Undercover Captor (Shadow Agents 5)

Tina wanted to rush into that room with Drew. She wanted to help him. She’d thought the nightmare was over, but now Drew was facing the hardest fight of his life. “His sisters are all he has.” He’d tried to control the emotion when he talked about them, but his voice had broken when he referred to the “girls.” Without them, Drew would be lost.

Drew straightened to his full, imposing height as he glared down at the cuffed man. “I’m going to destroy you,” he said.

“Promises, promises,” Anton taunted. He wasn’t even sweating. Surrounded by guards. Captured by the EOD. But still smug.

“He’s calling the shots,” Tina whispered. Because he held all the power.

“I can’t negotiate,” Mercer said again.

Her gaze slid to him. Cool under fire, Mercer was sweating. As she watched him, Mercer hurriedly pulled out his phone.

“Sydney is already monitoring my phone from D.C. Any call that comes in, she’ll be able to trace it back to the source. If that bastard really does try to send proof of life, we’ll find them.”

The door opened. Drew stood there, shoulders tense. “Have you gotten a call?”

Mercer shook his head. “He’s playing with us. He knows that we have him, and he’s just trying for one last mind game.”

Tina wanted to believe that—

Mercer’s phone rang.

Drew surged forward.

Mercer stared down at his phone. Tina was close enough to see the Unknown Number message flash across the screen. Mercer put the phone to his ear.

Tina could clearly hear the scream that broke across the line.

Drew yanked the phone away from the EOD boss. He hit the speaker button and the scream seemed to echo in the room. “Who the hell is this?”

“Drew!” The scream changed into his name. “Drew, please, say that’s you! I-it’s Paige. They told me that you’re going to come and get me. Please come for me! Please!”

Drew’s gaze didn’t stray from the phone. His voice was ice-cold when he said, “When you were seven years old, what did I give you for Christmas?”

“You carved me a jewelry box. It had a...a P on it. We didn’t have any money, but you said you’d buy me jewelry for it one day—” She broke off, screaming again.

“Don’t hurt her!” Drew roared. The ice and control were gone. Only fury and fear remained in his voice.

The line went dead.

Mercer grabbed the phone from him. “Sydney was tracing. She’ll get them—”

“Not if the call wasn’t long enough.” He turned away and stared through the glass at Anton. Anton stared back, as if he could see right through the mirror.

Tina reached for Drew’s arm but he jerked away from her touch.

Her hand fisted. “We’ll get them back. Whatever we have to do—”

“The EOD doesn’t negotiate with terrorists,” Drew said. The words were growled. And they were almost word for word exactly what Mercer had said. Drew spoke those words as if repeating some long-memorized rule. Then, whispering, he said again, “The EOD doesn’t negotiate with terrorists.” His breath sawed out as he glanced toward Mercer. “Consider me out of the damn EOD.”

Drew stormed from the room.

“Sydney?” Mercer had the phone to his ear. “Tell me you got them. They gave us proof of life, and we only have an hour left before the first woman dies.”

Tina’s heart was racing. She pulled in as many deep breaths as she could. Drew was back in the interrogation room.

Anton had his smug smile in place once more. “Talked to your sister, did you?”

“Where in Louisiana?” Mercer demanded. “I need specifics, and I need them now.”