Praise for the Deadly Ops series:Sexy military romantic suspense.USA TodayReus strikes just the right balance of steamy sexual tension and nail-biting action.Publishers WeeklyRomantic and suspenseful, a fast-paced sexy book full of high stakes action.Heroes and HeartbreakersAbout the AuthorKatie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Deadly Ops novels, which include Shattered Duty, Targeted, and Bound to Danger, as well as the novella Chasing Danger, and the Moon Shifter novels. She has a degree in psychology and lives in Mississippi, with her husband, who was a Marine scout/sniper and currently works as a police officer and SWAT team sniper.Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.PraiseAlso by Katie ReusTitle PageCopyrightDedicationChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22EpilogueAcknowledgmentsExcerpt from A Covert AffairChapter 1Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV): aka drone, an aircraft without a human pilot physically aboard. Controlled by computers or a pilot at another location.Rayford Osborn strode down the brick sidewalk of the quiet Georgetown neighborhood, trying to keep his walk natural. Not easy when a wild energy hummed through him. It was a little after ten and this area of the city was relatively quiet. As a sedan drove by, he automatically pulled his hoodie down a fraction to hide his face. A fucking hoodie.His chosen adolescent attire grated against everything in him, but it was necessary for tonights meeting. Things were about to change; he felt it deep in his bones. His country needed to be on a different path, and if that happened to make him richer, he wasnt going to complain. People who thought money was the root of all evil were fools. He and his wife did well for themselves, but more was always better. More money meant more power. And power was everything.As the car continued past him without slowing a fraction, he let out a breath he wasnt aware hed been holding. This cloak-and-dagger business wasnt for him. Since college and beyond hed been so careful about his image, both in public and in private. No affairs, no drinking to excess, no drugsnothing that could come back to bite him in the ass later on. So many of his peers had screwed that up in college, but not him.Now what he was doing could get him sent to jail for the rest of his life, or more likely tried for treason and given the death penalty. Only if he and his like-minded allies got caught, of course.Which they wouldnt. They were too good and had been flying under everyones radar for too long. And now the time for talk was over. It was time to strike.When he reached his destination, a high-priced townhomethey all were in Georgetownthe front door opened before hed ascended the short set of stone stairs.Thad Hillenbrand stood in the doorway, his icy blue eyes glinting as he frowned at him. Youre late, he growled as Rayford moved past him into the dimly lit foyer. Everyone else is here.Rayford shoved his hoodie back and loosened his plain black scarf from around his neck. I walked from the Metro.Hillenbrands shoulders relaxed at that. Which station?Dupont Circle. And before you ask, I was careful of the cameras. The truth was, it was impossible to stay off all the CCTVs, but there was no connection between him and Hillenbrand. At least not an electronic or physical one. And Rayford already had a reason for being in the Georgetown area tonight if he was ever questioned. Once hed left the Metro station, avoiding cameras had been a piece of cake. Im the last one here? he asked, even though Hillenbrand had just stated he was.The older man nodded once then gave a sharp jerk of his head that Rayford should follow. Hed only been in the townhome once before, for a covert meeting just like this one. He knew that Hillenbrand used the exclusive property to bring escorts to. It was the mans one vice and something Rayford had thought he could use against him at one point.But Hillenbrand wasnt in politicsnot directlyand made enough money on his own that he didnt need his wealthy wifes money if she decided to leave him. Not to mention the man treated his whores well so Rayford couldnt even blackmail him on allegations of abuse. It appeared he only brought his women here because it was convenient. Plus, his wife was cheating on him too, so she likely knew of his affairs.Rayford might work with the man because they shared common goals, but he didnt like being involved with someone he had no dirt on. In his world, having leverage was king.They only walked a few feet, bypassing the stairs, Hillenbrand instead opening the door that led to the basement.Rayford went first on Hillenbrands insistence. The man didnt like to have anyone at his back, and Rayford knew it was more or less a power play. But he didnt care. If things went well, soon hed be the top aide to the most powerful man in the country.A low hum of voices grew louder as he turned the corner at the end of the stairs and walked down the last three steps. Eight men in all were there, ten total including him and Hillenbrand. There was only one man Rayford didnt recognize. Something about the guys face tickled his memory bank, but he couldnt place it. Blond hair, in shape, an almost forgettable appearance, but he knew hed seen the man somewhere before.Soon hed find out, but he didnt bother asking Hillenbrand. The man was more cautious than any of them, and he wouldnt have allowed someone to come to this meeting he wasnt one hundred percent sure of.We need to fight a war we can win, Wagner, one of the men, said, stating something everyone in this room believed in. Mainly because he liked to hear his own voice.So many of these men did. It annoyed Rayford, but he was used