Guardian Agent Read Online Free PDF Page A

help, his screen was duplicating Brent’s in another minute.
    He could see everything the man was doing. He could also take control and open files on his own, but Brent would see that. The mouse pointer would freeze on the screen while his laptop took Gabe’s commands. So Gabe simply watched.
    And saw nothing terribly helpful. The man surfed porn sites for a few minutes before turning the Internet off. Then the screen stopped changing.
    Maybe he went to sleep to rest up for the takeover. Or was taking a shower. Or just gone to the bathroom. What were the chances that he was sitting in front of the laptop, staring at the blank screen?
    Gabe took control and opened the file directory. Not as useful as he had hoped. Instead of names, the files were simply numbered. Not much he could guess from that. The first held nothing but dates, another listing a long string of numbers. The next held a detailed satellite map of a small village, showing every street, every house. The name on the bottom was written in Arabic, but he could piece it together after a minute. Lahedeh. Afghanistan.
    “I don’t know what Jake discovered. All I know is that he discovered it in Lahedeh,” Jasmine had told him earlier.
    A cold feeling spread in his stomach. He cut the link. Couldn’t risk keeping it open too long and getting caught.
    Lahedeh could be the connection between Brent and Tekla.
    Or it could be a coincidence.
    He needed to find out what was going on, because like it or not, he was up to his neck in this mess now. He glanced at his watch as he pushed to his feet.
    “Ready?” He stepped to the bathroom door and pushed it open.
    Jasmine sat on the closed toilet lid, sleeping, her head resting on the edge of the sink. She looked incredibly young and utterly worn out. But he couldn’t give her a break. They needed to leave.
    He turned off the tap, then pulled her up. “Is your sister in Venice? Is she with your brother?”
    She opened her eyes. “No.” Swayed a little.
    “This is not a good time to play games with me. Are your sister and your aunt here?”
    She pressed her lips closed.
    Which probably meant, yes. He didn’t know much about the aunt, but Tekla’s younger sister would be about high school age. A kid.
    Jasmine collapsed softly against him and went back to sleep.
    Dammit. Of course, he only had himself to blame.
    He scooped her up and stuck her in the shower, turned on the water. Her eyes popped open as she sputtered, fighting to get out while he tried to keep her in, a task about as easy as bathing a cat. And as hazardous to your health.
    He let her out when she looked like she was fully awake and when he thought he might lose an eye if he didn’t.
    “Jasmine? Jasmine, honey.” He tried to make nice. “Where is your brother hiding?”
    She was awake, but uncooperative. She simply glared at him. She didn’t look ready to forgive the tying down and the drugging. Or the forced waking.
    Fine. He could get started without her. They were going to Soremo. And between here and there, he would get her talking.

Chapter Five

    Despite his best efforts, she slept through the vaporetto ride, curled against him. At least she’d stayed awake earlier long enough to take off her own soggy bra and panties and put on the pair of boxer shorts he’d given her and one of his T-shirts. Then she’d passed out again, leaving the rest to him. Gabe had to tie on the sweatpants with a curtain tie. His sweatshirt just about swallowed her.
    He helped her off the waterbus at the last stop.
    “Left or right?” he asked, turning her face toward the cool breeze that came off the water.
    She opened her eyes and looked around. “Where are we?”
    Not exactly progress.
    Her knees were folding. He picked her up into his arms. People smiled at them, probably thinking he was being romantic.
    “What are you doing?”
    “Saving you and your family,” he said under his breath, keeping a smile on his face for the onlookers.
    “Mandy, has a