Mari indicated the drinks on the table. "The owner sent us another round."

There was no more sipping at drinks or trusting her companions, not even to pretend. She watched Jess take his drink and lift it with a nod toward the bartender. Ken tipped Mari's glass and then Saber's. She was careful about actually putting her lips to the rim. A dusting of poison could kill in an instant. Appearing distracted by a dancer, she set the drink aside, still standing, tapping her foot to the beat.

"This is great music," she said to no one in particular, allowing her gaze to drift over the crowd. Men and women who could handle themselves had a distinct look. She touched a few potentials, men who looked good in a fight, men who carried themselves with confidence, who moved with easy, sure steps and flowing muscles. She couldn't discount the women as a threat either.

Mari was a soldier. There was no doubt in Saber's mind. She'd gone through the same extensive training Saber had, and it had been thorough. She probably knew more ways to kill a man than most individuals in the room. She'd gone through psychological and emotional testing. She was trained extensively in weapons and hand-to-hand, but more importantly, she had been put through test after test on her ability to think in a crisis. On how to remain cool and calm, how to be as cold as ice in any given situation.

For the first time in her life, Saber was grateful for the years of training, for all the times she'd been punished for showing emotion. Jess had betrayed her, sold her out to the other GhostWalkers. By all rights she should terminate him.

"Have you met Jess's sister, Patsy?" she inquired, hanging on to her smile.

Ken nodded. "I have. I had met her before this happened." He ran his hand over the scars on his face. "She cried when she saw me. Patsy is a very caring woman."

"I haven't met her," Mari said. "I'd like to though. Both Jack and Ken talk about Jess and his family quite a bit."

"Jess always invited us for holidays," Ken said. "He has a nice family."

Saber continued to search the room without seeming to do so. There would be others in the crowd. They would want a full team if they planned to reacquire her. She pushed all sentiment away, all regret. Escape wouldn't be easy. She was small and her strength wasn't in hand-to-hand. She was good with weapons, but again, it wasn't her specialty. She could do it-would do it-because she had to. When failure wasn't an option, you found a way to get it done.

"I've only met Patsy, and I really like her."

"She thinks Saber is too young for me," Jess said. She was pulling away from him. He could feel her withdrawal as surely as if she were already gone. Something close to panic pressed on his chest until he could barely breathe. He had never panicked in his life. Not once. Not in training, not in combat, not when he'd been captured and tortured. But panic filled him until he could barely think straight.

"Saber." He said her name in a low voice. "Look at me."

She didn't even turn her head his way. She kept that soft, dreamy look on her face, the small half smile, and she looked as if she was very interested in the dancers.

"I'm listening."

Even her voice was perky, damn her, but he knew. He knew with every fiber of his being. Look at me now! It was a command, sharp and firm and demanding.

Startled, her eyes met his in shock.

Do you honestly believe that I would betray you? Don't look at anyone else. Look at me. Do you think I brought you here so that bastard Whitney could take you away from me?

He was furious with her-that she could believe such a betrayal. And hurt. God, it hurt like a son of a bitch. He wanted to shake her, so much so that he didn't dare put his hands on her. The table vibrated beneath his palms. Ken shot him a quick inquiry, but Jess ignored him, holding Saber's gaze. Answer me, damn it, is that what you think of me? That I would hand you over to him after living with you for nearly a year?

She moistened her lips, her only nervous gesture. She didn't even blink, but stared him right in the eye. Her gaze shifted back to the crowd. His heart slammed hard in his chest, one jolt and his stomach felt as if he'd been sucker punched.

Ken shifted slightly, better to protect Jess if need be. The gesture irritated him. The damn wheelchair again. I don't need protection and certainly not from Saber.

The table's shaking. Ken's voice was mild.

She thinks I betrayed her.

That would be a natural reaction. She's spotted the team. She knows Mari and I are part of it. She's not stupid, Jess. If she's running from Whitney, she has to think this is a setup. What would be the chances it's a coincidence?

