Take (Fury Brothers #4)

I stiffened. “That isn’t my primary focus.”

“Maybe not yours, but it’ll be DARPA’s. Stimulants on call.” Reath carefully put some antiseptic cream on my wound. “They could create super-soldiers.”

“It’s not genetic engineering.”

“But it would give soldiers a big advantage.” His face hardened. “And it won’t just be our military who’ll be interested.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “You think another country sent someone to steal my work and trash my lab?”

“Yes. And they tried to grab you.” He set the things back in the first aid kit, then sat on one of the stools.

I slid off the counter. “This is crazy. I’m only at the very beginning of my work. There isn’t enough to steal. This is real life, not a James Bond movie.”

“No, but espionage is real, Frankie. And countries and regimes far less friendly than ours would want your project. Even just the start of it.”

I glanced up. There was something in his tone, and a look on his face. He didn’t show much expression, but I was starting to read the little tells. “Are you speaking from experience?”

He didn’t respond.

“That’s what you did when you left the military. You were a spy.”

Again, he didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to.

I pushed my hair back, careful not to bump my wound. “Who do you think is after my work?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” His tone was sharp and resolute.

His cellphone rang. As he pressed it to his ear, he turned away, murmuring quietly. Then he stiffened.

I watched him and my chest tightened. Something was wrong.

“What?” I demanded when he ended the call.

His gaze locked on my face. “I sent a man to your house.”

My pulse skittered. “And?”

“Someone broke in. It’s a mess. They were searching for something.”

No. I pressed my hands to my cheeks.

“Is all your research data on the laptop that was stolen?” he asked.

“No. For security reasons, I keep some of it compartmentalized.”

“Where’s the rest of the data?”

I tapped my unhurt temple. “In my head.”

His jaw tightened. “That puts you in danger. Someone wants your work. Badly.”

I wrapped my arms around myself. “It’s nowhere near finished, Reath.”

“But give your data to a team of scientists, and it would give them a head start to replicate and finish it.”

“God.” I felt the color draining from my face.

“You need to call your contacts at DARPA and update them. I’ll also call a friend I have there. You need extra security, and what the university is providing isn’t enough.”