Chapter Twenty-One

Shot

 

“Hey. Careful. You’re still healing. Don’t try to overdo it,” Shot admonished his strong Agent as he accompanied him on his walk around the hospital wing. He was in a pair of FBI sweats and a plain white t-shirt, because Shot was sick of him bitching about the shitty, ass-bearing hospital gown. So he’d gone to his house to get him a few personals.

Then Fox griped about being discharged. All last night and this morning. The doctor said he was out of the woods, but still needed to be monitored, so he wouldn’t be getting discharged for at least another week.

“I’m fine. And stop holding me like that. I can walk, Isadore. The hole is in my chest not my goddamn leg,” Fox grumbled. One hand hanging limply at his side while the other pushed his IV pole.

Shot slowly dropped his arm from around Fox’s waist and gave him some space. Shot knew what it was like to have an injury and to feel weak and less than. The last thing he wanted to do was make Fox feel like that.

Fox looked at him with sorrow in his eyes and took his hand in his. They turned the corner and walked past other patient rooms.

“What’s going on with the mission? Is Pierce okay?” Fox asked, breaking the silence.

Shot had already told Fox everything that happened with the Russians and about their encounter with the notorious assassins, Alpha and Omega. He conveniently left out the part about one of the assassins making him a personal target; otherwise they would’ve had to keep Fox sedated to keep him from breaking out of the hospital.

“Pierce is good. He’ll be back this morning. Hawk took really good care of him.” Shot laughed and Fox’s deep chuckle followed.

“I bet he did.”

“Hawk is good for the mad genius. He needs someone strong to keep him in line.”

“Just like you.” Fox winked at him.

“I didn’t say that,” Shot answered back. “But if you’re saying you want the job.”

Fox released Shot’s hand and draped his arm over his shoulder, pulling them closer together. His steps slowed and he had a fine sheen of sweat covering his brow. Shot turned in to him and put his arms around his waist. “Are you tired?”

“No,” Fox whispered.

Shot tilted his head up and gave Fox what he wanted. Fox weaved his hands into his long hair while he plunged his tongue into his mouth. Shot submitted to him, like always. Fox’s whole demeanor was ‘I’m the one in the charge’ and he was so goddamn good at it, Shot would be a fool not to go along with it. Regardless, the tall sexy agent was sex on a stick. He was beautiful, smart and a skilled marksman. The perfect combination for him. Fox let his hand slowly slide down Shot’s side and up under his polo shirt, feeling for his warm skin.

“I am so glad I switched my shift today. I would’ve hated to have missed this.” A female voice broke into their haze.

Shot pulled back and buried his face in Fox’s neck while his lover smiled at the nurses that were swooning at the very provocative show they were putting on right near their station. Shot was so focused on his man that he hadn’t realized they’d made it back around to the front. No wonder Fox looked so over-exerted.

“Excuse us ladies. I'm sure you can imagine. I get a little carried away with this one.” Fox’s deep voice was laced with wickedness as he stroked Shot’s hair, making the ladies giggle like high school cheerleaders getting attention from the star quarterback. Fox was so hot, he could charm anyone out of their underwear… including him.

Shot stood back while Fox huffed and grunted getting back in the bed. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was hurting. Shot went around the bed to plug his IV pole back into its ports, and as soon as Fox wasn’t looking he pushed the PCA to deliver a dose of the pain medication. Soon he’d be out of it.

Shot sat down in the chair and laced his fingers together in his lap, watching Fox punch the pillows in an attempt to make them more comfortable. He finally leaned back in the bed, rubbing his tired eyes.

“Whew. Damn. I feel –” Cutting himself off, Fox narrowed his eyes at him. “You pushed the pain medicine button thingy didn’t you?”

Shot winked at him and picked up his magazine.

“You little shit.”

Shot checked his watch, realizing he was going to be late to his meeting if he didn’t leave now. He tossed the magazine back on the table. “I gotta go.”

“Are you going back to headquarters?”

“Yeah. Call has something cooking. We only got bits and pieces over the line. But we’re going to bring this to a close and then –” Shot stopped his last thought. He’d been thinking about this way longer than he and Fox had been an item. He’d been feeling this way since his son, Angel was kidnapped, since his son had gotten married and was thinking about adopting a kid. He wanted to be a granddad. He wanted to teach him or her self-defense, sports, and watch his grandchild grow into a beautiful person just like his son.

Fox took his hand off the guardrail and laced their fingers together. “– ‘and then’ what Isa?”

Shot looked Fox in his eyes. “And then, I’m going to retire. I’ve been thinking about making a few temporary things in my life a little more permanent.”