Get rid of the ego and focus. Jess winced. He heard the echo of that thought and ducked his head, even as he still held Saber's gaze. He let out his breath and tried to see things from her point of view.

"All right, baby. Let's see if I can clear a few things up for you. Ken and Mari are part of a Special Forces team known as the GhostWalkers. Mari escaped from a research facility run by Dr. Whitney. Ken, Mari, and a few of the others came to help because you and I have been under surveillance. I don't know if you're on the run and Whitney's found you, or whether he's watching me, but either way, I figured we needed help."

There was a dead silence as she stared at him, shocked that he'd disclosed as much as he had. Did she dare believe him? She glanced at Mari, but her gaze jumped back to Jess. In spite of herself, her pulse quickened and hope leapt. Was there a chance he was telling the truth? If you're lying to me, Jesse, I swear I'll kill you before they take me. She deliberately spoke in his mind to let him know she had power too.

"Fair enough, Saber. But you tell me the truth. I laid my cards out on the table. I expect you to do the same."

"How many of your men are here?"

"Five. And a sleeper hanging back."

She inhaled sharply. He had called in a full team. Each GhostWalker would have a different skill and they would be lethal. "You have a lot of friends." She couldn't hope to take them all. She wasn't that kind of warrior. Sending up a little prayer that he was telling the truth, she caught at his watch. "Let's go home." Because if we're going to discuss this, I want it to be between you and me. I don't trust anyone else. And I don't feel safe surrounded by that many enhanced soldiers.

He flashed a small, encouraging smile. At least she wasn't making a break for it. They're supposed to make you feel safe.

"Well, it's not working." She slid out of the chair, avoiding getting too close to Ken. He was a big man and obviously strong.

"We'll escort you home," Ken said. "And leave you alone once you're settled in and your security is on."

Jess nodded and wordlessly followed Saber out of the club.

Glee filled him. He was ecstatic as he turned on her CD player and stripped off his clothes. He wanted to hear her voice, that sexy, husky whisper that crawled over his skin and into his body, but the music would do and at least he could smell her. He lay in her sheets and rolled around before hopping up to drag open the dresser drawers. In the top one he found treasure.

Silky thongs and lacy bras in all colors. He selected several and pulled them out along with two pairs of boy short underwear cut high along the butt. Holding them to his nose, he inhaled and then rubbed them over his body. Every time he saw her now he'd picture her wearing silk and know he had touched them, held them to him, rubbed his shaft until he came again and again with them. He lay back and began, using an almost transparent blue pair wrapped around the length of him, while the music played and his body hummed. He pictured her tied down and helpless, waiting for his attention after the others had beaten Calhoun into a bloody mess. Maybe he'd take her right there by the body. He'd take his time, making her pay for that kiss in the park. Tonight was going to be perfect. His body arched, his hips jerked, and he watched with satisfaction as he sprayed his cum all over her sheets and underwear.

CHAPTER 9.

"You haven't said a single word all the way home," Jess said. "I thought we were going to talk."

"Not in the car." Saber knew she sounded clipped, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to believe in him, but betrayal in her business was a way of life. It would be like Whitney to engineer a way to make her fall in love so she could see how futile it would be for someone like her to try to have a life.

Jess glanced at her as he pulled the van into the garage. She held herself stiff-away from him-as though if he touched her she might break. So he didn't, although it was hard to fight his instincts. He turned off the car and sent word. We're in for the night. Saber isn't going to be going to work. I'll have her call the station and take a sick day. Thanks, everyone.

They sat in the dark when he switched off the lights. Saber sighed and took the plunge. "I know once Whitney decides he wants you, there's no way to fight him. He has so much power, so much money, and all the newest gadgets available to him. He has research centers set up all over and if one place is discovered, he just moves on to the next. If I don't keep running, I'm vulnerable."

"They took one down just recently. He isn't untouchable, Saber."

"Yes, he is. None of us exist, Jesse. If he wants us dead, we're dead and no one's the wiser. He's building an army and he's got tentacles everywhere. We'll never be safe, either one of us. I know how easy it is to kill someone." She glanced around the large garage uneasily. "I don't want to talk out here."

