Fox gave little consideration to how hard he could push this car. They were either going to make it or they weren’t, and he doubted that treating the engine kindly would improve their chances.

The trouble with rentals was they didn’t come with the kind of flashing lights that made other vehicles move out of their way, which meant he was in serious danger of attracting police attention, but he didn’t have time to worry about that either. All he could do was his best and hope that it was enough.

He wove around the few cars on the interstate. This time of day most of the traffic was in Houston, not around it, but Texans sure liked to space themselves out across as many lanes as were available, so zipping in and out between them all was like threading a needle.

He ignored the speedometer. He didn’t want to know what it said.

“Any more news?” he said.

Axel gave a faint grunt. “Dane’s being taken to the hospital. Don’t know any more yet.”

Fox’s throat closed. All he could do was nod.

If they hadn’t slept together last night, Axel would have been at the FBI office.

He could have been hurt.

Killed.

He swallowed, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t go down. Was that Spike’s game here? Was that why he hadn’t fled town?

Shit, what if Peter was right? What if this was a crush? Some sick, twisted obsession Spike hadn’t gotten rid of in ten years?

It couldn’t be, could it? Attacking Axel’s office didn’t do anything other than make the FBI even more angry than they already were. But after all the texts threatening Axel, after the email that had threatened Fox yesterday…

His fingers gripped the wheel so tight that they hurt.

Spike was after Axel’s blood. Motive didn’t matter. Whether Kennedy was jealous or just playing at jealousy was irrelevant. Good people were hurt because of him.

It was going to end.

He sped past the Hidden Creek city limits and through intersections only a maniac would hit at that speed. He heard Axel suck in air as they overtook a truck then swerved back to their side of the street to avoid a head-on with a Smart car.

Blue lights flashed in his rearview mirror.

“Oh, fuck off,” he snarled. “Get lost.”

Axel turned to look through the rear window, then he was eyes forward again. “They won’t start shooting for a while. We’ll be able to flash ID once they catch up with us. You’re doing fine.”

Fox grimaced at that. Axel was right. Fox was breaking all the laws he would have to obey were he in a pursuit, and now the shoe was on the other foot. The local PD were forced to slow at intersections in case drivers hadn’t got out of their way, and every time they did, Fox gained more advantage over them.

No wonder criminals liked driving fast.

There was a fire truck and an ambulance in the bureau’s parking lot, and there were maybe a hundred people outside.

It was an all too familiar scene.

Fox threw the car up the curb and into the parking lot, abandoning it in the first space he could reach, and he was out almost as fast as Axel.

Axel hurried off toward Jones and Fox eyed the building.

The fire was already out, but there was a gaping hole in the side of the offices, and water poured from it like every washroom faucet had been left on. Sheets of paper were floating in the grey run-off as it flowed across the parking lot toward the gutters.

Sirens screamed along the street and the cops pulled off into the lot, so Fox went to greet them. He had his ID out before either officer could get out of their cars.

“Sorry, officers,” he called. He held his other hand up, just in case they were trigger-happy. “As you can see, federal emergency.”

One of the officers reached for his gun, but rested his hand on his holster. The other stared up at the scene and let out a low whistle.

“Seems like someone wants to give the fire department a lot of exercise,” said the first. “You mind telling me what you were doing speeding around without any sirens?”

“Rental car,” Fox handed his ID over so it could be inspected. “I’m sorry. I’m working with the FBI on a case, and I’d really appreciate it if you could write me up later? I’m happy to turn myself in at the precinct once we’ve caught our guy.”

The officer pursed his lips, then took his hand from his holster as he gave the ID back. “Just this once, Agent Walker, I figure we can let this one slide. Don’t be treating my town like a drag race again, okay?”

“Won’t be any need,” Fox said as he tucked the wallet into his pants. “Thank you so much.”

They both nodded. “Y’all need any help here?”

“Maybe?” He nodded toward Jones. “It’s their office. Agent Jones is the one you probably want to talk to.”

“Thank you kindly,” the officer said. “I’ll go do just that.”

Fox watched them go, then caught sight of Jones throwing keys to Axel. Axel patted Jones’ shoulder, then waved Fox over as he made his way toward one of the parked vehicles.

