LITMIR.BIZ

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by seven forty-five tomorrow morning or everyone dies. And I do mean everyone.”

      “He’ll be there,” Jim announced. “You have my word.”

      “Remember, gentlemen,” the voice cautioned, “any contact with the authorities, any attempts to gain entrance to the building, and everyone dies.”

      “You have my word,” Jim repeated without reservation. “Gordon will be there on time as requested. We will cooperate fully with all your terms.”

      “Excellent. I’m always relieved when no one has to die. But,” the man added, his voice pulsating with pure evil, “I will without remorse execute one hostage after the other until they’re all dead if the need arises. My men will disappear as quickly and untraceably as they appeared. Just like smoke. Do we understand each other?”

      “Perfectly,” Jim stated.

      The connection was severed. Ian immediately started entering numbers on the keypad of his cell. Jim stopped him. “What’re you doing?”

      “Determining if I can track the call back to a traceable number.”

      Jim snatched the cell out of his hand. Fury glistened in Ian’s eyes.

      “We will contact no one,” Jim told him in no uncertain terms. “We will deliver Gordon just as he requested.”

      Again Lucas intervened. “Convoy will get to work on rounding up Gordon,” he suggested. “Ian and I will attempt to get to the bottom of who’s behind this takeover.”

      “And my people,” Jim said, “will determine if there is a way inside without detection.”

      Three, then five seconds of traumatic silence elapsed.

      “Agreed,” Ian said, capitulating.

      “Agreed,” Lucas chimed in.

      All three looked to Slade. He held up his hands. “I’m ready to do whatever needs to be done.”

      “Good.” Jim set his formidable attention on Slade. “Find Gordon. Bring him in.”

      Not exactly the easiest job he’d ever been assigned. “What if he doesn’t want to cooperate?” Slade felt the question was a legitimate one.

      “Do whatever is necessary,” Jim told him. “Just get him here.”

      Slade hesitated to see if Ian would object. When he didn’t, Slade shrugged. “No problem.”

Chapter Three

       Inside the Colby Agency, 8:50 a.m.

      Victoria tightened her lips against the moan that welled in her throat. Her head throbbed and nausea roiled in her stomach.

      She couldn’t show the first sign of weakness. The others were depending upon her.

      All fourteen of her staff members had been shoved into the conference room. Two others were injured as well. Thankfully none appeared to be life-threatening.

      “Victoria.”

      She drew in a deep breath and forced a calm into her voice that she by no means felt. “I’m all right,” she assured Nicole. “We’re all going to be all right. I’m certain Ian, Lucas and Jim are doing all within their power to regain control of the situation.”

      Merri Walters most likely had a mild concussion, at the very least a contusion. Victoria ached for the woman. Unable to hear the approach of the bastards who had taken control of the Colby Agency, Merri hadn’t reacted rapidly enough. She’d gotten a brutal whack to the back of the head for the delay. But she was coherent and, mercifully, showed no outward signs of serious trouble.

      Fury vibrated through Victoria. Whatever these animals wanted, they would be sorry they had chosen the Colby Agency as their target.

      She would see to that. Somehow.

      Nicole glanced at Merri and the others huddled around her. “She seems okay.” Her attention shifted to the newest investigator on the Colby staff, Kendra Todd. The swelling and bruises on her face reminded all the others that back talk would not be permitted. “But I’ll need to keep an eye on Kendra. She isn’t accustomed to being pushed around.”

      Several of the men, Ted Tallant and Trinity Barrett in particular, had their share of swelling, bruises and scrapes for having attempted to fight off the attack while the rest, Victoria included, ran for exits.

      Their captors had been prepared for just such a diversion. Both fire exits had been covered and the elevators had been locked down.

      “You monitor Kendra and help Simon with the others,” Victoria agreed. “I’m going to see if I can learn the shackled prisoner’s identity.” He was the one unknown variable in this equation.

      Nicole’s gaze followed Victoria’s to the man on the other side of the room. He’d been dragged into the conference room and shackled to a chair as far away from Victoria’s staff as possible within the confines of the same four walls. A cloth sack covered his face and head, and his plain gray sweatshirt and worn jeans gave no indication of who he was or where he’d come from. The generic sneakers he wore had seen far better days. There was nothing about his appearance or his bearing that gave the slightest impression of who he was. He hadn’t attempted to speak or escape, which could mean he was either gagged or drugged. Not that escape was an option considering the way his ankles and wrists were bound together and his waist was manacled to the chair. His head drooped forward as if he were in fact unconscious.

      “His guard doesn’t look too friendly,” Nicole commented under her breath.

      That much was true. The guard wore black like all the others, including the concealing ski mask. The weapon in his hand indicated he didn’t trust anyone enough to holster it. Though all visible beyond the mask were his dark eyes, that glimpse into his psyche warned that he wasn’t taking any chances or any grief.

      “The least I can do is try,” Victoria insisted as she struggled from her position on the floor to her feet. Her head swam. She braced against the wall to steady herself. She’d made the mistake of struggling with the two men who had escorted her to this room. Being made an example of wasn’t a surprise—she’d expected as much. Her attackers had wanted to ensure all present realized that Victoria was no longer in control. Several of her staff members had gotten roughed up when they’d attempted to come to her aid. All the more reason she had to tread carefully. Her staff would be taking their cues from her.

      Their safety depended a great deal on her every action.

      Even as the thought echoed in her brain, she slowly crossed the room toward the shackled man and his personal guard. She’d already spotted the tracks of dried blood down the front of his sweatshirt. He no doubt needed medical attention the same as she did and many of her staff members.

      “Back on the floor,” the man with the gun ordered. He shifted the business end of his weapon in her direction to reinforce his order.

      Victoria halted. “He’s bleeding.” She gestured to the mysterious prisoner. “I just want to check to see that he’s not seriously injured. He may need medical attention.”

      The guard scoffed. “He’ll be dead soon enough. Any injuries he sustained are inconsequential.”

      Victoria refused to flinch. “Surely you don’t mean to deprive us of proper care for our injuries, and some water.” She indicated the door on the other side of the room. “There’s bottled water and coffee in the lounge across the hall. And first-aid supplies.” If someone made a run for it, it couldn’t be her. She would not leave a single member of her staff behind. Perhaps Nicole would be allowed to go across the hall. She could attempt an escape if the opportunity presented itself.

      This very minute Lucas, Ian and Jim would be planning how to resolve this takeover.

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