to the type. Hell, he worked for one. Men who couldnt stand not to be the center of attention. Rayford had no problem living in the background.But is this the way? Padilla, a dark-haired man in his late forties, rubbed a hand down his face, his tension clear.If you have doubts, youre free to leave, Hillenbrand said, his edgy tone making the room go silent.Because everyone knew his words were a lie. Padilla could leave if he wanted, but if he did hed be dead within twenty-four hours, likely less. They all knew what theyd signed up for when they began their cause, when Hillenbrand contacted them and brought them together. They all knew what was at stake and what the cost for backing out would be. It was like the mob. The only way out was in a body bag.Padilla straightened against the brown Chesterfield where he sat next to Wagner, his gaze narrowing on Hillenbrand. I dont have doubts, but I do have an opinion, which Im free to voice, yes?Coming to stand next to Rayford, Hillenbrand crossed his arms over his chest as he faced down Padilla. Were all welcome to our opinions, but in the end we know what has to be done, so these discussions are pointless and tiring. The current administration needs to be proven inept beyond a shadow of a doubt. We must pave the way for a new leader for the next election. Once we have our chosen man inside, well be even closer to our end goal. And well all be richer in the end.There was a low murmur of agreement throughout the room. Rayford inwardly groaned. Just like the others in the room, Hillenbrand liked to speak simply to hear his own voice. Rayford hoped the man wasnt going to get long-winded on them now. Hed managed to break away from dinner at his wifes parents house stating a work emergency, but he didnt have time to waste.The time for talking is over. Nows the time for action. Striding to the minibar, Hillenbrand picked up a small black remote. If you will all direct your attention to the screen, he said, motioning toward the mini movie theater screen that took up one of the walls.Hillenbrand used this as an entertainment room and occasionally let his college-aged boys use the place too. But he knew they werent going to be watching a movie in it.About a month ago a U.S.owned drone was stolen from a military base, Hillenbrand continued.It wasnt public knowledge, but Rayford knew of the incident. His own boss was sitting on the information, waiting on the right time to release it for the best of their political gain.Now you all are going to see why. As Hillenbrand pressed a button on the remote, the lights in the room dimmed and a feed popped up on-screen that looked like an eagle eye from a plane.Is this live? Rayford asked quietly, realizing it was a view from the drone.Hillenbrand gave him a hard look and nodded before focusing on the screen once again. Unfortunately I dont have audio, but we dont need it.Though it was dark, the dash was clear enough with the night-vision capabilities. Not that it mattered because if this was a view from the drone, it would be controlled remotely and no one would actually be in the aerial device. Which raised the questionwho was controlling it? This was the first Hillenbrand had told any of them about this.Go ahead, Hillenbrand murmured quietly, and Rayford realized he must have a small earpiece in.Annoyance hummed through him at being left in the dark about who this other contact was, but he kept his emotions in check.A long moment later a bright burst of light illuminated the screen, quickly followed by another. Those were missiles. Who was the target? This was a very dangerous weapon and he wasnt sure Hillenbrand was the right man to be in control of it. Rayfords anger and annoyance intensified as he watched a bright orange ball of flame light up the darker screen as the missiles detonated their target. The feed was in black and white, but the infrared showed the heat signature clearly, so he knew it was fire.Before he could say anything, the ground shook just the slightest bit and his stomach lurched. Hillenbrand had attacked somewhere in Washington, D.C.The screen went blank and the lights brightened as Hillenbrand smiled broadly. Hed just ordered the killing of Americans here in the capital and didnt give a damn. Theres no going back now for any of us. That was just the beginning. Unfortunately well have some hard choices to make in the coming weeks, but I have no doubt were all up to the job. And I know youre wondering who the target was. The Nelson fund-raiser was just hit, eliminating our only real competition for the upcoming primaries.Rayfords mouth filled with cotton as he struggled to find his voice. Theyd been talking and planning for so long, but hed never imagined Hillenbrand would go after someone in their own political party. And never like this. He understood it, the need to eliminate everyone who posed a threat to the candidate they needed in office if change was ever going to take place, but... it seemed so violent. So unforgiveable.Luckily he didnt have to talk because the room erupted in voices, everyone talking over one another. Some were excited; others were angry hed made the decision without asking any of them. Now they were all trapped. No matter what happened, theyd all been part of this. Avoiding Hillenbrands gaze, he made his way to the minibar and poured himself a scotch, his hand trembling ever so slightly. As he did, he realized where hed seen the only man in the room he hadnt recognized when hed entered. On the news.The man worked for the DEA. Which meant Hillenbrand had brought him in because of who he worked for. Unless Hillenbrand had no idea who he was. If that was the case, they were going to have more blood on their hands because they