Shot had a pretty wide grin on his face when he walked into Pierce’s headquarters. Fox’s reaction to his announcement was exactly what he had hoped. He was still picturing the agent’s wide grin and the way he pulled Shot down for a searing kiss. A kiss that told him exactly what he thought of that suggestion. Fox wanted to be the permanent in his life.

“You sure look happy.” Shade met him in the dining room while Shot made a large cup of coffee before their strategy meeting. “I assume Fox is doing better.”

Shot took a long sip before responding. “Yeah. He is. Should be able to go home in a few days, if he doesn’t curse out any more doctors in the meantime.”

Shade laughed, filling his cup with orange juice. “We’ve all gone through that shit. It’s never fun being stuck in a hospital bed. Someone telling you ‘you can’t go home’, poking and prodding every hour on the hour.”

“I know.”

“You guys ready to take these fools down?” Viper came in with Call close behind him.

“Fuck yeah,” Shade answered for both of them. Slapping a high-five to Viper.

“Alright, Beastmasters. Let's get in there so we can finish this,” Call commanded.

When everyone was in the meeting room, Shot noticed that they had included all of their surveillance and IT personnel but a majority of the DEA agents were not there. He stood at the front with Call and leaned over to him. “Hey, what happened to the Agents?”

“They don’t need to be here for this,” Pierce said entering the room with Hawk.

They all let out a loud woop, yelling out and banging their fist on the table. Pierce smiled at the warm welcome and took his place up front beside Call. “The DEA and FBI will serve only as emergency back-up this time around.”

“Alright gentlemen, let’s get down to business,” Call ordered.

The lights were turned off and a projector was set up. When the video began to play Call went over the images as they appeared on the screen.

 

Hawk

Pierce jumped right back into his role as Backhander as if nothing had happened. Fearless. He may have seemed like a small man, especially next to so many military men and specialized law enforcement officers, but his voice was deep and commanding. A voice that could call for attention and heads would turn.

The plan that he and Call came up with was diabolical. One of the most dangerous missions they’d ever tried to execute. Going in undercover as members of a crime family was risky. The meeting should take all of ten minutes and with their plan in place to go down in two days, it didn’t give very much fact checking time for the Russians. Instead of going to the hierarchy of the Russian mob, they were going for the lower level thugs. Once they were all busted, they’d use them to flip on their bosses. Either that or the bosses would be run out of town and into hiding. Dangling life sentences in front of men was the supreme test of their loyalty. Not too many men were loyal when they imagined the next fifty years in a steel cage. Again, risky. But they’d accomplished more with a lot less.

Everyone had an extremely important role, no one would be watching from the sidelines.

Hawk finally stood up.

Pierce’s voice was mellow when he acknowledged him. His sharp blue eyes blazing with his desire. “Yes, Dane?”

Hawk tried not to show his pleasure at Pierce using his first name. It might not have seemed like much, but not using his title or his last name told everyone he and Pierce had a personal connection.

With one hand braced on the table-top and the other flipping the pages of the surveillance photos of the Russians they were supposed to meet and the appointed location, he asked, “Why are they choosing a loading dock? ” Outdoors. On the water. Explosion. Hawk remembered his vision. “Is it possible to request a different meeting place?”

“Your reason?” Call cut in.

“We’re giving them a lot of power, for one. We’re claiming to have millions of dollars available to buy more women if the deal is good, not to mention trading Mrs. Valenzo. Why would they be interested in doing business with a family that they’d never encountered? A family that has never shown interest in human trafficking. And even if the San Drens were interested, why use the Russians… why not the Mexicans? It sounds like a setup on our part, and the Russians could already sense it. They probably won’t even have the women there.”

“I know it’s dangerous and uncertain, but we can’t risk the deal being good, and not being there, when we could’ve saved twenty or more women that have been abducted in the United States and sold into slavery. Even if we’re able to apprehend a couple members of the mob family, we’d still count it as a win. The Feds would have someone to interrogate as to the whereabouts of other women and children, Hawk. Remember our primary goal is to get the Russians imprisoned or out of the country. With the DEA and Feds getting this close, they’ll run. Case closed,” Shot added.

“Who’s to say they don’t send in a few flunkies and before we know what's happening, they’re opening fire as soon as you guys walk up, and going for the money? We could be going into an ambush.”

“That’s exactly what you’re walking into.” Everyone started at the dark, raspy voice just outside the door. Viper, Shot, and Shade pulled their weapons and pointed them at the tall black-clad figures that came into the room.

Hawk was at Pierce’s side in seconds, tucking him safely behind him. 

