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  Mercy grinned. “Thanks for patching me up, Dr. Sorensen.”

  “Do me a favor. Keep yourself out of harm’s way. I’d rather not redo my handiwork.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  A pat on her foot. “Listen to Nico and his team. They’ll keep you safe.” With that, he pivoted and left the room.

  She wanted to do something in return for his kindness and excellent care. Maybe Sam wouldn’t mind going to the store one more time for her. Bayside might not have an arts and crafts store, though. If not, Mercy would draw the portrait from memory unless Nico copied a picture of the doctor and his family for her to use.

  Nico returned a minute later. “What did Sorensen say?”

  “He needs the bed for real patients.”

  Satisfaction lit his features. “Excellent. We’ll leave early tomorrow morning, then. I want to land in Nashville while it’s still dark. Safer for you.”

  “Do you know if the doctor has a picture of himself with his family in his office?”

  “Why?”

  “I’d like to repay him for helping me.”

  “What does the picture have to do with that?”

  “You don’t know who I am?”

  A pause. “Mercedes Powers, the president’s niece.”

  “I’m also known as MJ Powers, the artist.”

  He sat down heavily on the side of the cot. “The pen and ink artist.”

  “You’ve heard of me?”

  Nico dragged a hand down his face. “I have several of your sketches in my home. Those drawings were so powerful, I had to have them for myself, in my own space.”

  Charmed by his words, Mercy studied the operative with new eyes. “You like art.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not an art connoisseur. Your drawings gripped me and wouldn’t let go.” His cell phone signaled. Nico glanced at the screen, his expression going blank as he read.

  Something was wrong. “Is Charlotte all right? Her family?”

  He stood. “They’re still at Camp David. We need to leave Texas. I’ll send Sam in to help you dress while I contact the pilot.”

  “Nico, what happened?”

  “The Scorpions know you’re back in the States.”

  “That’s not all.” That knowledge would have been logical. Where else would she go but back to her home country?

  He paused with his hand on the door knob and looked back. “Hector put a contract on you.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Nico met with his team in the kitchen of Sorensen’s clinic. “Zane contacted me. The Scorpions know Mercy is in the US, and they placed a bounty on her head.”

  Trace whistled softly. “How much?”

  “Two million, dead or alive.”

  Ben scowled. “Hector is that petty? Come on. Mercy isn’t a threat to their operation. She’s just the pawn who was rescued before Hector and his pals did any real damage to her. They should come after us.”

  “She’s easier to target. We’re an unknown variable in the equation. We’ll have to figure out why she’s so important to them after we have her in the safe house. Sam, help her dress. Ben, find Sorensen and warn him that trouble might be coming. He’ll know what to do. Joe, Trace, grab our gear and take it to the SUV. Ken left the keys on the microwave in case we needed to leave in a hurry. I’d say this qualifies. I’ll contact the pilot. We leave here in fifteen minutes.”

  After his teammates left, Nico alerted the pilot and told him to expect his team soon. Once that was done, he called his boss, regretting the necessity.

  “Maddox.”

  “It’s Nico. We’re leaving in fifteen minutes.”

  “Problem?”

  He summarized the information from Zane. “I don’t want to put Sorensen or his family at risk. With the bounty on Mercy’s head, she’ll be a magnet for trouble.”

  A growl from the buzz-cut blond. “I’ll assign the Texas team to watch over his family even though it will tick off Sorensen. He’s too valuable a resource and friend to lose him through carelessness. What do you need?”

  “Have an operative go to the safe house and make sure we don’t have nasty surprises waiting for us. It’s probably safe, but I don’t want to take chances with her. Mercy’s improving but she’s still fragile.” She would take umbrage at the characterization.

  “Done. I’ll send Jon and Eli. They’ll stay until you arrive.”

  Some of the tension left Nico. Jon Smith and Eli Wolfe were Navy SEALs and as tough as they came. If someone had booby trapped the cabin, the operatives would recognize the signs and deal with it. Aside from his team, he knew of no one else he trusted more with Mercy’s safety. “Thanks.”

