Assassin's Promise, The Red Team Series, Book 5 (10 page)

She looked at him, then moved away, stepping into her living room. It wasn’t completely a shambles. The bikers hadn’t had more than a few minutes to wreak havoc.
 

“What are they looking for, Remi?” Greer faced her, his warm brown eyes sharp. “They didn’t find it at your office, so they came here. Did they get what they were after?”

Remi looked over to the broken secretary cabinet where she housed her fake computer setup. Soon enough, the WKB would know she hadn’t accessed that in more than a year. She’d put it there as a decoy.
 

“They took my computer.”

“So they got what they wanted.”

Greer was only a foot from her. Impatience rolled off his broad chest like heat off a hot tin roof. “Maybe,” she said.

He shoved a hand through his hair and perched on the arm of her sofa. “Talk to me, doc. I can’t help you if you keep secrets.”

Remi folded her hands together and pressed them to her lips. She paced away a few steps, then turned and looked back at Greer. “There’s nothing on the computer they took.” She drew a breath and faced him. “Except a screen that has a laughing clown and sends a virus over to their system, if it’s connected to a network when they access it, which it likely would be when they start it up.” She glanced at the broken cabinet it was in. “And even if it isn’t connected to their system when they attempt to copy the data, there’s an app that watches for a network connection and self-initializes.”

Greer laughed, then shook his head. “Jesus. I think I love you. What does the virus do?”

She lifted her shoulders. “I had a student write it for me. I told him I wanted it to email me as much info as it could about who opened my computer, where they were—anything that might be useful in tracking them down. I don’t know what else he might have put in it.”

“All right. If you get that email, don’t open it. You don’t know what hitchhikers they might be sending back to you. Can you tell me what they’re looking for?”

“I really don’t know.”

“You said you’d had pushback from groups you studied before.”

“I’m not sure what you know about me—”

“A whole bunch of flat facts that could use some connecting dots. I know you’re a professor of sociology at the University of Wyoming. I know your degrees. I know that, though it’s early in your career, you’re already making a name for yourself as an expert in the sociology of cults.” He lifted his brown eyes to her. “And I know that this year, you’re focusing on the Friendship Community.”

“Yeah. That’s me in a nutshell.” Hell, that was the whole summation of her life. “Sometimes, these cults have friends in the world outside their little community.”

“Can I look at your data?”

“No. I’m close to finishing a paper funded by a grant. I can’t have it messed with at this critical stage. I need to submit it for review at a journal as soon as possible.”

“Your paper isn’t going to get finished if you’re dead. And these goons aren’t going to stop until they get what they want. Killing you may be part of that plan.” He stood up. She wasn’t yet used to his height. “Pack up. I’ll take you someplace safe.”

“I have someplace to go to. And I’m not handing over my data. Besides, I’m not going anywhere until I get my doors fixed.”

“How about we make a deal? I’ll get your doors fixed, then you and your data come with me.”

When she still hesitated, he walked closer to her. “We aren’t competitors. You know that by now, right?” His voice was quiet, so much so that she had to look up at him as he spoke to hear what he was saying. “I’m not going to scoop your paper. I don’t want any part of your professional spotlight. I want to keep you safe while we find out what info the WKB wants so bad they’ll make a scene to get it.”

“Who’s ‘we’? The guys you were with the other night—your team?”

Greer nodded. “There are a few of us, enough to keep you safe while we figure things out.”

“You can get my house fixed?”

“Yeah. One phone call.”

There was an edge about him that set her senses on warning. It was like standing too close to a big cat whose keepers thought was tame. She stepped back. But of course, she was then distracted by the way his tee molded his ripped arms and torso.
 

“Deal?” he asked.

Her eyes met his. There was nothing classified about her data. She wasn’t afraid of being scooped by another academic; she was the only one she knew who was studying the Friendship Community. She just wished she knew for a fact she wasn’t jumping from the pan to the fire by going with him and his friends.

