Girl Undercover 10 & 11: The Abduction & Dante's Inferno Read online

  He squeezed my hands and smiled benevolently at me. “Of course you’re not. You’re just not thinking straight what with your mother being so sick and everything. Give me the address to the hospital where she’s at and I’ll have my dad fly a couple of his best doctors there to take a look at her. I’m sure they’ll be able to cure her. They have access to drugs that no other doctors do. Wouldn’t that be great?”

  I made myself give him a meek, grateful smile. “Yes, that would be so fantastic, Jonah. Thank you so much.” I got to my feet. I needed to buy myself time, figure out how to best handle this situation. “So you think they can be there tomorrow night then?”

  “Yes, they should be able to get there by then. I don’t think my dad can make it happen any sooner than that. Let me call him and find out. What’s the name of the hospital again?”

  “UCLA Medical Center,” I blurted out, not able to come up with any hospitals in New Mexico at the top of my head. “She’s working with specialists who work out of that hospital. As you just said, the doctors in New Mexico aren’t that great. So she had to be flown to California.”

  Jonah gazed at me for a couple of silent beats, as though digesting what I had just told him, before nodding. “Oh. Yeah, I’m sure the doctors in California are better than in New Mexico. But they’re for sure not as good as our doctors.”

  “Right.”

  “Okay, let me call my dad and see what he says.” Looking down into his hand with the cell, he speed-dialed a number.

  Chapter 2

  The conversation between Jonah and his father only lasted about three minutes. And, much to my disappointment, it sounded like Otto Stenger had no problem making happen what Jonah wanted.

  Disconnecting the phone, Jonah put it into a pocket in his hoodie and grinned at me. “He’ll have two of his top guys land in L.A. tomorrow night. Eight p.m at the Van Nuys airport. You think your mom can last until then?”

  “Um, yeah, I think so,” I said, careful not to sound combative or snarky even if that last comment regarding the state of my mother hadn’t been exactly sensitive.

  Jonah got to his feet. “I’ve gotta get back to work. My next client’s at one and I’ve gotta eat something before then.” He came up to me and folded me into his arms, gazing down into my eyes. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You’re my girl after all.” He nuzzled his nose against mine and the corners of his mouth quirked up. As I sensed that he was gearing up to kiss me, I pulled away slightly, pretending to prick up my ears.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I think that’s my phone buzzing. Can’t you hear it?”

  My phone was in my purse that I had thrown on the counter in my small kitchen.

  “My client’s supposed to get back to me,” I continued before Jonah got a chance to respond. “I want to tell her in person that I’m quitting. She’ll be upset, so I didn’t want to just leave a message. I should go see if it’s her. We’ve been playing phone tag.”

  I released his arms from around my waist and rushed out to the kitchen where I found the phone in my purse. As I was out of Jonah’s vantage point, I quickly turned off the sound and pretended to answer. Talking into the phone, I walked back to the living room where he had remained in the same spot that I’d left him in. I told my imaginary client to hold on for a moment because I needed to say goodbye to someone. Lowering the phone, I threw my arms around Jonah and kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear how grateful I was for what he was doing for my mom. I added that I couldn’t wait to see him as soon as I returned from her sickbed before letting go of him.

  “Don’t worry, it won’t take long,” he said, looking pleased. “These doctors will have your mom cured in no-time and then we can be together again.”

  “Sounds great.” I smiled up at him, dying for him to get the hell out of my place at last.

  He gave me a peck on the lips, taking me by surprise, then swiveled around and headed for my hallway, fulfilling my wish finally. Walking after him, I watched how he opened the front door. Before he disappeared through it, he turned around and blew me an air kiss.

  “See you soon, baby. You’ll see how it’ll all be okay.”

  Blowing an air kiss back at him, I forced a bigger smile onto my lips. And then he was gone, allowing me to relax.

  As soon as the door was closed, I rushed back to my purse and found my latest burner phone. I speed-dialed Ian’s latest burner number. He picked up after the first ring.

