“What are you talking about?” I ask, hands on my hips. “Leo has been missing for”—I check the bedside clock—“fifteen hours. Panama isnota place to be an American in prison. We have come a long way since the days of Noriega, but, if you do not find him…”
“Domina, we found you. Well, Zephyr did,” Austin says with a small smile. “She had to check the camera feeds for every police station in Panama City, but once we knew where you were, it only took us an hour to get you released.”
I gape at him. “You…”
“You didn’t wonder why they suddenly let you go?” Trevor pulls out his phone and checks the screen. “A couple of phone calls and the captain was shitting his pants. We’re going to find him. But right now, you probably want to change—or sleep a while—and we need to set up shop and contact Zephyr. We have a car parked by the side door. You ready?”
I grab my briefcase from the foot of the bed and clutch it to my chest. “Yes. Do I need the hat and sunglasses?”
“Not with us.” Austin opens his jacket to reveal a pistol under his left arm. “Anyone eventriesto get close to you, they’re going to regret it.”
* * *
The twenty-minute rideto my apartment passes in a blur. Trevor drives, and Austin texts with Zephyr the whole way. As they find a parking spot on the street next to the building’s back door, Austin turns to me. “We know of ten separate black sites within an hour of the city. Leo’s in one of them.”
“You’re certain?”
Austin opens my door, then helps me to my feet. “The IPS doesn’t have their own interrogation facilities. They use the Ministry of Public Service sites, and those…”
The two men flank me, Austin to my left, Trevor to my right. “What?” I ask. “What are you not telling me?”
“The assholes who run them were trained by the same sadistic fucks who worked for Noriega.” Trevor punches the elevator call button, his voice taking on a rough tone. “Leo knows how to survive. But the longer he’s there, the worse shape he’ll be in when we find him.”
“I knew I should have brought Griff,” Austin mutters. “You’re a ray of fucking sunshine, Trev.”
“I’m a realist. Who’s been where Leo is right now. Remember?” he spits out. “And Griff is in San Diego. Two flights are a hell of a lot harder to hide than one.”
The elevator doors open to the fifth floor, and Austin pulls his gun from the holster. “Domina, stay between us. It should be safe, but…”
I nod, and we move as one to the end of the hall.
“Shit,” Austin says. “Leo’s door is open. Trev, take Domina next door until we know his place is clear.”
“Unlock it, then let me enter first.” Trevor holds his own gun, the barrel pointed at the floor.
My hand shakes as I slide my key into the lock. This is not my life. Worrying about someone waiting to harm me. My boyfriend—friend, protector, whatever Leo is to me—somewhere so terrible, Trevor cannot bear to think about it.
“Clear,” Trevor says when he’s checked my bedroom, bathroom, closets, and even behind the shower curtain. “If you want to stay at Leo’s, pack up whatever you think you’ll need for at least twenty-four hours. The less we have to go back and forth, the better.”
In under five minutes, I have a small suitcase with several changes of clothes, my toothbrush, makeup bag, and power cords for my phone, laptop, and tablet. “Ready.”
Trevor taps his ear. “Jimmy, we clear?” After a beat, he nods. “Okay. Let’s go. Stay behind me.”
Two steps into Leo’s apartment, I stop short and gape. All of his kitchen cabinets are open, mugs and plates broken on the floor. Deep rips mar his couch cushions, bits of stuffing strewn everywhere. The bedroom is even worse. The mattress is askew, pillows ripped open…even his yoga mat is torn.
“The safe,” I manage. “In the closet.”
“Gone.” Austin holsters his weapon, frowning. “But Leo wouldn’t keep much there. His gun, maybe his Visa paperwork. There’s another hidey-hole somewhere in this place no one would ever find. Except maybe us. That’s where he’ll have his go bag, passport, fake IDs…”
He and Trevor muscle the mattress back into place. The sheets are piled in a corner, and I pick them up and toss them onto the bed. “He cannot come back to this.”
“He won’t. Austin, get our tech set up in the main room. I’ll help Domina.”
The older man nods. “Got to get the gear first. I’ll let you know before I come back in.”
“Roger that.” Trevor grabs one corner of the fitted sheet and tucks it around the mattress. “In a few minutes, I can go back to your place and get your pillows. These are obviously FUBAR.”
“FUBAR?”
