Page 17 of Her Chosen Protector

Rafa’s right, he’s been talking to Mom and the translator, getting information together. It should help.”

Max motioned for them to lower their weapons. Asher glanced over at Kane—he was looking at Rafa with interest. “What kind of information, kid?”

“I have everything,” the teenager boasted. “I downloaded a ton of stuff from Tia Suzanne’s bank after she gave me her computer code.” He rubbed his hands together. “Do you know much about

computers?” he asked Kane.

“A little,” Kane answered.

Asher kept his laugh inside, but Cullen laughed out loud. Max sent him a sharp look. Rafa was oblivious, but Lenora didn’t miss a trick.

“Well, after I got her code, I was able to get into everybody else’s computer in the bank. That included IT, security, and maintenance. We won’t even need access to keycards to get in because we can override the locks. Except for the gate surrounding the bank, but I’ll figure out something.” Kane smiled at Cynthia and Lenora as he fell into step with Rafa to enter the house. The last thing Asher heard was Rafa saying, “…otherwise the bank’s security sucks donkey balls if you know what you’re doing.”

Now the kid was sounding like a cross between Cullen and Kane. Even Max was laughing at that.

Everybody but Nic, that was. He was going to have to bone up on his Spanish.

“We need to get your mother back on the phone,” Lenora said to her granddaughter as she put a comforting hand on the pregnant woman’s lower back.

“The President’s secret police are butchers, Abuela. I don’t understand why they haven’t broken in and killed them.” The pretty young woman’s voice was trembling.

“Honey, they won’t. Your mother and her friends are too important. It would cause an international incident,” Lenora assured the scared woman as they made their way inside.

Asher wished that was true. Cynthia was right, they were butchers. The President’s secret police had been recruited from many of the deadliest street gangs in all of Columbia and Venezuela. They had no regard for human life. They needed intel from Carter from CIA, and Kane better be getting it quick. As it was, everything going on here on the ground was so fluid it felt like they were in the middle of a flood. It was making his head hurt worse than it had been when he was riding in that blasted food truck.

Asher looked around the great room the women led them into. It was huge. These people definitely had money. Of course, if Lenora’s daughter owned a bank, what else could he expect?

“Where’s Marta?” Lenora asked Cynthia as she looked around the room.

“I told her to take the day off,” Cynthia said. “We didn’t want anyone here but family when the Americans arrived. Don’t worry, I’ve already made refreshments. They’re in the fridge, I’ll go get them.”

Asher saw the sheen of perspiration on the pregnant woman’s forehead as she took a step toward a hallway. Nic, Raiden, Cullen, and Max all began talking at once. They were volunteering to get the food if she would just tell them what to get, and Cullen coaxed her into a large plush chair. Lenora laughed.

Great, I totally missed the mark on that one. This head injury must be worse than I thought.

“Nic, you and Raiden go get the food, and bring back ice for Leo,” Max directed. “Asher get over there with Kane. I want you checking out the entry points of the bank. Cullen, go park the truck around back so that it can’t be seen from the road.”

“The gate is very high, it should be fine,” Lenora Azua assured Max. Max gave a chin tilt to Cullen, who then left to go do what Max had requested.

“Señora, I’m sure it will be fine, but I’m just the overly cautious type. Ezio, when Cullen’s done parking the truck, I want the two of you to scour the outside perimeter and report back. I want to make sure that everything is as secure as it seems.”

Ezio nodded and went after Cullen.

Asher started over to the other corner in the room where there was a huge monitor. Two laptops

and papers piled precariously on every other remaining flat surface. Rafa was pointing at something and Kane was nodding.

“Asher, wait a minute, what’s your status?” Max asked. Asher stopped mid-stride.

“I’m fine,” Leo said.

“Is your name Asher?” Max growled. “If not, sit your ass down, put your leg up, and shut the hell up.” Leo planted himself on one of the two sofas in the great room, and Kane absently kicked over an ottoman from where he was sitting next to Rafa so that Leo could prop up his leg.

“Now, Asher Thorne, answer me, how are you doing?” Max looked closely at Ash.

“The headache comes and goes. It’s a mild concussion. I’m going to cut out video games for a while—too many blinky lights will probably aggravate the symptoms.”

“Smartass,” Leo said from his position on the couch. “I bet it’s worse than it is, Lieutenant.”