Praise for the Deadly Ops Novels"A fast-paced high-stakes romantic thriller.Publishers WeeklyRomantic and suspenseful, a fast-paced sexy book full of high stakes action.Heroes and Heartbreakers"Fast-paced romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat!"New York Times bestselling author Cynthia EdenAbout the AuthorKatie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Deadly Ops novels, which include Targeted and Bound to Danger, and the Moon Shifter novels. She has a degree in psychology, and lives near Biloxi, 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.PrologueTango: NATO Phonetic Alphabet representation of the letter T. In military and law enforcement operations, tango often means target/terrorist.Seven years agoLevi hated the fucking jungle. Give him the desert or mountains any day of the week over the wet, muddy, dangerous jungle. He eased out onto one of the branches of the tree he was currently hiding in, careful to ensure there werent any snakes waiting to strike.Nature in this Colombian hellhole was just as deadly as the men he was about to kill. Venomous snakes, insects the size of your face, deranged flying termiteswhich werent actually deadly, just annoying as shitand poisonous tree frogs were the tip of the spear for what he had to look out for. In addition to gun-toting assholes.The branch was thick, sturdy, and because of Diego Jimenezs stupidity in not trimming the foliage around his mansion, it was the perfect way to gain entrance into the piece of garbages house. Levi had very specific orders and for one of the few times in his career in the Marine Corps, he had authorization to kill on sight. Didnt have to worry about being fired on first or other rules of engagement. Every single person in this house and on the grounds was the enemy.Since Levi knew Jimenez was into the skin trade, he didnt feel an ounce of guilt. Anyone working for the guy should die. No one had a right to own another human being, much less rape and degrade them.It was close to three in the morning and even though there were guards on the twenty-acre property, Jimenez kept only a total of five outside and right around the exterior of the house. Since the skin trader had a secured wall around his property he thought he was safe. His arrogance would be one of the things that got him killed.Somehow this guy had pissed off someone in the CIA; it was why Levi was here. All he knew at this point was that Jimenez had taken a teenage girl and was keeping her captive. No details about what she looked like or why she was important. Just that she was an asset to national security and he must retrieve her at all costs, killing whoever got in his way. A teenage girl was important to national security? He wasnt sure he bought thatmore likely she was the daughter of someone importantbut he didnt need a reason to help a female.Below him one of the guards strolled by with an AK-47 held loosely at his side as he puffed on a cigarette. His laziness was offensive, making Levi want to drop down and kill the guy right now on principle.Once the man had passed under him and rounded the corner of the home, Levi continued inching his way along the branch until he hovered five feet above a small stone balustrade balcony. After another visual sweep of the surrounding land, he dropped down, his boots making a soft thud barely audible over the sound of monkeys and birds. Still, he crouched low, peering through the opening of the stone columns, waiting to see if hed been discovered. There was a video camera by the top corner of the French door of the balcony, pointing right at him.Jimenez had security cameras all over the compound and Levi had avoided most of them. It had been impossible to remain completely invisible though. He wasnt a ghost. He waited thirty seconds, counting down in anticipation of an alarm sounding.Nothing.Somehow, he was still undetected. He and the rest of his six-man team waiting in the jungle had been told that hed have twenty minutes where the video feeds would fail. Until now he hadnt been positive it was true, but there was no way hed have made it this far without those things being disabled.It was go time.Turning toward the doors, he quickly jimmied the lock and slipped inside. Again, no alarm, as promised. Hed also been given instructions and a crude map for how to rescue the principal. The French doors were the entry point in what appeared to be an unused guest room. He wouldnt be going out this way though. Hell, no. Hed be going right out the front gate.Normally he had his M-4 carbine rifle for any mission, but not this one. It was too bulky for the close quarters and likely hand-to-hand combat hed be facing. He was coming in with his silenced MP5 submachine gun, a KA-BAR knife for up close kills, grenades in case he had a hot exit, and enough Semtex to blow this place to the ground.This job was too last minute and they didnt have enough intel. Less than twenty-four hours ago hed been at Camp Pendleton, debriefing his commander on his most recent mission and dreaming about a cold beer when two men in black suitslike a fucking clichwalked in and ordered him out. Barely a half hour later he was gearing up again and headed out on an unmarked cargo plane to a vague destination with a team of guys just as in the dark as he was about the mission.His commander had demanded he be on point for this since he had more experience and more kills. Now he was about to put his skills to good use.Scanning the plush room, he made his way to the far door. First, he placed a small brick of explosive under one of the dressers, pushing it up against a wall. It was undetectable to the eye in case anyone peeked in the room in the next few minutes. Once it was in place, he paused at the door and listened intently before slowly pulling it open.One of his sidearms drawn, he swept out into the hall. Empty. His rubber-soled boots were silent as he hurried down the hall, mindful of the damn video cameras.Even though they were turned off, their presence made him feel like he had a bulls-eye on his forehead. At the designated door he found the keypad entry system just as