WEDNESDAY. GHATKOPAR Police Station, Mumbai, India.

Adam paced the small room. They’d been cooped up for four hours. Following the shootout, they’d gone straight to the closest police station in Lower Parel, only to be transferred to a larger facility in the heart of the city.

He got it. Following the execution yesterday then last night’s ambush, plus the story they’d unfolded for the police about the illegal lab, the big dogs wanted to handle this. It didn’t mean anyone was out there looking for Heidi. As far as he could tell, they were all sitting on their thumbs. The only thing Adam had seen happen was a medic show up to monitor John’s blood sugar.

“While we’re alone, I think we need to talk.” Kyle peered at the closed door.

Cindy was being escorted to the restroom and both she and John would no doubt be back soon.

“What’s on your mind?” Riley asked. His drawl was worse the more tired he grew.

“Heidi and the others told us they believe there’s at least one, if not two, moles in the CDC.” Kyle kept his gaze on Grant and Riley. “What if one of the moles is our clients?”

“What are you saying? You think all of this is a set-up?” Grant frowned.

“How did those guys last night know where we were, or where we were going? Maybe Cindy or John or Heidi aren’t working with them willingly, but—”

“It’s not Heidi,” Adam said.

Kyle winced and finally looked at him. “Look, I know she’s your wife, but—”

“Have you been talking to Cindy?” Adam asked.

“She and I had a chat earlier, yeah.” Kyle nodded.

“It’s not Heidi. I’d believe Cindy or John over her.” Adam refused to believe the possibility that Heidi could be that cold.

“I know you want her to be the woman you remembered, but can we face the facts? When’s the last time you were around her?” Kyle crossed the room to Adam. “All I’m saying is, are we even sure she wanted to be rescued?”

Adam curled his hands into fists.

“Wow. Wow. Wow.” Riley got to his feet and placed a hand on both men’s shoulders. “I might not be an expert, but I’d say Heidi is the last one on my list of suspects. What I don’t understand is, if one of them is involved, why go through all this?”

“Convince me Heidi can’t be part of this,” Kyle said.

“She—”

The door opened and a man in a suit with a firearm at his hip followed by two more men in suits, Cindy and John.

Adam frowned at the last two. What was going on here?

“Gentlemen, sit, please?” The man wearing the firearm and badge took the seat at the top of the conference table they had so far stayed away from.

“What’s going on?” Kyle asked, taking the lead.

Cindy gestured to the older gentleman. “This is Doctor Iyer, he’s in charge of the CDC India office and Mr. Parekh, a representative from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.”

The man in the rumpled suit was with the CDC. He tapped his notebook and clicked his pen. A man of action, then. He wasn’t any more fond of this sit down than Adam was.

The other man had deep frown lines and wouldn’t look at the rest of them. He sat to the detective’s right and focused on the table.

“Your associate, Zain?” The detective referenced a pad of paper. “He said he has information for us. Sit.”

None of their team moved to sit.

“What about the house we told you about?” Riley asked.

“We have dispatched a team to the location so we can do our own evaluation,” Mr. Parekh said.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Iyer.” The head of the CDC offices spoke clear English, without accent. He offered his hand to each of them then gestured at John. “Doctor Wyman here was catching me up on what you have discovered. I was alarmed when you didn’t show up last night. Is everyone okay?”

“Those accounted for are okay,” Kyle replied.

“Yes, he told me Doctor Novak was still missing.”

“Sit, please, everyone?” the detective said.

Adam was sick and tired of sitting, but if this was the next step in finding Heidi, he’d take it.

“What are we discussing?” Grant asked.

They gathered around the conference table, with the detective and health officials at one end and the Aegis team lined up on either side.

“Your home office contacted us and said they had more information that would help us clear your involvement in yesterday’s shootings.” The detective didn’t appear pleased. “You had to be present.”

That had to be Zain speaking. He was growing into his role as head of the office well which meant learning how to throw his weight around. They had the intel, which was a major bargaining chip.

Within moments they the projector was going and Zain patched in from the Seattle office, plus Gavin from the head office. Adam hadn’t seen the guy in months, maybe even a year. Between Zain and Gavin, Adam was pretty sure they could get into just about anything. But they couldn’t find Heidi for him.

