Total Surrender (21 page)

Rachel blushed a fluorescent pink. “Good-bye, Brian.”

Brian slowly released her.

Keeping her gaze on her mother and avoiding the tousled Earl, Piper continued, “Brian, leave now. Please.”

Muttering about crazy women and life, Brian stomped down the stairs and to his car.

Rachel slowly lowered the pan. “You okay?”

“Fine.” Piper studied her mother with new eyes. The woman could be deadly when protecting her child. Deadly, period. “I love you, Mom.” Soon they’d have a long talk about everything—especially the disgruntled half-nude neighbor hovering protectively close. When they had a chance to be alone.

Rachel smiled, a lingering sadness darkening her eyes. “Sometimes I lose my temper. But I love you, too.”

Piper leaned in and kissed her mom’s cheek, definitely intrigued by the layers she hadn’t realized lived in her mother. “Everything is going to be all right. I promise.” She then turned toward Earl. “Um.”

He grinned. “You do know I served in the Marines for a stint or two, right?”

“No. No, I didn’t.” She looked at Earl and lifted both eyebrows.

“I’ll protect you and your mom. Don’t worry.” He slid an arm around Rachel’s shoulders.

Piper nodded slowly, her mind spinning. She glanced at her mom again and patted her arm. What courage it must’ve taken to try to run and hide from the commander. She smiled at her new hero. “I’ll talk to you two later.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and hurried into the driveway and her SUV. If she knew where the men were who watched her, she’d flip them off. But since she didn’t, she ignited the engine and all but rammed out of the driveway, barely missing Brian’s car on the road.

“Ooops,” she muttered, her shoulders going back. For too
long she’d been out of the loop, and that had changed last night with a simple game of footsie with Jory. They were on to the commander, and they’d figure out this entire mess. Then she’d save Jory’s life, because she just couldn’t let him die.

He had to live.

The mere thought of his dying, just when she’d found him, forced tears to her eyes. She turned a corner and paused at a four-way-stop. Her back door suddenly jerked open, and Jory jumped inside.

She yelped. “What in the world?”

“I thought I’d hide back here and go with you today.” Settling back in the seat, Jory just studied her. “Drive. Now.”

She pulled into very mild traffic and shook her head. “There are checkpoints.” Yanking out her badge, she flashed it in the rearview mirror. “I have a badge.”

“So use it. I’ll hide”—he turned and glanced into the back—“under the blanket and grocery bags.”

She hadn’t had time to clean her car, damn it. “Gee. What could possibly go wrong with that plan?”

He laughed, but the sound seemed forced.

She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Wrong?” Jory leaned forward, and his tone was, well, scary.

She swallowed, her body going on full alert. “What’s the problem?”

“Problem?”

She huffed out air, wondering if she should pull over. “Stop repeating everything I say.”

“Don’t fucking think of pulling over. You have a tail, and I had to jump in at the right intersection so they didn’t see me.” He hunched down in the seat.

Oh. She pressed the gas pedal down. “Want to tell me why you’re swearing at me?”

“Gladly.”

She braced herself, because his tone of voice seemed anything but
glad.
“Well?”

“You want to explain why a guy on your front porch was able to manhandle you earlier today?” Jory spoke through clenched teeth.

She stiffened against the harsh tone. “I was trying to get away without causing a scene. What should I have done?”

“When a guy grabbed you like that?”

Yep. Scary voice. Big time. “Yes.”

“Fucking kicked him in the balls. You don’t talk, you don’t try to avoid a scene, and you sure as hell don’t stand on your own front porch and take that crap.” Jory’s voice was all the more menacing for the softness to it.

She shivered. “I handled it.”

Silence. Dead, pissed off, definitely masculine silence came from the backseat. She dared a look, and fire all but spit from his eyes. Good thing the guy couldn’t jump over the seat because the tail would see him. She swallowed. “You’re just pissed you couldn’t take care of him.”

She spoke without thinking, and from Jory’s instant stiffness, she’d nailed that one on the possessive head. But he’d never admit the truth, would he?

“You’re fucking exactly fucking right I’m pissed because I couldn’t rip off his fucking head and throw it in the bushes while tearing off his fucking arms for hurting you.” Jory’s hand tangled in her hair as if he couldn’t help but touch it. “I was a second from breaking cover when your mother showed up with a frying pan. Then the guy with the cat.”

Okay. Jory’s protectiveness should not be giving her twinges. She liked it. A lot. “Everything worked out all right. We just had one night, Jory. Let’s not go caveman from it.”

His eyebrow lifted. “You made the choice of the night, and now you’ll accept what comes from it.”

