Chapter 7
Race departed the plane and headed straight for the military terminal. During his flight, he'd taken the time to study his backstory as a European classic car enthusiast who made his fortune through commercial real estate both in the United States and overseas. If Martucci decided to check into Race's past, in addition to his business portfolio, Martucci would find a handful of accusations in regards to his interests in underage girls and that he'd paid off the families of his accusers with considerable sums of cash. The plan was to use the car angle to get close to Martucci then use the other to find out what Martucci knew about the child trafficking and The Consortium.
The terminal was deserted, so Race made his way towards an Airman working behind the desk. "I need to speak with Colonel Trevino."
"Your name, Sir?"
"I just arrived on the last flight, only guy on the manifest." Race responded.
"Hold on," The Airman replied.
"Race Bannon as I live and breathe." A voice boomed from behind. The Airman vaulted to the position of attention as his commanding officer appeared from nowhere. "Who the hell let you into this country?"
"Nevermind." Race told the kid, then turned to greet the Colonel.
"Good to see you again, Brett." Race smiled as he shook the Air Force Colonel's hand. "And I appreciate your assistance in getting me here."
"You I-1 guys only call when you need a discreet ride nowadays." Colonel Trevino motioned for Race to follow him. "Hell, not much different than when you were with the SEALs."
"You flyboys always were good for getting us where we needed to go." Race joked as he took a seat in the Colonel's office.
Trevino laughed. He offered Race some coffee which Bannon accepted. "I'm sure you'd rather be jumping from one of my aircraft though. Race Bannon, man of action. What brings you here, old friend?"
"What did Corbin tell you?" Race inquired.
Trevino shook his head. "Not much. He just asked for whatever assistance we could provide. I'm happy to accommodate however I can. But, as you can see, the drawdown of forces in this region has affected not only my resources but my budget as well."
Race sipped the coffee. It was the same bitter coffee he remembered from his days in the service. "I'm headed south. Phil said you'd made arrangements for a vehicle."
"Where are you headed?" Trevino asked.
Race shook his head. "I can't tell you that. It's classified and honestly, with what we're dealing with you'd be better off not knowing."
Trevino smirked, "Government spook talk I see. Corbin trained you back up in a hurry it seems."
Race nodded, "I suppose so. Can you help with the vehicle?"
"It's already taken care of." Trevino stood. "Follow me."
Trevino led Race through the building, outside, and into one of the hangers. As soon as his eyes fell on his new ride, he knew he'd be in with Martucci.
"Is that what I think it is?" Race asked as he dropped his duffel bag and approached the sports car.
Trevino's grin reached from ear to ear. "Damn right, Bannon. And its bullshit you get to drive it and I don't."
Parked dead center in the otherwise empty hanger was a German made Gumpert Apollo sports car. The sleek muscle machine hugged the ground and looked downright mean; the car was rare and expensive. It sported jet black paint with carbon fiber accents, tinted windows, gullwing doors, carbon wing and 19 and 20 inch wheels, front and back.
"How much did this beauty eat into your budget?" Race teased as he examined the exterior then popped open the gullwing door on the driver's side.
"Nothing. You spy boys aren't the only ones with friends in high places. It belongs to a friend. Just don't fucking scratch it! I-1's budget won't be able to cover the cost if you damage this baby." Trevino laughed as he handed Race the key.
"Thanks, Brett." Race mused. He tossed his gear in the tiny rear storage space, climbed behind the wheel, then brought the muscle car to life. The engine roared and the exhaust reverberated against the interior of the hangar. Race felt like a kid again. Giving Trevino one last grin, he closed the door, threw the car into gear and screamed out of the hangar, pushing the car out onto the runway and testing its capabilities and speed before he headed out to the autobahn and south towards Italy.
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"What were you thinking?" Kreed spat the moment Temple entered his tent.
"What are you talking about, Lucius?" Temple replied with a shrug.
"You know damn well what I am speaking about, Gregory. The board specifically ordered you to stay away from Intelligence One, yet you sent your flunkies to kidnap Corbin's family. Did you really think he was going to let your goons snatch them and not do something to stop it?"
"They were supposed to put a bullet in his head." Temple grumbled.
