A single, high pitch chime sounded throughout the building. Jo kept her gaze on Isaac, who jumped.
“What was that?” he demanded.
“Turn around,” she said. “Isaac, you are under arrest.”
She’d properly Mirandize him later. When there was time.
Isaac’s face became a twisted mask of rage. He reached under his jacket.
She smirked as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at her. “Go ahead.”
He squeezed the trigger in a dramatic fashion.
Nothing happened.
“Elias took the bullets out of your gun earlier,” she said as sweetly as possible.
Isaac lunged at her. She side-stepped, letting him dive through empty space. One kick and he went sprawling.
Easiest arrest ever.
She came down on top of him, using her weight to keep him pinned as she grabbed one wrist and then the other. He struggled, but it was a token effort. Isaac wasn’t a physical man. He delivered drinks, took notes and let other people do the dirty work. Regardless of what he’d done as a teen to set him on this path, he wasn’t a killer.
“Jo? You okay?” The concern in Elias’s voice was touching.
“Yeah, fine.”
“We need to get out of here.” That wasn’t concern, he was worried.
“What’s going on?” She slapped the cuffs from her pocket around Isaac’s wrists.
“The office door is locked and there are people moving around. I think they know something is up.”
“Shit,” she muttered. “I can always flash my badge?”
“Like hell they’ll listen,” Isaac said.
“Why?” she demanded.
“Because...” He turned his head and glared up at her. “Eagle Tech is owned by one of Giovanni’s father’s companies. It’s a Russian owned and operated front.”
“Shit,” Elias muttered.
Jo got up, leaving Isaac where he was. She went to the terminal and began typing. Isaac had gotten them past the security, so she had access to the building’s inner workings.
Things like security cameras...
“I’ve got the security cameras, Elias. Can you get out of the office?” she asked.
“I’ll try, but you get out of here if you can. I can talk my way out if need be.”
“I’m not leaving you behind.” Figures decked out in body armor passed by one camera.
Fuck...
THURSDAY. EAGLE TECH, Seattle, Washington.
Elias stared around the office. Was there anything he could use to get out of here? Kicking down a door from the inside would be harder. Obviously everything was on some kind of system to allow for the doors to lock like this. It stood to reason that if he tried to get out, it would send out some kind of alert. Then again, so long as they still believed him to be a wealthy potential client, he might get away with it.
What the hell was he thinking? He had to get to Jo now. There were armed guards closing in. Where had those come from? Torres hadn’t mentioned a small, mobile army. Or was this tied into the mafia connection?
Shit to figure out later.
Jo’s voice was so sweet in his ear, if he ignored her dire words. “Okay, Elias, they’re doing a sweep of the building. I don’t think they know where we are or they’d have come straight to us.”
Elias blew out a breath. “Get out of there. They must have been waiting for you to come in here. I’m guessing Isaac there told them our plan. This was a trap for you all along.”
“Not without you,” she said.
“They don’t’ want me, Jo. You are what they want. You have to get out of here. Go,” he snapped.
“Not without trying something first.”
God, he wanted to hug and strangle this stubborn woman.
Instead, Elias took two long strides and kicked the wooden office door.
It rattled, but didn’t budge.
This wasn’t going to work, but he had to try. For Jo, because she wouldn’t leave him behind. He couldn’t let her risk her life on his account.
He hauled back and kicked again, trying a different spot on the door.
The damn thing was sturdy as hell.
“What are you doing?” Isaac said with all the exasperation of a toddler.
Rage seethed through Elias. He hauled back and pounded his fist on the door.
A digital device chirped, and he paused, just in time for the door to swing inward and bash against the toe of his shoe.
Torres stuck his head in the opening, eyes wide. Was that fear?
“Thank God, you’re still here,” he said.
“Who is that?” Jo asked.
“What are you doing here, Torres? What’s going on?” Elias asked.
“Torres?” Jo gasped. “Be careful.”
“I don’t... I mean, I’m not sure.” The young man shoved a hand through his hair. “Look, I thought I recognized you earlier, but I didn’t say anything. Something fucked up is happening and I don’t understand.” Torres locked his dark eyes on Elias. “Are you...do you work for Aegis Group?”
“Shit. Get out of there, Elias. Go, now!” Jo ordered.
Elias took in the young man’s wide eyes, the glances at the door and the glistening sweat on his brow.
Torres was afraid. Not of Elias, but of what was happening out there.
“Do you want me to work for Aegis Group?” Elias crossed his arms over his chest. They were clearly out of their element and needed more information. He could practically hear Zain’s voice in his head demanding more intel so they could make more informed decisions.
“Damn it, yes or no?” Torres begged.
This wasn’t the behavior of a man who intended to kill Elias. He’d seen enough of that type to recognize them. Torres had probably never shot a person in his life; maybe he hadn’t even held a gun.
Good for him.
The world didn’t necessarily need more of Elias’s ilk.
“Yes, I work for Aegis Group, but I’m not here for my company,” he said.
“Elias,” Jo snapped.
Where was Isaac? Why wasn’t he chiming in? What was the guy up to?
Torres’ shoulders dropped. “Oh thank God.”
“What’s really going on here?” Elias asked.
“I don’t know. Honestly. They activated security protocol five, which secures all doors in the building, unless you have a master key.”
“You have a master key?” He found that hard to believe. A sales rep holding something that powerful?
Torres glanced away. “There was a mix up when I was hired. Another new guy made a mistake. I... I like to go into the executive break room and get a coffee on Monday mornings, okay? Sue me.”
Elias had never been more grateful for typical human greed in his life. “Let’s see it. Can we get out of here using it?”
“Maybe we could have if I were here when they implemented protocol five, but...they’ve sent out,” he lifted his hands and used his fingers to do air quotes, “the special division.”
“Elias, those armed guys are going floor by floor. We’ve got to do something soon,” Jo said.
“What other security protocols are there?” Elias took a step toward Torres.
“Just seven, which locks down the choke points on each floor and access between floors. It’s supposed to help if there’s a fire or break-in—”