couldnt allow anyone outside this room to know what theyd done.Chapter 2Wet work: expression for murdering or assassinating someone (wet alluding to the spilling of blood).One week laterTucker Pankov ran a hand over his buzz cut, the dampness from his shower already drying. Hed be glad to grow his hair out again and spend at least a week at his place in solitude. He lived in a three-bedroom home in the Virginia countryside. Hed chosen to have acres and acres of space between him and his neighbors over a larger house in a suburb. He was rarely here and when he did get downtime, he craved the quiet.For his last undercover job, as a psychopathic thug, hed shaved his head, making himself look more the part of drug-peddling scum. Hed kept his same alias from the job hed worked before that one with a true psychopath, Tasev, and it was a relief to shed that persona.It was also a fucking relief that bastard was dead, even if the DEA hadnt been the ones to officially bring him down. He was still surprised that his boss, Deputy Director Max Southers, hadnt been upset when the NSA brought down Tasev and his entire operation instead of his elite undercover DEA team, but in the end, Tucker didnt care whod done it. He didnt care about the accolades, just the result.As he stepped into his bedroom, he turned on the television. Headlines from last weeks attack on a political fund-raiser dominated everything.Tucker should probably have been surprised by the attack, but little could shock him anymore. The drone that had carried out the attack should never have been stolen in the first place. Heads were already rolling over that oversight in security, and while he cared about the massive loss of life, it had nothing to do with the DEA. At least not at the moment.On the screen, Clarence Cochran, a politician whod just announced his intention to seek the next presidential nomination for his party, was talking about the avoidable loss of life of a man who would have been running against him. Acting as if he cared.Tucker rolled his eyes. For the most part politicians in Washington only cared about themselves. He actually belonged to the same political party as Cochran, but the guy was too much of an extremist. That was dangerous no matter what side of the political aisle a man stood on. For the next election hed be voting against the party line if that moron made a play for the presidency. Tucker was reaching for the remote to turn it off when a breaking report flashed on the screen.Max Southers, Deputy Director of the Drug Enforcement Administration, murdered in violent carjacking.He blinked, ice invading his veins as he stared numbly at the screen, before he turned up the volume. Max was dead? No fucking way. Hed just talked to him a couple of hours ago. Someone would have alerted him.You need a break, son, and Im ordering it. Take a week off and just relax. The corners of Maxs dark blue eyes had crinkled in concern as he watched Tucker from across his desk.Max called everyone in their team son. It should have annoyed Tucker, since he had a father, but he loved the man. They all did. Theyd all spent countless dinners at the mans house during their off time. Swallowing hard, he sat on the edge of his bed and listened as a somber-looking reporter talked about Maxs murder, basically saying nothing at all. The police had no leads. They didnt know if this was random or related to one of his cases.Fuck.Standing, he grabbed his phone from his nightstand. He needed to call the rest of the team and Mary, Maxs wife. Hell, he needed to verify that this was even true. If theyd reported this without telling her first... hell no. He immediately rejected that. The DEA wouldnt have allowed that to happen. Unless the local PD had fucked it up and thered been a leak. Because why had no one called the team first?As he started to call Cole, his phone buzzed, his teammates name appearing on-screen. Still numb, he answered, You see the news?Yeah. Coles voice was grim. Anyone contact you about it first?No.I tried Mary and shes not answering.Tuckers throat tightened as he stared blindly at the muted television. You believe hes dead?I... dont know. I cant imagine them running with the story unless they were positive.Ill call in a bit. Well take care of her if it is. Mary and Max had been together thirty years. Shed been with Max since his Navy days, enduring long deployments and raising their two kids basically by herself for months on end. Max had been ready to retire in the next two years, to travel with his wife the way he deserved. Tuckers free hand curled into a fist. And were going to find out whoever did this.Fuck yeah. Coles voice was raspy, the edge in the normally laid-back mans voice razor-sharp. What the... are you watching the news still?Yeah, hold on. He unmuted it, frowning as he listened to the reporters words. Neither he nor Cole spoke for the next few minutes as he digested everything the man on the news was saying. The news station had received an anonymous tip that a Shia terrorist group was responsible for the murder of Max, that it wasnt a carjacking at all.What. The. Hell.It doesnt seem possible, Tucker muttered. Have you heard from the Leopard recently? Leopard was their code word for Ali Nazari, an agent they had embedded in a high-profile Shia terrorist organization. Almost no one knew of his undercover rolejust Max, Tucker, Cole, and two other teammates. It was too dangerous otherwise.No. We need to make sure the Leopards filesMax had a fail-safe in place in case something happened to him. Ill tell you about it, but not now. Never over the phone, even if their cells were encrypted. Hed drawn in a breath to continue when the power suddenly went off, his television and the