Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2) (10 page)

Ryland stood in the middle of the balcony, watching the city come alive as dusk approached. 
A particularly poignant violin concerto drifted from the speakers, creating a focused ambiance that was highly inductive to his train of thought.  The fact that Vivaldi had been a priest worked for his cruel sense of humor.  The irony of it twisted a smile onto his lips as he plotted.

He’d spent the last two days communicating with his various contacts to find out more about Grace Emily Weisslich.  What he found was astounding and only added to the mystery of this elusive woman.  Ryland smiled and then lifted the glass to his lips, allowing the warmth of the liquid to seep into his chest.  It was similar to the feeling he acquired when finding out his adversary was more intelligent than the average citizen.  It was as if he’d found a worthy opponent, similar to that of a good game of chess.  He was coming to really like that analogy.

His target had few choices left to her.  Grace Emily had to have heard about the Attorney General’s
accident
by now, leaving her to wonder who now had the evidence that she’d turned over to him.  Ryland had destroyed all of it as per his instructions.  It wasn’t his place to be concerned with the reason for their contracts.  He was simply hired to clean up a specifically defined mess.  Initiative was rarely rewarded in his business.  He had a code that defined him and his actions worked toward that objective without error.  He did not concern himself with the morality of it all.  That was not his job. 

Grace Emily apparently had her hands on the original recordings, which he would obtain and subsequently obliterate what remained.  It was in the back of his mind that his employers had let this go on far too long before trying to clean up their mess, but
far be it of him to criticize.  He was just reaping the rewards of their procrastination.

Raising the glass in a toast, Ryland congratulated himself on making the first
successful move.  The target was flushed from the hide.  At the time, he had no idea that taking out the Attorney General had anything to do with this case.  He’d done what he was paid to do and then had flown directly into New York for his next mission.  Now, given the details, he was well aware of what Grace Emily would do.  Unorthodox as it may be, he was able to place himself into the mindset of his target and calculate his or her options.  She didn’t have many alternative moves left.  He just had to wait until she made her contained choice, funneling her toward his sights.  He was a very patient man.  He had never missed his quarry once he had obtained a sight picture.

Chapter Twelve

“Taryn just informed me that Emily’s file has been wiped clean,” Crest said, not a hint of exhaustion in his voice.  His arms were crossed and he was leaning against the hotel room’s wall.  Wearing more casual clothes than usual, the brown cashmere pullover was rolled to his elbows.  Jax was itching just looking at it.  “There is no trace of her employment
with any government agency.”

“What
has
Taryn been able to pull up?” Jax asked, fiddling with the one-cup coffee maker.  They chose a random hotel, nothing too low grade, but not too extravagant.  Luckily, the room across the way housed Connor and Kevin, who were monitoring the hallway thanks to specific surveillance equipment Taryn had equipped them with.  “She was behind the eight ball from the beginning.  We should have known Emily was NSA the minute we took this case.”

The shower was still running, indicating that Emily was still busy getting ready for what was going to be a hellish day.  The map she had been pouring over most of the morning showed various places throughout New York City in which she’d hidden the recordings of the listening devices.  Considering they were running on borrowed time before the contractor tracked them down, Emily wasn’t going to be happy with what he and Crest had decided for obtaining them.

“I know you’re frustrated, but Taryn’s acquired everything that’s still available.  As I said, anything on Emily has been erased in NSA’s system.  As far as the world knows, Grace Emily Weisslich disappeared right after college.  Although we know that Emily Weiss was created, she ceases to exist other than the fact that she died two years ago.”  Crest raised an eyebrow at Jax’s attempt to jimmy the filter into the cone of the coffee maker.  He was ready to throw it out the fucking window.  “Taryn did manage to trace and monitor specific areas of the United Nations, thanks to the next agent they had in position.  Apparently they have several assets in play during this op.”

“They left her to fend for herself, all the while continuing on with whatever the hell it is they’re doing?”  Jax knew his question was more rhetorical than anything, but it still managed to astonish him how disposable people were for a
greater good
.  The water shut off, indicating that Emily would be joining them soon.  He had to maintain his distance or he’d never get through this.  Having confirmation that she was an agent distorted his thoughts and opinions of their actions so many years ago.  He knew he was coming across as a hard ass toward her, but that was the only way he could keep his head on straight.  It was his job to keep them both alive.  “What did Taryn hear on these listening devices?”