"And they failed to do even that!" Kreed threw his hands in the air. "Not only is Corbin still alive, but you failed to take his family. You know his next step is going to be to increase the security at the Quest Compound. You fouled this entire operation up!"
"Watch you tone, Kreed." Temple threatened with a growl.
Laughing, Kreed pointed at the monitor. "Oh you're not out of the woods yet, my friend. The board is waiting to tell you the same thing. You'll be lucky if they let you continue in your current role."
"I don't have time for the board."
"Make the time." Kreed remarked with a flat tone. Picking up the remote, he placed the call before Temple could object.
Two rings in the video conference call connected. Temple sighed and crossed his arms over his chest as Kreed took a seat. The faces of the board members appeared in their normal configurations and they did not appear to be pleased. Only the man called Grimm was unreadable, but that was due to his mask. Temple assumed Grimm was just as perturbed as the rest, even though Temple didn't really see why.
"Explain yourself, Mister Temple." The first man demanded immediately.
"I made a decision and carried out that decision." Temple replied firmly.
"You were specifically ordered to stay away from Bannon, Corbin, and Quest." The woman stated.
"I don't know why you all are so afraid of them." Temple shot back, his face turning beat red; he didn't feel his actions justified this treatment. "But whether you want to admit it or not, Intelligence One is after us. They are a threat. I'm willing to do what is necessary to eliminate that threat."
"They are after us because you took Jonny Quest!" The masked man threw in.
Temple bristled at the interruption, but continued, "The longer those men are allowed to live the closer they get to finding not only the boy, but all of you as well."
That seemed to rattle the board members. Temple grinned inwardly and continued. "I admit, the mistake was sending our operatives after Corbin. I should have done it myself. I won't make the same mistake with Bannon."
"Speaking of," The first man stated, "Bannon is in transit to Europe."
"Where is he headed?" Kreed asked.
"Germany."
"Why Germany?" Temple questioned.
"We don't know." Grimm replied.
"You still haven't broken into the I-1 databanks, Grimm?" Temple rolled his eyes. "Too bad that idiot Surd is dead, he'd have gotten in weeks ago."
Grimm sneered, but didn't respond.
The first man waved a hand, "No matter what has transpired to this point, we cannot allow the actions of Intelligence One to interfere with our plans. Mister Temple, we have another mission for you. There is a shipment arriving in Bremerhaven that requires an escort."
Temple's eye roll showed his displeasure. "Convoy duty? We have people that can do that. The real issue is what we plan to do about Bannon. His presence in Europe changes things."
There was a significant pause by all the board members. Temple grumbled, sometimes he hated having to take his orders from this lot, but with the failure in D.C. they'd be watching him more closely for some time. He'd have to tread carefully.
Finally, the first man spoke. "We need you to transport the shipment from Bremerhaven, Mister Temple. In the mean time we can send an operative to shadow Mister Bannon and report back. Once your current mission is complete, then we can reevaluate that situation."
"Fine." Temple acquiesced. "Who do you plan to send?"
The first man laughed evilly, "I know just the person."
Kreed ended the call. Temple was visibly perturbed, so the Englishman chose his words carefully. "You need to remain focused, Gregory. Bannon is a nuisance, however you must keep your eyes on the bigger picture."
"I'll go to Bremerhaven if that's what the board wants and I'll take the Quest boy with me. But I promise you, Kreed, I will take care of Bannon and sooner rather than later."
Lucius grinned, "Of that I have no doubt. In a way I can understand your desire to dispose of your former friends and I believe the board now realizes that keeping our adversaries alive was perhaps a foolish mistake. Just ensure your attempt is not nearly as disastrous as your one in D.C."
"Oh it won't be." Temple chuckled sadistically. "Bannon and I are going to do some catching up before I slit his throat. I want him to know it was me that destroyed his life before I take it from him."
Kreed grinned evilly as he stood. "Once you depart for the port city, we will pack up the camp and relocate. I have some business that I must conduct in person."
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"Here you go, boss." Velk handed Phil a glass of water and two pills.
After seeing his family off to safety, Corbin briefed the remainder of his team on The Consortium. He'd planned to keep the information as low key as possible, but the attack on his family changed the dynamics. If The Consortium was bold enough to go after him, they wouldn't hesitate to go after his Agents. He owed it to them to keep them informed and he gave each team member the option of being reassigned. None accepted.
