Mission: Her Freedom: Team 52 #6

by Hackett, Anna

  She gasped. “God, I love that dirty mouth of yours.” She eyed him. “They might be.”

  “I want to kiss you.” And he wanted to find out for himself how wet she was.

  “We’re working,” she reminded him.

  “Right. Right.” He shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Dammit.

  Then she leaned down and pressed her mouth to his.

  Brooks groaned, snaking an arm around her and deepening the kiss.

  “What the fuck?” Axel’s voice.

  Brooks and Callie pulled apart. The entire team stood in the doorway, watching them with scowls, raised eyebrows, and grins. Blair was grinning and the men were scowling.

  Blair sauntered in. “Finally.”

  “You knew about this?” Axel tossed her an accusing look.

  “Surely you picked up the vibes,” Blair said.

  “I told her,” Callie added.

  Blair wrinkled her nose. “Okay, so Callie told me.”

  Axel looked at Callie, then Brooks. He pointed a finger at Brooks. “You break her heart, I’ll hurt you.” He swiveled to Callie. “You break his heart, I’ll hurt you.”

  “Relax, Axel,” Callie said. “Brooks and I are adults.”

  The others all grinned and chuckled. Lachlan shook his head. “Do your jobs, and I don’t care what you do behind closed doors.”

  “They weren’t playing tonsil hockey behind closed doors,” Axel noted.

  Brooks’ computer pinged. Then it pinged again and again.

  “We hit something.” His pulse spiked and he scanned the data. “Shit.”

  “What?” Callie leaned over his shoulder.

  “Amy Holder. I set up some alerts. She boarded a flight.”

  “Where’s she headed?” Lachlan demanded.

  “Flight plan has her going to Kingman, Arizona.”

  “Kingman?” Lachlan frowned. “What the hell is in Kingman?”

  “Not much.” Brooks tapped on his computer. “It’s the county seat of Mohave County. Population 28,000.”

  “Guys.” Nat appeared in the doorway, a notebook clutched to her chest. “We have a problem.” She strode in and slapped the book on the bench.

  “What’s wrong?” Callie asked.

  “I’ve been going through Amy Holder’s private journal.” Nat tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear. “She’s…unhinged. Her church and public persona is all about charity and helping the less fortunate. But it’s a front. This—” Nat tapped the notebook “—talks about how only the worthy and virtuous deserve to inhabit the planet. The uneducated, the poor, the ignorant, anyone who doesn’t worship her god…they aren’t worthy.”

  “Jesus,” Lachlan muttered.

  “There’s more.” Nat drew in a breath. “She has a second shard.”

  “What?” Brooks barked. “You’re joking.”

  Nat shook her head. “Her father found two shards of the wind jewel. He had them in his collection.”

  “Where’s the second shard now?” Seth asked.

  “Holder has it,” Nat said. “And she talks about using it in her notes. About testing its capabilities in a very public way.”

  Lachlan uttered a harsh curse.

  “Nat,” Callie said. “Holder just flew into Kingman, Arizona.”

  The archeologist’s eyes widened. “Oh, no.”

  “What? What’s important about Kingman?” Brooks asked.

  “I went there last year,” Nat said. “It’s the closest city to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.”

  Brooks sucked in a breath. “The glass walkway built over the canyon.”

  Nat nodded.

  “And if you wanted to make a big impact, destroying an attraction at one of the most famous landmarks in the country would do it,” Lachlan said. “Team 52, we need to get to the skywalk. Fast.”

  The team leaped into action. Brooks grabbed Callie and pulled her close.

  “I’ll be careful,” she promised.

  “I know you will.” Damn, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and stop her from going.

  She’d probably punch him.

  He kissed her—quick but deep. “See you when you get back. Go kick some ass.”

  She nodded, then was gone.

  Brooks sagged against the counter. He was totally falling for Callie. He closed his eyes. Falling for the most beautiful, the kindest, and toughest woman he knew. A woman who guarded her heart with the toughest defenses.

