Alivia cracked her neck and adjusted her thick ponytail, making sure it wouldn’t fall out. She caught up to her nephew, and then getting a few steps in front of him asked, “This is supposed to be a race?”
Brady turned red-faced, and she laughed.
He tapped into some youthful reserve and just edged her out, jumping onto the covered porch half a second before she did.
They stood catching their breaths for a moment. Looking at her nephew, Alivia had a flashback of running this same race with her brother when they were children. Brady looked just like his dad, right down to his sandy brown hair and pale complexion. Alivia had, on the other hand, inherited the more Mediterranean features of her mother’s side.
“Did you let me win?” he asked, panting.
She shook her head ‘no’ and smiled.
“You’re getting slow, Aunt Liv,” he laughed.
“Watch it,” she warned. “I’m not too slow to smack you around a little bit.”
Just like your father, she thought, remembering back to the many bouts they’d had as children, always ending with Alivia on top.
She smiled and tussled his hair as they walked up the stairs and through the creaking screen door, letting it smack shut behind them.
Brady inhaled deeply, walking into the country farm kitchen. “Are those pancakes, Grandma?” He reached for the plate on the counter piled high with pancakes, but his grandmother slapped his hand away.
“Go wash up. You’re not touching my pancakes with those dirty hands,” she said sternly, though there was a sparkle in her eyes.
“Mmm, blueberry. My favorite,” Alivia said. “Is that dad’s homemade syrup?”
“You bet it is,” her father said with pride. “Nothing but the best for my Livvy.”
“This is why I come home.” Alivia smiled at her dad and gave him a wink.
“Always Daddy’s girl,” her mom said, rolling her eyes and wiping her hands on her apron. “Well, I’m happy you’re home, too. If blueberry pancakes will keep you here, honey, I’m happy to make them every day. Brady wouldn’t mind.”
Brady shouted from the bathroom. “I’d mind having Aunt Liv around all the time, but I guess I’d put up with her for pancakes.”
Alivia’s mom ignored the comment and said, “I am glad that you’ll be home for awhile this time. It’s nice to have you around.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Why don’t you call that boy down the street? What was his name? Brian, was it? I just saw his mother at the grocery store last week. She said he was asking about you.”
Alivia laughed. “He was a boy fifteen years ago. And it didn’t work out then, so what makes you think it would work out now?”
“People change, Liv. If not Brian, there are plenty of others. Every boy in the county tried to get you to go out at some point, I think.”
Her dad piped up, “Helen, leave her be.”
“Well, can you blame them?” her mom asked. “Liv was always the prettiest girl wherever she went.”
“Unless you two are together,” her dad said with a smile. “Then it’s a tie.”
Hearing this as he walked through the kitchen, Brady scoffed. Alivia playfully smacked the back of his head as he walked by.
“That not true, but you guys are sweet,” she said. It was true that Alivia had hit the genetic lottery, inheriting her mother’s beauty and her father’s height. They were both whip smart, and she had that, too. She’d been complimented plenty by her fair share of men over the years, though eventually her beauty turned into an added layer of difficulty throughout her military career. She often found herself having to prove that she was more than a beautiful face and flawless curves, or having to downplay her looks to avoid the attention.
But she never saw herself that way. Contrary to the way her mother saw her, she had been very plain all through middle school and high school. Never truly blossoming into the woman she was until the summer after graduation. Maybe all the boys asked her out, but that was only because there weren’t a lot of choices in Saxton County. All this time later—having developed the curves to complement her stature— she still saw the awkward plain Jane girl with braces and glasses looking back at her from the mirror.
She shook her head and smiled. “No, I’m here for some well-deserved time off. I’m not looking to rekindle any kind of romance, particularly one that died over a decade ago. Honestly, I’m just not looking for a guy right now.”
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot about that man from work,” Mom said, turning to her husband and asking quietly, “What was his name again?”
Dad shrugged.
Alivia sighed. “I told you, nothing’s going on with him, Mom.”
Though, of course, that was far from the truth. Just thinking about “that man from work” brought a smile to her face that she had to hide. His big grin, dimples and all, broad shoulders, and sandy hair all combined to make her giddy even when she didn’t want to be. She loved that he didn’t sport the short-cropped military haircut most in their profession did. There was enough to run her fingers through, and she liked that.
Not seeing him every day would be hard, but they already had plans for him to sneak away next weekend. She’d love to bring him here to see her home and meet her family, but their weekend would resemble a long-form interview if she did that.
Instead, she decided to save meeting the parents for another time to make the most of their short time together. They’d stay at a beautiful little bed and breakfast about an hour north. Of course, Saxton County had eyes and ears everywhere, and everyone knew each other’s business, so even being an hour away meant they still had to be discreet.
Maybe just spend the whole weekend in the bedroom? She selected an old coffee mug and smiled as the thought crossed her mind.
“Okay,” Mom said with a smile. “I’ll drop it. I’m just happy you’re home. You know, when you first said you were getting out of the service, I assumed you’d be moving back here. Lord knows you’ve accomplished enough.”
