Rules of Re-engagement

She looked sharply away. She didn’t want to show him how her evening with Grayson had affected her.

“There was another vehicle waiting under that tree there, watching your apartment, before your SUV approached. It left as you arrived, and that silver sedan pulled in behind it, replaced the watch.”

Something about his voice made her think he might be telling the truth. “It must be the Secret Service, then,” she said, unsure now. “Grayson wanted to get security detail for me, but I told him I didn’t want it. Maybe he got it anyway. He…he’s not an easy man to turn down.”

“I know.”

The sudden dark edge in his voice shot a shiver down her spine.

“But that’s no Secret Service detail out there, Olivia. That’s a private outfit—same bunch that was waiting for you outside the UN building.”

“You were at the UN?”

“Saw you being whisked off for your private dinner with Forbes.” His eyes drifted down to her ring.

How long had he been following her? Why?

“Jack, you’re making me nervous. Please…tell me what in hell is going on? Otherwise, I…I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Did you get that tonight?” he said darkly, his eyes still fixed on her ring.

It was not his business. She didn’t have to answer. “Yes,” she said.

He lifted his eyes, met hers. “So he proposed, and you accepted.”

No, I didn’t. She wanted to say the words, scream them. But she couldn’t.

“Do you love him, Olivia?” he whispered. “Do you really know this man? Do you love him like you used to love me?”

Emotion welled up so sharp and hot it hurt, filling her eyes, choking the words in her throat. She began to shake inside. “Damn you, Jack Sauer,” she said quietly. “You left me, sixteen years ago, and you come back and ask me this, tonight?” Her voice caught. “It’s not your business who I love. Not anymore.”

The corner of his mouth, where it met the scar, twitched. “It’s become my business, Olivia.”

“It can never be your business. You have no right to ask who I love or choose to marry or when. You threw that right away, Jack, forever, when you killed Elizabeth.”

His eyes narrowed. “Is that what you really think?”

“What else was I supposed to think?”

His jaw steeled. The muscles along his neck went hard.

Olivia took a step back. “Look, Jack, if you don’t tell me what you want from me and why you’re here, I’m going to call 911.” She reached for the cell phone in her pocket as she spoke.

“I’ve come for your father, Olivia.”

She froze. “I beg your pardon?”

No emotion showed in his face now. It was hard as steel, and his eyes had turned sharp and cold. “Those men outside, I think they’re his. I’ll have my guys check into it.”

“Your guys? What guys? What are you talking about!”

He said nothing, just watched her eyes.

“Okay, you’re making me really nervous. Leave now, or I’ll call the cops.”

He took a step toward her, and she lifted her cell phone. “I mean it, Jack—” She flipped it open, began to press.

Jack grasped her wrist and removed the phone from her hand. “Your father is involved in a plot to overthrow the U.S. government. But then, you might know that already, Olivia. I’m here to stop him, and you if need be.”

“What did you say!”

He was still holding her hand, his fingers circling tightly around her wrist. Panic wedged into her throat. Her eyes shot to the door.

“Samuel Killinger and his Venturion Corporation board comprise a covert organization that refers to itself simply as the Cabal. This Cabal, under your father’s leadership, plans to hand Grayson Forbes the most powerful office in the world.” His eyes narrowed. “He plans to make your fiancé the leader of the ‘free world’ six days from now. That’s all the time I have to stop them. That’s what I’ve been hired to do. That’s what I intend to do. And you are going to help me do it.”

She tried to jerk free, but his grip tightened. He pulled her closer as he reached into his pocket with his other hand, took out a black box.

She yanked frantically against his hold. “Let me go, Jack! This is garbage! It’s not possible. You…you’re insane. And he’s not my fiancé. I did not agree to marry him.”

Something—hope?—flared hot and sharp in his eyes. Then it was gone. “That helps,” he said darkly. “We have until midnight, October 13. If we fail, a set of biological bombs will be released over New York, Chicago and Los Angeles at one minute past midnight. Repercussions will be felt around the globe.” He paused. “I hope you are not involved, Olivia.” He snapped a metal cuff around her wrist.

Her brain reeled wildly. “What’s this!”

“That’s insurance, just in case you choose not to help me.”

She stared in shock at the thick band of silver locked tight and cold around her wrist. It was the color of platinum. Smooth. Alien. And it had a strange little window cut into the top that held what looked like a glass ampoule of pale liquid. She looked up, terror filling her heart. “What…what’s in it?”

“A GPS device. If you run, we’ll know where to find you.”

“Who’s we? What’s that liquid in the capsule?”

He studied her in cool silence, his eyes still seeking something in hers.

He was looking for guilt—that’s what he was doing! Her heart began to palpitate. She couldn’t breathe. “Tell me what the liquid is, Jack!”

“The capsule will break if you try to take the cuff off,” he said flatly. “The liquid inside…it’ll kill you, Olivia.”

“What!”

He dropped her hand, stalked over to the drinks cabinet, poured another scotch, turned to face her. “It holds a lethal pathogen.” He sucked back his drink, winced as it hit his gut.

“What kind of pathogen?”

“A very rare one. One that has been genetically modified in a lab run by the Cabal. Your father will know exactly what that pathogen can do. It’s a variant of the one he plans to release in six days if President Elliot refuses to step down and hand power to Forbes by the October 13 deadline.” His eyes lasered into hers from across the room. “I advise you to keep the bracelet on, Olivia. If you want to live, that is. You’ll be safe as long as no one tries to cut it off.”

She lurched toward him. “Take it off, Jack. Please. For God’s sake, don’t do this to me.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I can’t take it off.”