Free Dire Distraction by Dee Davis Page A

adjust the photograph sitting on his desk, his heart twisting as he stared at the laughing face portrayed there. “Let it eat at him for a while.”
    “If that’s what you wish.” The other man’s voice held a trace of doubt.
    “It’s what I order. I’ll not have you questioning my decisions.” He gaze collided with Gregor’s. “If you aren’t up to all of this—”
    “You know that I am,” Gregor said, cutting him off. “It’s just that your quest for vengeance has cost the organization. And there are those that are questioning your leadership. Delafranco’s attempt to take you out is proof of that.”
    “His attempt ended in failure. That’s the important thing to remember. And that’s what the others will take from it. And although it may seem as though my personal goal has overridden my professional one, it’s really quite the contrary—one is simply feeding into the other.”
    “And I support that. I just want you to be careful,” Gregory chided.
    “I am always careful, my friend. Always.”
    “Then take him out now. While it’s easy.”
    “But you forget, there’s still the matter of Shrum. He’s become quite a thorn in our sides of late. He never lets anything go. Just like Avery Solomon. In their own way, they both present a threat to the Consortium. Funny how everything always comes full circle. And now we have the opportunity to take them out in one fell swoop. So we stick to the original plan.” He paused, letting the words sink in, then leaned forward. “Tell me about this other operative.”
    “She’s been in the region for a couple of years now. According to our intel, her cover involves running a ferry service on the river. Solomon was posing as a professor who’d hired her to show him some of the local temples.”
    “So the boat that they blew up was hers.”
    “Seems to be the case,” Gregor agreed with a nod.
    “Could be the attack on the river was about her then. Not that it really matters as long as they think they’re both dead. Do we have a name?” In truth, he really didn’t give a damn, but it wouldn’t hurt to understand the details. If things didn’t go as planned, the girl might be useful somehow. Solomon had always had a weakness when it came to women.
    “Sydney Price,” Gregor said. “I tried to dig up more information, but whoever she is, her cover is solid and her past is buried pretty deep. I don’t even know if that’s her real name.”
    Michael sat back with a smile, remembering a conversation in a sunny vineyard just outside of Vienna. “Oh, it’s real all right.”
    “You know her?” Gregor’s bushy eyebrows rose in surprise.
    “Not personally, no. But I know her father.” He paused for a moment—waiting for effect. “In fact, you know him too. Marshall Walker.”
    “The Austrian ambassador?” If possible, Gregor looked even more surprised. “Could be a fortuitous coincidence.”
    “I don’t believe in coincidence,” Michael responded. “We’ve been trying for months to figure out a way to pull Walker into the fold. Or at least tap into his resources. But the man is squeaky clean and doesn’t seem inclined to play traitor. But maybe we can use his daughter to force his hand. He’s a proud man—agreeing to side with us won’t be an easy decision. But he’s fond of his daughter, and I can’t imagine he’d abandon her for the sake of principle.”
    “But if things go as planned, the girl will die along with Solomon. There’s no time to use her for leverage.”
    “It’s not too late. We still have options,” Michael mused. “Our men have been trained in extraction even under the most difficult of circumstances. I don’t see why we can’t liberate Ms. Price at the same time we obliterate Solomon and Shrum.”
    *  *  *
    “I don’t buy it.” Syd crossed her arms over her chest, studying Avery, wondering why it was that she wanted so very much to erase the pain from his face. Maybe because he’d saved her out