steady hum of his heater going silent. Dawn was breaking, so he could see well enough without the lamp on his nightstand, but he didnt often lose power and there wasnt a storm raging. Maybe a breaker had flipped. Let me call you back in a sec.All right.As they disconnected, he pulled on a pair of jogging pants and grabbed his sidearm from his nightstand. Even though he knew it was loaded, he checked the magazine out of habit. Full. Exiting his room, he moved on silent feet down the hallway that led to the living room and kitchen. As he made his way, he passed the keypad for his alarm system, and a shot of adrenaline punched through him.It was off.The system was wireless and not linked to his power system, and it never went off-line. Not even when he lost power. He traveled most of the year and wanted his house secure even when he was gone, which was why hed opted for this specific system. No way had it gone off without help. This was intentional.His heart rate kicked up a fraction. Ducking into the closest room, his office, he quickly swept it. Empty. He moved to the window and had started to pull back the curtains when he heard a creak.It was quiet, almost imperceptible, but he knew every sound his house made. It had been built in the forties and had real wood floors hed had refurbished. And Tucker knew exactly where that creak had come from. A board at the beginning of the hallway, right where the kitchen opened up. It had a very distinctive sound.Weapon in hand, he moved away from the window and crept to the doorway, giving himself enough room to have his pistol out and drawn without the worry of it being taken from him if someone attacked. If someone made a move, they wouldnt be able to make it to him before he fired a few rounds.Whoever was in his home had to know Tucker was aware of his presence. Or at least guess. The house was too silent. Which took away a little of his advantage.As he waited, everything around him sharpened, his senses going into straight battle mode. Someone could be here to rob him, but his gut told him otherwise.He lived far enough out that his place wasnt easy to find, and disabling his security system would have taken time and an expertise far beyond your average thief.Another creak. This one closer.Tucker tensed, his finger on the trigger. He wasnt just going to blindly shoot, but he was ready.Another creak. That one next to the guest bathroom door.Which meant the intruder would be in his path in three, two, one.Drop your weapon! Put your hands in the air! Tucker shouted as the hooded man came into view, his own weaponwith a fucking suppressordrawn. Now, or I drop you where you stand. His voice was quieter now, his intent clear in each word. All it would take was a bullet to the head.It was hard to read his facial expression because of the hood, but the man stood right around six feet, had a solid build. Wearing all black, including rubber-soled boots that made almost no sound, the intruder looked like a pro.The silenced weapon clattered to the floor, the sound overpronounced in the quiet of his home, before the man put his hands in the air. When he moved, Tucker could see the bulky outline of a vest. If he had to take a killing shot, it would be to the head.Kick it away.The man did as Tucker said.On your knees.Silently the man started to kneel down but at the last second leaped forward.Training kicked in automatically. Tucker fired, hitting the man in his calf as he tried to dive out of the way.The hooded man cried out as Tucker swept into the hallway, conscious of his six as he trained his weapon on the guy.Hed grabbed his fallen weapon.Shit.Tucker fired, two shots to the middle of the forehead. Normally hed take a center mass shot, but there was no point with the guy wearing a vest.The man stilled, dropping back with a thud as his weapon hand fell loudly against the wooden floor of the hallway. Tucker moved carefully, kicking it away before he checked the mans pulse and took off the hood. By the time hed pulled it off, there was a slight blue tinge around his eyes, nose, and mouth.Certain he was dead, Tucker checked his person for any identifiers and found none before he moved on to the rest of his house. Next he cleared his garage, then the shed. Before moving on he turned his power back on and reconnected the alarm. Resetting it so no one could infiltrate his house while he was gone, he swept his property. He found a four-door car with mud smeared on the license plate hidden off the side of the road about a mile away. Unfortunately there werent any identifying papers inside. He memorized the plate, then raced back to his place.Careful to avoid the blood pooling in the hallway, he grabbed his cell and found two missed calls. Both from Cole. As he pulled out his fingerprint kit, he called his friend back. He was going to call the police, but he was taking the guys prints first. It wasnt that he didnt trust the locals, but the DEA had more resources and this was clearly personal.Which meant the chances of this being linked to one of his cases was high. He had to know what and who he was dealing with, and hed get answers faster than the local PD.Someone just tried to kill me, Cole said by way of greeting. Cant identify him, but he was a professional.Well, hell. Me too. You called the cops yet?No. Someone also went after Brooks. This isnt fucking random, he snarled.Anyone contacted Kane? The last member of their elite group.Cant get ahold of him.Tucker reined in a curse. Get the prints of your guy. Then pack a bag. Can you dispose of the body?Yeah.Do it. Then we rendezvous at location bravo. Their team had five backup places to meet if the shit ever hit the fan. They were all random and none had ties to any of