After the debriefing, Phil and Agent Velk headed for Maine. Phil knew he needed some rest, but he had to speak to Benton in person. He was definitely glad he'd convinced Benton to allow an I-1 Agent to accompany Hadji back to India and he'd hoped that Benton would listen to reason when it came to this new information.
So the two men were aboard one of I-1's private jets, in flight to Rockport.
"Thanks." Phil nodded as he popped the pills in his mouth and downed them with the water. He removed his jacket and loosened his tie; it was the only way he could get somewhat comfortable. The flight wasn't very long, but long enough for him to try to get some sleep. He hoped the pills would help.
"You know Eric and the Marshals will keep them safe. You know that." Velk stated.
"I know." Phil replied, slowing rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose. "It's hard, Matt, not knowing where they are going, but I know they are safe now and I can concentrate completely on this investigation. Hell, even Senator Burke backed off once he heard about it."
"Good. You don't need any distractions from the Hill, that's for damn sure. So besides what you told us back at headquarters, what else do we know about this group, The Consortium?"
Sighing, Phil answered honestly. "Nothing. It just came up when we learned about the people that took Jonny from the cargo vessel. I didn't want to get you guys involved for safety reasons." with a humorless laugh he added, "I guess I was right to be cautious."
Velk nodded sympathetically. Standing he patted Phil on the shoulder. "Try to get some sleep. I'll work on a detail list for Benton. I'll wake you shortly before we land."
"Thanks, Matt." Phil closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he was sound asleep.
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Alone in the lighthouse, Jessie got to work. She'd excused herself after dinner, explaining there was a new program in Questworld she and Jonny had been working on before they departed for Pennsylvania. She told her mother and Doctor Quest that she wanted to ensure it was up and running so there would be something for Jonny to delve into once he was back home.
They appeared to accept her statement.
Seated at the bank of computer terminals, Jessie plugged her father's I-1 laptop into the mainframe. The computer was password protected and while she couldn't enter Questworld by herself, she could at least utilize its technology in an attempt to gain access to the device and I-1's databanks.
Once the system booted, she sat up and began entering codes into the mainframe. Strands of binary code filtered across the screens in front of her as the laptop itself sat idly by. She only hoped that by accessing the databanks she could then gain access to where she really needed to go.
Over an hour passed with no luck and with a yawn Jessie was about to call it a night, when a new command box popped up on her screen.
Suddenly alert, Jessie perked up. Smiling, she studied the information from the screen and as the I-1 laptop came to life.
"Yes!" Jessie proclaimed out loud. Fingers flying over the keyboard, the determined young redhead entered Intelligence One's network, looking for the route that would take her to the information she sought.
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"Pack your shit. We're leaving and not coming back." Temple spoke the moment he'd entered Jonny's tent.
Sitting up from his cot, Jonny saw pure disdain on his mentor's face. Temple was riled up and Jonny had learned it was best not to question the man when he was pissed. So he stood and reached for his gear.
"Where are we going?" He asked with a neutral tone.
"Bremerhaven."
Jonny nodded, rolling up his sleeping bag.
"You're not going to ask what the mission is, Hotshot?" Temple asked.
"Does it matter?" Jonny replied as he stuffed the sleeping bag into a duffel. "I assume you'll inform me of the details while we're in transit, just like last time. All I care about is getting back out there and doing something."
Temple smiled, "You caught the bug. The thrill, the excitement, the potential danger. You loved it, didn't you?"
Jonny shot the man a quick smile then returned to packing as he nodded. "Yeah, I did."
"Better than playing silly computer games, huh?" Temple huffed.
"Much better."
"Well, get ready, kid, because from here on out we'll be constantly on the move. No more training camp. Just like Africa, this will be the real deal."
Jonny paused. The mention of their last mission brought a question to his mind. "Greg, what was in that vial you gave to Van Brandt?"
Temple's eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know?"
"I'm just curious. That guy seemed like a self-absorbed nutjob."
"That's exactly what he is, but he's an extremely intelligent nutjob that excels at his trade." Temple nodded. "Personally, I can't stand the guy, but Van Brandt gets things done. You'll see…trust me…you'll see so enough."
