He burped Clara, his huge hand spanning the width of the sleeping baby, and left the kitchen. As he bounded into the kitchen again, he flipped on the switch for the baby monitor sitting on the counter. Mia listened to the last few notes of the mobile play a lullaby as he waved good-bye to her and his mom, grabbed his keys, and walked toward the garage door.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Titan headquarters was a fortress, a high-tech lair with Fort Knox-like security. It was cold. Impenetrable. His home away from home.

Winters stared over Parker’s shoulder at the wall of flat screens. Computer systems that NASA could only dream about continually scoured through data and satellite images like electronic wallpaper. Ones and zeroes danced a techie tango. High-resolution topography shuffled from one covert location to the next. The hub monitored their operations around the world. Teams he didn’t know, but would go through hell to assist, were mere blips on an observation screen and surrounded by all the intel that could possibly help.

“Where’s Jared?” Winters ran his hand over the smooth war room table. Many a high stakes battle plan had been drawn there.

Parker didn’t look from his wall of screens. “Most likely thinking of ways to torture people.”

If Jared developed new techniques, Winters would love to try them on the fuckers chasing Mia. He’d try anything, experimental or not, if it meant a slow and painful demise.

“We need a plan of action. Otherwise, I’m just going to start picking off anyone I don’t know. Titan’s legal bill will spiral into the cataclysmic category.”

Parker spun in his swivel chair to face him. “You’re not going to like this, but I’ll bet my Ducati for your new WaveRunner, he’ll want to use Mia as bait.”

“No. We’ve already been down that road, and I’m not doing it again. We can use the NOC list as bait. We can use me as bait. I’ll string that bike up like a piece of NOC list meat. But Mia is a no go.”

“Whoever these guys are, they’ll follow her. She’s the easy target.”

“You’d think with all of your damn brains and Jared’s ‘been there, done everything’ attitude, you two could come up with something more original.” Winters picked at his nail with his keys. “Shit. Easy target. I don’t want to hear it.”

“That’s a lot of whining, Winters. Bring it up with Jared when you see him. You might as well grab some grub, I’m not going to be done for a few hours.” Parker put his earbuds in and turned back to the screen.

“Would’ve been nice if Jared mentioned that when he said to get my ass to work.” Winters spun on his heels and hurried to his vehicle. He couldn’t get home fast enough.

Juan Carlos Silva rang Diego’s phone all morning. No answer. Several possibilities crawled through his mind. The two most promising excuses were death or prison. Death was preferable. If Diego were incarcerated in an American prison, Juan Carlos would have to kill him later.