Strike Force

by Mary Alford

Kaiden ended the call and fought back his anger at Legion. They’d destroyed so many lives. In a way, they were responsible for Ben’s marriage troubles. No matter the sacrifice. No matter what it cost Kaiden personally. Whatever the price, Legion had to be stopped.

  Chapter Nine

  The medical team was waiting when they landed. Hernandez was rushed to the trauma center. His life was in God’s hands.

  Sidney urged Kaiden to get some rest, but she suspected he was too keyed up. Everyone who’d made the trip to Virginia wanted answers, and there was only one place they’d go in hopes of getting them.

  They descended the steps to the command center abuzz with activity. James and Garrett worked alongside Jordyn, and new recruit, Emily. From their expressions, she sensed there was news. “What’s going on?” she asked James.

  “We’ve uncovered some interesting news, thanks to Emily.” His smile touched on the woman next to him. “She’s proving invaluable. How’s Hernandez doing?”

  “Still alive, thanks to Doctor Oviok’s expertise,” Sidney told him. “I feel better for his chances now that he’s here.”

  “Me, too.” James nodded to Emily who brought something up on the computer. “Meet Carter Wilson . . . the real Carter Wilson,” she said. “And here’s the twist. Carter Wilson is Cole Hernandez’s maternal grandfather. The cabin that exploded belonged to Wilson at one time and was passed down to Hernandez. Collins must have assumed Wilson’s ID somehow.”

  Sidney stared at the older man in the photo. “Is the real Wilson still alive?”

  Emily shook her head. “No, and that’s probably why it was so easy for Collins to assume his identity. Wilson died five years ago. His grandson left the title to the place in his grandfather’s name. As best we can tell, Hernandez rarely visited the cabin, which made it easier for Collins to take possession of it—to come and go as he pleased.”

  Kaiden ran a hand through his hair and flinched when he came in contact with the wound there. “How does a deceased CIA agent manage to come into the US without being detected?”

  “My guess is Evans and possibly Duncan were there to make sure it happened,” James told him.

  “But that doesn’t explain how Collins knew we were coming to the cabin,” Sidney said. There was no doubt in her mind someone had tipped the man off. Did they have a traitor on their team?

  “Uh-oh. Guys, you’ve got to see this,” Jordyn exclaimed and put up a newsfeed on the screen. “We have a huge problem.”

  The feed was from a Virginia news report. Jordyn raised the volume so they could hear it clearly.

  “The cabin in question belongs to Cole Hernandez, director of the CIA. We are still trying to reach Director Hernandez for comment. At this time, we don’t know if there was anyone inside the cabin when it caught on fire, but there were security cameras that captured three men and a woman leaving the explosion. They were carrying someone. All are believed to be armed and extremely dangerous. If you see any of these people, call the number on the screen immediately.”

  It was plausible that Collins and his people had taken Hernandez to the cabin to force information out of him. They could have spotted Sidney and the others approaching through the security cameras and cleared out while setting the gas to explode. Still, it felt as if something were missing from the explanation.

  Their pictures appeared on the screen.

  “Oh, no. How did they get those photos?” Sidney stared at the image of herself taken while she was still with the CIA. Though she’d changed her appearance a lot through the years, the photos were close enough to identify her and the others. Their covers were blown. Thanks to Collins, the world now knew they were still alive.

  “Get Ben on the phone right now. He needs to know about this. His life is in danger.” Kaiden twisted in his seat toward James. “Once Evans sees this, if he hasn’t already, he’ll know Ben faked our deaths. Ben will be Collins’s next target. He just became a wanted man.”

  James quickly called the number. “It went straight to voicemail. He’s not answering. I don’t like it.”

  “We need to go after him.” Sidney sprang to her feet. “What about his phone tracker?”

  “It’s turned off, which tells me the phone is as well. I’ll see if I can ping his last known location,” James said and went to work.

  They owed Ben their lives. Because of him and Cole, they’d all been given a second chance to do something good for the country they loved.

