I breathe a sigh of relief. At least one thing was going right today.
I watch as Mina nods, her expression never wavering as her eyes scan the visitors. Slight hesitation mars her features as she looks over at me. I frown but she gives me a slight shake of her head.
She turns back to our visitors and holds up a hand. “Stay here. No one is to step foot inside this apartment until I can secure Agent Thomas’ family. Understood?”
Mina’s brow raises, waiting for their acknowledgement while she secures her weapon back in its holster. She must get it because she starts walking backwards toward me, her fingers stretching around her weapon just in case of an ambush.
As soon as she’s standing next to me, she hunches down to grab the bags but pauses so she can whisper to me.
“I don’t recognize one of them so just make sure to stick to me at all times, okay?”
I give her a stiff nod, pretending to adjust Adrian in my arms.
She knows what she’s doing.
I trust her.
I follow her out the door and all the other agents fall back as Agent Smith steps up. She gives me a reassuring smile when something in my face must allude to my distress.
“Mrs. Thomas. Twenty minutes. Do you think you can hang on for that long?”
I nod at her. I’m still unsure of the proper etiquette for these types of situations I keep finding myself in.
All I can think about is how Noah isn’t here and Adrian is going out into the open where Penelope could be anywhere, hell bent on killing me.
We’re shufflinginto the elevator when I feel it. A note being shoved in my pocket.
On our way down the hall, Mina made sure she was always behind me, Agent Smith leading the way. But when we entered the elevator, both agents had secured themselves on either side of me. I didn’t bother looking at the other agents, Noah’s words echoing in my head. But the note was passed on my right side as I entered the elevator, meaning the person who passed it was now in front of me on my left.
I don’t dare make it obvious with Adrian here. The last thing I want is some rogue agent training a weapon on me while I’m holding my son.
I let my eyes drift slowly and take note of the agent’s appearance.
Medium height.
He looked about my age with blonde hair clipped on the sides.
I look for anything specific that can identify him later on should I lose sight of him, and that’s when I see it.
He has a tattoo on his neck. The same one CJ and my father were sporting on their arms.
Is that the cartel’s tag?
The elevator dings and Mina clutches my elbow, hustling me out.
We stop a few feet from the door with Agent Smith positioning herself in front of me. Her hand goes to the earpiece she’s wearing.
“Location?”
She nods at the other agents, pointing to the doors as they exit first to do a periphery check. Then a black Ford Expedition rolls in and an agent steps out, holding the door open.
Mina propels me forward as Agent Smith brings up the rear. All the agents have their weapons drawn, their eyes scanning the area.
I settle into the backseat of the car with Mina right beside me. There’s an agent crouched down with his weapon drawn right behind us. Agent Smith gets into the passenger seat of the car, then speaks into her earpiece.
“We’ve secured Nala and the cub. We can proceed.”
Startled, I meet Mina’s eyes and she gives me a small smile. “Noah.”