Untraceable (World of Danger Book 2) Page 2

  “Mae,” he murmured and gently patted her cheeks. “Wake up, Mae.”

  She gave a soft groan and twitched. He moved back, withdrawing from her completely. He made sure to harden his features, to slip his mask back into place because he had an interrogation to conduct.

  Her lashes fluttered open. Her mouth twisted into a grimace as she shifted a little on the cot, as if she were uncomfortable. Awareness seemed to flood her instantly and she sat up, pressing both palms to each side of her temples.

  “What the hell…?” she muttered as she looked around the room. Her gaze fell upon him and she blinked. “Hunky Harlan?”

  Then her big brown eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth.

  He managed to not smile at her embarrassing slip of the tongue. “Hello, Mae.”

  “You know me?”

  “I know your name,” he corrected. “I know you work for me.”

  She blinked, her eyes hosting a myriad of emotions. Fear, caution, confusion. She took a deep breath. “Um, okay. Where … where are we? What is this place?”

  He crossed his arms. “You don’t know?”

  “Why would I know?”

  “I thought the same reason you jumped in front of a stun gun.”

  Her brow creased. “A stun gun? Aren’t those like, science fiction and such?”

  “Why don’t you tell me?”

  Mae placed a hand to her forehead as she rose from the cot. She looked around the room and bit her bottom lip. “I don’t understand. Who were those people trying to hurt you? What is this place? Why are we here? Wait, have we been kidnapped?”

  “Those are all valid questions. I’m trying to find answers, but you don’t seem to be cooperating.”

  She swung around to face him and stared at him in confusion, until the meaning of his words finally seemed to sink in. Her hand dropped from her forehead as her big eyes widened even more, if that was possible.

  “Wait, you think I had something to do with this?”

  “You were working late and you jumped in front of a stun gun. What other conclusion am I to draw since you ended up in this bunker with me?”

  “Why would I put myself here in this place with you if I was involved?”

  “To bring my guard down believing we’re both victims. It’s a good tactic, hoping I would commiserate with you since we’re kidnapped together. It’s a strategy I would’ve used myself.”

  Either Mae Sawyer was a fantastic actress or she was a completely innocent bystander because she couldn’t seem to keep a poker face to save her life. Every thought rambling through her head was plain as day on her face. In an instant, she lost the confused look only to replace it with pity.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Harlan,” she said softly. “That must be a horrible way to live.”

  “To live?”

  “Always thinking someone is out to get you. It’s very sad.”

  He discovered he didn’t like her feeling sorry for him. “No, you’ve got it wrong. I’m a very happy man.”

  “Really? Because you’re always at work and you never smile. And every date you have only lasts for one night. Seems like a very lonely life to me.”

  “Being alone and being lonely are two different things,” he said a bit harshly. Her observations were minor, but they touched something hurtful inside him he didn’t realize was injured. “Besides, we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. And how you could be a spy.”

  “A spy?” She gave him a wry grin. “Nothing so glamorous. My world consists of romance novels, wine, and TV shows on Netflix. I jumped in front of that stun gun, as you called it, to save you. I thought that burglar was going to kill you and I didn’t want that to happen. I was working late because Mr. Abernathy needed a report typed up for a meeting first thing in the morning. He knew I wouldn’t mind staying late because, well, I don’t have anyone who would miss me if I did work late. And as for knowing where we are or why we’re here, I’m assuming that’s on your shoulders since I have no idea.”

  JD had to admit, she played a pretty convincing part. Instinct told him he could trust her, but he’d been living this life too long to not dot his “I”s cross his “T”s.

  “The stun gun is real,” he told her. “Stolen technology, of course, from my company. Prototypes that aren’t quite perfected. A super-charged magnet works on brain waves, disrupting the energy enough to temporarily shut off brain activity, knocking the person out.”

  “You created that?” she asked, looking a little surprised.

  “Well, me and my team. I employ some very smart scientists who think outside the box. Lake heads up the development team.”

