Page 29 of Rescuing Erin (Red Team #5)

“What’s with all the extra security?” Zane asked when he entered the situation room where the president and I were waiting. “How’d Erin’s appointment go?”

“Good. She’s all clear.”

“That’s good news, Olivia’s been worried,” Leo said.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Once everyone was in the room and the door was closed, Tom tapped a brown folder in front of him. “This is why.”

He slid the folder in my direction. I opened it and cringed. It was an eight by ten image of a man lying dead from a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

“Who is this?” I pushed the picture toward Zane.

“My informant, Brent Benzo. A man I’ve told no one about. Not even the five of you knew who’d given me the information on the Angel program. Not a single soul knew.”

“When did this happen?” Zane asked, shuffling through the pictures.

“This morning. He was entering an NSA black site. The building is in Richmond, Virginia. ”

“What’s the note say?” I asked, scrutinizing the image closer. There looked to be a piece of paper in Brent’s hand.

Tom shuffled through the file until he pulled out the pictures he wanted.

“Any place. Any time,” Zane read the message. “Tex any closer?”

“Yes, he’s putting together the pieces. He’s happier than a pig in shit down in the basement. Gerard delivers his meals personally and keeps him watered. No one else in the White House but the two of us know he’s down there, and I don’t think he’s slept,” Tom told the group.

“He’s hunting.” I chuckled. “Men don’t sleep when they hunt.”

“I’ve moved my meeting up. I leave for Camp David tomorrow. Gerard will stay here, as far as the rest of my detail will know, he has a stomach bug and can’t fly. I’ll be back by dinner.”

“Do you think that’s wise?” Zane asked before I could.

“When have I ever given into a threat? Do you think some fuckwit is going to stop me from running this country?”

Tom Anderson was a lot of things, one who backs down wasn’t one of them. Even if it meant putting himself in danger. I guess I knew where Erin got it from.

“All I’m saying is, someone with extreme capabilities took out your man. They’ve taken Erin. Maybe postponing your trip is the smart thing to do,” Zane tried to appeal to his sensible side.

“All the more reason for me to go. Right now, someone thinks they have me by the balls. But they’re about to find out mine are made of brass, and I will never give in.”

Zane let out a sigh. “I figured you say that. Let’s go over what we know.”

“This is Tex’s latest SITREP.”

Tom handed the situation report to Zane. While he was going over the latest intel, I studied the picture of the crime scene.

“I see two surveillance cameras on the building.” I pointed to the picture. “Where’s the footage?”

“Tex is working on that now. He’s also checking traffic and security feeds from the surrounding buildings,” the president answered.

“Listen up,” Zane started. “Tex found the connection between Warren and the NSA. Get your note cards ready because this shit is layers deep. Warren has been employed by Camio-Telecomm for the last year. They were running in the red until Warren came aboard and Camio was awarded an 889-million-dollar DOD contract. The North America Industry Standard code shows the scope of work awarded as telemarketing and product services in the amount of 660 million.”

“We know the NAICS codes for the contract are bullshit. What’s the real contract for?” Linc inquired.

“Information gathering,” Zane continued. “After the contract was awarded, Camio acquired a small media outlet for an overinflated price. It was a bad move on Camio’s part, but with the government money coming in they could afford it. Once Tom nixed Angel, the contract was terminated.”

“So, Camio is behind Erin’s abduction and the threats against Tom,” Jaxon stated.

“What was the information being collected used for?” I asked. “I’m not tracking how spying on the American people would help telemarking.”

“But it would help the news outlet Camio purchased,” Leo deduced.

“Bingo.” Zane tossed the SITREP on the table.

“Once Camio knows how the general population feels on any given topic they can control the narrative. Either in support of the topic or against. How easy will it be for them to put out false information and influence public perception one way or another. Interference, meddling, and manipulation.”

“Warren wasn’t after influencing anyone,” I told the room. “His sole purpose was revenge. He wanted me dead to rub Zane’s face in it. He didn’t care about anything else.”

“I agree.” Zane’s voice hardened. “Two birds, Colin. He got to line his pockets and piss on me. That is until he underestimated you.”

Just thinking about Warren had my blood boiling. He’d set all of this in motion because Zane had exposed his lying ass for the coward he was. He’d stalked Erin, scared her, kidnapped her, and tried to kill me.

“Smart bastard,” I said.

“What?” Declan turned to look at me.

“He knew. He didn’t give the first fuck about Angel.

He fucking knew Tom would never actually cave and reinstate the program, even if he took Erin.

As soon as Tom had her back, he’d shut that shit down.

Hell, he’d dismantle the whole cyber division if he had to.

But Warren knew, once there was a threat against Erin, he’d hire us to protect her.

He never cared who was with her, only that Camio took her and her guard alive. ”

Not a word was spoken, but every man in the room knew I was right. It could’ve been any one of us hanging in that room, and Warren would’ve been satisfied. His only objective was to torture Zane Lewis.

But there were still too many loose ends. We were missing something.

“Where does Greenwold fit into this? He’s the asshole that’s behind the cameras in Erin’s apartment and hiring those guys to run us off the road. I’m assuming Tex has figured out the cyber, counter-intelligence department is behind his system breech? ”

“He’s still working on it, but that is the assumption, yes,” Tom answered.

“And the other 229 million from the contract? Where did that go?” Zane asked.

I’d completely missed the extra money. It was a damn good thing Zane had the ability to keep his emotions in check, because right then, I was too angry remembering the look on Erin’s face when Warren told her he was going to kill me.

How she’d endangered herself to come to my rescue while the pussy needed me chained up in order to beat me.

But more than all that, I was concerned Erin had watched me kill him.

I hadn’t brought it up or asked her how she felt about it.

I was too afraid. The last thing I wanted was to draw attention to what she’d witnessed but I needed to.

“Hasn’t been found,” Tom told him.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait and stay—”

“No. Business as usual.” Tom remained firm in his response.

Damn stubborn man.

“Change of topic,” the president announced. “I hear the women are upstairs planning your upcoming wedding.”

My five teammates chuckled. I had to admit I was happy I wasn’t involved with the planning. I didn’t care where or when. As far as I was concerned, the sooner the better.

“I’m happy to hear that.”

“Any requests?”

“Twenty-four hours’ notice so I can get my parents here.”

“And your sister?”

“Deployed with her ship. I doubt her command will fly her home for a wedding. We know the drill.”

“More than most,” the president agreed.

My parents did understand more than most. With two children who served they had no choice but to learn to go with the flow.

Sometimes leave was scheduled and then was taken back.

Deployments came to end, until they were extended.

The assholes in the world didn’t care about things like holidays, birthdays, weddings, or babies being born.

Bad people didn’t take a vacation just because the calendar said so.

Keira would be sad she missed my wedding, but she’d do what she always did while she was deployed—her job.

She was a great sailor, and even if she wasn’t there physically, she’d send her love. She always did.