"What's his trade?"
"What's any of our trades, Hotshot?" Temple smirked. "Killing."
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"Gentlemen, come in." Benton greeted the I-1 Agents.
"I apologize for disturbing you at such a late hour, Doctor." Phil offered, stepping across the threshold.
"You said it was urgent when you called," Benton stated while Phil and Matt followed him down the hall. "Of course I woke Estella and Jessie when I received your text after you landed. They're waiting in the living room."
Rising as the three men entered, both redheads immediately noticed the tired and distraught look on the Director's face. Benton informed the women the news wasn't about Jonny, but other than that, Corbin would not speak further about his need to see them until they were face to face.
"Take a seat, please." Benton gestured.
The sofas were arranged in a horseshoe pattern with a large coffee table in the center with the smallest sofa directly across from the large stone fireplace surround and large flat screen television mounted above it. Estella and Jessie sat side by side on one of the sofas. Benton took a seat on the smallest of the three and the two Agents sat across from the women.
"Let me get straight to the point," Phil started once everyone was settled. "Earlier this evening my family was attacked on the streets in D.C."
"What?" Estella gasped.
"What happened?" Benton asked as he sat up straighter. "Are they okay?"
Phil ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "Yes. I was with them when it happened. The three assailants were killed; two by myself and one by their own compatriots in a van they intended to use to abduct my wife and daughters. The men in the van got away."
"Phil, my God, I'm so sorry." Estella breathed. Jessie nodded, she was at a loss for words.
"Is this related to Jonny's disappearance?" Benton asked.
"Yes, we believe so. The men worked for a group called The Consortium. Have you ever heard that name before, Doctor?"
"Never." Benton shook his head with disappointment. "Is that who has Jonny?"
"Again, we believe so. We don't have concrete evidence yet. Race has deployed overseas to follow a lead that we hope will lead us to these people." Phil answered.
"Your family," Estella started.
Phil glanced in her direction. "They've been placed in protective custody. That's the reason I'm here." He turned his attention towards Benton. "Doctor, I want to do the same with you, Estella and Jessie."
"Phil," Estella began, but the Director raised a hand cutting her off.
"These people, The Consortium, they mean business. You'd all be safer someplace no one can find you."
"I don't know, Phil," Benton muttered. "How soon?"
"Immediately." Phil answered. "We can do the same for Hadji as well."
Benton stood. Clasping his hands behind his back he paced in front of the fireplace, his brow furrowed, his mind deep in thought. Everyone watched silently. Phil caught Jessie looking at him, but when he turned to look at her she looked away.
Finally, Benton stopped. He looked at Phil with a new determination. "I'm sorry, Phil. I can't leave."
Phil stood. "Doctor,"
This time it was Benton who raised a hand. "I appreciate your concern and believe me, I sympathize with what happened to you and your family. Believe me I know what it is like. Hell, I'm living the nightmare right now. But I have to stay. What if Jonny comes home? I have to be here if he does. And frankly, the only thing keeping me sane is my work."
"Doctor, I highly advise you to reconsider." Phil pleaded.
Benton shook his head, "I'm sorry, Phil. I'm staying. Now I can only speak for myself," He looked at the two women, "If you two feel differently I wouldn't hold it against you."
Estella glanced at Jessie. The young redhead shook her head, causing Estella to take her daughter's hand in her own. Looking between Benton and Phil, Estella gave her stance. "Benton, if you stay, we stay. We cannot leave you here alone."
Phil sighed heavily as he sat back down. He placed his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands for a few moments. When he heard Benton sit back down he looked up to ask, "Can I at least leave a small contingent of Agents here at the mansion for your safety? I promised Race I'd look after you and since I cannot stay here myself I'd feel much better if I had a team of my own people watching you."
Days ago Benton had refused Phil's offer of assigning another Agent, but now circumstances had changed. Nodding, Benton agreed. "That I can live with, Phil."
"Thank you, Doctor." Relief was evident in Phil's reply.
"I've already created a list of our best Agents." Velk announced. "Teams of five, three for the house and two for roving patrol. That should be sufficient, along with your IRIS security system to cover the grounds."
