It wasn’t any of his business, but he wanted the full story. “How long do you have to continue your work for the HDD as your plea deal?”

She blinked and looked at Fields. “There wasn’t a time limit.”

So this had been hanging over her head for five years? The woman was too smart for that. “Your lawyer really sucked,” Raider muttered. “The deal I thought I brokered for you was much better.”

Her expression cleared. “I didn’t get a lawyer. Federal law, treason, etc. They gave me two choices—prison or the HDD.” She glared at Rutherford. “Let’s just say they were very convincing.”

Rutherford smiled, showing perfectly even white teeth. “We do our best.”

Raider’s fingers curled into a fist. One punch, and those teeth would fly across the room. All of them.

Rutherford’s eyes gleamed a deep blue. “This is confidential, Agent Tanaka. I hope you understand that, if you want to keep your job.”

Apparently his job wasn’t worth what he’d thought it was. “If I’ve finally read this all right, I’m on my way out, anyway.” He slid his phone from his back pocket and hit speed dial.

“Force,” Force answered, his voice distracted.

“No.” Brigid moved toward Raider, reaching for his arm.

He smiled. “Hey, Force, it’s Raider. Apparently Brigid is under servitude to the HDD, we’ve been set up, and everyone wants us to fail. How about we meet for a drink tomorrow after I survive infiltrating Eddie’s organization? I can happily explain everything to you, and by the way, I’m pretty sure your dead serial killer is actually alive.” He clicked off before Force could answer. Then he turned and looked directly at Brigid. “Like I said. There has to be somebody you can be totally honest with in this business.”

She swallowed, her skin so pale her lips looked white. “I didn’t have a choice.”

There was always a choice. He’d been her handler for two months, making a complete ass of himself as he tried to help her find the right path. She could’ve confided in him at any point. They were a team, a complete unit, and they were supposed to be working together. And, even more important, they’d slept together. That meant something to him, if not to her. “Well, this does make the mission easier,” he murmured.

She faced him bravely. “Meaning what?”

“I thought you’d be worried about me tomorrow, so I was worried about you.” He tried to gentle his voice but didn’t have any luck. “Guess we’re just playing games here. Good to know.”

“You want to play games with me? Oh, bring it on.” Her chin lifted, and damn if there wasn’t challenge in those emerald eyes. “Give it your best shot, Tanaka.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four