The Midnight Hour - Brenda Jackson [15]
And there was no way she would let him dump her anyplace. Why did Drake Warren have to be so damn handsome? Why was he so damn self-assured and cocky?
"Before I get teamed up with Warren, sir," she said to Casey, "I want some kind of assurance that he won't go off half-cocked and try to be a superhero. I've heard about how he likes taking risks, and personally I like choosing the risks I take. I love my life and want to be around for retirement, so if you don't mind I'd prefer that you find another female agent to go with him."
Drake narrowed his eyes at Tori before saying, "And I prefer doing the mission alone."
Casey crossed his arms over his chest and met both of their gazes. "Unfortunately what the two of you want doesn't matter in this case. My only concern is the life of a young woman who happens to be the president's niece. Whatever problems you have in working together, I suggest you quickly get over them. There's going to be a boat docked out back tonight that will transport the both of you to a military ship that will carry you to Costa Rica. Members of the Marines Special Forces are standing by as your backup, but it will take the two of you working together to make your way through the jungle to rescue the woman safely."
Tori signed deeply. She knew Casey was right. A woman's life was at stake; somehow she would find a way to endure Drake's presence without giving anything away. "What's her name?" she decided to ask.
"Robin Thomas." Casey then switched his gaze to Drake. "Any questions?"
Drake glared. "No questions for you but a statement for Miss Green." He turned and gave a full-leveled stare. "You had better hold your own because I don't plan to slow down for you."
Tori narrowed her eyes. "And I don't plan to slow down for you, Rambo." Ignoring the intense anger that was spreading to every one of Drake's features, she turned to Casey. "When do we leave?"
Casey looked at the mutinous expressions on the two agents' faces. Although they had come highly recommended, he wondered if perhaps he'd made a grave mistake by teaming them together. It was too late to make any changes now. They were on their own and he hoped they didn't kill each other before things were over. "You leave out during."
Solomon Cross's hands tightened into fists in his lap as he sat at the conference table and met the stares of the seven men looking back at him. They were the heads of the ASI cartel, the kingpin and his six drug lords. He had requested this meeting with them. He was tired of keeping a low profile. It had been five years and he was ready to return to his place among them.
"Your request has been denied, Solomon."
He glanced slightly to his right. Manteo Pella had spoken. He and Pella had never seen eye to eye on anything and it left a bad taste in Cross's mouth that of all people it was Pella who had delivered the cartel's decision.
"May I ask why?"
It was the kingpin, Jose Delgado, who spoke. "This cartel is still cleaning up the messes you've made, Cross. You're too quick to let emotions get in the way of sound thinking. The only reason you're still with this cartel is out of respect for your stepfather who gave all of us our start. But don't push your luck as to how far our gratitude to him goes. Because of you the organization had to decentralize into several smaller groups, which is a risky way for us to operate. But as long as we have the CIA and DEA breathing down our necks we can't function any other way. That incident in Haiti was inexcusable."
Cross leaned forward. Inexcusable, hell! He had needed to get revenge for what had been taken away from him. Didn't they know that? Didn't they understand the principle of "an eye for an eye"?