A Secret Service [NOW PUBLISHED]

Chapter 42 - "Get out of my way."

Donovan tossed a look at the box but said nothing.

"Link is secure," Carter said. "He was the target."

"What?" Smith's exclamation was echoed by Mason's in the background.

Donovan's gaze turned darker. Carter looked at him, but he didn't meet her eyes.

"We had to neutralize one of the men," she said. "We don't know how many more. We only came across two. They were searching the building. They had a picture of Link. It was his school ID."

"Current?" Smith asked, something in his tone making her gut tighten.

"Yes," Donovan said, his voice a growl.

"This is not good," Smith said.

Mason's muffled voice in the background asked why. Donovan answered.

"This is bad," he said, still pacing, "because it means that someone in the school helped orchestrate all of this. All the student records are sealed, including photo IDs."

A sickening feeling crawled up Carter's arms.

"Could it be hacked?" she asked.

"No," Smith said, "this school has one of the highest security systems because of who attends."

She looked at Donovan. "You got my records."

"I have clearance."

"So that means someone with the right clearance-"

"Or someone who works here," he finished. "That could be a long list, but how many of those people would know Link's identity?"

Like a bolt of lightening, the answer came to her. Images, passing comments and suspicions crashed together to form one name in her mind. Her eyes locked with Donovan's.

"Philips," she said.

He gave a brief nod, his jaw flexing again. "Yes."

In a flash, she realized that he had put the pieces together the moment he had seen the photo. She kicked herself for not seeing it right a way as well.

"Knowing the who is not what is important at this moment," Smith said. "We are still without military aid. That is our next step."

Donovan stopped pacing and pulled the radio and ear piece from his pocket.

"Give me a second and that might change," he said, his pent up energy finding release.

Carter explained to Smith what they had obtained from the man, while Donovan hooked the ear piece in and started working with the radio.

After a few tense moments, Donovan swore under his breath. He looked at Carter, his gaze like ice.

"It's a secure line. Only communication is between the other men." He gripped the radio in his fingers, the plastic casing straining against his hold. "Our best move now is to take out the signal jammer."

"It seems so," Smith said. There was a pause as if he hated saying his next words. "I'm sealed in this safe room and can't leave Mason. It falls on you two, to disable it and get a call out for support."

Donovan nodded, his anger dying down as a course of action was in play. He looked at Carter, his gaze a challenge and a question. She met his look, unflinching.

"Don't worry," she said. "We'll take care of it. What are the access codes to the security booth?"

Smith conveyed all the information he could think of that would be useful to them. He finished with a pregnant pause, as if he couldn't bear to put this on two high schoolers.