The hours ticked by and Chet shifted on the seat. His plan hadn’t gone at all according to plan.
Not at all.
A niggling in the back of his mind reminded him it was just like his one mission he led. That hadn’t gone according to plan either, not even slightly.
As had then, this time, most of his men were dead, his target alive. Last time at least, the mission had been accomplished. He fisted his hand. It had been accomplished because the rest of the Megalodon Team had come in to clean up his mess. A low growl rose in the back of his throat.
The familiar thrum of anger pulsed through him and he swore. The largest man in the cell with him cut his gaze to him and Chet snarled at him. He wasn’t in the mood to be nice. Honestly, he thought he would have been put in solitary. Apparently, the jail was full and they had him here until they were able to get a cell for him alone.
“Fuck you man.” The large bearded man pushed to his feet before heading toward him. I didn’t give you permission to look at me. I’ll fuck you up.”
The anger pushed outward through him and he rose to his feet. More than willing to take this challenge, head on. At the very least, it would pass the time. “Had you stayed quiet, you may have survived the night. But you were stupid and opened your mouth.”
“Boy, I’m about to give you a world of hurt.”
Chet narrowed his gaze, balanced lightly on the balls of his feet. He may not have been able to get his pleasure of watching Scott cry over the body of his wife, but he could still inflict some pain.
The other men in the holding cell moved away.
When the big man lunged for him, Chet was ready. They nearly collided before he stepped nimbly to the side, allowing the man’s momentum to barrel him by into the waiting bars behind.
Within a few seconds, the man sank to the ground, unable to talk because of the crushed larynx and dying because of the thin shiv Chet had managed to take from him and slide between his ribs.
He convulsed as fifty thousand volts from a taser shocked through him taking him to his knees. His vision wavered as Chet watched three guards come toward him, faces twisted in anger. Moving once more, he fell forward, another jolt owning his body.
He sank into darkness, frustrated his goal had not been completed. The mission wasn’t over. He would escape.
Next time, it wasn’t about proving a point. It was to annihilate.
Chet woke in a single cell and smiled. His exit strategy was going to be easy.
I’m coming for you.
αβ
Hondo squeezed Xaria’s hand as two cops stepped off the elevator. This set of doors sure got a workout but not so much as a squeak came from the door leading back to Jayde.
“Be right back, sul glas.”
She followed his gaze and nodded, eyes returning to where the children had fallen back asleep. Tyson’s children, Logan and Ethan, the twin boys and Rose, damn near in the center. Charmane and Murdock sat near one another, his head in his sister’s lap. Maverick’s Angela, his own goddaughter, curled up next to Brodie, Harrier’s son. Merlin’s girl, Madison and boy, Khristos, named after his deceased brother, were there on opposite sides of the wonky circle. Nonni, Ghost’s daughter, slept right next to Rose. The girls holding hands, while her twin brother, Nate, near Murdock.
His own children, Sean and Diedre, were also there as well as Osten’s son, Adam. He frowned slightly, and skimmed the group once more and found Dyandra sitting on the other side of Charmane, not sleeping but wide awake. Together with the others, yet at the same time, separate from it all.
She was so much like her daddy. Even now, Scott sat with Lex as she slept and he too, watched everyone.
Hondo walked to the cops and rocked back on his heels, hands in his pockets. “There a problem officers?”
The men with the sergeant stripes on his sleeves shot a brief look behind Hondo before meeting his gaze again. “Chet Jupiter has escaped.”
His muscles trembled and he forced himself to remain calm. “How and when?”
“Not long ago. He’d attacked someone, another prisoner, and was put in solitary.”
He fisted his hands within his pockets. “When we entrusted him to you, we told you not to take your eyes off him or put him in solitary that had anyway out other than the one door.” His tone dropped and his brogue vanished. “We provided you with his history and what he’s more than capable of.”
“We’re going to find him.”
Hondo scoffed. “You couldn’t keep him, why should I think or believe you will find him? I suggest you do your best before he comes here to finish—or try to—the mission.
“Mission?”
“Do you all not share intel? Like we told your desk sergeant, his mission was to kill us. He failed. He’ll try again.”
“Then you need to come with us so we can protect you.”
He narrowed his eyes, tolerance vanishing in the face of incompetence. “Not a chance. You couldn’t keep an eye on one, no way you can keep a group our size safe. We’ll protect ourselves.”
“He may be on his way.”
“Then I would suggest, officer, you find him and fast. We’re not leaving, she’s still in surgery. And our children are here.”
Hondo spun back and met each of the Megalodon Team’s gaze with the exception of Tyson. His look told the situation without voicing anything. Then he gave the same silent communication to those from Tungsten who were there.
The cops huffed but let it go. They moved off as if it was common for them to be there walking around.
He strolled down the hall to the restroom and stared at his reflection before splashing water on his face.
Behind him, the door open and in stepped his wife.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Pretty sure this isn’t the right room for you, lass.”
Her smile was all too fleeting and he faced her.
“What’s wrong, sul glas?”
She strode up to him and pressed their mouths together, her arms sliding tight around him.
Hondo closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of this woman against him. His love grew daily for her and he vowed to do better at making her realize that very thing. “Sul glas?”
She sniffled. “I didn’t want to fall apart out there.” She trembled against him.
He rubbed her back, murmuring in Irish Gaelic.
“How come they won’t tell us anything?”
“We have to know they are working their hardest on keeping her alive.” He refused to give up hope on that.
She pulled back and cupped his face, her thumbs brushing the corners of his mouth. “Thank you so much for letting me help.”
“Had I thought you would actually have stayed put, I would have refused,” he admitted.
