Page 61
Story: Raven's Watch
“Easy there, Airwolf. Sadly, I’m certain we’ll get another chance. Though, I’m not sure what they hoped to achieve.” Which was what concerned him the most. Eliminating Greer, Chase and Zain had made sense. Especially if Voss wasn’t sure how much she’d already shared. But this felt more random. Or was it desperate?
Mac stared out the back before shaking her head. “You’re worried they’re escalating.”
“I don’t like putting the people I care about in the crosshairs.”
“Not to kick you while you’re down, but we were already there. And maybe Voss, or whoever that was, just wanted to scare you. They didn’t fire until one of them was at risk of being caught.”
“Let’s hope that’s the case.”
He glanced in the rearview, again, as he shook out his right hand. But even after he’d parked in front of the house, the road was deserted behind him.
Mac met him behind his truck. “I suppose this means more patrols tonight.”
“At least, we’ve got backup.” He frowned at the couple bullet holes in his quarter panel. “I doubt they can buff that out.”
“I think it gives the truck character.”
He shook his head, taking her hand as she grabbed the food. They carried it into the kitchen, looking over at Kash and Zain when they ambled in.
Foster gave them a twirl of his finger. “Did you guys clear the perimeter or should I go check?”
Zain gave Foster that death stare Mac had talked about in the hospital. “You did not just ask me if the property was clear when my paranoia level far exceeds yours.”
Foster held up his hand. “Sorry. My adrenaline’s still a bit high.” He gave them a rundown of the day’s events, ending with the chase.
Zain all but growled, fisting one of the napkins as he placed his burger back on the plate. “I’m really starting to hate this guy.”
Kash gave Zain a slap on the back, avoiding his left side. “I’m pretty sure you’re way past hate and well on your way to plotting revenge.”
“He tried to murder Chase and Greer and make it look like an accident. Hell, we’re pretty sure he actually murdered Foster’s parents. We need to end this. Preferably with me looking down my scope.”
“You’re in no condition to use your sniper rifle.” Kash arched a brow. “Unless you were hoping to mess up both shoulders?”
Zain pouted, picking at his fries as the room fell into a heavy silence. Nyx paced back and forth across the room, seemingly sensing the ever-growing restlessness
Foster pushed his half-eaten burger aside. “As much as I hate the thought, we should definitely up our security tonight. Mac and I’ll take first watch. One of you jackasses can spell us off.”
“I can handle security.” Zain tapped his chest. “All night.”
“Sorry, brother, not this time. We’re a team, and we’ll go in shifts. Your system’s solid. I’d just feel better if there were eyes on the property all night. For all we know, Striker’s next escalation will involve C4.”
“No one’s getting that close without me knowing about it. Period.” Zain clenched his jaw as he stood, closing his eyes for a few moments before blowing out a rough breath. “Midnight, Beckett. Not a minute longer.”
Kash sighed as he watched Zain march out, holding his elbow despite wearing a sling. “I’d hoped civilian life would smooth some of his hard edges, but he’s as intense as ever. And before you volunteer to stay up all night or get your panties in a twist, I’ll be keeping watch with him — that whole team thing. I know you two barely got any sleep last night, and it’s been full-on ever since that chat with Keaton and Dawson. And I doubt tomorrow will be any easier. We still have a stash of drugs to find.”
Foster eased back in his chair. “Looks like Zain’s not the only stubborn intense soul here.”
Kash laughed. “Yeah, you’re a real hardass, too. I’ll go close my eyes for a bit, but I’ll see you at midnight.” Kash whistled to Nyx, and the dog trotted off, totally focused on Kash.
Mac shuffled in beside Foster, laughing when he snagged her around the waist and pulled her into his lap. “Is it odd that I’m a bit jealous of the way Nyx looks at Kash?”
“You’re not the only one.” He dropped a kiss on her neck. “If you’re tired, you can head up. I can handle the shift alone.”
“And give you something to gloat over, later? I’m tired, not stupid. Besides, if I wanted to sleep alone, I would have gone back to my rental.”
“Even if we just sleep?”
