AGENT 23 BLACKOUT (Agent 23 Book 1)

CHAPTER 22

Agent 24 rears back with his fist as he holds me in the air, his cheeks distorted and blood-red. He's about to unleash a knockout punch. I clamp my eyes shut, bracing for impact, but after a few unnerving seconds, it doesn't come. When I peek, the assassin's menacing expression morphs into a gloating look of victory. There's no need to break my face with his granite knuckles because he's already won. He has my dad handcuffed and locked in the back of the van. Kayla is on her way to the same fate, and I'm next.

Unless he plans to kill me like he did in the alley and on the bus.

When my feet return to the ground, Agent 24 takes a set of cuffs from Officer Tate, turns me around and clicks them onto each of my wrists. He doesn't stop until each cuff bites into my skin, locked down as tight as they'll go. Guess I'm not dying yet.

Agent 24 strong-arms me toward the back of the van. When we near the double doors, Officer Tate hands the assassin a gun—my gun—the pistol I planned to use if things went haywire. I'm not accustomed to these types of situations. Maybe Agent 23 is, but I'm not. The confidence and awareness that comes with the skills and abilities given to me by The Collective seems to come and go when I least expect it.

I stare at the SIG Sauer nine millimeter pistol as Agent 24 wags his head with a smug grin and crams the weapon down the back of his pants.

As Officer Tate escorts Kayla toward the van, she says, "I'm sorry, Aiden. When he saw me up on the hill, he stopped. I thought he was on our side. I didn't know he was working for The Collective."

"There's no way you could've known."

Agent 24 hands me off to Officer Tate while he draws his sidearm and opens the rear doors of the van. With his gun aimed at my dad, the assassin's eyes convey a simple message: don't move or I'll end you right here, right now.

With my dad heeding the unspoken threat, Agent 24 snatches Kayla by the arm and forces her into the van. As I watch him handle her so roughly, a spark ignites behind my eyes. I start toward the assassin, but Officer Tate pulls me back.

Agent 24 smirks, not moved by my anger. Now that he's won, he carries himself with a much higher level of arrogance. I wish I could channel the confidence I had during our fight when I came out of my shell and struck back. The poise under pressure came when he threatened Kayla. The more I get to know her, I have a feeling I'd be willing to do anything to protect her. With my hands cuffed behind my back, I'm not in a good place to do that now, but this isn't over yet.

"I bet you're wondering how I pulled it off, aren't you?" Agent 24 says, while Officer Tate clutches my cuffed hands from behind me.

"Abducting the mayor?"

"That and getting a police officer to turn traitor?"

I exhale, feeling a painful pressure inside my bruised nose. "Sure. How did you do it?"

"First, a Collective computer whiz tapped into the police and city hall network and hacked the security cameras. That was the simple part. Then we used a machine we call a Mind Bender. The latest version takes it to a whole new level."

"Mind control," I say. I know all about it.

"That's right."

"So, Officer Tate isn't really a..."

"A traitor? No. Everything he's doing is because we have control of his mind. His suggestive thoughts belong to us. We give him orders and he carries them out. With the cameras disabled and with Tate's help, I waltzed through the front door of city hall, took the elevator to the top floor, knocked on the mayor's door, and took him captive." A cocky grin curls across his face as he enjoys his moment of triumph. "There you have it. That's how I did it. Mystery solved."

While he gloats somewhere close by, a device vibrates with a mild buzzing sound.

Agent 24 reaches inside his jacket and answers his phone. After a brief greeting, he informs the person on the other end of the line that he's captured all of us. When he finishes talking, he listens intently, nodding, and then says goodbye.

He looks over my shoulder at Officer Tate. "Cuff the mayor and toss him in the van, too. Zero has plans for all of them."

The police officer doesn't question the assassin, but does as instructed. After cuffing Kayla's father with his hands behind his back, he hoists the unconscious mayor up on his shoulder and carries him to the van.

With the assignment complete, Agent 24 turns to Officer Tate. "Do you have an extra set of cuffs on you?"

"I brought five, as you told me to."

"Good. Hand them over and turn around."

And just like that, Agent 24 cuffs Officer Tate and helps him climb up into the van. After that, he shoves me inside and slams the doors shut. A few moments later, the engine grumbles to life and the vehicle moves. I don't know where we're going or how long it'll take to get there, but I have an uncanny feeling we're all doomed.