noelle about my plans. But after tonight, I wonder if you don’t have another agenda entirely. I think you’ll find I have your bitch. I will trade her for another bitch, but if I don’t see you down here soon with Noelle LaVigne, I’m going to kill this one.”
“I don’t have Noelle,” Kyle replied, his tone bland. “But I have information that can help you.”
“Then come out here,” Jessica replied. “Now, or the girl dies.”
The line went dead.
“You can’t go out there. She’ll figure out you’re lying.” Hutch was on his feet again. “I’m going for the security office.