Phantom Game (GhostWalkers 18)

Jonas, what kinds of missions did you go on that might have brought the spotlight onto your team? she asked, because she needed the distraction of thinking of something besides Angel stalking her and those men so close to Jonas.

Mostly, we disrupted drug, gunrunning and trafficking operations.

Jonas sounded steady. Calm. Camellia was certain that Shaker knew Jonas had all kinds of predatory animals in his genetic code, and he would eventually begin to push challenges into his mind in order to get Jonas to react. Jonas was extremely protective. That was in his file. If Whitney knew that about him—and he did—he most likely would have shared the information with Abrams. Or would he have?

Although Abrams had money enough to buy information, he hacked his way into computers and bought spies. He probably knew more about the GhostWalkers than Whitney by now.

Do you think Abrams is involved in all of those things? He’s an international banker. And a billionaire. Why would he need to be involved in anything illegal?

Power, Jonas answered instantly. He needs it, and so do the others he formed his partnerships with. They rule the world, and that includes the underworld. No one does anything without their say-so. I guess that’s supposed to include us.

If that’s so, he would have been the one ultimately behind your orders, Jonas. You would have just been carrying out what he wanted you to do.

They were back to square one. An army this size didn’t make sense. The idea of wiping out two teams of GhostWalkers didn’t make sense. None of it did.

18

Camellia, I think we both know it’s time to cut the crap. You’re cold, and you need to move before your body begins to cramp. There’s no need to stay locked in position. I just want to talk to you,” Angel said.

Camellia’s heart jumped and then began to pound. Angel had just taken off the gloves. She could answer or not.

Don’t. Jonas’s voice was sheer command.

What else is there to do? He knows I’m here. He doesn’t know you are. They’re guessing about you. I can throw my voice, mix it in the fog. It’s possible I can find out why they’re really here.

She wasn’t going to let Jonas tell her what to do. She wasn’t under his command, and in the end, she had to do what she thought was best. He was trying to protect her. That was all he was thinking about. They couldn’t stay in a standoff forever. Shaker was aware of it. Jonas was either going to have to begin hunting in the fog or get out of there.

Jonas swore. I will hunt them to the ends of the earth if anything happens to you. He’d better not put a hand on you.

I’m confident he won’t get the opportunity, Jonas.

“Camellia, there’s no need to be afraid of me.”

Angel’s voice was smooth, like velvet. It played along her nerve endings. If she felt it, Jonas could as well. This could be a very dangerous situation. There was no doubt in her mind that Whitney had paired them. Jonas would have to trust her to handle the situation.

She threw her voice into the forest, well back away from the tree where Jeff was. “I’m not afraid of you, just a little shocked that you would be willing to kill women and children who haven’t done any harm to you. To me, Whitney was the ultimate monster. I never considered anyone he experimented on, the way he did me, to be a monster, but clearly, that isn’t true.”

She poured contempt and distaste into her voice because she felt both. She wanted all of them to feel it. Let them know what someone who had been experimented on and enhanced thought of them. Her opinion most likely meant nothing to them, but they were going to get it just the same.

Angel was silent, and she knew he was communicating with his brothers. She was looking right at him. Like Jonas, he was able to keep his facial expression completely blank, but his eyes told her he hadn’t liked her evaluation of him.

“I can see why you would think that, but you don’t know the entire story, do you? Passing judgment without knowing everything is wrong.”

She kept very still. He was still looking straight at her. She took great care to send her voice to the same place—the forest interior. “There are certain lines that aren’t to be crossed, Angel. Terrorists cross them. When you decided to cross those lines, you put yourself on the same level. There isn’t an excuse.”

The mycelium network alerted her that there was movement in the forest. One of the men moved rapidly toward the interior.

Gorman is running along a deer path, Jeff reported. I’ve got a visual on him.

Don’t move. Don’t make a single movement, Camellia cautioned. They’re looking for me. I want to see what this man has to say for himself. There is no excuse for this behavior and he knows it. I can feel his discomfort and even guilt.