  “Last known location was two hours earlier outside Langley.” James zoomed in on the area. “It appears to be a field of some sort,” he said with a puzzled look.

  “How long before we can be ready to fly out?” Sidney turned to Kaiden.

  “We can’t. If we fly there, Collins and his people could be waiting for us. All four of our photos are out there. We can’t take that risk. We’ll wait to hear from Ben.”

  Not what she wanted to hear. Though it made sense, the thought of doing nothing while her friend was in danger was unimaginable.

  “He’ll be okay. Ben’s smart, and he knows what he’s dealing with.” Kaiden focused on the screen. “James, can you zoom out? I want to know what else is there.”

  “You got it.” James clicked the command to see the surrounding countryside in real time. “Wait, is that a car?” He zeroed in on the vehicle.

  “Yes, and its Ben’s,” Kaiden exclaimed. “Where is he?”

  James searched around the surrounding area. “I don’t see anyone. The vehicle appears empty.” He continued to pan around. “What is that?” James focused in on a bare strip of pastureland.

  Kaiden leaned forward. “I’d say it’s a landing strip.”

  Was it possible that Ben had been taken from the area by air?

  Sidney moved close to the screen. “It rained there recently. Looks like fresh tracks on the strip. Someone’s flown from there not long ago.”

  Kaiden grabbed his phone and tried Ben’s number once more without luck. “Straight to voicemail.” He sighed.

  “I know that area,” Emily told the watchful room. “I’ve been there before. That’s definitely an airstrip.”

  “We should all pray for God’s protection for Ben,” Sidney said and glanced around the room. “Ben’s life is in jeopardy. We need to shield him from danger. And until we know what’s happening, we might all be in jeopardy.”

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Kaiden said, his voice heavy with emotion. He clasped her hand. Soon, everyone around the room joined hands and bowed their heads.

  “Father, we come to You asking for Your protection over our friend. We don’t know what’s going on, but we’re worried. Please bring him through this safely, and please protect each of us. Amen.”

  The darkness surrounding them gave way to a bit of light. Ben would be okay. Sidney was positive of it. “What about flight reports?” The thought suddenly popped into her head.

  “If this is Collins’s work, he wouldn’t bother with procedure. They’d be flying under the radar to keep from being spotted,” James said.

  Before he finished speaking, Kaiden’s phone rang.

  “The number’s blocked,” Kaiden said, holding her gaze. “If this is Collins, he could be trying to ferret out our location.”

  “Take it, but keep the call brief.” James motioned to Garrett who went to work on tracing the call.

  Kaiden hit the answer button and put the call on speaker. “Yes?”

  “It’s me.” Ben’s less than steady voice came through the speaker. “I’m safe and I’m on my way to you now.”

  Relief threatened to buckle Sidney’s knees. She sank to the closest chair. Ben was alive, but he was a wanted man. How much longer before Collins and his goons showed up at their compound ready to take them all out?

  ◆◆◆

  “How’d you manage to escape before Evans got to you?” Kaiden asked his friend, though he believed it was all God’s doing.

  “I’m still not sure. I received a call from Tegan warning me
to get out of Langley. He’d intercepted a conversation between Hassanzai and Evans about Collins discovering you and Sidney were still alive. I didn’t have time to grab anything. Thanks to God I had an exit plan in place and a friend who was willing to risk his life for me. I told him there’s no going back now. He’s one of us.” Ben pulled in an audible breath. “How’s Cole doing? I recognized the cabin they showed in the news video. That’s Cole’s grandfather’s place.”

  “He’s hanging in there. According to Doctor Oviok, the bullet didn’t hit any major arteries and it missed his heart, though he’s lost a lot of blood. The medical team is with him now. I’ll go check on him once we’re done here.”

  “Thank you.” Ben sounded shaken. “I can’t believe all that’s happened. This changes everything. We’ve lost our inside position to that meeting in Afghanistan. Without it, we have no idea what’s in the works.”

