disappear.”
“What else?” Manuel asked.
“That’s it. It’s up to the individual to either contact or ignore the invitation. They aren’t into forced recruitment. It doesn’t make for loyal followers.”
Bile rose in Manuel’s throat. Had Jules lied to him? Had she taken him on the ride of his life? No, she wasn’t that good. No way in hell that anguish had been feigned. “Are you sure you aren’t mistaken, Tony?” he asked. “Are there any documented cases of more persuasive means?”
Silence fell over the line. “What are you saying, Manuel? Was Jules forced into the NFR?”
Manuel sighed. “I’m not sure what the hell I’m saying. Jules has a slightly different account of her induction into the NFR.”
“You believe her?”
He paused. “Yeah, I do. Something doesn’t add up. Her story matches what you said to a point. Some guy approached her in France. Fed her a bullshit line about who her real parents were then left her with an envelope and told her to call him the next day. Only that’s where the similarities end.”
“What do you mean, exactly? And what’s the deal with the parents? Didn’t you say the Trehans adopted her?”
Manuel frowned. He wasn’t ready to tell Tony what had happened to Jules. Not until he was able to figure it out. The whole story. “Yeah, she was told her real parents were Frederic and Carine Pinson.”
“Hmm. I’ll do some checking. Maybe I can come up with something.”
“Thank you, Tony. This just keeps getting more complicated.”
“No problem. But Manuel, you need to be careful. If she’s who you say she is, you’re going to have to keep a low profile. The higher-ups already want you to bring her in. They’ve been looking for a line into the NFR for a long time now. They wouldn’t hesitate to use her if they could. And if they couldn’t…well you know what we do to terrorists.”
“See what you can find out about the people the NFR has assassinated in the last three years,” Manuel said. “I need to know everything I can about Jules’s involvement.”
“Will do,” Tony promised. “Now get on the plane, and for God’s sake, when you get to D.C., keep out of sight. Sanderson’s about to have a coronary wondering where you are, and if he smells you in D.C. you’ll be up shit creek without a paddle.”
Manuel laughed. “Thanks for the heads-up, Tony. And thanks for helping me,” he added after a long breath.
“Not even going to dignify that with a reply.”
Manuel slid the phone back into his pocket. He walked into the bedroom, mulling over what Tony had related. Part of Jules’s story made sense. But the rest was just plain bizarre.
He seethed imagining her at the mercy of the man who’d hurt her. He knew without a doubt she’d told him the truth. But… There was always a but . Had she told him the whole truth? Had she left out any part of the story?
He sat down on the edge of the bed, resting his hand on her head. Was she still trying to protect him? How could he get her to give up that absurd notion? Whatever she thought, he wasn’t going to let her get herself killed just to save his ass. He wasn’t some junior agent out for a joyride. He could take what the NFR could dish.
She stirred, rustling the covers. A soft moan escaped her lips, and he stroked her hair, wanting so badly to take her in his arms and keep her there. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she looked confused and very much afraid. Then she smiled a slow, sleepy smile, relief pouring over her face.
Unable to help himself, he leaned over and kissed her soft, delectable lips. “Good morning.”
Jules savored the feel of his lips, his touch rapidly dispelling the tenuous grip her nightmares held her in. As he drew away, she shifted, feeling a throbbing in her shoulder.
Frowning, she sat up and flexed her arm, rotating it around. Fleeting images assailed her mind. Memories of being drugged, held down, a hand in her hair, shoving her face into
“What else?” Manuel asked.
“That’s it. It’s up to the individual to either contact or ignore the invitation. They aren’t into forced recruitment. It doesn’t make for loyal followers.”
Bile rose in Manuel’s throat. Had Jules lied to him? Had she taken him on the ride of his life? No, she wasn’t that good. No way in hell that anguish had been feigned. “Are you sure you aren’t mistaken, Tony?” he asked. “Are there any documented cases of more persuasive means?”
Silence fell over the line. “What are you saying, Manuel? Was Jules forced into the NFR?”
Manuel sighed. “I’m not sure what the hell I’m saying. Jules has a slightly different account of her induction into the NFR.”
“You believe her?”
He paused. “Yeah, I do. Something doesn’t add up. Her story matches what you said to a point. Some guy approached her in France. Fed her a bullshit line about who her real parents were then left her with an envelope and told her to call him the next day. Only that’s where the similarities end.”
“What do you mean, exactly? And what’s the deal with the parents? Didn’t you say the Trehans adopted her?”
Manuel frowned. He wasn’t ready to tell Tony what had happened to Jules. Not until he was able to figure it out. The whole story. “Yeah, she was told her real parents were Frederic and Carine Pinson.”
“Hmm. I’ll do some checking. Maybe I can come up with something.”
“Thank you, Tony. This just keeps getting more complicated.”
“No problem. But Manuel, you need to be careful. If she’s who you say she is, you’re going to have to keep a low profile. The higher-ups already want you to bring her in. They’ve been looking for a line into the NFR for a long time now. They wouldn’t hesitate to use her if they could. And if they couldn’t…well you know what we do to terrorists.”
“See what you can find out about the people the NFR has assassinated in the last three years,” Manuel said. “I need to know everything I can about Jules’s involvement.”
“Will do,” Tony promised. “Now get on the plane, and for God’s sake, when you get to D.C., keep out of sight. Sanderson’s about to have a coronary wondering where you are, and if he smells you in D.C. you’ll be up shit creek without a paddle.”
Manuel laughed. “Thanks for the heads-up, Tony. And thanks for helping me,” he added after a long breath.
“Not even going to dignify that with a reply.”
Manuel slid the phone back into his pocket. He walked into the bedroom, mulling over what Tony had related. Part of Jules’s story made sense. But the rest was just plain bizarre.
He seethed imagining her at the mercy of the man who’d hurt her. He knew without a doubt she’d told him the truth. But… There was always a but . Had she told him the whole truth? Had she left out any part of the story?
He sat down on the edge of the bed, resting his hand on her head. Was she still trying to protect him? How could he get her to give up that absurd notion? Whatever she thought, he wasn’t going to let her get herself killed just to save his ass. He wasn’t some junior agent out for a joyride. He could take what the NFR could dish.
She stirred, rustling the covers. A soft moan escaped her lips, and he stroked her hair, wanting so badly to take her in his arms and keep her there. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she looked confused and very much afraid. Then she smiled a slow, sleepy smile, relief pouring over her face.
Unable to help himself, he leaned over and kissed her soft, delectable lips. “Good morning.”
Jules savored the feel of his lips, his touch rapidly dispelling the tenuous grip her nightmares held her in. As he drew away, she shifted, feeling a throbbing in her shoulder.
Frowning, she sat up and flexed her arm, rotating it around. Fleeting images assailed her mind. Memories of being drugged, held down, a hand in her hair, shoving her face into
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