Echoes at Dawn (KGI 5)

“I got a call from Resnick. It would appear you have a problem that isn’t entirely exclusive to Grace.”

Rio almost laughed. Like that was anything new?

“Cut the bullshit, Sam. Just tell me what he said. I assume you mentioned Titan to him.”

“Yeah. He said that as of two years ago they no longer unofficially existed. They were disbanded and retired.”

Rio snorted. “That’s a pretty damn naïve assessment from someone who should damn well know better. Does he think just because the government no longer had a use for them that they’d just go away quietly, take up normal jobs, buy houses with picket fences and raise a brood of children?”

There was a long silence. “He said you were one of the original members of Titan.”

Yeah, Rio had figured that would come out. It wasn’t a shock. He’d be damned if he spent even a minute apologizing or explaining his past.

“What’s your point?” Rio asked.

Sam blew out his breath. “There is no point. Look, I know you’re a secretive bastard, but do you think at any time this would have been a good thing for me to know? If everything you and Resnick say about Titan is true, then you’ve put KGI in a dangerous situation. Groups like that don’t just let people walk away, as Resnick so eloquently put it. Which means they’ve probably been hunting your ass all along.”

“If they wanted me dead, I have no doubt I’d already be six feet under. Or in pieces somewhere.”

“You give them that much credit?”

“They’re the real deal, Sam. They aren’t amateurs or a bunch of boys playing at being G.I. Joe. I’m sure I’ve remained on their radar, but the man who took over after I left owed me. I saved his life. That and that alone is the reason I’m still breathing.”

“Just as long as I know where your loyalties lie,” Sam said quietly.

Rio was silent for a moment. He didn’t like being questioned even as he knew why Sahe bettm had to do it. “I’m here, Sam. I’m doing the job. That should be enough loyalty for you.”

“You should bring Grace in.”

“I don’t agree.”

Sam sighed. “You can’t keep her forever, Rio.”

“No, but I can damn well make sure I don’t put her in any more danger by exposing her and doing the very thing they expect me to do, which is reunite her with her sister.”

“I’ll agree to go along. For now,” Sam said. “I want frequent updates. We made a promise to Shea, one I’m not willing to back down on. Not after all she did for Nathan and Swanny.”

“Grace helped them too,” Rio said evenly. “They wouldn’t have made it out if not for her.”

“I’m not arguing that. I just want to make sure we make it right for both of them,” Sam said.

“For now she stays with me. Now, Grace wants to talk to Shea.”

Rio could all but hear the wheels turning in Sam’s head.

“She can’t use her telepathy,” Rio said quietly, hoping Grace couldn’t hear. “She’s too damaged. But she’s desperate to talk to Shea and I promised her I’d try to make it happen.”

Sam swore. “I can’t do it. Not yet.”

“What do you mean you can’t do it?” Rio snapped.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I sent Nathan and Shea away. At your suggestion, I might add. They haven’t checked in with me yet. They’re still traveling. As soon as I hear from them, I’ll make the call happen. You have my word.”

Rio cursed under his breath and stole another glance in Grace’s direction. She was staring at him with hope in her eyes. Hope he had to now crush.

“I need this fast,” Rio said in a low voice.

“You’ll get it. Just give me time.”

“I don’t have it.”

“Nothing I can do, man. I’ll let Shea know what’s going on the minute I hear and then I’ll arrange the call.”

Rio muttered his agreement then ended the call. Even before he turned fully to Grace, he could feel her disappointment.

“What happened?” Grace demanded, her voice quivering. “Is she all right? Why can’t I talk to her?”

Rio framed her shoulders in his hands and squeezed. “Nathan has taken her somewhere safe. Sam’s going to let her know you want to talk to her as soon as they check in. I know you want to talk to her, Grace, but your safety—the safety of both of you—is the priority here.”