hed been told. Levi typed in the code hed memorized, wincing at the soft beeps each press of a button made. The door opened with a barely discernible click. The CIA must have a seriously deep mole in Jimenezs organization for this kind of intel.His boots were silent as he descended the flight of stairs. According to his information there might or might not be a guard waiting. He slung his MP5 over his shoulder, then pulled out his KA-BAR as he reached the bottom stair.The stairs opened up into another hallway with three doors. A guard was leaning against the wall next to the middle doorwhere Levi needed entrancelooking at his cell phone. Probably texting.Without pause Levi hauled back and threw the blade at the man. It hit its mark, sinking into his throat.Eyes wide, the guards phone fell from his fingers, clattering against the wooden floor as he reached up for his neck, making choking sounds. Before the mans knees had even hit the ground, Levi had closed the distance between them. He withdrew the blade, then cut the mans throat. Quick and efficient. Unfortunately there was a shitload of blood.Shoving the body to the side, he easily picked the lock. Adrenaline pumping, he withdrew one of his backup pistols. The back of his neck was tingling, his gut telling him the shit was about to hit the fan.His instinct was never wrong.Pushing out a slow breath, he eased the door open, weapon at the ready.There was only one piece of furniture in the small room: a twin bed. A slim, hooded female was lying on her side on it. Her arms were bound in front of her with flex cuffs and she wore thin shorts and a tank top. Her breathing kicked up the slightest notch when he stepped into the room, so he knew she wasnt asleep, but she also wasnt calling attention to herself. Smart. She was tall and thin but he couldnt tell if she was the teenager or not. She was a little more developed than he expected a teenager to be. Still, even if she wasnt part of the mission he wasnt leaving any woman here like this. He didnt have the operational latitude to make that kind of decision but if the CIA didnt like it, they could suck his dick. No one was getting left behind tonight and if he had to improvise, so be it.Scorpion? he whispered, the only code word he had to give her.At that she jolted upright. Yes. Her voice was raspy beneath the hood, as if she hadnt used it lately.There was a metallic collar around her neck, holding the hood in place. Im going to cut your hands free, so dont move, he whispered, moving to kneel in front of her. Is the collar rigged?No, but its impossible to take it off without tools. I can see well enough anyway. We need to leave, she whispered as he sliced through the cuffs, her body shaking with tension.Do I need to carry you or can you really see with that thing? It was a mesh material that looked breathable, just uncomfortable.I can see your face paint, she said, standing. She reached out and touched his paint-covered cheek. She still sounded hoarse. He wondered if her throat had been injured but didnt ask. First he needed to get her to safety.He was surprised shed touched him, but didnt pull away. Poor kid, he hated imagining what she must have been through. He tapped his earpiece. Scorpion acquired. Everyone in position?Once he received affirmations from the team, he pulled out another small explosive and placed it in a corner of the room. Then he nodded toward the door. Your guard is dead. Im going to carry you over him so you dont step in blood. There werent any shoes or clothes in the room, so shed be leaving like this. Whatever I say, you do it. Dont question me and well get out of here alive. Understood?Yes. Can I have one of your guns?She surprised him again by the question but considering how scared she had to be, he figured she wanted a way to protect herself. You wont need it. Without waiting for a response, he lifted her into his arms and hurried toward the door. He hadnt heard anything, but he scanned the hallway before stepping over the body and back toward the stairs. At the foot of the stairs he placed her on her feet and glanced at his watch even though his internal clock told him how much time had passed since his infiltration. Keeping his voice low, he said, Weve got eleven minutes to get to the garage unseen. After that, were going to come under heavy fire, but thats okay because weve got backup. Youre going to stay down and out of range. No matter what happens, you keep your head down. If something happens to me, my team will get you out of here.She nodded, the hood moving oddly over her face. I promise.... Thank you.That was all the affirmation he needed. Moving swiftly, they ascended the stairs. The upper hallway was still empty. He was glad because he didnt want to have to kill someone in front of the girl. She was likely already traumatized enough.Two doors down on the right side he stopped. There was another keypad. As he typed in the code, he felt her tentative hand at his back.When he turned, she leaned in close. There will be at least two guards in the garage. Her voice was barely above a whisper.He held a finger to his lips.She nodded and wrapped her arms around herself, clearly nervous, but at least she was keeping it together. He didnt have time for a hysterical principal. It would fuck up the entire op. When they reached the end of the stairs he glanced over his shoulder just to make sure she was still with him. Beyond the stairwell he could hear male voices. Multiple. More than two.Shit.He peered around the corner before quickly ducking back. There were four men, all clustered together as they joked about tag-teaming some woman. His mother had been born in the United States but her parents had emigrated from Spain and shed taught him what she considered pure Spanish. But he understood these fuckers perfectly well even with some of the different pronunciations. Oh yeah, these guys were going to die tonight. Levi took out another explosive and placed it on one of the stairs.He motioned for the girl to stay put, then handed her his KA-BAR. Under normal circumstances hed never give up a weapon, but he wanted her to have a