“Y’all know how it is with the CIA. Hell, every alphabet agency, for that matter.”
“No, Adrian.” Nate glared at the other man. “We don’t know. So why don’t you enlighten us. Go on, tell us how rough your life’s been.”
“Anyone got some popcorn?” Kole sat back in his seat. “’Cause this story hasgotto be good.”
“Fuck you, Jameson.” Walker glared back at Kole. “Fuck all of you. You have no idea the shit I’ve done to help you.” His eyes landed on Elle. “All of you.”
“This is a waste of time.” Zade stood and started for the door.
Ellena reached out and grabbed Zade’s wrist to stop him. “Let him finish.”
Zade’s eyes went to hers.
“Please.”
With a silent nod, Zade returned to his spot and waited.
All eyes were on Walker as he shifted in his seat, the movement causing him to wince. “Nothing is ever how it seems with agencies like that. One minute they’re spinning their stories, filling your head with a bunch of honor and duty bullshit. Making you feel like you matter. Like what they’re asking you to do will make a difference in the world. Then one day, you wake up and you realize you’ve signed your entire life away without even knowing it. By that point, you’re so far under, there’s no way you’re getting out.”
“Oh, spare me the fucking sob story.” Nate shook his head. “You expect us to believe our government would sanction a job that would allow you to not only shoot an operative who works with Homeland, but they’d also be okay with you kidnapping innocent women for the sole the purpose of putting them in harm’s way?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Adrian blinked, looking back at everyone as if he were truly dumbfounded. “You were in the military, Turner. You’ve seen more shit than most people can ever imagine.”
“What’s your point?” Gabe asked.
“My point is, you know the lengths certain agencies will go to in order to take its enemies down. You think they give a shit about you? About your women?”
“And the detective you killed back when you shot me?” Zade asked, his voice flat. “What was that? Collateral damage? You’d shoot an innocent man to help validate your cover?”
“Thatdetectivewas far from innocent.”
“What are you talking about?”
Walker looked to Ryker who tipped his head in a single nod.
Staring back at Zade, Walker said, “The cop I shot that day was on a list.”
Gabe frowned. “What kind of list?”
“The kind the CIA keeps for agents like me. We cross paths with someone on that list, we’re duty-bound to eliminate them.”
“You’re telling us that cop was some sort of enemy of the state?”
“If you consider a sexual predator involved in kidnapping and trafficking young girls an enemy of the state…then sure.”
Ellena gasped as the room erupted. It was clear Gabe’s men didn’t believe Walker’s story.
“He’s telling you the truth.” Ryker spoke up again. “About all of it.”
The room fell silent.
“Fine.” Gabe stared back at Ryker. “Let’s say we buy the story that Walker’s been working undercover this entire time. Why take the women?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, why kidnap Nate’s and Matt’s wives and hand them over to the very person the CIA wanted to capture? Why not just use the intel Walker acquired, while supposedly working for the bastards to take them down?”
“Because I’m supposed to be a ruthless killer,” Walker piped in. “I’m a traitor, remember?I’mthe enemy of the state. Only a handful of people even know about my cover, and if it came down to it, they’d ship me off to Leavenworth without blinking a fucking eye. Part of the fine print written just above that dotted line I told you about.”