The night had touched her in ways she couldn’t even explain, and her mind was full of him. Her heart was vulnerable to him, and that wouldn’t do. Especially since he had a kill chip in his spine, and an overdeveloped sense of possession. “Excuse me?” She tried to sound in control.

“You felt that night as much as I did, and you made the choice to be there. You’re a smart girl, Piper. Don’t play dumb.”

She jerked the wheel around a pothole, not surprised when he didn’t move an inch. “I’m not playing dumb, but I can take care of myself.” She was even turning into a bit of a spy, now wasn’t she?

“That isn’t how this is going to work, darlin’.”

Was that a Southern twang again? She eyed him in the rearview mirror. “Then how exactly do you think it’s going to work?”

“You’re driving me in today, and you have today to get the codes. I’ll get the layout of the facility, and then we’re out of the place—with Chance and the other two kids. For good. You and your mother are going under, and I’ll take care of the commander.”

“That’s not my plan.”

“It is now. This is too dangerous, and the only reason I’m allowing you in today is because the commander thinks he’s got you where he wants you. So you’re safe today—especially since the chips are set to blow at midnight tomorrow. But that’s all you get.” The Southern accent came out in full force.

She glared in the mirror. Midnight tomorrow? God. “You don’t get to decide for me.”

“Baby, I already have.”

S
HE COULDN’T BELIEVE
that worked. Not in a million freakin’ years. Jory had hidden in the back, and they’d made it all the way inside the compound, where she’d had to drive around all of the new constructions and a bunch of tractors. She’d been instantly escorted to a computer room, being told by Dr. Madison that she might as well continue her work until the end of the day, when they’d set the trap for the Gray brothers.

Madison had licked her lips when saying the words, pure anticipation lighting her dead eyes.

Creepy bitch.

But she didn’t know them, did she? She certainly didn’t know they had a real last name.

For now, Piper had work to do. So she logged in and quickly found the additions she’d written to the computer code that would save Jory’s brothers. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she added code, her mind spinning. If she tried to download it, an alert would be sent out. She had to figure out how to reach Jory’s chip and somehow reset it, but without him near, she couldn’t tell if her alterations did any good.

Sleet smashed against the window, and she shivered.

The door opened, and Chance strode inside. Finally. It was nearing the end of the day.

She stiffened. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He leaned back against the wall, a tall kid with dangerous eyes. Very familiar, Jory-like gray eyes. Today
Chance wore a black soldier’s uniform with a gun strapped to his leg.

“What’s with the gun?” Piper asked, her breath heating.

“I’m supposed to shoot you if you try to leave.” No expression sat on Chance’s young face.

Piper rubbed her chin. “That’s unfortunate.” The kid looked way too young to be so serious and carry a gun. “You shoot people a lot?”

He didn’t answer. Yeah. That’s what she’d thought.

The commander stepped inside. “You did well last night with Jory.”

She flushed. “I didn’t like setting him up.”

The commander glanced at his smartphone. “No matter. Tonight, when you meet him, we’ll move in and take all of the Gray brothers.”

Dean brothers.
Apparently the commander’s intel wasn’t as good as he thought. “Why do you want them back so badly?” she whispered.

“They’re mine.” Now he glanced over at Chance. “It looks like you’ll get the opportunity to know your real brothers.”

“I already know my brothers.” Chance’s chin rose, making him look more like Jory than ever.

A red warning flashed on Piper’s computer. “What the heck?”

The commander drew closer. “What’s going on?”

Adrenaline flooded her system, and she reached for the keyboard. Heat rushed through her veins. “Virus. We’re being seriously hacked.” If the hacker destroyed the computer program, she’d have no way to save Jory. Battle roared through her, and she typed faster. She couldn’t lose Jory now.

“Who?” the commander hissed.

“No clue.” Her fingers flew over the keyboard, trying to protect the program. More warnings flashed. “It’s somebody
within the system.” It couldn’t be Jory. Who was trying to infect the entire compound? Her stomach rolled. She quickly went internal and flipped off the wireless before reaching for wires and shutting down the entire tower. The screen went blank.

Tingles cascaded along her arms. “That’ll help a little.”

The whir of a helicopter emerged through the snowy rain pelting down. The commander frowned. “I don’t have anyone scheduled to arrive today.”

Piper glanced out at the drizzly day. Jory’s brothers owned a helicopter. Were they coming? If so, why hadn’t he given her some warning the way in today?

The commander jumped toward the window and peered out. “What the hell?”

The helicopter landed, and four men jumped out, guns out. They wore brown soldier uniforms with PROTECT stitched across the front. Piper didn’t recognize any of them. The people who’d kidnapped Jory. She had to run. She stood and faltered when Chance reached for his weapon.

