It’s too late to just grab Ellie and head for the hills. Now we have to save the world, one threat at a time. Damn. It just figures the apocalypse would mess with my plans.
—Hugh Johnson, Brigade Notes
Hugh strode back into the motel room and tossed a bag of breakfast burritos toward Ellie, who sat on the bed, mumbling to herself as she typed away on the laptop. “Deke and I found an open fast-food joint.” There weren’t many left at the moment, unfortunately.
She nodded and set the laptop to the side. “My program finally found the time the computers were searched. While you were gone, I compared the time with the security feed, and found the guy who’d messed with the computer. I’m pretty sure.” She reached for the bag of food. “He isn’t one of the employees of the plant. I’ve been through all of their pictures and employee files.”
Man, she was smart. And nicely glowing after their marathon the previous night. He leaned over and kissed her, taking his time. She tasted like sweetness and hope.
A pretty blush covered her face.
“I meant every word last night.” It was only fair to make sure she fully understood that.
She lifted an eyebrow. “I’m well aware.”
That was true. They did know each other. He grinned and took the laptop, flipping it around to see the screen. A bomb dropped into his gut. “This is the guy?”
She paused in unwrapping a burrito, her eyebrows raising. “Yeah. Why? Recognize him?”
“Yeah.” Hugh wiped a hand across his eyes. Yusef had grown a longer beard, but his angled features were familiar, as were his dark eyes. He looked shorter with the thick boots and dark pants than Hugh remembered. “I’ve been watching him for a while.” Hugh grimaced. “Call Deke and Connor. If this guy somehow got inside, we have a bigger problem than we thought.”
Ellie grabbed her phone and quickly texted. Within seconds, Deke and Connor walked inside, both still munching on burritos. “Hugh knows the name of the guy I have on video working on the computer,” she said.
Connor dropped into a chair at the table, and Deke leaned back against the door.
“Where is he now?” Deke asked grimly.
Ellie shook her head. “No clue, but I emailed his picture to Nora and Ivan. Ivan is going through all the traffic cams and security cameras in the area around the power plant. He’ll report in if he sees this guy at any point.”
Hugh blew out air. “The guy’s name is Yusef Masih. He’s around twenty-five and was here on a student visa a year ago to study computer science in graduate school.” Hugh tried to remember the details. “But he went back to Saudi Arabia and was taken off my radar.”
“Why was he on your radar initially?” Deke asked.
“Alleged association—based on a street informant and not any emails, texts, or personal contact—with one of the suicide bombers at the Bellevue marathon two years ago,” Hugh said. Three people had died in that attack. “But neither Homeland nor the FBI could tie him close enough to the perpetrator, who was a Seattle born man named Franklin Belamy.”
Deke nodded. “I know the case. But somehow this guy is back in the states and has now basically walked into a nuclear power plant and used the computer.”
Ellie winced. “Too many people died or are dying so quickly. We haven’t had proper security measures in place to deal with a pandemic like Scorpius.”
Hugh eyed the picture. “To the best of my recollection, Yusef has no training with explosives or nuclear energy.” He looked at the young man’s photograph. “We did hack into his computer, and he had done some research on explosives. But it looked like he was studying both computers and mechanical engineering. When his visa expired, he left the country.”
“Yet he’s back,” Ellie muttered.
“Yes.” Without raising any flags for Hugh, which was a red flag. “If he’s planning an attack on a nuclear plant, he has help. His background doesn’t lend itself to this.”
“Except for the computer part,” Ellie murmured.
“What did he get?” Deke asked.
She shook her head. “Not much. Just the employee records, schedules, and schematics of the plant. The schedules aren’t even in place now.”
“Can he cause problems from the computer standpoint?” Deke asked.
Ellie twisted her lip. “No. Even without people, there are computer safeguards in place that should last for a couple of years, at least. Even if he hacked the entire system, which is incredibly difficult if not impossible, there are safeguards upon safeguards.”
Hugh nodded. “It’d be much easier to just get inside and plant bombs. Especially around the spent fuel.” It had always been his biggest nightmare.
Deke’s phone buzzed, and he lifted it to his ear. “McDougall.” His straightened to his full height, his face going hard. “When? You sure? Thanks.” He clicked off. “That was Ivan. He caught Yusef Masih on camera several hours ago near the plant.”
Hugh stiffened. “We have to get there. Now.”
Ellie jumped up and reclaimed her laptop. “I need my gun.”
Hugh paused. “You’re not going. Not in a million years.”
* * * *
Ellie paused, taking a second to let Hugh’s words sink in. “That’s sweet and all, but if they have messed with the computers, I’m needed.” She liked having him worried about her, but this was life or death. She ran a hand down his arm. “Hugh. Think about it. If they succeed and blow up that waste, we’re all dead anyway.”
He blanched. “Geez.”
Yeah.
“Suit up,” Deke ordered. “We leave in one minute.” He paused. “I’ve read your file, Johnson. You’re trained with explosives as well.”
“Of course,” Hugh responded. “This has always been the threat, Deke.”
Ellie studied him. She hadn’t known that. Hugh always had been much more complex than most people saw. She grabbed her gun to strap to her thigh.
Connor and Deke ran out of the room.
Hugh finished securing his weapon and then drew her close, holding her tight. She slid against him like she’d always been there. His masculine scent and warmth surrounded her. “Be safe,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his chest.
His heart was thundering against her cheek. “You be safe. I ain’t losing you now.”
