“Of course not.” He leaned forward and obviously ignored the tensing of the two men on either side of him. “I reported it to my boss, it went up the chain, and all of a sudden I was a fucking double agent. Or spy. Or whatever the hell they’re called these days.” He ground his palm into his left eye. “I didn’t want it, but there it was, and I thought I could do some good. So we’ve been playing Gregor for about four months.”
“And you didn’t let the FBI in on your little plan?” Ivan asked, his tone low.
Hugh shrugged. “Not to my knowledge. It’s not like the agencies play all that well together.”
That was true. Ellie was well aware of that fact. “Who did you report to at Homeland?” She flipped open her laptop.
“Rick Jorgosen,” Hugh said.
Ellie did a quick search, and her stomach dropped. “He died a week ago from Scorpius.”
“How convenient,” Deke drawled. “Anybody else?”
“Hector Gomez,” Hugh said, losing his casual look. “He works with Rick.”
Ellie typed more. “In a coma in Bethesda. Scorpius.” Apparently the bacteria had made its way through that part of the agency rather quickly. Okay. This wasn’t looking good. “I can hack into their secure Homeland records, but even with our security clearance, it’ll take a while.”
“There isn’t anybody to flash our clearances at,” Deke said with a low growl. “People are dropping like roadkill in spring.” His phone buzzed and he lifted it to his ear. “McDougall.”
Ellie swallowed and looked around the room. So far, not one of them had been infected. That would probably change at some point. Would they all survive? “I’ll find proof for you, Hugh.” She knew he was telling the truth, right? A small niggle of doubt entered her head, and she shoved it away. Now was the time for faith, not suspicion. At some point, Deke would tire of waiting. Then what? Would he believe her or just eliminate the possible threat? Now wasn’t a time to take risks.
Deke listened to somebody on the other end of the line and then ended the call. Slowly, deliberately, he slipped his phone back into his pocket. “Well.”
Ellie’s shoulders stiffened. “Well what?”
Deke looked at Hugh. “That was a contact still working at the FBI. Apparently Gregor’s body was found a week ago floating in a river in northern Kentucky. Three days after you went on vacation, Hugh.”
Hugh flicked his gaze toward Deke. “That’s unfortunate.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Deke asked thoughtfully.
Whoa. This so wasn’t good. Ellie dragged her laptop closer. She had to fix this. Either way, she’d get the truth from those files.
God, she hoped Hugh was telling the truth. She couldn’t have just slept with a bad guy.
“It’s me, Ellie Mae,” Hugh said quietly, as if he could read her thoughts.
She looked up and into the blue eyes that still chased her through dreams. It was him. But it had been ten years. Ten long years.
Was he still the guy she’d fallen for so long ago?
Chapter Eight
Sometimes my brain and my heart are at complete odds. Which is neither here nor there for the purposes of this type of journal. So. To get back to it. We’ve found a credible threat against the nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, and it’s my job to secure Hugh’s cooperation. If I don’t shoot him first.
—Dr. Eleanor Mae Smithers, Brigade Notes
Ellie nodded at the two armed guards outside Hugh’s quarters and then pushed inside without knocking. Each private quarter had been set up like a studio apartment with living area, bed, kitchenette, and attached bath. “Hi.”
Hugh sat on the floral sofa with his feet perched on a metal coffee table that housed one pathetic-looking cactus in a chipped red pot. “You here to spring me?”
“No.” She moved toward the one available chair, trying like heck to look casual.
“They let you in here by yourself?” he asked mildly.
She blinked and then sat. “I assured them you’d never hurt me.” Plus, she knew a few moves. Yeah, it had taken an hour of arguing with Deke, but Hugh didn’t need to know about that. “Right?”
Hugh shrugged. “I don’t know, Ellie Mae. I could grab you and force my way out of here.” If anything, he sounded bored by the entire idea. “Or just take you hostage.” His grin was wolfish.
