Catching Smoke: Ch. 27
They’re surrounded.
Colin is used to finding himself in complicated and dangerous situations, but he usually has the upper-hand. For one, he typically puts himself in those situations, knowing how to get out of them. For another, he’s never had a complicated and difficult recruit to look after while in the dangerous situation.
The odds aren’t in Colin’s favor this time.
He immediately presses the panic button he always keeps with him during missions. Harlem will send someone as soon as he receives the alert, and he’ll just have to hope it isn’t Lydia. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem so insane that Lydia could be a part of this mess in the first place.
Colin and Emmalee are both pinned by the strong, dark figures who burst into the room when another one walks calmly in. It’s too dark for Colin to make out any distinguishable features other than the figure is obviously male, and walks with an assured posture straight toward Emmalee.
“Emma, darling,” the man says with a thick British accent, grazing Emmalee’s face with his fingertips.
Colin notices that she flinches like she’s been burned at his touch, and does her best not to look at him. Who is he? How does he know her? How could Harlem not warn him about this? He tries to detach himself from the people keeping him pinned, and fails. He won’t be getting out of here on his own.
“And you, Colin Timothy Brice, or Agent Brice if you prefer. Yes, I know exactly who you are. I don’t suppose you have any grand ideas of rescue, and I wouldn’t suggest you start,” the man says, turning to Colin.
“Who the hell are you?” Colin asks. “And what do you want?”
The man laughs slightly, but nothing about this situation is particularly funny. Where’s Lydia? Colin couldn’t get rid of her earlier, and now when he actually needs her help, she’s nowhere to be found? What is going on?
The man walks back over to Emmalee.
“Well, I’m Emmalee’s father. Or didn’t she tell you?” he says. “Take them to the car. We must leave quickly now.”
And then, Colin feels a needle prick the skin on his neck, and everything goes black.
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