way to defend herself. When she just nodded and clutched the knife tightly in her grip, he readied his MP5.Envisioning the scene, he knew hed have one chance to take these guys out in a single sweep. Their close proximity gave him a huge advantage. Finger on the trigger, he stepped from his position and opened fire.Only one of the men managed to reach for his weapon before they all hit the ground, covered in blood, dead or dying. The MP5 was truly a masterpiece of weaponry. Unlike other submachine guns with silencers this beauty used standard ammo and was one of the most accurate of its kind. And he loved it. He tapped his earpiece as he peered back around the corner of the stairwell. As he waved at the girl to move, he said, Exiting now. Watch for movement.Weve got eyes on the gate.While the girl stepped cautiously into the four-car garage, he quickly scanned for some sort of key holder. A pegged board orTheyre in the vehicles, she said, reading his mind, still clutching his knife like her life depended on it. Not that he blamed her. What he wouldnt give to kill Jimenez himself.Nodding, Levi pointed at the biggest SUV. As she hurried toward the passenger side he placed Semtex under the other three vehicles: two cars that cost more than he made in a year and a custom-made ATV.Moments later he was in the drivers seat, his adrenaline flashing through him like lightning even though he was rock steady. He wanted to order her into the back, but didnt bother. They wouldnt be in the SUV very long. Just as shed said, the key was in the visor.Moving out now, he said as he started the engine. As it flared to life he pressed the garage door opener, barely waiting until it had cleared the SUV before reversing.As he tore into the driveway he was surprised they werent fired on. But as he whipped around in a one-eighty, he heard shouts then pings against the SUV. Like rain on a tin roof, it splattered over them, but hed already known the SUV was bulletproof.Blow it now, he ordered as he raced down the long driveway. And get down, he said to the girl.She immediately complied, ducking in her seat.Less than fifty yards in front of them a giant explosion rent the air, orange flames lighting up the night sky as the heavy gate blew off its hinges, carving them a direct path to freedom.Tangos are down, you have a clean exit, Ortiz, one of his teammates, said. Well cover you. Get Scorpion to safety.Levi pulled out a detonator and pressed the button. A multitude of explosions rocked behind them as they flew through the gate.Holy crap, she murmured, sitting up and turning around in her seat. Do you think Jimenez is dead? she asked, the hope lacing her voice clawing at him.What kind of fucker kidnapped a teenager and assaulted her? Unfortunately there were too many men in the world like that and not enough bullets. If hes not now he will be in the next ten minutes. Trust me. An airstrike would be called in as soon as he and the rest of the team were cleared.A glance in the rearview mirror told him they werent being followed as they sped down the quiet road in the jungle. Jimenezs place was out in the middle of nowhere but according to Levis exit plan, they were barely twenty minutes from what had to be the coast of Cartagena.All tangos are down and the main target has been eliminated, Ortiz said.The principal is secure. Well be at the meet point in less than twenty. Going dark, Levi responded.See you back home. Watch your six, his teammate said before cutting off communication.Levi glanced at the girl. Jimenez and everyone in that compound are dead. Youre safe.She swallowed loud enough for him to hear as a shudder racked her entire body. I wish I could have seen him die.Her statement wasnt surprising. From here were going to get on a small boat. Theyd be piggybacking on a naval special operations craft. Those on board wouldnt know anything about this op other than he and the girl were to be taken to a drop point and the girl was top priority. About a mile out to sea, youll be getting on a yacht and taken to safety.Youre not coming with me? she asked quietly.No, but youll be okay. They used a lot of fucking manpower to save you, so dont worry. The words were meaningless considering what shed likely been through but he wanted to say something to soothe her.She didnt respond and by the time they reached the pick-up point, she was full-on trembling. He parked the SUV in a deserted parking lot right off a small public beach. When she nearly stumbled getting out of the SUV, he picked her up, holding her close. Hang in therewe dont have much longer, he murmured.Curling into him, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder, but didnt respond. For all he knew she was going into shock. Waves crashed in the distance, the salty scent of the ocean tingeing the air. With sweat rolling down his face, he stuck to the shadows as he passed through a cluster of foliage and onto the soft sand. The beaches here werent like back in California. There werent any homes or shops around for miles.The bright moon illuminated the waiting SOC, but he paused, scanning the beach. Two shadows moved near the coastline. When he saw the burst of a blue handheld flare light up, he finally allowed himself a sliver of relief. Holding up one hand, he silently hurried toward the two men as fast as he could move through the sand carrying the girl.Less than sixty seconds later they were seated on the back of the vessel and though hed tried to put the girl down, she wouldnt let go of him. Sitting against the side of the boat, they hummed through the water at an impressive speed.He held the young woman in his arms, hating how frail she felt. Did they hurt you? he murmured loud enough for only her to hear. The hum of the engine drowned out everything in a two-foot radius and the other menSEALS, he guessedwere standing guard around the perimeter of the boat and armed to the teeth.Ive got a hood over my headwhat do you think? she snapped, her voice shaky and watery sounding. As if she was crying under the hood.But at least she was talking. He held back a curse, hating that he couldnt take the thing off her. It just