Corbin added on to what his Agent said, "The first team is on standby at our plane. Two other teams will arrive later. They'll work in shifts to provide twenty-four hour protection."
"If you'll excuse me, I'll step outside and let them know to head this way." Velk spoke respectfully then headed for the front door.
Benton nodded. He was a bit surprised the Agents already had a plan, but then again, this was Intelligence One and Benton believed Phil had assumed Benton would refuse his offer of protective custody. If nothing else, men like Corbin always had a contingency plan.
Benton stood back up, "Can I get you or your Agent anything while you wait?"
Phil shook his head, "We're fine, Doctor, thank you. Once the team arrives we'll be as quiet and quick as possible. I'll bring the team leader to meet with you before I leave."
"I'll be in my office." Benton smiled kindly.
Corbin nodded and stood. "Agent Velk and I will wait outside."
"That's not necessary." Benton replied, but Phil shook his head.
"It's alright, Doctor. I could use the fresh air."
Benton nodded and shook hands with the Agent. "If you insist. Again, I'm very sorry for what happened to you and your family. It must have been quite traumatic for them. I'll keep them in my thoughts."
Phil nodded his thanks.
A short time later, Corbin and Velk leaned against the vehicle; a cool breeze wafted through the mansion's grounds and brushed against Phil's face, keeping him awake. Neither man spoke, lost in their own contemplations for the moment.
Suddenly, Phil snorted a laugh.
"What's the matter?" Velk was concerned.
"I knew Doctor Quest wouldn't leave. I understand he wants to be here for Jonny and Benton's always been extremely strong willed. Sometimes I wonder if Race's stubbornness rubbed off on the good Doctor over the years."
"That's very possible. Bannon's one of the most stubborn people I know." Velk laughed.
"He's definitely earned his reputation. I just hope he can get some quick results. I want this to be over. It feels like it's never going to end."
A noise drew their attention towards the front of the house and Phil saw Jessie emerge.
"Race's daughter is just like her old man, huh?" Velk smirked.
Phil smiled, "You have no idea, Matt. You want to talk about stubborn!"
Velk looked at his watch, it was going on three in the morning. "What's she doing out here at this hour anyways?"
"Looks like we're about to find out." Phil remarked, watching Jessie approach. As she neared, he saw she was carrying two coffee mugs and had something tucked under one arm.
Coming up to them, she handed over the coffee, which each man took gratefully. "Thank, Jess. You didn't have to do this." Phil replied as the mug warmed his hands.
"It's okay. My mom fell asleep on the couch shortly after you came out here and Doctor Quest is in his study."
"The team is on the way, should be here in about five to ten minutes. We won't be very long after that, just long enough to get them situated then Agent Velk and I have to return to D.C."
Jessie nodded. "Where did my dad go?"
Phil smiled a little, "You know I can't tell you that, Jess."
Jessie was quiet for a minute. Pulling the item out from under her arm, she looked at it briefly then handed it to Phil. Even in the low light of the exterior lamps he could see it was the picture from Race's office of the team during that fateful Afghanistan mission. Motioning with it, he looked at Jessie questioningly, "What's this?"
"I want to know more about that picture." She said. "You're in it."
Velk looked at the photo, but didn't say anything.
"What do you want to know? This was a long time ago." Phil replied.
"What happened?"
Jessie saw Phil tense. He opened his mouth to speak, yet no words came out. He then shook his head and said, "This is in the past, Jessie. It's best that it stays there."
"But those men were your friends." Jessie replied. "I'd like to know what happened that changed my dad so much that he and my mom divorced after he got back."
Phil nodded, "They were our friends and some of them died. There's not much more to say." He looked back at the picture, his eyes narrowing as he studied the faces of the men in it. Jessie watched as he ran his fingers over their faces on by one, then stopped on one man in particular.
"Who is that?" She prodded quietly. Even Velk seemed interested to know what Phil was thinking.
"Someone I'd forgotten about. Race thought..."
"What?" She asked. "What did my dad think?"
"He thought this man betrayed us."
"Did he?" Velk asked.
Jessie saw Phil's hand shaking slightly. "I don't know. He survived the mission, but by the time Race brought up his concerns, this guy was already dead; killed on another mission."
