Chapter 4
REID
Pushing open the apartment door, Reid walked into the dark room without turning on any lights. He stepped toward the sofa located in the middle of the living room and unslung his backpack from his shoulders, dropping it as he walked past it toward the dark, dingy window.
He'd left the curtains open earlier so he would have quick and easy access to see the street below without alerting anyone to his late return.
Approaching the glass, he slowly peeked outside, scanning the street and sidewalks for any person or object that might seem out of place.
He needed to be careful. He was getting so close.
At any moment, he could find that one piece of information that could help bring down the whole damn thing. One small whisper. An address or a name. Something. Anything. Sometimes, that was all it took.
Staring down at the streets, everything looked normal. He didn’t think he’d been followed. The only people walking past his building were late-night partiers and people looking to score.
Other than that, the street was quiet.
Then, the hairs on the back of his neck began to rise.
What about the apartments across the way? Was someone watching him from a darkened apartment?
Slowly, his eyes began to lift, scanning each window, one by one, hoping not to see a man—or woman—staring back at him from across the street.
What would he do if someone were watching him?
Run. You fucking grab your shit and run.
People like these, you didn’t mess around with.
Let your guard down, even for a second, and you might end up on the evening news. “Body found washed up on shore” or “Torso found. Still looking for head” were headlines that he didn’t want to make.
When his time came, he didn’t want to end up being another nameless article.
There were far too many people whose obituaries were just that—a horrifying headline that referenced the way in which their body was found—or not found—leaving family and friends wondering what had happened to their loved one.
No matter how dangerous this was, it needed to get done. Lives depended on it. He had come too far, and his work was too important to back down now.
Once he was satisfied that no one was watching him from the building across the road, he walked back over to his knapsack and pulled his cell phone out of the side pocket.
Good. It wasn’t damaged in the mad escape.
Sweat slid down his temple as his body tried to cool itself from the marathon it had just run. Thank god he was still in shape. If he hadn’t been, tonight’s events would have turned out very differently.
Instead, somehow, they had come to a surprising conclusion.
Niko.
Nikolai.
The last person he ever expected to see. The last person he ever thought he would run into.
How long had it been? Ten years? Twelve years?
His heart nearly exploded from his chest when he first laid eyes on his old best friend, even if it was only for a few seconds.
Knowing that Niko was still alive flooded his heart with so many emotions.
It was hard to fight against that need to reach out to him—to hold him—especially when those assholes were chasing after him.
Leaving Niko in that parking lot and running away was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. But his life depended on it. One didn’t mess around with the people chasing after him.
God, he missed his best friend.
More than he ever thought possible.
Sorrow started to fill his heart. He swallowed hard, then pushed those feelings back down where they belonged—safe and locked away, where only he had access to them.
Forcing himself to push through his feelings, Reid scrolled through his list of contacts, then hit Call when he found the number he wanted.
“Hey, it’s me. Yeah, I managed to grab the laptop.
No, I wasn’t able to get it to my guy. His security caught me mid-act.
I had to improvise and get the hell out of there.
Yes, I’m fine. No, I don’t think they know who I am, but they may have gotten my picture off one of the security cameras as I was leaving the joint.
Yes, I know you told me to keep my face covered, but have you ever tried to breathe in one of those masks? It’s a fuckin’ nightmare!”
Reid walked over to the window and looked out once again. He wasn’t sure exactly what the guys might know; all he knew was that it wasn’t safe for him to stay in this apartment much longer.
“Listen up. Change of plans. I left the laptop in a locker at the train station. I left the locker key in my mailbox downstairs. It’s easy enough for you to pick the lock.
I need you to grab the laptop tomorrow and bring it to your guy so he can analyze it.
I think it’s best if I lie low for a bit.
At least, until we’re sure they don’t know who I am. ”
He wasn’t sure what this group did or didn’t know, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He’d been in these types of situations before, and he promised himself he would never let that happen to himself again.
For now, he needed to disappear… for just a bit.
“Where are you going?” the voice on the cell phone asked.
“It’s best if you don’t know. I’ll call you in a few days.” Reid hung up, then glanced around the mostly empty apartment.
He’d been renting the place for the past two weeks and found it easier to travel with just the essentials.
Where to go?
Slowly, a smile spread across his face.
Could he?
He unlocked his phone once again and began searching for the logo he had just seen an hour ago.