“My team has been working with a few sources to piece together the information we’re sharing. Let me just say, I cannot divulge all of our sources.” Zain stared hard at Kyle when he said that. Because they’d illegally copied the CEO of Sorkin’s computer? Or was this something Abigail had helped them with? “Over a week ago, Doctors Wyman and Hastings approached us about Novak going missing and their concerns about the CDC work environment. They provided us with a copy of their findings, which wasn’t much more than you can Google for yourself, if you know what you’re looking for.”

A map of the globe filled the screen with various spots illuminated with pins.

Zain proceeded to lay out what they’d discovered in Peru, citing their aim of protecting their client for the reason why they hadn’t come forward earlier. The India connection was a bit more difficult to frame in terms of protecting the client which was where Gavin stepped in.

“Hi.” The screen went to an image of Gavin waving at the screen. Adam prayed the kid didn’t put his foot in his mouth. He was famous for that. “Aegis Group works in conjunction with several governments. It’s our aim to work with the law, not against it. Whenever we have a case that crosses borders, I do a routine handshake with local officials. The people responsible for our clients needing our services are often wanted by the authorities. Thanks to Doctor Novak’s thorough report of her time in captivity, we were able to identify the man she knew as Léo, as Léo Peloquin.”

The face of an olive skinned man with dark, curling hair and eyes stared off camera.

“I’ve seen him.” Adam sat forward. “He was outside the Sorkin building.”

“What?” Kyle said.

“Yeah, blue jumpsuit. He had shiny shoes on. I thought it was strange.” Adam could picture the man clearly. He’d had that same expression on his face. So this was the man who’d kidnapped Heidi and had come back to get her again?

“That, well, at least now we’ve seen him,” Zain said.

“How does this connect to the warehouse? And why were you at the scene of two shootings?” the detective asked.

“What Zain and Gavin are getting at is that—this Léo guy?” Adam gestured at the screen. “He’s got CDC diseases he’s using like building blocks to create some bad shit, and he’s been doing it in your back yard.”

“And this Doctor Novak, she works with him?” Doctor Iyer said.

“No,” Adam snapped.

“We don’t know that.” Cindy held up her hand. “Heidi—Doctor Novak—is the one who came to us about these concerns. I have my reservations about her involvement in this.”

“Not this shit again.” Adam pushed up to his feet.

“I don’t think Heidi would do something like this, but the evidence is there.” John leaned forward. “Someone at the CDC is involved.”

“What would you have us do about this? It seems like an American problem,” Mr. Parekh said.

“That’s just it.” Adam turned around. “This isn’t an American or an Indian problem. It’s an everyone problem. Weren’t you listening when he showed you what they do with this shit? Go back to the pictures from Siberia.”

The picture of caskets lined up to be buried blipped onto the screen.

“The shit they’re doing, it doesn’t decide what it’s doing based on what country you pledge allegiance to. It infects, and it kills.” Adam pointed at the screen. Some of those caskets were tiny.

Léo was doing this for profit. And people were dying.

It turned Adam’s stomach to think about it.

“Excuse me.” Doctor Iyer looked at his phone. “I’ll just be one moment.”

The man stood and exited the room.

What would they do if Adam walked out those doors?

Heidi was out there somewhere, and last Adam had seen her, she was sick. What if she had one of those deadly strains? What if they were using her to infect others? What if Adam and the others had just spread a global pandemic problem?

The detective and Mr. Parekh began speaking in their native tongue, ensuring the rest of them couldn’t follow along. At least not the team here.

Adam glanced at the screen.

What were the chances Zain had someone sitting in to keep them appraised of every word spoken?

Adam glanced at Kyle, who merely nodded.

They were on the same page then.

“I know you don’t want to hear that Heidi could be involved, but wake up,” Cindy said, staring at him. “None of us really know her.”

“And you’re trying awfully hard to point fingers at Heidi.” Adam stared right back. He hadn’t missed how she’d waylaid him in the car. He was willing to bet she’d planted the idea in Doctor Iyer’s mind to begin with.

“I’m looking at the facts,” Cindy said.