“How the fuck did you get in here?” Call demanded.

“That’s a moot question, Commander. Since we’re already in.” Alpha smiled.

None of their team lowered their weapons. Alpha had confirmed that he wasn’t their enemy but Alpha wasn’t alone. At his side was his brother Omega. Both of them with their black hoods hanging low over the top half of their faces.

“The seer is right. The Russians have no interest in dealing with the San Drendino family. They don’t suspect you’re undercover law enforcement, but they have no qualms with killing the San Drens they’re believed to be meeting and relieving them of Mrs. Valenzo. The members of the Russian mob that you’re meeting with are looking to climb the ranks. Bringing Mrs. Valenzo to their bosses is their prime opportunity to do just that.” Alpha stood in front of Call and removed his hood, his brother duplicating his movement. “We’re only here to warn you.”

“Why should we trust you? You’ve already tried to kill one of us.” Shot’s resolve was close to snapping as he eyed Omega with a glare that promised retribution for his lover.

“I did not harm your Agent, Shot. The Russian disobeyed my order,” Omega said calmly.

Shot stepped forward and Alpha was in front of his brother before Shot could get too close. “The Russian has paid for that disobedience, by my own hand.”

“Stand down, Shot.”

Shot stepped back to Call’s side as ordered. He lowered his weapon, continuing to eye Omega.

Hawk watched the men closely, he didn’t see any deception in their eyes. Although he still didn’t trust them, Alpha was here confirming Hawk’s suspicion. The two assassins held no allegiance to them, they had no reason to come to their aid or warn them. Hawk couldn’t help but feel the entire team should pull back from this one.

Everyone was silent as they watched the country’s most revered SEAL Commander stare down the world’s deadliest assassin. Call's resigned expression revealed nothing. After long, tense minutes Call spoke to the room, still glaring at Alpha. “The mission is green. We go at 2100 hours tomorrow night. Get rested, get focused. Dismissed.”

Hawk released a breath and turned to face Pierce. He forgot about everything else for the moment. The mission, the team, his commander, those damn assassins, and pulled Pierce into one of the empty records rooms. As soon as he closed the door he pinned Pierce to the door and claimed his mouth in a brutal kiss.

Pierce kissed him back, rubbing his hands up and down his back before pulling his mouth away, gasping for air. “Dane. What’s the matter?”

“I need to tell you. I don’t like this mission. Something is very wrong about it. I can’t see things clearly anymore. My perception is shady, so I have nothing concrete to go to Call with.” Hawk ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

Pierce pulled him back to him and rose up on his toes to kiss him again. This time Hawk broke the kiss. He gripped Pierce’s forearms. His eyes had to be blazing from his fear and anger, but Pierce didn’t comment on it. “Listen to me. If anything starts to go wrong, you get the fuck outta there. Do you understand?”

Pierce frowned and brought his soft hands up to cradle Hawk’s face. “It’s going to be fine. They’ll confirm that the women are there, make the arrests fast, and it’ll all be over.”

Hawk huffed in annoyance. “Pierce, please. Listen. It’s not going to go that smoothly. Now, I may not like Alpha, but I know of his order. He is not a liar. Omega is shaky but Alpha has always been the leader, and his reputation is solid. He. Does. Not. Lie. He wouldn’t come here to tell us some made up shit. The Russians are not going to adhere to the terms set up for the meeting. They want Mrs. Valenzo and the money, nothing more. Once they figure out that we don’t have Mrs. Valenzo, things will get heated in a hurry.”

“What do you want me to do? I can’t not be there. Besides I’ll be in the command center.”

“I know. But, if something goes wrong. I want you to remove your ear piece and replace it with this one.” Hawk pulled out a small ear bud and placed it in Pierce’s hand. “I will be the only one on it. No one else. You won’t hear anyone but me. If everything goes to hell, you put that in your ear and I’ll get you out of there. I’ll be providing cover fire so I won’t be able to get to you. You’ll just follow my directions. Don’t try to come to anyone’s aid. Let us handle that. You leave. Go home. The mission will be over and Backhander will be retired.

“And where will you go?” Pierce’s voice was low. Hawk didn’t mean to scare him but this was reality.

“I’ll be there soon enough. Just wait for me.” Hawk kissed Pierce like it was the last time. “I will come for you. Then I’ll take you to your new home. Our home.”

Pierce nodded his head ‘okay’.

Hawk pressed Pierce into his body, cradling his head against his chest and said softly, “Now, say you believe me.”

Pierce choked on his sob and whispered back into his chest, “I believe you.”