HARD WIRED Read online

  Khan shrugged nonchalantly.

  “Put it in the calendar,” he said to the Frenchman flippantly. “I am busy man. I do not have time to remember where I put every whore in France.”

  Ashtyn bristled but maintained a serene expression on her face.

  “Two weeks then,” she said, turning to exit the cabin.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to show me your titties?” Jacques called and to Ashtyn’s pleasure, Khan punched him in the face.

  “Show some respect,” he snarled at his right-hand man. “She is not one of the sluts from the houses.”

  Sluts like my sister he means, Ashtyn thought, the fury she had been growing for years really to spill like molten lava through her mouth.

  She rushed toward the steps and made her way onto the deck, the bright afternoon light blinding her almost as she gazed out at the Seine.

  Once upon a time, Paris had represented the city of love and lights to her. She could remember sitting at home with her sister in New Orleans, talking about visiting the Sainte Chapelle and the Eiffel Tower.

  We thought we would come here and fall in love, Ashtyn thought, hurrying off the boat as fast as her long legs would move her. We thought we had life in the palm of our hand. Instead, we will never talk of France again. If we make it out of here alive.

  She disembarked the sixty-nine-foot yacht and felt the band of her ankle monitor rasp against her skin as one of Khan’s men helped her down.

  She was as much a prisoner of the man as Viola was.

  Chapter Four

  Cumberland, Maryland

  “There are conditions of your release, you understand,” Agent Smith informed him, and Xander stifled a yawn.

  “I imagined there would be,” he replied dryly. “Let’s see what you’ve got for me.”

  “You’re certain you don’t want a lawyer present for this?” the woman, whose name, Xander recalled, was Catriona. He had yet to spring the fact that he knew it on her. He wanted to hold onto the element of surprise.

  “You’ll forgive me if I don’t have much faith in the legal system,” Xander replied easily. “You may have noticed that I am in prison for crimes which I didn’t commit.”

  Catriona looked down at the table and Mr. Smith laughed heartily.

  “Yes,” he said with feigned cheer. “Your sister is responsible for that little train wreck, isn’t she?”

  Xander could tell he was not going to like the man.

  Through his insightful green eyes, Xander was able to see that Mr. Smith needed to be the center of attention. He did not pick up on Catriona’s subtle hints, hints which Xander could read with blinding clarity, even without projecting into her mind.

  And they are lovers too. What a shame that he can’t read her. I bet if he tapped into her properly, they would have amazing sex.

  Xander already knew how it would all work out…if he played his cards right.

  But I must approach this cautiously; Sarah’s life is at stake and something tells me that Mr. Smith has no issue throwing her and me back into the slaughterhouse if I fail. I can’t fail Sarah, especially if I don’t know what I’m fighting against.

  “As you can see here in your terms, Mr. Van Hoyt – “

  “Please, call me Xander,” he told them again, extending his smile to Catriona. “What can I call you which would be more familiar than the Smiths? I feel like we’re building a relationship here and I hate to enter it with such sterility.”

  Catriona’s head popped up at the word and she seemed to blush pink as if he had made some openly lewd remark to her.

  “Sam and Cathy,” Mr. Smith offered and suddenly Xander had the sense that he was not dealing with the level of professional of which he was accustomed.

  The French, he decided instantly. They were hired by the French.

  “All right, Xander,” Sam continued. “As you can see, the terms and conditions are quite straight forward. You will be monitored at all times and expected to check in twice a day. If you fail to do so, a manhunt will ensue but most importantly, your sister will be immediately arrested.”

  Xander tensed, his jaw locking. It would be easy to disappear but hiding Sarah would be another matter. Who could tell what surveillance they had on her?

  He eyed Sam Smith and waited for him to continue.

  “You will be provided an expense account and passport for your travels. We have provided you with a file containing the last known whereabouts of Ashtyn Deveaux, and other possible information if you think they will be helpful, but we know from our experience that she can be rather elusive. She is loyal to no one, double crossing her handlers, selling and re-selling product to the same buyers. To be frank, I’m surprised no one has taken her out before – she has no shortage of enemies, but she is almost impossible to pin down. She is unpredictable at best, and we know she is motivated only by money. As it is the underground, it is impossible to tell who will offer her the most, but it is rumored that she has some loyalty to a drug smuggler by the name of Khan .”

  Xander nodded thoughtfully, reading the paperwork before him.

  “Which begs the question,” he started. “How is she on your radar if she has never been arrested?”

  The Smiths seemed surprised by the question and they exchanged a nervous look.

  “Cathy” decided to answer, speaking only for the second time since she entered the interview room.

  “Her associates are known to us,” she replied quickly. “Her name has come up many times.”

  This is like taking candy from a baby, he thought, supressing the urge to roll his eyes.

  “Which associates would those be?” Xander questioned innocently and watched as they tried to maintain a nonchalant look.

  They knew there was a good chance he would be familiar with the names; so that meant they couldn’t just make something up. Caught ya, he thought with a satisfying smirk.

