Free Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) by Kristine Mason Page B

your buddy ready. We have a jet to catch.”
    “Geez, Lola. Let me at least intro—”
    “Vlad Aristov,” the Russian said, offering his hand. When she took it, he kissed her knuckles, then grinned. “Vlad love bossy woman.”
    “Lola Tam. And I’m not trying to be bossy. Time is of the essence and we need to leave.”
    “She’s right,” Harrison said. “How soon can you be packed?”
    “Where Harry and Asian Lola take Vlad?”
    “Everglades.”
    The Russian stared at Harrison for a moment before shaking his head. “Has Harry not watch Gator Boys ?”
    “No, why?”
    “Alligator live in Everglades. So do snake.” The Russian shivered. “That why Vlad does not and prefer your Mickey Mouse land.”
    “Some badass,” she said, taking the keys from Harrison. “Come on, this was a waste of time.”
    “Asian Lola no think Vlad badass?” He puffed his brawny chest. “Vlad have strength of hundred alligator. Vlad will—”
    “Just go pack your bag,” Harrison said.
    The Russian nodded. “Give Vlad five minute.”
    After he closed the door, Harrison turned to her. She held up a hand before he could speak. “Don’t,” she said, then headed down the stairs.
    “Lola, c’mon, don’t be upset.”
    She slid into the driver’s seat, then closed the door. After Harrison climbed in, too, she said, “I’m not upset, I’m frustrated. You told me Vlad was a badass, so I assumed he would be able to handle himself once we’re in the Everglades.”
    “He will.”
    “Right. Because Vlad have strength of hundred alligator,” she mimicked the Russian’s accent. “Whatever. I’m sure he’ll be fine. We just need to get on the jet and…”
    A brunette stepped out of the hotel room, slipped on her heels, then adjusted her skirt. Seconds later, another woman, this one a blonde, joined her. “Now we know why he was busy,” Lola said.
    “Yeah, Vlad has a thing for the ladies.”
    The Russian joined the women, then led them down the stairs. After giving each woman a kiss and a pat on the rear, he slung a pack over his shoulder and walked to the rental car. “Harry owe Vlad,” he said after he hauled his big frame into the backseat. “Harry know how much Vlad like woman with big—”
    “Vlad,” Harrison said in a censoring tone.
    “Vlad say big brain. What wrong with that?”
    As she drove toward the airstrip, Lola’s stomach churned with dread and tears stung her eyes. Her mom and Ian’s life depended on a black cat, a computer geek and…Vlad. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. In a little over an hour the hunt would begin. The dread moved from her stomach and lodged in her throat. She needed to be strong for her mom and Ian. What she needed was to pray to God that the former Navy SEAL, who would help guide them and track her mom and Ian’s whereabouts, knew what he was doing.
    Through her peripheral vision, she looked at Harrison, then to Vlad in the review mirror.
    Because the three of them were clueless.

    CORE Offices, Chicago, Illinois
    Thursday, 3:48 a.m. Central Standard Time

    John Kain stared at the TV screen hanging on the wall of CORE’s evidence and evaluation room, viewing the Skype call Rachel had taped for at least the twelfth or twentieth time. There was something about the kidnapper that was strangely familiar to him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
    “Haven’t you watched that enough?” Owen asked, taking a seat next to him and setting a cup of coffee, along with a stack of case files, on the table.
    Without looking away, he shook his head. “Just trying to get a read on this guy.”
    “Or, maybe you’re avoiding a phone call to your wife?”
    John slid his gaze to Owen, who raised both hands. “None of my business. But it’s not like I’ve never met Celeste. If you don’t tell her she’s going to be—”
    “I did tell her. And she’s pissed off anyway.”
    Rachel looked up from her laptop. “Did she try to get a reading?”
    He hardened his jaw.