felt so wrong to sit there with her, taking her to safety and not being able to show her that freedom was close. She might be able to see a little, but it was likely difficult on the boat. I mean... do you need special medical attention? Maybe a female doctor? He wasnt even sure how hed get one for her, but hed be damned if he didnt try.They didnt rape me if thats what you mean, she said so quietly he barely heard her. Jimenez threatened me with it, but Im way too valuable for that.He didnt have much experience with fragile females, but he rubbed her back lightly, up and down, hoping the soothing action calmed her.What are you doing? she shouted, sounding panicked as she tensed in his arms.He immediately stilled but didnt let go of her, not wanting her to lose her balance if they hit a rough wave. I was trying to help you calm down.As long as you dont rub any lower.Despite the situation he laughed. Shit, kid. Not everyones a fucking pervert.In my experience they are. You sure like the F word.He chuckled again. Sorry. Comes with the job. Being a Marine meant he had a degree in cursing.What is your job exactly? Do you work for the CIA or NSA?He paused, surprised by the question. Cant tell you that.Oh. What about your name?Cant tell you that either.She was silent for a long moment and he thought the conversation was over until she said, Well, thank you for saving me. I wasnt sure if my message got out.He had no clue what she meant by message and he wasnt going to ask. Sometimes the less he knew, the better. He grunted and to his surprise, she laid her head on his shoulder and finally relaxed enough that his KA-BAR loosened in her grip. He grasped it, not wanting her to hurt herself, and sheathed it.When the boat started to slow, she jerked against him with a short cry.Youre okay. Can you stand or do you need help? he asked gently. He still couldnt pinpoint her age with the hood on but he guessed fifteen or sixteen.Im good, I think. She placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed up, her legs shaky.Looping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close as he took in the two waiting vessels: a huge yacht and a Donzi speedboat. He knew which one he was getting on.She tensed beside him, so he looked down at her hooded face. Youre safe now, I promise. They dont send in guys like me unless the rescue is important, okay?She nodded, but didnt respond.Come on, kid. Give me something. Youre going to be okay, right? He wanted to hear her say it.She nodded again. Maybe Ill feel better if I can have your knife.His KA-BAR? His first instinct was to say hell no, but he had no clue what this kid had been through and if it would make her feel safe, hed do it. He unclipped the sheath and gave the whole thing to her, handle first. Be careful with it.I will. Taking him off guard she lunged at him, pulling him into a big hug and sobbing against his chest as she murmured what sounded like thank you.Embarrassed, he glanced around at the other men on the craft. They were looking anywhere but at them. Thank God.Ah, hell, he tightened his grip around her and kissed the top of her hooded head. Something told him this was one op hed never forget. He knew itd be impossible to find out what happened to her after tonight but he really hoped she was going to be okay.Eighteen hours later Levi rolled out of his warm bed, thankful to be back home on base. Hed gotten only a few hours of sleep but his schedule was all screwed up and he didnt want to sleep the entire day. He scrubbed a hand over his face and decided not to bother shaving. His stubble was long enough that it was against regulations but, until a few hours ago, he hadnt slept in almost three days and grooming wasnt a priority now. He had a weeks leave coming and he planned to take full advantage. Already dreaming of a cold beer and a warm, willing woman, he made his way to the bathroom of his two-bedroom home.A loud knock at his front door made him pause. He wasnt expecting anyone, but he headed to the front and didnt bother asking who it was. Probably a neighbor needing help with a broken lawn mower or something.His heart rate kicked up a notch when he opened the door to find his commander, Colonel Harkin, standing there with a man in a suit who looked vaguely familiar. It took all of two seconds for him to recognize the other man: Lieutenant General Wesley Burkhart, new head of the NSA.What. The. Hell.Levi started to stand at attention until the colonel shook his head. Lazaro, this isLieutenant General Wesley Burkhart, I know. Am I in trouble? Might as well get to the point. There was no good reason for these two highly decorated men to be standing on his front porch.The colonel grunted in that dismissive way of his and shook his head. No. And since you know who this is, Im going to leave you two alone to talk. You already know hes got the highest clearance in the country, so you can discuss anything with him. Taking Levi by surprise, he reached out and shook his hand. Good luck, son.Still waking up, Levi didnt respond as his commander headed back down the walkway. He nodded inside his home. I was just about to make some coffee.Sounds good. Burkhart stepped in after him, shutting the door behind them. The man was maybe fifty, with gray hair and in good shape for any age. And the man moved like a damn predator, each step calculated and efficient as he scanned the interior of Levis sparsely furnished home.After he pulled down two mugs from the cabinet above his coffeemaker, he started filling the glass pot with water. You might as well start since I have no clue why youre here, Levi said. Behind him he heard the slight scraping of one of the kitchen table chairs being moved.You did a good job on that last op. Whyd you give the girl your blade?The question and tone made him pause. It didnt surprise him that Burkhart knew about the op, not since he was the new director of the NSA. Levi imagined the man carried more secrets than anyone had a right to know.Levi finished preparing the pot before turning around and answering. She was a scared kid and she wanted something to feel safe. Is she all right?Burkharts