Page 126 of Nothing to Fear

“For starters, Hannah Davis.”

Gideon’s blood turned to slush. Anything he said, Daedalus would use against him, and there was no point in acting ridiculous by trying to deny his relationship with Hannah.

Daedalus knew full well who Hannah was and what she meant to him.

Amanda had overheard Gideon on the phone once, telling Hannah that he missed her and to take care. The traitor had joked how his wife would be jealous, and he’d let it slip that the person on the end of the line was like a mother to him. Amanda must’ve found her somehow.

“That’s right. I know all about Hannah, down to where she is at this moment. Do you?”

Shit. He hadn’t talked to Hannah in weeks. The last time they’d spoken, she’d said something about taking another cruise with her girlfriends.

Was she already on it? Had she gotten back? Had she left yet? He didn’t even know what port she was using. Sometimes it was Norfolk, sometimes Tampa.

“I’m responsible for your wife’s death. The brake failure on your truck,” Daedalus said. “The handiwork of my Gray Box insider, Cobalt.”

“You mean Amanda Woodrow. We found your mole. She’s going to go to prison for a very long time, right along with you.”

“Arrest me. I’ll make one phone call and be released within twenty-four hours. You short-sighted fool. You have no idea how this is going to end.”

Daedalus must have someone pretty high up and powerful on his payroll if he wasn’t afraid of doing jail time. How deep did this go?

“Did you think Amanda was my ace in the hole? Speaking of which, she knows you very well. It seems you love your job at the Gray Box more than you ever did with the CIA. You found a home there, a place where you feel appreciated.”

Dear God, Amanda. What have you done, letting this megalomaniac into the back doors of our heads? It was true. The Gray Box gave him a sense of belonging and fulfillment he’d never had at the CIA.

“Strip you of being an operative, a government-sanctioned killer, and what are you? Nothing. After I’m finished with Hannah—by the way, it’ll be slow, and I plan to use my own two hands—I’m going to kill the Gray Box.”

Gideon stilled.

“First, in the court of public opinion. I have a lovely dossier on missions stateside and overseas that the media will have a feeding frenzy over. That rabble will be like a pack of starved jackals tearing you all to pieces. Your faces and names are going to be splashed across every news outlet around the world. And this country that you love and fight for will turn on you.”

If their covers were blown and true identities thrown out there, that would be the end of any clandestine work. No one would hire them—government or private security. What else were they good at? Not to mention every baddie with a grudge against them would come calling for payback.

They’d spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders and sleeping with one eye open.

“Then I’ll squeeze the senator in my pocket to take action,” Daedalus said. “And when I’m sure that you’re truly suffering, with nothing left, not even your sanity, I’ll pay you a visit.”

Daedalus shoved Laurel into the bathroom, and she scurried next to Gideon.

“Time to catch my flight.” Daedalus’s gaze darted to the big, heavy box on the table that probably weighed a good sixty pounds.

He wasn’t getting that sucker up the ladder to the roof on his own. Might tear his suit and break out in a sweat in the process.

“If you want to keep her alive,” Daedalus said, gesturing to Laurel, “I suggest you don’t touch the jammer.” He pulled out a handheld remote detonator from his pocket. “I had a sophisticated explosive device implanted in her. That is the only thing blocking the signal and keeping me from blowing off her head. The grenade vest was a crude improvisation.”

Gideon looked at Laurel. “Is that true?”

With frantic eyes, she nodded, mumbling something incomprehensible through her gag.

Damn. The whole plan just went to hell.

“I’ll be sure to give Hannah your regards.” Daedalus narrowed his eyes in a look that was pure evil. “No open casket. Then again, I’m not sure there’ll be enough of her left to bury.” He let the door swing closed.

Something rattled and clanked against it.

Gideon limped over and tugged at the door. The handle was stuck on something. Gideon tried again, this time hoping to shift whatever was blocking the lever.

On each furious yank, the handle only clanked against the object on the other side.