“Okay, talk to me,” he said as they sat at a small table in a nearby café.

“There’s nothing to say.”

Steve hung his head a little, sighed. So he would go first. “I’m sorry.”

Reena just stared at him, at the emotions warring in his eyes, at the rather dejected set of his shoulders. Here was a man utterly unused to saying he was sorry, unaccustomed to apologizing, because it went against his nature and because he seldom had things to apologize for, yet there he sat, in front of her, telling her he was sorry, when it was her that had so much to apologize for.

“It’s okay.”

He shook his head. “No. No, it isn’t.” He looked at her. “It isn’t, Reen.”

She felt the icy armor around her heart, the wall she’d hastily erected two nights ago, melt at the shortened name, at the sound of his voice, at the look in his eyes.

“I’m really sorry,” he repeated. He wasn’t sorry for kissing her, he wasn’t sorry for almost making love to her, he wasn’t sorry for loving her, despite all the pain that love has brought him. “What I said.” He still felt slightly sick when he remembered his words. “I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t mean it, I don’t mean it. It’s just that—” I wanted to hurt you the way you hurt me.

“It’s okay, Steve,” she said softly. “I understand.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes.” She smiled slightly. “It was some sort of payback.”

He shook his head again, but she placed her hand on top of his. “I deserved it. I accept it. And I accept your apology.”

He wanted to kiss her again. So badly, he ached. “I was out of line, Reen.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t matter now. It never mattered.” She looked away, knowing her emotions were right there for the whole world—and especially him—to see. When she was composed again, she looked back at him. “I’m just glad we won’t part with you angry at me.”

“Part?”

She nodded. “When we get Wo Fat, I’ll leave.”

“Why?”

Reena shrugged. “It’s for the best. There’s too much...Between us, I mean. It’s just a matter of time when something like this happens again.”

Steve shook his head, but knew she was right. Until they resolved the issue of the past, until she finally told him the truth, there would always be conflict between them, he’d always strike out in pain. And since she wasn’t telling...

“We both know I can’t stay. No, I could,” she amended, “but we both know I shouldn’t.” Not unless I told the truth and watch you look at me with pity.

Steve swallowed his objections, swallowed the words ‘I love you’, and focused on the other matter at hand. “So, what have you found out about Wo Fat?”

Reena looked at him gratefully. “Delano occasionally lends a helping hand, but doesn’t know where he is, doesn’t even know how to get in touch.” She met his gaze squarely, as she lied, “He’s a dead end.”

Steve sighed, not quite convinced. Her eyes were carefully blank, a sign she was hiding something, but he couldn’t be sure, she was lying. Just as he wanted to probe for more, his phone rang.

It was Danny. A car has just turned up, registered to a man whose family had reported him missing.

The short one-sided conversation was enough for Reena to discern the gist and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the timely stop to the brewing interrogation. “Go,” she told him. “If there’s news you’ll be the first to know.”

Steve had his qualms about that, but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. He owed her that much, and he had a job to go back to. “I better be,” he warned and left without another word.

Reena feasted her eyes on his retreating form, regrets flitting through her mind, but it wasn’t time to think of her woes or cry over lost opportunities. She’s made her bed and she had to sleep in it. Alone.

She leaned back in her chair, ready to plot her next move, when her own phone chirped merrily. She answered without checking the caller ID, “Logan.”

“Ah, Special Agent Logan, it’s been a while,” a cultured voice sounded in her ear.

Reena’s blood chilled and a cold sweat beaded her brow. She could hear the echo of her heartbeat in her head and her breath left her lungs in short gasps.

“I see you recognize my voice,” Wo Fat continued, complacently. “I was afraid you might have forgotten the sound of it, but your training wouldn’t allow for that to happen.”

“Navy SEAL is a dangerous calling. Very prone to accidents. I’d be careful, if I were you, agent Logan.” The ghostly voice from the past rose from the recesses of her mind, making her flinch. It had been him. It had been Wo Fat all along.

“What is it, agent Logan?” he asked mockingly. “Fresh out of bravado? No threats? No promises of retribution?”

Reena finally found her voice. “What do you want?”

“I could say ’What I’ve always wanted’. As in that program you’d developed. But I won’t insult your intelligence with a lie.” There was a pause, then, his voice, low with hatred, returned. “I want you to pay for what you did to Jelena.”

“Come and get me,” she growled.

He laughed. “Now that’s the Sabrina Logan I remember. I just might do that.”

Good. Let him come after her. As long as he left Steve alone.

“On the other hand, I just might get my revenge the other way,” he said, squelching the tiny sliver of hope. “Tell me, do you still have the same weakness?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right,” he mocked, “you’re practically a superhero. You have no weaknesses.” A beat, then, “What about...What do your friends call him? Your SEAL.”

Reena’s entire body went rigid. If he touched Steve, she’d kill him. “You lost me, Wo Fat.”

