“Hello, Isaac . . .” As soon as the name left his lips, Jim was struck by a powerful, inescapable pull that made the man not just a target, but a destination.

The original plan had been to find the guy and throw him on a plane out of the country with some resources—just to help him along his way.

Now, though, he realized he needed to do more than that.

Chalking up the sea change to seeing Rothe for the first time since that night in the desert, Jim did not run up to the guy or shout his name or do anything that would spook the fucker. Instead, he summoned illumination to himself, calling it out of the darkness by agitating the molecules around his body.

He made sure his hands were up and his palms were empty. And that Isaac was the only one who saw him.

Isaac’s head snapped around. And a nasty-looking gun appeared from out of that windbreaker.

Jim didn’t move and just shook his head, the universal sign for “I’m not here to cap your ass.”

When Isaac finally came forward, he took no chances. As he stepped up, another gun came out of a pocket to hang discreetly at his side. Both weapons had silencers and blended in with his black track pants.

For a moment, the pair of them just stared at each other like a couple of idiots, and Jim had an absurd impulse to hug the motherfucker—although he doused that quick. One, there was no reason to be a nancy. And two, it would likely get him shot at point-blank range: XOps soldiers weren’t snugglers—unless they planned on killing someone.

“Hey,” Jim said roughly.

Isaac cleared his throat. Twice. “What are you doing here?”

“Just passing through. Thought I’d take you to dinner.”

That got a slow smile, the kind that smacked of the past. “Payback?”

“Yeah.” Jim’s eyes traced the rear lot and saw only a couple of stragglers. “You could call it that.”

“I thought you were out.”

“I am.”

“So . . .” When Jim didn’t immediately answer, the guy’s icy eyes grew shrewd. “He sent you to kill me. Didn’t he.”

“I needed a favor and it was expensive.”

“So why are we talking?”

“I don’t take orders from Matthias anymore.”

Isaac frowned. “Stupid ass. He’s going to hunt you now, too. Unless you blow my head off here and now.”

Jim put his cigarette between his teeth and held his palms out. “I’m unarmed. Pat me down.”

It was entirely unsurprising that Isaac disappeared one of his guns, and with his free hand, did a quick review of Jim’s territory.

That frown rode the guy’s brow even harder. “What the fuck are you thinking.”