She swallowed back bravely but he could see the grief and devastation in her eyes. Then she turned away and went to stand by the glass looking out to the garden. She leaned her forehead against it, closed her eyes, and then he could see the

strain ripple across her forehead.

An uneasy sensation prickled his nape. His gaze narrowed as he watched Grace. Her hands pressed against the glass and then curled into balls.

She squeezed her eyes shut, and her entire body tensed and bowed inward. She let out a small cry and then she went limp. Tears slipped down her cheeks in silver trails. She turned and slid down the glass until she sat on the floor, her legs tugged up to her chest, and she buried her face against her knees as quiet sobs shook her shoulders.

CHAPTER 18

PAIN echoed through Grace’s head, pain she was responsible for because she’d kept pushing, refusing to believe that she couldn’t carve out that path to her sister again.

“I got a call from Resnick. It would appear you have a problem that isn’t entirely exclusive to Grace.”

Rio almost laughed. Like that was anything new?

“Cut the bullshit, Sam. Just tell me what he said. I assume you mentioned Titan to him.”

“Yeah. He said that as of two years ago they no longer unofficially existed. They were disbanded and retired.”

Rio snorted. “That’s a pretty damn naïve assessment from someone who should damn well know better. Does he think just because the government no longer had a use for them that they’d just go away quietly, take up normal jobs, buy houses with picket fences and raise a brood of children?”

There was a long silence. “He said you were one of the original members of Titan.”

Yeah, Rio had figured that would come out. It wasn’t a shock. He’d be damned if he spent even a minute apologizing or explaining his past.

“What’s your point?” Rio asked.

Sam blew out his breath. “There is no point. Look, I know you’re a secretive bastard, but do you think at any time this would have been a good thing for me to know? If everything you and Resnick say about Titan is true, then you’ve put KGI in a dangerous situation. Groups like that don’t just let people walk away, as Resnick so eloquently put it. Which means they’ve probably been hunting your ass all along.”

“If they wanted me dead, I have no doubt I’d already be six feet under. Or in pieces somewhere.”

“You give them that much credit?”

“They’re the real deal, Sam. They aren’t amateurs or a bunch of boys playing at being G.I. Joe. I’m sure I’ve remained on their radar, but the man who took over after I left owed me. I saved his life. That and that alone is the reason I’m still breathing.”

“Just as long as I know where your loyalties lie,” Sam said quietly.

Rio was silent for a moment. He didn’t like being questioned even as he knew why Sahe bettm had to do it. “I’m here, Sam. I’m doing the job. That should be enough loyalty for you.”

“You should bring Grace in.”

“I don’t agree.”

Sam sighed. “You can’t keep her forever, Rio.”

“No, but I can damn well make sure I don’t put her in any more danger by exposing her and doing the very thing they expect me to do, which is reunite her with her sister.”

“I’ll agree to go along. For now,” Sam said. “I want frequent updates. We made a promise to Shea, one I’m not willing to back down on. Not after all she did for Nathan and Swanny.”

“Grace helped them too,” Rio said evenly. “They wouldn’t have made it out if not for her.”

“I’m not arguing that. I just want to make sure we make it right for both of them,” Sam said.

“For now she stays with me. Now, Grace wants to talk to Shea.”

Rio could all but hear the wheels turning in Sam’s head.

“She can’t use her telepathy,” Rio said quietly, hoping Grace couldn’t hear. “She’s too damaged. But she’s desperate to talk to Shea and I promised her I’d try to make it happen.”

Sam swore. “I can’t do it. Not yet.”

“What do you mean you can’t do it?” Rio snapped.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I sent Nathan and Shea away. At your suggestion, I might add. They haven’t checked in with me yet. They’re still traveling. As soon as I hear from them, I’ll make the call happen. You have my word.”

Rio cursed under his breath and stole another glance in Grace’s direction. She was staring at him with hope in her eyes. Hope he had to now crush.

“I need this fast,” Rio said in a low voice.

“You’ll get it. Just give me time.”