Alivia poured her coffee, “We’ve been through this. You know I can’t just move back. Homeland asked me to switch from active duty stateside to my current position. I was never ‘getting out’. I thought you’d at least be happy that I’m back in New England. Besides, I’m only thirty-four. I’ve got a lot more to give this country.”
“You’ve given plenty,” Mom said. “You don’t need to put yourself in harm’s way with this anti-terrorist nonsense. You’ve done enough to take care of those guys. Let someone else do the work for a change.”
Dad spoke up. “Leave her alone, Helen. She’s here to relax.”
Alivia topped up his coffee as a thank you, then gave him a kiss on his forehead, “Thanks, Dad.”
“Not that I don’t agree with your mother. I just don’t think this is the time. I want you to make me a grandfather, too, you know.”
“Thanks again, Dad.” That was another long-time argument. When was she going to settle down?
After returning the coffee pot to its base, she took a sip and sighed.
Nothing ever tasted or smelled as good as when she was home. Despite her mother’s nagging and father’s cajoling, which she knew was solely out of love and concern, this was her favorite place in the world. The familiar smell of the house, the faint sound of the river rushing by in the distance, and the acres of green fields visible through the windows all around them combined to put her at ease. The outside world of terrorists and trained killers couldn’t touch her here.
It had been the only true home that she’d ever known. After joining the military fresh out of high school, she spent the next fifteen years living in barracks—on a good day. As she progressed up the ranks, eventually through Army Ranger School and into Special Ops, there were plenty of days where a tent would have been a luxury.
Brady sat down as his grandmother slid a pile of pancakes in front of him.
Alivia asked, “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” h
er mom asked, a slightly guilty look on her face.
Dad spoke up through a mouthful of pancake. “It’s your phone. It was vibrating most of the last hour you were outside with Brady.”
Alivia grumbled as she went into the next room to retrieve her phone and looked at the name flashing up on the display:
LUIS HUERTA
She stared at the screen, mildly annoyed.
What could he possibly be calling me for?
She didn’t conceal her annoyance when she answered, “Director?”
“Agent Morgan,” he said in a concerned tone.
“You couldn’t go three days without hearing my voice, huh?” she chuckled at her joke.
Luis sniffed. “I wish that was it.”
“I’m on leave for a month. That had better be the only reason you’re calling.”
She looked through the kitchen doorway and caught a concerned look from her mother, as Brady and Dad ate their pancakes unaware. Alivia lowered her voice and walked out the screen door to the front porch, easing it shut behind her.
“What could you possibly need me for?” she asked.
“We have to cut your time off a little short. You need to come in.”
“What? That’s not cutting it short, that’s cutting it off! I’ve only been out for three days!”
“And as soon as this blows over you’ll be back home, but we need you. Now. That’s the situation.”
Alivia huffed and lowered her voice even further. “I was promised time away after the CUBE operation. The B team from Seattle can’t handle this?”
“They’re on it,” he said.
“What about Natalia?”
He cut her off. “Every available resource is being called in, Agent Morgan. You’ll be briefed when you get here. The chopper’s already in the air. You’ve got about five minutes. You should have picked up your phone an hour ago.”
She was stunned and straightened up at attention, instantaneously understanding the importance of the situation. Her voice became serious. “Yes sir, I understand. Can you tell me what this is about?”
“Flip on a television,” Luis said.
Alivia walked back into the house. The concerned look on both her parents’ faces didn’t help. “Dad, turn on the TV.”
***
The reporter on the scene spoke directly to the camera. “There has been no official statement from authorities yet, but several officers near the scene believe it was one man acting alone. At this time...” She consulted some hastily written notes in her hand. “At this time, we’ve been told there are at least eight dead, including the two officers who attempted to stop the individual. There are also dozens wounded. No names have been released yet. However, we have confirmed that Congresswoman Sarah Williamson was onstage in the vicinity of the blast and is listed among the wounded. Her aides say that her injuries are not serious, but she’s being transported to Mass General as a precaution.”
As Alivia took in the devastating scene behind the reporter, she could hear the faint thudding of the helicopter blades cutting through the air on its approach.
Her mother leaned forward, looking out the kitchen window and up into the blue sky. She called to Alivia, a note of concern in her voice. “Liv?”
Alivia joined her mom at the window to see NEST’s modified UH-60 Blackhawk touching down in the field where she had just been playing ball with her nephew.
Luis must be in some damned hurry.
She was surprised that he sent their largest, fastest chopper to ferry her back to headquarters in Boston, about 100 miles southeast.
“It’s okay, Mom. That was my director on the phone. They need me to come in, that’s all.”
“That’s all?” her mom said sarcastically. “You’re supposed to be home for a month!”
“I know, but they need me. My country needs me. You saw what happened on TV.”
“You’re not their only agent, Liv.”
“I know, but I’ve got to do this.”
Alivia walked through the living room, out the screen door, and onto the front porch. Two agents exited the chopper as she reached the bottom of the steps. Their weapons were pointed down, but still in hand, which made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. A second later, her surprise turned to concern as two more agents exited the chopper, followed by Natalia.