“Then you’re missing some.” Adam refused to believe that Heidi would be involved. It wasn’t her, no matter what she’d been like at the house last night. She wasn’t the kind of person to create global unrest.

The door opened and Doctor Iyer returned.

“That was our team at the warehouse. They found Laranya, her family, and the men with them. They’re going into quarantine,” he said.

Adam blew out a breath.

There was one good thing.

“Our team is still looking at the scene, however.” Doctor Iyer’s frown remained in place. “It is my recommendation that this team is sent back to America. There are a number of questions regarding the events that have led up to this point. Or, they can remain here and the MHFW can take the lead on it?”

“It still sounds to me like an American problem,” Mr. Parekh representative said yet again.

“Then get out of my country.” The detective flicked his fingers at them. “We have enough to figure out without sorting these problems that don’t concern us.”

“Then—”

Someone banged on the door, then threw it open.

A uniformed officer spoke in a rush to the detective, who sat up with an even more pronounced frown and replied.

“What? What are they saying?” Adam asked.

WEDNESDAY. LOWER PAREL, Mumbai, India.

Heidi wanted to die. Or at least she smelled like she wanted to.

Her jaw hurt from her chattering teeth and she was pretty damn sure she’d cuddled with a couple rats during the few hours when she’d gone in and out of consciousness. Now, her mouth was dry, she was coated in a film of sweat and dirt, she had to pee, and no one had yet to find her.

The driving question haunting her was still, what had she been injected with? And what had Léo dosed her with?

Regardless if she was contagious, she needed to get to a hospital then find the others.

Heidi pushed her cardboard door aside and crawled out of her hidey hole. She dare not breathe for fear she’d smell herself.

A child squealed and several people spoke at once.

Heidi pushed to her feet and swayed, blinking back at the women and children gathered in what seemed to be a sort of courtyard between their homes.

“Sorry,” Heidi mumbled.

Last night it hadn’t registered that she was barefoot, but she felt it now. The soles of her feet were bruised and simply standing had pain shooting up her legs. Fear and fever had driven her on when she might have otherwise stopped.

One of the women stood and waved her hands at Heidi.

“I’m sorry, okay? Hospital? Police? Please?” She side stepped to the closest exit she could see.

The first woman was joined by another. Their tones did not sound friendly.

Heidi hobbled away from the women and down an alley, picking her way carefully over garbage and debris.

“Just keep going. One foot in front of the other,” she mumbled to herself.

Adam was hopefully out there somewhere, alive and okay. With any luck, she’d be able to find him again. Léo was still here, and for some reason he wanted her. Heidi couldn’t figure that one out.

She stepped from between two buildings onto a sidewalk. Cars went by at a steady rate, the morning rush in full swing. She stared at the people, feeling the language barrier like a physical wall.

Heidi needed help. Where should she go?

The surrounding buildings were a mix of sparkling new and dilapidated. It made her think of the areas she’d seen gentrified over the years.

She waited for a break in the foot traffic then eased onto the sidewalk. She kept one hand on the building next to her for support and pressed on. It was slow going, but she made it to the first open shop.

“Excuse me?” Heidi gripped the doorway but remained on the sidewalk.

The man behind the counter stared at her. It probably wasn’t every day he saw a disheveled American woman wandering the streets.

“Hospital?” Heidi needed to sit down before she fell. “I need to go to a hospital.”

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

Oh, that was a bad idea...

WEDNESDAY. PAREL HOSPITAL, Mumbai, India.

Adam’s stomach sank as they approached the Parel Hospital. He hoped the inside of the building didn’t match the outside. It was obvious the structure had been around for a while. The others stayed close on his heels. For now, both Cindy and John were keeping their mouths shut. Adam didn’t give two fucks whether they got home or not.

Besides, they didn’t know how much longer they had before the Indian government booted them home. It was clear the local health officials didn’t want the responsibility of bringing an international health crisis to heel.

Adam entered the Parel Hospital through what he assumed was the emergency department. A sleek brushed steel reception desk greeted them along with two people manning the area. He walked up to the closest one and prayed the man understood English.

“I’m looking for Heidi Novak,” he said slowly, doing his best to keep the tension locked down tight.

The man blinked at him.

“Heidi Novak?” He took the pen for the log in sheet and scrawled the name.

