"My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on the limb,
And all I remember is thinking I want to be like them
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done"
- Gnarls Barkley, "Crazy"
Chapter Ten
"Pack it up. Rolling in five," I barked at the team.
Two fortified SUVs sat on the curb as Delta team hurried around, securing files and loading the vehicles. The less trips made, the better. Men were shouting out orders, getting things done in coordinated chaos; it was taking us too long, but civilians needed to be cleared. My team was trained. They moved with precision, second nature kicking in as they secured the vehicles and our person of interest.
If someone had doubted Greystone before last Friday, I would've gotten a kick out of it. I wasn't so sure. My fears had been confirmed when that gun went off — something had changed in Greystone, and it was affecting our work.
It starts at the top and trickles down. Am I doing something wrong? Because there has to be faith in the leader, that's the only way teams like this work.
"Argentum, Peacock is in flight. Alpha and Bravo accompanying. Fifteen out," a deep voice spoke in my earpiece. I recognized it as the head of Bravo team.
"Confirmed."
Mr. and Mrs. Cruz were being brought to Greystone for the time being. Our home building was the most secure place they could be at the moment, considering the hotel and office were compromised.
To say I was pissed would be an understatement.
I'd hand trained my team, pushing each to their limits every day to get the job done. Yet, despite having a constant presence at both locations, someone had managed to tail those under our protection.
I'd organized the parking garage at the hotel to have my team scattered throughout for all hours of the day, yet photos of Avery walking to her car burned in my mind as I watched my team. I'd had security in the hotel lobby that kept eyes on her when she walked her dog — there were photos of that, too. I'd had that office building covered in cameras and personnel, so I'd know what happened on every square inch. I'd known when someone sneezed, when someone fell asleep on the job, when an employee took a smoke break. And even still, someone had managed to take photos of Cruz talking in the lobby, and photos of Avery as she came and went.
God, Avery.
In every photo the creep had taken of her, she'd looked on edge. A tinge of fear in her pale green eyes, anxiety clouding her face in every single one, no matter what angle the photo was taken in. The photos showed her nervously looking around as she walked, her checking the locks of her car when getting in. She'd looked scared for her life, and we hadn't even been able to stop someone from taking photos. Guilt was starting to grow like a bubble in my chest. I should've done more, should've checked in on the team every hour, should've made sure the team was in position at all times. Something more.
They were stalking her, and they'd sent the photos to prove it. Mr. Romano was holding firm they were targeting her to get to her boss, but something told me there was more to it than just indirect attention. There was a nagging feeling in my gut I couldn't seem to get rid of, some instinctual doubt that made me reconsider. There were more photos of her than Mr. Cruz. Sure, he hadn't left the office building as much, and there'd only been limited photo opportunities of him — but they'd delivered the photos to make a point. To taunt us, tell us they thought they were better, smarter than any security measures we'd put in place, and rub it in our faces they'd gotten the upper hand.
My molars grinded painfully with an awful clicking noise.
Are they just trying to prove they have a way to get to Cruz through Avery? Do they know she has valuable information? What's the endgame here? Are they showing us she's a weak spot?
There were more questions than answers. Was Avery a second target if they couldn't get Mr. Cruz, or was she a target regardless because of her position?
We were in the dark and I hated it. Most political cases ended up having clean cut motivations like ideology, revenge, or election interference — but none of those seemed to fit. Before that day, it'd been easier to consider Avery was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time. After, it was harder to argue she wasn't involved in some way.
There were three options. The first was Avery was a target just like Mr. Cruz, most likely because of her position. The second was Avery was a way for them to get to Mr. Cruz, and her involvement only went so far as being connected to the Cruz family. If that was the case, the photos were most likely a warning to her boss. And three — we were missing something, and Avery was more involved than we thought.