“I don’t think so, Sabrina. You went berserk when I sent you those photos from his camp in Afghanistan.” A chuckle. “Masterpieces, don’t you think. He had one of my men beside him, a traitor to his country, and he didn’t even know it. It would’ve been so easy to...What’s that American expression? Oh, right. Snuff him.”

Reena clenched the armrest on her chair so hard, her knuckles turned white.

Wo Fat wasn’t done. “You dumped him so fast the boy’s head is still reeling, I’m sure. And then you went on a killing rampage among my colleagues. Suicide mission, I’m sure, and yet, you’re still alive, and once more reunited with you SEAL.”

She forced her voice to remain calm, while inside she was quivering with fear and rage. This was the man who had started the avalanche that had been her life the past five years. This was the man who had threatened the most important person in her life, mocking her with photos, with the ease with which he could have killed him.

“Oh, you’re talking about Steve McGarrett. Sorry to disappoint, but he’s not mine.”

“Right, he’s with that gorgeous Navy Lieutenant now. Catherine Rollins. Marvelous woman, but she cannot compete with you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Wo Fat laughed softly. “You do that. But do not underestimate me. Don’t for one minute think I’m stupid. And I’m not blind either. He might get his pleasure with Lieutenant Rollins, but I saw how he looks at you, you still own his heart. And I saw how you look at him. He’s still your weakness, isn’t he?” He murmured appreciatively. “I like a consistent woman.”

“Good luck finding one in your line of work,” she snarled and got the reaction she wanted.

“I did find her,” he hissed. “And you killed her. You will pay.”

“I said, come and get me,” she taunted.

“No, no, it doesn’t work like that. I’ll kill McGarrett, slowly. And you’ll watch.”

She scoffed, forcing herself to smile, so he would hear it in her voice. “Then you’d kill a perfectly decent man, someone I care about, but wouldn’t get your revenge. Not really. Steve’s not my weakness anymore,” she lied.

There was a long pause, before he continued, more calmly. “I’ll just have to find another one, then. How’s the governor these days?”

Hearing threats to Steve and not reacting has wiped her out. With the bastard threatening both him and her brother, Reena couldn’t hold it in any longer. “You son of a bitch,” she hissed.

Laughter, broken by the dial tone, was his only reply.




Sabrina Logan’s rental home, 9 p.m.

Reena pulled her hair into a messy ponytail, and, blowing the stray wisps of hair out of her eyes, checked the time on her phone. She would give it another fifteen minutes before she left for downtown to start her secret task of acting as guardian angel for Steve McGarrett.

Wo Fat wasn’t stupid. Far from it. He’d go for Steve first. She assumed he was relatively safe when he was with the team, earlier at work, and now at dinner—the people around him acting as buffer. Wo Fat would try to get him when he was alone, he’d see the need to dispose of the rest of the team a nuisance. Grabbing Steve would be a feat as it is. Her SEAL was a tough bastard. He wouldn’t take being kidnapped to be held hostage lightly.

And just in case his training wouldn’t be enough or Wo Fat decided to play dirty—which wouldn’t be the first time—she’d be there for extra protection.

She’d called her brother as soon as Wo Fat had hung up on her, telling him about the call, about Wo Fat being the mastermind behind everything that had happened so far, making sure Marc knew he was in danger as well, making sure he took the extra precautions—in the form of his gun, his knife, along with his usual entourage.

Reena checked herself in the mirror and grinned imagining what Danny would say if he saw her. Ninja, probably. She was once more dressed in black, black boots, black cargos, black long-sleeved tee, and armed to the teeth with a knife tucked into one boot, a small-caliber Beretta into the other, a taser in a pocket, her SIG in its holster on her hip and a Glock tucked into the waistband at her back.

She frowned when her doorbell rang. If it was her brother she’d kick his butt all the way back to his house, and tie him up until morning.

Her frown turned into a scowl, when she opened her door to meet Vincent Fryer’s glare.

“Well, well,” he growled, looking her up and down. “Aren’t we fancy tonight.”

“What do you want, Fryer?”

He looked over her shoulder. “Won’t you invite me in?”

“No. What do you want?”

“I need to talk to you.”

She shook her head. “Sorry, it’ll have to wait. I’m in a hurry.” Reena locked the door behind her and walked to the black pick-up parked in her driveway. She frowned as Fryer blocked her path. “Move.”

He brushed an imaginary lint off his sleeve. “I have information on Wo Fat.”

Reena frowned, her mind racing. “Who?”

“Wo Fat,” Fryer replied. “The one you tortured Delano about.”

Reena reached for her gun, but she wasn’t quick enough. She was also outnumbered. The sound from behind her alerted her only a heartbeat before the blow came...

Vincent Fryer stared down at Sabrina Logan’s prone body at his feet and snorted. “Not so tough, now, are you, bitch?” He knelt beside her, stripping her of her weapons, lingering in his search, being extra thorough. He licked his lips as he ran his hands over her bottom. “We’ll see how long it takes to break you...Reena.”

He stood, nodded to the young Japanese that accompanied him. “Put her in the trunk.”