Vinnie couldn’t breathe. She locked her legs to keep from falling. Bret Atherton was in front of her.

Maureen stepped forward to partially block her. “So you’re the president.”

Bret nodded and looked Maureen up and down. “You’re pretty, but I don’t need pretty right now.” He looked beyond her to Lake. “Take her out front and shoot her in the head. Dump her body close to the beach. That should keep anybody following us very busy.”

Lake grabbed Moe’s arm.

She jerked away.

“Wait,” Vinnie said, panic clawing down her throat. “This is Maureen Shadow, one of the foremost agricultural experts in the world. She has food sources and knows how to splice genes to make more. She’s famous, Bret.”

The president’s gaze narrowed on Moe. “We do need food.”

Vinnie nodded. Should she say that Maureen was sister to one of the top Vanguard lieutenants and would make a good bargaining chip? Would that keep Maureen alive? Or would Bret kill her to distract the Vanguard gang? It was too much of a risk to say anything else, especially because he seemed to be considering Moe’s skills. “We definitely will need food to survive,” she said.

“Is that all true?” Bret asked.

Maureen shrugged. “Simplistically put, yes. I study crops, soil, and how to increase yields. And yes, I can splice and dice and create supercrops if needed.”

Bret cut into his apple.

Vinnie flinched.

He smiled. “I didn’t get the chance to know you last time like I want to this time.” He leaned in. “I was enamored of another woman and couldn’t take the time to appreciate Vivienne here.” He frowned. “How is my ex?”

Vinnie swallowed.

Bret twirled the knife around. “Start talking, or I stab your friend.”

“Lynne is fine but would be better with a working lab.” Vinnie tried to focus on the sociopath. “Do you have a working lab? I mean, have you found the Bunker?”

His nostrils flared, and a dark gleam filled his eyes. “Not yet. But this time you’re going to tap into your psychic abilities, and we’re going to find it together.” He flashed sharp teeth. “I can motivate you better than last time, I think. You seem to like the farmer next to you. I’ll cut pieces off her until you find the Bunker for me.” He ate a piece of apple off the knife and chewed, his gaze turning thoughtful. “That’s what was wrong last time. No motivation.”

Lake shoved Vinnie between the shoulder blades, and she stumbled forward. “Where do you want them?” Lake asked.

Bret frowned. “Let’s go into the living room and chat.”

Vinnie looked around what had been a high-end suburban home. “Where are we?”

“Safe house for the night,” Bret answered, leading the way into an enormous great room with vaulted ceilings and expensive leather furniture. “We’ll head out at first light for my west coast headquarters. You’ll like it there. Maybe.” He sat and smoothed down his dark jeans.

Vinnie sat next to Moe on a matching sofa. “Have you been able to reorganize the military yet?” she asked, trying to keep off the topic of torturing Maureen.

Bret’s lips flattened. “Slow to get back on track, but we’re getting closer. My elite force now heads up the four branches of the military, which all answer to me. I’ve had a little trouble locating the Brigade, but I’ll find them soon.” His gaze moved around.

Moe rubbed her bound hands on her jeans. “Wasn’t the Brigade the first line of defense against Scorpius? Didn’t they head out to vulnerable spots like nuclear plants to try to get things under control?”

“Yes.” Bret sniffed. “We lost touch, and I think they might’ve gone rogue. Or been eaten by Rippers.” The last possibility seemed to cheer him. “There’s also a chance they found the Bunker.”

Moe tugged on her restraints again. “How is it possible you don’t know the location of the Bunker, if it really exists? You’re the president.”

He sighed. “Yes, I know. But my swearing-in ceremony wasn’t the norm. The president and VP died, and I was next in line as speaker of the house. Let’s just say there wasn’t time to transfer the launch codes or important information.” He cut off another piece of the apple.

The fresh apple.

Vinnie studied the food.

He smiled. “Nursery close by headquarters. Has apple trees.”

Maureen nodded. “We have some in green houses outside of campus.”

Bret pursed his lips and looked her over again. “I know the Bunker exists because I’ve found enough references to it in communications and budget bills. It’s on the west coast, and I’m sure we’ll find it soon.” He kicked back as if relaxing after a hard day’s work. “We need the resources in the Bunker to protect the country. At some point, I’m expecting an attack from overseas. It’s possible one of our enemies wasn’t hit by Scorpius as hard as we were. They may be regrouping now and could strike any minute.”

