Free Roth(Hell Squad 5) by Anna Hackett Page B

the plug.
    He’d been battling to find out what Avery knew, and now…now he was torn. He didn’t want this woman hurt, and he hated that she had to go through this.
    “The negotiations had stalled. The Gizzida were getting impatient.” Avery’s voice had become a flat monotone. A crease appeared in the middle of her forehead and she rubbed at her temple.
    “What is it?” he asked.
    “Something…I discovered something?”
    “About the aliens?”
    She shook her head. “No…it was about…the Coalition President.”
    Roth pulled back, surprised. “President Howell?”
    Her eyes widened. “Yes. He had a backup plan. He hadn’t shared it, was keeping it very top secret. I discovered documents on it.”
    “What?”
    “The Coalition were building…they were building…” Her brow scrunched more. “Dammit, I can’t remember.”
    “Don’t push it too hard.” He rubbed her arm. “It’ll come.”
    She looked at him. “I find you insanely attractive.”
    God, she was going to kill him. “Right back at you.”
    “I don’t do relationships. They are hazardous to people’s health.”
    “Only if you do them with the wrong people.”
    “You think we’re right for each other?” She made a noise in her throat. “You’re all alpha and bossy. We’d kill each other in about ten minutes.”
    “But we’d have awesome sex before we did.” But he knew she was right. He knew others in the squads had relationships, but Roth couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t drop the ball or his focus.
    “Hello, don’t forget I’m right here listening to all this,” Emerson muttered.
    Avery laughed, then her eyes went wide. “I remember. They were building an underground bunker.”
    Roth struggled to pull his focus off imagining sex with Avery and back to the questioning. “A bunker. To shelter in?”
    She nodded.
    “Not in a military base?” It seemed crazy the Coalition would ignore Blue Mountain Base, when it was right on their doorstep.
    “No, somewhere else. Somewhere underground.” She grimaced. “South of Sydney. They planned to take a select group there to ensure the survival of the human race. Top scientists, artists, government officials.”
    Roth fought back a curse. Select an important, privileged few to survive, and screw the rest of the world.
    Avery’s mouth tightened. “I didn’t like it. I felt they weren’t giving everything to negotiations that could save the entire world.” She rubbed her temple again, vigorously. “There was something else, something important. What was it?” She pressed both hands to the side of her head. “I don’t remember. I have to remember.”
    “Easy. Stay calm.”
    “No. I have to remember.” The last word was shouted.
    He got in her face. “No, you have to stay calm, Avery.”
    Then she gasped, like she couldn’t breathe. “President Howell. I was in his office. I saw documents…”
    “What were they?”
    “He was having private meetings with the Gizzida.”
    “What?” Roth breathed. He sensed Emerson stiffen.
    “He was meeting with them…to bargain for his own safety and a small group of his selection.”
    “To live in this bunker?”
    She nodded. “I confronted him. I was so damned angry. And…”
    “And…”
    She pulled her hands from Roth and curled them against her chest. “He sold me out. To the Gizzida.”
    “Jesus.” Roth wanted to slam his knuckles into something, anything, and rage at the sky. His hands curled into fists. “What happened?”
    “At our next meeting, he organized for me to be alone with them. They took me.”
    Roth heard a tremor in her voice.
    “Her vitals are getting a little elevated, Roth,” Emerson said quietly.
    He gripped her ankles, rubbing the soft skin there. “It’s okay, Avery. You’re free now.”
    “And billions are dead. Because I didn’t see through Howell’s rotten exterior. I could have kept negotiating, working with the Gizzida.”
    “They’re here for humans, Avery. They were never going