Royal Recruit - Susan Grant Page 0,19

they were doing and wherever they were taking him had been sanctioned by the law.

The only thing he could think of to explain what was happening was that Jana and Cavin wanted him to babysit the REEF’s spaceship. No one else was trained to do it. But what kind crazy deal was this? Abducting him off the streets at gunpoint? No, it didn’t smack of anything his sister would approve of. And then why take Sarto’s word he was DHS? He sure wasn’t playing by the rules—any agency’s rules. Likely, the guy was a covert operative.

You’re in deep shit, Jasper.

He could tell by the change in vibration that the sedan had pulled onto the freeway. The agent lifted the gun off the back of his neck. Jared sat up, rubbing his neck.

“Sir, you need to stay in the car.”

“We’re going eighty fucking miles an hour. Where do you think I’m going to go?”

The man’s lips compressed. It was the first expression the man had made the entire night so far, and it wasn’t much.

They were heading east on Highway 80, toward Reno, Nevada. “Okay, you’re aliens and you’re abducting me. But instead of using saucers, you use late-model sedans with tinted windows.”

No answer.

“Okay, you’re really from the IRS, not DHS, and you’re suspicious about all those real-estate deductions I took last year. Got news for you—they were legit, every one.”

No reply.

Jared dragged the back of his hand across his face. “So, where are we going? Or do I get to find out before we get there? Actually, if you’re looking for a good place to dump my body, we just passed Folsom Lake. You’ll need concrete, though. Otherwise I’ll float.”

“Please, Mr. Jasper. Remain calm.”

“I am fucking calm!”

In the ensuing silence, Jared felt like an idiot. Easy, bro. Stay cool. He exhaled and sagged against the backseat. He had no choice but to hang on for the ride. No sooner had he formed the thought than the sedan pulled off the highway and onto a dirt road that wound through a mandarin orchard.

He decided then he wasn’t going down without a major fight. They were armed; he wasn’t, but that didn’t faze him. It wasn’t ending this way, that he was sure of. He had a good life and he wasn’t ready to give it up. He liked it too much here on Earth. The Pearly Gates could wait.

The sedan bumped along a dirt road. Jared watched, waiting, fully alert. There were small lights ahead. They seemed out of place in the dark orchard. As the car came closer, Jared made out the outline of the form. It was a private jet, an expensive, late-model Citation. It sat at the edge of a narrow, unlit runway. The engines were running.

This was too much. They stopped the car. Sarto hopped out. His gun was back in his holster. “After you, sir.”

Jared got out of the car and patted his pockets. He didn’t have his cell phone or his wallet, having left both in the pickup. He’d worked all day with clients on a development project. He was tired. His knee was aching, and his chin had pleather-seat burn. He was hungry and he wanted that Asahi, damn it. He wasn’t the type of guy to complain, but, hell, after tonight, who wouldn’t do a little whining?

At the jet, a pilot stood at the bottom of a small, fold-down staircase. He was as pokerfaced as Sarto—where did they find these people?—and he wore US Air Force flight suit. So, his kidnapping was military-sanctioned, huh? Then Jared saw the guy had no name patch and no visible rank. Maybe not.

“Good evening, sir. If you would, please take seat 2B next to the vice president.”

The who? Jared climbed up the couple of steps into the small, elegant cabin. The man in 2A smiled at him, extending his hand. “Jared Jasper. I’m Ed Greer. We’re damn glad we found you right away.”

Jared swallowed hard and shook his hand. “An honor, sir.” The man needed no introduction. He was the vice president, all right. Vice President Greer of the United frikken States. “What the hell is going on, sir? Did something happen to my sister—Jana Jasper? Senator Jasper. Is Prime-Major Caydinn okay? Or my father—John Jasper, the congressman?”

“Everyone is fine, son,” answered a new voice. Jared was so rattled and the cabin so dimly lit that he just then noticed a bald, buff guy sitting across the aisle. “And I must say, Mr. Jasper, it’s an honor