They’d tried to track the first call but had come up empty-handed. The call had been too brief for them to get a good lock on it.
Maybe this time they’d get luckier.
Cale knew that Gunner watched them from the shelter of the darkness on the left, up on the second story of the squat building located there. As a sniper, he always enjoyed a high perch that let him watch his prey.
As for Drew Lancaster, the man that Mercer had insisted accompany them, he was to the right, cloaked by the trees.
Cassidy fumbled as she yanked out her phone. “Genevieve?”
She hit the speaker button so that he could hear.
“H-he said you didn’t come alone.” Genevieve’s quivering voice. “He can see you, Cassidy. Y-you didn’t come alone.”
“You never said for me to come alone.” Cassidy’s voice was so quiet that Cale wondered if Genevieve could hear the response. “And he’s—he’s my boyfriend, Genevieve. He wouldn’t let me come alone. He’s stayed with me, ever since we met in Rio.”
Silence.
“The man...from the ball?” Then Genevieve sucked in a sharp breath. “No! Cassidy!”
The shot rang out then, blasting toward them. Cale shoved Cassidy out of the way, but then he realized that the shot hadn’t been aimed at her.
At me.
He tapped his transmitter. “Gunner, tell me that you’ve got eyes on the SOB.” Crouching, he backed Cassidy up, making sure to shield her even as he drew his weapon.
“From the northeast, using a rifle.” A low whistle from Gunner. “Taking aim on him now...”
A crack filled the air. Only this time, the EOD was the one taking the shot.
“Genevieve?” Cassidy’s frantic voice. “Genevieve, please, talk to me!”
He glanced over at her. Cassidy still had her phone out. The device was pressed to her ear as she desperately tried to get her friend on the line once more.
&
nbsp; Her gaze met his. Cassidy shook her head.
He bit off a curse.
“Heading to the northeast corner now,” Lancaster said in his ear. Cale could hear the uneven thud of the other agent’s footsteps.
And then...
Another crack split the night.
The bullet sank into concrete inches away from Cale.
Cassidy screamed.
Cale returned fire, having seen the glint off the weapon too late.
Not one shooter, two. The guys had come prepared for the EOD.
Or else they’d come prepared to kill Cassidy.
Just how many men were they facing in that darkness?
It didn’t matter. Three EOD agents could handle just about anything.