  He turned to his computer. He’d worry about his heart and hers later, right now, he had to do his bit to keep her and the team safe.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The X8 swept in over the Grand Canyon.

  But Callie paid little attention to the breath-taking scenery. Instead, her gaze was on the U-shaped, glass structure that arched off the side of the cliff. The tourist attraction was owned by the Hualapai Indian tribe and was extremely popular. Right now, a dark swirl of gray clouds hovered over the skywalk, churning and boiling. Wild winds were picking up clouds of dust and the red washed out into the canyon.

  Callie could see the dots of terrified tourists stuck on the rocking walkway.

  “Holy shit,” Smith muttered. The man was standing, holding a handhold above his head, staring out the side window.

  Suddenly, winds buffeted the jet-copter, setting it rocking.

  “Winds are too strong to get any closer,” Blair yelled. “We’ll land as close as we can to the skywalk.”

  It was a rough ride, but finally, the X8 touched down. Callie grabbed her CXM and rose. Lachlan opened the door and the team all leaped out.

  Lachlan opened a small case and activated a small drone. The machine whizzed into the air, rocking against the wind. It would give Brooks an eye in the sky.

  “Go,” Lachlan roared over the howl of the wind.

  They jogged toward the angular, red entrance building. As they got closer, Callie heard the screams of the panicked people on the skywalk.

  “You need to get the people off the structure.” Brooks voice came through their earpieces clearly. “The skywalk was built tough, to withstand a magnitude 8.0 earthquake. But the winds are targeting it and I’m running some of my experimental storm mapping software. The winds are increasing.”

  Tears pricked at Callie’s eyes and she pulled her goggles on to protect them from the wind. She saw the others do the same.

  “Any sign of Holder?” Lachlan asked.

  Brooks cursed. “Hang on. My drone is having a hard time with the wind. I’ll have to pull back a bit.” A pause. “From what I can tell from the wind patterns, Holder is several hundred feet east of your location.”

  Callie’s lip curled. The woman was staying safe while she wreaked havoc and killed innocent people. Bitch.

  Lachlan stopped. “Blair and I will go after Holder. The rest of you get the people off the skywalk.”

  The team divided and Callie stayed close to Smith’s big body, letting him block the wind.

  They raced past the entrance building. Ahead, the skywalk was a perfect horseshoe shape. They paused at the edge, the wind so strong that Callie could barely hold her position. She gripped the railing and stepped out onto the glass.

  “Axel and I will go around the other side,” Seth said. “Smith, Callie, you clear this half of the walkway.”

  Callie and Smith walked slowly onto the skywalk. Smith’s jaw was locked tight, his gaze on the first group of huddled people only feet away from them. They were crouched down, pressed against the railing.

  “Come on!” Callie waved a hand at them.

  One man rose and staggered toward her. With Smith’s help, they got the four people clear.

  “Get into the main building,” she yelled.

  Turning, she saw the next group farther along the walkway. She and Smith fought their way against the wind.

  All of a sudden, there was a groan of metal. The walkway started to twist and buckle beneath their feet.

  Oh, shit. Callie grabbed the railing. When she glanc
ed back, she saw the walkway start to pull away from the edge of the cliff.

  Shit, shit, shit. “Move it, Smith!”

  They hustled to the next group. Smith lifted a sobbing woman into his arms and led the tourists back toward the cliff.

  Ahead, Callie spotted a man and a teenage girl crouched down on the glass.

  The walkway bucked and Callie dropped to her knees. She pressed her hands to the glass and for a second, she was looking straight down through the clear glass. She had a perfect view of the rocky slopes and the canyon floor below. Far, far below.

  Swallowing, she started crawling across the glass.

  The walkway dropped and tilted a little to the side. Screams filled the air and her stomach rolled.

  The man was frantically trying to help the girl to a safer spot.

  “Come to me,” Callie yelled. But her words were snatched away by the worsening wind.

  Suddenly, the walkway twisted more and the man slipped.

  “Dad!” the girl cried.

  The man slid over the edge. Soundlessly, his arms flailing, the man fell off the skywalk.

