Blindspot-FREE PREVIEW

Zone Manirat is recruited for a spy mission--and all might not be as it seems

THE FOLLOWING IS A FREE PREVIEW....

Blindspot was released on September 10, 2025 and is available on Amazon in ebook (free on Kindle Unlimited), paperback, hardcover, and audio format. If you wish to read the book in full, type the following into the Amazon search bar:

Blindspot Chelsea Frandsen

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Thanks!

~Ara

1. Craving

Bangkok, Thailand. July 2022.

Zone gets out of his specially customized Regera, body pulsing with adrenaline. He'd beaten his own personal record—on a test run. Iris waves at him from the stand, indicating that she's got some great shots of him on her phone. With Kam and Bel both working, and Kit in Italy, Zone has a fan club of one today. But that "one" is Iris, so Zone doesn't feel too bad about it.

His phone buzzes, and he answers without checking the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Zone." The voice sends waves of a different kind of adrenaline shooting though Zone's bloodstream. "Kam gave me your number. I need you."

"Silo?" Zone turns his back to the stands, just in case Iris sees he's on the phone. "I thought you were in New York."

"I was, until now." Silo sounds slightly amused. "Heard you started racing."

"Did Kit tell you that?" Zone bites his tongue, wishing he could stuff those words back in his mouth. "I mean…"

"Kam told me." Silo sounds unaffected at the mention of Zone's oldest brother. "When he gave me your number."

"Is there a reason he did that?" Zone's tone is slightly suspicious. Silo is definitely not calling just to say hello.

"Because I want to take you to lunch."

That catches Zone off guard. "Excuse you, but I have a girlfriend, who happens to like me, so I'm not screwing that up. Also, you're Kit's type, not mine. And don't think you can use me to get to him, Sy. Cause that won't work."

"Are you done?" The amusement is still in Silo's voice.

The silence after the question makes Zone realize the other man actually wants an answer. "Yes. I'm done."

"Good." Silo's tone is clipped, with the buzz of something else underneath. "I'm not using you to get to your brother. If I wanted to do that I'd ask for Kam's help, not yours."

"Hey!" Zone isn't sure if that's an insult or not but he squalls anyway.

"I want to take you to lunch," Silo continues speaking as though Zone hadn't made any noise. "Because I need a favor."

"Oh yeah?" Zone reminds himself that he's an adult, and adults don't do happy dances on a public racetrack just because his older brother's best friend(who is also his oldest brother's ex) wants a 'favor' from him. "Last time you said that to Kam he got his ribs broken."

"He also ended up in a very happy relationship that he wouldn't have entered without my little push." Silo points out. "Bring Iris. I need her too."

Zone glances back at the stands. Iris is descending the stairs, ready to meet him by the fence near the track. "What if I say no?"

"If you were going to say 'no'," Silo points out, "you would have hung up before now."

"Damn." Zone sighs, hating that Silo is right, but still unable to completely suppress the excitement building up in his bloodstream. "Fine. When and where?"

"I'll send you the address." Silo hangs up before Zone can say anything else.

Weird. Zone slides the phone back into his pocket. If Silo really needed a favor, he could have reached out to Kam. He usually did—Zone's older brother had been Silo's best friend since university.

Silo works for the National Intelligence Agency of Thailand, and Zone is a member of the privileged circle of people who know that. At least, that's how Zone's other older brother Kit explained it—with a weird little edge to his voice. Kit's Interpol, so in Zone's mind Kit and Silo should be on the same side—professionally at least. Apparently their professional lives were just as complicated as their personal ones. Maybe—

No. Zone clamps down on that last thought before it can finish itself. Silo and Kit's lives—or history, or whatever—was their business, not his. Zone had never questioned why those two acted the way they did with one another, and neither of them had volunteered. And Silo had clearly said he wasn't using Zone to get to Kit. So what the hell does he want?

"How did it feel this time?" A sharp no-nonsense voice cuts into Zone's thoughts.

He turns to face Chompoo, one of the few female mechanics employed by Ratcha Inferno, regarding him with crossed arms. She's tied the top of her coverall around her waist, exposing a black tank top underneath.

