Manipulative Attraction

42. ⚛️ Mission Impossible

They sat around the conference table. Thorne, his face expressionless and his green eyes blank, stared straight ahead. Quentin tapped out a nervous rhythm and chanted in a low tone while Dalton twiddled his thumbs in his lap and looked at the ceiling, swinging his chair from side to side.

"I knew it. I knew, knew, knew it." Quentin put his head into his hands. He had been repeating the same words ever since they learned Jeannie and Shon had disappeared.

That morning, they lay clueless in their beds until H778 called Thorne, ordering him and his team to drive to The Source.

Upon learning the news, Thorne had blamed himself. If he'd followed his instincts, Jeannie would still be safe. He should've remained by her side.

Now, Jeannie and Shon were who knew where and he sitting in a conference room, wasting time waiting for H778 to give them further instructions. He would give his handler a few minutes longer, after that, he was gone. Somehow, he'd find Jeannie, and when she was safe, Demetri and Carmen would be the first people to feel the extent of his wrath.

The conference door opened. A man around Quentin's height with short brown hair and shifty dark eyes, strode in like he owned the place.

"You!" Thorne roared, jumping from his seat. The stool bounced hard against the wall and reverberated back. "What're you doing here?"

Drake Druthers, the instructor Thorne nearly beat to death after he'd called him Thorney, let his face fall into a smug smile. "Relax, Thorne," he taunted from behind the safety of a gun pointed at the bigger man's chest. "I think you'll like what I'm offering. Provided you give me what I want in return."

Thorne pointedly looked at his watch before responding with a tight jaw. "You have three minutes to convince me."

Thorne had to admit, Drake's idea was better than what he could accomplish alone. Drake had told the group that Jeannie's professor had unwittingly led her and Shon into Demetri's clutches.

In order not to blow all of their covers if the professor were to go missing, Drake would ensure Share Longborn's safety and he would let Thorne lead his team of men to rescue Jeannie.

Thorne said a silent prayer of thanks. He'd thought The Source would be against any plan he had to rescue Jeannie and Shon. He believed, in The Source's way of thinking, two brilliant people weren't enough to stir up trouble between the two enemy agencies. That's why he'd held back from approaching his handler about his relationship with Jeannie.

Now he knew H778 not only agreed but also sanctioned the rescue of Jeannie and Shon, for the first time, Thorne believed no obstacles would cross his path on the road to happiness. He could have it all.

Thorne nodded his approval at Drake's plan and asked, "What do you want in exchange?"

Drake put his gun back in his holster. He leaned back in his chair as if he had all the time in the world, drawing out the suspense. When Thorne opened his mouth to tell him to decide, Drake said, "Nothing much. I'll let you know when the time is right." He gave Thorne a smug smile. "All I ask is that you agree to whatever I ask of you."

Thorne didn't wholly trust Drake, but what choice did he have? They had wasted enough time. Whatever Drake wanted, Thorne would do. He looked at Quentin and Dalton, who nodded their support. "Okay, Drake. You have a deal."