“Watch her,” the commander ordered, turning for the doorway. He lifted his phone to his ear. “Those aren’t my men. All hands, attack.” Then he paused and listened, turning toward Chance. “Why the hell isn’t the alarm blaring?”

Chance shrugged, his brow furrowing. Then he glanced at the now silent computer. “The attack came from within. Maybe somebody gave them clearance to land?”

Outside, the PROTECT soldiers fanned out without any resistance.

“Damn it. On my six,” he ordered Chance. “Stay here, or I’ll have you shot,” he said to Piper.

Gulping, she nodded, her gaze darting around. How could she get to safety?

“You are not leaving,” came a cultured voice from the doorway.

Piper’s head jerked to see a tall soldier in the doorway, his bald head gleaming, a big shiny pistol in his massive hand. God. It was the man from the video so long ago when Jory had been shot.

“Who the fuck are you?” the commander asked, mere curiosity in his tone.

The soldier pointed the gun at the computer. “I’m the one who’s going to take down your organization. For good.” He fired.

Piper yelped and tried to jump in front of the tower, but the bullet impacted the black casing. She backed away, her eyes widening on the threat. “What the hell?”

The soldier stepped inside, light blue eyes glinting eerily in the light. “I know all about you and your creations, which are abominations to our God.”

Piper edged toward Chance. Fear hitched her movements, but she plowed on. “Maybe we should leave you two to talk about this.”

“Put the gun down,” the commander ordered. He reached for his sidearm and hesitated when the soldier shook his head. “Now.”

A shadow crossed outside, and from the corner of her eye, Piper could see Jory beyond the window. He levered closer to the window, having donned one of the black soldier uniforms.

The commander snorted. “You’re surrounded on every side by well-trained men, and if you don’t put down the gun, I’m going to make sure you beg for death.”

Fear hazed her vision, but Piper tried to slide toward the window. Urgency focused the moment into a narrow tunnel.

“Stay put.” The new soldier settled his stance, the gun still pointed at the commander.

Faster than a thought, Chance drew his weapon and aimed at the soldier. “Drop the gun.”

“I know all about you, you freak.” The soldier focused on Chance. “I’ll shoot you while my soldiers take out your brothers. Right now.”

Chance’s gaze hardened. Keeping his gun levered on the soldier, he edged toward the window.

“Your brothers should already be dead. We’ll have to go after the other soldiers—with the intel my forces are gathering right now. But first…” The soldier changed his aim and fired at Chance.

“No!” Piper jumped in front of the boy. The bullet impacted her shoulder and icy pain ripped into her flesh. She cried out, thrown against Chance. He caught her, stumbling back against the wall. Blood bloomed across her chest.

Chance tucked her close. “Oh God. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” he murmured.

The commander didn’t spare her a glance and drew his weapon. “You’re dead, asshole.”

“Everyone stop.” Piper tried to stand straight, but her vision wavered. Her right side had gone numb, which was better than the pain. But she was about to fall, and she knew it. She had to get Chance out of there before the man shot him.

Men’s shouts and gunfire peppered down the hallway. Finally. Somebody had figured out they were being attacked.

Chance gently moved her to the side. “I’ll get you out of here, Piper.” His voice trembled on the last.

The soldier sighed and fired three shots at the commander. He flew back into the cedar-blocked wall.

Piper screamed.

Glass shattered inward, thrown in every direction as Jory barreled inside.

Chance fired at the soldier, hitting him in the arm. The guy bellowed, turned, and ran from the room.

Jory leaped for Piper. “Where were you hit?”

“Her right shoulder,” Chance said, scrambling for the demolished window. “This is my fault—I’m so sorry. Right now, I have to get my brothers. Those people want to kill them.”

“Damn it.” Jory yanked off his black soldier shirt and ripped a piece to tie around Piper’s arm.

Agony flared alive in her bicep, and she gasped. Tears filled her eyes.

“Sorry.” Jory grabbed Chance just as he was about to jump through the window. “Stay on my six.” He leaned down and grabbed the commander’s gun.

Bile rose in Piper’s throat, and she swallowed rapidly. “Is he dead?”

Jory frowned and leaned down to rip open the commander’s shirt. The bullets had impacted a bulletproof vest. “He’s always worn one. Just knocked out cold.” Almost absently, Jory rubbed his weapon. Then he turned and eyed her.

She swallowed again and tried to blink the dots from her vision. “If you need to kill him, I’ll forgive you,” she gasped, her heart hurting.

He lifted his chin. “He told us that if he dies, a signal goes to our chips and explodes. I can’t kill him. Yet.”

She nodded, sadly relieved. The firefight continued, and her body bunched to run. “Are we taking him?”

“No. We have no use for him. He won’t break, and I don’t want him to know anything about our lives.” Jory dropped the unconscious man to the floor.

