Chapter 32
Natalie couldn’t take her eyes off the Russian. He stuck out among the Texans like a zebra in a herd of cattle. She held the gun against her chest as she hid behind a set of dumpsters, watching him through a sliver of a gap.
Her heart raced a mile a minute. There was nothing that could’ve prepared her for this moment. No amount of descriptions, no amount of computer-generated scenarios, no amount of training.
Nothing could compare to the numbness suffusing her or the ice in her veins. That was all because the man looking for her wanted to end her life.
She plastered her back against the brick wall of the building and squeezed her eyes shut. Where was Owen? What was taking him so long?
She just wanted to get back to the safety of the ranch where she could watch everything from the cameras. She opened her eyes and blew out a breath.
Owen would arrive, and when he did, he wouldn’t find her crying. She would be ready for whatever he planned to get them out.
She turned her head to look out at the Russian. When she didn’t see him, she started to smile, thinking that he’d gone. Then she heard footsteps approaching.
They were slow, measured. As if whoever it was considered that someone might be hiding behind the dumpsters.
She aimed the gun, her heart pounding against her chest.
“Hey, Mister!” a deep voice shouted. “You better not be messin’ with my stuff. That’s my home back there!”
She looked out the gap and saw a man with salt and pepper hair, mismatched clothes, and military boots that had seen better days.
“I am not touching your things,” came the thick Russian accent, rolling r’s and all.
“Then get away before I call my friends.”
She couldn’t believe that the homeless man had somehow gotten rid of the assassin. And he wasn’t stopping there. She lost sight of them, but she could still hear the man berating the Russian loud enough that everyone on the DART platform watched them.
Someone came up behind her. She jumped and swung her head around. As soon as she saw it was Owen, she threw her arms around him.
He held her tight. “It’s all right. I’ve got you.”
“We’re not out of it yet.”
“My new friends were delighted to help.”
She pulled back. “Friends?”
“When we walk outside, you’ll see about four men keeping your would-be attacker too occupied to see us get on the DART.” He laced his fingers with hers. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She tucked the gun back into her purse and got to her feet.
Owen was calm as he walked them from the alley, not even bothering to look to the right where the Russian was. But she did. Just as Owen said, there were four homeless men, all badgering the assassin so badly that he was doing his damnedest to get away.
She and Owen got on the DART and rolled away from the scene. Owen raised his hands to one of the men in thanks. She discreetly took out her earpiece and handed it to Owen. They didn’t say a word until they reached the parking garage and got in the truck.
When she opened her mouth to talk, Owen turned toward her. He grabbed the back of her head and brought his mouth down to hers for a kiss that took her breath away.
Her arms wrapped around his neck as her fingers dug into his skin. She didn’t think, didn’t worry. She only let herself feel.
And it was wonderful.
When the kiss ended, both of them were breathing hard. He caressed her cheek as he gazed into her eyes. She wanted to know what he was thinking, simply because she refused to allow herself to wonder at her response to his kiss.
Owen sighed and sat back. After a moment, he started the truck and put it in reverse to back out of the spot. It wasn’t until they’d exited the garage that he said, “The Mercedes I told you about?”
“What about it?”
“A man named Egor Dvorak got out of it.”
“The Russian consulate? Are you sure?”
Owen nodded. “Without a doubt. I believe that’s who Irina was suggesting in her remarks.”
“Well, it makes sense. He would be able to track what I did on my computer at the embassy. Connections, power, and authority. All the right ingredients.”
“He would also have the contacts to run a team of Russian military here.”
“Let’s not forget diplomatic immunity,” she added. “How do you know him?”
“Because of the talks he’s had with the White House.”
“I know of him but haven’t had any dealings with him. The man gives me the creeps, though.”
“The involvement of Dvorak changes everything.”
She frowned at him. “How? We knew someone was managing the team of men. Why should Dvorak be any different than Irina?”
