“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Zack remarked. “He’ll be along.”
Jackie stared into Zack’s eyes. “He went with Nevada,” she remarked. “She came back, and he didn’t.” She then turned insecure. “Can we really trust her? Could she have double-crossed him?”
“Nevada may be a lot of things,” Zack informed her, “but she’s not a cold-blooded killer. She’s a bounty hunter, not a hitman.”
Jackie frowned and looked down. “I’m sorry,” she announced timidly. “I should trust your judgment more.”
Zack pulled Jackie into his arms and held her a moment. Jackie relaxed and returned the embrace. Without releasing her, he muttered into her ear, “Want me to wait with you?”
Jackie pulled out of his arms, rubbed her cold shoulders, and forced a smile. “No, you must be exhausted,” she announced. “I’ll wait out here a little while longer then join you in the clinic.”
Zack removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders to help warm her. The night was cool, and she was without her jacket. Jackie was grateful for the added warmth. Zack placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it as he passed. Jackie felt a little bit better with Zack’s reassurances, but that only lasted a short while before she was once again consumed with despair. She slipped into Zack’s warm jacket and held it closed across her body, then resumed pacing.
“Come on, Bogart,” she groaned and again looked at her watch as the area rapidly darkened.
Nearly half an hour later, Jackie sat on the steps to the visitor’s center with her arms folded across her chest while attempting to keep warm. As it got darker, the night had turned much cooler. Darth trotted around the side of the building and excitedly ran up to Jackie, licking her face. Jackie managed a smile and affectionately cuddled the large dog. Someone must have left him out, and he tracked her scent to the visitor’s center.
“Just a few more minutes,” she told the dog, “then I’m coming in.”
Darth suddenly spun toward the main entrance and snarled softly. He then perked up and ran across the clearing for the opening. Jackie quickly sprang to her feet and strained to see where the dog had gone. Bogart scratched Darth’s head as they walked back toward the visitor’s center. Jackie ran across the clearing for Bogart and threw her arms around him, eagerly hugging him. Bogart returned the embrace and laughed.
“I wasn’t gone that long,” he teased.
Jackie pulled away, releasing him, and managed a tiny laugh. “Maybe not, but Nevada’s been back for hours.”
“Well, I wasn’t taking any chances on being followed,” Bogart informed her, then grinned. “I know how to cover my tracks.”
“Yes, you do,” she announced and felt somewhat embarrassed for thinking anything could have happened to her brother.
Before she even knew Bogart was her brother, he was covering her tracks for her. It seemed like a long time ago, but it really wasn’t all that long.
“Did you need something to eat?” she asked. “If Kirk didn’t eat what was left of dinner, I could heat something up for you.”
“No, I’m good,” Bogart replied and managed a tiny groan. “I stopped at three diners; four, if you count the diner I accidentally stopped at a second time while doubling back on myself.”
“Did you notice anyone following you?” Jackie asked as they headed around back and walked toward the clinic.
“No, I didn’t see anyone,” he informed her. “Even as it was getting dark. I didn’t pass a single car in the last twenty miles before I got here. This place is about as secluded as it gets.”
§
It was already dark when Holden’s black SUV pulled up to his partially lit house in the rural development. Motion sensor lights came on as the vehicle approached the garage. The garage door electronically opened, and the SUV pulled into the empty bay. As the garage door closed, Holden got out of the car and took a little extra time to scan the well-lit garage. He had been more cautious these last few nights. Despite that the team seemed to spend almost as much time at his house as they did their own, Holden gladly accepted Othello’s offer to beef up security for their home. Between Holden’s work at the FBI and Jackie’s affiliation with Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, it seemed the only logical thing to do. Holden carried a pizza box with him to the kitchen door. He unlocked the door, entered the dimly lit kitchen, and immediately turned toward the security system to shut it off. He suddenly hesitated when he saw it was already disabled.