Morning sunlight catches in her pink pixie cut, flashing off the studs in her ears and nostril. The jewelry was her track-day indulgence—something she wouldn't wear back at the garage. Most of it, at least. Jay once told her to take her tragus piercing out while on shift, and Chompoo's response was a string of words Zone had never heard a girl use before. The only reason Jay backed off was that Chompoo was so damn good at her job.

Outside his family, Chompoo is the only person Zone would ever let near his baby, and they both know it.

"Suspension's holding great!" He smiles. "Acceleration's smoother, too. Should be ready for the new engine Kit wants to test soon."

Chompoo smirks at him. "See? Next time I tell you something's off and needs fixing, you need to trust me."

"You're just lucky Kit was able to rent this place an extra day." Zone retorts. "Otherwise we'd be testing this at the temp track."

"Which would have worked out just as well." Chompoo points out. "But I know how you and your brothers feel about this car—with good reason. You should go shower so you and Iris can do whatever the hell you have planned for the rest of the day. I'll drive this back to the garage."

Zone hands her the keys. "Be careful. You so much as scratch the door—"

"Your brothers will kill me unless you kick my ass first." Chompoo laughs, sliding into the front seat. "I got it. Stop fussing over your baby—she'll be fine in my hands. Iris is waiting."

Zone steps back from the Regera, allowing Chompoo to drive it toward the track exit. If it were anyone else behind the wheel, he'd insist on transporting his baby in a transit van. But Chompoo treated every car like it was her own, and that meant no joyrides, no risks, and no damage.

And next time she said there was something wrong with it, he'd listen to her.

"Were you testing poses for the next photo shoot or something?" Iris leans against the barrier between the track and the stands, eyes glittering with the mischief that always sends a pleasant hum through his bloodstream.

"Is that what it looks like?" He teases.

"That's what your stance looks like." Iris purses her lips. "Your face looks like you won the Grand Prix. Did you get recruited for something else?"

"Sorta." Zone knows Iris is only half serious, but that doesn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. "Silo called me."

Iris tilts her head. "And Silo is…."

"My older brother's best friend." Zone hesitates for half a second. Iris doesn't need to know all the details, right? "He wants to take us to lunch."

"Us?" Iris gives him a curious look. "Not just you?"

"I mean," Zone is handling this all wrong. This is not how spies are supposed to act. He's pretty sure this is not how James Bond sets up a meeting. "Iris, would you like to go to lunch with me? There's someone I want you to meet."

"I know." Iris grins at him. "Silo. You're doing that weird thing where you try and act like your older brother again. Kit, I mean."

Iris found out that Kit was Interpol a couple of months ago, when she and Zone had helped take down a corrupt businessman who was giving Interpol and several of their friends a little bit of trouble. At least, that's how Zone chose to remember it.

Better than remembering all the other shit.

"We're not going to lunch with Kit." Zone points out. "We're going to lunch with Silo."

Iris' grin widens. "Either way, you're acting weird."

"I thought that was one of the reasons you liked me." Zone leans against the barrier, his face centimeters from Iris'. "So do you want to go to lunch or not? Silo's paying."

"I'll go to lunch with you." Iris closes the distance, lips brushing softly against his. "Provided you shower first."

"Only if you shower with me." He counters.

Iris pulls back, quirking an eyebrow. "I doubt that's allowed here."

"Who said we have to shower here?" Zone leans even closer, running the tip of his nose down the side of her face.

Iris laughs. "You're an idiot."

"But I'm your idiot." Zone plants a quick kiss on her cheek before heading toward the locker rooms. "And you love me. I'll make it quick."

"You better." Iris calls after him. "This Silo guy sounds like he hates to wait."

Zone smirks as he enters the locker room. She was right—Silo wasn't the waiting type. As he peels off his racing suit and hops into the shower, his mind races through the possibilities of what Silo could want. If it was work-related, why hadn't he gone to Kit? Kit was the agent, the one with the connections. Zone was just... Zone. An adrenaline junkie with a knack for cars, a love of racing…and an unfortunate tendency to get caught up in his brothers' business. By choice.

But the way Silo had phrased it—like he needed him specifically—stuck with Zone. He had a pretty good idea of what Silo wanted. Something Zone had been craving almost as long as racing: an official assignment from the NIA. Or Interpol, whoever needed him first.