  “I thought Mr. Lake was your personal assistant.”

  “Don’t tell him that,” JD warned. “He hates when people say that to him.”

  “Oh!” she said, nibbling her lower lip again. “I didn’t know.”

  “What else don’t you know, Mae? That you’d like to, of course.”

  He waited for her to ask some question about the company. Or about what other weapons he and his team were developing. Something that made her innocent little act go up in smoke.

  “Well, just one.” She cleared her throat. “Are … are you … um, seeing anyone special?”

  He must have misunderstood her. “Am I what?”

  “You know,” she whispered, flushing a dull red. “Dating anyone specifically? Maybe someone not reported in the media. Like, you have this secret wife or someone special but you hide her through carefully manipulating the media into thinking you’re unable to make a commitment by bringing dummy dates to special events.”

  “What?” he asked, perplexed. “That’s the most convoluted idea I’ve ever heard of! Why would I want to complicate my life like that?”

  “It’s the main plot to my favorite Netflix show. The acting is great. Wait, are you gay?”

  “What? No, I’m not gay. Why would you want to know that?”

  “Because,” she said softly. “Just because.”

  “I’m confused.”

  “That makes two of us,” she muttered, looking away from him.

  “Mae,” he said and she looked back at him. “Why did you want to know?”

  “Because… Oh, good Lord, because I might have a tiny little crush.” She held her index finger and thumb apart. “Just a small one. No big deal.”

  The conversation had quickly gotten away from him. For the first time in his life, he had no idea what to say. He’d never had a woman be so upfront. So … innocent!

  “I … I…”

  Why the hell am I stuttering?

  “It’s okay,” she said, waving her hand as if she could erase it from the atmosphere. “Sometimes I’m a tad too blunt. My mother hated that about me. Then again, she hated the fact that she adopted an Asian baby, expecting me to be some type of genius at either mathematics, ice skating, or piano. Talk about stereotyping. When I bombed out of those three, she decided I should be a doctor, but I hate the sight of blood. So, Mr. Harlan, where in the world are we?”

  He shook his head, trying to clear it from the whiplash of her words. Time to focus. The main thing was to discover where they were, who had taken them, and how to escape. Leaving her potent brand of confusion behind, JD walked toward to the door and tried the knob. It turned and opened easily. Glancing out of the room, all he saw was a darkened room.

  “Why don’t you stay here while I—”

  A second later, she had latched onto his arm. “No way. Where you go, I go.”

  He tried to extract his arm, but she held fast, like a boa constrictor strangling its prey. “Mae. Let me go.”

  “No way, Jose. Haven’t you ever watched horror movies? The girl left behind always dies.”

  JD rolled his eyes. “All right, but I’m going to need my arm.”

  She let go but just when he thought he was able to go without her hindrance, she hooked her finger through this back belt loop.

  “What the…? Oh
, for God’s sake,” he muttered. “Just don’t step on my heels, okay?”

  Chapter Three

  He held the lantern up high and saw an identical one on another small table. He picked it up, snapped it on, and handed it to Mae, who held it in her free hand. Again, white walls. White floors. More sterility, like the room they’d been in, only this one had a sofa and a set of chairs. Five more doors lined the pentagon-shaped room.

  “Hello?” he called out. “Anyone here?”

  No one answered.

  “This is super creepy, isn’t it?” she asked. “My imagination is running rampant with the darkness surrounding us. Is it me, or this room oddly shaped?”

  “The shape of the room is the only thing you think is weird?”

  “Just saying. Do you think this could be a cleaner version of Saw? I hated the shit scene.”

  “The what scene?” When she opened her mouth to answer, he held up a finger. “Never mind.”

  Cautiously, he headed to another door with Mae tightly clutching his shirt. He reached out for the knob and it turned easily and opened without any resistance. Holding up the light revealed a chest of drawers. He walked over and pulled open the top one to see a set of pale-blue lounge pants. On the other side were matching t-shirts.

