Page 71 of The Team

“Friends that save our asses,” Rhett replied. “Now shut up and listen.”

King sighed. “We’ve had some serious developments in the last few hours. Ongoing and subject to change. Currently we are on our way to Shanghai?—”

Everyone’s head spun to face Yin and Chen, but it was very clear this was news to them as well.

“Shanghai?” Yin whispered, eyes wide with... Fear? “What for?”

“The fuck’s going on?” Sid asked. Then he levelled a glare at Yin and Chen. “Just what exactly did you get us into?”

“They didn’t get us into anything,” Rhett said, standing up and joining King at the front. He locked eyes with Sid. “So shut the fuck up and listen.”

“Our intel contact, Yixing, is missing. And so is Director Depraz.”

He had everyone’s attention now.

“They have been unaccounted for,” he checked his watch, “for going on eight hours.” King sighed. “And the leak from HQ was none other than our handler James Frankston. He was seen on security cameras entering Shanghai under a false passport just over an hour ago.”

“Frankston?” Coyote said, eyes darting to Rhett’s. “Is that why our intel was off? We got sent on a suicide mission because of Frankston?”

That’s certainly what it looked like.

King nodded. “But that’s not all.” He turned on the screen on the wall and pressed some buttons on his laptop. On screen was footage of what was clearly an airport and a familiar face. Frankston. They watched as he left the terminal and was met by a man in a black coat. King froze the screen so they could see his face. “This man,” he said, then turned to Yin and Chen. “Do you know who this is?”

Chen shook his head, frowning. Yin studied the screen, then looked up at King. “No. Am I supposed to?”

King pressed another button on his laptop and the image changed. The new photograph was what looked like a loading bay with... ambulances?

Oh shit.

Yin’s face paled.

There, on the screen, was a man pushing a wheelchair. When the image zoomed in on the man’s face, King froze the screen. “It’s the same man.”

The woman had her head down. She looked sedated, though it was hard to tell.

It wasn’t until he helped her onto a gurney and her hair fell away from her face that they could see her clearly.

Yin stood up, Chen beside him. “Jun-mei,” Yin whispered.

Rhett was quick to put his hands up in a calm-down fashion before there was a whole fucking incident on the small plane. “It’s okay. We’re on our way there right now.”

Yin’s face was stricken and afraid, and he watched, horrified, as the gurney was wheeled into a waiting ambulance and the doors were closed. “He took her?” he whispered.

“Yes,” King said flatly. “I’m sorry, Agent Yin. We tracked the ambulance but satellite imaging in China is very restricted.”

Chen put his hand on Yin’s shoulder and said something in Chinese.

“Who is she?” Sid asked.

Yin didn’t look capable of speaking. His face flashed with fear, horror, and realisation, then anger.

“Girlfriend,” Chen replied, keeping his arm around Yin’s shoulder, fisting his shirt. “Tao’s partner.”

“When?” Azrael asked, nodding to the screen. “When was this?”

“Over four days ago,” King replied gently.

Everyone’s faces changed, softened, because in all likelihood, they knew what that meant.