Zone rinses off, changes back into his street clothes, and meets up with Iris in the parking lot near the racetrack. She's leaning against his car, scrolling through her phone. The sight of her, backlit by the noon sun, always made his heart rate speed up in the same way a racecar does.

Iris didn't race, but she knew about cars, and she didn't roll her eyes when Zone wanted to break down the specs of his. Sometimes she even made one or two suggestions. Which is why his older brother Kam hired her as a Marketing intern for Manirat Luxe, his car dealership. And why Zone's not letting her go any time soon.

"So where we going?" Iris falls into step with Zone, sliding her phone back into her pocket.

"Hang on," Zone pulls out his phone with one hand, checking the address that Silo had sent him, and opening the car door for Iris with the other. "Huh. This is an Italian restaurant. Silo hates Italian food. Hates it. He had a bad cannoli once when he was out with—I mean, a couple of years ago, and the food poisoning turned him off Italian food for life."

"How do you know this Silo guy in the first place?" Iris asks as they pull out of the parking lot.

"I've known him since I was three." Zone keeps his fingers relaxed on the steering wheel. "He dated my brother."

Iris' brow furrows. "I thought Kam had a boyfriend."

"No, the other one." Zone corrects her. "Kit. He and Silo got together when they were at uni, and then…they broke up. Almost a year ago."

"When your dad died?" Iris' push is gentle.

"Yeah."

Iris doesn't know the details about Zone's dad's death—hell, Zone doesn't know all the details—but she's seen how much that news had hurt him. It still stung whenever Zone thought about it: how Kam had been on the phone with Dad and heard the attack, then arrived home to find Dad's bloody corpse on their front lawn.

Kit had left Italy after that, sent by Mami to try and get answers, though Zone wouldn't be surprised if Kit was planning on doing that anyway, whether Mami liked it or not. Initially, Zone had been forced to stay in Italy with Mami, but he was back in Bangkok now too, studying at uni and racing. While he was happy to be in the same place as his brothers again, something still nagged in the back of his head.

"So, Silo is Kam's best friend and Kit's ex-boyfriend." Iris' voice pulls Zone out of his thoughts. "You don't think that makes going to lunch with him a little…awkward?"

Zone shrugs. "Just because Kit doesn't want to see Silo doesn't mean I can't. And Kam's Silo's best friend, and still talks to him, so it's not that awkward. Silo's NIA. My dad was his mentor, so I guess it makes sense that he and Kit got close. He helped figure out who killed my dad too, so I kind of owe him one. The NIA was my dad's legacy, and Interpol is Kit's job, and maybe someday one of those'll be mine too."

"Ok Mr. Future Secret Agent," Iris laughs. "How do you know this isn't some kind of test?"

"Test?" Zone side-eyes her. "For what?"

Iris shrugs. "Maybe Silo wants to see how many risks you're willing to take, or if you'll do as you're told, no questions asked."

"I can do that!" Zone retorts. "No problem."

It's not that he's against doing what he's told. It's just that sometimes the rules Kit and Kam make—have always made, really—are eye-rollingly ridiculous. Still, Iris has a point. Silo does have a way of testing people, nudging them just to see how far they'd go.

"So what's the story behind his name, anyway?" Iris claims Zone's attention again. "It's not the typical Thai name."

"Oh that," Zone glances at her. "It's actually his nickname. His full name is something like 'Sila'—I can't really remember. But everyone just calls him 'Silo.' It's pronounced 'Sigh-low,' though. Don't call him 'Sil,' or he'll string you up by your toenails."

"Got it—Sigh-low." Iris nods. "But what's the deal with that?"

"He said it was just easier for people to remember," Zone explains. "He grew up here but spent some time in the States. I think he just wanted something that felt more… American, I guess? 'Silo' has this cool ring to it. Used to bleach his hair too, so maybe that's got something to do with it—like 'silicone' with an 'i' instead of an 'o'."

Iris' eyes glint with mischief. "You never asked?"

"I happen to like my toenails, thank you." Zone clamps down on the wave of anticipation shooting through him when they pull into the parking area. "I'm not interested in giving Silo a chance to string me up by them if I ask a stupid question."