mouth curved up the tiniest fraction, almost a micro-expression, as he nodded. Yeah, shes good, thanks to you and your team.Levi just nodded, not certain if he should respond.After a long moment, in which Burkhart was almost preternaturally still, watching him like a lion watches its prey, the man spoke. Howd you know who I was at the door?I read a couple of articles you wrote a few years ago when you were in the Navy.His head tilted to the side a fraction, as if he was surprised. You read the Navy Times?Levi nodded. He read most military newspapers online.Im going to cut to the chase then. Im putting together a team of men and women for black ops stuff. Similar to what the CIA has, but not. Less rules, less bureaucratic tape, and more funding. Youre the first man Im approaching about this and if you say no, Ill expect you to forget we ever had this conversationbut I dont think youre going to say no. I could give you the whole spiel about how this country needs men like you, but you already know it. Im asking you to help your country because you have a certain skill set and youre highly intelligent. You wont be able to jump out of planes forever and youll be doing a lot of good if you work for me.Levi watched the man, looking for telltale signs of bullshit, but Burkhart was impossible to read. Which was good considering his job. Levi had read enough on the man to understand his politicswhich were middle-of-the-road, thank God; extremists on either side were dangerousand hed be lying if he said he wasnt interested so far.The coffeemaker whirred quietly behind him as he digested what Burkhart was offering. Im skilled and highly trained. He wasnt being arrogant, it was just a fact. He wouldnt be part of MARSOC if he wasnt good. But there are a lot of men like me. Why am I your first?I could give you a long answer about your ridiculous number of medals or the fact that you take top honors for every class or training exercise or that every individual whos ever worked with you has nothing but praise, but... you asked how the girl was doing. It was your first question. And you gave her your fucking KA-BAR because she needed to feel safe. You care, Levi.Levi rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the praise, hoping he wasnt supposed to respond.Burkhart continued, I need men and women who give a shit about the people were going to help. I will almost always look at the big picture, about whats best for the country as a whole. I need people working for me who will question my decisions and will remind me that the individual person helps make up our country. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a thin manila folder and laid it on the kitchen table. If you read this and youre not interested, we part ways and you never speak of this meeting. But if you are interested, you get an honorable discharge and start your training tomorrow.Beyond curious, Levi picked up the file and started reading. By the second paragraph, his decision was made. Hed miss the Marine Corps more than anything, but he couldnt pass up this opportunity.Chapter 1Terrorist: a person who uses extreme violence (terror or terrorism), as a weapon to send a message or for his own gain. Often a political weapon.Tasev gave a brief nod to the guard standing by the reinforced metal door. Immediately the man moved, quickly averting his gaze to a spot over Tasevs shoulder as he slid a foot to the side. He was smart not to meet his gaze. No one wanted to appear as if they were challenging him.Ignoring the man, Tasev put his hand over the biometric scanner, then leaned forward so the retinal scanner could register his left eye. Out of the corner of his right eye he kept focus on the guard, ready for an attack, even though that was unlikely. He paid his men very well and rewarded them with other perks, including willing prostitutes, on a daily basis, but that didnt mean he could buy their loyalty. No one was truly loyal and it was something he always remembered. A few moments later, the door opened with a soft snick.As he stepped onto the metal walkway Tasev looked at the floor below where Dr. Claus Schmidt was busy writing letters and symbols on a giant dry-erase board at warp speed. The man used computers when it suited him but for the most part the eccentric genius preferred to write things out by hand.Tasev didnt care how the man worked as long as he provided results. For the past two years Schmidt had been making steady progress, using the live subjects Paul Hillan international businessman whod been involved in all sorts of illegal activities, including the skin tradehad been providing for him to test different toxins. Now that Hill was in prison for crimes unrelated to Tasev, he had lost his source of live human test subjects.It was frustrating but at this point not much of a setback. Schmidt was zeroing in on the necessary antitoxin. Tasev could feel it in his bones how close they were. Now, after two years of tireless work, it was almost time to unleash hell on the United States.Over five years ago hed retired, knowing it was time to get out of the gun and slave trades. Hed made more than enough money and had two sons whod stepped up to take over the family business. But after theyd been killed in Afghanistan by American troops, Tasev had come out of retirement with a slow burning rage building inside him every second of every day. His sons had simply been doing business and gotten caught up in the crossfire of a war that hadnt concerned them.He didnt have time for politics or religion, though he found them useful for business. If fools wanted to kill one another in the name of their gods, hed been happy to provide them with the weapons to do it. But the skin trade had proved much more lucrative. Unfortunately more and more governments had started cracking down. It was why his sons had gone back to reliable weapons trading.His jaw clenched as he thought of them, of his loss, of the fact that his line wouldnt continue. Finding the perfect female had been difficult too. Their mother had been British, cultured and while stupid, she hadnt been a whore. He might fuck