“I needed to feel helpful. I know basic medical but Osten and Lex had it covered. I am not good at comforting, and I had to feel like I was doing some small thing, anything to help.”
“You were. Don’t ever think otherwise.” He kissed the tip of her nose and drew her closer, sinking one hand into the thick golden tresses on her head.
“What’s going on now? You looked so serious with the cops. Did he escape?”
Hondo picked up on the desperate tone to her question and he blinked before giving her a short nod.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she demanded. “What are they doing?”
“Trying to find him.”
“We’re not leaving Jayde. She needs us here. Our love and our support.”
He brushed his thumb along the seam of her lips. “We’re not leaving I told them that. But we are watching out for him. We have the children and the staff keeping Jayde alive to think about.”
The green eyes he loved so much on her hardened into emerald ice. “Kill him. This bastard is fucking with my family.”
“My family too, baby.”
She clenched her jaw and nodded. “I know. I should get back.” One fast kiss and she was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Hondo splashed some more water on his face and took his time drying it off. Blood pumped hard through his veins and he was ready to do what it took to keep them safe. All of them. He exited the bathroom and returned to the group.
αβ
The chapel was silent as he walked in. Tyson dragged his fingers along the backs of the pews as he walked up to the front. The deep maple wood, smooth from all the years of people doing precisely what he did, along with those who came and polished the wood, taking care of it.
He stopped at the second row from the front and claimed a seat by the edge. As he sat there, he rubbed his right hand along the velveteen red cushion that lined the pew. Even this was in good shape.
“How many people had come in here to seek solace and pray during their time of need? So many. And I’ve now added myself to that list.”
He closed his eyes and began to pray.
αβ
Osten walked with Mac as they brought carriers of coffee up from the cafeteria. Each had more than one carrier and Osten had one extra full of tea for those who had asked for tea.
“How are you doing, Mac? Last I knew you were off in Peru handling a few things.”
“I was, we got the family home safe. A few bumps and bruises but all good in the scheme of things.” There was a small quirk of Mac’s lips.
“How’s Autumn?”
The man flashed a grin, showing a bit of teeth amongst the scruff covering his face. “Still a firecracker. I’m wearing her down though.”
Osten laughed, grateful for the ability to do so. “I doubt that so much. But we all have our delusions.”
They stepped out of the elevator.
“You’ll see, she’s just doing well at hiding her feelings from me.”
“Not just from you. They’re so hidden no one can see them.”
“She’s pacing herself.”
Osten shook his head and went to their gathered group then passed out the drinks he’d gotten. The children were still sleeping except for Charmane, she was awake but hadn’t moved, smoothing her hand over her brother’s dark locks as he continued laying on her thigh.
He handed her the cup of Earl Gray he’d gotten for her.
Her smile was soft and sad as she took it from him, her bright blue sparkly nail polish stark against the white of the cup. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Good to see you, Charmane. It’s been too long.”
She kissed his cheek. “I’ve missed you too, Uncle Osten.” She hefted the cup. “Thank you for the tea.”
“Always.” He finished up and reclaimed his seat beside his wife.
She removed the lid and inhaled deeply. “I need this.”
They all did. But more than sleep, they needed to know Jayde would be okay. He scanned the room and noticed there were people at strategic spots in the area, ready if Chet was dumb enough to come head on for them.
Harrier got to his feet and strode away.
A slither of unease skimmed up his spine. The man’s instincts were amazing and if he wasn’t comfortable with something, there was only one reason for it. Trouble was coming.
He pushed to his own feet, noting the others were ready to move as well when the door that Jayde had been taken behind so many hours ago opened and a doctor, exhausted and somber stepped through.
He ran a tan hand down his face, sighed, and stepped closer. “Where’s Jayde’s husband?”
αβ
The cold muzzle pushed against the back of his head. Tyson didn’t move, didn’t even open his eyes. “If you’re going to kill me, then do it. Don’t make me listen to any more of your blathering. You’ve done enough.” He curled his fingers around the edge of the bench and waited.
“No fight left in you?” Chet’s mocking tone didn’t even have the ability to set him on edge.
“You put two in my wife.”
The muzzle bumped him once more. “You should have killed me when you had the chance. I’m going to kill you and then I’m going after your child—”
Tyson exploded out of the seat, turning as he moved. The bullet slammed into him as he took Chet to the ground. Ignoring the stinging and burning pain, he powered the asshole backward. “You’ll never harm my kids or anyone else again.”
They crashed into the pews, rocking them back to fall into the floor. Pain exploded out from where the bullet had torn into him.
Chet wasn’t a man who’d never fought in his life. He had training and had been a SEAL, regardless of how short his stint had been. Well versed in hand to hand combat, Tyson knew it wouldn’t be an easy to take him down.
It didn’t matter.
Tyson’s world had grown dark and stormy without Jayde and all his rage and self-loathing at not being able to protect his wife narrowed his world into one of anger and revenge.
They slammed into another pew, wood cracking and popping but not breaking beneath the men who fought in the church’s chapel. They wrestled with the gun and the shot reverberated through him.
Chet’s eyes lost their anger then went glassy. Unseeing.
Chest heaving, Tyson pushed up from the dead man beneath him, room spinning as he looked up to see Scott there, weapon palmed.
“Fuck, Cade. Your kids need you.” He cleared his throat. “I need you.” Scott sank down to press against the wound in his shoulder. “I need help in here!” he called out.
Albany burst in and swore followed by Maverick.
Tyson’s world went in and out of focus.
Maverick looked at him. “There’s news of Jayde.”
Tyson struggled to his feet, wove, swore and passed out.