The restaurant that Silo has chosen isn't one Zone would have picked—but only because its price range is way beyond what Zone's wallet can hold at the moment. It has an outdoor dining area as well as an indoor one. Silo sits at one of the wrought iron outdoor tables, scrolling through his phone.

He's wearing a sports jacket over his jeans, which clues Zone in that Silo came from the office, rather than anywhere else. Silo wears sports jackets only when working. Zone thought it was kind of weird to dress up only from the waist up, but the last time he'd brought that up he'd been told to close his mouth before Kit did it for him.

That was the last time Silo and Kit were together. Before everything blew up.

"Since when did you change your mind about Italian food?" Zone plops into the chair opposite Silo.

Silo barely glances up from his phone. "I didn't. But you love it."

"So, you'll risk food poisoning to get a favor out of me?" Zone grins at him.

"It wasn't food poisoning." Silo's jaw tightens just the tiniest bit. "I had a stomach bug."

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Zone snorts. "Kit didn't get sick."

A flicker of emotion crosses Silo's features, but he tamps it down, sliding his phone back into his pocket. "Your brother's got a stronger stomach than I do."

"Right, because Kit is superhuman." Iris rolls her eyes, giving Silo the once over. Zone grins at her, but Silo's face remains unreadable. "Is this the part where you tell us why we're invited out to lunch or do we speak in code like in the movies and then do a big reveal later on?"

Her question surprises a laugh out of Silo. "I like her."

"I do, too." Zone drapes an arm around the back of Iris' chair in a way that he hopes looks casual. "She's taken."

Silo's eyebrows shoot toward his hairline. "Did I say I was interested?"

"Well, no but…" Zone flounders. "Just in case."

Iris gives the pair of them a confused look. "Zone, I thought he was your brother's ex-boyfriend."

"He is, but he also dated Kam's boyfriend's sister." Zone pauses, making sure he got the relationships right. "Silo swings both ways."

"Ah, so he appreciates a variety! Just so we're clear, Silo, I'm a one-man kind of girl." Iris blows a playful kiss in Silo's direction. "But I like you, too."

"And she said my name right." Silo chuckles. "Careful, Zone. Someone might just take her away."

"You'll fail," Iris quips. "But I'll still acknowledge the effort."

Zone releases his breath. Iris was good at stuff like this—reading people, breaking tension, moving things along. She got to the point without stalling or being overtly rude—skills Zone had yet to master.

"So, Silo." Zone leans forward, hoping the anticipation doesn't bleed through his face. "Iris and I are here because…"

"Let's eat first." Silo signals to a waitperson. "Then we'll talk."

2. Engaging

They order food, and Silo bites back a grin when Zone doesn't hold back, ordering entrees, main dishes, and desserts. But Silo orders the drinks. Zone has yet to navigate the world of alcohol—Silo wouldn't be surprised if cocktails he got when he went to his brother's nightclub were seriously watered down—and Silo wasn't about to confront the potential consequences of making such an introduction. He'd been serious when he told Zone the meal was on him—he'd just forgotten the size of Zone's appetite.

Silo studies Zone while they eat. The youngest Manirat is nothing like his older brothers. Kit went from stoic to mercurial in the same breath, and Kam usually chose to speak with his eyes and body language rather than his mouth. Every thought that crosses Zone's head screams across his face. He threw himself into life with infectious enthusiasm, pushing himself to his limits, seeking the next adrenaline rush in whatever way he could get it, and damn the consequences.

Which is probably why Zone spent his life inside cars, rather than under them. By the end of the meal, Silo has come to the conclusion that there are four things Zone can't live without—Iris, adrenaline, racing and food. Not necessarily in that order, but that suits Silo's purposes just fine. The problem is, he only has half the information. Rome said he'd be here, and he's late, which means Silo has to stall. And that's not going to help his mood or Zone's.

Once dessert arrives, Zone's foot is bouncing so much the table rattles. Silo leans back in his chair, smiling faintly at the impatience flickering across Zone's face. Iris reaches across and gives Zone's leg a slight squeeze. Zone glances at her, and his foot stops bouncing.