  “You suspect a leak?”

  Nico’s grip on his phone tightened. “Yeah, I do. I doubt it’s in our house.”

  “Can’t discount that possibility. I’ll start the process in house, then contact the president, and have him tighten security around Charlotte and her family.”

  “She’ll hate that.”

  “She’ll deal with it since the safety of her family is at stake. The safe house is ready for Mercy. Jon and Eli will give you the codes for the alarm system and the safe room. Need anything else?”

  He started to say no. “I need a supply of drawing paper and a variety of pens.”

  “Okay.”

  The way Maddox drew out the word made Nico smile. “Ever heard of MJ Powers?”

  “The artist? Sure. Rowan has a couple of Powers’ drawings in our home. Powerful pieces. Why?”

  “Mercy is MJ Powers.”

  A soft whistle sounded over the speaker. “I’ll make sure the safe house is stocked with art supplies. Will she be able to work with the shoulder injury?”

  “I think so. From what I’ve observed, she’s right handed. The bullet went through her left shoulder.”

  “All right. What else?”

  “Provide magazines and books for her. An e-reader would be better since we don’t know what she likes to read. Aside from keeping her secluded because of the bounty, Mercy needs time to recover from her injuries.” Whether he made her angry at him or not, he’d see to it she had what she needed.

  “I’ll take care of it. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Nico ended the call and went in search of the picture Mercy asked for. Although he would insist she not sign the portrait to protect Sorensen, he didn’t see a problem with her giving a gift to the doctor. The work would keep her mind occupied. For a day or two, she would be fine. Most of their principals were. After that, Mercy might become restless with the enforced seclusion.

  He walked into the doctor’s office and found the picture he remembered seeing during Shadow’s last visit to the clinic a month earlier. Nico removed the picture of Sorensen and his family from the frame and copied the photograph. He returned the photo and went to the recovery room door. “It’s Nico.”

  Sam opened the door and stepped back. “We’re ready.”

  Nico walked inside. Mercy sat on the side of the bed, face pale. “Need me to carry you to the SUV?” he asked, his voice soft.

  She shook her head. “I can do it. I’m wobbly, though. Make sure I don’t fall on my face.”

  “Deal. Come on. It’s time to leave.” He gripped her waist and lifted Mercy to her feet, then slid his arm around her for stability as she walked from the room. Sam followed behind them, carrying Mercy’s clothes.

  When they reached the back door, Nico glanced over his shoulder at Sam who moved past them and slipped outside. A moment later, she returned. “We’re clear.”

  As soon as Mercy was safely inside the SUV, Nico climbed in beside her. “Go, Trace.” The ride to the airport was uneventful. On the tarmac, Nico’s team surrounded them, providing a barrier between Mercy and unseen threats as they crossed the open space to the waiting jet.

  By the time Mercy stepped foot in the cabin, she was leaning heavily on him and her face was glowing with perspiration. “You should lay down,
Mercy. We had to move you too soon, and this is a strain on your body.”

  Another head shake. “I’ve done nothing but lay in bed and walk the hall for the past day. I can handle sitting in a comfortable seat for a plane ride.”

  Skeptical, he opted for compromise. “I want your word that you’ll tell me if you need to stretch out for a while. Your body is using every bit of your energy to heal. If you work with your body instead of fighting it, you’ll heal faster.”

  She stared at him. “You are a clever man, Nico. I promise to tell you if I need to lay down.”

  With a nod, he escorted her to the back row of the jet so she would be close to the bedroom. As soon as they were airborne, Nico pulled a blanket from the overhead compartment along with a pillow for her to use. “Rest. I have work to do.” Internet searches to run. Yeah, Zane would be doing them, but Nico needed more information now. Z would compile information and send it in bulk unless the information was critical.

  He shook out the blanket and spread it over Mercy, then showed her how to recline the seat when she was ready. Nico grabbed his laptop and began a search on the Scorpions.

  In under fifteen minutes, he became aware of a warm weight against his shoulder. He glanced down at Mercy, noting the contrast of her blond hair against the black sleeve of his t-shirt.