them. Tucker picked the second location because it was the first that popped into his mind.You sure no cops?You want to alert whoever sent these guys after us that they failed? Because the moment they did that, theyd become sitting targets. No, they needed to ghost out while whoever was gunning for them thought they were dead or about to be. Then theyd regroup and figure this thing out.I know. Just feels like were crossing a line.Tucker snorted. Hed cross whatever line necessary to keep his men alive. Bring all your weapons, ammo, passportsreal and aliasesany burner phones and all your electronics if youre sure theyre not traceable. We need to figure out whos after us.On it. Ill keep trying Kane.Me too. After they disconnected, Tucker packed everything he needed, then took care of the body and blood, storing the dead man in the trunk of the car hed abandoned on the side of the road. It wasnt the first time hed had to dispose of a body, not with the jobs hed been assigned to, but it was the first time hed removed one from his own home and wasnt telling anyone else about it. He cleaned up the blood the best he could, but if pros came in here with luminol theyd find the evidence.But if anyone else came out here looking for him, hed be long gone before they got here.He needed to stay alive. Because whoever had come after his men had made the biggest mistake of his life.Chapter 3Six: in military and law enforcement slang, six means back. Phrases like watch your six or Ive got your six mean to watch your back or Ive got your back. In warfare, your six is the most vulnerable position.I dont like this. Cole rubbed a hand over his newly cut blond hair. For the Tasev infiltration hed kept it shaggy, playing the part of a mindless soldier. Now he looked like his usual deadly self.What the fuck else are we gonna do? Kane demanded from the front passenger seat of the SUV he, Tucker, Cole, and Brooks were in.Tucker shifted against his seat in the back. He didnt like this plan any more than Cole, but they had to do something. Their places were all under surveillanceby whom, they hadnt figured out yetand they couldnt go into work because it was the first place their enemy would expect them. Plus, they didnt know if someone in the DEA had set them up. Their top-security clearances had been revoked in the system at work, which was a huge red flag. None of them could log in to anything past a basic level online. With such limited access, they were pretty much working blind. Could be a glitch, but likely not, since it had happened to all four of them.It wasnt as if a replacement had been named for Max yet, so they had no one to turn to. No one they trusted anyway. Because of their undercover jobs, they were insulated from the majority of the people in the office for their safety and everyone elses. In short, they were fucked right now with no way to know if theyd been set up or even if theyd be arrested if they attempted to head into the office. Its been two days since Max died, Tucker said quietly.And Ali guarantees its not the Shias, Brooks said from the front, never looking back at them as he surveyed the quiet park.It was before dawn and everything but the sidewalks was covered in a light dusting of snow. The street sweepers had been out about an hour ago to clear and salt everything. This was a well-used park in a nice part of Baltimore where crime was pretty much unheard-of.Until now.Burkharts not returning my e-mails. Tucker hated every bit of what they were about to do, but they needed an ally. Of course, what they were about to do was just as likely to make them enemies and put them on another hit list. They had nothing to lose at this point. This will get his attention.Cole snorted. And itll get us bullets in the head.Maybe. Tucker shook his head. Max trusted him. Hell, Burkhart was part of Alis fail-safe plan if the agent ever got hung out to dry or Max died during the middle of an op. He wasnt even with the DEA, but as the deputy director of the NSA and a lifelong friend of their former boss, Burkhart was a man Max had clearly thought had integrity.Tucker hoped he was right.Were running out of time and we need help. Kanes voice was determined, mirroring Tuckers feelings.I see a female runner, Brooks said from the front, his voice grim. Could be her.Its go time. Apparently, Cole tacked on, making his agitation clear.But in the end, they were a team and no matter what, theyd act as one cohesive unit. They trusted one another in the field and theyd support one another in this. Even though Cole was pissed, Tucker knew hed have his back no matter what.He just hoped this plan didnt turn around and blow their lives apart. Moving quietly with Cole, Tucker slid out of the vehicle and made his way to a cluster of trees that lined the park. He hated this plan, but forced his doubts away because he didnt see any other option. They had to do this.Karen Stafford loosened her scarf around her neck as her sneakers pounded against the pavement. Despite the chilly January weather, shed been jogging for thirty minutes and had started to sweat a while ago under all her layers.Inhaling the crisp air, she savored the quiet of the neighborhood as she made her way to her favorite park. This early she didnt run through the park, just around it where she was still visible along main roads. She also didnt run with an MP3 player because she liked the time to be alone with her own thoughts without any outside noise. She rarely got that with her high-pressure job at the NSA. Even if she didnt have the job she did, she still wouldnt run with noise pumping in her ears. She liked to be aware of her surroundings at all times.She carried bear spray with herbecause no mugger or would-be rapist was