Chapter 14 Lex
LEX
I couldn’t ignore them any longer. We were in the midst of an investigation that could result in a third world war; childish pride had no place here.
I scrolled through his messages. Each one grew progressively more urgent.
Need to talk. Important information about Labyrinth.
Please make contact when you get this.
Credible threat against you. Urgent you make contact immediately.
The last message had come through just before my signal disappeared entirely, which meant my window for responding was closed until MI6 tech support secured another communications channel.
The landline rang, startling me. Few people had that number.
“Sterling,” I answered.
“Lex,” Viper’s voice came through. “Carnegie contacted me. He believes you’re being targeted by the consortium.”
“Who’s his source?” I asked.
“Kestrel.”
The name gave me pause. Even I knew his reliability was unquestionable.
“Con is flying in from Scotland. Should land within the hour,” she continued. “I’ve authorized his access to the safe house. You can expect him shortly.”
My heart did a traitorous little flip. “Thank you for the heads-up.”
“In the meantime, you should know we’ve picked up unusual activity at Canary Wharf. Equipment arriving via Thames shipping routes, being prepared for immediate outbound transport.”
“To Aberdeenshire?”
“Negative. We’ve also received reports indicating that compound has been abandoned. The timing suggests they’re using London as a transit point. Final destination unknown.”
After ending the call, I began tracing possible shipment origins, transit routes, and destinations on a digital map. Most appeared random at first glance, but several were scheduled to arrive at London ports within hours of each other, despite originating from different locations.
My mobile buzzed again with a message from Malcolm Bennett, the SIS agent who specialized in Russian counterintelligence and who Viper had recommended join the investigation, reiterating a death had occurred during the op.
I sat back, processing whether something else was at play here. Did the Russian national’s death mean another entity had tried to take control over the AWIS development? If so, the list of who would was endless and wouldn’t be limited only to those who wanted it to advance.
A subtle alert appeared on my tablet—a notification that someone with authorized credentials was approaching the safe house perimeter.
A glance confirmed it was Con who, given Viper’s estimated ETA, had made remarkably good time from the airfield.
Still, safety protocols could not be ignored.
I readied my weapon and got into position.
The subtle whir of the security system indicated someone had entered their access credentials. Moments later, the front door opened and closed with barely a sound. I kept my gun ready, moving silently toward the entrance hall.
“Lex?” Con’s voice was low, controlled.
I lowered my weapon as he appeared in the doorway. The sight of him—dark hair disheveled by the wind, jaw set with determination, those piercing blue eyes—sent an unwelcome rush of emotions through me.
“You look like hell,” I said, noting the shadows beneath his eyes.
“Hours without sleep will do that.” He stepped closer and cupped my cheek.
“Being terrified for your safety didn’t help.
” He lowered his hand and motioned to a window.
“Your team identified intruders. One in the back garden, eastern corner. Two more across the street.” He moved to look, careful to stay out of sight.
“They’re not alone. I spotted two more on my approach.
A five-person team suggests they’re here for extraction rather than elimination. ”
“Con, I—” An alert on his mobile stopped me mid thought.
“We should relocate to the safe room,” he said, glancing at the screen.
“Copy that.”
We moved silently through the house to what appeared to be a coat closet in the hallway. I pressed my palm against a hidden scanner, revealing a reinforced door that led to a small, windowless room equipped with independent communications and defensive capabilities.
Once inside, I activated the secure systems while Con observed the external cameras.
“They’re closing in,” he reported as figures moved toward the house from multiple directions. “Professional team, coordinated approach. MI6 is authorized to take them out if necessary.”
I leaned against the wall when adrenaline flooded my system.
“I shouldn’t have let you leave Blackmoor alone,” he said, moving away from the monitors and over to me.
“That wasn’t your decision to make,” I said with arms folded across my chest.
“No, it wasn’t.” His admission surprised me. “I was wrong, Lex.”
I studied him, seeing genuine regret in his expression. “We’re past that now. We need to focus on the present situation.”
“The present situation includes us,” he insisted. “When Kestrel told me you were targeted, I realized something I’ve been fighting against since we met.” He was close enough for me to see the subtle flecks of darker blue in his eyes. “I need you. Not just for this mission. For everything.”
