Siren in the Wind Book One of the MIT Series

Chapter Twenty-One

"I don't give a shit. If you were carrying a weapon, I would've broken your twiggy arm in a heartbeat." He clicked his fingers.

Damn, he was pretty scary when he was mad; she'd literally almost peed herself. He'd do nicely as her right-hand man.

The setting sun bathed the quiet industrial park in golden light. Sunday evening meant the place was deserted. Slater chose a business under construction, just a shell of a building which hadn't yet had electronic gates installed. There were two exits, one at the front and one around the rear for deliveries. Slater parked around the side of the building near concrete stairs that accessed a side entrance, and Max ordered Abby to sit on them.

Slater remained in the car with the engine running while Max and Johnny took charge of the interrogation.

The industrial park sat on a hill, and the setting sun silhouetted the two men. Both men striking in their own way, John, a colossal mass of muscle and Max, all sinewy strength vibrating with silent energy. His keen eyes seemed calm, but Abby knew better.

Max rubbed a hand over his mouth before folding his arms. A quick scan of the perimeter and he then focused all his attention on her. "Your five minutes has already begun."

She wouldn't rush, this was too important. Bowing her head, she expected Max to push, but instead he waited. John turned his back and kept watch. A small stone bit through the coolness of the concrete and she flicked it out from underneath her awkward seat.

"I told the truth about that night."

"Did you?" Max sneered.

"I never lied about anything, but I left one important thing out. Where do I begin?" Abby rubbed her eyes.

"At the part where you do a good job of convincing us that you're not a traitor to your country." Max looked skeptical.

***

"I left out some details of the physical damage done to me that night and the challenges I'd face."

He'd thought long and hard about that; it was a miracle that she could function at all, yet here she was holding down a job and trying to live a healthy life. Brave. At least that's what he'd thought until she snuck a phone call on a damn burner...

"The clinic in Dubai took evidence photos, did a rape kit, started me on antivirals and gave me the morning-after pill."

Max's stomach always churned with anger when he saw what men on this earth were capable of. He'd come across many atrocities on women during his SF days. Villages raped and pillaged, women mutilated and left to die. They'd rescued girls along the way, but the dead look in their eyes would haunt Max for the rest of his days.

She forged on in a robotic voice. "A security officer stayed by my side the whole time. She held my hand and told me everything would be okay. Her name was Noleen; she was a trained bodyguard assigned to protect any South African dignitaries visiting the UAE. She volunteered to accompany me on the flight to Johannesburg. Noleen and I just clicked, we had this intense connection. She felt like the sister I never had, and I told her things I never told anyone. About that night. About my childhood."

She swallowed back tears. "Noleen listened and made it her priority to protect me."

Max didn't know where this was leading and kept silent. She seemed so lost sitting on the stairs in her pretty dress as the sharp wind blew up wisps of hair. He fought the outrageous urge to sit down next to her and drag those silken tresses off her face. As if hearing him, her hand came up and swiped at the loose strands, tucking them behind a delicate ear.