My hands readjusted my earpiece. I didn't know where she'd went after she claimed she was going to get her files, and I didn't appreciate the silence of waiting. As soon as she'd turned around and looked at me in that room, an unsettling worry had filled my gut. Something about her look had made my gut flip in unease; the look in her eyes, the caged wildness that'd teetered on the brink. I'd known that look. I'd seen men in the field with that look, and it'd never ended well. I hadn't had much time to dwell on it, however, as we'd jumped to action. The last thirty minutes had been a whirlwind of protocols, loading files, and orders, and I'd lost track of her in the chaos.
"Reed," another deep voice rumbled behind me. Beck Ramos stood looking at me expectantly. As the head computer analyst at Greystone Security, Beck was a genius at patterns, codes, and computers. If there was an issue requiring computer expertise, he was the first person to call.
"Server is secured. We are clear to head out; Falcon is preparing to fly." Beck tipped his head toward the cars, my men taking their positions for Mr. Cruz to exit.
"I need a favor." I lowered my voice as I turned to Beck. He straightened and nodded.
"Did you program that tracker like I'd asked? The one from Saturday?"
"Of course. It went up an hour after you sent the order in," Beck responded, slightly affronted at my questioning. Doubting his abilities and efficiency wasn't appreciated, and admittedly, I should've known. "There haven't been any issues or surprises."
"Set a fifty-mile radius. Let me know if anything changes."
"Do you need me to continuously monitor?"
I paused.
"No," I decided, "just a precaution. It might not be necessary." My eyes glanced behind me at the tall glass building.
No surprises — but I'll be ready if I need to be.
"Send him out," I spoke into my earpiece.
Mr. Cruz soon appeared at the door, looking nervous and a little desperate. Mr. Romano stood slightly in front of him, taking in the security setup until his eyes found mine. He slightly nodded in approval. I'd spent five years working for the man, and he consistently still looked surprised at my efficiency; it'd always made me want to work harder to prove myself.
Mr. Cruz ducked out of the building, hurrying into the back of the first SUV while Mr. Romano slid into the passenger seat. My men filled in the rest. Another two SUVs from Delta pulled up, ready to cover and follow.
"Falcon taking flight. Argentum to follow."
The SUVs pulled away from the curb, and I stepped back towards the lobby doors, positioning myself to be slightly hidden from the street. My head swiveled as the SUVs drove away, straining to see any following vehicles.
"Delta has clear visuals," Delta leader spoke in my ear. "No unknown vehicles."
"Confirmed. Keep it sharp," I instructed. I waited a little longer, even after the SUVs had disappeared out of sight, before turning to go back into the office.
Only a limited number of employees had been allowed to work that week, and the few present were packing and leaving, the workday cut early. Not all of the security presence had been pulled; a few from each team were still stationed throughout the building. They'd be there until it was over, prepared for any threats to the building or personnel. It was unfortunate, but until a bigger threat loomed or showed itself, the government had limited resources to provide security. We'd cover where they couldn't. With Mr. Cruz escorted out first, Avery and I would follow to Greystone.
Keeping them apart will be key. No stones, and no two birds.
The office building was getting emptier and emptier as I stepped onto the elevator; soon only security would remain. A security plan would need to be drawn up if Mr. Cruz wanted to continue having employees working in the building, and I added it to my mental checklist. But as the elevator doors dinged and closed, my mind went to Avery.
Do I actually think she is involved in this?
Maybe.
Is it unlikely?
Of course. Realistically I knew she'd probably have been shot on Friday if it hadn't been for me. My blood boiled as I thought about what would've happened if I hadn't returned from my perimeter check right when I did.
Who knows if Greystone would have recovered... or Avery, for that matter.
The floor numbers steadily increased. I thought back to our conversation in the elevator. Did knowing she could've been shot mean she was ruled out as a suspect?
No, I have to be vigilant. I won't be blindsided. There's no room for trust here, and I barely know her.
Trust could get people killed. I knew it, and I mulled in that harsh truth as the elevator doors opened to a quiet floor. It was quiet, and the floor seemed empty.
"Avery?" I called, peeking into the conference room. Empty.
I checked Mr. Cruz's office next. Empty.
The bathrooms were empty, the halls were empty. The feeling of unease grew, weighing on my chest.
