Page 42 of Storm and Tempest

The agents lifted Bruce to his feet. He looked like he wanted to push them away, but Jax shook his head and Bruce contained himself.

“Sorry you wasted your time,” Jax said. “Someone is obviously targeting me.”

Farlan tipped his head to the side, and they stepped off to the edge of the group. “You need to come to the office. Write up a report. Let us know what’s going on.”

Jax would’ve said yes, normally. But right now, that was the last thing he wanted to do. It seemed like, for the first time,being an agent who followed the rules wasn’t going to get him what he wanted. “I’m not coming in.”

“Hadley is going to want to talk to you. He was asking where you were this morning.”

“He told me to take a few days.”

“And make an appointment with the department shrink, right?” Farlan stared him down. “But you didn’t do that. Now you’re out here…what—recreating? Going for a stroll in the afternoon heat. More likely you’re chasing a ghost, trying to find a woman who doesn’t want you and making up leads so everyone thinks there’s some grand conspiracy.”

Which is likely why in just two days Kenna’s friends had gained more leads than the FBI had in two months. Not counting whatever Amara was up to, handing him that file and sending him after Elliot—a man she had run off the road and probably killed.

Jax took a step back.

“Boss, you need to come back to the office with us.” The agent tilted his head. “Your friend, too.”

A couple of other agents crowded around.

“Hadley told me to take a couple of personal days,” Jax said, loudly enough more than just Farlan could hear it. “So that’s what I’m doing. Because he’s running the office, so everything goes smoothly.” Meaning Jax was expendable.

In a big organization, that was a good thing. The success or failure of the FBI as an agency shouldn’t rest on just one person’s shoulders. It should continue on, no matter who was in what role.

He could walk away, and they would be fine. But Kenna wouldn’t be.

Farlan frowned. “He threatened to suspend you if you didn’t show up.”

That cleared that right up—and solidified his resolve even more.

Jax slid his gun and its holster from his belt and handed it to Farlan. “My duty weapon. And my badge.” He slid the cred pack from his pocket and handed it over. “Take these to Hadley. Maybe ask him why no one in the department is considering the fact that my wife was kidnapped recently. Except Special Agent Herron. She sent an agent to find Kenna after the transport left. That agent went missing, but everyone thinks he transferred out.”

The skin around Farlan’s eyes creased.

“If he was transferred, then find out where,” Jax continued. “Get Special Agent Elliot Adams on the phone and speak to him. Find out if he really transferred out of the office right after the silo operation. Ask questions about what’s going on in the office. Because something isn’t right.” He looked around. “Unless you’re all in on it.”

“There isn’t a conspiracy,” Farlan said.

Bruce barked a laugh. “Son, I’ve seen empires rise and fall. Conspiracies are the air you breathe. Ain’t no getting away from them or avoiding them when they’re all around you. Question is, what side are you on?”

Farlan looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead a sad expression crossed his face. He turned, and the agents all disbursed. Walking into the woods the way they’d come, leaving Jax and Bruce on the path alone.

“Did you just quit the FBI, Son?”

Jax winced. “I probably shouldn’t have done that.”

“You already did the hard part. Don’t take back what you let go. Release it, move on, and let’s find Kenna.”

Jax looked around. “Where did Chistane go?”

“Guess we’d better find him first.” Bruce shrugged. “Good thing I put a tracker on his car. I just hope he goes back to it now and doesn’t dump it for a new one.”

“You think he’s switching vehicles, covering his tracks?” Jax glanced at him as they headed down the path back to the parking lot.

Bruce took a pair of aviator sunglasses from his shirt pocket and slipped them on. “That’s what I would do. But it feels more like this whole thing has been a trap. He’s baiting me, stringing us along.”

Jax nodded. “I don’t like it, but I think you’re right.”