Page 42 of Always Been Mine (Always #2)
Just then, a crackling of leaves and footsteps got everyone on alert.
A big guy, even taller than Gabe and almost twice as wide, emerged from the trees.
He had a skinny guy following in front of the business-end of his assault rifle.
Big Guy was obviously one of Viktor’s men because he was dressed similarly.
Skinny was dressed in dark military fatigues .
“Who’s this?” Maia asked, referring to Skinny.
“Found him skulking on the third quadrant. He was with another guy,” Big Guy reported. “His buddy got away. They were doing recon.” He ripped off the velcro holding the cover on the arm of Skinny’s uniform revealing the insignia. “Green Beret.”
“What the fuck?” Viktor muttered. “Why is Army Special Forces operating within the homeland?”
Skinny remained stonily silent.
“Listen, we’re under CIA directive to handle this situation,” Viktor said. “Our order trumps yours.”
“We’re under CIA directive as well,” Skinny finally spoke up. There was a hint of confusion on his face.
“Redrook,” Maia whispered. “He’s running their show.”
Gabe was slowly losing patience listening to the hushed conversation behind him. His mission was surveillance, damn it. He promised Beatrice he wasn’t going to get involved in this CIA bullshit, but he was biting on his tongue not to comment on the clusterfuck.
“Maia, warn our guys to expect another team. Keep their eyes peeled for an ambush,” Viktor turned to Skinny. “You better tell your men to stand down. Your boss is dirty and is conspiring with Russians to kill innocents with the virus.”
“You’re wrong,” Skinny said. “Our boss is entrapping an ISIS operative who plans to launch a terrorist attack on U.S. soil with a virus.”
Wait. What? Gabe turned his attention to the gathering behind him. This was getting more FUBAR by the minute.
“Tim was right. He mentioned something about an ISIS plot to attack the U.S. after what happened in Iraq,” Maia said.
“Who’s Tim?” Gabe asked.
“AGS data analyst,” Travis answered. Obviously, his friend knew these people very well .
Viktor put his comms back on. “All in position? . . . Damn it. Okay we gotta move in. We’re heading down. It’s a go.”
The second the AGS boss gave the command, gunfire erupted in the barn area. Viktor gave Big Guy instructions to secure Skinny.
“You coming, Sullivan, Blake?” Viktor asked. He gave the signal for Maia to go ahead.
Gabe locked gazes with Travis.
“We’re not sponsored by any government agency in this op,” Travis said.
“You think we are? CIA directive or not, we’re totally clandestine on this one,” Viktor said. “We fuck up, we’re on our own.”
This time it was Viktor who leaned his face close to Gabe’s. “You like playing by the rules, Sullivan?”
“You like playing games, Baran?” Gabe fired back. “We could have killed each other earlier, you know.”
A chilly smile curved Viktor’s lips. “If I wanted you dead, Sullivan, you wouldn’t have seen me coming.”
With that parting shot, Viktor Baran disappeared into the shadows.
Panic gripped the control room at the safe house as everyone listened to the scuffle breaking out through comms.
Soon after Travis failed to respond, they heard a fight break out from Gabe’s feed and judging from the distant sound coming from communication devices, both had been knocked off.
Caitlin and Beatrice gripped each other’s hands while Nate tried to get the guys back online.
“Travis, do you copy?” Nate’s voice was calm, but his expression was worried. “Gabe, do you copy?”
Finally, there was a distant, What the fuck, Maia ?
“Travis, come in, buddy!” Nate spoke loudly.
“This is Blake.” There was a loud irritated huff. “I’m okay.”
Caitlin sighed in relief.
“What’s going on?” Nate asked.
“Can’t talk now. Need to get to Gabe and Viktor Baran before they kill each other,” Travis said. His voice jarred, indicating he was jogging.
“What?” Beatrice exclaimed, grabbing the mic from Nate. Viktor was one of the most lethal operatives in the history of security companies. “Tell me you’re joking, Travis.”
Travis didn’t respond for a while until he said, “They’re alive.”
Beatrice sank in the swivel chair in relief.
Her relief did not last long because Gabe and Travis were planning to join up with the AGS team in the raid, which was already underway. There was no time for discussions; split-second decisions were the order of the night.
“I’m not so sure about that, Travis,” Caitlin said. “You promised you were just doing recon.”
“I know, sunshine, but with Viktor at the helm, we should be fine. Gabe wants to get his hands on Zach Jamison,” Travis said. “Besides, I don’t think you want BSI to be labeled as a bunch of pussies, do you?”
Nate and Sam chuckled. Beatrice was leaning toward the plan. She had huge respect for Viktor and his team.
“Speak for yourself, Travis,” Gabe mocked, then addressing the control room, he said, “I think we’ll be fine going in. You okay with that, Beatrice?”
“It’s Viktor. There’s no one else I trust more,” Beatrice said. “You’re in good hands, Gabe.”
There was a stretch of silence and Beatrice thought they had lost communication again. Finally, Gabe’s voice crackled over comms.
“Hmm, not sure I like your total confidence in this guy.”
“Knock it off, Gabe,” Travis muttered. “We’re going in. Out.”
They watched the two blips of Gabe and Travis travel down the hill on their tracking map.
“So you know Viktor?” Caitlin asked Beatrice.
“Most of his team, actually,” Beatrice said. “You might even know Maia. I frequently bump into her in high-society functions. How she keeps doing undercover ops, I have no clue.”
Just then, the alarm on the driveway beeped loudly.
“Are we expecting anyone?” Nate frowned into the monitor as they watched the dark outline of a car come up the driveway. “Are you expecting Doug, Beatrice?”
“No. And it’s 10:00 p.m.” Beatrice said urgently.
Nate got moving and punched the button that would flood the front of the house with lights. In seconds, he and Sam were armed to the teeth with pistols and assault rifles as they strode down the hallway to the front door.
Beatrice watched in horror as the figure staggered out of the car, obviously hurt.
“It’s Dad,” she whispered.