Page 104 of Storm and Tempest

He could practically taste the anticipation on his tongue, coppery with blood.

The man behind him dragged Jax to his feet and shoved him into the chair. The laptop screen showed his face, and a green line ran across the screen moving from top to bottom. As if it was scanning his face.

Scan complete.

“What’s going on?” He looked at Roberts. “What is this?”

“Business.” Roberts turned the laptop and clicked the mousepad. Typed on the keyboard. “Okay, capture complete. Not bad, actually. Pretty impressive tech.”

A deep fake.

They’d seen it before withDominatusassets.

“What are you going to do with my face?” Jax asked.

“You’re about to tell that taskforce of yours that you’ve switched sides. Become a true believer.”

“No one will believe it.” Jax shook his head. “I would never joinDominatus.”

“No?” Roberts tipped his head to the side, studying Jax. “First, you walked away from your cases, then your job entirely, and now you’ve come here. You walked right in the front door. You’re one of us now, and everyone will know your allegiance now lies with us. After all, it’s the only way to get your wife back.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I’ve made up my mind.Jax’s voice came through the computer speakers. Roberts typed on the keyboard.I won’t be standing againstDominatusanymore. The fight is over.The computer program looked like Jax and sounded like Jax.

Jax sniffed, his entire body taut like a livewire. He’d listened to the whole conversation between Roberts—using their software so he could pretend to be Jax—and the director of the FBI. Jax hadn’t even known the guy was a member of the taskforce the president had put together to fight againstDominatus. Jax had been connected all the way to the top after meeting with the president in London.

It seemed his enemy had been one step ahead this entire time…and then some.

They were so far ahead it wasn’t even a contest. His head was still spinning with the ramifications of how much they knew, how connected they seemed to be to any attempt to come against them. No wonder they’d so efficiently taken Kenna after infiltrating the FBI with fake badges. He figured it wasn’t outside of possibility that they had assets in multiple government agencies.

And no one had any idea.

Roberts typed and the Jax-like voice continued,It’s the only way I’ll get my wife back. I’m sure you understand why I have to give it all up. For her.

At least they got the sentiment right, because he was feeling the need to burn it all down to save Kenna. But not to joinDominatus.Not even if he had a gun to the back of his head, which was effectively where he was at right now. He couldn’t take more than a step or two without being gunned down.

Then the fight really would be over.

Right now, he had to watch this man, this agent of his enemy, destroy everything Jax had worked toward for years. In the space of a few minutes, he was tearing it all down and making sure Jax had absolutely nothing to lose. Which was absolutely going to backfire.

First his job, then his career when he walked away from the FBI just days ago. They’d taken his friends from him, too. Now they were going to destroy his reputation and any chance he might have to get his standing as an agent back. After this, they’d believe it had been him in the video call.

His boss, the director of the FBI, sighed over the connection. “I’m sorry to hear that, Special Agent Jaxton. You understand what this means.”

He wanted a way to tell the director that it wasn’t him. Some kind of code word that would indicate he was under duress, let alone that it wasn’t even him. They’d told him there was no point yelling. The mic wasn’t going to pick up anything, so the director would never hear it.

I made my choice.Roberts hit a button, then closed the laptop lid.

Jax said, “Where is Kenna?”

He heard a breathy laugh behind him. Jax wanted to punch whoever it was in the face, but it wasn’t going to solve his problems right now.

He lifted his chin. “I am getting her back.”

“Why not let’s go see her for yourself?” Roberts stood. “Isn’t that what you want?”

Jax had to assimilate that question and what he meant. “You’re taking me to her?”