“Dvorak was a general in the Russian army. His reputation for rooting out insurgents and getting whoever he’s hunting is well known. He was also the FSB’s go-to man when they had a difficult time finding people, because he always finds what he’s sent for.”
“Great. Right now he’s using his men to find me. How long before he comes after me himself?”
“That’s not going to happen.”
She sighed and shook her head. “I can’t hide forever.”
“Nor should you have to.”
“What are you thinking, then?”
Owen ran a hand down his face as he pulled onto the interstate and headed back to the ranch. “I’m still putting it together in my head.”
“Could Dvorak be working for the FSB?”
“It’s likely.”
She dropped her head back on the seat. “And I went searching the computer for anything on Ragnarok.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it,” he said, glancing at her. “They were probably monitoring your home computer, as well.”
Her eyes went wide. “What?”
“Nat, don’t tell me you’re that na?ve to believe that they would hire an American and trust you with classified information.”
Well, when he put it that way, she did sound na?ve. “They approached me.”
“It doesn’t matter. You believed that by living and working in Russia, you would fit in.”
So she had. Regrettably. It was why she’d returned home in the first place.
“It was different at the embassy. There were other Americans working there.”
“How many?” he asked.
She hesitated. “Three.”
“Did they have your level of clearance?”
“No.”
“There you go.”
As if that said it all. And, she supposed it did. She felt like such a fool.
“Had none of this happened, you’d never have known,” Owen added.
“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” She didn’t pull away when his hand rested atop hers. In fact, she liked it.
“I know Dvorak from a different angle than you. Tell me all you know of him,” Owen urged.
She thought about Egor Dvorak. “For a man in his late fifties, he has the face and body of a man much younger. He takes great pride in keeping fit. Women flock to him, not just because of who he is and his wealth, but also because he’s considered handsome.”
“But he gives you the creeps?” Owen asked with a grin.
She laughed as she lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “He just seems fake to me. But he loves women. All women.”
“Men like him always do.”
“What’s today?” she asked and grabbed his phone to check the date. “It’s tomorrow.”
Owen raised a dark brow at her, his chocolate eyes curious. “What’s tomorrow?”
“The gala showcasing some of the artifacts Russia is loaning the museum for a few months.”
“Interesting.”
“We could go after Dvorak there.”
“He’s much different than Irina, Nat. He’ll be surrounded by security. Not to mention, everyone will know your face.”
Damn. She had forgotten that for a moment.
She could see Owen was working things out in his head, so she looked out the window, letting the rhythm of the road lull her to sleep.
Owen was exhausted both mentally and emotionally. Natalie had come too close to being discovered by the Russians. She’d been terrified, and that was something that had struck him particularly hard.
He could still feel the way her body had shaken when she’d thrown her arms around him. And yet, she was talking about confronting Dvorak now.
Natalie was a walking contradiction. Then again, she always had been. It was one of the things that had attracted him to her to begin with.
When he turned onto the ranch property, he missed the activity of all the ranch hands. Callie had notified them as soon as Virgil and Charlotte were killed that they’d been given some time off.
It didn’t seem right to drive up with no one there. Leaving Nat asleep in the truck, he did a quick check of the house and the barns. When he saw that it was safe, he turned off the truck and woke her.
Natalie sat up, blinking. “We’re home?”
It warmed his heart to hear her say that. It was probably just a slip of the tongue, but he hoped that, deep down, she meant it.
“Let’s get inside the base,” he said and grabbed the duffle.
Once ensconced in the base, Natalie let out a loud sigh. “It’s good to be back.”
He smiled and dropped the duffle near the armory. “I need to call my brothers and update them. Feel free to listen in.”
“Really?”
She seemed surprised by his offer. “Of course. Today was your idea. You’ve had another that I want to talk over with them. The more brains, the better.”
“Count me in, then.”
He walked into the conference room with her on his heels. He dialed Wyatt first before attempting to connect with Cullen. Worry began to set in that he still couldn’t get ahold of his younger brother. “Wyatt? Callie?”
“Yes, if Wyatt will move his big ass over,” Callie grumbled.
