Free Walker (Bad Boys of X-Ops #1) by Rie Warren Page B

Justice was deaf.
    “Got that wrong, lady. I’ll do you in ten seconds flat.”
    “Early emission problem?” She quirked an eyebrow.
    “Sounds like you need to gag her.” Justice grinned onscreen.
    “I’ve got something to gag her with. Non-synthetic.” I leered at Jade.
    Madge stood from the table. “Breakfast is over?”
    “Your whole existence is over unless Walker gets you out of there fast.” Justice panned to his workspace.
    The black and white computer map detailed bright red darts moving in on our hidey-hole originating from Asia, Russia, China, Algiers . . .
    “You got heat.” Spinning his phone, Justice spoke directly to me. “Two hours lead time. At most. They’ve honed in on your location.”
    “Fuck.” Remaining in Mt. Pleasant was a no-go now. I didn’t exactly want to bring World War Three to town. “Tell Storm I’ll send coordinates from the road. Don’t suppose you’ve got a safe house we can relocate to?”
    “I dunno. You’ve got that whole overuse of explosives issue going on.” His Abercrombie & Fitch face lit up with cruel intent. He stroked his chin. “But I suppose I can’t just leave you out in the cold to die.”
    “Thanks, man. You’re a real fucking buddy.”
    “Just get your asses—and your assets—somewhere Storm can pick you up.”
    Disconnecting the call, I turned to Jade and Madge. They’d heard everything and looked ready to sprint into action, but I needed some info from them first.
    Cursing myself for not confiscating every single fucking gadget or phone they might be carrying, I asked, “Either of you make contact with anyone since we’ve been here?”
    “We’re not stupid, Walker.” Jade, the spokeswoman of the duo, rolled her eyes. “Everything’s been turned off since before the speedboat.”
    “Just the same, I’m gonna check anyway.” Pocketing my own phone, I held out my hand. “Get the devices. All of them. And I’m getting Justice to go over them too.”
    Jade marched upstairs— stomp, stomp —and returned shortly— thump, thump .
    She placed an iPad and two cell phones in my hands.
    “That’s everything? You swear?” I asked.
    “Trust issues?” Her upper lip curled in distaste.
    “Yeah. I got ’em Especially when someone just busted our hideout wide open.”
    I inspected all three devices for tracker devices, messages, calls, and Internet history.
    They looked clean, and I kept them really fucking close to me when I mentioned the unnecessary to Jade and Madge who stood watching me with identical ferocious glares, “We gotta jet.”
    Although I’d appropriated their techy shit, I thought it might be muy bueno to have Jade armed since we were on the run again. She and I made quick work in the master bedroom: two minutes and we were ready to launch out of there.
    She snagged her bag by the grips, but I captured her arm.
    “You pull a knife on any of your other lovers?” I asked.
    Glancing at my hand then at my face, she tilted her head. “Not usually. No.”
    “Are there other lovers?”
    “Are you calling yourself my lover?” She shook her arm free.
    “I’m asking if you have anyone waiting at home for you.”
    She snorted a laugh, but her voice came out softer than usual. “No. There’s no one.” Her eyes flicked to me. “You?”
    “Same.” I busied myself handing over the Beretta, her ammo supply, a KA-BAR similar to mine but with a smaller grip, and lastly her dagger.
    Jade touched my hand. “Cheers for this.”
    It was an oddly tender moment while we prepared to evac, and she accepted her own weapons like they were the most precious gifts in the world.
    Turning my palm, I touched my fingers to hers. “I know what it’s like to be without them. I feel naked without my C-4.”
    She drew up with a burst of bubbly laughter so unexpected it made me chuckle.
    “Yes. And then there’s that,” she said, giggling and shaking her head.
    “And then there’s that.”
    While we hustled, gathering the last of our