GRAY JUMPED OUT of the helicopter followed closely by Jamison and Cade. They hunkered down low as they made their way across the courtyard of the concert hall. Inside they could hear the roar of the crowd as the drummer played a solo.
“And she’s sure Phantom has set up a live bomb here? If we have to evacuate, it’ll be a mob,” Jamison said.
Gray squeezed his hands around the rifle he held against his chest, keeping it aimed at the sky. “He told Stormy his plan, showing off. My guess is Maldez is the trigger man. We can do this without one person getting hurt.”
“You better be right, Gray. If this goes down wrong, we’ll all find ourselves working at a fast food restaurant.”
“Don’t humor me. We already know I’ve lost my job after planting a bullet in Phantom’s skull.”
“He shot at you. You did what the hell you’re trained to do,” Cade said.
“Do you realize how much we’ve broken protocol without calling in the local authorities so they can evacuate?” Jamison gritted his teeth. “I’m going to have some political bullshit I have to get through to explain this one.”
“Evacuation can’t happen. If we do that Maldez will know we’re onto him and he’ll detonate the explosive. This is the only way. Come on, boys. We got this.”
“We have to split up,” Jamison said. “Cade, you take the west entrance. Gray, you take the east, and I’ll shoot straight in between. Keep it low. Chins up. Shoulders back. Let’s roll.”
Gray understood a lot rode on this mission. The team could be crushed by the “higher ups” if they fucked up and an innocent person was hurt. Any time a mass population was in danger, the team was mandated to call in locals to help make the decisions. For now, all Gray could think of was saving lives.
At least Stormy was safe. Abel would stay with her and Colette, waiting for this to all be over.
As Gray moved through the darkness, dressed in all black, he searched the area, every nook and cranny without being noticed by anyone attending the event. Making his way slowly down a quiet corridor, he heard mumbling coming from the utility closet.
He opened the door and found a partially dressed man tied up on the floor. Pulling out the cloth from the man’s mouth, he said in a shaky voice, “A man…held me up. He took my clothes. I’m the security guard here.”
“Okay. You’re safe now. It’s important that you stay put. Many lives are in danger. Are you hurt? Do you need medical?” Gray asked.
“No, I’m okay. He went to the roof.”
Gray nodded and closed the door to the closet. Finding the back stairs and taking them two at a time, he made his way through the door that led outside to the roof. With back to the wall, Gray crept his way around until he saw Maldez on his knees holding a controller in one hand and his phone in the other. Sweat poured down his face.
“The call won’t come, Maldez,” Gray said from the shadows.
The other man stood, shot his jerky gaze around the rooftop. “Who’s there?”
Gray took a step, rocks crunching under his boots as he slowly moved out into the open. He saw Maldez’s eyes widen, but he recovered quickly. “Surprised to see me?”
“Don’t come any closer,” he said in his thick Arabic accent. The man had only been in America for less than two years after being recruited by Phantom.
“Phantom is dead, Maldez. This is over. No one has to die here tonight, not even you.” Gray stayed calm, although the other man was shaking. He couldn’t be any older than twenty-five, but he looked like a brute that had aged rather quickly.
“You lie!” Maldez took a step back.
“I’m not lying. If he was alive, wouldn’t he have called you by now?”
The man seemed to think Gray’s words over.
He could hear the faint sounds of his team approaching, boots hitting metal steps and then the squeak of the door, but Maldez had no clue because he was panting now. Motioning for his men to stay back, Gray had to try to talk the man down. “Think about it, Maldez. He’s gone. The plan is snuffed. Let’s put the detonator down and talk over things.”
“Why would I? I will not sit in jail for my life,” he growled the words.
“You know I won’t let you do this,” Gray said flatly.
“You have no choice.” Maldez lifted the remote detonator and a second later his eyes widened as blood poured from the bullet wound on his forehead.
Jamison and Cade moved in and Gray lowered to his knees, finally able to breathe. “That was close,” he muttered.
“No, not at all.” Jamison laughed. “I knew hitting him in the right spot would paralyze his trigger finger. It’s a chance we had to take to save thousands.”
*
“You don’t like me much, do you, Abel?” Stormy whispered so she didn’t disturb Colette who was cuddled up on the couch in the office of the Ghost Hawks. They had been waiting for hours for the other men and the sun had come up long ago.
Abel brought his gaze upward. He was a nice-looking man with stunning eyes, but he’d barely said more than two words to her since they’d arrived. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re mistaking my feelings.”
Stormy paced the floor, then stopped in front of Abel. “Then maybe you think I’m at fault like the rest of your team.” Why was she pushing for answers? Shouldn’t she be glad that Duncan was dead and she and Colette were safe? No…she needed more answers.
He sat straight and swiped a palm down his cheek. “I have nothing against you, but…” he gave his head a shake.
“It’s okay to tell me.” She took a seat and clasped her hands nervously in her lap.
“Listen, Carlisle and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but we have each other’s backs. It isn’t that I have anything against you as much as what the team is losing. He’s a damn good agent and they’re hard to find.”
She blinked. “What do you mean? What you’re losing?”
“He’s screwed up on this assignment and because of that, he’ll be pushed out. Whether he acted in self-defense or not, this is serious.”
“And you think I made his do these things.” She lowered her eyes.
He shrugged. “You don’t get it, ma’am. In this career we need a clear head. He thinks he fu—" He squinted. “Sorry. I mean, he messed up. What will he do if he leaves the team? Become a rancher? It doesn’t work like that, not for SEALs—not for members of an elite team. We live and breathe this work and so does Carlisle. Don’t let him fool you.”
Wrapping her brain around his words, her heart skipped several beats and her palms became clammy. What Abel was telling her was that Gray could never be happy doing anything but being on the elite force. It wasn’t as if she wanted him to lose his job. He might never forgive her.
“Storm?”
At the sound of Colette’s soft voice, Stormy went to her sister. “It’s okay, Colette. We’re fine. Let’s go home.”
“Wait. You’re supposed to stay here,” Abel said.
“Look, Phantom is dead. The woman Natasha is dead. We need to go home.” Stormy helped Colette up from the couch. “I’m taking my sister to have her checked out to make sure she doesn’t have any serious injuries. You can tell Gray that we snuck out of you have to.”
He stood and opened his mouth, but the words didn’t come. He nodded his understanding. “I’m sorry.”
She nodded. “Thank you for bringing us here.”