Page 80 of Dark Soul

“We couldn’t have expected this, Dark,” Rogue said cautiously. “We were expecting them to organize an exchange.”

“Lemercier got scared after the other night,” Griffin said. “He doesn’t trust Kvyat. He wanted to up the stakes—make sure Kvyat knows it’s not just money riding on the exchange anymore.”

“Tell me everything you know about Lemercier.”

“I already told you.”

“You held a lot back,” Dark said, getting in Griffin’s face.

Griffin didn’t give an inch. “I told you everything that mattered. He’s the worst kind of man, Dark.”

“You think he would hurt an innocent woman and child?”

For a long time, Griffin didn’t reply, but the look he gave him petrified Dark.

“He's built his reputation on being willing to do anything and everything to get the job done, and that’s not something he can afford to risk now.”

“I’m going after them. Rogue, I need to know where they went.”

Dark would tear this town brick by brick if he had to. He didn’t care what happened to him afterwards, or if this landed him in prison again. It would all be worth if it Alexia was safe.

“I’m on it.” The Australian paused for an instant. “You’re not alone, Dark. We’re all here for you.”

Ash nodded firmly. “We may not have come together the conventional way, and we may have had our disagreements, but we are a team. We’re going to get Alexia and the boy back, and stop those plans from getting into Lemercier’s hands.”

Dark wasn’t sure when they’d become a team. When Thorne had first tossed them together, they’d all been messed up, and completely the wrong shape for each other. But, somewhere along the way, the spikes and gaps they each brought to the team had started working together, like cogs in a machine. And now, somehow, they were less messed up as a team than they were as individuals.

But Dark didn’t want to risk all their futures.

“You should stay on the mission. Focus on Kvyat, and the plans. Alexia is my problem,” he said.

“No,” Slate said firmly. “Rogue and Ash are right. We’re in this together, and we’re going to do what’s right. If Thorne doesn’t like that, he can find somebody else to do his dirty business.”

Rogue had put on his earphones and was listening intently to something. He raised a hand to get their attention.

“Lemercier just called Kvyat. We’re lucky Kvyat was still in his office, so we could hear the entire conversation.”

Dark breathed in slowly.

“Is Alexia alive?” Dark asked, dreading the answer.

“Lemercier spoke of exchanging them,” Rogue said, his words careful.

He doesn’t want to give me false hope.

“This is Lemercier’s way of making sure he has the upper hand,” Griffin said. “He wasn’t sure Kvyat’s greed would be enough to ensure the successful outcome he was looking for. Now Kvyat has no choice.”

Dark’s phone rang. It was Thorne. For a moment, he was tempted to let it go to voice mail, but then changed his mind.

“What’s going on, Dark?”

Should he play stupid?

He’d only be delaying the inevitable. And maybe, just maybe, Thorne could help. If he really was with Interpol, like Rogue had implied.

“What the hell’s going on? My analysts tell me something’s happening. Why am I hearing about this from them, and not from you?”

Dark didn’t bother making excuses. “Less than half an hour ago, Lemercier kidnapped Nikolai Kvyat, along with Alexia Miller.” Something caught in his voice as he said Alexia’s name.