The man in the lead slowed, his head tilting as if not sure he'd actually heard a spoken word, which is one problem with Jack being so terse.
"Stop right there," I said.
"Dee?"
"Identify yourself, please."
Jack's lips twitched at the please.
"There are three guns trained on two of you," I said when the man didn't respond. "There are also seven bodies on the ground around you, which means we're a little tired of being chased and ambushed. Two more won't matter, but if you are who I think you are, I'm not eager to add yours to the count."
"Haskell," the first man said. "Contrapasso. We're here for Agent Diaz. We know he tailed you to this location, and he'd damned well better not be one of those seven bodies."
"He is," I said. "I'm sorry. I came in here to avoid being run off the road. Two guys pursued. Diaz followed them. We took out the pair, but apparently there was a third party we hadn't seen. He got Diaz. I finished him. Then three more came looking for me. And I'm going to guess they won't be the last, so if you two will drop your weapons and raise your hands . . ."
Haskell snorted. "Not a chance. You've accounted for the seven bodies, but not the two other guns you say are trained on us."
"That'd be me," Jack said.
"And you are . . .?"
"Take a fucking guess."
Haskell's partner eased to the side, trying to get cover as he moved slowly.
"Jack," Haskell said. "Diaz's report said you were abroad."
"I'm back."
"Conveniently."
"Meaning?" Jack said.
"Quinn disappears with clues leading us to Dee, who jumps at the chance to come find him. And then you suddenly reappear."
"Yeah," Jack said. "We kidnapped Quinn. Then came to rescue him. Got bored. Needed action. Can't find it? Make my own."
"If you're suggesting you two lack motivation for kidnapping Quinn--"
Jack cut him off with a snort.
"Diaz told me Contrapasso suspected me," I said. "But unless there's some motive I can't see, Jack's right--it makes absolutely no sense for us to take Quinn and even less to come hunting for him if we did."
"We don't know what your game is, but there's obviously a game."
"Obviously," Jack said.
Haskell's face mottled. "Just because we can't see your motivation--"
"Not the point. You don't know exactly why? Fine. But no fucking clue?" Jack shook his head.
"We have ideas."
"Name one."
Haskell started to bluster. No one paid him any attention, because we were watching his partner creep around the side. Not watching him directly, of course, but aware of him. Waiting while Haskell thought he had us distracted.