  “Evans doesn’t appear to know we’re monitoring his phone,” Kaiden said, trying to put a positive spin on things. “We can use it to find the location of the meeting.”

  “True for now, but those men didn’t get to the position they are by being foolish. Now that they know you and Sidney are alive, they’ll realize I’m involved. Evans trusted me. He’ll be watching everything that happens. He’s probably already ditched the burner, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the location of the meeting is changed,” Ben told the team.

  “There’s also the possibility that Evans and Hassanzai will keep their burner phones active to try and draw us out,” Kaiden said.

  “You’re right. We all have to be extra cautious now. I’m going to try and get a message to Jennifer. I’m worried they’ll come after her to get to me.” Ben paused for a long moment. “Anyway, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Please let me if anything changes with Cole.”

  “I will,” Kaiden assured him. Once the call ended, he surveyed the troubled faces of the people who were like family. No one spoke. They all understood the severity of the situation. There was a very real chance their location could be compromised. They could be attacked at any moment. Kaiden didn’t want to think about that happening.

  He turned to Sidney. “I’m going to check on Cole. Why don’t you come with me?”

  Her smile held compassion. Of all people, Sidney understood what he was going through.

  He rose slowly, his injured side hurting like crazy. With her near, they stepped from the room, and Kaiden gathered her close. He just needed to hold her and believe the fight they were waging was worth the cost. Right now, he wasn’t so sure.

  “It’ll be okay,” Sidney assured him as if reading his dark thoughts. “They’re not going to win this.”

  He held her at arm’s length and smiled. “I want to believe that so much, but right now, I’m running low on faith.”

  She touched his face. “I have enough for the both of us. We didn’t go through the things we’ve survived to have it end this way. We’re not over yet, Kaiden. Don’t give up.”

  He took her hand and kissed the palm of it. “I won’t. As long as I have you, I won’t.” Still holding her hand, they climbed the stairs to the top floor of the house where Doctor Oviok had set up the medical facility. They headed to the critical-care room at the end of the hall.

  As they approached, Violet Foster, the team nurse, exited the room. She spotted them and came over.

  “How is Hernandez doing?” Kaiden asked.

  She glanced back at the room. “He’s holding on. In the next few hours we should know more, but he’s strong, and he has a whole lot of people praying for him.”

  Kaiden nodded. Though his faith had faltered, everyone on the Strike Force were Christians, and there was one thing Kaiden never doubted. They were doing God’s work.

  Chapter Ten

  It was well after midnight when Ben and his pilot friend landed at the airstrip. Seeing him exit the plane was a welcomed sight for Sidney.

  “We are so glad you both made it here safely,” She said and embraced Ben.

  “It’s good to be here. I was really worried we weren’t going to make it,” he said and hugged Kaiden. The strain of his features confirmed how harrowing the experience had been. “Thanks for letting me know about Cole,” he told Kaiden and turned to the man at his side. “This is Deacon Turner. A good friend, an excellent pilot, and he just saved my life.”

  The tall, lanky blond appeared to be in his early thirties. He shook both their hands.

  “Any news from Jennifer?” Kaiden asked.

  Ben’s shoulders sagged in answer. “No and I left her a lengthy email. I thought it would be the safest way to connect with her. I can’t imagine what she’ll think once she hears the lies Evans will spin.”

  Sidney hurt for her friend. She knew about being framed for something she didn’t do. “Jennifer knows you. She won’t believe their lies.”

  Ben managed a smile before climbing into the side-by-side. “I hope you’re right. But in light of what’s happened, I’ve ordered Tegan and Peter back here. We’ll need their help. Has anything changed with Cole?”

  Kaiden shook his head. “Still the same.”

  “I’d like to see him soon, but first, let’s get everyone together. I want to come up with a contingency plan in case we have to evacuate quickly.”

  The chilling words confirmed what they all thought, yet the idea of having to pick up and leave after so much had happened was not a welcomed one. “I’ll let James know,” Sidney said and made the call while Kaiden drove the short distance from the airstrip and parked in front of the house.

