Sea Haven 02 - Spirit Bound

approached the backstreets, Stefan put his hand on his brother’s arm. “He’s here. Close by. I can feel him.”
    Lev didn’t argue with him. He pulled his baseball cap a little lower. He wore a beard and dressed as a local might, much more casual, his shirt open, his jeans faded and worn. “He won’t recognize me.”
    “Don’t count on it. Never underestimate Ivanov,” Stefan said grimly.
    “I’m not associated with this vehicle at all. I’ve completely remodeled it, and added a few additions in a barn on the farm. Rikki and I avoid towns as a rule. We do shop in Inez’s store, but we use her truck. Most of the people here in town will swear they’ve known Levi Hammond for years.”
    The Jeep had no doors, but it had plenty of power and the ability to go through the forest where there was no road. Stefan kept his hands inside, close to his weapons, where he could use them fast. “Take a left up here. There’s a small house. Use the alley. You can go right into the garage.”
    “He’s got to be holed up near here,” Lev said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s next door to this place. Good escape routes from either direction and the rooftops are close enough to use. You’ve got the sea to cover noise, and no children that I can tell in any of the houses.”
    “These small houses are old. Mostly seniors who’ve lived here forever and mind their own business. They’re friendly enough, but they don’t pry.”
    Lev pulled up to the garage, Stefan was out and opened the door fast, allowing Lev inside. There was a vehicle already parked inside, a fast Audi, compact, and built for hugging the curves.
    “I see you’re prepared,” Lev observed.
    “Is there any other way to live?” Stefan asked. He checked the door. “Stay back just in case Ivanov’s been here. I don’t think so, and nothing appears to have been tampered with, but I’d rather you stay out here while I take a look around.”
    “You don’t need to protect me, Stefan.”
    Stefan shot his younger brother his shut-up-and-back-off look. Lev shrugged and stepped behind the Jeep while Stefan went into the house. Every sense on high alert, Stefan moved through the small house. Only seven hundred square feet, it wasn’t difficult to check every room for signs Ivanov had found his bolt hole. He examined the windows and even the kitchen sink and small refrigerator before he waved Lev inside.
    “I put the weapons behind the wall by the bed over there. Get what we need and I’ll check my laptop. When I’m working under deep cover I only check a couple of times a week, but I’m expecting the news that La Roux’s been taken by our agents.”
    He powered up his laptop and waited a few heartbeats before typing in his code. At once a single message came across the screen:
Entire team killed. La Roux escaped us. Recover microchip and terminate immediately.
     
    Stefan sat very still, staring at the screen. Sorbacov had sent a team to break La Roux out of prison and yet the criminal had somehow gotten the drop on them? Sorbacov was going to have to provide more information, especially with Ivanov lurking around. The entire thing stank. He wished he hadn’t found Lev.
    He sent his demand, insisting on a full explanation.
La Roux agitated and anxious to break out several days ago. His men were waiting and they massacred our agents. La Roux in the wind. Find him. Get the microchip and terminate.
     
    Several days ago. What had changed? La Roux had seemed ambivalent about trying to escape. He had his organization running strong, a cushy sentence that would be over with good behavior in two more years. He was hooked up with corrupt guards. Stefan could understand why the man might hesitate. He’d been interested when he looked at the photographs of Judith, but if nothing else, La Roux had patience. He seemed willing to wait.
    “Something changed,” Stefan murmured aloud. He turned the screen to show his brother.
    Lev whistled. “You believe it?”
    “Yes. More than anything, Sorbacov wants that microchip. There’s too much damning evidence on it. He’ll come at the two of us later, but I don’t think he’ll be able to pull his dog off. Ivanov is locked on us and I wounded him. That’ll hurt his pride. He won’t acknowledge any of Sorbacov’s transmissions and he’ll keep coming at us.”
    “You know him well.”
    “I learned a lot about him when we were in training together. I let him think he was better than I was. I’ve