  Xander stared at them guilelessly a moment longer before letting them off the hook.

  He would project into them later anyway and know everything he needed. But it didn’t stop him from wanting them to feel uncomfortable.

  And to think I will be stuck traveling with these two idiots until I find her. Hopefully she will be as simple minded as the Smiths. But he doubted that.

  “Ah, never mind,” Xander said graciously, clicking the pen to sign. “I’m sure it’s not important. I see here that when I deliver my end of the deal, you will consider this matter and the matter of my parents’ untimely demise closed. Is that accurate?”

  They nodded in unison and Xander smiled.

  He did not trust them as far as he could throw them, but it was the best shot he had for getting out and keeping his sister safe. If these two could find Sarah, then it meant others could as well.

  And if they betrayed him, he had options.

  Xander scrawled his name onto the page, dating it and pushing the papers back toward the couple who seemed to exhale simultaneously.

  “When can I look forward to getting out of here then?” Xander asked, sitting back to study their faces.

  “We will file this today and hopefully by tomorrow we will be here to take you out. This matter is most pressing,” Sam explained. “So obviously the sooner we can get you on your way, the better. We will provide you with our contact information so we can do live chats but for the most part, you will be on your own.”

  Xander sat up straighter, his suspicion growing suddenly.

  “You’re sending me on my own?” he echoed, his dark brows knitting.

  “Well not entirely,” Sam laughed. “We want to trust you, Xander, but you have to admit it would be pretty stupid to send you on your way without some sort of monitoring. You will have a tracking device.”

  He groaned inwardly but did not allow his annoyance to show.

  It still beats having to travel with Dumb and Dumber here. I am okay with that. I am sure they would only slow my progress anyway.

  “Of course I understand,” he said
cordially. “I’m looking forward to wearing a normal pair of pants.”

  He rose, extending his hand.

  “It’s been nice doing business with you,” he told them.

  “No,” Catriona interjected. “It hasn’t been. Not yet.”

  “Touché,” Xander replied, casting Sam a surprised look. He desperately wanted to pop into Catriona’s mind at that moment to read her thoughts but there was no easy opportunity with both of them present.

  I will do a full probe soon, he thought, turning to leave. Maybe in more ways than one.

  _______________________

  Xander did not sleep that night.

  Instead, he closed his eyes in his pitch-dark cell and allowed himself to wander.

  He reached out to Sarah first, but she was somewhere out of range, or somehow blocking his projection still. He grew angry thinking about Aiden teaching her how to do that.

  What do you want to bet that my brother also has her locked up somewhere, he thought with some annoyance.

  Aiden was his second attempt to connect psychically, but unsurprisingly, his twin cut off his attempted forced entry in seconds, briefly battling him as he tried to enter.

  What are you doing here, Xander? His brother asked, anger in his silent voice. You should not be contacting me.

  I missed you, Xander replied slyly, sensing Aiden’s tension. Anyway, how will anyone know if I’m contacting you?

  Stay away, Xander. There is nothing for you here. Do your time and forget about me.

  I need to speak with Sarah. Where is she?

  Silence met his question and Xander tried to focus on breaking in, but Aiden was too strong.

  Sarah needs to be free of you too. If she wanted to see you, she would come for you.

  Anger rose in Xander’s body as he tried to push harder but he knew he wouldn’t get through. Aiden was just as strong as he was, especially when he was determined.

  Xander took a small measure of joy in throwing his younger twin for a loop with his next statement.

  I’m getting out.

  He could feel the shock in Aiden’s body, so he tried to seize the moment and overtake his brother’s form, but Aiden stopped him.

  If you escape, you will bring danger to everyone, Aiden warned. You claim to care about our sister. What do you think will happen if the police come around again? You know she can’t handle that.

  I am getting out legally, Xander sighed. But I need to find Sarah. Where is she, Aiden? Where have you put her? It’s imperative I speak with her.

  There was a scoff which annoyed the older twin, but he waited for Aiden to communicate again.

  I can’t help you. Stay away.

  There were no further messages from Aiden and when Xander tried to reach out, his brother was gone.

  Furiously, Xander opened his eyes, noting the pale light of grey dawn streaming through the window.

  He didn’t need Aiden. He needed Sarah.

  A plan was forming in his mind, one which would get his sister away from the probing eyes of the government but he wouldn’t be able to do anything if someone else found her first.

  I will keep trying until I reach her, he decided. Hang on, Sarah. I’m coming.

  In the meantime, he had packing to do.

  ___________

  When Gary appeared at the cell door, slipping his breakfast through the slot, the goofy guard grinned happily.

  “I hear you’re leaving today,” he said, his face registering more pleasure than it should have. “Finally a free man, are you?”

  Xander peered at the idiot and wondered how he tied his shoelaces in the morning.

  He does know I am in here for pulling a Menendez, right?

  He didn’t ask. If he wanted to know what marbles were rolling around in the lumbering man’s mind, he would simply visit.

  Xander had a feeling he would be dumber for having made the mental trip.

  “The paperwork has come through?” he asked the officer and Gary stared at him blankly.