Natalie chuckled. “All right, you two.”
“I still can’t reach Cullen,” Owen said. He hadn’t worried about Cullen in a long time, but that concern was back—tenfold.
Wyatt released a loud sigh. “Us either. Let’s give him a little more time.”
“Agreed. Any progress?”
“We still haven’t been able to locate where Orrin might’ve sent the formula. How about you?”
Owen exchanged a look with Natalie. “It started out fine. Nat spoke with Irina, who told us she wasn’t controlling the Russian military here, but that we were on the right track.”
“Did she say who that right track was?” Callie asked.
“I saw him.” Owen dropped down into a chair. “Egor Dvorak.”
Wyatt was suspiciously quiet.
Owen knew how he felt. “There were three men there. I killed one, and another got entirely too close to finding Nat.”
“Is she okay?” Callie asked.
Natalie was smiling as she leaned toward the speaker. “I’m in one piece.”
“Nice to hear,” Callie replied, a smile in her voice.
“You obviously called for more than an update,” Wyatt said to Owen.
Before he could respond, Natalie said, “There’s a gala tomorrow night in Dallas, and I know Dvorak will be in attendance.”
“Nat wants to confront him,” Owen explained.
“Because Irina led me to believe Egor is controlling the assassins.”
“On the off chance it isn’t Egor running things, I’ll bet he knows who is,” Wyatt stated.
Callie made a sound. “A man like Egor likes to keep connected to everything. He’ll know one way or another. Nat’s idea is good.”
“But I also know why Owen is hesitating,” Wyatt added.
Natalie held Owen’s gaze. “Me.”
“Yeah, it’s you.” There was no use denying it. He wanted her to know how much he cared—how much he loved her.
“This could save your father,” she said.
“Or kill you.”
She shrugged, grinning. “It could save the world.”
He rose and raked a hand through his hair as he turned away. Natalie didn’t understand. He would die if something happened to her. His father knew the chances of getting caught. Every military member did.
It didn’t mean he wanted to leave Orrin behind, but Natalie wasn’t in the military. She was a civilian caught in the middle of a war that had already come too close to her multiple times.
“Owen,” Wyatt called. “You might also want to think about how many times you’ve been gone from the ranch.”
He halted and turned back to the table. “I’ve checked every camera. No one has come on the ranch.”
“They don’t have to.”
“I’ve taken precautions in hiding the truck.” Except for today. It still sat outside. “You think the group might raid the ranch again?”
Wyatt blew out a breath. “It’s what I’d do.”
“I know some men who could come to the ranch and watch it,” Callie offered. “They’ve worked with Orrin before.”
“What if one of them is in with the Russians,” Natalie asked. “Y’all did say someone betrayed Orrin.”
Owen drummed his fingers on the table. “She’s got a point. If those men worked with Orrin, they know about the base. Continuing to leave the vial would be pointless.”
“Dammit,” Callie said. “I swore to your father that as long as he was alive, I wouldn’t reveal this to you, but he has a secret safe in the base. Put the bioweapon there. Until now, only me and Virgil knew of it.”
Owen wondered why he was so surprised. If he’d built a base like this, he’d make damned sure to have multiple spots no one knew about.
“Where is it?” he asked.
“The bunk room.”
Now that came as a shock. “Seriously? Not Dad’s office?”
There was a smile in Callie’s voice when she said, “I asked him the same thing. His response was that everyone would look in his office. No one would look where the bunks are.”
“Where exactly?”
“Third bunk to the left,” Callie said. “Lift the right side of the footboard three times.”
Owen waited for her to finish. When she said no more, he asked, “Is that all?”
“That’s all. I hope y’all get the significance of the threes.”
He did, but he wasn’t going to get into that now. “If we go, we’ve got the ranch and Ragnarok covered. It still doesn’t change the fact that everyone will know Natalie’s face.”
Natalie shot him a wide smile. “It’s perfect actually. They’ll never expect me to be there.”