A specific knock sounded on the door, ind
icating that Connor or Kevin was on the other side.  Regardless of them recognizing the explicit thuds, he and Crest had their weapons pulled within seconds.  Jax trained his P220 on the door and waited while Crest took lead.  After getting an affirmative code word response over the radio he held in his hand, he still looked out the small, magnified circle embedded inside the wood.  He gave the all clear with a nod of his head.  Jax had already holstered his weapon before Kevin stepped in.

“Lach and Et
han are downstairs in the lobby.  The heavy weapons are stowed away in our room,” Kevin said, closing the door behind him.  Jax tossed the filter in the garbage upon seeing him carrying a take-out tray with four coffees.  The only thing better would have been if he’d included breakfast, but Jax wasn’t going to quibble.  After Kevin took his in hand and passed off the recyclable container, he leaned up against the door, resting the heel of his boot on the lower half before finishing his part of the conversation.  “Has Jessie managed to set up the live media bit?”

“Yes,” Crest replied, returning his
1911 to the holster attached to his black dress pants.  It would be concealed by his dress coat before they left the building.  Jax handed him a cup.  “But I want to wait until Emily is finished getting ready before explaining how the rest of this mission will be carried out.  I don’t want to have to repeat myself.”

“Getting back to Taryn and this agent they seemed to have replaced Emily with, what chatter is Taryn picking up?”  Jax cleared a spot on the side tab
le, placing Emily’s coffee down but taking his own.  “Anything in regards to the person Alekseev has hired to take out Emily?”

  As if right on cue, the door opened and out walked Emily.  Her blonde hair was still wet, although she’d pulled it back at the nape of her neck.  She was dressed in jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt.  There were slight
shadows underneath her eyes that gave the appearance that she was tired, but the blue of her eyes were lit with determination.  She zeroed in on the coffee and Jax handed his over, since he’d yet to even take off the lid. 

“What have I missed?”

“Apparently, Taryn has discovered that another agent took your place.  Is there anything specific that the NSA is trying to find?”  Jax figured he’d throw that question out, not sure if it really mattered.  “What were your original instructions?”

“We aren’t told much,” Emily admitted, walking to the end of the bed and tucking a leg underneath her as she got comfortable.  “We are given instructions and we carry them out.”

“You weren’t supposed to listen in on these so-called conversations, were you?” Jax asked, not knowing if he could truly believe her.  He wanted to, but Emily’s track record wasn’t winning her any points.  It was something he knew that would have to be dealt with on a personal level, but right now, they were just trying to keep her alive.  “You know what?  Forget I asked.  You did and we’re here.”

“Taryn’s narrowed it down to two contractors who might have taken the assignment.  Trevor Neonni and a man who only goes by Ryland.”  Crest lifted the cup and took a drink of the hot liquid.  “Both are in town as of yesterday, which can’t be a coincidence.  We have a location on Neonni, but Ryland fell off the radar the minute his plane touched down in LaGuardia.”

“Do you think they’re working together?” Jax asked, taking his own coffee and removing the lid.  He hated the damn things.  “I would think they wouldn’t want to split the money.  They’ve got to be offering a massive amount.”

“Which is why we’re going on the offensive,” Crest answered.  “Connor’s going to pay Neonni a visit while we gather the intel that Emily’s hidden.  As Kevin said, Lach and Ethan are waiting for their coordinates.  You just have to supply them to us, Emily.”

“It’s not that easy,” Emily protested, obviously not wanting to give up the only evidence that seemed to be keeping her alive.  “I should —”

“Crest is right,” Jax said, leaning a shoulder against the wall opposite of Crest.  “The more hands in the pot makes it harder to know which one to burn.  If Neonni isn’t the man hired to kill you, then the chances are good it’s Ryland.  And as of right now, we have no clue as to where he is.  Once we have the evidence in hand, we’ll all meet up at the news station, where Crest will have everything ready to roll.
  It’s not like you have a choice right now, Emily.”

Jax could see the confliction within Emily’s blue eyes.  He understood her need for control, particularly since she’d been on her own for so long.  But now wasn’t the time to try and do this without help.  She needed them and she knew it.
  Plus, he was finally back in control and had no plans on losing it now.

“Fine,” Emily said in more of a sigh than a formulated word.  She shifted on the bed and pulled the map of New York City toward her.  “I’ll mark the places in red, then cut the map into four sections.  Mr. Crest can assign three of the areas, although you and I will need to be the ones to go to West 24
th
Street.”

“It’s just Crest.  No need for formalities.” 

