Free Kill Shot by Liliana Hart Page A

said.
    “Maybe, except a witness came forward and
said a white man had been asking for directions to the village. The
WHO doctors at the site said they’ve never seen any type of virus
like this one before. They said it’s unheard of for a disease that
takes affect so quickly and violently to stay contained within one
tribe.”
    “So the question is, what’s the nature of
that particular tribe—that it only affected them and no one else?”
Grace asked.
    “Bingo,” Gabe said with a nod. “The Ahnimado
Tribe prides themselves on being pureblood. They’re a tribe of less
than a hundred people who all share the same genes. Marriages must
take place within the family, and no outsiders are allowed in their
village.”
    Grace took the iPad from Jack and looked at
the pictures. “So if we assume whoever made this batch of The
Passover Project used a specific Ahnimado’s DNA as a test for the
weapon, then we can also assume that they’re getting closer to
finding the formula. The Ahnimado have all fallen ill because they
share common DNA linked to their pureblood lineage.”
    Gabe nodded and said, “The virus doesn’t
seem to be contagious, and the doctor said they didn’t have much
hope for the remaining survivors. It’s as if they’d all been
purposely wiped out.”
    “Did the witness give an ID of the man?”
Jack asked.
    “I’ve just put Logan on a plane to go find
out. He’s going to check out the site in person and see if there
are any survivors who are able to speak.” Gabe turned to Ethan. “Is
there progress on the museum?”
    “Jack has some ideas,” Ethan said,
shrugging. “I just build the incredible machines. Someone else does
all the real work.”
    Jack rolled his eyes. “We’ve got the basics,
but I’ll feel better about it after I contact some people. The kid
has the design of the structure right, and we could get in and out
if that was all there was to it. It’s the nonelectronic aspects
that are going to give us the most trouble. Bullets beat machines
any day.”
    “Let me know if you need any help,” Gabe
said, gathering his things and heading for the door. “Grace, I need
to speak to you a moment.”
    Grace followed Gabe reluctantly into the
hallway, aware that two curious stares followed them out. She
closed the door behind her and leaned back against it, crossing her
arms over her chest and mentally preparing for Gabe to bring up
what happened between them earlier that morning.
    “I have a contact who said Tussad is
visiting his sister in Abadan.”
    Grace straightened from the wall, the news
not what she’d been expecting. “What? How long has he been there?
How did you find out so fast? Dammit, I’ve paid contacts near there
to let me know as soon as he steps foot on Iranian soil. Why the
hell wasn’t I contacted?”
    “We both know that what you’re paying your
contacts can be beaten. It’s why you agreed to this deal in the
first place. My pockets are deeper than yours. Besides, I’ve had
all your communications intercepted since you’ve been here.”
    “Goddammit, Gabe—”
    “You work for me now, Grace. You agreed. No
outside jobs. I gave you my word we’d get Tussad. I’m
delivering.”
    “You can’t cut me off from my contacts
completely. I won’t be here working for you forever.”
    “Maybe not, but we’ll cross that bridge when
we come to it.” He waited her out while she fumed silently. There
was no way he was going to let her go back to the life she’d been
living the last two years. Not even the most hardened criminals
lasted long in that kind of work.
    “Fine. Tell me about Tussad.”
    “He’s been in Abadan since early yesterday
morning. It’s up to you if you want to try and flush him out now or
wait until later.”
    Gabe’s face was unreadable as he waited for
her to make a decision.
    “Does your contact think he’ll still be
there by the time we can fly in?” she asked.
    “According to my contact, Tussad is there
for the three-day