prostitutes but he would never procreate with any of them.Hed wanted his children to be proud of where they came from and his sons mother had been good to them, though hed gotten rid of her influence by the time his boys turned ten. Theyd been turning too soft but hed drilled it out of them by the time they were eleven. After a freak skiing accident had killed their mother, it had been easy to guide them.No distractions made all the difference in the world. Hed thought the same would be true for Dr. Schmidt but the brilliant scientist seemed to be dragging his feet the last couple of weeks. It was nothing Tasev could provehe barely understood when the man spokebut he always trusted his gut. Now it was telling him that Schmidt was stalling.Though he couldnt figure out why. Tasev paid him well and while he didnt let him leave the grounds of his Miami home, every need he requested was granted. He lived in opulence and was allowed to use live human subjects, something he would never have been allowed to do in his civilized scientific community. It should have been a dream for the doctor.Heading down the walkway to the stairs, Tasev was aware of the moment Schmidt finally registered his presence. The man had absolutely no situational awareness. But he wasnt a soldier so that was to be expected.Schmidt jerked upright from his crouched position at the bottom of the dry-erase board. He had shadows under his eyes, his plaid button-down shirt was wrinkled under his lab coat, and he smelled as if he hadnt bathed in days. According to his guards reports, the doctor hadnt. He also hadnt been eating enough.How is your progress? he asked in English, keeping his voice neutral. Tasev couldnt yell or make demands with a man like Schmidt. It worked him into such a frenzy that he couldnt work. Sometimes for days. Hed learned that early on in their working relationship. Luckily Tasev had found the mans weakness. So far mere threats had worked against the genius but something told Tasev that it would take more than simple words now.One month, he said, not looking at Tasev. Not because he was frightened in the way that his guards were, but because Schmidt didnt look anyone in the eye. Whether it was a quirk or habit, Tasev wasnt certain.And he didnt care.Thats what you told me four and a half weeks ago. His jaw tightened, but he kept a lid on his rage. He had to play this the right way.You want results, you give me one more month. It was said with absoluteness. And a little arrogance. The doctor knew he was irreplaceable.Seven days.The doctor shook his head before turning his back on Tasev. A death sentence should anyone else do that to him. Muttering to himself, Schmidt crouched in front of the board again and started back with his scribbling.Sighing, Tasev pulled out his cell phone and sent off a text. You leave me with no choice, Doctor.The man paused for only a second in his writing, but it was enough to let Tasev know hed heard. Good.A moment later the door above opened. Tasev didnt have to look to see who was entering. Other than himself, only his second in command had the code. Vasily was a beast of a man with a scarred face and body. With tattoos covering the majority of his upper body, he terrified most people. Right now the trembling woman he held by the throat should be scared.I told you what would happen if you displeased me, Tasev said quietly.Something about his tone must have registered in that giant brain of Schmidts because he turned around. When he looked upward, the man paled. It was the second time Tasev had ever seen real fear in his gaze. The first had been when hed simply threatened to do what he was doing now.Tasev looked up at Vasily and nodded. The man released the womans throat then pinned her to the edge of the metal balcony, bending her over. Eyes wild, the dark-haired beauty screamed and fruitlessly struggled as he tore the back of her skirt from the hem to the top, ripping it completely apart and tossing it away. Her black panties were the only thing covering her bottom half.Enough! Schmidt shouted, rage reverberating through that one word.Vasily didnt move until Tasev nodded. The woman continued sobbing and begging them to stop even after Vasily just held her in place. Tasev tuned her out and glanced back at the doctor.He froze. The man was holding a pen to his carotid artery, the placement perfect for killing himself if he applied enough pressure.Tasev had killed a man once by ripping into his carotid using his teeth, so he knew how deadly an injury there would be. And he couldnt let the doctor die. Hed put too much time and money in the man to start over again.There was a sharp gleam in Schmidts eyes as he held Tasevs gaze for the first time. The intense way he stared was almost jarring. You do this, I kill myself. Then you lose two years of work. Worse, you have no record of my notes. He tapped his head with his free hand, a reminder that most of Schmidts work resided there, not on paper.Im not letting her go, Tasev said with resolve.I know. I will finish in seven days, but she stays with me the entire time in the lab. Never out of my sight. You or your men will not harm her. She will be fed and taken care of and you will bring her a soft bed to sleep in. And a television and books for her entertainment. One of those e-readers so she can purchase what she wants. If you agree, I do not kill myself and will give you the antitoxin. As he spoke he glanced away again, as if losing the ability to hold eye contact. But his hand never wavered, the pen placed directly over his artery.Tasev would never admit it, but the mans resolve was impressive. He hadnt thought Schmidt had it in him. He was too far away to stop the doctor and it didnt matter anyway. Tasevs threat had worked. Now he would gain what he wanted in the necessary time frame. We have a deal. If youd agreed to my time line initially I never would have needed to kidnap your sweet daughter.The girl gasped, clearly confused, but didnt respond.Send her down. If you go back on our deal or try to stop me from killing myself it wont matter. I wont finish the work if shes hurt.Gritting his teeth, Tasev