  “Nothing for you,” he said as he inspected the other drawers. They contained men’s boxer shorts and socks. “All in my size.”

  Leaving, he went to the next room. There was a toilet, shower, and sink, with two white towels hanging on a rack. He opened a mirrored medicine cabinet and saw one toothbrush, paste, razor, and a large bar of soap.

  “Guess we’re going to have to share the toothbrush,” she said.

  He gave her a dark glower.

  The next room revealed a kitchen, of sorts. One thing JD couldn’t help but notice was that there weren’t any electrical outlets around, and that also included any electrical appliances. No refrigerator, no stove, or microwave. Mae let go of him to explore the white cabinets, finding them stocked with canned vegetables, MREs, and boxed food.

  “At least we have running water,” Mae said. “And there’s a ton of batteries over here. Which is good. I didn’t fancy those lanterns from dying.”

  “So you, too, noticed no electricity?”

  She nodded.

  JD left the kitchen and Mae hurried after him. The next room held a table and two chairs. The final door revealed a small corridor. As he hurried down the hallway, the dim glow slowly revealed a metal ladder that went straight upward to a door at the top.

  “Is that the way out?” Mae asked from behind him.

  “Yeah.” He sighed. “It’s a vault door. We’re in a bunker, Mae.”

  “Like an underground bunker?”

  “More than likely, although there are some that are above ground.” He tilted the light upward to study the ceiling. “See that tube? It’s got to be a ventilation shaft. Fresh air being pumped in. One of these rooms probably has another one.”

  “Can we use them to escape?”

  He shook his head. “They don’t work that way. But we’re not going to suffocate, at least.”

  “But how do we get out of here?”

  Her question left him without an answer. But she stared at him with a hopeful, trusting gaze that left a heavy weight on his shoulders. Not able to deliver bad news, JD walked back into the main room, with her on his heels, and sat the lantern on the coffee table. He placed his hands on his hips and made a slow circle to study every nook and cranny. It didn’t take long. There wasn’t much to the whole setup.

  “Everything was well planned,” he muttered, coming to a stop in front of her. She lifted her head to look up at him. “Except it was set up for one person. You were unexpected, which makes me wonder why they took you instead of leaving you behind.”

  “Sympathy, of course,” she said immediately. “Collateral damage. You won’t do anything to escape if it means leaving me behind. Clearly, I’m not made for hiking through a proverbial jungle, so I’m your weakest link.”

  He looked her over, from head to toe. She wore comfortable business attire complete with sensible, low-heeled pumps. Definitely not made for a quick getaway if it came to that. But something earnest in her eyes caught his attention … a spark of fierceness that her drab clothing and persona tried to hide. A little voice in his head told him there was a lot more to Mae Sawyer than what met the eye.

  “I disagree with that,” he said thoughtfully. “You are not the weak link here.”

  She smiled and placed a hand on his arm, staring up at him with those remarkable eyes that managed to punch him in his chest. Big. Brown. Absolutely guileless. When had he ever met a woman whose thoughts were reflected in her eyes? Unexpectedly, desire slammed into his gut and he had an urge to lean down and kiss her. He wanted to know if she tasted as sweet as she looked, which boggled his mind. He dated women who knew the score. Females who didn’t expect anything more than a good dinner and good sex. Long nights at the office, even longer nights on assignment, and a constant threat of danger hanging over his head tended to be isolating. His lifestyle and work commitments didn’t allow for relationships … or emotions, and he instinctively knew Mae wasn’t the love-’em-and-leave-’em type of woman.

  So instead of doing want he wanted, which was kissing her until they were both senseless, he took a few steps away from her and took a deep breath to get his hormones under control. He had to force his mind into thinking like a security analyst again.

  “This is what we’re going to do,” he said, taking a proactive approach. “I’m going to search this room as thoroughly as possible. So why don’t you grab that other lantern and start in one of the other rooms? We’re looking for cameras, wiring, anything that could be a link to the outside world. Understand?”