Where is she?
The security cameras and parking lot told me everything I needed to know. Avery was not in the building.
"Romano. Albatross is not in position. Heading to Hamilton."
"Confirmed. Find her," Mr. Romano spoke flatly into the phone before hanging up.
Twenty minutes later, the unease continued at the hotel. Her room was entirely empty. The room was jostled and disorganized from leaving in a hurry; the drawers were cleared out, and there were no personal items left behind. Cursing, I hurried down the hotel hall. My phone rang in my pocket.
"Sterling," I answered.
"Sir," the analyst spoke. "The tracker's crossed the radius."
Shit.
"Time crossed?" The door to the stairs slammed against the wall. There was no time for the elevator.
"13:20."
Thankfully, they'd called me right away. They'd done their job.
"Do we have a live tracking feed?"
"Yes, sir. File shows it was setup over the weekend and it's been running ever since."
Right, that's what Beck had said.
"Send me the feed. Directly link it to my phone and encrypt it, I don't want anyone else seeing where she is." My feet pounded against the stairs.
"And Vehicle 2213 needs to go dark," I added.
It's been an hour since I saw her. Giving her fifteen to get to the hotel and ten to pack, she's thirty-five minutes and fifty miles ahead of me. I can catch up.
"Yes, sir. Going dark now. Feed should be available on your mobile."
I pulled my phone away to confirm. Opening the surveillance, I watched as a red dot neared the state line. "Inform Romano."
I hung up the phone, bursting out of the door and quickly exiting to the parking lot. My black sedan soon purred under my feet; less flashy or obvious than a SUV, it was perfect for blending in while still maintaining security. It had highly tinted windows and custom programming, a standard for all Greystone vehicles.
Programming courtesy of Beck.
The engine whirred as it tried to keep up with the steadily increasing strain I was putting on it; I sped down the highway, weaving between cars. Pushing a few buttons on the screen, a call connected.
"Julian," Alpha One's voice boomed on the speakers.
"Where the hell was your team?"
Despite my efforts to sound calm, my voice had come out as a loud growl. Even as much as I liked and respected Julian, I needed answers.
"Alpha was stationed throughout the hotel from 0700 to 1900 daily. Delta covered 1900 to 0700."
"Don't give me the damn schedule I created! Where the hell was your team when the effing person we're looking for was taking photos of Avery?"
They could've shot her, hurt her, grabbed her. Where were the men I said would protect her?
Julian sounded strained, sighing slightly before speaking. "The photos of Avery walking her dog could've been taken from anywhere on that street, or from the neighboring buildings, if he'd managed to get access. Alpha was stationed inside the hotel. While we monitored when she exited the building, it's likely he was concealed."
"And the parking garage?"
I struggled to get my anger under control as Julian paused. When he spoke again, his own controlled fury fought to break through his calm volume.
"That will be investigated — I cannot attest as to where Alpha-three and four were at those times" Julian said tensely. "They were stationed in the parking garage."
"They should've been watching her! What the hell is the purpose of this company if we can't do our goddamn job?"
I glanced at the tracking signal. The red dot had stopped, and it flashed steadily like a ticking time bomb. My foot pressed harder on the gas as worry wrapped around my spine.
Shit.
"Their whereabouts will be accounted for, sir. I'll get to the bottom of it and debrief within the hour."
"Get it done. If Alpha team has reckless dipshits that can't do their job, then do your job and take care of it," I snapped. The speakers beeped as the call ended.
The tracker hadn't moved. The engine whined and hummed in protest as the car shot forward.
Damn it.
Gravel crunched under the tires as the car rolled into the small parking lot. The small town just off the highway had little to offer, but a tiny park could be found tucked in the middle. The dog park was on the opposite side of the field as the playground, a small ice cream pop-up shop smack in-between. The car rolled to a stop under the shade of a massive oak tree. A couple spaces down, Avery's small white car stuck out in the empty parking lot.