"Who was he?" Jessie breathed; this little bit of information Phil was relating, even as vague as it was, was more than her father had ever spoken about it. If that man did betray Race and the team, it was no wonder her father had been so affected as a result that he shut out Estella when he returned.
Before Phil could answer, they were interrupted by approaching headlights. A moment later, the lights dimmed and they saw it was the I-1 team arriving.
Phil handed the photo back to Jessie, his attention back on the present. "You should go back inside, Jess. It's cold out here and I need to make sure my Agents are briefed thoroughly before Velk and I depart."
Jessie frowned; she'd been so close. "Agent Corbin?" She called to him as he stepped away.
Turning he looked and waited.
"That man? What was his name?"
Phil shook his head. Jessie couldn't be sure, but there was something in his eyes that bothered her. It could have just been his exhaustion and distress from the incident with his family, but she didn't believe that. Maybe part of it was that, but he was obviously bothered by the memories brought on by the picture.
"His name doesn't matter anymore, Jess. He's dead. Let it go." Phil replied sternly then headed over to the arriving SUV as it pulled up next to his own.
Jessie sighed, but knew she'd get nothing else from her godfather, at least not right now. She suddenly felt tired and decided to head back inside, leaving the Agents to conduct their business.
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The following morning, Race arrived at the Ambassador Hotel de Rome. He enjoyed seeing people's heads turn during his drive through the city and the valet's face lit up when Race opened the door and tossed the young Italian man the keys.
His drive down from Germany had been uneventful and except for a few curious onlookers at rest stops along the way, he hadn't seen anyone paying particular interest to him. He'd found the opportunity after crossing into Italy to stop at a tiny bed and breakfast off the beaten path just long enough catch a little sleep and shower. The old woman that ran the establishment doted on the handsome American and his car and had prepared him a home cooked Italian meal and ironed his shirt and suit; the same shirt and suit he now wore as he made his way inside the luxury five-star hotel.
Everything he was doing was the complete opposite of how he wanted to act, but in order to grab Martucci's attention Race had to appear confident and flamboyant; things he couldn't do by hiding in the shadows, playing spy.
Heads turned as he strode towards the desk and Race smiled at a number of women who stopped in their tracks to stare down the new arrival, some even seeming to have forgotten their male companions on their arms. Race felt the scowls from those men, their glares boring holes into his back.
Reaching the desk, Race leaned on the counter and removed his sunglasses. Giving the young woman behind the counter his best smile, "My name is William Blackburn. Is my room ready?" He didn't bother to speak Italian.
Blushing, the girl was beside herself that such a good looking and confident man was giving her attention. Working to regain her composure, she replied in perfect English with a sweet Italian accent, "Unfortunately, Sir, not yet. You are rather early."
"Well, I've had a long trip, I'd like my room to be available as soon as possible." He didn't even have to offer her a monetary incentive, she immediately started entering information into the computer.
"Yes, Signor Blackburn." She stammered, her eyes downcast towards her monitor.
"I'll be in the bar." Race replied and gave the woman a wink. She practically fainted.
Striding confidently towards the bar, Race found a seat and order a scotch, planning his next move in his mind.
Finishing the drink rather quickly, he ordered a second. The bartender set the glass down a moment later. Taking a sip, Race felt a hand on his shoulder then a seductive and playful touch to his ear.
"Well hello there…Mister Blackburn."
Race knew the voice. He turned and couldn't hide his astonishment. "Jade?"
Jezebel Jade smiled then leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. "I forgot just how sexy you look in a suit." She placed a hand on the upper part of his thigh, then with her other she revealed a key card. Sliding it suggestively into the breast pocket of his suit, she brushed her finger on his lips, kissed him again ever so lightly and said, "Room 524. In case you get tired of waiting down here."
Jade gave his leg a squeeze, then turned, giving Race a show of all of her assets. He watched as she sauntered from the room, her hips swaying as she passed a group of pretentious looking ladies, not even acknowledging their presence. Once she disappeared, Race found he was holding his breath. Finally exhaling, he shook his head.
"Damn." He mumbled.
'What the hell is Jade doing here?' He asked himself. Downing his drink, he set some money on the counter then departed. He knew what Jade wanted from him and while he was more than willing to accommodate he first needed to find out her true motives for being in Rome.
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To Be Continued…
