The two guys laugh together asthey approach him.
“You want to do me a solid andplay messenger for me?” I ask Darren.
He grins. “I already got shot atonce. Not interested in going through that again.”
“Dammit.”
I rise from the lounge chair andhead to the pool, squatting and hopping in at the shallow end.
Tad’s turned away from me now, theflesh-colored bandage on the back of his shoulder a vivid reminder of our run-inwith his attackers.
The shorter of the guys Tad’swith, who wears a backwards baseball cap, hollers out to his friends who arestill at their table. One of his friends tosses a beach ball to him.
“Come on,” Tad insists.
“This the famous bodyguard?” thetaller guy in the green speedo asks, eyeing me suspiciously, sizing me up.
“That’s him,” Tad says.
“Sure, I’ll play,” I say,surrendering because my involvement might prevent him from making a horriblemistake with one of these guys. We create two sides for our game: Tad and backwards-capon one side, me and green speedo on the other. A few rounds into it areplayful. Friendly, even.
We pick up a bit of speed before Tadspikes the ball right in front of me. He and backwards-cap, who I learn isnamed Enrique, chest bump each other. I can tell by the expression on Enrique’sface that he’s excited about interacting with Tad like this. And it pisses methe fuck off.
“We’ll get ’em this time,” my partnerJared says as he pats my back, his hand lingering on my flesh as he slides hisfingers down between my shoulder blades in a move that suggests his interest.
“Let’s kick these guys’ asses,” Isay as I retrieve the ball and toss it over our imaginary net.
Again, our pace speeds up. Inotice Tad and Enrique exchange a look. They’re going to spike the ball again.As Tad reaches the ball and slams his palm down on top of it, I leap forwardand pop it into the air. Jared comes up behind me and smacks it hard so that itflies right behind Tad and out of Enrique’s reach.
I wrap my arms around Jared, lifthim up, and spin him around with excitement. I catch a look of something in anearby open window. A long, cylindrical object sticks out, shimmering in thesunlight.
My muscles tense.
Get Tad to safety.
It’s the only thing that mattersright now.
“Don’t forget you have to makethat call,” I say to Tad as I set Jared back down. Tad’s expression turnsserious as he recognizes one of our safety phrases. After the last incident, wedeveloped several phrases and signals with the new agents in case I needed tofind a conspicuous way of getting him out of harm’s way.
“Nice meeting you guys,” Tad says.
“Oh, come on,” Enrique said. “Onemore round.”
“Okay. I’ll be back. Just gottatake care of this real quick.”
We climb out of the pool. I keepthe window in my periphery. Third floor. And judging by the location, from my previousscouting, Room 322.
The gun follows us. I keep rightbehind Tad, making sure that if it goes off, the sniper gets me, not him.
Darren watches us as we head intoa nearby stairwell leading into the building.
“What’s wrong?” Tad asks as thedoor closes behind us.
“We just have to check somethingout,” I reply.
The door behind us opens andDarren steps inside. “What’s up?”
“Just come with us,” I say.