“I don’t have it.”

“Nothing I can do, man. I’ll let Shea know what’s going on the minute I hear and then I’ll arrange the call.”

Rio muttered his agreement then ended the call. Even before he turned fully to Grace, he could feel her disappointment.

“What happened?” Grace demanded, her voice quivering. “Is she all right? Why can’t I talk to her?”

Rio framed her shoulders in his hands and squeezed. “Nathan has taken her somewhere safe. Sam’s going to let her know you want to talk to her as soon as they check in. I know you want to talk to her, Grace, but your safety—the safety of both of you—is the priority here.”

She swallowed back bravely but he could see the grief and devastation in her eyes. Then she turned away and went to stand by the glass looking out to the garden. She leaned her forehead against it, closed her eyes, and then he could see the

strain ripple across her forehead.

An uneasy sensation prickled his nape. His gaze narrowed as he watched Grace. Her hands pressed against the glass and then curled into balls.

She squeezed her eyes shut, and her entire body tensed and bowed inward. She let out a small cry and then she went limp. Tears slipped down her cheeks in silver trails. She turned and slid down the glass until she sat on the floor, her legs tugged up to her chest, and she buried her face against her knees as quiet sobs shook her shoulders.

CHAPTER 18

PAIN echoed through Grace’s head, pain she was responsible for because she’d kept pushing, refusing to believe that she couldn’t carve out that path to her sister again.

“Grace.”

Her name came softly. So gentle and quiet that she almost didn’t hear it. But she felt it. Like a warm brush, soothing away some of the darkness in her mind. Calming the wild, chaotic buzzing in her head.

She barely managed to lift her head and saw Rio crouched on the floor in front of her, concern creasing his brow.

“What is it? What happened?” he asked.

She lowered her forehead to her knees once more and took in long, steadying breaths. “I can’t do it. I tried so hard but it’s just not there. Oh God, Rio, what will I do?”

“What’s not there?” he asked quietly.

“The link,” she said in frustration. She raised her head and stared fully into his eyes, despair overwhelming her. “The link I destroyed to my sister. It’s gone. All of it’s gone. I can’t focus. I can’t reach out to anyone. It’s like there’s this yawning black hole in my mind and it’s consuming me.”

Instead of saying anything further, Rio rose and then reached down to pry her hand away from her legs. He tugged upward until she gave in and let him pull her to her feet.

“You need shoes,” he said as he pulled her back toward the main living area.

She stared after him, utterly baffled. “Where are we going?”

He remained silent as he walked through the kitchen and then to a closet off the living room. He let go of her hand to rummage around a moment and then came out with a pair of shoes that looked like they’d fit her.

He dropped them on the floor beside her feet. “Put them on.”

She stood there a long moment wondering what she’d missed, but seeing his determined look, she sighed and did as he said. When she was done, he went to the gun rack just inside the back entrance and pulled a pistol off the shelf. He shoved in a clip, pocketed two others and then reached for yet another gun. After giving it equal treatment, he donned a shoulder holster and tucked away both pistols.

He glanced her way and then crossed the room, took her hand and started toward another section of the house.

She shook her head to rid herself of the cobwebs that seemed to cling to her brain. She couldn’t imagine what on earth had spawned this reaction. “Rio, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

They took a short flight of stairs down into what appeared to be the basement. To her surprise, he stopped and pushed a button and elevator doors opened. Her mouth gaped as Rio ushered her inside. He hit another button and the elevator started down.

She tried not to think of down, because down was below the ground. Like way below. She had the sudden hysterical thought that he was taking her somewhere to execute her.

When they stepped off, they were surrounded by complete darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out dim lighting ahead. Rio tucked her hand in his and guided her toward the distant glow.

It took a moment for her to figure out that the light was coming down from a long tubelike opening in the ceiling of a tunnel.