The man tapped the words then nodded. He spoke to the woman working the other side of the desk.

“She is here,” the woman said.

“Great.” Adam flattened his hand to his chest. “I’m her husband.”

“Adam?” The woman pointed at him.

“Yes.” God, he could almost cry. He was so damn glad she was here and safe.

“One can go back to see her.”

“Me. That’s me.” He patted his chest, blinking rapidly. He’d been so damn worried. Worse than when they’d been at that warehouse in Peru, because now he knew the real danger.

Adam strode toward the door. By the time he reached it, the woman was there with a keycard. She swiped it and led him into the emergency room proper, then pulled the curtain back on the third bay on the left.

Heidi lay on the bed, eyes closed, a mask over her face, and a bag of fluid attached to her arm.

“Heidi?” Adam blew out a breath and took a step forward. He’d hoped, but he hadn’t let himself believe the report of an American woman showing up at a hospital in Patel.

Heidi’s eyes opened, and she blinked at him, her gaze not quite focused. It seemed to take her a moment to truly register him.

“Adam?” She sat up slowly, her face creasing in pain.

“Lay down. Take it easy.” He took another step and grasped her hand with his. “Easy.”

He had so many questions, but for right now, he’d comfort himself with the knowledge that she was alive. Everything else could be sorted out in time. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. She turned toward him, dragging his hand up to her face. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and a tear leaked out.

“Hey, now. Hey? Why are you crying?” And how could he make her stop?

“I thought... When you drove off and they were shooting, I was scared...”

Fuck.

She’d been there.

It’d all happened so fast. He hadn’t considered the fact that Heidi might have been with those people and not somewhere else.

“We’re okay. All of us. Even you. You’re okay, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah.” She nodded at the pole. “Dehydrated mostly.”

“What happened? What do you remember?”

“Not a lot. It’s pretty fuzzy.” She laced her fingers through his. “Based on what Léo said, they injected me with something yesterday to make me easier to kidnap. I never realized that they wanted me. I thought... This whole time I thought they were going to get rid of me because I’d figured out what they were doing.”

They were after Heidi?

That was unwelcome news. He liked the state of things when they assumed her original kidnapping was all about wrong place, wrong time. If the India lab was connected to the events surrounding Heidi, maybe she was a target because of her skill set?

“How are you guys?” she asked.

“Good. Everyone’s safe. And we found their lab outside of Mumbai, or at least where it used to be. We found Larayna. She’s alive.”

“Really?”

“She’s sick. Bad sick. From what the people with her said, there was an outbreak and a lot of people died.” That theory sure as hell changed things in a way Adam didn’t like. “Do you remember leaving the house?”

“Sort of?” She shook her head. “I was in my room. I couldn’t stand. I was dizzy. And then there was this shadow. A person, and they picked me up and...I must have blacked out?”

“I’ve got something that might make you feel better.” He dug in his pocket for the tiny, crumpled box of lemon drops.

Heidi chuckled and took the package. A tear rolled down her cheek, but she smiled and popped one of the candies in her mouth.

“What happened? What did the others say?” she asked.

“John said they came through his window, too.” Why would they then go through the hall to get to Cindy? That didn’t make as much sense.

“I must have been out for a while. I remember waking up in a car with Léo and someone else. He gave me something, and that’s when he told me they’d done this to me.” Heidi shuddered and clutched his hand tighter.

“It’s okay.”

“Then we were on that street and they were lined up waiting.”

“They knew where we were going. Do you remember anything? Any foggy memories?”

“Sort of. It was when Léo injected me. I was more aware. He told the driver to turn around.”

One of the other two clients was the mole.

They’d packed the enemy right along with them, giving them a play-by-play of what to do to remain ahead of his team.

“Adam? What is it?”

“Nothing.” He kissed her knuckles. “Where did you go to after the car?”

“I ran. I wasn’t—I was still out of it. I wound up hiding in someone’s backyard I think. This morning I found a shop, and they called an ambulance for me.”

“I was worried.” He bent his head and closed his eyes.

The last few hours had been hell. Possibly the worst of his life. But he had Heidi back. That much mattered.

“You aren’t telling me something,” Heidi said.