"Even if he got a bug inside, the frequency would be jammed." It wasn't that she looked scared, more...defeated. Whitney had been the one constant adult in her life and he seemed all-powerful to her. "Come on. I'll give you a ride into the house." He knew he shouldn't have offered, she wasn't ready yet to trust him all the way, but she looked vulnerable and fragile and he wanted-no, needed-to comfort her.

Saber opened the passenger door as he hit the lift button, choosing instead to hop out on her side. The moment her feet hit the ground, she knew they were in trouble.

Jesse! She couldn't help the warning, even as it occurred to her he'd sprung a trap. There were no witnesses to see her taken. She'd been stupid. So stupid. She wanted to believe him so much she'd just gone quietly back to the house, and now she was trapped in a small space with no help.

Three men. They were big too. They emerged from the shadows, grinning like apes, standing shoulder to shoulder, menacingly, silently. Just their silence was a threat. The huge, ham-like fists were opening and closing as they slowly spread out. She heard movement behind her and knew she was trapped between the men and the van.

How many, baby?

His voice was calm, reassuring, and it steadied her because he was on her side-there had been no betrayal. She was trained to hear, to feel the rhythm in people, and she knew a lie when she heard one. Jess wasn't lying. He was fighting with her and he was in a wheelchair. She couldn't just escape. She had to win, to defeat. No one could be left standing to get to Jess.

Three in front, one behind me. She had to get to Jess and protect him. They would hear the lift as he lowered it to get himself out of the van. Take the van out of here, call for help. Your team has to still be close.

Are you out of your mind? I'm not leaving you. I'm coming out.

He just had to be a hero. It would make it more difficult to fight, trying to protect him while she fought her way free, but she recognized that there was no arguing with him. And the men were moving in on her. Wait. I'm going under the van and out the back. Don't draw their attention until I'm there.

Without waiting for an answer, she dove beneath the undercarriage, rolling toward the back of the van. She was small enough to fit without sacrificing an arm or leg as she rolled between the tires and back out into the open. I'm clear.

The lift made noise, and it took time. One man burst around the side of the van and she drove her fist into his throat, effectively clotheslining him so that he went down hard, his body hitting with enough of a thud that she knew he was dead. So much for never killing again.

She kept running, right at the second man. He was braced for her, so she planted her foot on the side of the van and raced up and over his head, to jump kick the third man right in the temple. She aimed accurately, using her forward momentum to double the force of the blow. She felt rather than heard his skull fracture and he was down even before she landed on the ground.

The second man spun back toward her, one beefy arm reaching for her. She stayed in motion, rolling across the hood of her car to put the vehicle between her and her attacker. They aren't enhanced.

Jess burst from the van, thrusting hard on the wheels, accelerating off the lift and whipping the chair around to put himself between Saber and the threat to her. Get behind me. The other one is coming around.

Was he kidding? Did he really think he could fight two huge men from his wheelchair? Saber shook her head. The element of surprise was gone with two dead men on the floor. Their friends weren't going to be so gentle with her. She needed to draw them away from Jess.

"What do you want?" she demanded. "We don't have any money."

"Bitch. You killed Charlie."

"He ran into my fist."

"You kicked him in the head," the man protested.

"Sorry, wrong one." She edged her way around her car, keeping him in her sight while she checked on Jess. "It was the other one who ran into my fist."

"I'm supposed to pound the cripple, before we have a little fun with you." He whipped out a camcorder. "He wants a sweet little video made." The smile faded a little. "How old are you?"

"Fourteen. Who wants a video?"

The man swore. "That's bullshit. He wants us to do you, a kid, on camera?"

Who is this idiot, Jess? He's willing to kill you and rape a woman, but doesn't want to hurt a minor. Is he kidding?

Criminals have to have some standards, baby. Jess sounded amused.

The attacker standing in front of Jess held a gun and he looked smug. Jess was quiet, coiled. She could feel his energy growing into something powerful and was surprised that the others didn't feel it. The windows in the van, her car, and the garage shimmered. She felt the air expand and contract as if breathing.

