The Boss Assignment (Rogue Protectors Book 3) Victoria Paige (top 100 novels of all time TXT) 📖

“I’m not your secretary,” Nadia bit out.

“Just do it, Powell,” Garrison snapped.

There was a mumbled “asshole” through their comms followed by a chuckle from Declan. The reason he didn’t want to talk to Martinez was because his friend was going to ask questions. And if he found out this was about Renata, then he wouldn’t be able to get off the phone since Martinez could be relentless.

After a while they came on to the property. From the instructions of the person who had Renata, Antonio could be dropped off, but the vehicle needed to leave the vicinity.

“I’m getting a sense of déjà vu with this,” Nadia muttered. “This is like the time they wanted Ariana.”

“That thought crossed my mind,” Garrison said. “Any of them look familiar?”

“With infrared and the shadows, it’s hard to make a match. So far I can’t tell if any of their tattoos are affiliated with any gangs, but that’s the least of our problems.”

“What?”

“They seem to be running hotter, all of them are registering a 101 and above. The one in the room is spiking to 103.”

Everyone cursed over comms.

“They’re infected?” Garrison asked.

“The XZite formulation,” Antonio growled. “That’s what they’ve been given.”

“You’re saying we’re walking into a cluster of Ebola infections?”

“That scenario was suggested by Bristow and Charly if I remember,” Declan reminded them. “That’s why Antonio is in full protection heading in there.”

“I’ll give Kelso and the rest of the team a heads up that biohazard gear is mandatory.” This from Gabby.

“But who would be stupid enough to ingest the Ebola-laced XZite pills,” Declan asked.

“Same ideology as the suicide bombers? Or they could be innocent people used to test the contaminated pills,” the detective said.

“They look like gang soldiers,” Nadia cut in. “It could be gang related.”

Antonio’s watch beeped. It was connected to his phone with the receiver connected to his earpiece.

Garrison looked at him. “Quiet people. Our suspect is calling.”

Antonio accepted the call on his watch. “I’m here.”

“Step out of the vehicle,” the voice said.

“Jacaré, is that you?”

Mocking laughter followed. “Now why would you think that, Antonio?”

“I want to see that Renata is okay.”

Before Antonio stepped out of the vehicle, he checked the seal of his suit on the app on his watch.

The two men slouched in front of the house started to rise.

“Tell your friend to leave.”

He turned to Garrison and nodded. The Suburban backed out of the driveway.

“I see you’re suited up like in the favela,” the voice mocked. “You think that can save you from what I have in mind?”

“Help us …” One of the men said, lurching forward and touching his neck. The other one was too weak and fell back on the porch.

“Stand back,” Antonio ordered. He held up a gun.

“Please help us,” the man pleaded again, this time falling to his knees.

“Are you going to shoot them, Antonio? Show them some mercy?” the voice taunted.

He ignored the question. “Where is she?”

“But you’re not capable of mercy, are you?”

Antonio didn’t answer and entered the house.

“Where is she?”

The voice didn’t answer.

In the living room, two more men were sprawled on the floor, they barely raised their heads when he passed them.

“Where?” he repeated.

His caller was still silent, probably watching him from hidden cameras and enjoying his trek into an Ebola-infested house like the sick motherfucker Antonio remembered him to be.

There were three intersecting hallways. He knew Nadia suspected the middle room. His footsteps hastened toward it with growing fear that he might be too late. Was that Jacaré’s revenge? Make him too late to save Renata?

He passed a room with another sick person, before he came upon one with a woman who bore similarities to Renata’s build, but it was the familiar long dark hair that made him certain. Even when part of her hair obscured her face he had no doubt. She was struggling against the ropes that bound her arms behind her back and her ankles.

Antonio rushed forward. “Renata!”

The woman looked at him in surprise.

“Renata!”

Duct tape sealed her mouth.

He brushed away the hair from her face. Her eyes were frantic, tears streaming down her cheeks and she was crying through the seal on her mouth.

He carefully peeled off the tape.

“Save him,” she screamed. “Turn around, Antonio!”

He did.

Off to one corner was a television. On the screen was Luis sitting on a chair. There was no sound, but his friend was shouting, maybe even cursing at a man who stood slightly off to his side.

“No,” Antonio whispered.

“Do something, Antonio,” Renata cried. “He’s going to kill him.”

“What do you want?” he gritted to the person on the phone, hoping he was still on the line.

“Your suffering,” the voice replied.

“Tell me what the fuck you want?” he repeated.

“Say goodbye to your friend, Antonio.”

“Nooooo!” Antonio roared.

Time stood still as he surged toward the screen, falling on his knees as an utter feeling of helplessness gripped him.

A gun was raised.

Renata’s keening wail filled the room.

And Antonio watched his friend of twenty-five years die before his eyes.

25

Charly and Sandra, along with several medical staff, waited for the bioterrorism trailer to arrive on the third-level parking garage of Downtown Medical. It had already been sealed off from public access. It was frequently used to transport patients into the negative-pressure floor of the hospital.

Little did they know that their training the day before would be put to use this soon.

Charly tried to pester Bristow for details about the police operation to retrieve Renata, but he remained tight-lipped, probably because there were other people around. All he assured her was that Antonio was alive.

This much she knew. There were six possible Ebola cases. If this weren’t LA, Charly wouldn’t know how they would be prepared for this, but after the previous year’s fentanyl aerosol attacks and the Ebola virus scare, the city was definitely ready.

The first trailer appeared, followed closely by a smaller one. There were five patients in the first and one in the second. Charly wondered about the distribution. Bristow appeared beside her, similarly suited-up in protective gear. He