  “What’s new?” he asked by way of greeting.

  “Meet me at our special place right now. I’ve lots to tell you, and it’s not good.”

  “Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen.”

  We disconnected and I waited another five minutes to be sure Jonah had left my street before I exited my apartment and hurried over to the coffee shop I’d referred to.

  I only had to wait a short while before I spotted Ian walking outside Aroma Espresso Bar through the glass wall. He entered and came up to the small table I’d claimed, sitting down on the chair facing me. Leaning toward me, he said, “Shoot.”

  I told him what had happened when Jonah came over to my place, stressing particularly the fact that I had been convinced Jonah would hit me, which made Ian curl his hands into tight fists and his nostrils flare.

  “So it’s only a matter of time before he’ll find out that I’m totally full of it,” I concluded at the end of my story, grimacing.

  “Yes, and when he finds out, I don’t think using breathing techniques will calm his anger.” Ian ran a hand over his face and blew out a frustrated breath. “Bloody hell… I’m going to have to kill him after all then…”

  “Either that or”—in the brief time I’d spent waiting for Ian, an idea had taken root in my mind—“I could always kidnap the two doctors when they arrive. And then make them tell Jonah stuff so he thinks everything’s exactly the way I told him.”

  Ian looked at me appreciatively. “That’s a great idea, Gabi, but very hard to pull off. For example, you’ll be in New Mexico, a place I assume you’re not that familiar with. And you’re most likely going to need help, not only to subdue them, but to keep control over them the entire time. You might have to keep them for a while. A long while. Months. I suppose I could go there and help you, but that would mean we’d lose valuable time that would be better spent on me trying to find Stenger.”

  I smiled at him, but didn’t say a word. I had omitted a tiny but vital part when relating my latest rendezvous with Jonah.

  Ian cocked a brow at me. “Okay, you have an ace up your sleeve. Out with it.”

  “Because I couldn’t think of a hospital in New Mexico, I just gave him the name of one I knew in Los Angeles, claiming that my mother was working with a cancer specialist there. Which means he’ll be flying these two doctors to California, not New Mexico. And I not only know California—Los Angeles especially—like my own hand, but I also have people there who can help me kidnap the doctors and then keep them in check for as long as we need. People who can be trusted for sure.”

  He stared at me like he could hardly believe what I’d told him. “Bollocks…”

  I frowned. “Bollocks? Huh? Are you trying to tell me I’m bullshitting you? Well, I’m not.”

  He smiled wide. “In that case—brilliant. Kidnapping them is what we’ll do then.” The smile shrank as he thought of something. “As long as you’re absolutely sure you can trust the people you have in mind. Are you absolutely sure?”

  “Definitely. Dante’s like a brother to me. I’d trust him with my life. He’d do anything for me. And he has friends who’re equally as loyal to him, people I also know.” I considered my proposal some more, and it struck me that Ian was right—it was fucking brilliant! “In fact, I think that if Dante and company apply the right pressure to these two doctors, we might be able to learn invaluable information regarding Stenger’s masterplan. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’re a lot more clued in on it than Jonah.”

  Ian chuckl
ed. “Yes, you’re probably right about that. When will you be leaving?”

  “As soon as possible. Jonah already believes I have a flight out for tonight and the doctors are apparently scheduled to arrive in L.A. tomorrow night. I need to be there to receive them. I also need to make sure I have my helpers ready to go.”

  “Right. We have to get you on a plane immediately. It would be best if you got there by tonight to give you ample time to prepare. In addition to get your guys ready, you’ll need to figure out a good place to stash the doctors.”

  “Yeah, I know. It would be great if I could get there by tonight, but I don’t think I can find a flight that quickly.”

  Ian took my hand and squeezed it, giving me a lopsided, knowing smile. “How about you let me take care of finding you a flight for tonight while you pack and get ready? I’m sure you have lots to do before you go see your dear mom.” His eyes, suddenly an amazing sea green, glittered conspiratorially.