  No. Callie saw the girl scream and quickly hurried toward her. She threw an arm around the panting girl who was staring into the canyon, her face a mask of horror.

  And in her head, Callie saw Bec. Her own body froze, her muscles refusing to move.

  “Callie.” Brooks’ voice. “You need to get off the skywalk. Get that girl to safety.”

  There was such steady belief in his voice.

  “Hey, I’m Callie.” She forced the girl to look at her.

  “My dad.”

  “I know, but we need to focus on getting off this bridge.”

  “I’m scared,” the girl said.

  “Me too, but we’ll do this together.” The girl was probably fifteen. She didn’t look like Bec—she had a round face, green eyes, and brown hair, but she had that same sweet innocence Bec had possessed.

  Callie wasn’t going to let this girl die here. “What’s your name?”

  “Lizzie.”

  “Okay, Lizzie, follow me and let’s get off this thing.”

  The firm tone of Callie’s voice seemed to snap the girl into motion. Together, they started crawling.

  They hadn’t gone far when the walkway dropped a foot. Lizzie screamed.

  “Keep going,” Callie urged.

  They kept crawling along the twisted walkway. She was acutely aware of the drop off just inches away from them.

  A huge gust of wind hit them, sliding them across the glass.

  Callie’s heart leaped into her throat and she heard Lizzie cry out. Callie clamped her arms and legs against the glass, pressing Lizzie down flat.

  They were pinned there. If they moved, the wind would push them right off the side.

  “Callie, the underside of the walkway has strong metal beams.” Brooks’ firm voice in her ear. “Climb underneath and you’ll have more to hold onto.”

  Shit, he wanted them to climb under the skywalk. Her pulse spiked.

  “You’ll be more protected from the gusts,” he said. “You can do this, Callie.”

  Lizzie pushed closer. “Who’s talking to you?”

  “My guardian angel. He’s always looking out for me.” And he was. He always had. “We need to climb under the walkway.”

  The girl swallowed, her eyes wide. Then she nodded.

  “Good girl.” Urging Lizzie along, they eased over the side. Callie grasped a thick metal beam and helped the teen down. The wind was blocked by the bulk of the walkway and for a second, they got a reprieve from the gusts.

  Callie released a breath. Sometimes, you had to take a chance. Sometimes, you had to risk it all in order to get to something better.

  “Get to the edge,” Brooks urged.

  “Climb along the beam, Lizzie.”

  Together, they moved, hand over hand, pressing their feet to the beam. A huge roar of wind hit, making the skywalk shudder. It rocked wildly and Lizzie whimpered.

  “Keep going,” Callie said. “You’ve got this.”

  She could see they were getting closer to the cliff.

  “Almost there,” Brooks said. “Smith and Seth are waiting for you.”

  Moments later, the men reached down. Callie pushed Lizzie up and Smith pulled the girl up and onto land. Seth held out a hand and Callie clasped it.

  They’d barely straightened when the wind died away. She saw Axel striding toward them, his gaze on the clouds that were starting to disperse.

  “Lizzie!” A woman with Lizzie’s green eyes raced toward the girl.

  “Mom. God, Mom. Dad, he, he…”

  The woman engulfed the girl, sobbing. “I know, sweetie.” The woman’s voice cracked. “I know. Come on, let’s get inside.”

  Lizzie lifted her head and caught Callie’s eyes. “Thank you. And thank your guardian angel too.”

  Callie nodded. She watched the pair walk away, knowing that grief would descend on them soon. Their lives had just been irrevocably altered. But they had each other, and hopefully that would get them through.

  “I’m an angel,” Brooks said. “I like it.”

  Callie shook her head. “Did Lachlan get Holder?”

  “No.” Brooks tone hardened. “She got away.”

  A helicopter rose into the air, arcing away from the canyon.

  A squeal of static hit Callie’s earpiece and she winced. She saw Seth, Axel, and Smith grimace and touch their ears.

  “You can’t stop me.” Amy Holder’s voice came through their earpieces.