Jax turned his head to see Crest smirk before taking a drink of his coffee and noticed that he observed every red X that Emily marked on the paper.  Only when she was finished and had started to tear the map into sections did Crest meet his gaze.  It wasn’t in confrontation, although there did seem to be a question in his eyes with regards to Jax’s scrutiny.  He shrugged it off, knowing that Crest would never needlessly put his team members in harm’s way.  Jax didn’t like his superior’s policy when it came to withholding information on a personal level, but that would be discussed at a later date when this case was over and done with.  Hell, like he’d told Connor, he might be finished with this life by then as well.

“Any particular reason we need to be the ones in that area?” Jax asked, watching as she started to tear the paper. 

He didn’t know why, but the sight of her blonde strands that were pulled back at the nape of her neck caught his attention.  Although the thickness and shine remained, he preferred her as a brunette.  Would he ever get the chance to see her natural coloring again?  The question made him ponder why his anger had dissipated.  Nothing had really changed, although he had given her fair warning that when he learned the truth and it was something he could forgive, he’d have her at his mercy tied to his bed.  Were her lies forgivable?  Had he forgiven her?

“Yes,” Emily replied to his question, finally standing up and facing them.  She then held out three squares of paper toward Crest, causing him to step away from the wall and take them with his free hand.  “There’s a piece of art being held at a gallery.  We need it
and the only way to retrieve it is to show up in person.”

“The only reason I’m giving the green light for this antic you planned is that Schultz is MIA,” Crest said, directing his statement to Emily.  “When we do get a hold of him, he takes point.  Understand?”

“Understood,” Emily said, her chin rising just a bit at Crest’s stance on this mission. 

Jax downed half his coffee, ready to get this show on the road.  There would be time to deal with the personal aspect of what she’d put them through after this ordeal was over.  He didn’t like his slip up a few moments ago, wanting to see her back to her natural ways.  He needed to get his head in the game, but her next words sent his thoughts astray once more.  At this rate, his death would likely come before hers.

“So, who’s going to give me a weapon?”

* * * *

Jax had finally been able to switch jackets with Ethan.  He felt more like himself and a hell of a lot more comfortable in the worn brown leather.  Although it was still March, the weather was on the cold side and wearing the coat concealed his weapon easily.  The shining moment of the morning was when Ethan had tossed him his skullcap.  Unfortunately, it didn’t relieve the tension that had balled up inside the both of them at being so exposed as they walked down 24
th
Street.

“Are you warm enough?” Jax asked, making sure to keep a hand firmly in place on Emily’s lower back.  He could feel the
pistol in the small of her back, the MOB holster attached to the waistband of her jeans.  He wore his sunglasses, allowing him to scout the area for any foreseeable threat.  Unfortunately, nothing would be able to stop a sniper, which was why he had her practically attached to his hip.  “The hooded sweatshirt should be keeping the wind out of your face.”

“I’m okay,” Emily said, her words muffled since she hadn’t lifted her
chin toward him.  He was pleased to see her training kick in, although could feel the stress radiating from her body.  “It’s the art gallery on the far corner.”

Jax casually lifted his left hand up to
adjust his skullcap, and pressed it more firmly on his head while listening to the conversation that was taking place between his team members in his ear bud.  Connor had paid Neonni a friendly visit to find out why he was in New York City.  On one hand, Jax was relieved to know that it had nothing to do with Emily.  On the other, no one could locate Ryland.  He took one last look around before crossing the street and stepping up to the entrance of the gallery.

“Lach has reached his destination and retrieved the first recording,” Jax murmured, reaching for the door.  “Let’s get ours.  In and out.”

Emily quickly turned to block his way, catching him off guard.  It was a good thing he was obstructing her visual from the streets, as she tilted her head back, revealing her blue eyes.  The smudges underneath seemed to have darkened in the span of a few hours, indicating her fear of what she about to do.  He gave her credit.  She hid it well.

“Jax, now that you know the truth, tell me this is something we can get past.”  She searched his eyes for a response behind the darkness of his glasses and he was relieved she couldn’t see them clearly.  “Please.  Just tell me that you’ll have me tied to your bed when this is all over
like you said.  Tell me you understand that I was just doing my job.  You should appreciate that, considering your service to our country.”

Jax inhaled deeply, wishing he had a clear-cut answer for her.  Her plea gave him an indication of what she’d been fighting for a
ll this time.  But the fact was they’d spent seven days together and two years apart.  A lot had happened in that time span and truth be told, they really didn’t truly know each other.  Since that reality was now setting in, he didn’t have an answer.

“You’re really starting to piss me off, Jax,” Emily said, her blue eyes tinting with anger at the fact he’d remained silent.  “Just remember, you got to carry on with your life while I
was fighting to get back what I’d lost.  You don’t get to stand there and judge me.”