depart until the morning. He saw no reason to find other lodgings, not when the plane had a comfortable bed and a small kitchen.
Dixon was in his grasp. The worm of a man could wiggle and dance all he liked. Skilton would take him home and make a very painful example of him.
The girl posed a more interesting possibility.
He doubted he’d eliminated this Task Force. His sources indicated that his three inside people were nullified. Having this Kelsey girl as a first person resource was preferable to putting someone else in their midst. He’d like to remain here and handle things, but time and the board would not allow it. He’d have to be content orchestrating their demise from across the pond.
Everything was going beautifully. At long last.
23.
Tuesday. Everest Security Headquarters, Washington, DC.
Logan knew the paramedics were just doing their job, but he was done being poked, prodded and questioned. He wanted a damn phone. He wanted answers.
How had they so narrowly missed their target? And where was everyone?
He squinted, trying to peer past all the lights to find a familiar face, but all he saw were officers. Tucker and the guys had been forced back once the fire department arrived to begin excavating him from the rubble. Logan hadn’t heard or seen them since passing the files through for them to scan and get to the girls. He knew they wouldn’t leave him behind technically speaking, but so much was happening at once.
No, he needed to be honest with himself. While he did want to know how the guys and the case was progressing, he knew better. Deep down he wanted to know where Kelsey was and if she was okay. He’d thought knowing she was at some secure site would give him comfort, but the reality was that so long as she was out of his sight he was worried.
“TL.”
Logan whipped his head around and found Evan standing just within the shadows to the right side of the ambulance.
“I’m done here, thank you.” Logan stood and pulled on his shirt. His stitched up shoulder protested, but that was more about the lingering soreness from his vest that morning than further injuring it.
The female paramedic planted her hands on her hips. “But—”
“I’ve got a job to do and people to protect.” He pulled his shirt on then grabbed his vest. “Thank you. Really.”
Logan had gotten damn lucky that his worst injury was some bruises and a possibly strained wrist from the fall. He slid his Kevlar vest back on rather than carrying it. As he fastened the straps he side-stepped other first responders into the shadows with Evan.
That was when Logan got a good look at the other man.
Evan was uninjured. The difference was his expression. He was on edge. Worried.
Logan closed the distance between them and spoke in a low voice. “What happened?”
“Let’s get in the truck,” Evan said.
A million possibilities flooded Logan’s mind. All of them centered around Kelsey.
He grabbed his arm. “Tell me.”
Evan glanced over Logan’s shoulder and licked his lips. When Evan didn’t see an escape, he leaned in and locked eyes with Logan. “Someone broke into the secure site. Kelsey and Dixon are gone.”
“He—what?” Logan tightened his grip. “Who was it? What happened?”
“We don’t know.” To Evan’s credit, he kept his cool. “Yet. They destroyed the surveillance system. I’m guessing to cover their tracks. But the tapes are digital and a back-up is recoded onto a secondary server in real time. Diha is working on that now.”
“How long ago?”
“An hour? Hour and a half? You were still buried in there. Zora told us to not tell you.”
“We have to find her.” Logan’s insides tightened and he could feel the panic crawling up his throat. He panted for breath, but it wasn’t enough. “We have to find her, Evan. Now.”
“I know. I know, man. Everyone’s working on it. Do you understand me? Everyone.”
They’d thought they were so clever, hiding Dixon where their other informants were. After all, Skilton hadn’t found them and he sure as hell wanted each one dead. When Zora had told him the plan, he’d been grateful. And all he’d done was put her in harm’s way.
“How? How did he find it?” Logan asked.
Evan gestured at the parking lot across the street. “Come on. Let’s talk in the truck, okay?”
Logan jerked his head in a nod.
Together they crossed to the waiting SUV and got in.
“Where are the others?” Logan asked.
Evan started the engine. “Tucker took the others to the secure site as