  Inside the command center, all available Strike Force members had assembled. Tension filled the air. Nobody knew what to expect next.

  Sidney introduced Emily to Ben and Deacon.

  “It’s good to meet you in person,” Ben told her. “I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances.”

  “Me too. But I want to thank you for saving me. I’d like to help out in any way I can. I know the NSA’s computer system and their security measures like I know my name. And I have friends there that I trust.”

  Ben nodded. “We can definitely use your insight.”

  “I have Brookes and Abby on the phone,” James said. “And so far, there’s been no attempt to breach our computer’s security and no sign of anyone snooping around the place. The measures I put into place to keep anyone from identifying the plane should hold.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Ben told him. “Still, Cole prepared for the possibility this place might be discovered. He has an alternative plan in place. If the need arises, we’re covered.”

  Ben ran a hand across his weary eyes. “What’s happening with Emerson? Has his tracker gone live yet?”

  “Several hours ago,” Brookes said from Amarillo. “So far, there’s been no attempt by Collins to contact him, but Abby and I have been talking and we have a suggestion.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Ben said wearily.

  “Why not have Emerson reach out to Collins instead.” Abby’s voice came on the line. “He can tell Collins the other man with him was killed in an attack, but he managed to survive. If he gets in good, maybe proves himself again to Collins, there’s a chance we can get him in on the meeting in Afghanistan.”

  When Ben’s silence gave away his not-to-thrilled reaction to the idea, Abby added, ‘It’s worth a shot, and right now, we can’t rely on having access to Hassanzai and Evans’s phones for long. We’ve cloned Emerson’s, so we’ll be able to hear any conversation between him and Collins. He’s not going to do or say anything without running it by us first.”

  Ben weighed the decision carefully. “Does Emerson realize he could be sending up an alarm by reaching out to Collins first? This guy is unstable and doesn’t trust anyone. Right now, I have no official backing for anything we do. If we’re caught, we could all go to prison as traitors or worse. Collins has the police looking for our people because of the incident at the cabin. It won’t be long before they try to pin Cole’s disappearance o
n us as well.”

  “I understand you’re concerned,” Kaiden interjected, “But we don’t have a lot of choices here. We need another way into that meeting.”

  “What if his willingness to help is all a lie and he’s really going to sell us out?”

  “It’s a chance we have to take,” Kaiden assured him. “And Brookes and Abby have it under control.”

  Ben scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “All right. Let’s do it, but I want Brookes and Abby tracking him at all times. And I want Emerson updating them every hour.”

  “Copy that,” Brookes said. “We’ll make it happen.”

  It was of some comfort knowing they’d possibly have eyes on the meeting. Would it be enough? Sidney sure hoped so.

  “Why don’t you go check on Cole,” Kaiden suggested to Ben. “I’ll get Deacon situated in a room. You both look ready to drop.”

  Ben’s expression lightened. “Thanks, I appreciate that.” He looked to his friend. “I’ll catch up with you in a little while.”

  Once the men left, Sidney spoke further to Abby and Brookes about Emerson. The idea of putting a man who had nothing to lose in harm’s way didn’t sit well with her. “Do you both think he’s up to this task?”

  Background noises followed. A door closed. “Truthfully, I’m not so sure,” Abby said. “But he’s all we’ve got.”

  Sidney didn't like the odds.

  “Brookes and I’ll monitor Emerson’s call to make sure there’s no type of secret code being passed between the two. He seems sincere, but then again, Collins and his people have become masters at fooling people. Blending in. Pretending to be something they’re not.”

  Sidney shivered at Abby’s accurate description. Emerson and the rest of his former CIA team had sworn to protect this country from people like the terrorists Collins and his men had become.

  “Be careful, both of you. Collins and his people could be heading your way. There’s been no sightings of him since the cabin explosion, and they now know we’re coming after them. They’ll be on the watch for anything that feels off.”