“You need to get used to representing your brother on shows like this.” Kimba’s still talking. “You have to remember where he stands on things like climate change.”
Oh, this grabs my attention.
I swing back around to face her. “You mean the fact that I advocate a much more aggressive plan for climate change than Owen does?” I ask, fake-mildly.
“Yeah. It’s just scooting a little to the right on this issue.”
“I don’t scoot.”
“Everyone scoots center when they’re running.”
“I’m also not running, but if I were, I for damn sure wouldn’t scoot. Everyone and their mama knows where I stand on climate change. You think I’ll lie about it now?”
“I would never ask you to lie,” Kimba replies stiffly. “I’m just asking that you articulate your brother’s position.”
“I’ll be happy to do that,” I agree with a nod, “and say I think his position should be stronger.”
“Maxim, come on.”
“People aren’t stupid, and their memories aren’t that short. They know my brother and I don’t share exactly the same views on climate change. It’s fine that there’s some daylight between us on this issue. Ignoring our differences is not how we fix problems, and neither is focusing on them. People are sick of bickering. They’re tired of politicians locking horns and comparing dicks and getting nothing done. They want leaders who’ll set their differences aside long enough to actually help somebody.”
“Ya know.” Kimba frowns a little and tilts her head to stare at me. “That kind of made sense.”
“Of course it did.” I grin and wink. “Just because I don’t like this stuff doesn’t mean I’m not good at it.”
We both laugh, and Kimba returns her attention to the list of “fun things” she wants me to remember.
“Is that all?” I ask after another twenty minutes of reviewing Owen’s position on several issues. “We done?”
“We’re done.” Kimba packs her iPad and notebook into her bag. “Good talk. I’ll email you notes and circle back with more specifics on The View appearance.”
“I’ll try to contain my excitement in the meantime.”
“Look, I know your brother appreciates you being all in like this. Having a surrogate as high-profile and popular as you makes the job a lot easier for Lenn and me.”
When Kimba mentions Lennix, I automatically check my phone as I have for the past two days. Still nothing.
“Have you heard from her? Lennix, I mean.”
“No, but that’s not unusual when she goes on these service trips. Reception is usually bad, and Wi-Fi is spotty. She’ll call when she can.”
“Yeah, of course, you’re right.”
“And Wallace is there with her.”
“Should that make me feel better?” I stand and walk around to lean against the corner of my desk. “That she’s in a jungle with her ex?”
Kimba shifts her bag on her shoulder and levels me with a glance that is half amused, half exasperated. “You’re kidding, right? You know she and Wallace are—”
“I know they used to date. Not fake date like she let me believe this time, but dated for real.”
“That was years ago, and it didn’t last long.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I shake my head. “Maybe I’m just paranoid. Something feels…off.”
When you put yourself in perilous situations often enough, your survival instincts become better honed, and you learn to trust them.
“Well, nothing’s off,” Kimba says. “Believe me. I’ve been through seven of these trips now with Wallace and Lennix. They’re fine. Oh! I have one last thing I forgot to tell you.”
Her phone rings, and she glances at the screen. “Just gimme a sec. It’s Viv.”
She answers. “Hey, Viv. I’m in a meeting. Lemme call you right—”
Her brows bunch, but she chuckles. “Damn, V. Slow down. I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
Kimba’s frown deepens, her expression going from amused to confused to horrified in a matter of seconds. A gulp moves the muscles of her throat, and she draws a shaky breath. “Who? Who has Wallace?”
That niggling intuition that’s bothered me for days flares into a full-blown sick feeling. I stride over to stand right beside her. I know I’m too close, crowding her, but I need to hear exactly what’s being said.
“Who has him?” I ask. “Is Lennix okay?”
“I-I…” Kimba closes her eyes and presses her hand to her forehead. “V, I don’t understand.”
“Kimba, what the hell? Is Nix okay?”
“Viv, I’m gonna put you on speaker.” Kimba pulls the phone from her ear, taps the screen, and turns it faceup. “Maxim’s here with me.”
“Maxim, hey.” Vivienne’s wobbly voice comes over speaker. “I’m sorry I’m all over the place. I just—” Her voice breaks on a sob.
“Vivienne, can you tell me what’s happened?” I try to keep my voice level. “Who has Wallace? What’s going on?”
“My… My parents got a call about an hour ago from CamTech.”
“Who’s that?” I demand.
“It’s the lab Wallace works for,” Kimba says.
“Yeah, they called to say they’d received a video,” Vivienne continues, her breath thinning, distressed.
“What kind of video?” I ask.
“A ransom video,” Vivienne says. “A group in Costa Rica has taken Wallace hostage.”
“And Lennix?” I force the words out. There’s a good chance she wasn’t with him at the time. She may be safe.
God, please let her be safe.
But something in my gut twists like it already knows the answer.
Vivienne’s distress is palpable even over the phone, even before she answers. “They have her, too.”
Rage, frustration, fear—a toxic cocktail of emotions stirs inside me. I didn’t know you could actually see red, but it’s like someone poured a bucket of blood over my eyes. Bloodlust, murder, vengeance—those things are smeared red all over me.
“Who the fuck has her?”
Kimba’s eyes snap to mine, widening.
“He wears a mask, so we don’t know,” Vivienne says. “The guy on the video is wearing a mask.”
“There’s a video? I need it.” I stride to my open office door. My assistant is at her desk, poring over reports we were discussing before Kimba arrived.
“Jin Lei, get the CEO of—” I swivel my head back to Kimba. “What was the name of the company again? CamTech?”
“Uh, yeah,” Kimba says, blinking rapidly, still holding the phone.
“Get the CEO of CamTech on the phone right now,” I tell Jin Lei. “And Grim. Get me Grim. Wherever he is, whatever he’s doing, get his ass on a plane. He can call me from the air for an update, but tell him not to wait.”
“Got it.” Jin Lei nods and picks up her phone.
I cross back to Kimba and Vivienne, still on speaker.