  “Yes, that I do have,” I said and rolled my eyes as I let out a “whew;” I did have tons to take care of if I was going to leave the city in a few hours for who knew how long. I didn’t doubt for a second that Ian would have an easier time than I would finding me the right flight to L.A. Though it would surely cost him a pretty penny. Of course, it wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it. I pushed back my chair and stood up. “Okay, then I’ll go back home and continue packing. You’ll check back with me later then?”

  “Count on it.”

  ***

  Ian kept his word. Three hours later I received a text from him, informing me that I had a flight leaving out of JFK at eight fifty p.m. that same night. First class with American Airlines. He’d also arranged for a car to pick me up a couple of hours before and take me to the airport.

  Against my will, I was impressed with how efficiently he’d managed to take care of the situation on such short notice, and that he’d put me in first class. The best seat I’d ever gotten to enjoy on a flight was premium economy. Struggling to fall asleep in a bed, there was no chance in hell I’d be able to fall asleep in the regular economy section, squished between two other people while in a practically upright positon. Flying first class, I’d hopefully get some shut-eye during the six-hour flight and then be ready to go when I landed. With all that I had to do in preparation for our planned abduction, I’d be exhausted by the time it was time for me to fly.

  I had already connected with Dante and told him I had a job for him and Jose and whoever else was available to help us who we could also trust. We would need at least two, preferably three or four more guys, all strong and smart, for the kidnapping to go smoothly. Continuing to be paranoid in the extreme about The Adler Group tapping our phones despite all the precautions we were taking, I told Dante that I would explain everything in more detail when we saw each other. All he needed to know right now was that he and his friends had to be available for me after six p.m. tomorrow night. I wasn’t feeling comfortable about asking him for the extra muscle over the phone—anyone who overheard us would surely suspect I was up to something hearing that. However, while I could wait to figure out a place to put the doctors in, I didn’t want to wait getting a team ready to help me.

  After sitting down in my wide seat in the first-class section of the huge plane, I was pleased to learn from the stewardess that it folded completely flat, turning into a real bed. Smiling to myself, I knew I’d probably sleep like a baby there.

  And I did. I was still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes when I walked through the arrivals exit at LAX. Not fully awake yet, I didn’t immediately spot Dante, who stood next to the ropes that cased in the large space on the other side of the sliding doors. As built as ever, he wore ripped jeans and a sleeveless, black T-shirt that showed off his muscular arms covered in tattoos. His dark curls were the exact same length as the last time we’d seen each other, and he had a pair of aviator-style sunglasses shoved up on his head to keep the hair away from his face.

  Almost tripping and losing my heavy suitcase in the process, I rushed up to my old friend and disappeared into his warm embrace.

  “Hola, chica,” he said in his velvety voice that always made me feel like I was home. “Welcome back to the City of Angels...”

  “Thanks,” I mumbled into his strong shoulder. “It’s good to be back, though I wish it were under other circumstances.”

  We let go and just looked at one another in silence for several beats. Dante was the first to break it. “Damn, seeing you in that red hair is so friggin’ weird. You really do look like a whole different person. Are you gonna get rid of it now that you’re back?”

  “Eventually, yes. When the roots start to show and I can’t stand it any longer. For now it might behoove me to look like a whole different person. Not sure I want people we know to realize I’m in the city for a while.”

  I scanned the large, quiet arrivals hall for any suspicious-looking individuals. Even though I didn’t think Jonah had sent people to spy on me, I still didn’t feel totally at ease. That night on the Brooklyn Bridge had definitely scarred me when it came to my so-called boyfriend. Not that I hadn’t already known what he was all about, but I think having seen it with my own eyes, not just imagining it, had really done a number on me.

  I smiled at Dante. “Hey, let’s get out of here.”

  “Sure.” He grabbed my suitcase and together we left the arrivals hall, then headed over to the parking house where he’d left his car. I couldn’t help but stop dead in my tracks when Dante stopped next to a red Corvette convertible. It looked brand new, the polish shiny and blemish-free. My eyes went back to Dante, who sported a proud grin now.