"You've got potential, you know." The words are out of Silo's mouth before he can stop them.

Zone turns his gaze back to Silo, struggling to keep his voice neutral. "Potential? For what?"

"If I offered you a job, would you be interested?" Silo knows the question is rhetorical but enjoys asking anyway.

"I'd say what the hell took you so long?" Zone leans forward, eyes dancing with excitement. "For the NIA?"

"And Interpol." Silo confirms. "It should be pretty easy for you actually, considering you're already on the team."

Zone's brow furrows. "You want me to spy on Ratcha Inferno?"

"Yes, and no." Silo checks his phone, frowns, then slides it back in his pocket. "Do you know what data trafficking is?"

Zone nods. "Like identity theft. Only…more complicated?"

Silo's mouth twitches. "It's definitely more complicated. Data trafficking is the stealing of personal and corporate information through social engineering and hacking."

"So, a fancy kind of identity theft." Iris translates, giving Zone a mischievous grin. "Kai used to call it your Clever Computer Thing."

"I'd never do anything like that!" Zone's retort comes out sharp. "And anyway, it's not like I did any proper hacking…exactly."

"I heard you did some pretty clever things at Ratcha Inferno's press conference last month." Silo is grinning now. "I heard you're one of the reasons Chalam was arrested and OmniVentures Limited was razed to the ground."

"Kam exaggerated." Zone's face heats up at the praise. "It was mostly Kai's idea."

"Actually, Bel was the one who told me about it." Silo corrects him. "He said it wouldn't have worked without you two."

And from what Bel had said, the press conference had been a last ditch attempt to take down OmniVentures, and at the time, Bel and everyone else involved had thought Zone's friend insane. It had worked, but not without a cost. Bel didn't exactly say what that cost had been, but Silo can see from Zone's expression that it hurt, and he wasn't going to go into details, no matter how hard Silo presses him.

"What's data trafficking got to do with Ratcha Inferno?" Zone puts the conversation back where it's supposed to be—as far away as possible from uncomfortable memories. "Or me, for that matter? Stop stalling, Silo. What's this favor I'm supposed to do for you?"

"Not just for Silo." As if to answer Zone's question, Rome takes the empty seat at the table, giving Silo an apologetic look. "You're going to be working for Interpol, too. Sorry I'm late. Had an appointment I couldn't miss."

Silo nods, but doesn't say anything. Rome had come across his radar only a few weeks ago, in connection with the downfall of OmniVentures. Rome wasn't just the ruined company's heir, but also a member of Interpol. He had been the one to approach Silo with this particular assignment, for reasons Silo didn't quite understand. But curiosity had won out over suspicion, and Silo had agreed to assist him, so long as the NIA cleared it, which they had.

Now they just had to get Zone and Iris' cooperation.

An unreadable expression crosses Zone's face. Silo can't tell if it's relief or suspicion or Zone just squinting against the sunlight. Iris also gives Rome the once over, taking a sip of her drink. There's clearly history between the three of them, but Silo forces himself not to ask irrelevant questions. He's here to help Rome brief these two, nothing else.

"So I'm spying for both of you." Zone glances between Silo and Rome, interest flickering across his face. "Or am I spying for one of you and Iris will spy for the other one?"

"You catch on quick." Rome smiles at him. "Interpol and the NIA are collaborating on this one, so we need two people to work from different angles. Zone, you'll report to Silo, and Iris will report to me."

Iris leans forward, her dark eyes narrowing. "So what exactly are the data trafficking angles that Zone and I are going to be working?"

"And why the hell would data traffickers want to use a racing team to do their dirty work?" Zone's voice is heavy with disbelief.

Silo can't quite blame him. When this was first brought to his attention, he had been just as skeptical. He was less so now. "Hackers don't necessarily need fancy equipment to steal someone's password. You already know that. Same with data traffickers. All they need is a laptop and an internet connection—or any kind of computer, really."

"Like the ones in a racecar?" Zone's eyebrows shoot up toward his hairline.

'Exactly." Rome nods. "Racecars are perfect for data trafficking—each one is a mobile data hub with onboard systems that are constantly transmitting data to the team, sponsors, and broadcasters. At a race, you've got millions of mobile devices, high-tech cars, adrenaline fueled chaos. The perfect storm."