nodded. He hated anyone ordering him around. It reminded him too much of his youth. But he was backed into a corner. As soon as Schmidt was done hed be killing the doctor anyway. But first hed make him watch as Vasily raped his daughter. Feeling better about the situation, he nodded at Vasily and gave a sharp command.His second in command shoved the girl toward the stairs, grinning as he stared at her barely covered ass. He knew Tasev would give her to him soon. On trembling legs, the girl made her way to the stairs, most of her sobbing subsiding as she clutched the railing. When she was at the bottom of the stairs, Schmidt spoke again, his words so low that Tasev almost didnt hear them.If you kill Vasily right now, I will make it five days. A promise.Excitement leaped inside him followed by a thin thread of regret. Vasily was a good commander, but like all of Tasevs men, he was replaceable. The doctor was not. Withdrawing his gun, he aimed and shot Vasily between the eyes, dropping him on the spot.Why did you ask that man to kill the scarred one? Aliyah asked Claus, the first words shed spoken since hed given her one of his lab coats and some of Tasevs men had come to take away Vasilys body and clean up the blood. There had been surprisingly little of it.He looked at his daughter, trying to drink in every inch of her lovely face. Hed seen her only in pictures, her American mother telling him of Aliyahs existence six years ago. And only because shed needed to see if his kidney would be a match for Aliyahs. Hed had a brief affair with Chaya, but shed been married and had lied to her husband about Aliyah being his. The husband had been dead for a decade, though, so she could have come to Claus before that. Shed chosen not to until their daughter had needed something.Because he deserved it, Claus said, realizing he needed to respond and stop staring at her. Is that the only question you have?She shook her head, her pale green eyes a match to his own glimmering with tears. You are my father, she said.He raised his eyebrows. Yes.Did you give me your kidney?Again he was surprised but perhaps he shouldnt be. How did you know?My mother said it was a miracle that we found a donor but I knew she was lying. There was no way wed gotten such a perfect match and moved up the list so quickly. And the mysterious money she left me when she diedI knew it wasnt from her. And... I knew it was unlikely that my dad was my biological father from a young age.Claus frowned, but didnt ask how shed known.She answered anyway and pointed to herself. Simple genetics. If youd ever seen him youd understand. He was very fair-skinned and fair-haired. Im not stupid and neither was my father. Besides, he said something once, when I was about ten... She shrugged, trailing off. It doesnt matter. Why am I here? And what are you doing working for that monster, whoever he is?Im here because Im an arrogant fool. Hed written multiple papers on what could happen if certain toxins were altered. It had been interesting to speculate but hed just been theorizing. He hadnt actually planned to test his theories. No one outside his scientific circles paid attention to his ramblings anyway. Or so hed thought. I have altered whats known as foodborne botulism into a stronger, deadlier strain. And that in itself was a feat considering how deadly it already was. Right now Im working to create an antitoxin. He already knew the formula but hadnt put it into practice. Or on paper.She stared at him as if he was a monster, something hed expected. And something he deserved. But he wouldnt be less than honest. Before he could continue the door opened again. Instinctively Claus stepped in front of Aliyah, knowing there was little he could do to protect her if Tasev decided Clauss life wasnt worth anything anymore.Two men strode in carrying a mattress. Behind them another of the guards carried two bags. Claus was still as they strode down the stairs and placed the bed in the darker shadowed area underneath the stairs. His lab was huge and he tended to dim the lights only when he dozed on his cot, but hed have to see about getting his daughter more privacy.The guard carrying the bags tossed them onto the bed, then looked at Claus. In Russian he told him there were clothes for Aliyah and bedding. Tasev had also given her an iPad loaded with books, but it wasnt connected to the Internet. When the guard looked past Claus, his gaze heated as he looked at Clauss daughter. All the rage Claus had been bottling up for two years boiled to the surface.Maybe I ask Tasev to kill you too, he murmured in Russian, not wanting his daughter to understand what he was saying. She was already horrified enough by him, he didnt need to give her more reasons to hate him.That snapped the mans attention back to Claus for a moment. He gave him a look that promised death before turning on his heel and striding after the others.Once they were gone, he turned to Aliyah to find her standing next to one of his many tables, her arms wrapped around herself. She looked so lost and vulnerable and though Claus had always thought himself a nonviolent man, he knew in that moment he would have no problem putting a bullet in Tasevs head to save his daughter. For the past two years hed done nothing but dream of killing the man who held him hostage and forced him to do unspeakable things.He cleared his throat. They brought you clothes, bedding, and an iPad. But you wont have any Internet. Or so that fool Tasev thought. Claus would have only one chance to contact outside help. For two long years hed waited for something like this. Hed gotten a message to one of his friendswho worked for the NSAtwo years ago but hed been taken before they could meet up. She was smart but there was no way for anyone to track him when hed been unable to communicate with the outside world.Until now.He was going to have to try again even with the risk. At this point he would risk death if he could just get a message to his friend Meghan Lazaro. If she knew he was still alive shed help him. He had no doubt.Chapter 2FFP: final firing position (sniper term).Selene Wolfe chewed