going to be able to withstand that kind of painand a switchblade. A gift from her brother, Clint, whod died in Afghanistan seven years ago. Whenever hed come home he always brought her gifts. Usually weapons because hed been determined that she be able to protect herself since he couldnt be here. As if he could have watched out for her twenty-four/seven if hed been here anyway, which was a ridiculous concept. But hed always been so protective. Hed been more like a parent to her than their own useless father had ever been. Even though she missed Clint every day, she knew she was lucky that shed had someone who cared about her, who would have done anything for her. Still, some days were harder than others and she wished she had someone in her life. Not just anyone, though, because shed never settle. Shed seen friends do that and it was depressing.Shaking those thoughts away, Karen increased her pace, enjoying the way her muscles burned and stretched. She ran every day no matter what. If it rained, she used the treadmill in her condos gym, but she much preferred being outdoors, even in the cold.When she came up to a four-way intersection, she slowed and jogged in place and looked both ways before crossing. There werent any cars or people out this morning, which was a little creepy. Feeling paranoid, she unhooked her bear spray from her hip holster and held it loosely in her hand. Her friends made fun of her for the precautions she took, but shed seen too much bloodshed in her job to take safety lightly.As she reached the sidewalk that stretched along the parks small strip of a dozen parking spots, she slowed. A dark SUV with tinted windows sat in one of the spots, the engine running. The exhaust from the tailpipe was visible, and in the quiet she could hear the distinct hum of the engine. Glancing around, she didnt see anyone else.Not caring if she was being paranoid, she slowed and turned back around to avoid going past the vehicle. Shed just take a different route today that didnt involve the park.At the sound of an engine revving, she glanced over her shoulder. The SUV was pulling out of the spot and heading in her direction. Her heart rate kicked up. She knew she was probably acting crazy but didnt care. Veering off the sidewalk, she raced through the park where vehicles couldnt go. As she cleared a cluster of trees without the sound of running feet coming after her, she let out a shaky breath and kept up her pace.Risking a glance over her shoulder, she nearly stumbled when she saw a man dressed in all black step out from the trees.That face.Holy shit. Recognition slammed into her with the intensity of a battering ram. Since he wore a scarf around his neck and a knit cap on his head, she couldnt spot one of the distinguishing features shed seen in the file she had on him. But she knew he had a jagged scar around his neck and tended to favor shaving his head.She knew it was him from his icy blue eyes.Grisha. A murdering psychopath.Fear took hold, its unforgiving grip squeezing around her chest like a vise, colder than the winter-morning air.Though she wanted to run, she stopped and spun around on the sidewalk, raising her bear spray with a steady hand. No one could withstand this if she shot it in their face, and she just wanted the chance to get away. She certainly wasnt going to take the guy on in hand-to-hand combat. Get back! she shouted, her finger steady on the trigger. She was glad she wasnt outwardly shaking. She needed to paint a picture of calm even if she was trembling inside.To her surprise, he held up his hands and almost looked apologetic as he watched her. I dont want to hurt you, Karen.Holy hell, he knew her name. So this definitely wasnt random. Because why would this guy be in Baltimore of all places, in the same park she ran by almost every day? Did he know who she worked for? God, he probably wanted to torture her for information. She wasnt going to stand around and ask him a bunch of questions. The facts that he knew her name and was a violent criminal were enough for her to run for her life.Whirling around, she raced down the sidewalk, her heart beating out of control, the sound of her blood rushing in her ears so loud she couldnt tell how close he was behind her.She wanted to pull out her phone, but shed strapped it around her ankle so it would be out of her way. She couldnt risk slowing down. If she could just get somewhere public, maybe she could flag someone for help.As she moved deeper into the park, she cursed herself for coming this way, but hed been blocking her exit. As she risked another glance over her shoulder, full-blown panic exploded inside her like fireworks. He was about twenty feet behind her and closing. He moved fast for such a big man, and she knew he wouldnt stop. The range on her spray was thirty feet, so she could take him. Shed only get one shot at this, so she had to do it right.His expression was grim and he said something to her, but she couldnt hear anything above the blood rushing in her ears.She could keep running, but he was going to reach her soon. And she knew without a doubt shed lose against him in any sort of physical altercation. Shed seen pictures of what hed done to someone whod crossed him. This might be her only chance to get away or at least get help. Drawing in a deep breath, she let out a bloodcurdling scream, hoping someone would hear her as she stopped and turned to spray him.Still screaming, she had started to press the trigger when a blur of motion out of the corner of her eye made her stumble backward.A man in similar attire burst from the trees lining the sidewalk. There were two of them!Pressing the trigger, she started spraying wildly as the newcomer tackled her. She flew back