I could see Avery huddled on the only bench in the fenced-in dog park as her dog sprinted and rolled in the grass. My eyes darted around as I stepped out of the car, tension already collecting in my shoulders. I bent my neck from side to side in hopes of relieving the tight muscles as I neared.
Rolo heard me first, skidding to a stop and bounding to the edge of the fence. Avery's head whipped around, her body tensing to the point I was surprised she didn't snap in half, but she slightly relaxed when she saw it was me.
Her eyes followed me as I let myself in through the gate, her face guarded and apprehensive as I sat down on the opposite end of the bench. Rolo's tail whipped around, smacking me as he melted into my leg. A large spot of drool was growing above my knee. We sat in silence as I pet Rolo, and her eyes drilled a hole in the side of my head. Finally, I turned and made eye contact, but her eyes paused on mine for only a moment before she blinked; her eyes slid down to her dog.
"You were on your way to Colorado," I remarked. She looked up sharply.
She was suspicious as she asked, "How did you know that?"
Because I do my job, and I do it well.
"That's where your family lives It seemed like a good guess. That or D.C.," I reasoned.
She deflated slightly, her hand reaching out to her dog as my own withdrew. Her hands tangled in his fur as she drew every ounce of comfort she could get from him, and he left my legs to settle at her own, tuning into her emotions.
He's here for you, Avery. He's here to support you.
Her eyes were guarded, and she chose her words carefully as she began to speak. "You're right, I was heading home."
She avoided my eyes. I studied her, looking for any flinch, any glimmer of a sign, any tell.
"Why'd you stop?"
Her eyes filled with pain, still avoiding my own. Her face was pulled tight, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"I realized what would happen when I got there." Her voice was strained, fighting against the stiff muscles of her rigid body.
"You can't go home. Whoever's behind this might follow you."
"I know that," she snapped. Her honey hair fell out of her face as she looked up angrily. "You think I'm not very aware of that fact? That I can't go home because it'd put everyone I love in danger? That I can't hug my mom and tell her I'm okay?"
An unexpected wildness burned the strained green in a fiery crash of sparks. It was startling.
"Are you?"
She took a deep breath, tilting her face up to the sky and closing her eyes. "Am I what, Sterling?"
"Okay."
She turned to me in surprise, her chin jutting out in subtle defiance. "What?"
"Are you okay?" I repeated. Her eyes fell back on her dog. It was quiet again.
"Am I supposed to be?" she finally asked, the fire leaching out. I hated to see it leave — the battle wasn't over yet.
"No."
"Good."
We sat. I couldn't remember the last time I'd just sat quietly. My brain was still racing with plans, tactics, potential threats, and I still felt on edge.
But it's different.
I was sitting, and I was waiting.
I couldn't push her right then. I knew Avery was brilliant, and I knew she'd either be our greatest asset in the case or our biggest hurdle. It was going to be difficult enough to complete the case without her faltering or losing her edge. But, in all honesty, I was already impressed by how she'd handled everything. Any other scared, sane person would've turned tail and ran the second a bullet whizzed past them; especially since she'd already had an exit plan to the other side of the country.
But she hadn't. She'd stayed to help. And I understood loyalty, I understood having a mission to finish, I understood wanting to get the job done... but it was the type of bravery heard about in soldiers, in boots on the ground, in trained units. Not in an Attorney General's assistant, or whatever her official title was.
And yet, there I was, sitting next to a chaotic woman with the ability to shine so brilliantly she'd blind those around her -- but also the ability to burn out so brightly she'd take anyone brave enough to stand by her side down too as she fell.
It was my job to make sure she didn't go down in flames.
Shit. I knew I should've said no to this job. Consequences to my own goddamn actions.
I should've gone into law, or mechanics, or literally anything else other than the job that had me sitting on that bench, feeling quiet for the first time in years.
Thank you to the readers that have stuck with this book! You guys mean the world to me.
I've been putting a lot of Bastille songs for the last couple of chapters, but their songs fit so well for the tone of what's been happening. Don't worry, there's a lot of Taylor Swift coming up in the future... (hint hint).
- H