Rio’s brows went up. “Dead?”
Sam shook his head. “Critical. He was found by Kyle Phillips. He was the one who notified me. He and his team are on constant guard because they fear Resnick is still a target and someone will want to finish the job while he’s vulnerable.”
“So what’s this have to do with what’s going on here?” Rio asked impatiently.
“Because I was the last person Resnick tried to contact, and when Phillips found Resnick, his computer files were open to everything he had on KGI. Including the airfield we flew into and the locations of the majority of our safe houses. Phillips lifted fingerprints not belonging to Resnick from the keyboard, and when he ran them, they came back to a deceased former member of the Army Special Forces. Pretty coincidental, isn’t it?”
“Fuck,” Rio swore. “They got to him. Titan f**king got to him and that’s how they knew where to find us. Son of a bitch, Sam, why the hell does Resnick have that kind of information?”
Sam’s eyes narrowed. “I know you’re pissed, but you need to back the f**k off, Rio. We do a lot of damn jobs for Resnick. Hell, he’s paid for half of those facilities, from the safe houses to the airstrip we used today. In the past we’ve never had a reason not to trust him. It wasn’t until recently that he gave us a reason to second-guess that decision.”
Rio shoved the strands of hair that had come loose from his ponytail behind his ears and blew out a breath.
“I think we should go see Resnick and Phillips,” Garrett said in a low voice. “If Resnick comes around, he may be able to tell us something that helps us locate Grace.”
Rio’s nostrils flared. “How far? Where is he?”
“An hour away. We can get there quicker,” Sam said. “Let me tell the others what’s up. I want protection for Dolphin but I also want them on standby for orders if we get information that helps us from Resnick.”
“Thank you,” Rio said quietly. “I know I’ve made this personal. She’s not just a mission, Sam. She’s my f**king life.”
Sam smiled faintly. “Every mission is personal, Rio. Some are just more personal than others.”
Sam slapped him on the shoulder and then walked away to talk to Steele. Nathan came up behind Rio and nudged him over to the side.
“What’s up? Has Shea heard anything from Grace?” Rio asked anxiously.
Nathan shook his head. “Look, I just wanted to tell you or rather explain something. When Shea was taken, it was hard. A lot harder because she can’t focus her ability like Grace can. Plus they’d drugged her with something that made trying to communicate telepathically unbearable and caused her unimaginable agony. We have an advantage here because Grace is smart. She’s tough as nails. She’s a fighter. And she can talk to you. She can talk to Shea. She can pretty much damn well talk to whomever she needs to talk to, so that gives us more to go on.
“She took charge of the situation and in a lot of ways she’s calling the shots because she knows they want her alive. As soon as she has information to pass on to us, I know you’ll hear from her. Shea has a hard time maintaining a link for a long period of time. It makes her weak, and she’s still recovering from what she went through at the hands of these bastards. But she’s ready and willing to do whatever Grace needs even if it means making herself vulnerable.”
Rio put his hand on Nathan’s arm. “Thanks, man. I appreciate that. Tell Shea that I appreciate her. I also want you to tell her that I’m going to get her sister back. I don’t give a f**k what it takes. And if she hears from Grace before I do, I want to know about it. I’m going with Sam and Garrett to run down a lead, but let me know the minute you hear anything and tell Shea I’ll do the same.”
Nathan nodded. “They’re special, Rio, but then you know that. Shea and Grace are very special and they don’t deserve what’s happened to them. They just want to have a normal life and I’m going to make that happen for Shea if it takes the rest of my life.”
“Sounds like we’re on the same page,” Rio murmured.
He caught Sam’s eye from across the room and Sam flung his thumb over his shoulder to let Rio know it was time to bug out.
“I’ll catch you later, Nathan.”
Nathan slapped Rio on the back as he walked away. “Good luck, man. You know we have your back.”
RIO hated hospitals. He hated the cold, sterile smell. He always thought that hospitals reeked of the stench of death. Sam took care of getting them into the ICU wing and whatever he said must have impressed the hell out of someone, because they let all three men pass with no argument.
When they got to the end where Resnick’s room was, Kyle Phillips was standing guard outside the door.
“Any change?” Sam asked the young Marine.
“Yes, sir. Some. He came around briefly. Kept saying your name. He was extremely agitated. Wanted to warn you.”
“I need to get in there to see him,” Sam said. “A woman’s life depends on it.”
Phillips hesitated only a moment and then opened the door, calling to one of his men who was stationed at Resnick’s bedside.
Once the other Marine took Phillips’s post, Phillips then motioned Sam, Garrett and Rio inside, following close behind.
The mechanical sounds of so much hospital equipment were loud in the otherwise silent room. It creeped Rio out. He wanted to get the hell out as soon as possible. He wanted to get to Grace. He wanted this over withhis over.