  “So you finally bought it then?” I asked, grinning myself as his was contagious. For as long as I had known Dante, he’d dreamed of becoming an owner of this kind of sports car.

  “Yup,” he nodded and used the remote key to unlock the car doors, then threw my suitcase into the trunk. “Last month. Set me back sixty-five grand, but it was the studio’s four-year anniversary and we’re killing it, so I thought I deserved to buy myself a little present.”

  “Good for you,” I said and walked around to the passenger side. I opened the door and slid into the tan leather seat that smelled as new as the car looked. “It’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to drive it myself one day.” I winked at him teasingly, knowing just what a predicament I’d put him in by saying that. On the one hand, I was like the sister Dante never had, someone he didn’t want to deny anything, but on the other, I was well aware how precious this car must be to him. And I wasn’t the most careful driver.

  He sent me a wink back, replying with a diplomatic, “One day.” Then he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Soon we were zipping along the 405 freeway, the lukewarm air blowing my hair away from my face as I took in the flat geography that was Los Angeles, so very different from Manhattan. The night sky had a purple tint to it and the moon was so new you could barely make out the white crescent.

  “So wanna tell me what the deal is now?” Dante asked as he confidently zoomed by a couple of slower-moving vehicles. “Jose and I have been making bets about why you’re so secretive. Since he doesn’t know about the conspiracy yet, I’m thinking I’ll be the winner. He thinks you wanna beat someone up, but I think you’re lookin’ to get rid of a few super humans. Only I didn’t describe them as super humans to him, just said regular people. Am I right?”

  “Yeah, actually you are—sort of. I am looking to get rid of a couple of people, but I’m pretty sure they’re not super humans.” I looked at him. “You didn’t give him the lowdown yet? Why not?”

  “I thought you didn’t want me to tell anyone at all.”

  “Only Ricki and others who’re known to blab a little too much. Jose would be okay.” I patted his hand on the gear stick. “Don’t get me wrong. I of course appreciate it that you took my wish to heart. You can tell him about it now, though.”

  Dante laughed. “You do it, querida. He’s not gonna believe me. Now t
ell me why you need me and others to help you get rid of people. What’s goin’ on?”

  I gave him a quick rundown of the situation with Jonah and the two doctors scheduled to arrive shortly.

  Dante wiped away imaginary sweat from his olive forehead. “Phew! And I who was convinced we’d be stopping the leaders of an alien invasion or somethin’.”

  I frowned at him. “Leaders of an alien invasion? What made you think that?”

  He frowned back at me. “Do you really have to ask that? After what you told me, I’m prepared for anything. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of those two docs for you. Me and Jose will have two of my trainers to help us. I know you wanted more, but these two are as good as five normal guys. They’re both fighters and no dummies.”

  “Okay. And you’re sure they can be trusted?”

  “You mean if they’re aliens or somethin’?”

  “Hybrids, Dante, not aliens. Or super humans if you prefer that term. That’s what we’re dealing with. Or at least I think that’s it.” I sighed and leaned back into the seat. “At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that aliens are involved as well. Maybe you’re onto something.”

  I nudged him with my elbow and smiled crookedly.

  “Let’s hope you’re not right about that. I’m still having a hard time getting over the fact that we’ll be messin’ with people who’re part animal. Or that they might be working for me.” He screwed up his face.

  “Just because they might have a few genes from animals in their DNA doesn’t mean they’re not human,” I was quick to say, Ian’s words echoing through my mind. “They’re just different. Please don’t ever forget that.”

  “Whatever you say. But, yeah, my two guys can be trusted to answer your question. They’re most definitely fully human, both of them. One of them is an ugly bastard, but the best fighter I’ve ever met. The other is flamboyantly gay and a martial artist. I would think ugly dudes and homosexuals are big no-nos to those Adele freaks. Am I right?”