It was cool and kind of damp, like a cave, and she supposed that was indeed what they were in. Man-made but a cave nonetheless. She shivered, though she wasn’t at all cold, and Rio automatically pulled her in close to his side as if to share his warmth with her.

Men who did those kinds of things for a woman didn’t turn around and shoot them, right? What would he care if she was cold? If she were dead, she’d be plenty cold. She coughed to cover the hysterical laughter that threatened to bubble out. She’d well and truly lost her mind.

Rio wasn’t going to kill her. He’d had ample opportunity. Moreover, it was uncharitable of her to think it, given how good he’d been to her. Hell, he’d risked his life. His team had risked their lives. And here she was being a complete wuss because he was taking her down some dark tunnel God knows how many feet underground.

They continued a ways down until she was certain they were away from the house. She also honed in on the fact that they were gradually working up in elevation.

In the distance a faint noise made her brow wrinkle in concentration. She couldn’t quite make out what it was. It was a dull roar that got a little louder with every step they took.

Then she saw a small sliver of light from behind a boulder. There was a marked difference in the air. Mist. The sound was water. A lot of water.

Rio pulled her toward the light, and she realized it was an opening in the rock, well hidden from view. As she looked out, she saw that they were coming out behind a waterfall.

Transfixed, she followed Rio, her stare riveted to the beautiful water cascading from the rock above and plummeting to the pool below. They were standing in a large hollow behind the falls, and there was a small footpath leading around the edge and away from the falling water.

“Wow,” she breathed.

Rio smiled and then directed her toward the path. She put her back to the rock and inched her way out so she didn’t get soaked by the spray. Once outside, she gazed around at the tranquil paradise that surrounded them.

“This is amazing!”

“It is, isn’t it? It’s my own private getaway. I come here often when I need to pull myself back together.”

Pull himself together? This was a man who looked permanently cemented together. He wasn’t someone who had so much as a crack, certainly not any she’d seen. He was solid. Dependable. Calculating and…confident. That was the word escaping her. He was confident but not in an arrogant asshole kind of way. He clearly knew he was competent—no, not competent. That made him seem merely adequate. He was certainly beyond simple competency and adequacy. He was…

Her gaze stroked over him, taking in every detail. His demeanor, his silent strength and his composure. There was something magnetizing about him and she couldn’t even put her finger on what made it so.

Her gaze fell to the guns at his sides and then she frowned as she turned in a circle, surveying the jungle canopy that seemed a barrier to the rest of the world. A world that suddenly didn’t seem so idyllic. Not when she knew that evil was out there. Stalking her.

“Are we safe here?”

Rio tugged her farther down the path, spiraling down to the ground level, where the pool rippled and then led out to a small river cutting through the terrain.

“I like to be prepared. The tunnel leads to the back of the waterfall. I’m not saying that the falls and the pool aren’t accessible, but it would be damn hard and I’d certainly know if anyone was near. The jungle is thick here, never touched. It’s overgrown and surrounds the rock face where the water comes over the edge. It’s not even visible from the air because the canopy is so thick in this area. So are we one hundred percent safe? I’m never that naïve. But I’d say we’re pretty c19;conflose to ninety-nine.”

She cut a glance at him to see the corner of his mouth twitching. His eyes twinkled and then his smile broadened. She was transfixed by the transformation from the serious, hard-as-nails guy surveying the terrain to the sudden teasing, lighthearted exchange.

He gestured for her. “Come on. I have the perfect place to sit and enjoy the falls.”

She followed him down to the water’s edge and saw that he had a bench fashioned from a tree trunk. It utterly charmed her. She sank down onto the smooth wood and inhaled deeply, soaking in the beauty and peace around her.

He took the seat beside her, their legs nearly touching. For a long moment he stared, as did she, at the spellbinding sight of the water pouring down into the pool.

“I want you to do something for me,” he said.

She glanced over to see him looking at her with those intense, dark eyes, almost like he was peeling back every layer of her soul.