“We’re clear,” Rachel said. She’d stopped. She shoved open another trapdoor, one that led them into the darkened interior of yet another house.
Tina scrambled from the tunnel. Drew grabbed her hand. “Easy. We’re about a quarter of a mile away, and we don’t want to do anything that would give away our position.”
So they stayed in the dark. She quickly realized that they’d already stocked this house. Food. Water. First-aid equipment. Binoculars. Night-vision equipped, of course. These agents were definitely prepared.
Rachel took the binoculars and peered through the thin blinds that lined a narrow window. “They’re surrounding the house. Do it.”
“Do what?” Tina asked, almost afraid to find out. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough for Tina to see Dylan pull a small box from his pocket.
“Time for Devast to experience some HAVOC of his own,” Drew said. His arm brushed against hers.
Dylan pressed a button. An explosion seemed to rock the street. Through the blinds, Tina saw the flare of fire flash high up into the night.
The house they’d been in had just exploded.
“They’re falling back,” Rachel whispered.
Yeah, because the fire was driving them back.
Drew’s fingers slid down her arm. “He tried to kill you with a bomb before, so we just gave him what he wanted.”
She turned toward him, frowning. “Are you sure Devast is going to believe this? You think he’ll buy that I’m dead?”
He pulled a knife from the sheath strapped to his ankle. “No, I think the explosion will just make him even angrier. And when he sees my GPS signal moving fast soon, he’s going to track it. He’ll come after me with everything he’s got.”
Instead of letting Tina be the bait in this deadly game, Drew was using himself. “Why?” she whispered.
“Because I don’t want you in his sights.”
And she realized why he hadn’t told her about this plan sooner. Because he didn’t intend to use her to finish this investigation. She’d agreed to cooperate, but he was the one calling the shots. He wanted her out of Devast’s path, and he’d just blown up a house to make sure Devast couldn’t get to her.
Drew offered her the knife, handle-first. “I need you to cut the tracker out of me. You know it emits a signal that covers a one-mile radius, not an exact location, so, for the moment he’ll think I could be in that blaze.”
Her fingers closed around the knife. “What are you going to do with the tracker?”
A muscle jerked in his jaw. “Rachel and Dylan are going to take it. They’ll lure Devast into Mercer’s web, and I’ll take you out of here. No signal will link back to you and me. You’ll be safe.” His eyes glittered at her. “My job is to protect you. That’s what I’m doing.” He stripped off his shirt and turned his back to her.
Rachel and Dylan hurried into the other room, saying they had to check in with Mercer.
The knife’s handle was cold. Her fingers were slippery with sweat. She rose onto her toes. She knew exactly where Drew’s tracker was located because she’d been the one to implant it. The blade sliced over his skin.
The guy didn’t flinch.
Carefully, she pulled out the tiny device.
“Here.” Rachel was back with bandages. Tina gave her the tracker and began to patch up Drew.
“We’ll rendezvous just like we planned?” Rachel asked him as she pocketed the tracker.
“Dawn,” Drew agreed with a curt nod.
Rachel glanced toward Tina. “This is the best way. Mercer agreed. The big boss wants to make sure Devast can’t ever threaten you or anyone else in the EOD ever again.” Rachel nodded once more and then she was gone.
Tina smoothed the bandage over Drew’s back. The knife was still in her left hand. His blood was on the blade.
Drew turned toward her. “We don’t have a lot of time here. We need to clear out, just in case those guys out there wise up and start searching the houses.” He took the knife. Stepped away and dug in a chest of drawers. A moment later he was clad in a fresh shirt and tossing her—a leather jacket?
“I know you like motorcycles,” he said with a wry grin.