Page 21 of The Fixer
Jake didn’t answer, his focus already on the door. He moved silently, his steps purposeful, every sense on high alert. As heapproached the front door, the sound came again, this time more distinct—a deliberate movement.
Someone was trying to break in.
Jake pressed his back against the wall beside the door, his grip tightening on his Glock. He caught Lyndsey’s eye as she came into the room and motioned for her to get down. signaling to her to stay low. She nodded, kneeling on her hands and knees and moving to his side. Her fear was evident, but she didn’t panic. He was beginning to expect that from her.
The door handle turned slowly, almost mockingly. Jake’s muscles coiled as he prepared to strike. The door opened a crack, and then a shadow slipped inside. Jake didn’t hesitate. He surged forward, grabbing the intruder by the arm and slamming them against the wall with a thud.
“Who sent you?” Jake growled, his Glock pressed up underneath the figure’s jaw.
The intruder let out a low laugh, the sound deep and rich. “Nice to see you too, Jake.”
Jake blinked, his grip loosening slightly. “Reyna?”
The figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing a tall, athletic woman with short, spiky blonde hair and sharp, mischievous features. She raised an eyebrow, a grin playing on her lips. “Didn’t think I’d drop by unannounced?”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jake demanded, lowering his weapon but not relaxing entirely.
“King sent me,” Reyna Marx replied, brushing herself off as if Jake hadn’t just pinned her to the wall with a gun aimed to kill. “Figured you could use some backup.”
“You thought breaking in was the best way to announce yourself?” Jake snapped, his frustration clear.
Reyna shrugged, her grin widening. “Wanted to see if you were as sharp as they say. You passed—barely.”
Behind them, Lyndsey cautiously entered the main room, her arms crossed. “This is backup?” she asked, her tone laced with disbelief.
Reyna turned to Lyndsey, her expression softening only slightly as she took in Lyndsey’s disheveled appearance and oversized T-shirt. “Dr. Marrin, I presume. You’re taller than I expected.”
“And you’re more... invasive than I expected,” Lyndsey shot back, her voice steady despite the situation.
Reyna chuckled, clearly amused. “I like her,” she said, glancing at Jake. “She’s got bite.”
Jake ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “Reyna, we don’t have time for games. What’s the real reason you’re here?”
The humor faded from Reyna’s face, replaced by the seriousness Jake recognized from years of working with her. “Cerberus intercepted some chatter. Lang’s people know you went back to the lab, and they’re tightening the net. King thought I’d be useful on the ground.”
“Useful,” Jake muttered, shaking his head. “You nearly got yourself shot.”
“Not my first rodeo,” Reyna said breezily, then her tone dropped. “Look, Jake, Lang’s more involved than we thought. He’s got resources everywhere, and this is bigger than just your nanotech, Doc.” She glanced at Lyndsey. “We’re talking full-scale operation—money, power, control. You’re smack in the middle of it.”
Lyndsey swallowed hard, her composure slipping. Jake stepped closer to her, his presence steadying. “We’ll handle it,” he said firmly.
Reyna raised an eyebrow. “Big words, Jake. But we’re running out of time.”
Jake ignored her, his focus on Lyndsey. “You okay?”
Lyndsey nodded, though her eyes betrayed her fear. “As okay as I can be when someone’s trying to kill me and use my research to harm people.”
Jake’s jaw tightened. He turned back to Reyna. “Fine. You’re in. But we do this my way.”
Reyna dropped into a chair, looking far too relaxed for Jake’s liking. He glanced back at Lyndsey.
“You’re the boss,” Reyna said, grinning and saluting mockingly.
The danger wasn’t just escalating—it was closing in, fast. But in the back of his mind, a chilling realization surfaced: the enemy wasn’t just out there—it could be closer than either of them realized.
CHAPTER EIGHT
LYNDSEY