Iris tilts her head. "Nice cliche."

"And a truthful one." Silo winks at her.

Zone huffs. "So what's that got to do with data trafficking?"

"If you have the right tools, you can intercept that data through wireless signals or onboard devices." Rome explains. "The data can be stored on the car's systems and then transmitted during the race using the event's own communication channels, with no one the wiser."

"And you think that's what Ratcha Inferno is doing?" Zone hasn't lowered his eyebrows. "Using cars to steal people's data?"

"You disrupted a press conference with your laptop." Silo points out. "I wouldn't be so skeptical of a car stealing your data. We're pretty sure that's what's happening, but we can't prove it. That's where you two come in."

"So basically," Zone sums up. "You want me to spy on my own teammates and play detective—while racing. You know I'm the alternate driver, right? Not an actual racer."

"I can take care of that," Silo is smirking now. "No one is asking you to sell anyone out. You're not spying, you're…observing. There's a difference. All you're doing is reporting what you see."

"And if we find something?" Iris leans forward, a genuine spark of interest in her eyes now. "Then what?"

"You tell us." Rome smiles at her. "And we take care of the rest."

Zone snorts, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. When he looks up, his eyes lock with Silo's, gleaming with a determination that wasn't there before. "Ok. But if I do this, then you have to do something for me."

"Treating you to lunch isn't enough?" Silo quips.

"Very funny." Zone glances at Rome, then Iris, then digs into his jeans pocket. "I need you to help me figure out what this is."

He drops a USB on the tabletop between them. Rome sucks in a breath, but Silo doesn't move, doesn't blink. It takes every fiber of his self control not to react. The object looks like an ordinary USB, except for the front. A symbol is etched there, reflecting the sunlight: a snake eating its own tail.

"Ouroboros." Rome murmurs. His hand reaches out toward the USB, but a look from Zone makes him pull back. "Where did you get this?"

"OmniVentures." Zone spits out the word like acid on his tongue. "At least, that's where it was found. There's things on it that I don't understand. But I think you do. I get the information you need, and you explain certain things to me."

Rome and Silo exchange glances. Rome nods slightly, reading the look in Silo's eyes. They'll talk later—there are details Silo needs to know.

"All right." Silo turns back to Zone. "You deliver the information we need, and we'll talk."

Zone nods, swiping the USB off the table and sticking it back in his pocket. Silo bites back a smile as he takes in the set of Zone's jaw. He knows that expression: Zone is all in.

"When do we start?" Iris brings the conversation back to practicalities.

Rome slides his chair back and gets to his feet, signaling the end of the briefing come lunch. "We can consider this your day off. Keep your phones on, though."

Silo nods. "Zone, remember what I said. Anyone or anything that seems off—"

"I call you." Zone exhales through his nose, but doesn't retort. He and Iris also stand. "Don't worry. I got this."

Silo watches the two of them walk away, before turning up the street. Rome falls into step beside him, his lips pressed in a thin line.

"So," Silo breaks the silence. "Are you going to tell me why your uncle had that USB? Or what it means?"

"You know what it means." Rome keeps his gaze fixed ahead. "The ouroboros on the front should clue you in. As to why my uncle had it…honestly, I have no idea. I'm still working my way through the remains of OmniVentures archives. Maybe once Zone lets us see it, we'll get clear answers."

Silo nods. He'd been on the edge of the investigation, only providing information needed to destroy that corrupt company. But if Rome was still in the process of dismantling what remained…

"You think the data traffickers are former OmniVentures employees?" Silo hazards a guess.

"Possibly." Rome's brow furrows. "I might have been heir to the company, but that doesn't mean I knew the entire employee roster. My uncle liked keeping certain things under the radar, even from his family. Some of his people are still out there, either trying to clean up the mess or take over where he left off. You really think Zone is up to something like this?"

"He's a Manirat." Silo smiles. "He'll get it done."

Rome returns the smile before going up the street, leaving Silo to return to his office. Silo's mind insists on replaying the last bit of his conversation with Zone. Seeing that USB on the table brings to mind another one he'd seen eight months ago. That one had nearly cost lives. Chances were this USB would do the same.