against the sidewalk, her head slamming against it as she lost her grip on the bear spray.Dont hurt her! Grisha shouted.But that couldnt be right. Unless he wanted to be the one to inflict pain. She tried to struggle, but the other man was on top of her and had her in a tight grip. She couldnt stop gasping, her chest terrifyingly tight. She couldnt breathe through the panic pressing in on her. Every horrible photo and crime scene shed ever seen at work crashed in on her at once. She didnt want to be a fucking statistic! She blinked as everything around her became fuzzy. Stay awake, she ordered herself as the edges of her vision started to fade.No, no, no. She couldnt be unconscious around these monsters. But she couldnt control her breathing. It was too fast, too panicked. Pins and needles erupted in her hands and feet. Her eyeballs felt as if they were bulging. The edges of her vision closed in. Her body refused to listen as darkness swept her under.Wesley glanced at Selene as they neared their destination. The private plane was about ten minutes from its final descent, and he hated that the reason they were returning was that one of his oldest, closest friends had been murdered.The whole situation didnt sit right with Wesley, and even though it wasnt the NSAs jurisdiction, hed be looking at all the files to make sure the investigation was handled properly. He owed Max that much. Hell, he owed the man his life.You all right? Selene asked softly from her seat next to the window. Her white blond hair was pulled back from the sharp planes of her face and braided tight against her head.As if she were his own daughter, the computer genius rarely missed anything when it came to him. She was one of the few people who could read his moods. He could have said he was fine, but there was no reason to lie to her and shed have known anyway. No.Well find out who killed him. Her expression turned fierce and determined.His throat tight, all he could do was nod and stare blindly at his open laptop. Wesley had called Mary Southers before boarding the plane in Berlin and shed sounded as if she was hanging in there. The woman was a rock, the type who could weather any storm. But losing Max... hell, it was just unfair.Which was a stupid thing to say considering the shit he saw day in and day out. Wesley knew how fragile life was, how bad things happened to good people all the damn time. For some reason hed just never thought hed lose his oldest friend.Max didnt even work in the field anymore. And that bullshit about a Shia terrorist group gunning for him was just thatbullshitso putrid it stank. It didnt even make sense with the intel theyd gathered so far. Not to mention that the news stations had received that tip way too fast. Faster than the DEA, NSA, or CIA had. And that simply didnt happen. The DEA had done damage control and was currently denying those allegations, but the charges were out there for the public to dissect and conspiracy theorists to latch onto.Now Wesley had to focus on the attack in the capital more than anything. Hed been in Germany working with their premier intelligence agency on something highly sensitive when a stolen, U.S.owned drone unleashed hell on a political fund-raiser.And no one could find the damn thing. Not even his best team of analysts. Whoever was manning it was good, because theyd covered their digital tracks well enough that they hadnt even left a bread-crumb trail.Pulling up his e-mail, Wesley started scanning the most important ones first, trying to sift his way through the mess of them. Karen often went through his messages and alerted him of priorities if he was off-line for a job, but this was his most private e-mail account. No one had access to it but him.When he saw one from an unknown address, he opened it and frowned. It was rare he got spam at this address.Remember the tip you got on Tasev in Miami? It was from me. I made the call from a pay phone on Bayside Drive and Im willing to bet you tried to track me even after Max told you the tip was anonymous. We need to talk about Maxs murder. Contact me at this number.Wesley quickly memorized the phone number. No name, but Wesley didnt need it.There was only one man who would know all those details. One of Maxs undercover agents. A man known only as Grisha, though Wesley knew it was just an alias. He actually had a file on the alleged criminal and all his supposed past exploits. Hed had Karen look into the man because hed wanted to team up with Max on another case. That wouldnt be happening now.Wesley checked the time stamp and cursed when he realized the message had been sent two damn days ago.He pulled out his sat phone and called the number. Then cursed again when it went to an automated voice mail simply saying to leave a message. He tried it again with the same results. He shot off an e-mail to Karen asking her to get a trace on the number, then finished dealing with more correspondence that couldnt wait. Nothing in his damn job could ever seem to wait.Whats that look? Selene asked after hed tried calling Grisha again.Remember the undercover agents from the Tasev case?Selenes pale blue eyes widened just the slightest fraction. Yeah.I think one of them contacted me. Wants to talk about Maxs murder.Thats interesting.He nodded. It was very interesting. The DEA and the local PD were handling the case, yet someone whod worked with Max wanted to talk to him, an outsider.And in his experience, that simply never happened.Chapter 4Legend: an agents alleged background and personal history, usually supported by documents and memorized details.Karen tried to steady her breathing and gain her bearings. It was difficult when she was hooded, but she knew she was sitting in the