Page 72 (2/2)

"Idealt with Clancy today," I said "To find out where hisout of soents frootten her out in tiirl," Vida said softly "You’re sure?"

"Positive And I doubt they would have let her out of their sight"

"You think they’re hiding her in Kansas," Cole said

"It ue procedure that when the organization is under attack, re forces and resources fall back to a central, safe location I don’t know that they would risk keeping her in an external location anymore after what happened with Clancy, and I don’t think she’s the kind of prisoner they would have cut loose"

"Would they trade her?" Vida interrupted "A prisoner exchange?"

"The First Lady?" Cole said "Not even for a hundred agents I just don’t understand why they wouldn’t have used her before now--they aren’t exactly shy about using hostages to ht not want to put her in front of a camera," I said

"Explain"

"Clancy tampered with her mind Really tampered with it"

"Brain voodoo?" Vida clarified "Awesoet her" Liam’s voice was quiet, and I could hear the hint of unhappiness in it that went unspoken "You think you can fix whatever he did"

I nodded

"You mean you want to send an extraction team into a secure facility, manned by a hundred trained ex-soldiers who specialize in torture and terrorbecause you have a theory," Cole said

"If she’s not there, then at least we’ll find answers about where she is," I said "It’ll be a quick in-and-out It’s not like we don’t knohere Kansas HQ is Two of us could go, survey the situation If it seeerous, we’ll back off It’s worth the risk If we find her and I can fix her, we’ll have answers about the cure If not, thenwe’ll have someone to trade for Cate"

Vida’s interest in the Op shot way up at that "Promise me that we’ll eventually trade her for Cate, and I’ we haven’t done a dozen ti a distressed hand to his face "Don’t tell us that That makes it worse"

"It can’t be Ruby," Cole said, "she’s needed here To deal with it"

I opened my mouth to protest

"Wait--wait, wait, wait--" Liao you orried about Agent Conner revealing the location of the Ranch, but what if they spill their guts about Kansas HQ? What if they’ve already packed up and left?"

"Then we’ll follow their trail," Vida said "Though I’ll put a hundred bucks on the s too invincible and secure to beat a hasty retreat They’re still there--a hundred bucks"