His lips thinned as he waited impatiently for her answer. “If you stay here, I guarantee they’ll be back. They could even be on their way back as we speak.”

“All right. I’ll go with you. I have to be back in a week.”

He nodded, then lifted his phone and punched a quick-dial number. “Tell Kit I’m bringing the professor back with me. She’s agreed to show us her data. I need someone out here ASAP to fix her doors… Right… Roger that.” He hung up and looked at her. “It’s done. Bring me your legit laptop, then go pack a bag. If I were you, I’d hustle.”

“But my doors—”

“Will be fixed before sunup.”

She nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right down.” She returned with her laptop and handed it to him.
 

“Log in,” he ordered. “I don’t have time to hack it.”

She sat on the sofa and opened her laptop. He took control of it, opening a command screen. “Go pack.”

“What are you doing?”

“Sending your info to my computer.” He looked at her. “Just in case.”

“In case what?”

“In case we’re delayed getting back. Get moving.”

Chapter Nine

Remi’s hand shook as she dialed her department chair.

“Dr. Chase…is everything all right?”

Remi hesitated. She should have gotten her thoughts together before calling him. She already knew she wasn’t going to tell him about what happened at her townhouse, but she felt obligated to let him know she was going to be out of town for a while. “Yes. I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be away for a few days. Maybe a week or so.”

“The provost gave you a week to shut things down. You’re not going to, are you?”

“Dr. Zimmers, the university was well aware of my research when I was hired. In fact, it was a deciding factor in my selection.”

“Things change. Your work is now putting you and the university in danger. It must stop before someone gets hurt.”

Remi held the phone to her forehead, shutting her eyes as she considered what might have happened had she not hidden when the WKB were here. And she wasn’t the only person in danger anymore. Her work endangered all the students and faculty at the university.

“I’m leaving town tonight.”

“So you’ll be stopping your work on the Friendship Community?”

Remi paused. She hadn’t yet decided. “I don’t know.” She wondered if she should tell her department head where she was going, but she didn’t know that either. “I’m going to take a break and give it some thought.”

“You do understand that your entire career is on the line—”

“I do. That’s why it’s a decision I can’t make without a great deal of thought.”

“There’s no thought needed. Not for a rational person.”

“I just need some time.”

“Then I will let the provost know you will voluntarily stay away from the university, and that in no more than one week, we’ll have your official response. Understood?”

A terrible thought struck her. “They got to you, didn’t they?” she asked.

“Who?”

“The ones behind these attacks. Did they threaten you?”

“That’s crazy talk. This is not a big conspiracy. It’s some thugs being bullies. Some gang rite of passage. Let the detectives do their work. Let them find out who’s behind this. Lay low until we get some answers. Then we’ll revisit things with the provost. The university will be in session in just a couple of weeks. Focus on that.”

Remi felt her chest tightening up. Without a job, she couldn’t keep the lights on. But without her work, did she even want the job?
 

“I’ve made arrangements to stay…someplace safe for a few days.” How did she explain Greer and his team? They weren’t friends. They weren’t allies. Telling her chair she was in contact with consultants for the DHS sounded like a really bad option.

“That’s a good idea. I’ll call and check in on you. Don’t return to the university unless you’re ready to comply.”
There was a pause.
“Dr. Chase, if I don’t hear from you in two weeks, I will be forced to place you on leave for the remainder of your current appointment, and you will not be eligible for reappointment. Do you understand?”

“I do.”

“Very well. Good night. And be safe.”
The line went dead.

“How’s it goin’, doc?” Greer called up from downstairs.

“Fine. I’ll just be a moment.” She didn’t move. She had an awful feeling she’d just lost her position. Choosing between her work and her job was useless. Her work came first. It had to. It was the only thing that helped her make sense of her life, helped others understand what people like her—survivors of cults—went through.

When she looked up, Greer was standing at the door to her bedroom. Geez, he filled that doorframe, too.
 

“What happened?” he asked, frowning at her.

“Nothing.”

“You’re not packed.”