back of a vehiclenot the original SUV, because theyd switched vehicles in a parking garage, though shed feigned being passed outand there were four men in the rows in front of her. She knew how many there were because of their distinctive voices. Unfortunately they were all speaking Russian. She didnt speak it, but she understood a handful of words and phrases. Her hands were flex-cuffed in front of her, which was better than behind her but still sucked. She couldnt stop her heart from racing out of control or her bodys elevated temperature.She was so not prepared for something like this. Sure, shed taken some classesin a well-lit classroom with trained instructorsbut no in-the-field training for being kidnapped. She was just an analyst. She was good with computers and thinking outside the box, but she wasnt physically strong. Definitely not strong enough to fend off one of the men shed seen, let alone four. And her imagination was going insane, thinking of all the things these monsters planned to do to her. Rape or torture. Probably both. Worse, she knew that most people cracked under torture.One of the men she worked with, Ortiz, had told her just that during a conversation theyd had over morning coffee and bagels at the office. It had been in context with a case theyd been working on. Hed said that it was just a matter of time but it was simply human nature before pretty much everyone broke. If you couldnt channel the pain, whether psychological or physical, you cracked. And if for some reason you held out, one of two things happened. Death, or they found something else to use against you. Meaning someone who mattered to you. It was conceivable that even the bravest patriot would give up secrets because of a threat to a significant other or child.That was human nature to its core.Burkhart... , one of the men murmured in the midst of their conversation. how many romance books are there Edge of Danger (Deadly Ops Series)
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Spectacular!!!By ZETTERAfter his last undercover operation Tucker Pankov received the shock of his life when he learned that his boss Deputy Director Max Southers had been murdered.....Tucker and his teammates had their security clearances revoked and the only person they knew could help them find out what was going on was, the deputy director of the NSA, Agent Wesley Burkhart.They needed an ally and Burkhart was the only one they trusted cause he was their late boss' friend. Since it was a matter of life and death and seeing that Burkhart was taking to long to contact them.....They decided to kidnap Karen Stafford, one of the NSA's best analysts.Karen sure wasn't as docile as Tucker and his teammates thought she was, she gave them a run for their money. Though they kidnapped her, she believed them when they told her about their predicament.Together Tucker and Karen worked to get to the bottom of what was going and what they found was nothing but betrayal, lies and disloyalty. The chemistry between Karen and Tucker was magnetic. Separately Wesley Burkhart and Max Southers had incredible teams, but together those teams were a force to be reckoned with. They had each other's backs.Katie Reus has a way of drawing you in and keeping the twists and turns coming. Her DEADLY OPS series is one of a kind, the heroes are flawed and the heroines are stronger than they looked. I give EDGE OF DANGER 5 starts and two thumbs up.***ARC given in exchange for an honest review***0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Conspiracy, Murder, Drone's all make a novel packed full of adventure and action that doesn't stop until the end!!!By INDYreadsMs. Reus's 4th installment to the Deadly Ops Series is a fast paced journey with mystery and conspiracy that will keep you pulled into the story until the very end.We find a group made up of NSA, DEA and other government entities, and a wealthy military contractor who all believe that the country needed to be on a different path. Their plan includes; getting their own guy in the White House; steal an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aka drone, the murder of Max Southers, Deputy Director of DEA while setting up Southers Elite team; Tucker Pankov, Team Leader, Cole Erickson, Forrest Kane and Paxton Brooks to take the fall.The previous Deadly Ops books have focus on operatives from Wesley Burkharts NSA team. In book 3 Burkhart/NSA and Southers/DEAs operatives work together to bring down a drug cartel. The operatives from the DEA were Tucker and his team.After the murder of Max Southers the stolen UAV starts attacking various targets killing many citizens. Tucker and his team are accused of working with a terrorist group and killing Southers and American citizens. At the same time, someone inside the DEA has revoked the elite teams clearance while 4 assassins are sent to their homes in order to take them all out at the same time. Now the team must go Ghost and come up with a plan.Tucker and his team decide they must contact Burkhart and gain his help but they have been unable to contact him. They believe that to get to Burkhart they must kidnap Burkharts assistant and computer guru, Karen Stafford. Along the way, Tucker and Karen are holed up in a safe house alone while they wait on answers. As they begin to explore their attraction and heat between them they know that nothing can really happen until this ordeal is over.Find out what happens to this action pact novel. You wont regret it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Hot excitingBy LaurigI loved this story-my new fav in the series. Strong, kickass characters with a desire to protect others, suspense all around, and enough hot romance to keep readers on the edge.