“Don’t worry about it. Just focus on getting better.” He kissed her hand.

“Adam, don’t do that. I need to know.”

He sighed and closed his eyes. Sooner or later, she’d find out.

“Someone had to get close enough to inject you with whatever it was that made you sick. Someone told Léo where we were going last night. That someone had to be pretty damn close to us.” He lifted his head and stared at Heidi.

“You think it’s Cindy or John.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe that.”

“The worst part is that we had some words earlier. They think we should consider that you could be the mole. That didn’t go over well and they are both on military transport back to the States as we speak.” They’d let their best lead walk out with a military escort because they only had a hunch.

Someone tapped on the wall.

Adam glanced over his shoulder. A doctor in a white coat followed by a nurse entered.

“Hallo.” The doctor offered a pleasant smile to Adam then Heidi. “Who is this?”

“Doctor Khatri, this is my husband.” Heidi patted their joined hands. “Adam.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Doctor Khatri smiled. His thick accent was easier to understand due to his slow pace of speech.

“What’s the verdict? Am I dying?” Heidi asked.

Adam glared at her, which earned him a chuckle. He didn’t appreciate the morbid sense of humor after the night they’d had.

“Besides the dehydration, bruising and cuts on your feet, you’re a very tired girl. Your white blood cell count is high, but as you said—that could be due to whatever you were given. Without more testing and observation, it’s hard to tell.” The doctor shrugged.

“I’m not contagious?” Heidi asked.

“No, ma’am.”

“Is she free to go then? Or do you need to keep her?” Adam was anxious to get her under military protection that waited outside.

“She’s going to need a lot of rest and fluids, but if she promises to stay off her feet for a few days, I see no reason to keep her.”

The doctor and Heidi bantered a bit, talking shop that went over his head, while he signed her discharge papers. Given what she’d said, the sooner they passed along her account of the night the better. Military Police could be waiting when the plane landed to take both Cindy and John into custody. It wouldn’t make Heidi completely safe, but it was a start. They were finally getting a leg up on Léo and whoever else he was working with.

The nurse brought them a wheelchair. Before Heidi could pretend she was shifting from the bed to the chair, he picked her up and seriously considered just carrying her out to the van like this. He felt better about everything when he could touch her. Hold onto her.

“Is this really necessary?” Heidi turned her nose up, but it was an act. Her arm was tight around his shoulders, and she knew he wouldn’t drop her.

“Humor me?”

He set her in the chair then knelt to get a look at her feet.

What he could see was black and blue between the bandages. He hated to think about what she might have come into contact with running around without shoes. He’d make sure to strong arm her into seeing a doctor in another week, or he’d drag her to one.

“What have I missed? Is anyone hurt?” she asked as he wheeled her toward the doors.

“No one was hurt, but it was close. The Indian government isn’t too fond of us right now. They’ve handed us over to the US Air Force based out of Mumbai until they can fly us home tomorrow.”

“Are we in trouble?”

“Not yet. So far, it’s for our own protection.” He could see that changing with the wind if things didn’t go well.

HEIDI LEANED AGAINST Adam’s shoulder as the bus wound through the busy Mumbai streets. She didn’t care where they were going, just that she was with Adam. She closed her eyes and prayed the bits she remembered from the other night were just a bad dream. She didn’t remember that period well, but what she did remember was horrible. The things she’d said to him?

She was willing to swallow down a lot of her hurt feelings for a real chance together. It was something she’d accepted after their plane ride to Mumbai. Her heart belonged to Adam. Pretending that she had a choice in the matter was like asking the sky to stop being blue. Some people got to walk away. She’d tried that and been miserable.

“She asleep?”

“No, she’s not.” Heidi sat up and blinked at Kyle.

“I was hoping we could have a moment to chat when we get to Cotton Green.” Kyle glanced over his shoulder at the duo at the front of the van.

“We’ve got a lot to discuss,” Adam said.

“Where are we going? Cotton Green?” Heidi hadn’t the foggiest idea what that meant.

“Since the US signed an agreement with India, our military is allowed to use their bases. The American Air Force is doing a series of training exercises out of Mumbai. Lucky us.” Judging by Kyle’s grimace they could have had better luck.

