Page 27 of Striker
Molly’s wary, anxious eyes kept flashing through his mind. Letting her walk away had been like taking a kick to the teeth. He couldn’t fight the eerie sensation that he’d made a mistake. That she was still in danger.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. Rex was hiding his ass right now. He had no reason to come after Molly anymore. No reason to even look for her.
And Atlas would make sure they got to Rex before the guy could even think about Molly again.
“Have you talked to Paige lately?”
At the mention of his sister, Atlas fought a groan. After taking the bullets back in Pittsburgh, he’d stayed with Paige to recover. While she’d meant well and had taken care of him, she’d also been on his case about returning to work so soon. “Not in the last week. Why?”
Viper chuckled. “Oh, no reason. Just wondering why she hasn’t gotten on a plane yet. She seemed hell-bent on keeping you home.”
“That’s Paige for ya. Always hell-bent on something.” He tipped back his head and closed his eyes.
The conversation stalled, and fifteen minutes later they walked into one of their hotel rooms. They’d had the same two adjoining suites and one room across the hall since arriving in Panama a month before. Each suite had one bedroom with one queen bed and a pullout couch, so each of the guys had their own sleeping area. Sharing a bathroom sucked balls, though.
Laptops and computer monitors were spread over the small kitchen table. Sheets of paper and photos were scattered in the center, along with two file folders.
The chase was on.
Rogue glanced up from his laptop. “How’d you make out?”
Atlas pulled out the chair next to his boss and sat, and Viper went to the minibar and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
“She’s all set. Got her new keys for her car and apartment. Talked to her boss and the police.” He glanced around the empty room. After the night they’d had, the others were likely sleeping despite the early hour. “You get any rest yet?”
Rogue scoffed and rubbed his hand over his face. “Nope.”
Atlas had been on countless missions with his best friend, but this time, Rogue was different. He was pushing harder, was more on edge, and seemed reluctant to sleep.
“You’re no good to Laine and Emmy dead,” he said softly, knowing full well that Rogue was operating at max capacity so he could get back to his family.
Rogue flicked his gaze to Atlas then back to his computer. “At this rate, I won’t get back to them at all.”
“Not true,” Viper said, striding over to them and taking the chair across the table from Atlas. “We almost had the fucker. Just fell through our fingers.”
Rogue’s mouth scrunched to the side. “We get paid to make sure this shit doesn’t happen.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around how Rex got away.” Atlas folded his arms on top of the table. “Somehow the drone missed the ATV.”
“It was in a shed at the side of the house,” Rogue explained. “No one saw it. The damn shed was too small for a vehicle.” Guilt flashed across his face.
“Not your fault, man,” Viper said. “We all missed it.”
Rogue grunted. “Well, the good news is we took out a lot of his men. I’m sure he has more, but his protection is weakened.”
“What do we have?” Atlas nodded at the computer.
Rogue spun the laptop to face him. “Street cameras confirm he hasn’t gone near his office building. Not a shock—he hasn’t been there in weeks. Registered home address is clear also.”
“What about your informant?” It’d taken them three and a half of the four weeks they’d been in Panama to secure a contact close enough to Rex’s circle. After paying a large bribe, they’d obtained the location of Rex’s hidden house near Sagreja.
“I’ve called him twice. No answer.”
A feeling of defeat threatened to suck Atlas through the ground. He heaved a breath. Until recently, finding Rex had been crucial. Now that they’d taken Molly from Rex and killed his men, their timeline had reduced significantly. The guy knew they were on to him and if he fled the country, they’d have a helluva time finding him.
And if he was being honest, he cared more about finding Rex to ensure Molly was safe than he did about taking out the biggest drug lord on this side of the equator.
Viper crossed his arms over his chest. “When the guys wake up, two of us will pay the informant a visit.”