“Okay,” Axel said as he unlocked the car. “Here’s the situation. Multiple blasts, only one of any great size. We don’t know how he got in to plant the devices or how he set them off. Dane’s been taken to the hospital, so I’m putting Jones on protection duty in case Kennedy tries to finish her off. The rest are still waiting to get checked out by the paramedics, but any able body left over once the protection detail is fleshed out is at our disposal. For now they’re going to pick through the mess once the FD clear them to re-enter to see what’s what.”

Fox held his seatbelt as Axel backed out of the space and sped off the curb onto the street. With the punch of a button, sirens wailed above his head, muffled by the car body.

Fox leaned forward and checked his phone for the address he’d dug up. He entered it into the GPS then sat back.

“What else is there?” he said.

Axel glanced across at him, then sighed. “The other explosions were the cells. Just enough explosive to blow all the damn locks. We’ve lost all our suspects.”

Fox was stunned into silence.

That was precision work. Their detainees couldn’t possibly have had the explosives on them when they went into the cells, as they would have been searched.

Unless the explosive was molded into another shape. But even then, where could they have got detonators from?

“Have you got a mole?” He mused.

“Doubt it,” Axel muttered. “Much more likely someone got in overnight.”

“Your security’s all electronic?”

Axel nodded. “You think he hacked his way in?”

“Not impossible. I’d have to check your system to be sure.”

Axel glanced to the GPS. “Time for that later.”

“Yeah.”

He couldn’t stop thinking about the blast, though. Had Spike intended to kill, or was the main bomb just a distraction so he could get his people out? And if that was all he wanted, why didn’t he blow the locks in the night when there wasn’t anyone in the office?

No, he must have intended to cause chaos. It made no sense otherwise.

But God, Fox wanted to know where that larger device had been planted. Was it in Axel’s office?

Did Spike know Axel would be safe?

Fox watched the other cars as Axel left them in the dust. If Spike wasn’t lying about knowing where Axel was, then was all this just smoke and mirrors? Had he never intended to hurt Axel at all?

What the hell was his game?

“What’re you thinking?” Axel asked.

“I dunno.” Fox shook his head. “All these years and I still don’t know how his mind works. Not really. I don’t know what he wants out of this. It’s like he thinks he’s a magician and everything needs a puff of smoke to disappear in.”

“Maybe it’s that simple,” Axel mused. “Performance. Distraction. Nothing more than that. You said he’s a troll, right?”

Fox nodded slowly. “Right. You think he does this to get reactions out of people?”

Axel smiled faintly. “That’s what trolls want, right? They just want to make people upset or angry. They want to hurt people without having the balls to do it in person. I think that’s why he does all this showmanship. He wants us to react.”

“Yeah.” Fox pursed his lips. “I’m gonna react all right. I’m gonna arrest his ass and lock him away for the rest of his damn life.”

“Assuming I don’t arrest him first.” Axel grinned.

Fox gasped. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“How about we arm-wrestle for it?”

“That’s cheating.” Fox huffed.

“How is that cheating?”

“Being way stronger is totally cheating.” Fox waved his hand. “That’s like me suggesting a hack-off. We need a level playing field. That’s the only way it’s fair.”

“Uh huh.” Axel took a left before he looked Fox over. “What’s your idea, then?”

Fox bit his tongue. The auto-sass wanted to take over, but this was a really bad time for it, because what it wanted him to say was how about we fuck and see who comes first?

Axel eyed him in a way that suggested he might have had the same thought.

Fox coughed as he adjusted his position and drew his legs closer.

“Later,” he said thickly. “I’ll tell you later.”

Axel didn’t smile. His focus went back to the road ahead and Fox’s followed.

It was a straight line, and the shoulders faded into the yellow earth on either side. There were no houses. They’d left the neighborhoods behind and headed south, where there didn’t seem to be much of anything at all. A wire fence ran along the right side of the road, but the left was just field, untended and barren.

God damn, this address better be right. It was all he had now. The final piece in the puzzle.

He wanted this victory so bad he could almost taste it.

But he wanted Axel more.