  “What room should I start?”

  “I don’t think they’d bug the bathroom—”

  “Unless we’re stuck in a fetish porn abduction.”

  He blinked but didn’t address that statement. Her using the word porn drove him into thinking about sex. With her. And he realized he really liked thinking about sex with her. “Start in the bedroom where we woke up. Don’t be afraid to look behind panels or search in the furniture. Bugs could be small and easily overlooked.”

  “They could be hearing our plan right now,” she pointed out.

  “I know,” he replied. “If they don’t like it, they can come let us out.”

  “Oh, great idea!” She winked at him, turned, and hurried into the polygonal bedroom.

  He couldn’t help but smile. Most people would be freaking out at being abducted, not knowing what type of danger waited for them. Yet Mae either rose above the fear, or she managed it well. He didn’t know her well enough to figure out which, but he had a feeling before long, he would.

  While she searched the other room, he went into the dining room, picked up one of the wooden chairs, and used his foot to break off one of the legs. Then he walked back into the main shaft and headed up the ladder that led to the hatch. He tried opening it with his hands, turning the wheel that would release the opening seal.

  It didn’t budge.

  Taking the wooden leg, he entwined it in the wheel in an effort to gain a little leverage. Putting as much strength behind it as he could, on the narrow confines of the ladder, he tried to turn the wheel. But the wood snapped and jabbed him in the arm, tearing through his shirt sleeve and puncturing his skin.

  “Aargh!” he yelled and almost lost his footing. Pain shot up his shoulder and blood bubbled up.

  Footsteps came running and Mae appeared below him.

  “JD!”

  “I’m okay,” he said roughly. Abandoning the latch, he awkwardly came back down the ladder. As soon as he touched the ground, Mae gently took hold of his arm.

  “Come into the bathroom,” she said. “I found a first aid kit.”

  He followed her, not minding that she took charge. Once in the bathroom, he sat on the closed toilet seat while sh
e got the medical items. He unbuttoned his shirt and carefully shrugged it off, easing it down his wounded arm.

  A gasp had him looking up at her. Mae stared at his bare chest, mouth parted, and a look of awe on her face. Her hungry gaze stirred his own desire, even through the throbbing pain in his arm, and his cock stirred to life.

  “Mae,” he said softly.

  She blinked, as if coming out of a daze, and looked up at him. She licked her lips, which caused him to focus on her mouth. Very plump lips that he’d love to see wrapped around his dick. The primitive urge blindsided him. When did I turn into a goddamn caveman?

  “I want to kiss you,” he whispered. “But my arm fucking hurts.”

  That seemed to shake off the mesmerism and she jerked back.

  “Oh, right,” she said, sounding a bit breathless. “Uh … yeah. Sorry.”

  Leaning his arm over the sink, she poured some peroxide on the wound, cleaning it. It was an initial puncture wound tapering into a deep scratch across his forearm. Annoying, yes, but ultimately not too bad. Mae dried it off, put some antibiotic ointment on it, and then wrapped it up in gauze and a self-sticking bandage.

  Once that was taken care of, anger began to build in JD. How the hell had he been so careless to let his guard down so as to be kidnapped? He couldn’t help but remember Lee’s words that he’d been hacked. And Lake’s report of missing prototype weapons. Someone had known the alarm code on his office door. All of it screamed an inside job.

  “Goddammit,” he muttered angrily, more to himself than to her.

  “It’s going to be fine,” she told him. “Your arm will heal fine.”

  She knelt at his side, looking up at him with those big eyes of hers. Once more, desire stirred, which was completely stupid and inappropriate at the moment.

  “I’m not mad about that,” he said. “I’ve been hurt worse.”

  “Oh. It makes me sad to hear that.”

  He reached out with his good hand and ran a finger down her cheek. Her skin was soft, warm. It made him yearn, although he wasn’t sure what he yearned for.