on a piece of teriyaki beef jerky as she lay flat on her belly, looking through the glass of her Leupold Mark 4 scope. Shed been in position for only five hours waiting for her target to show his face. Ramsey Jurden, a freaking white supremacist terrorist. She hated these guys. Especially ones with a predilection for kids. Yeah, this job wasnt going to sit heavy on her soul. Not like some of the others.Normally Wesley didnt give her anything he didnt think she could handle anyway. Her specialty was computers, which made her a valuable asset to the NSA. It was the sole reason theyd recruited her at the age of sixteen. But when hed hired her shed insisted that he give her any training she asked for. After years spent living on her own she knew what it was to be helpless, and shed sworn to herself that it would never happen again. Since she couldnt very well train herself and anyone she hired wouldnt have been nearly as good as someone Wesley could have recommended, shed been quite insistent on her terms of employment. So hed given her everything she wantedbecause hed have done pretty much anything to ensure she worked for himwhich meant shed gotten to train with the very best.Her weapons mentor, as she liked to think of him, was a retired USMC sniper school instructor. Hed been a hard-ass and hadnt cared that she was a woman. If anything, she guessed he pushed her harder than normal because of her gender. Which was fine with her. Hed given her a valuable gift, one nobody could ever take away from her.Knowledge was the ultimate power. Something she never took for granted. what books should i read in year Shattered Duty: A Deadly Ops Novel (Deadly Ops Series)
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Coming To Life!!!By ZETTERLevi Lazaro lost his wife and when he wanted help from his NSA family in catching her killers they let him down with no one having his back (so he thought), he took it upon himself to seek justice for his late wife.Special agent Selene Wolfe was very good at her job but even she knew when to ask for help....She was ready to take down a terrorist cell led by a terrorist named Lasev but she couldn't do it without the help of "rogue" NSA agent Levi Lazaro.Though Levi didn't want to get involve with whatever Selene and the NSA were up to, he couldn't bring himself to walk away without helping her.....She made Levi feel again, something he never thought possible after his late wife's demise.When Selene got into trouble, Levi had a tough decision to make, the way Wesley Burkhart's team worked always felt like a family having each other's backs no matter what.Katie Reus left me wanting more, Shattered Duty was more than I'd expected....It had me on the edge of my seat, loved the dynamic between Selene and Levi....Looking forward to the next installment in this mind-blowing series.P.S : Loved the introduction of Levi and Selene first meeting a few years back.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Loved every letter!By tlh2008I've been waiting for Levi's story since his appearance in the very first Deadly Ops Novel and as usual Katie Reus did not disappoint! I own every Katie Reid book out there because I appreciate her writing style, her ability to tell a story and invest me emotionally, and the fact that she's a smart writer. There is no ridiculous mistakes or missteps you find in some people's work just because they want to write about SF and covert ops and don't take the time to research what these men and women really do...Katie clearly does the work and thinks it all through and her characters are not only dimensional but professional and very real. That's a winning combo for me. What a pleasure it was to see Levi find his humanity again and close one chapter while opening another. That little surprise at the end made it even more great. Can't wait for the next DON...I already preordered!!!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Once again Katie Reus delivers!!By ShauniOriginally Reviewed For: Tea and BookWhen Katie Reus started her Deadly Ops Series, there was one character that immediately captured my attention. I just knew he had more to tell us and I am thrilled to see that in book 3 of the series, Ms. Reus obviously had plans in the works all along. And she didn't insist on making us wait. So thank you!!Shattered Duty is one of those books that makes you just grateful to have those you love around you. It's also a fast paced, intense ride of a book.Special Agent Selene Wolfe has had an intense childhood. The death of her parents checked her world. Then she was held hostage and saved by an amazing man who changed her life. From there she went to work with the NSA both on the computer and in the field. But she's always remembered the man who saved her. Years later, when she's on an assignment she's stunned to run into that man. Only this time he's a widower on a vengeance stalk. Selene needs to know if she can play a part in his life.Special Agent Levi Lazaro gave everything for his career, including his wife. Knowing his wife and child died has all but destroyed him. For two years he has been playing the shady character doing all he can to find the man who killed her and more importantly, the man who called the shot.. Now that he's so close he's appalled to realize that he has taken his eye off the goal and has finds himself falling for the agent that has been sent in to do a similar job... Guilt and lust combine to create a combustible event.Watching Levi and Selene fall together was a delight. Levi has a past that is hard to forget and even harder to accept. He adored his wife and never really got why she was killed (and tortured) she wasn't on any assignment that he knew of and when the agency didn't do enough, Levi was lost. Yet Selene has been bringing him out of his personal deep freeze.Emotions reign and yet the action thrives as well. The desire to complete their mission, save the scientist and bring down the villain. Ms. Reus has a gift when it comes to infiltrate the underbelly of society. Her characters are three dimensional scary.. just fabulous!Once again Katie Reus delivers!!Shauni