  “What?”

  “I am leaving today for certain?” he sighed.

  Gary nodded enthusiastically.

  “Your chaperones are here. Good luck, boss. I’m gonna miss you around here.”

  For a fleeting second, Xander realized that Gary meant it and he felt a shot of pity toward the man.

  If I think he’s a moron, how do the others feel about him? He wondered.

  Xander put the question out of his mind.

  Gary was the least of his concerns at that moment.

  He had to find Ashtyn Deveaux.

  And then his sister.

  Chapter Five

  Drake’s vehicle approached the first set of gates to the prison, his identification in his driver’s hand, but he barely paid attention to the exchange as he waited for clearance.

  “Sir?” Goetz called back to him. “Did you hear what the officer said?”

  “Yes,” he lied. “That’s fine.”

  He didn’t need to hear what was said. He had visited maximum security prisons a hundred times in his life.

  But never North Branch. Who would ever visit Maryland on purpose? I suppose that’s the ingenuity of it.

  The sleek black SUV continued through to the next entry point and Special Agent Goetz repeated the procedure.

  The passenger in the back could feel the eyes of the guard on him but he was too lost in thought to acknowledge him or the barrage of words flowing from his mouth.

  In moments he would be face to face with Xander.

  Xander Van Hoyt. Convicted of murdering his parents and suspected of being an international smuggler, assassin, and a general mercenary.

  The words made him slightly queasy, but he knew there was more to the story than he knew.

  There always was.

  Again, the inner gates opened, and the car made its way toward the parking lot.

  The day had taken an unexpectedly cold turn, but he was barely aware of it as he disembarked from the vehicle, his black leather shoes crunching in the freshly packed snow on the ground.

  Goetz joined him, but he was immediately ordered back.

  “Stay here,” he said flatly. “I’m going in alone.”

  Goetz stared at him, his mouth becoming a thin line, but he knew better than to protest.

  “Yes sir.”

  The agent handed him his credentials and watched as the older man stalked toward the entrance.

  “Identification.” The desk officer reached to accept his identification.

  He paused and gazed up.

  “Oh. Yes sir,” he mumbled, a red stain creeping up his neck. “Who are you here for?”

  “Xander Van Hoyt.”

  The guard gaped at him for a moment, shaking his head.

  “I’m sorry, sir, he’s not here.”

  Fury flashed through the man and if there had not been bulletproof glass between them, he would have grabbed the guard by the shirt.

  “What do you mean he’s not here? He’s serving two consecutive life sentences for murder.”

  “Ah, yeah, he was…” the man sputtered. “But he cut a deal with someone and he was released today.”

  His sea green eyes darkened dramatically, and he stared holes into the sentry.

  “Cut a deal with whom?” he growled. “How does one get released on a murder charge overnight?”

  The man’s trembling fingers punched through the keyboard, demanding the same answers of the machine before him. His face registered relief when information appeared.

  “Interpol. He made a deal with Interpol.”

  “Who at Interpol?” The question was so low, the man uttering it could barely hear it.

  “Uh…Sam and Cathy Smith. DC office.”

  “When was he released?”

  “This morning, sir. Only a few hours ago in fact.”

  The man spun and stalked from the building back toward the car, shaking with rage.

  There has to be some mistake. The Contact would know. He
would know if there was some government arrangement.

  “What happened, sir?” Goetz demanded. “You weren’t able to see him?”

  “Find me Sam and Cathy Smith at Interpol, DC,” he ordered, trying to contain his anger.

  Something was amiss, he could feel it in his well-honed instincts, but he waited as Goetz flipped the tablet and looked for the information he was seeking.

  Slowly he shook his head.

  “There is no Sam or Cathy Smith at Interpol in DC,” Goetz said slowly.

  “Check Interpol International.”

  Goetz nodded and typed in the information again, but he didn’t need to speak for the Deputy Director to see that there were no such people.

  “No, sir. There are no such people.”

  Drake Conway closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the soft leather of the headrest.

  Someone had stolen Xander out of a maximum-security prison and taken him away.

  But where and why?

  Once more he had been so close to touching his son, only to have him ripped away.

  When will this ever end? It’s been thirty years and I am no closer to reuniting with my sons than I was after they were relocated.

  “What would you like me to do, sir?” Goetz asked, sounding concerned.

  “Get your hands on every security surveillance video you can find from this morning in this prison. I want to know who took my son.”

  Goetz nodded and began to work.

  “No,” Drake stopped him. “Not here. Drive.”

  Goetz put the tablet on the passenger’s seat and backed out of the lot.

  Whoever we’re dealing with is bigger than the government, Drake realized with some trepidation.

  That meant that it was bigger than him. Drake had far-reaching contacts, but would they be far-reaching enough?

  Is it Oculus? Once again getting to his powerful sons before he did?

  Drake had a feeling he already knew the answer.

  Chapter Six

  Marseille, France

  The docks reeked of fish and salt but Ashtyn barely noticed as the speedboat approached, engine cut, the lights out.