Deadly Seduction by Cate Noble Read Free Book Online

never trust them.
    “Whoa! Easy!” Rocco’s voice registered.
    Max felt a hand close over his wrist and tug the gun away. That he hadn’t even realized he’d raised his arm and pointed the weapon shook him. Now, he knew what a robot must feel like.
    Dante, Rocco were good guys. Time didn’t change the fact they were brothers in arms.
    “Sorry…don’t know what to think,” Max said.
    “You’re entitled. Are you injured?” Dante asked.
    Max tried to shake his head, felt dizzy. “Tranqed. Don’t want to go…under again.” Bad things happened whenever he was sedated.
    “Riley!” Dante snapped. “Get your med kit over here.”
    Max swung his fist, missed. “No. Meds.”
    “Whatever you say, buddy. I just want Riley to check your vitals.”
    Buddy . Had he almost decked his friend now? “I thought…you died.”
    “Lot of that going around.” Dante cleared his throat. “Right now we need to find Harry. Is he here, too?”
    Harry. Max struggled to recall a face that matched that name. Harry Gambrel. Harry and Dante had been with Max. In a fire. Two years ago.
    No, not fire. An explosion. Screams. Forget about them. All that matters is Taz. And—
    Once more Max’s head began to pound. He rubbed his temples. “Harry’s dead. But Taz isn’t. Owe him my life…got to save him.”
    Dante looked around. “Who is Taz? And where is he?”
    “Give me a minute,” Riley said as he moved in and dropped to one knee.
    Max realized he was lying on the floor now.
    “I want to get your blood pressure,” Riley continued. “Any idea what you were given?”
    “Get Dr. Rufin up. He’ll know.” Max shoved away the BP cuff Riley held. “Don’t worry ’bout that. Just get me back on my feet and over to that tank. Taz is inside. He’s my…friend. Brother. One of us.”
    “Jesus. We’ll get him out.” Rocco moved in close now. Hooking Max’s arm, he hauled him to his feet and supported him.
    Riley immediately moved away, toward Rufin. The pungent scent of ammonia filled the air as a capsule was waved under Rufin’s nose. The scientist came up sputtering, then nearly passed out once again as he saw the black-clad newcomers.
    “Do you speak English?” Dante barked at Rufin.
    “Y-y-yes.”
    “What was he drugged with?” Dante nodded toward Max.
    “Sedatives, a mixture with pen-pen-pentobarbital.”
    “What dose?” Riley asked.
    “Adjusted for his weight.” Dr. Rufin looked around on the floor. “I need to see the d-d-dart.”
    “Screw that. Just help me get this open.” Max lurched away from Rocco and began to unfasten the latches on the chamber.
    “No!” Dr. Rufin tried to surge up but shrank back as three guns were leveled at him. “Th-th-the procedure has been interrupted.”
    “You know what you can do with your procedures?” Max broke away the last latch and lifted the chamber’s clamshell lid. Inside, strapped down to the flat surface, was Taz.
    “Hold on, Taz!” Max tugged away the bulky eye goggles while Rocco worked to remove the oversized headphones that were secured with tape.
    Max knew the awful images, commands, which were input with the devices. Do this, or they die. How many times had Max lain in this machine and watched his friends, family suffer? Had felt intolerable pain rip through his body.
    That Taz didn’t move, didn’t respond, worried Max. He frantically ripped away scores of circular diode patches that were stuck all over Taz’s torso, arms, and legs.
    “He’s alive.” Riley had moved in. “I’ve got a pulse, but it’s going through the roof.”
    Max shifted away to give Riley better access. “Whatever it takes. Save him.”
    Turning away, Rocco stormed over and snatched Rufin up by the lapels. “I ought to kill you.”
    “Dibs,” Max said.
    “Fair enough.” Rocco shoved Rufin toward Max. “What the hell have you been doing here?”
    But before Rufin could respond, Dante snapped his fingers. “Quiet! Go ahead.”
    Max realized the men all wore mics