  Nico reached toward her before he caught himself and drew back. His hand fisted. Mercy was sleeping. He didn’t want to disturb her.

  Forcing his attention back to the screen where it belonged, he ignored the sweet, warm weight of her head against him and continued digging into the Scorpion organization. He followed trails as far as he could without tripping an electronic sensor that might alert the terrorist organization that someone was looking at them.

  By the time he finished, Nico was convinced the only way to protect Mercy was to dismantle the Scorpions. Otherwise, the members of the group would keep coming after the woman in Nico’s care until they achieved their objective. He vowed they would never get their hands on Mercy while he drew breath.

  At two in the morning, the Fortress jet landed at John C. Tune Airport and taxied to the area where the other company jets were located. While the others gathered their gear, Nico rubbed Mercy’s arm to ease her to wakefulness. “Mercy,” he murmured.

  She stirred, winced. “Ouch.”

  “Pain meds have worn off.” He glanced up to see Sam coming toward them with a small bottle of water and a small packet in her hands. His lips curved. Their team medic was on top of things, as usual. “Sam has pain medicine for you.”

  Mercy’s eyes widened when she realized she was leaning on him. She straightened. “I’m sorry, Nico. You should have insisted I go lay down.”

  He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I didn’t mind.” In fact, he’d liked it. A lot.

  “Take these, Mercy,” Sam said. She laid two pills on Mercy’s palm and handed her the opened bottle of water.

  Once Mercy had swallowed the meds and most of the water, Nico helped her to her feet and steadied her when she swayed. “Easy.”

  “Thanks.” She blew out a breath.

  On the tarmac, Nico scanned the area for trouble, but at this time of morning the airport was quiet, part of the reason he’d wanted to leave Bayside so quickly. His only regret was forcing Mercy to leave the clinic before she was ready. The original plan discussed with and approved by Sorensen was to complete the flight tomorrow morning at this time. With the escalation by the Scorpions, Nico hadn’t wanted to wait. A further delay could have put Sorensen and his family in the terrorists’ crosshairs, might still have compromised the man who saved so many Fortress operatives. The Texas team may have their work cut out for them.

  Nico tossed the keys to his SUV to Joe. Once Mercy was seated in the backseat, he signaled Sam to sit in the shotgun seat, stored his Go bag in the cargo area and climbed in beside Mercy.

  As soon as Joe put the vehicle in gear, Nico called Eli Wolfe, the connection going through his Bluetooth system.

  “Thought I’d hear from you sooner, Rivera,” the SEAL greeted him. “I hear you have a friend with you.”

  “I knew you missed me, frog boy.”

  Eli’s laughter filled the SUV’s cabin. “Like a bad rash, jar head. How have you been?”

  “Too busy.”

  “Yeah, you’ve been breaking my heart, ignoring all my phone calls and invitations to dinner.”

  Nico snorted. “Your memory’s going, old man. You haven’t called, and if your wife invited me to dinner, I’d be there in a heartbeat, with or without you present.”

  “Don’t even think about trying to sweet talk Brenna into a dinner invite unless you bring your friend.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Like he’d make a move on the SEAL’s wife. Eli would gut him in a New York minute if he tried. The operative adored Brenna. “Any problems?”

  “Nope. It’s clear. Security system is up and running. Jon and I came out as soon as the boss contacted us. We’ve rigged a few surprises for the troublemakers if they’re stupid enough to show their faces around here. We left a passage for an escape route that we’ll show you. We also brought along the extra supplies you asked for. Brenna called in a favor with her favorite bookstore owner.”

  “Excellent. We’re ninety minutes out unless we attract attention and have to take a few detours.”

  “We’ll be waiting. How is your friend?”

  “Ask her yourself. Mercy, this is Eli, a friend of ours.”

  “Hello, Eli. Thank you for being part of my safety net.”

  “You’re welcome, sugar. I hear you got up close and personal with a Sig.”

  “Unfortunately. I’ve had excellent medical care, though. I’m better.”

