Read On the Line (Special Ops) for Free Online

setup.”
     
    “What?”
     
    “We can set up the room the way the heavens are set up and you’ll have great angular views no matter where the guests are sitting.”
     
    “I knew I needed you for a reason,” she said. “You’re the only person I know who would think of that. I was thinking the standard round tables in the usual setting, but your plan could work.” Maybe she should take Zahara’s advice on more than just the seating arrangements. Maybe she really should get in touch with Preston. Of course she would have to arrange a meeting so she didn’t appear to be desperate to see him. It would have to look purely accidental, that way if things didn’t look promising she could walk away with her head held high and he wouldn’t know how much she really wanted to see him again. It would have to wait until after the show. She had to get through this first, but maybe in a few weeks she could just happen to be in Austin, not too far from his offices. Right; how was she going to manage that? No, if she wanted to arrange an accidental meeting she was going to have to come up with something better than that. After the show, she told herself. After the show she would come up with a plan that would work.
     

     

Chapter Four
     
    P reston awoke literally with his hands shackled to a stone wall. He remembered arriving in Egypt. He remembered meeting with his contact, getting a few weapons and heading out towards the Temple under the guise of being a tourist. And as he started to regain clarity he remembered finding the package, what he thought was the package anyway. Identical twins, she had said, but instead of Jules it was Victoria and she shot him with that darn Taser. Great, he went to rescue the hostage and became the hostage himself. What he didn’t know was the reason for her betrayal—she had set him up.
     
      He knew there really was a twin because he had done his research. She hadn’t lied about her sister. She hadn’t lied about her sister’s last known location. Were they both in on it together, or was Jules just a pawn in some demented woman’s game. Right now the why portion of the situation really didn’t matter. What he needed to do was focus on how he was going to get out of this mess. After he got out of it he could figure out who he was going to have to make pay for this. Victoria couldn’t have been working alone. She had to be doing this with somebody or for somebody. He didn’t know the woman. He didn’t have any history with her. As far as he knew he didn’t have any history with any of her associates either—and even if he did it couldn’t be a history that would make a rich socialite do this to him. Or could it?
     
    “Forget the why,” he mumbled. “Focus on getting out of here.” The guys wouldn’t miss him right off, not until he missed check in. Since they all knew the drill they all knew there were times when check in wasn’t possible. He was stuck here for probably two days without anybody even thinking to look for him. Two days left too much room for something to turn deadly.
     
    The locks on the door rattled. Somebody was coming to pay him a visit, he mused. What would it be this time; torture, a beating while he was shackled with his arms spread open? He was ready for it. He had endured torture before and he could do it again.
     
    He was expecting some barbarian of a man to walk in, but all he got was a traitorous blond.
     
    “Mr. Strauss,” Victoria walked toward him, her ill-fitting to the surroundings golden stilettos clacked against the stone floor. “I bet you’re wondering what’s going on aren’t you?” She had a hint of humor in her voice. He saw no humor to the present situation.
     
    “You lied to me,” he said. “What’s to wonder about,” he shrugged the best he could given his position. He refused to show her any sign that she had unnerved him, that the situation had unnerved him.
     
    “I didn’t lie—not really. My sister is in