Page 70 of Storm and Tempest

“More like identical twins,” Four said. “They figured out how to introduce the gene for twins and fertilize one egg to split into two.” He started to stammer. “Keep the other one for later, or implant it in someone else.”

“Above your pay grade?”

“I don’t wanna be a higher-up. Kind of like you guys shouldn’t do things that get on their bad side. That’s like walking into a hornet’s nest.”

Ramon snorted under his breath.

Jax said, “I’m not even going to explain how backward that is.”

Ramon probably wanted to threaten him with what would happen toDominatusnow they were onhisbad side. Jax didn’t blame the guy. In fact, he could almost see why Kenna appreciated him. Even if Ramon was the antithesis of everything Jax stood for—the way his life would’ve gone if he hadn’t stayed with the FBI for so long—he still respected this man.

Jax continued, “Do you know if they did that with Kenna? Is she an identical twin?”

“Sometimes babies grow up, and a couple will look like sisters or brothers, even the ones that aren’t twins. It’s hard to tell some apart.”

“So she has a double out there somewhere.” And their enemy was making it look as if Kenna was free and healthy, and that she’d simply left Jax and their marriage of her own accord. “This game they’re playing isn’t going to work.”

Four shrugged. “How would I know what they’re doing?”

“It’s above your paygrade. We get it.”

Ramon said, “’Cept you have a lot of information for a low-level guy who knows nothing.”

Over their comms, Maizie said, “Things are getting tense here. Zeyla is about to snap.”

“Am not.” But her voice was tight. “There are six of them. Two women, four guys. They look like a Spetsnaz team who left to be mercenaries. Which means already terrifying becomes significantly more terrifying.”

Jax glanced at Ramon, whose expression hardened. “Go.”

Ramon strode away.

Jax faced the older man, hand close to his gun. “Why are you threatening my family? What doesDominatuswant with Kenna?”

“I can tell you where we suspect your father will go and what he’s planning to do there.”

“How is this not a distraction?” Jax asked. “Everything they do is about misdirection, or some other form of psychological warfare. There’s nothing straightforward about any of it, except when you send an operative to eliminate a loose end.

“Buzard was working on his own for years, and that was a surprise, wasn’t it? They didn’t know that the Phoenix Buzard, the one with his own research silo, was working on a plan to eliminate most of the world population.”

“He’s done, so it doesn’t matter, does it?” Four shifted away from the wall.

The guy was dead—Kenna had killed him. But that didn’t mean the threat represented was close to over. “What does ‘offshore’ mean?”

“Like a bank account?”

“You tell me.” Jax shrugged. “I asked where Kenna was, and that was the answer I got. Maybe it’s a place. For all I know, it could be anything. What I want to know is whatyouknow.”

Four mimicked his shrug. “Unless you want the threat to materialize, I suggest you let me go.” He dug in his pocket. Hadn’t Ramon searched him?

In his ear, Maizie said, “I see Ramon. Zeyla is getting up.”

Jax palmed his gun, unwilling to be the victim here. Just in case this was another method of distraction, threatening the two women and drawing Ramon away so they could hurt Jax.

Before he could see what Four pulled out, and before he could aim his gun, someone moved behind him. Jax heard the shuffle of shoes on the floor behind him and started to turn.

The electric snap of a stun gun crackled, and the prongs’ fire slammed into him. Electricity coursed through his body, spasming every muscle. In the distance he heard the gun drop to the floor as his fingers shifted and flexed. He couldn’t stand upany longer. The sensation of falling shifted over him briefly, and he hit the floor on his shoulder.

Jax couldn’t cry out. The moan pushed out between clenched teeth. He tried to fight against the voltage relentlessly traveling through him.