There was enough truth in the statement that Vinnie’s mind reeled. The guy might be a sociopath, but that didn’t make him wrong. One thing at a time, though. “Do we even have a working government?”

“Just the elite force, led by me, and the military.” Bret picked lint off his jeans. “At some point, we’ll institute another Congress, but right now it’s more of a military operation. Survival, if you will.”

Two men patrolled outside the window, and Vinnie caught a flash of purple. “Is the Twenty gang still working for you?”

“We’re using what’s left of them as foot soldiers,” Bret said. “We allow them to keep their colors on, and they do as we say. They’re expendable, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

A chill whispered through her. “You sent those Twenty kids the other day to attack Vanguard.”

“Yep. I take it the kids didn’t make it?” Bret asked.

“No,” Vinnie whispered.

He shrugged. “It was worth a shot. I’m sorry to hear that Jax Mercury is still walking among the living. Is Lynne still enamored of him?”

Vinnie didn’t twitch.

“She always was a tramp.” Bret set the apple down and peered at both women. “I need to lead by example as we rebuild our society, and to do so, I require a first lady.”

Vinnie shoved back in the sofa. “Lynne is never coming back to you.”

He shook his head. “Blue Heart can’t be my first lady. I understand that now.” He leaned forward, his forehead smoothing out. “Don’t get me wrong. Someday I’m going to catch up with her, and I’ll rip that blue heart right out of her body. But I can’t be seen with her.”

Vinnie glanced at Moe. “Um.”

He nodded, as if reaching a decision. “I can only have one. We’ll take the night and figure out which one of you will be the more valuable to me and the country as a whole. It’s the country that matters, and we must make sacrifices. One of you will become my first lady, and the other will be shot in the head and left for Vanguard to find.” He smiled up at Lake.

Lake stood at attention near the doorway, effectively blocking any exit. “That’s a fine idea, sir.”

Vinnie swallowed and could feel Moe tremble next to her. Was it possible to find a way out of this?

Bret glanced at a shiny wristwatch. “The clock is ticking.” He looked up and smiled. “Who wants to live?”

The air chilled several degrees, and Vinnie eyed the knife still in Bret’s hand. If she could get to it, she’d still have to deal with Lake, who stood watch over the entire room. Her knees tensed, and she mentally ran through a plan.

The windows burst in, and glass sprayed. “Down,” she yelled, using her shoulder to knock Maureen to the carpet. Something flashed, and her head jerked back as she lost her hearing.

Smoke filled the room, and darkness swam toward her.

Raze leaped through the window, his boots crunching glass. The flash grenade had thrown up smoke, but it quickly dissipated.

Vice President Lake stood near the sofa, a knife to Vinnie’s neck. He held her up by her hair, even as she swayed in place, her eyelids obviously struggling to remain open.

Maureen lay on the ground, not moving.

Men poured in, guns out, already firing. Raze plugged two between the eyes and hit another center mass. Three more ran in from the doorway, and Greyson shot two from the window before jumping inside.

Outside the sound of a firefight ripped through the quiet subdivision as Jax, Tace, Sami, and Damon Winter tried to keep the president’s soldiers occupied.

The president was nowhere to be seen. The bastard must’ve made a run for it when the explosion occurred.

Lake backed against a wall, keeping his knife steady on Vinnie’s neck.

Her eyes focused on Raze.

“Where’s the president?” Raze asked.

Lake smiled. “He was escorted to safety at the first sign of threat. He’s the president of the United States, asshole.”

In other words, the coward ran out the back door. Raze centered and focused, trying not to look at his sister prone on the floor.

Greyson kept his gun on Lake and crept forward, crouching to feel her neck. “Steady pulse. She’s unconscious.” He stood and aimed his gun.

Raze nodded and angled to the other side so they could flank Lake. Greyson remained next to Moe.

Lake shook his head. “You might get off the shot, but I’ll shove this knife in so quickly it won’t matter.”

Smoke and fiery debris wafted through the air.

“Let her go, and we won’t kill you,” Raze said.