Holden swiftly drew his weapon while simultaneously placing the pizza box on the nearby counter. He scanned the dimly lit kitchen with his gun and listened for any unfamiliar sounds. He heard strange, eerie music coming from somewhere within the house. With his weapon aimed, Holden quietly crossed the kitchen and approached the archway to the living room. He could see a glow from the television that was now on, emitting the ominous music. Holden aimed his weapon into the living room and nearly collided with a large, heavyset man.
“Dude!” the man cried out in surprise, saw the gun, and jumped back a step.
Holden stared at the man with surprise. “Othello?” he gasped while lowering his weapon.
Othello was almost six-foot-tall and moderately heavyset, weighing about three hundred pounds. His dark, curly hair was somewhat wild and untamed, and the growth of seemingly haphazard facial hair was his attempt at growing a beard, not merely a man who had forgotten to shave. The friendly, approachable man wearing a superhero novelty t-shirt didn’t look like a computer genius or possibly a criminal mastermind, but, when it came to Jackie’s close circle of friends, looks were deceiving.
Holden’s surprise quickly turned to concern. “What are you doing here?” he just about demanded. “Did something happen to Jackie?”
“Last I heard, she was fine,” Othello insisted. “Sorry I couldn’t give you a head’s up before just showing up and, like, raiding your frig and all, but I’m maintaining radio silence as much as possible.”
Holden replaced his weapon to his shoulder holster and relaxed. “If everything is okay, what are you doing here?” he asked.
“I assure you the team is safe,” he informed Holden, “but there has been a lot of interest in Jackie’s helicopter.”
“Really?” Holden asked with a curious look. “What sort of interest?”
“People are trying to put an address to her helicopter,” Othello replied.
“You took care of that, though, right?” Holden remarked, only mildly concerned. “That was part of the arrangement when Jackie started regularly working with the guys. Nothing can be traced back to our home.”
“Yeah, of course, totally,” Othello replied, then tensed. “It’s just, well, there’s been quite a few interested parties, and it’s kind of made me a little tense.”
“Quite a few?” Holden asked while eyeing the man. “How many is that?”
“About fifty-two,” he replied.
Holden stared at the large man with some surprise. “Fifty-two? What exactly does that mean?”
“It means fifty-two people have shown an interest in Jackie’s helicopter,” he replied and now seemed slightly animated. “Everybody and their brother is attempting to trace that helicopter back to its origin.”
“So they’re looking for Jackie?”
“No, they’re looking for her helicopter,” Othello corrected.
“You’re saying they ran into trouble, and her helicopter was spotted,” Holden remarked.
“And that information spread like wildfire,” Othello informed him. “I’m 99.9% confident they’ll never trace that helicopter back to Jackie, you, or this house, but I’d rather not gamble with that .01%. I thought I’d hang out here and help, you know, cover your back.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time people have tried to kill me,” Holden insisted.
“Yeah, but not these people,” Othello reminded him. “So I’ll, you know, keep an eye on things while you sleep and watch the house while you’re at work.” He then raised his brows and a tiny smile. �
��Maybe set up a motion detector perimeter around the property.”
Holden smiled and managed a tiny laugh. “It’s not necessary, Othello, but since you’re already here, you may as well stay,” he announced. “I brought pizza. Did you want some?”
“I’d never turn down pizza,” Othello announced cheerfully. His expression suddenly dropped as his brows rose sharply. “It’s not some weird vegetarian pizza, is it?”
Holden raised a cocky brow and withheld his laugh. “I think you’ve known me long enough to know that’s not the case,” he remarked.
Both men headed into the kitchen. Othello grabbed two bottles of beer from the refrigerator while Holden placed the pizza box on the island counter.
“Any idea what’s going on with the guys?” Holden finally asked.
Othello shrugged and handed Holden a bottle of beer. “Light on details,” he remarked, “but I assume everyone is still alive and kicking.” He removed a slice of pizza from the box and set it on a paper plate. Othello then eyed Holden. “Does it bother you?”
“What’s that?” Holden asked and took a slice of pizza as well.
