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Using the Irene was their only way to get to the mansion fast enough. They had no vehicles of their own and the cars of the buyers had been left with flat tires. As it turned out, it didn’t matter. The Irene was faster than any vehicle would have been in southern California traffic.

The mansion was perched on a high cliff just off the beach. The deck was covered with exquisite carved patio furniture and an infinity pool offering someone brilliant views for sunrise or sunset.

With their wet suits on, they anchored the boat and swam toward the beach. Still in stealth, they wouldn’t be seen coming. Taking the stairs up to the main deck, they moved slowly along the open glass doors. Inside, they heard someone whistling a happy tune, and that pissed them all off.

Pax entered first, his brother behind him. Luke took a seat on the sofa as each of the men stood in the massive living area. When the last was inside, they slammed the glass doors loudly and then the front doors, securing them all.

“You’re back!” yelled the man. “I trust it went well. How much did you get…”

“Oh, we got plenty,” said Luke.

“You’re trespassing,” said the man.

“No, we’re not. This home doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to the very, very dead Carr Mason. Or it did. I mean, I guess, technically, it could be yours if you’re his next of kin. Or partner,” said Pax. He gasped, covering his mouth. “Oh, shit. Are you his partner?”

“Who are you?”

“That doesn’t matter. You’ve disgraced the office Homeland Security.” His face paled, and he turned to head back toward the bedroom but was stopped by a wall of black dive suits and muscle.

“Yeah, we know,” nodded Hex. “We know all about what you and your friends were doing, and we’ve made sure it won’t happen again.”

“They won’t charge me,” he said with a grin. “They can’t afford any more bad press for the department. I’ll get a slap on the wrist, a demotion, something boring.”

The men broke into uproarious laughter, and he stared at them as if they’d all gone mad. Maybe they had.

“No, you won’t get charged,” said Pax. “Because you won’t be arrested. There will be nothing left of you to arrest. See, I’m a true patriot, and I won’t waste the taxpayers’ dollars on a fucked-up trial for a pathetic piece of shit like you. Besides, Mason and Moravo said you weren’t the brains in this at all. They said your partner was the brains.”

“I don’t believe you. They wouldn’t say that!”

“They did say it,” said Pax. Behind him, he knew his brother was cheering him on. Something about the man was telling him that it wasn’t just him helping with this. Someone else was involved.

Cam stepped forward and snapped a photo of the man, comms immediately running the facial recognition software.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting a name to match that pretty face of yours,” said Pax. Brax stepped forward, staring at the man. They all heard a key in the front door lock and turned, weapons ready. The man stared at them, then yelled.

“No! Leave!” he yelled.

“I can’t.”

Their faces told him all he needed to know. The surprise and pain were evident.

“I’m sorry, Brax,” said Aaron. “He’s my brother. I’ve protected him my whole life, and I was trying to protect him here as well. I didn’t know how bad it had gotten.”

“You knew?”

“I only knew he was selling foreign kids. I figured it didn’t matter. When we found out they were all handicapped, I knew that Jared had gone too far.”

“He’d gone too far long before that, Aaron. You’re as guilty as he is. You ruined your career for this. For him!” yelled Brax. Pax could see the pain and betrayal in his brother’s face. They were as tight as brothers could be, but he’d never cover for him on something like this. Never.

“I know. Do what you have to do.”

“No, it’s not that easy,” said Luke. “You’re going to do what needs to be done.”

“Wh-what?” gasped Jared. “No. No, Chuck, I’m your brother.” With tears in his eyes, he nodded.

“I know. But they’re right. I should have handled this sooner.” He lifted the weapon and fired, killing his brother instantly. Looking at the men, he waited a moment and then nodded. With the end of the gun in his mouth, he fired.

The silence was almost too much to bear. Pax gripped his brother’s neck, pulling him in and hugging him.

“He fooled me. He completely pulled the wool over my eyes.”

“He did it to all of us, Brax. He was a brother. We trusted him,” said Luke. “We should know by now that just because you wear the uniform doesn’t mean you deserve to.”

“What now?” asked Pax.

“We go home.”

Luke made sure to call home and let the others know the situation. He warned them all not to ask questions right away and, more than anything, to leave Brax alone for a while.

Pax was never so happy as to see his beautiful fiancée. When he opened the cottage door, he hardly recognized the space.

“What do you think?” she asked. “I can change it back. I saved everything.”

“It’s perfect,” he smiled, hugging her. “You’re perfect, Dee. Thank you. Thank you for being here, for doing this, for everything.” He hugged her so tightly she was almost afraid.

“Hey. Hey, are you okay?” she whispered.

“I will be. It’s done, and it won’t happen again. At least not by the same people.”

“Maybe one day you can tell me how people get to this point. How do they go from being normal children, normal young adults, to crazy psychopaths that think things like this are okay.”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to explain that. What I can explain to you is how much I love you and how happy I am that you’re going to be my wife.”

“Me too,” she smiled. “What do you say we get hitched?”

“Let’s do it.”

With the precision that only the Belle Fleur team can master, the wedding was planned, executed, and done to perfection. Deanna made the decision to take the money her parents left her and donate it to the school, the hospital, and three charities, all owned by the people at Belle Fleur. She’d never felt more grateful for her parents.

“Is he ever going to accept that he loves her?” she asked, nodding toward Brax. He was glaring at one of the Robicheaux cousins, who was dancing with Stephanie. Pax laughed.

“I don’t know. Probably not any more so than him admitting that she’s not a little girl any longer.” Marilisa was dancing with someone they didn’t recognize, but she was laughing, and Saint was fuming.

“Can we escape?” smirked Deanna.

“You bet your beautiful, sweet ass we can. Let’s go, Mrs. Pechkin.”

“Oh. I like that. Say it again, only low and sexy. And naked.” He grabbed her hand, laughing as they ran from the tent to the applause of those around them.

“They are a fine couple,” smiled Martha, holding tightly to Nathan’s hand.

“Yes, they are,” he said. “But I feel something is about to happen. Something that will change us.”

“I always feel that way,” said Franklin.

“Me too,” said Grip, holding Jonathon’s hand. “Maybe it’s something good that will happen.”

“I’m not feeling that,” said Yori.

“They will figure it out,” said Martha. “Our Marcel did excellent on this adventure, don’t y’all think?”

“He did,” nodded Franklin. “Should we prepare for the next couple?”

“I think we should,” nodded Martha. “But first, we dance.”