“They might not even be there,” he said.
“Who did the Prez invite today?”
Seconds later, he had Evelyn on the phone.
“Tank, I was just typing a text to you guys about dinner,” Evelyn said.
“Sounds great,” Teddy replied. “Can you tell Sydney and me who’s sitting in the box with President Garrison during the game?”
“Thanks for reminding me. You and Sydney need to be at the White House at oh-seven-hundred tomorrow morning. We’re flying to Baltimore via helicopters.”
“Sydney and I are driving up today,” Teddy said. “We’re meeting with security and Secret Service. Greystone and Caroline too.”
“Thanks for going the extra mile.”
“So, who did the President invite to sit in the box with him?” Teddy repeated.
“His family, the Vice President and family,” she replied. “Several cabinet heads and close friends from across the political aisle.”
He and Sydney exchanged glances.
“Anyone else?” Teddy asked.
“We had to secure two more luxury suites. NATO is finishing up a meeting in DC, so he invited several members and their traveling families. He also had a last-minute add of three presidents of global tech companies.”
“That’s just great,” Sydney muttered, her words dripping with sarcasm.
“It’s going to be fine,” Evelyn said.
“Will you be there?” Teddy asked her.
“No, Sean and I will be cheering from our living room. I know you’ll be working, but try to enjoy the game. It’s always so exciting to watch.”
Teddy thanked her and hung up.
As the city of Baltimore came into full view, Teddy glanced over at Sydney. Her skin was sallow, she was staring straight ahead and shaking her head.
“Do you think Evelyn will change her mind when she sees the message and the GIF I sent Greystone?” Teddy asked.
“I don’t think it matters what she does,” Sydney bit out. “Muhammad Haqazzii has a group of powerful people sitting in those boxes liked caged birds. This isnotgood. Not good at all, and we’re completely powerless to stop it.”
Despite their situation, Teddy wasn’t afraid. Fear didn’t course through his veins. Determination and grit did.
“We got this,” he said as he took the off-ramp, en route toward the massive football arena.
“I hope you’re right,” she said, “because I feel like we’re at a huge disadvantage going into this.”
“Maybe that’s a good thing. They don’t know we’ll be there and they haven’t beaten us yet.”
He wanted that to be true, but Sydney was right. This time, they were at a clear disadvantage. They had no idea if Haqazzii and his men were coming and, if they were, how they’d take the President and his high-profile guests out.
SYDNEY
Sydney couldn’t sleep.Sex with Tank took her to her happy place, but twenty minutes later, she was back in full-on obsessive mode. She’d tried yoga. That didn’t calm her. She meditated on a mantra that always eased her to slumberland, but that didn’t work either.
At four-thirty in the morning, she wasstilltoo wired to sleep. She paced in their hotel suite, then sat by the window staring out at the sleeping city.
“Babe,” Tank said. “Let me hold you.”