“Jackie spending so much time running around on dangerous assignments.”
Holden shrugged and then managed a smile. “I can’t exactly be bothered when it’s something that I do myself,” he replied.
“Yeah, but what she does is, like, a thousand times more dangerous,” Othello remarked then hesitated when he caught Holden’s glare. “I mean, she’s fine, I’m sure.”
“I know what she does is dangerous,” Holden replied while carrying his plate and bottle of beer into the living room with Othello following. “But if I asked her to stop, I’d be asking her to give up her identity. It’s who she is, and I’m not going to stop that or change her by giving her some unrealistic ultimatum. If she wants to quit, I’ll support her decision. If she wants to go on missions with the team, I’ll support that too.” Holden sat on the sofa and set his beer on the coffee table. “I know the team has her back.” He then hesitated and considered the comment. “And I know Zack won’t allow anything to happen to her.”
Othello plopped down on the opposite end of the sofa and took a swig of his beer. “That’s possibly the strangest relationship I’ve ever seen.”
“It used to bother me,” Holden remarked, then shrugged. “But after I got to know him, I know it’s more of a strange fatherly, best friend sort of thing.” He sighed. “Kind of like a faithful dog, I have little doubt he’s already made himself comfortable in her bed, but I’ve come to realize that Zack’s not sexually attracted to Jackie.”
Othello cast a strange look at Holden but seemed to reconsider inserting his opinion. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right,” he remarked and minded his pizza.
Chapter 32
Jackie woke from her light sleep, although uncertain what roused her from her slumber. The dormitory-style bedroom was mostly dark, not that there was much to see when it was light. The rooms were small and bland. Despite being considered full-size beds, they were barely a grade above cots and just a little bit bigger than a twin bed. Every movement on the cot-like bed could be felt and heard. When the cheap bed creaked, she was well aware of the reason behind it.
“Out, Zack,” she muttered. “There’s not enough room for both of us.”
She heard Darth softly whine. Jackie lifted her head, looked at the foot end of the bed, and saw the dog through the dim lighting, making himself comfortable despite her comment. Jackie managed a tiny laugh.
“Sorry, Darth,” Jackie announced and smiled wearily. “I didn’t know it was you.”
“See,” Zack announced from alongside her, startling her, “there’s plenty of room.”
Jackie rolled partially onto her back and looked at Zack, who was comfortably on his side facing her. “What the hell--?” she muttered.
“I’ve been here over an hour, and you didn’t even notice,” he insisted. “If there hadn’t been enough room, you would have complained earlier.”
Jackie rolled her eyes and groaned. “One of these days, Holden is going to shoot you in your sleep.”
“Holden knows I’m not going to do anything,” he informed her. “Believe it or not, he trusts me. A bit misplaced, but he does.”
“Seriously,” Jackie informed him, “you need a new security blanket.”
“Why?” he asked and sounded almost surprised. “My old one works just fine. Besides, under the circumstances, we shouldn’t be alone. Danger could be lurking around every corner.”
“If I stop arguing with you, will you shut up and go to sleep?”
“That’s the only reason I’m here in the first place,” Zack insisted. “Are we done arguing?”
Jackie groaned and returned to her side. “Yeah, we’re done arguing.”
“Good,” Zack replied and moved closer to Jackie from behind and placed his arm around her while nestling against her.
Jackie removed his arm from around her waist. A moment passed, and he returned his arm to its original position. Jackie groaned and gave up. If she continued to fight him, she’d never get any sleep. She knew she’d never win anyway. Zack was a whole other level of stubborn.
“Hypothetical question,” he announced close to her ear from behind, breaking the silence.
Jackie groaned and rolled onto her back, just about bumping into him due to limited space on the small bed. She glared at him, not in the mood to play games.
“What’s the hypothetical question?”
“Would you be able to fly an Apache Attack Helicopter?” he asked.
She eyed him with surprise and couldn’t even imagine why he’d ask such a question. “I suppose I could,” Jackie replied and sighed, giving in to his little game. “Why?”