Heidi swallowed. She knew Adam was talking about the team, John and Cindy, and what came next. She couldn’t help but feel he was also talking about them.

She’d held onto a lot of hurt over the years and let fear hem her into her box. Despite her in-laws giving her subtle updates over the years about Adam, she’d refused to go anywhere near him. She’d taken jobs that put her across the world from him in an effort to run from the way he made her feel, but she kept coming back to him. To this.

They weren’t perfect. Far from it. But they deserved a chance. Didn’t they? Could Adam give her that?

Their military transport arrived at a small air base on the south side of Mumbai in less time than Heidi would have thought possible. In lieu of an available wheelchair, Adam scooped her out of the van and carried her tucked against his chest into the barracks. Their escort showed Adam and her to a private room down an adjacent hallway.

Their accommodations might not be the most luxurious, but it wasn’t the first time Heidi had shacked up in barracks. She’d had several unglamorous stints doing work in hot zones.

Adam set her on the bed and guided her to stretch out her legs, keeping her feet off the ground.

“Want anything? Water? Food? Sleep?” He knelt next to the narrow bed, his entire focus on her.

She took his hand between hers and ran her fingers over his knuckles. There were tiny scars dotting his skin, yet more memories she wasn’t part of. All this time, she’d thought she’d made the right decision. That the more distance between them the better.

She’d been wrong. Oh, so wrong.

“Knock. Knock.” Kyle tapped on the door.

Adam turned toward the guys filing into the little room.

Heidi wasn’t sure if she was glad for the respite or if she wanted to have the necessary chat with Adam out of the way. But what if it didn’t go well? She might want to hang onto these moments a bit longer.

“I know you’re pretty tired, Heidi, but you think we can all get on the same page?” Kyle glanced from her to Adam.

“Yes. Of course.”

In the end, Adam took over relating most of what they’d talked about at the hospital to the others, focusing primarily on their assumption that it was either Cindy or John working for Léo. Heidi still found it hard to wrap her head around the idea that anyone at the CDC could do something like this. Their focus was on helping people live healthier, longer lives. Not killing.

Heidi leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling, tuning out the guy’s voices.

Had she ever suspected them?

Cindy could be a bitch. She wasn’t Heidi’s favorite person by far, but she was a hard working, meticulous person. She got results no one could argue with.

John was one of the sweetest, kindest people Heidi had ever met. Even his ex-wives were still friendly with him. It seemed absurd that he could be involved.

Cindy had managerial oversight. She could easily have altered reports. She had that kind of access, but there was no way she could have obtained the samples used to create the outbreaks they’d seen. John, on the other hand, could get to those samples. He didn’t have the same kind of clearance for records as Cindy though, which come to think about was strange. He was one of the more senior people in his lab and yet he wasn’t in a management role. That was odd.

“You’ve got that thinking face on.” Adam squeezed her hand. He’d shifted to sit on the bed when the others entered. “What aren’t you sharing with the rest of us?”

Heidi blinked from person to person.

“Just...running through if I ever suspected Cindy or John.”

“What do you think about that?” Kyle asked.

“It’s just... Cindy? We aren’t each other’s biggest fan, but she’s good at her job. She’s dedicated. John? Everyone likes him. He’s the sweetest guy. I’m not arguing about the idea that one of them is involved, but I don’t know which one.”

“Shit.” Kyle stared at his phone. “I need to take this. Excuse me.”

He ducked out, and they all continued to watch.

“That’s the second call from the hospital today,” Riley said softly.

“His dad?” Grant asked.

“I’m guessing.”

“What’s wrong with Kyle’s dad?” Heidi asked.

“He’s got terminal lung cancer,” Adam said.

“Is that what it is?” Grant asked.

“Yup.”

“Shit.” Grant blew out a breath. “Well, I don’t think it’s our job to fix this situation. We’ve gathered a lot of evidence. It’s time for the CDC and probably the Justice Department to handle what comes next. We just need to get Heidi home.”

“It’s noon.” Riley slid his phone into his pocket. “They said our gear would be available then.”

“You want a change of clothes? Something to eat?” Adam asked.

“All of the above?”

“You got it. Hang tight. I’ll be back.”