VAUGHN NEEDED THE climb to the third floor to let the facts settle. He was vaguely aware of the guys watching him and some looks, but holy hell, a lot just got unpacked. This-him and Carla-wasn't over, which was an important fact to remember.Neither he nor Carla spoke all the way to the master suite. It was still untouched though a few luggage pieces had been stowed by the door. He set Carla down on the big, platform bed then stepped out of reach before she could pull him in. He knew her, all action, that brilliant head of hers snapping out ideas and solutions while he was still sorting things out.Carla gripped the comforter in both hands and leaned forward. Her black T-shirt and yoga pants had seen far better days. Her face was red from crying and her hair had partially fallen out of the bun she'd secured it in that morning.In a word she was beautiful.But that wasn't the only thing he saw when he looked at her.He licked his lips. "Please tell me you aren't doing this fo

Volume 4: Dangerously BrokenWednesday. In the air.BRENDEN TAYLOR COULD COUNT the number of hours he'd slept on one hand. He eased back in the plush leather seat of the private plane taking Lepta Team to God-only-knew-where and prayed they were in the air long enough for him to get some shuteye. He always did sleep better on planes. Probably because it was impossible to not know where he was. There was something about the cramped space and recycled air that couldn't be mistaken. And to a passed out him, that meant his subconscious couldn't put him back in the four by four box he'd lived in for weeks of his life.His ears popped and the voices of his teammates rushed in, filling the previously hollow space."Hey." Vaughn Fernandez twisted to look back at their Team Leader and Team Liaison sitting across from Brenden at the four-person table."Yeah?" Grant Anderson replied in a cool, calculated tone."Do we have any word about...?" Vaughn's voice trailed off.No one

Thursday. Unknown, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.BRENDEN NEEDED TO GET up and move or his limbs were going to go numb. He had to pick his moments carefully. So far, the kidnappers had mostly forgotten about him, too busy with the family across the way. But they were gone now. Soon enough their attention would be on Priscilla or Brenden. When that happened he needed to have a plan.He knew there were two entrances, the double doors he'd come through and a smaller door behind a pillar that looked rusted shut. The windows overhead could be reached via a catwalk and the latter to climb up there was to their right. The electricity keeping the lights going was from a generator which meant there was always the chance for a distraction. There was only one guard on them at any point in time and the new one on duty hardly looked at them.What he didn't like was how secure this cage was. The poles were cemented into a new floor. The anchors were solid. They even had a basic toilet though it wa

Thursday. DDM Inc., Ju醨ez, Mexico.ARTURO LOBO SQUINTED AT the computer screen, his mind shuffling the numbers into imaginary columns. He couldn't risk creating his own file or even writing the quantities down without the Asclepius Health systems recording his every keystroke then there were the cameras in each office.Once more he cursed the spirit of his father. The man had been on the brink of death when he sold the company he'd created and grown, robbing Arturo of his inheritance. He was fairly certain the old man had done it out of spite. He'd known for a long time that he was losing sway with the executives, that it was Arturo really running things. But not anymore.DDM Inc. had once been the largest provider of medicine to Mexico and Central America. Their pharmacies were in most towns. Arturo's father had petitioned governments and private organizations to help cut costs, thereby making vital medicines more affordable for the poorer people they serviced. But those days

Thursday. DDM Inc. Warehouse, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.PRISCILLA SAT IN THE back of a van, a bag over her head and her wrists bound. She drew in another deep, shuddering breath. Despite her role in this drama and her agreement to help, their captors weren't cutting them any slack.What had she honestly expected? That they'd snip her bonds and let her sit shotgun?Another deep breath brought with it a musty odor. Was that bile? How many people had worn this thing?Don't think about it...Try as she might, the bag embodied the worst of her nightmares. Being trapped in the dark, helpless, alone, never knowing when the next blow would come.A pair of warm, heavy hands grasped hers and squeezed. Her heart leapt, and she sucked down air as the warmth seeped into her.Brenden.She wasn't alone.He was there with her. But in a way, that was just as bad.She didn't want him to see her as weak, that she needed to be taken care of. Not after he'd paid her the biggest complim