Red Zone (Red Zone 1)

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“Back room.” Glen nodded toward it.

They followed the owner into the corridor that led to the back of the building, cold, stark rage driving Mace. He reined it in. He needed a clear head. There were questions that had to be answered. He flexed his hand, his knuckles bruised from his last round of questioning. The guy who’d known about “the Broker.” The guy who’d known who’d sold them out. The guy who’d named Glen.

The office was spacious, but sparsely decorated and furnished with items that had seen better days. Whatever Glen was doing with the money he made selling information, it wasn’t going into the bar.

The big, ex-military man walked into the room—confident in his safety, certain his double life remained well hidden. He waved them in, closing the door behind them. As soon as he turned, Mace was on him. He grabbed Glen’s nape, holding tight while he pummeled his stomach. His blows were powerful. One would have been enough to disable their betrayer. Anger drove him to deliver more.

Glen doubled, groaning, unable to fight back. Mace dragged him to the desk and threw him into his chair. Sandi had his wrists and ankles strapped down within seconds. Side by side, the adopted siblings stared down at their betrayer.

“We know all about your extra-curricular activities, Glen.” Mace didn’t try to hide his disgust.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The words were strained.

Mace glanced at Sandi. “Door.”

She nodded and wedged a chair under the handle. She’d already blocked all transmissions from the room, visual or otherwise, using the jammer she’d brought with her. Nobody would come to Glen’s rescue.

“We know you’re the Broker. You’ve been sloppy. Too many people know your identity.”

“And BTW,” Sandi added, “your cover name is lame. It sounds like something straight out of a third-rate comic book.”

Mace frowned at his sister. “Not helping.”

She shrugged, clearly already done with Glen. She wanted it over. She wanted him gone.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the bar owner wheezed between words. “We’re friends.”

Just for that, Mace struck out, breaking his nose. Hating that he was reduced to this, hurting a man he’d thought was a friend.

“We know you’re the Broker,” he repeated. “There’s no denying it. We’re past that. We know you sold us out. What we don’t know is who you sold us out to and what you told them. Start talking. You know I can make this last, and you know how painful it will be while I do it.”

Glen’s eyes flickered over the room, looking for an out, realizing there wasn’t one. That’s when his tactics changed from denial to cooperation. There was cunning in the man’s eyes. Something he’d never before let the team see.

“I’ll tell you everything I know, but you have to let me live.”

Yeah, he was going to try to negotiate. The fool. He didn’t have anything to negotiate with, but they’d play along to get answers. For now. “You sold us out. You deserve to die.”

“I have information.” Glen licked his lips. “I never told them anything about you specifically. Just the girl.”

“What did you tell them?”

Glen shook his head, wincing with pain. “I want your word. I know you never break it. I want your word that you won’t kill me.”

The siblings shared a speaking look. Sandi gave a short, sharp nod of agreement.

“You have my word.” Mace tried not to vomit at the triumph in the bar owner’s face. “I won’t kill you. But that’s depends on you talking. You hold back, and all bets are off.”

“I understand.” The words were overflowing with fake submission.

“You told Enforcement Friday Jones was holed up in South Munroe.” It wasn’t a question. “You told them about the tunnels.”

Glen nodded then grimaced in pain. “Yeah. I deal with Miriam Shepherd, among others.” He tried to hide his pride over his lofty connections. He failed. “She wanted to know about your team, about the scientist.”

“And you told her?” The urge to pummel the man into the ground was intense.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sandi vibrate with rage over Glen’s confession.