The team spread out to positions around the house as the chopper lifted off and made a quick loop of the 65-acre perimeter, touching down several times as more agents exited each time and disappeared into the tree line.
Her stomach twisted and her concern turned fear as realization set in. She ran toward Natalia, shouting, “No! No, no, no... tell me this isn’t what it looks like.”
Natalia, all business as usual, said, “You’ll be briefed in the air, but yes, your family may be in some danger.”
Alivia stared, dumbstruck for a moment. “Then I’m not leaving.”
“That’s not an option, Morgan.” Natalia pointed at the helicopter depositing the last of the agents at the end of the nearly mile-long packed-gravel driveway. “We’ll hold down the fort.”
Alivia was enraged. “How the fu—”
Brady ran up to his aunt. “Cool chopper! What’s going on?”
“Get inside the house,” Alivia snapped, immediately regretting her tone. “Sorry, Brady. Please, go back in. I’ll be there in a minute.” As he retreated, she looked back at the porch. Her parents standing there, her dad’s arm around her mom’s shoulder. The looks on their faces showed more than just worry for their daughter.
“Give me five minutes,” Alivia said to Natalia.
“You’ve got two. Luis wants you in the air now.”
Walking back toward the farmhouse, Alivia wasn’t sure what to say. She knew what she had to do, but the knot in her stomach wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. She certainly couldn’t stay here. Despite her concern for her family, they would be safer without her near them. She knew that. But leaving them was still a tough pill to swallow, even with a dozen federal agents guarding the property.
“Livvy,” her dad said, “what the hell is all this?”
Natalia spoke up from behind her. “It’s an abundance of caution, sir.”
Alivia was surprised Natalia was right there, but quickly added, “She’s right. You don’t need to worry. It’s just Uncle Sam protecting his ass.”
“And I’m the ass?” her dad asked.
Alivia smiled, but the look on her mom’s face let her know she didn’t appreciate the joke.
Her mind raced, unsure how to comfort her family when she wasn’t at all at ease herself.
Her mother fumed. “This is about him, isn’t it?”
Alivia nodded. “I haven’t been briefed yet, but it has to be.”
“Agent Morgan,” Natalia said from behind, “you need to be in the air five minutes ago. Get your things. I’ll talk to your parents.”
Alivia walked up the porch steps, face to face with her angry mother, who wouldn’t make eye contact with her. Her dad, however, took Alivia’s hand and squeezed it. Their eyes met, and she could see moisture gathering in the corners. “Dad...” she started.
He shook his head no. “Get your stuff, Livvy. I’ll take care of things here.”
She squeezed his hand in hers and went through the door, surprised the screen door didn’t slam behind her as usual. She looked back to find Brady following her down the hall.
“Aunt Liv, what’s going on?”
“It’s a lot to explain, Brady. And I don’t have the time.”
He thought about that and then asked, “Are you in trouble?”
She retrieved a backpack from a lock box under the bed.
“What’s in there?” he asked
“Nothing you need to worry about,” she said, thinking of the two handguns and combat blade tucked into their holsters inside the bag. She unzipped the top and looked inside, confirming there was a change of clothes rolled up in the middle amongst the weaponry and surplus amm
unition.
Brady suddenly blurted out, “Are we in trouble, Aunt Liv?”
She turned to meet his gaze and felt sick. The look on her face must have said it all.
“We are, aren’t we?” he asked.
She put the bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. “Brady, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You shouldn’t worry about that.” Somehow, she thought, he suddenly looked older than his ten years.
“It has to do with the war, doesn’t it?”
Alivia was a little taken aback. “You were practically in diapers when I was over there, buddy. What would you know about that?”
“I heard my parents talking. I remember Dad saying he hopes no one ever comes looking for you because of what you did. He said I shouldn’t talk about it ‘cause we’re not supposed to know.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong over there. I did my job, and I did what had to be done to make the world a safer place.”
“Then why are there a bunch of army guys staying here, and they’re going to take you away? I want you to stay here, Aunt Liv. Stay here with us.”
She sighed. “I can’t, but I won’t be gone long. Some very bad men killed some innocent people, and it’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So, I need to go into work for a little while.”
“If the bad men are in Boston, why do we need army guys here?”
She bit her lip for a moment, thinking. She wasn’t one to lie or sugarcoat things, not even to a child. But the harsh truth would be too much. Finally, she said, “Well, it’s my job to take care of the bad men and protect the country. I guess my boss just wants to make sure my family is protected, too. That makes sense, right?”
“I guess so,” he said, looking a little nervous.
“Don’t worry, buddy. Natalia and her team are the best. Nothing bad is going to happen here while I’m gone.”
She stood, giving him a kiss on the forehead.
“I have to go now, all right? You make sure Grammy and Papa are okay while I’m gone. Can you do that?”
He nodded.
“I love you, buddy. Be good.”
As Alivia got to the door, Brady spoke up from behind her. “Aunt Liv, if Natalia is the best, why are you going to look for the bad guys and not her?”
Escape, the Complete Trilogy Page 69
