John Doe on Her Doorstep. Debra Webb
despite the emotional connection. There was no question about that, Adam knew. No one at Center was better than he was. It wasn’t ego; it was a simple fact.
So, for the first time since his activation eight years ago, Adam’s mission was personal. Under normal circumstances Center ensured that an Enforcer’s targets were unknown to him on a personal level. But not this time. He was more than simply familiar with the target’s profile.
Adam summoned the image of his target. She wasn’t the kind of woman a man could easily forget…even if he wanted to. He’d dreamed of those dark eyes and lush lips too many times to count. That would never happen again. He gritted his teeth now at the mere thought of her. The dream had turned into a nightmare. A nightmare that should never have been allowed to escalate out of control.
Today it would end. Justice would be served and the Judas would be cut down.
A muscle flexed rhythmically in his tightly clenched jaw as he considered the man, an innocent, good man, who had lost his life because of this traitor. Adam still faulted O’Riley, Center’s operations director, for not anticipating this threat. He should have had Archer protected, at least for a while after his retirement. O’Riley damn sure should have known that Archer was keeping a copy of his research files at his private residence. What kind of security was Center running these days?
Adam had just returned from a mission in South Africa. He regretted his two-week absence now. Never before had he experienced such intense remorse. Had he been here, perhaps he somehow could have prevented Archer’s death, though he couldn’t see how immediately. There had to have been a way. No matter. It was done.
But he was here now, and he would avenge the death of his mentor. One of those involved in the murder had been taken care of already, which left at least one other key player besides the Judas. The identity of that second key player had not been confirmed at this point. But the Judas, his next target, was someone he knew well. Fire rekindled in Adam’s gut. She had levied the ultimate betrayal, had pretended to love Daniel Archer. There would be no swift execution for this target. A slow, painful death was in order. Adam knew precisely how to make that happen.
Center had narrowed down the possibilities of who was behind the move to obtain Archer’s research. A secret coalition called the Concern was the most logical culprit. Intel about the group was sparse, their leader ambiguous. What little Center did know about the group was not good. The few members tagged thus far were connected to scumbag Third World leaders. Concern’s base of operations was thought to be in South America, but Center had not pinpointed the exact location yet.
Bastards. Fury tightened Adam’s throat. He intended to be on the team that brought down every single member of that ruthless group. But that undertaking had not been sanctioned by the Collective yet. For the time being, Adam would have to placate himself with his current mission—terminating the Judas who had betrayed Archer.
Daniel Archer had been more than his mentor, he had been Adam’s friend. Archer was the scientist who’d taken the Eugenics Project from the brink of failure to unparalleled success. A great man who cared deeply for his work, whose compassion went beyond friend and family to mankind in general. How ironic that his betrayal had come at the hands of the one person whom Archer trusted the most, loved the most—his own daughter.
Undeniable proof that relying on one’s emotions was a mistake. A mistake Adam had no intention of ever making himself. It wasn’t likely that he or any of the other Enforcers would ever find themselves in that kind of up close and personal relationship. Still, they were only human. He laughed, the sound strangely loud after the hours of silence. Despite their superior genetic coding, he supposed it wouldn’t be impossible to fall into an emotional trap.
He never allowed his emotions to show, not even remotely. It wasn’t that he lacked a full range, to some degree; it was simply that he maintained a strict control over himself. Discipline was the key. That was just one of the reasons he was so good at his work.
He smiled, thinking of what his friend Cain would say about who was the best Enforcer at Center. Adam knew there were those who would like to argue, but the proof was a matter of Center record. Number of failed missions: zero. His skills were unmatched, his instincts always on the money. He was the man for this job. O’Riley wasn’t taking chances with this mission. He wanted it done right the first time, and Adam would see to it that it was done with the cold, exacting precision of a surgeon’s scalpel.
He forced away the memories of how Daniel Archer had doted on his supposedly loving daughter. Those heartfelt stories had worked their way under Adam’s skin. Made him feel as if he knew the woman himself. And he did, on the outside. He would know her anywhere he saw her. Knew the music she loved, the movies she watched, even her favorite foods. But he hadn’t known the evil that had lurked inside her. Even her father hadn’t known that.
Tension radiating inside him, making him restless, Adam glanced at his watch once more. It would be over soon, he reminded himself. He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. He would put this chapter of his life and all its memories behind him after today…but he would never forget. He would keep the coming moment tightly compartmentalized, only to be opened when he needed a reminder of what love and trust could do to a man. Of how emotions could betray even the strongest or most innocent of the species.
A car parked on the side of the road a mile or so in the distance dragged his attention from his less-than-pleasant thoughts. The hood was raised. Engine trouble. Adam slowed only slightly and surveyed the situation as he approached the vehicle. There were no houses on this section of the two-lane road. Traffic was sparse. In fact, since leaving the interstate he hadn’t met the first vehicle. There might not be another one coming along for several hours.
A woman, twenty, twenty-five maybe, stepped slightly away from the front of the car as he slowly passed it. She held a small child in her arms.
A scowl tugged at Adam’s brow as he pulled over to the side of the road in front of the woman’s car. He scanned the area once more in his usual cautious manner as he emerged from his rental car and adjusted the Glock at the small of his back. He closed the door, taking another quick look at his watch. He didn’t like delays, but he couldn’t leave the woman and child stranded on the side of the road. He doubted even Cain would be that heartless. Adam smiled to himself. Well, maybe Cain would have driven on without stopping.
But not Adam. The least he could do was allow her to call a friend or family member for help on his cellular telephone. Five minutes, tops, and he’d be back on his way.
The woman shaded her eyes from the sun with her free hand and peered up at him as he approached. The child studied him curiously, a half-empty bottle clutched in his hand. Or maybe it was a girl. Adam hadn’t spent any time around kids. Babies all looked alike to him.
“I don’t know what happened,” the woman explained. “It just died on me,” she added, gesturing to the engine. “I barely got it off the road. I’m sure glad you came along. I was afraid I’d be waiting half the day.”
Adam sensed her uneasiness. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man. This was a deserted stretch of road. She had a right to be uneasy. But at the moment, in her eyes, he supposed he was the lesser of the two evils, even if he did make her a little nervous.
He didn’t look directly at her as he stepped between her and the car. No point in making her any more jumpy than she already was. He took a look at the exposed engine as he reached into his jacket pocket and fished out his cell phone.
“Why don’t you call a friend?” he suggested. He offered the phone in an effort to set her at ease as he surveyed the engine. Something wasn’t right.
“Thank you.” Her voice still sounded a little uncertain, but she took the telephone from him.
His gaze narrowed as his senses assimilated a number of inconsistencies. No heat rising, no ticking sound of the engine cooling.
The engine was cold.
“Have you been waiting long?” He cut a look in her direction as he waited for a response.
She shook