“Again, just hypothetical,” he announced and moved onto his elbow while looking at her, “but if I could get my hands on one, would you be willing to fly it?”
Jackie stared at him and was at a loss for words. “Zack, that’s a military war helicopter. Attack is literally right in its name,” she informed him, now wide awake from the bizarre question. “If you tried to steal one, they’d kill you if they ever caught you. The same goes for me if I were caught flying it. We’d both be shot on sight.”
“Well, yeah, I know,” Zack replied, then shrugged. “That goes without say. I mean, we’d have to disappear forever, but we’d have an Apache Attack Helicopter.” His eyes then widened. “With sixteen Hellfire missiles, seventy-six rockets, and twelve hundred chain gun rounds.” He cocked his head and studied her through the dim lighting. “Honestly, what more could either of us really want from life?”
Jackie stared at him for a long moment, then shook her head. “I honestly don’t know if you’re actually serious,” she announced. “I find that deeply disturbing.”
Zack frowned and appeared to sulk while falling back onto his side. “I don’t really feel I’m asking for all that much,” he insisted. “If you truly cared about my happiness, you’d give me this one thing.”
Jackie rolled back onto her side away from him, groaned, and buried her face in her pillow. “Go to sleep!”
When Zack fell silent, Jackie assumed he’d given up whatever crazy thoughts that were going through his head. Well, for the time being, at least. Jackie then allowed her thoughts to stray a moment. Although she hated to admit it, the thought of actually flying an Apache gave her tiny goosebumps. She took a moment to silently curse Zack for putting such ideas into her head.
§
Late the following morning within the clinic, Nevada sat behind the vet’s desk with her feet propped up and a magazine in her lap. She looked bored. Marco had his arms through the bars, leaned on them, and watched her.
“There’s no reason to keep me in here,” he insisted. “Where the hell am I going to go?”
“You should be happy you’re no longer tied,” Nevada muttered without looking at him.
Marco was silent a long moment, but it was apparent he was working on his n
ext strategy to convince the young woman to let him out of the cage.
“Exactly why would an attractive woman decide to become a bounty hunter?” Marco then asked.
“I like kicking the shit out of annoying men,” she muttered without looking at him.
“Most women don’t think I’m annoying,” he boasted, then grinned. “Most women rather enjoy my company. I know how to treat women.” Marco then sized her up. “I think, given a chance, you and I would really hit it off.”
“I’d be the one doing all the hitting,” Nevada informed him while casting a quick look at him across the room.
“A sexually dominant woman,” he announced, then raised his brows suggestively. “I like that.”
“There’d be nothing sexual about it,” she remarked in turn, then sneered. “Keep talking, and I will come over there and shut you up.”
Jackie entered the clinic, looked around, and spotted Marco locked in the gorilla cage. “Nice set-up,” she announced her approval.
Marco smiled at Jackie and straightened. “Well, hello, Jackie,” he announced while giving her a quick once-over. “I know we haven’t met under the best circumstances--”
“We’ve met before,” Jackie informed him. “I was at your wedding.”
Marco’s expression dropped to something less jovial at the comment. “Did you have a good time?” he muttered, now seeming disinterested.
“Your bride-to-be nearly killed my friend’s girlfriend, and my best friend almost died saving my life,” Jackie announced, then considered the question. “So, no, I didn’t have a good time.”
“Look,” Marco announced with renewed hope, ignoring everything she’d just said. “Maybe you’re more reasonable than the others. Let me out of here. Where am I going to go? I’m being hunted by countless bounty hunters and hitmen who’ll shoot me on sight. The safest place for me to be is next to you and your friends.”
“Ross prefers you in the cage,” Jackie informed him. “Which means you stay in the cage.”
“What if I promised to remain glued to your side?” Marco then asked and added a charming, almost lustful smile and suggestively raised his brows. “Think about it. That could be fun.”
Witness Protection 9: S.N.A.F.U. Page 24
