“That would terminate our agreement and jeopardize success of finding the senator.” Sam closed his eyes against what was coming.
“Logan wants me to pull you in.”
Shit, that can’t happen. Sam sent a look to Hallene when he spoke to her. “I have to tell them what is going on.”
Her jaw couldn’t get any more rigid.
Nitro asked, “Let me get this clear. Not only are you acting on intel from an unknown source, but you’re asking permission from the blonde who showed up at your aunt’s place and tried to swallow your tongue?”
“That one.”
“Whois she?” Nitro could be furious and would still dig for any bit of intel.
“The one I met in the basement of the mansion.” Sam struggled to get a deep breath. His world was circling the commode and he had nothing to grab hold of to save his future. “Her intel put her in the mansion before us and she was the reason we got out ahead of the blast. She’s looking for someone else, an innocent girl being used as a pawn. We’re both looking for the same kidnapper. I just want the time to follow through on what I’ve agreed to. If nothing comes of it in the next twenty-four hours, I’ll call to meet you. Fair enough?”
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. Betrayal flooded her face.
“Did you think we were negotiating, Sam? How’d she even locate you in Clercville?”
No one was happy with Sam right now. “I’m only asking for a little time to confirm this intel. That’s all. As for how she found me, I’m not entirely sure yet.”
Nitro went silent for a few seconds. “You’re telling me this woman has a lead on W and the senator.”
“Yes. Until I learn differently, I believe she’s found him from a different avenue that was unavailable to us because of the kidnapped girl she’s looking for.”
He flicked a look at her, hoping she’d realize he had not shared Phoebe’s name or hers.
The blank stare she gave him could be positive or negative. Only time would tell once he ended this call.
At the rate he was sinking in everyone’s opinion, he’d bet on negative.
Sam kept selling his plan to Nitro. “This may be our only chance to extract our target, and from what I’ve learned, it has to happen soon.”
“Why?”
Sam leaned back, wishing for once in his life to be an average Joe again. He lived for his life with the FALCA team, but the walls were closing in on him. “I don’t have this firmed up yet, but it sounds like the kidnapper does have an event planned for his usual date.”
“We know about the last Saturday in August.”
“But we don’t know where. It may be on US soil. That’s what I’m hoping to pin down before Saturday morning, which would give us around seventeen hours if he sticks to his standard time of ten in the morning.” Sam released an exhausted sigh. “I think it’s going to be on the upper northeast coast.”
Nitro cursed. “You can’t keep going forward with just the two of you. Not dealing with W.”
“We can,” Sam argued, sitting up with a renewed sense of swinging this conversation in his favor. “She’s got skills and we’re just now on the same page. Please, give me until tomorrow morning. I’m not leaving her to face this alone and I don’t see us getting any closer without her intel.”
Nitro took his time responding then reluctantly said, “I’ll explain this to Logan but no promises, Cuz.”
Using the brotherly name Sam’s team utilized gave him hope for not severing every tie with them. Nitro regretted having to do his duty, but Sam would not blame him.
In Nitro’s place, Sam would do the same.
“Don’t think I’m not appreciative,” Sam told him in a gruff voice. “I know what I’m facing when this is done. I just can’t walk away.”
A soft curse came next before Nitro said, “You’re one of our very best, but women have been a chink in your armor since day one. You’ve avoided any serious issues until South America. I don’t know why this woman deserves your commitment, but she better be worth what it may cost you. Logan will have to make a tough decision when this is all done, and he won’t like it. None of us are willing to give you up.”
Sam swallowed against the lump of misery clogging his throat. He thought he was ready to accept what he had to face until talking to Nitro, which made it real. He had to put that loss into a compartment in his mind so he could function, or it would destroy him.
“I understand,” Sam said quietly. “I’m not excusing my actions and I won’t blame anyone for the consequences, but I’m telling you straight up she’s trained and has intel we haven’t found, or you would have all gotten to this point ahead of us.”