  Nico couldn’t help but admire Mercy’s careful conversation. She’d picked up on his and Eli’s couched terms and copied their discretion. Mercy Powers was a sharp woman, another thing he found attractive about her. The list was growing longer by the minute.

  “Glad to hear that,” Eli said. “Nico, do you need backup? Jon or I can meet you en route.”

  “My unit is with me. If we run into trouble we can’t handle, I’ll call.”

  “Copy that.” Eli ended the call.

  “Where are we going?” Mercy asked Nico.

  “Outside Murfreesboro, a town almost an hour from here. We have a safe house set up for you, one I think you’ll like.”

  “Anything is fine, as long as you and the others are safe.”

  He twisted to stare at her. “What about you?”

  “I don’t want anyone hurt because of me.”

  His heart skipped a beat before surging ahead into a normal rhythm. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had been concerned for his welfare aside from the people he worked with. The experience was extraordinary. A man could get used to having someone care.

  He gave her a short nod and turned away again to keep watch. When they left Davidson County, Nico said to Joe. “I don’t see a tail.”

  “Me, either.”

  “Why am I uneasy?”

  “Same reason I am. It’s too easy.”

  “You were expecting trouble?” Mercy asked.

  “Always. Keeps us alive,” Joe said.

  She was silent a moment. “Is that true for the military as well?”

  “Yeah, it is. Why do you ask?”

  “That explains a few things about my husband.”

  Silence fell like a heavy wool blanket in the SUV. He probably should have told them more about her background. “Mercy’s husband was killed in Afghanistan by an IED.”

  Sam reached over the seat and laid a hand on Mercy’s knee. “I’m sorry. How long has it been?”

  “Two years. Seems longer.”

  “What branch of the military was your husband in?” Joe asked.

  “Army Ranger. Absolutely loved his job. He died a month before he mustered out.”

  The rest of the trip passed in silence as Mercy stared out the window at the passing landscape. Nico did
n’t think she was seeing anything, not with the darkness and the sparse streetlights on their route.

  He kept a close watch on their surroundings as did his teammates. The only vehicle following them was Ben and Trace in the second SUV. Joe still took a few detours to be sure, then headed to the safe house.

  At the two-hour mark, Joe turned into the long drive leading to Rod Kelter’s log cabin. As they parked at the front of the three-story home, Jon and Eli stepped out on the porch.

  “Who is that?” Mercy asked.

  “Our friends. You talked to Eli Wolfe already. He’s on the left. The man with him is Jon Smith.” Nico held up his hand when Mercy’s lips twitched. “Yeah, I know, but that is his real name.”

  “He’s touchy about it, too,” Joe muttered. “Hates for people to give him grief over that.”

  “You ought to know.” Sam opened the door. “You rag on him all the time about it. You’re lucky to be breathing. Smith is one scary man.”

  Joe climbed out of the vehicle and rounded the hood to meet Sam on the way to the cabin.

  “Should I be worried about Jon?” Mercy’s eyes were large in her too-pale face.

  “He’s intense, not mean, unless you’re a terrorist.”

  A small smile curved her lips. “Good to know.”

  Nico helped her from the SUV, tucking her against his side when she staggered. On the porch, he introduced her to the two SEALs, then ushered her inside the cabin.

  He turned to Jon. “What’s the safest room for Mercy?”

  “Second floor, corner room on the right. There’s a hidden passage from there leading to the escape route.”

  “Safe room?”

  “First floor office. I’ll show you after you get Ms. Powers settled.”

  “Mercy, please,” she said.

  He gave her a curt nod and shifted his attention back to Nico. “I’ll take you to her room.”

  Nico walked with Mercy to her room. After Jon showed them the secret passage, he left.

  “Will you be comfortable here?”

  “How could I not be? This cabin is gorgeous. Do you know the owner?”

  “Not personally, but several of the Fortress operatives do. He’s a detective with the Otter Creek police. Our training facility is located there.” He studied her face a moment, noting the pallor and fatigue. “Once Eli and Jon brief my team, at least one of us will be on watch at all times. I’ll be close if you need me, Mercy. Can I get you anything before I leave you to rest?”