Packing. Right. Wait—was this a test? If she went with him, would the university make good on its threat to put her on leave without waiting out the two weeks?
 

“I’m not going with you.” She wasn’t going to give up on her work, but she couldn’t toss her job away either.

His eyes hardened. “I don’t recall giving you an option. You called
me
for help, remember?”

“I’m going to lose my job, Greer.”

“That’s unfortunate.” He looked around for a suitcase, looking in her closet, under her bed. Not finding one, he straightened. “But better that than your life. It doesn’t matter a whole helluva lot whether you come with me as you are, or if you pack a couple changes of clothes. Either way, you’re going to be out of this house in five minutes.”

She stood. “I don’t take orders from you.”

His mouth formed a thin line. “Have it your way.”
 

He bent and slung her over his shoulder. The room spun as he turned for the door. She pushed up from his back. His body felt like a carved totem pole beneath her hands.
 

“Set me down. Now.” She straightened in his arms. He held her with an arm around her legs, supported her with a hand at the small of her back as she glared down at him.

“You gonna pack?” he asked.

She studied his eyes. He slowly lowered her to her feet, slipping her body the long way down his. She stepped back, putting a foot of empty air between them. “What, exactly, is going to happen where we’re going?”

He locked his jaw. His nostrils flared. God, his eyes were hard. He looked at his watch. “Three minutes.”

She shook her head, then pivoted on her heel and headed for her bedroom. She opened a drawer and pulled out some underclothes, which she dumped on the bed. She went to her closet and selected some tops. From a shelf, she tossed out a couple pairs of jeans.

“Greer!” a man called out from downstairs.
 

Her eyes shot toward Greer, wondering who it was, if more trouble had just hit her doorstep.
 

“Up here,” Greer answered. He pointed to her growing pile of clothes. “Focus,” he ordered.

Two men came up the stairs, taking the steps three at a time. She couldn’t follow Greer’s edict once she set eyes on them. Both were about the same height as Greer. One was blond, the other with olive skin and dark hair. Both were dressed head to toe in black attire—black beanie, black tee, black cargo pants, black boots. With Greer, the three of them took up the entire upper landing area.

Weren’t they among those she’d seen last night at the village?
 

The blond one grinned as he looked at her, some kind of automatic weapon in his hands, angled downward. He grinned at her.

Greer moved to block the door. “Glad you’re here. They took out her front and back doors. The crew should be here shortly to get them fixed. Seal this place up before you leave.”

“Roger that.”

Remi realized she was standing on her tiptoes to peek over the side of Greer’s arm. The blond guy could have been a model. On steroids. The darker guy’s features were carved from granite. His rough shadow beard did nothing to soften his features. His eyes regarded her as if she were an enemy. If a warrior robot became human, he would be this man.

Greer glanced over his shoulder at her, then moved a quarter turn to include her in their conversation.

“Val, Angel, you remember Dr. Remington Chase.” She nodded at the men. “They’ll be securing your house until the doors are repaired.”

She looked from the men up to Greer, feeling a strange mix of relief and concern. Deciding to tamp her fear down, she nodded. “Thank you,” she said, in a way that included all of them. Then she stepped away from the door and continued gathering the things she’d need for an indefinite stay away from home.
 

“Owen wants you to take her to Mandy’s,” one of the men told Greer.
 

Who was Owen? Geez, were there more of them? She started to stuff her clothes into a suitcase she retrieved from a cabinet in her closet. The night at the village had been a blur of terror and panic when Greer and his friends caught up with her; she couldn’t quite remember how many men had been standing around her car.

She wheeled her large suitcase out into the hallway where Greer was waiting. “Got everything?” he asked.

“I guess so. It’s not like I can’t come back and get something if I forgot it.”

He didn’t respond to that, making her think her statement was more of a question than a possibility. He lifted her suitcase and went downstairs, then paused at the door. The dark one was there.
 

“Give your car keys to Angel,” Greer ordered her. “He’ll bring your vehicle up when they come back.”