President Atherton appeared in the doorway. “The house is secure, but there’s a fight outside.” He pointed a gun at Raze, moving to the side to keep Grey in his sights.

“Sir? I’ve got this. Please return to the guards,” Lake said, moving so Vinnie’s head covered his neck and part of his face.

Atherton’s chin lowered. “They breached my headquarters, which is treason.”

Lake nodded. “Yes, but tonight might not be the time to take them in. We’re not at the main headquarters.”

Bret sighed. “All right. Let’s give them something to deal with.” He turned his aim toward Maureen and fired.

“No!” Greyson flattened himself over Maureen, his body shuddering with the impact. Blood sprayed up in a graceful arc.

Raze fired at the president, who threw himself back into the hallway.

Lake jerked Vinnie up on her toes and backed to the doorway. She struggled and kicked. “Sorry about this,” he said. He sliced the knife across her neck and shoved her toward Raze, turning and running.

“Vinnie!” Raze bellowed, leaping for her.

Blood flowed from her neck. Her eyes widened, and her hand covered the wound.

“Let me see.” Panic engulfed him, and his vision hazed. He moved her hands and gently wiped. “God. Oh, God.” The knife had cut into her lower neck and slashed across her vest. When she’d struggled, she’d probably saved her own life. “It’s bad but it isn’t going to kill you.” He breathed out, and his hands shook. “We’ll need to close it.” The jugular hadn’t been impacted. Thank God.

She nodded.

“Tace?” Raze yelled.

The screech of tires ripped through the streets outside. More gunfire. Seconds later, maybe longer, silence reigned.

Raze called for Tace again.

The medic popped up at the window, blood on his face. “What?”

“We need a doctor.” Raze angled to the side to check on Greyson.

The Merc leader slowly stood and helped a wavering Maureen to the sofa. Blood flowed from his left arm.

Raze frowned. “Did you get shot twice in the same arm?”

Greyson dropped next to Maureen. “Yes. Being allies with you so far has sucked.” He rested his head back and closed his eyes.

“We are not allies, asshole.” Raze would deal with the Merc leader once he had Vinnie and Maureen safe.

Maureen rubbed the purple bruise already forming on her forehead. “Raze.”

He nodded and all but lifted Vinnie toward a chair, keeping pressure on her wound. “I missed you too, Moe.”

Tace jumped into the room just as Jax came through the door where Lake and the president had disappeared. “The house is secured,” Jax said. “They shot out our tires, and the president got away. Bastard.”

Tace nodded. “I’ll find a sewing kit, or maybe even a first-aid kit. Everyone hold tight.”

The feeling of Vinnie’s warm blood on Raze’s hand made him want to kill somebody. “Hold on, sweetheart. You’ll be okay.”

“I know,” she croaked. “Thank you for rescuing us.”

Tears filled his eyes, and he gave a chuckle. “Anytime. I love you, you know.”

Her body jerked. “Yeah, I know. I love you, too.”

Greyson partially turned to Maureen. “Your brother is a total sap.”

Maureen’s smile was a bit shaky. “He gets passive aggressive sometimes, too. She doesn’t know what she’s getting into.”

Tace returned with an impressive-looking first-aid kit and started sewing everybody up.

Vinnie held tight to Raze’s hand, and every time she winced, he felt the pain in his own neck. He tried to distract her. “Greyson? What’s up with you, the Bunker, and Zach Barter?”

Grey sighed. “Listen. I’m fine with creating an alliance between our people, but that doesn’t make us confidants.”

“So much for trust,” Raze muttered. “I’m still shooting you later.”

“You can try.” Greyson nodded. “Trust has to be earned. This is a start.”

Tace stepped back and studied Vinnie’s stitches. “Damn good job, if I say so myself.” He turned. “Do I save Greyson or let him bleed out?”

Jax covered the window. “Save his ass. He has information we might need. Raze can kill him later if he chooses.”

Raze eyed his sister, so pale on the sofa.

Vinnie glanced up and then gave him a nudge. “Go.”

He moved and gently lifted Moe, tucking her into him for a hug. “I’ve been looking so hard for you.”

She leaned back, tears in her eyes. “I knew you’d find me.”

Finally. His sister was safe.