CHAPTER 3
741 Words
Dodger awoke with a groan and instantly felt eyes narrowed on him.
“What happened?” He asked as his eyes landed on a very pissed off Donovan Tal.
“That’s what I’d like to know.” The deadly voice was low and smooth, deceptively lazy, like a rattlesnake ready to strike. He could hear the disapproval in the other man's voice.
“Hell if I know. We had the man out. We were waiting on the woman. The next thing I know, I was out cold on my ass.” He put enough injured insult in his voice to have Tal grinning. What he really wanted to do was reach out and rip the man's throat out with his bare hands.
“What gives Viper? You said this was a simple snatch and grab mission.”
“Sounds like my girl has been keeping tabs on her family.” The maniacal pleasure in Donovan’s voice had his eyes narrowing. He didn't like the familiarity that he heard there.
“What’s going on, Viper?” He bit out, wanting an explanation. Just exactly how close was Tal to Alex and the rest of them? Before Donovan could respond, Cooper came to.
“What the hell hit me?” He rubbed at his tender jaw as he sat up, glaring across the room.
“A pissed off ZX-83 would be my guess.” Tal’s amused voice had him turning his head, eyes still narrowed.
“But don’t worry. Not all is lost. Dodger here assured me you drugged the boy, which means we’ll be able to track him and bring him back, therefore luring back ZX-83.”
Well, I'm glad that having my ass handed to me served a purpose." Cooper drawled sarcastically, eliciting a chuckle from Viper.
“How?” Dodger climbed slowly to his feet, drawing Donovan’s attention back to him.
“Oh, the government has all types of fun little toys. Like the tracer that swam through his blood stream and embedded itself right in his brain stem.” Donovan's words had fear pooling through him, but he worked to school his reaction. Donovan stood to his feet, dismissing them before Dodger could ask anymore questions. He gestured for both men to exit out in front of him.
“Get some rest. I’ll be in touch when we find them again.” With those final parting words, Donovan was off. His gaze swept the street for threats, years of training making him extremely cautious. Dodger waited until Donovan disappeared before he gestured to Cooper and headed towards his car. It was best if Donovan didn’t know where they were headed. By unspoken agreement, they remained silent on the subject of Alex until they reached the hotel and checked in.
“Ok, I get that Alex is the love of your life and that you spent ten years looking for her and all, but everything on her says that she’s dangerous. You read the dossier.” Cooper lit into him the moment they entered the room. “Why didn’t you just turn her over to Viper?” Dodger could feel the anger coming off of Cooper in waves.
“I know what the dossier says, Coop. I also know that I took care of Alex since she was seven years old. Things aren’t adding up.” Dodger sat down on the other bed, puzzled.
“I don’t know, man. She knocked us out with one punch, so I’m guessing the dossier is pretty accurate.” Cooper tossed back, dryly.
“But if she was just a deadly killing machine, wouldn’t she have killed me years ago?” Dodger asked, thinking out loud. There were plenty of opportunities for her to do so. It also didn't explain the nights she spent tucked in his arms, chasing her nightmares away.
“Maybe they engineered in a heart, for sympathy purposes when these things were out in the field.” Dodger scowled at Cooper’s careless remark, but his friend only shrugged.
“No, it’s more than that.” Has to be more than that. The fears that plagued her were too real to be rehearsed.
“Alex will explain it when she gets here.” He assured his friend, hoping that he sounded convincing, because right now, he wasn’t at all convinced.
“I hope you’re right about her.” Cooper rolled from the bed and headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
“Me too.” Dodger responded into the silence as he sighed in defeat. He hoped he was right as well, because he wasn’t too sure about anything these days. And if he wasn't right, it could cost him everything.
- Writer
