Page 22

Story: Engaged In Espionage

“You’ll give it to me.”

“You’ll get out of my car,” I retort, but my phone rings, the bell chiming through the speakers.

“Liam.” I breathe a sigh of relief and hit the answer button. “Just the person I wanted to talk to.”

“I wish I was always greeted so warmly,” Liam says. “Unfortunately, you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

Nerves creep up my spine.

“What?”

“Your boyfriend was just kidnapped by the Russian mafia.”

“Excuse me?” I slam on my brakes, and Thane smacks his head on my head rest. I must have heard Liam wrong. “What do you mean the Russian mafia kidnapped my boyfriend?”That'swho's after this drive?

“Caleb called me thirty minutes ago looking for his dad, but I found the wrong guy exiting the parking lot. It looked like his dad, but it wasn’t…”

“I found his dad!” I yell. “He’s in the back of my car.” Maddie switches to FaceTime and aims the phone at Thane, who has the gall to wave.

Liam curses. “Awful cameras. It should be illegal to have such antiquated security features. I’m so sorry, Amelia. I think I know where they took him though.”

“How?”

“He was still on the phone with me when they found him. They didn’t find it until they stopped. I was able to track him there.”

“Good, because we are going to go get him,” I say as Maddie aims the phone back at me.

“Oh no, you’re not.” Liam looks right at me, but I ignore him because hello, driving. “Caleb will kill me if I let you walk into that building. Do you remember me saying Russian mafia? The person in charge goes by the name of Fox. No one knows who that is.”

“I might not know who that is, but I have what they want,” I say, firm in my resolution to save my boyfriend or die trying.

“Actually, you don’t. It’s mine,” Thane says.

I lay on my brakes and Thane flies forward, slamming his head on the back of my seat again. That's what he gets for not wearing a seat belt. And for being a grade A jerk.

I maneuver off the road and turn around.

“You are a despicable human being. You have never once put your son’s life ahead of your own, because you are a narcissistic piece of trash. But that ends now. You’re going to help us get Caleb back, or I will sic this man on you.” I point at the camera. “He can drop you in the middle of the Sahara desert without ever laying a finger on you. This is your chance to save your son, and you will do it. Got it?”

Thane raises a brow, looks from me to the camera, then back to me. “You know I could take you in a fight, right?”

I shake my head slowly. “Oh no. I have the adrenaline of a mom when a car is on top of her child, so I could destroy your pitiful butt and protect my boyfriend the wayyoushould.”

His eyes widen a touch and a thousand expressions try to manipulate his face, but in the end, his eyes fall and he sighs. “Alrighty then. Guess I’m helping.”

“Good choice. Now sit back and shut up.”

Chapter 14

Amelia

“Canyoufindtheidentity of Fox?” I ask Liam, maneuvering back onto the road.

“I’m trying. But traces are nearly non-existent. There are rumors Fox is a woman with dark hair.”

I nod while I think. “I’m picturing a tall, beautiful Russian woman. Looks like you’re up Maddie. You have a good Russian accent,” I say to her.

“No way. I can’t impersonate someone from themafia,” she whispers as if they have ears in the car. They might. And the last thing I want to do is put her in danger because of my stupid plan.