My breath caught at the naked honesty in his voice. “Con—”
“Let me finish. Please.” His tone had the rough edge of barely contained emotion. “I spent the entire flight to London thinking I might be too late. That I might never get the chance”—he exhaled slowly—“To tell you that I’m falling in love with you.”
The world seemed to still around us. I had imagined many scenarios for our reunion, but this raw confession wasn’t among them.
“You don’t need to say that,” I whispered.
“I do.” His eyes remained steady. “Because it’s true. And because life is too short and too uncertain to leave important things unsaid.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew something small. In his palm rested the silver brooch set with Scottish river pearls he’d shown me at Blackmoor.
“Elizabeth Carnegie’s brooch,” I breathed, recognizing it immediately.
“She wore this while protecting those she believed in, regardless of the personal risk.” He held it out to me. “I want you to have it. Not as a peace offering, but because when I think of courage and principles, I think of you.”
The gesture overwhelmed me. The brooch wasn’t just a priceless family heirloom—it represented generations of Carnegie history. That he would entrust it to me spoke volumes. “I can’t accept this,” I said, though my fingers itched to touch it.
“You can,” he insisted. “It’s mine to give, and I choose you.”
My hand trembled as I took the brooch, feeling its weight and history in my palm. “Thank you.”
Despite the danger surrounding us, I felt something profound shift between us.
We remained in the small room until the “threat neutralized” message came from the team outside. Whether that meant they’d been taken out or apprehended didn’t matter to me. Con did.
“I want to return to Blackmoor,” I blurted.
He looked at me intently. “When?”
“As soon as possible. Now.” My voice sounded frantic but not for reasons that made sense. Instead, it was about us. I needed to be as close to him as two people could be, and I didn’t want it to be here, in a sterile safe house.
“Lex…what’s going on?”
When I turned away from him, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder.
“Don’t shut me out. Talk to me,” he implored.
“I don’t want this…here.”
Con gave a slight nod. “I have somewhere in mind for tonight. You’ll be safe there. It’s as secure as we’d be at Blackmoor.”
“I don’t care about that.”
Con turned me in his arms and brushed my lips with his. “But I do, my sweet.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay. We can stay here.”
“Lex, when we made love the first time, I asked if you trusted me.”
“I do, Con, and I’m sorry that I didn’t—”
He pressed a fingertip against my lips. “Trust me now.”
“Okay,” I whispered, resting my head against his chest. “Thank you for coming.”
He lifted my chin. “Wherever you are, whatever you need, you can always count on me, Lex. Always.”
“I believe you.”
He kissed me again, then rested his forehead against mine. “That means more to me than you could know. Your trust, your belief in me. It’s everything.”
“I’m so sorry I doubted you.”
“You were right to. It was the metaphoric kick in the arse I needed.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Let’s confirm we can get out of here, then I’ll arrange transport.”
Ten minutes later, an SUV with blackened windows pulled up directly in front of the mews. We exited through the same door Con had come in, and in two steps, were inside the secured vehicle.
“Courtesy of MI6,” he said, shutting the armored door behind us. “Viper was quick to point out it wasn’t my safety she was concerned with.”
“Wait, why are we at Vauxhall Cross?” I asked when we pulled into the underground car park.
“It’s a way station of sorts. When I asked for rooftop access, your boss requested a meeting prior to our return to Scotland.”
We took the lift to the sixth floor, where Viper was waiting when the doors opened. “I’d ask how your morning went, but I’ve already been brought up to speed.”
“I haven’t,” I told her.
She looked from me to Con.
“I have not been, either,” he told her.
“Identified as Bratva associates. Which is one reason I requested Malcolm Bennett meet with us this morning. Admittedly, Dr. McLaren is annoyed to not have you to herself, not that she would’ve anyway. Although somehow, I don’t think Con counts.”
“Many thanks for that reassurance,” he muttered under his breath.
We followed Viper down a corridor to one of the secure conference rooms. Malcolm Bennett stood when we entered, his imposing height emphasized by his ramrod-straight posture. Next to him, Dr. McLaren sat reviewing documents.
“Dr. Sterling, Lord Blackmoor.” Bennett greeted us with a slight bow. “I understand you had an eventful morning.”
“What do we know about the Bratva’s involvement?” Con asked, cutting to the chase.