Merritt had responded to Three’s selection of Alex as Security Chief by making the transition as difficult and tedious as he possibly could. Alex’s original plan had been to simply wait the man out, until he’d discovered Merritt had been in charge of the long-ago interrogation and disposal of Lena’s father. It wasn’t shocking in itself, nor was it something he hadn’t had to do himself in the past, but the mere fact of what it had done to Lena made him lean toward simply ridding himself of the man responsible.
It factored into his decision to bring the man on the trip. It had been widely assumed that Alex planned to leave Merritt as his Interim Chief while Alex was gone. Any Senior Agent could hold down the city, he told Merritt, but he needed the man who’d been responsible for the creation of the security plans to travel with them. Who better to deal with any lapses of security if they occurred?
Who better to take the fall? The lapse, and Merritt’s subsequent fall, was already planned.
Alex held Merritt’s cold stare as he adjusted the current. If Merritt’s hand so much as twitched toward his gun, he would drop the man where he stood, even if he had to hunt down every witness watching the scene from in and behind the cars around them.
The big man was clearly unhappy, but he didn’t make a move.
Alex lowered his attention to Lena. Her lids stopped spasming, but current still raged through her, rendering her powerless. He hoped somewhere in her was a kernel of trust big enough to know he’d get her out of the collar and safe. She might forgive him if he could get her to understand why he’d made the choice, a combination of tactics and knowing her resilience. The collar was a means to an end. He only had to make her see it.
She has to see. His mind tried to spin away to what would happen if she didn’t, and his chest clenched, panic taking his breath. Focus, Alex.
He stood, watching Daniel Gracey now from the corner of his eye as he dusted off his knees. The young man was quite an adroit actor, although his emotions were probably real this time.
Lena’s brother stood behind Merritt looking down at his sister in horror. He sobbed in great silent heaves, tears and snot flowing freely down his face.
That’s right, he urged the young man’s emotions on silently, think about how you’ve betrayed your sister and the memory of your father. You betrayed your dead mother, too, and everything they ever asked of you.
Instead of giving voice to his thoughts, he simply growled, “Get over here, Gracey, and make yourself useful.”
Danny looked up and took the few shuddering steps over. He managed to get out, “This isn’t what I wanted.”
“I don’t give a shit.” He waited for it to sink in. It was the truth. “Now, pick her up. You can carry her back to the Councilor. We’ll see what he wants us to do with her.”
It was needlessly cruel, especially considering the true circumstances. He had no intention of allowing the Councilor to decide to do anything with her, but his people knew he couldn’t abide stupidity. Danny approaching Alex directly about his sister qualified.
The kid stared at him. He looked down at his sister and then back up. He made a feeble gesture with his hand. “But…the current. I don’t have any of those gloves.”
“And you barely rate as a Spark.” Merritt moved closer, threatening. “It’ll hurt, but you won’t be incapacitated. Pick her up. Now.”
The muted sound of rapid footsteps falling on packed earth had both Alex and Merritt straightening. Alex had sent a message to Jackson before he and Merritt had taken Danny to see Three. He’d hoped Jackson might beat them here, so Lena would at least have notice of what was coming and steel herself for it. It hadn’t happened. Jackson had been too slow. There’d been no warning for her.
Jackson rounded the edge of the car now and skidded to a stop, his focus going immediately to Lena on the ground. He froze. Panic and fear flared across his face. His blurted words, a shocked, “What are you doing?” made Alex silently curse him.
“Agent Lee,” he snapped, “pull yourself together.”
Jackson managed to recover, dragging his shocked stare from the collar around her neck. “Did you need me to transport her, sir?” he managed.
“No,” Merritt answered for Alex. “Her brother was about to do that for us. Since he’s the one who brought her to our attention, it’s his privilege to carry her into custody. Isn’t it, Mr. Gracey?”
Jackson glared at Danny, an obvious flare of fury.
Merritt’s face tightened. The man’s speculative eyes met Alex’s.
“Find her papers, Lee,” Alex told him, gesturing up to the car. “Then meet us in the Councilor’s car.”
Jackson nodded, keeping his face down. His attention flickered between the ground and the collar.
Really, Jackson? You think you’re the only one disgusted by the need for this? You’re not even the one involved with her, but your inability to control yourself has put her at risk! He cursed Jackson as Danny lifted his sister. He and the young agent would have a few things to straighten out once Alex had pulled their asses out of the fire and this was all over.
***