Because of her, Francesca had to offer herself up in place of her child.
And then the anger came. No, not anger.
Rage.
Pure, unadulterated rage.
No fucking way.
Guillermo did not get to destroy one more person.
Not while there was breath in her body.
She stood there, unseeing, although her eyes appeared fixed on the crystallized image of the baby in Francesca’s womb—thinking, plotting, planning.
When she finally moved, it was midday. Her phone had beeped. As if moving through a viscous material, she reached for the phone and saw it was Triumph.
Now she felt regret. She was going to hurt him, possibly irreparably.
It couldn’t be helped. He’d be alive. He’d recover.
What mattered even more than Triumph was that Francesca would be home with her family. Baby Hailey would grow up with her parents, her dog, and maybe one day, a baby brother. If so, she’d be the best big sister, and the siblings would have two wonderful parents. Neither of the children would ever feel abandoned. Never feel less than worthy. Always be loved.
She answered the call. She owed him that at the very least.
“Hey, little spy.”
He sounded tired. Frustrated.
“No luck?” She knew there hadn’t been, but she had to ask.
“Nothing yet. I’ve been able to determine the video isn’t AI, so at least we know it’s real footage. I need them to call again so I can try to trace the call, but…”
“But he won’t call again.” She supplied the remainder of the sentence.
“No. Guillermo was very clear.” She heard a chair creak in the background, as if he was leaning back in it to stretch out his back, and his next words were muffled like he was rubbing his hands over his face. “I need to get back to work. See if I can find any clues as to where he’s holding her, but honestly? I don’t know if I’m going to be successful. The camera is very tight on her, and there is next to nothing in the frame that isn’t her. And she can’t talk to give us any clues.”
Glennon closed her eyes, hung her head, breathed in, breathed out, and her mind settled.
No other choice.
“You should go. You have work to do.”
“I needed to hear your voice. Needed to know you were still safe.”
Sadly, she smiled to herself. “Go. Do your NSA shit. Get Francesca home.”
“Love you, Glennon.”
“I love you too. So much. I’m so lucky you were mine, and I loved being yours.”
“Glennon?”
She disconnected.
For the first time in a very long, long time, she saw things clearly. Her parents’ inability to let go of their fear. Her brother, crippled by their best intentions. The single-mindedness of her employers. The power she held to set the rules and make others play within them.
She would use that against Guillermo and end this today.
