Page 60 of The Lazarus Protocol

“I can get it.”

“In that case, I’ll leave this line active and await your call.”

“And my father?” A shadow crossed in front of her. Steph looked away, finishing her call.

“His fate is up to you, as it always has been.”

The line went quiet.

Steph tugged the device from her ear and connected it back to her necklace, so it hung in front. Under her jacket.

“That didn’t show up on our scans.” Ice peered at it, his stare far too intense.

“It’s proprietary tech. It only works when I activate it, so it wouldn’t show up on your scans.”

Adam looked like he wanted to tear her head off.

“I didn’t activate it at the castle.”

“You could’ve told me what you were doing.”

“I’m not part of your team.” Steph didn’t like the huddle with her at the center, and all of them staring at her. But she could’ve left, started walking and not stopped. “I only wanted privacy for a moment.”

“So you could offer the book to…who?” Kai had a serious expression on his face, and she didn’t like that she had put it on the lighthearted man’s face.

Steph didn’t answer right away. “I have my own thing. It has nothing to do with your thing.”

“And your father?” Adam asked. “What was that about?”

She shook her head. “I can’t talk about it.”

“Eventually you’re going to realize you can trust us.”

“I doubt I’ll be here long enough for that.”

TWENTY-ONE

Adam’s phone buzzed in his hand. He looked at the screen and saw it was a text from Kai, who stood beside him in the elevator.

We should ask Marina about Steph’s father

Adam nodded.

Kai ducked his head to his phone. Three dots popped up in the thread on Adam’s phone and then a message.

I already sent her a text

Of course, he had.

“It’s pretty obvious you’re having a conversation behind my back.” She didn’t look over her shoulder, just kept staring at the doors.

Dan, who stood by the buttons, said, “We’re just curious about you. And it’s important to us to protect each other, which means knowing who we’re working with.”

Ice was to the left. Kai stood back with Adam. She would have protection, no matter what she’d just brought down on herself. Or they’d be able to guard anyone else from her if it came to that.

Adam didn’t know what else he could do right now except manage the situation. Find out what he could. Help her, then cut her loose. “She waited until we were away from the castle to make her call. Which means she didn’t want to allow anyone to know her location when she was there.”

“It wouldn’t have worked anyway.” Ice folded his arms.