"Shoot him, Lloyd," the man near her commanded.

Saber felt the rush of adrenaline as she leapt onto the hood of her car and drove at Lloyd, her legs pumping out hard to smash both feet into his face. Simultaneously, Jess kicked out with one leg from his wheelchair, the ball of his foot hitting the man's wrist with enough force to break the bones. The gun went flying just as Saber's heels crashed into Lloyd's face, driving him backward and away from Jess.

She tried to land on her feet, but she couldn't get away from the body and fell on him. Lloyd went down hard, his arms flailing, and she took a hit to the face that staggered her. She dug her thumbs into his pressure points to keep his hands from her as she scrambled off of him and went for the gun.

The first man tried to beat her to it, but Jess was there, rearing up like an avenging angel, his body between hers and their attacker. He brought the other man down hard, his fingers digging deep into the trachea.

"Don't you move, or I end you now," he hissed. "I'm going to ease up enough to allow you to talk, but it better be what I want to hear. What's your name?"

"Bill. Bill Short."

"Who sent you?"

"A guy paid us. Said his bitch was cheating on him and he wanted the man dead and her taught a lesson. He said he wanted a video of it. He never said nothing about her being fourteen."

Jess clamped down viciously on the man's throat. "Don't lie to me. You're breaking in here to steal government secrets."

Saber turned away, trying not to smile. Who would ever think government secrets would be lying around Jess's house? When she got herself under control, the man looked as if he might faint. He was sputtering a lot in his denial. "I'm no terrorist. I'm not lying. I'm no spy for a foreign country. And how did she do that?"

There is no way Whitney sent this man after us, Jess informed Saber.

Saber moved around him and kicked the gun a good distance away without picking it up. How do I call the others back?

In the house. Use the phone in my office. He gave her the code, his gaze burning into hers. He was trusting her completely and they both knew it. If she was going to betray him, now would be the moment. Tell whoever picks up "red flag." They'll send my team and a cleanup crew.

Will you be all right? He was out of his wheelchair and sprawled across the man. She reached down and righted the chair, placing it close to him.

Jess shot her a look of pure annoyance, and she turned and ran. The house was coded, the security some of the best she'd ever seen, but the moment she was inside, she knew it had been penetrated. Jess, someone's been inside.

Not this joker, no way could he bypass security. We may still have company.

Saber entered through the kitchen, moving silently in the dark. She had a near perfect photographic memory and if something was moved even a fraction of an inch, the positioning was off enough to trigger an alarm bell in her mind. She could be in a house one time and draw an exact replica on paper, a map to her every target. In her own home, where she'd been living for nearly a year, she knew that someone had moved the coffee mug she always took to work. It was off by no more than an inch on the kitchen counter, but it had been picked up and put back down.

She glided silently across the floor, staying out of the open areas, cautious of triggering any motion alarms. If Whitney was involved in any way, Jesse's office would have been the prime target, and she moved in that direction.

Are you all right? I don't like you in there with no backup. I'm going to knock this one out and join you, so give me a minute.

She didn't want Jess inside, not when she didn't know what she was dealing with. The place feels empty. I'm tracking to see where he went, but I'll call your team back first. Stay there, Jess, it's easier for me.

Because you think the wheelchair slows you down.

Was there a touch of bitterness there? That shocked her. Jess had never sounded like that, never complained. Was he upset because she wanted to protect him?

That's silly and you know it. I've always worked alone and it's easier to work the way I've always done it. He would understand that. A team didn't take on a new man in the middle of a planned mission, at least not without taking a terrible risk. She was at the office door.

Yeah, someone had tried to gain entry, but it didn't look as if they'd succeeded. She ran her fingers lightly over the door to check for traps. They went after your office, Jess. Your boy out there might not have known what he was getting into, but he was a diversion. Someone used him to keep us occupied in case they weren't out of the house before we got home.

Did they get into the office?

I think security held. The codes are intact. I'm entering now, checking for explosives and bugs.