Page 67 of The Specialist

Marcus met my gaze. “You put yourself on the line for me over and over. Of course I’m here.”

Matteo was his usual taciturn self. I had only worked with him rarely, but I knew he was lethal if he needed to be. We got along well. “We’ll get her back.”

Besides being blast-proof, my old lab was also bug-proof, would kill any tracking equipment, and had the ability to monitor the entire building, so I knew we could work in here and be safe.

“We’re still secure in here—I think. I have no idea how they followed me. Tracked me,” I said. “We have scanned everything.”

Damien reached into his bag, removing a device I had never seen before. He passed it over me, a low hum emitting from it. He concentrated on my arm, then used a tiny machine that sucked up the skin, pulling what looked like a hair from it. He held it up.

“That’s how. The most sophisticated device created. It can’t be removed unless you have this machine. Water, soap, even fire can’t harm it. Unless you have the technology, it’s undetectable. I assume it was Ivan or Alex. All they had to do was brush against your arm. The capabilities and distance it can span are incredible.”

“All this time,” I muttered.

“They didn’t even have to be close. Those pictures of you at the cottage could have been taken from across the lake. The pictures at the gala, from the window across the street. It uses satellites and other technology.”

“Jesus.”

He nodded, putting it into a container. “I’m keeping it so I can study it. It’s contained now, so the last fix they have on you is it. They’ll think you haven’t moved.”

“Okay.”

He scanned me again. “Nothing. You’re safe now. So let’s get to work.”

“Have they made contact?” Damien asked, pulling a couple of laptops from his bag and setting them up.

“No. He wants me to suffer.”

He nodded. “He likes to do that.”

“I found some stuff on Ivan,” I said.

“So did I. Let’s get to work.”

An hour later, we sat back. My anxiety was even higher. Ivan had no conscience. The men working for him, even less. Killing was like breathing to them.

Julian sat down, handing me a cup of coffee. “This group is lethal.”

“What do they want?”

He sighed. “From what I have been able to piece together, there is an investigation going on. They’ve amassed a huge pile of evidence against this Petrov. Russia has turned its back on him. He has enemies everywhere. He’s running out of places to hide.”

Damien tapped the screen. “Hence the surgery.”

“Whatever they have is in a safe house. It’s all been done very quietly so as not to alert him.”

“But he found out.”

Julian took a sip of coffee and nodded. “Everything I’m telling you is classified. No one would ever admit to any of this. But the evidence is ready. He is about to become the number one wanted man on the planet. Him and his crew.”

“And he wants me to blow up the building and murder everyone in there. Surely there are backups?”

Julian nodded. “Of course. But this is the kicker. Rumor is some of the witnesses are housed there as well. If they’re gone, it’s hearsay.”

I shut my eyes, letting my head hang to my chest.

“I have to save her. Sofia is my priority.”

“Our priority,” Damien confirmed.