She brushed her lips over his. “Especially if we just sleep, which is increasingly possible with each passing hour. And at the risk of you walking around, pounding on your chest like some kind of caveman, last night was the first time I actually got any quality sleep. Even if it only lasted a few hours.”
Mac stared out the back before shaking her head. “You’re worried they’re escalating.”
“I don’t like putting the people I care about in the crosshairs.”
“Not to kick you while you’re down, but we were already there. And maybe Voss, or whoever that was, just wanted to scare you. They didn’t fire until one of them was at risk of being caught.”
“Let’s hope that’s the case.”
He glanced in the rearview, again, as he shook out his right hand. But even after he’d parked in front of the house, the road was deserted behind him.
Mac met him behind his truck. “I suppose this means more patrols tonight.”
“At least, we’ve got backup.” He frowned at the couple bullet holes in his quarter panel. “I doubt they can buff that out.”
“I think it gives the truck character.”
He shook his head, taking her hand as she grabbed the food. They carried it into the kitchen, looking over at Kash and Zain when they ambled in.
Foster gave them a twirl of his finger. “Did you guys clear the perimeter or should I go check?”
Zain gave Foster that death stare Mac had talked about in the hospital. “You did not just ask me if the property was clear when my paranoia level far exceeds yours.”
Foster held up his hand. “Sorry. My adrenaline’s still a bit high.” He gave them a rundown of the day’s events, ending with the chase.
Zain all but growled, fisting one of the napkins as he placed his burger back on the plate. “I’m really starting to hate this guy.”
Kash gave Zain a slap on the back, avoiding his left side. “I’m pretty sure you’re way past hate and well on your way to plotting revenge.”
“He tried to murder Chase and Greer and make it look like an accident. Hell, we’re pretty sure he actually murdered Foster’s parents. We need to end this. Preferably with me looking down my scope.”
“You’re in no condition to use your sniper rifle.” Kash arched a brow. “Unless you were hoping to mess up both shoulders?”
Zain pouted, picking at his fries as the room fell into a heavy silence. Nyx paced back and forth across the room, seemingly sensing the ever-growing restlessness
Foster pushed his half-eaten burger aside. “As much as I hate the thought, we should definitely up our security tonight. Mac and I’ll take first watch. One of you jackasses can spell us off.”
“I can handle security.” Zain tapped his chest. “All night.”
“Sorry, brother, not this time. We’re a team, and we’ll go in shifts. Your system’s solid. I’d just feel better if there were eyes on the property all night. For all we know, Striker’s next escalation will involve C4.”
“No one’s getting that close without me knowing about it. Period.” Zain clenched his jaw as he stood, closing his eyes for a few moments before blowing out a rough breath. “Midnight, Beckett. Not a minute longer.”
Kash sighed as he watched Zain march out, holding his elbow despite wearing a sling. “I’d hoped civilian life would smooth some of his hard edges, but he’s as intense as ever. And before you volunteer to stay up all night or get your panties in a twist, I’ll be keeping watch with him — that whole team thing. I know you two barely got any sleep last night, and it’s been full-on ever since that chat with Keaton and Dawson. And I doubt tomorrow will be any easier. We still have a stash of drugs to find.”
Foster eased back in his chair. “Looks like Zain’s not the only stubborn intense soul here.”
Kash laughed. “Yeah, you’re a real hardass, too. I’ll go close my eyes for a bit, but I’ll see you at midnight.” Kash whistled to Nyx, and the dog trotted off, totally focused on Kash.
Mac shuffled in beside Foster, laughing when he snagged her around the waist and pulled her into his lap. “Is it odd that I’m a bit jealous of the way Nyx looks at Kash?”
“You’re not the only one.” He dropped a kiss on her neck. “If you’re tired, you can head up. I can handle the shift alone.”
“And give you something to gloat over, later? I’m tired, not stupid. Besides, if I wanted to sleep alone, I would have gone back to my rental.”
“Even if we just sleep?”
She brushed her lips over his. “Especially if we just sleep, which is increasingly possible with each passing hour. And at the risk of you walking around, pounding on your chest like some kind of caveman, last night was the first time I actually got any quality sleep. Even if it only lasted a few hours.”
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