  “How the fuck did she hack our comms?” Brooks snapped.

  “I understand the capabilities of the shard now. I know what I can achieve with the full wind jewel. I can bring my vision for a better world into being. For the good of all mankind.”

  Anger shot through Callie like acid. “You mean for the good of yourself and anyone you deem good enough.”

  “I will cleanse the sinners and leave the best behind. The good and righteous will inherit a less crowded and polluted world.”

  “Are you listening to yourself?” Callie said. “You’re talking mass murder.”

  “My father dreamed of helping the world become a better place!” Holder’s voice was full of fervor. “I only want what’s best for our world.”

  Callie met her teammates’ gazes. The woman truly believed what she was saying. That destroying the “less worthy” was what was best for everyone.

  She wouldn’t stop. Unless Team 52 stopped her.

  “Don’t get in my way,” Holder said. “Nothing and no one can stop me now.”

  The feed cut off.

  Callie looked up and saw Lachlan and Blair coming down the path. Both had stony faces.

  The storm was gone like it had never been…leaving behind the twisted walkway and several families who’d been ripped apart.

  Callie looked at her team. “We have to find the wind jewel before she does.” Callie wasn’t going to let this woman leave more families broken and bleeding.

  Axel scowled. “And if we don’t, we’re all fucked, and not in the fun way.”

  * * *

  Brooks guzzled another energy drink. He was buzzed, the caffeine overload making him jittery. But it was the fuel he needed.

  He had to break into these encrypted Windvale files. They needed to shut Amy Holder down.

  The team was headed back to base and the destruction at the Grand Canyon Skywalk was all over the news.

  He wanted to see Callie in the flesh. He knew she was okay, but something in him wouldn’t settle until he could see her, touch her.

  Dragging in a breath, he tapped on his computer. “Come on. Give it up.”

  “Bet you talk to all the girls like that.”

  He swiveled around and saw Callie standing there. Her hair was a bit windblown, but other than that, she looked her usual, beautiful self.

  He rose, strode over to her, and swept her into his arms.

  As they kissed, she made a humming s
ound.

  “You are a Grade A kisser, Brooks Jameson.”

  “Happy you’re back.” He pressed his cheek to her hair.

  “Thanks for the help out there.”

  “You had it covered, and that girl is alive thanks to you.”

  Callie snuggled into him. “We make a pretty good team.”

  He stared down into her eyes. “Yeah, we do.”

  “I brought you something.” She whipped a small package out of her pocket.

  His face lit up. “My favorite.” He had a severe weakness for toffee.

  “I’d been saving it in case I needed to bribe you, but I figured you deserved it.”

  Brooks tore it open and popped a piece in his mouth. “Mmm, sweet.” He let his gaze drift down her slim body. “Only one thing sweeter. Something I’m getting very addicted to.”

  Smiling, she kissed him again, her fingers tracing his face. There was that soft look again in her eyes. A look that made his heart beat and flare with hope.

  A chime sounded from his computer and he groaned. “First time in my life that I wish my computer was far, far away right now.”

  Callie smiled. “You sure know how to charm a girl, Jameson.”

  He turned to the screen and tapped. “Shit.”

  “What?”

  He grinned at her. “That was a good shit. I cracked the encrypted Windvale files. Can you call the rest of the guys?”

  “I’m on it.”

  Brooks pored over the information, his gut tightening with every word. Soon, the team and Natalie were crowded into his computer room, leaning against the walls and bench.

  “Tell me you’ve found the location of the wind jewel,” Lachlan said.

  “Yeah, we need to shut this Holder woman down,” Blair muttered.

  Brooks smiled. “I think I know where the wind jewel is.”

  Everyone straightened.

  “Really?” Seth said.

  Brooks nodded. “I found some hidden files in the Windvale data and I’ve just cracked them.” He raised his brows. “They’re private files that belonged to Maxwell Holder.”

  Lachlan crossed his arms. “Amy Holder’s father.”

  Brooks nodded, then sucked in a breath. “So Maxwell was at the dig in Mexico.”