“My brothers,” Chance said, his eyes determined. “We have to go.”

Jory turned and nodded. “Where are they?”

Piper tried to bend her arm and press it against her stomach to ease some of the pain. She truly hadn’t wanted to see her lover kill her father. No matter what a sociopath the man was.

Jory jumped out the window. “Help Piper.”

“Wait.” She hurried toward the computer and tried to lift the tower with one arm. Pain scalded through her other shoulder. “We need this.”

Chance huffed out a breath and grabbed the tower before helping her to the window. “Out.”

Bossy like his brother. Piper scooted over the sill and dropped to the wet ground. Jory steadied her, his hands strong and sure. Chance smoothly leaped out with the tower tucked under one already muscled arm. Gunfire punctuated the fighting within the facility. A man screamed in what sounded like agony.

Jory glanced around, his gaze landing on the empty helicopter. He turned and nodded at Chance. “Get her inside, and I’ll find your brothers.”

Piper eyed the helicopter, trembles cascading down her back. “You can fly?”

“Of course.”

She shuddered, and nausea attacked her. They didn’t have enough time. “I’ll make it myself. You guys get the kids.” The fighting continued inside the building, and she had a small window of time to make the helicopter. Wincing, she grabbed the tower. “Go.”

Jory tugged her jean waistband and shoved the gun in. “The second you get to the copter, put the tower down and pull the gun.”

She bit down a wince and tried to mimic Chance’s determined look. “No problem.” Ducking her head against the rain, trying to ignore the incredible pain in her arm, she ran toward the helicopter. God, she hoped Jory and Chance found those kids.

Jory scanned the area for threats, his blood calming with every step. Chance kept to his six, his weapon out.

“Where are they?” Jory asked, heading for what looked like barracks. Once he’d found a way inside the facility, he’d stolen the shirt and pants that made up the uniforms and then pretty much had free rein of the facility outside the secured areas. Putting on the uniform had pissed him off and made his head swim at the same time.

He’d sworn he’d never wear it again.

Chance moved up and ran past Jory. “Follow me.” He skirted the building and jogged toward a field edged by trees. Stopping, he let out a low whistle. “We have a contingency plan in case anybody ever attacks. Hide in the trees, find each other, and get the fuck out of here.”

Good plan. Jory’s shoulders relaxed as two boys hustled out of the forest. Dressed in the uniform, wearing buzz cuts, weapons strapped to their legs, they reminded him of his childhood. Of his brothers. Something in his gut ached and bad.

They hustled up, eyes on him.

“Kyle and Wade, this is Jory.” Chance turned and pointed his gun at Jory. “We’re all going, and we have to run. Now.”

Jory stilled. Ah. Kyle had green eyes, and Wade had blue. That’s what Chance had been hiding. They weren’t genetic links. He blinked, his skin tingling. His shoulders straightened with understanding. If they were raised in this place, regardless of genetic donor, they were his.

Wade stared at his brother. “Why you aiming, Chance?”

“He knows why,” Chance said softly, sounding so much like Matt that Jory’s gut hurt. Bad.

Jory turned toward the other boys. “I’m Jory, and I’m your brother, too. We have three other brothers, and they’re waiting to get us out of here. You with me?”

Wade nodded, and Kyle lifted his chin.

Jory turned toward Chance, letting the boy see the truth in his eyes. He didn’t give a shit about genetics. Brothers were brothers. “You with me, kid?”

Chance slowly lowered his gun. “You for real?” Chance asked.

Jory turned toward the kid, his chest burning. “All real. We’re together, Chance. All of us. Brothers.”

Chance’s shoulders relaxed, and for the first time, actual hope glimmered in his too-worldly eyes. “Good.”

“You guys go.” Kyle shook his head. “I’m not leaving Greg.”

Jory glanced at Chance. “Greg?”

Chance paled and jerked his head toward a field on the other side of a barbed wire fence. “Our brother. Buried over there.”

A mini-explosion rocked the earth. “We have to go,” Jory said.

Chance nodded. “We’ll come back for him. I promise.”

“No.” Kyle shook his head. “Go, Chance. It’s okay.” He turned to head back to the forest.

Chance grabbed him from behind in a solid bear hug. “You’re coming.”

“No.” Kyle began to kick and struggle, his voice going hoarse. “I’m not leaving him. I’m not.”

Tears sliding down his face, Chance moved his brother into a chokehold. Kyle struggled, and then his eyelids fluttered shut.

Jory’s heart hurt so bad he wanted to double over. Instead, he kept his voice calm. “Here. I’ll take him.”

“No. He’s my brother.” Chance flipped Kyle around and yanked him over his shoulder.