She blinked back tears. While she was trying to be brave, her bones felt frozen. Her chest hurt. They might not survive the day. She leaned back her head. “We’ll be okay.”
He gently kissed her. “I know.” Then he took her hand and led her out of the room. They jumped into the back of the SUV, where Connor and Deke already awaited. Deke roared away from the hotel. “So. I guess you guys don’t want to shoot me yet,” Hugh said.
Deke shrugged. “Might not be an issue.”
Oh yeah. Ellie coughed. She opened her laptop and brought up her second search. Files flittered across the screen. The program had taken longer than she’d thought. She sighed, finally finding the info she’d needed. File after file of Hugh’s undercover op from the top brass at Homeland. “Here’s the proof that Hugh was always working with Homeland.” Well. Considering they were all probably about to die, that was a bit anticlimactic. Then she snuggled closer to him.
Connor took the laptop and read. “Could be faked.”
Hugh chuckled, the sound strained. Even he wasn’t immune to the nuclear threat they were about to face.
Ellie reached out and punched Connor in the arm. “Knock it off.”
Deke sighed. “Is it clear and concise?”
“Yep,” Connor said, handing the laptop back. “We’ll have to find another reason to shoot him.”
The casual banter was going to kill her. This was beyond insane. They were headed toward a nuclear power plant that was probably about to be bombed. She shivered, and Hugh drew her closer. There were so many words she’d never gotten to say to him. She lifted her head, and he quickly kissed her.
“It’s going to be okay. I promise,” he whispered.
She nodded, even though he couldn’t make that promise. Nobody could anymore.
They reached the security gate and passed through. Nobody was there.
“This isn’t good,” Connor muttered. He glanced over his shoulder. “We’re gonna need those plans to shut down these types of places for a while. Well, after we deal with today’s threat.”
Hugh stiffened against Ellie. “It’s not that easy.”
Of course it wasn’t.
Deke pulled into a parking spot. “Guns off safety.” He jumped out of the SUV and strode for the door.
Ellie’s shoulders relaxed a tiny bit upon seeing a guard at the front door. A young, sweating guard.
Deke eyed the kid and handed over his credentials. “This your post?”
The kid looked at the badge and shook his head, handing it over. His brown security uniform was stained, and his brown eyes earnest. “No, sir. I usually patrol the back fence. But I called in about an hour ago, and nobody was here, so I figured I’d better watch the door.”
Deke clapped him on the back. “Smart man. Just do your job.” He motioned for the rest of the group to follow. “Anybody could’ve gotten in during the last hour. Hugh? What’s the plan?” He kept moving at a quick clip.
Hugh kept Ellie to his left. “I’ll take Ellie to the computer room and do a quick scan of the security recordings. See if anybody looks suspicious. Deke, you go check out the waste pools.”
“Copy that,” Deke said, veering left. “What am I looking for?”
“A bomb,” Hugh said tersely. “Anything that shouldn’t be there.”
Deke started jogging and yelled back. “Everyone keep your phones close.”
Hugh nodded, hustling Ellie toward the control room. “Connor? Remember where the cooling system is?” he asked.
“Affirmative,” Connor said.
“Go look for explosives there,” Hugh said. “I’ll be along after I check out the security.”
Connor took a sharp right turn down a cement hallway.
Sweat trickled down Ellie’s back, even though it wasn’t hot. “I can’t believe this,” she muttered.
“Ditto.” Hugh yanked open the heavy door to the computer room.
Ellie’s heart hitched. The room was completely empty. “We’re losing to Scorpius,” she whispered.
“Right. That’s okay. We’ll deal with that later.” He motioned her toward the main area. “We have to bring up the security feed. Right now, let’s deal with this threat.”
“Good plan,” said a voice across the room. Yusef Masih rose from behind a cabinet, gun out and pointed at them. “It will be a pleasure to kill you today.”
Ellie dropped her laptop.
Hugh froze and then crossed in front of her. “Run, Ellie. Get help.”
“No.” She reached for her gun.
“Drop it or I’ll shoot him,” Yusef yelled.
She bit her lip. “Why are you doing this?” Who would do such a thing?
“Gun,” Yusef said, spittle spraying from his mouth. His eyes were a wild hue. “Now.”
Hugh gingerly reached for his gun and set it on the floor. “Ellie. It’s okay.”
Her hand shook, but she did the same, stepping away from the gun with her hands up.
Yusef glared. “I guess I do not truly need to wipe the security feed. Soon there will be nothing left here but rubble.”
The muscles in Hugh’s shoulders and back bunched. “Remember what I told you.”
What?
He backed into her, turned, and all but shoved her toward the door with his hips.
“Stop it,” Yusef ordered.
“No,” Hugh said softly. “I’m one of those lucky guys who sees things clearly.” Reaching behind his back, he yanked open the door. A quick twist of his hips, and he put Ellie outside. “Run, Ellie!” he yelled, leaping across the room toward Yusef.
A gun went off. The door slammed shut.
Bullets impacted the door. She ducked and ran down the corridor, yanking her phone out of her pocket and dialing Deke. “Deke! Get back, quick.” Then she turned and kept low, heading back to the computer room.
There had to be a way to save Hugh.
How badly had he been shot?
Keeping her head down, she all but crawled back to the door and tried to open it. Nothing. She partially stood and used all her strength.
Damn it. They’d locked it?
She tried to remember the schematics of the place just as Deke came running up.
He tried to open the door with no luck. “What the hell?”
“There’s another entry,” Ellie said, looking frantically around. “We have to get in there. Now.”