Disillusioned

by Christy Barritt

  He grabbed her hand, yearning to offer her comfort as tragedy upon tragedy piled upon her. “It’s a possibility that someone killed your father in order to keep him quiet about something.”

  She pulled away and ran her hand over her face. “That can’t be true.”

  “We don’t know for sure. But Ten Man talked to an investigator on the scene. That’s what his suspicions have always been.”

  She closed her eyes, her agony evident. “I . . . I don’t know what to say.”

  “It’s a lot for anyone to comprehend.”

  “I don’t even think I can process this right now.” She shook her head as if shaking off the new information. “Besides, how did members of ARM find my dad’s name?”

  Kade leaned closer and lowered his voice. “You remember how Darren said Bobby requested he be sent to Colombia? What if Bobby wasn’t the one who requested it? What if someone purposely wanted Bobby there? What if Bobby was a target all along?”

  Nikki drew in a quick breath of air. “You mean Bobby was set up to be captured?”

  Kade nodded. “Something like that. Maybe those letters he wrote to you . . . maybe he discovered what your father had done and began feeling sympathetic—even guilty—as he got to know some of the locals? That would make more sense than him being a deserter.”

  Light flashed in Nikki’s eyes. “I agree. That does make more sense. His memories just haven’t fully come back yet. But I can see that playing out.”

  “I don’t know where Bobby got all of this, but he’s done good work,” Kade said. “Still, I’m not sure it’s enough to convince anyone.”

  “So what now?” asked Nikki.

  “We have to take what we know to Secretary Polaner. But first, let’s let Marvin go,” Kade said.

  Marvin dropped them off near the National Zoo. Ten Man waited there in an old brown Camaro he’d borrowed from someone.

  “Did anyone follow you?” Kade asked as soon as they were safely inside his car.

  “No one.”

  As he and Nikki settled back in their seats, Kade’s mind raced. His thoughts spun to the point where his head began to ache.

  “There are some drinks and sandwiches in that bag,” Ten Man said. “I figured you might be hungry.”

  Now that Ten Man mentioned it, they hadn’t eaten all day. Some food might be just what they needed. Kade opened the bag and handed a sandwich to Nikki before grabbing a ham and cheese sub for himself.

  “That was some chase,” Ten Man said, pulling away from the curb. “It was all over the news.”

  “It was only by God’s grace we were able to get away,” Kade said. “And I fully realize we’re on borrowed time right now.”

  Ten Man glanced in the rearview mirror. “Did you hear?”

  “Hear what?” Kade grabbed a water bottle and twisted the top.

  “It’s about Pierce.”

  Nikki froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. “My ex?”

  They knew Pierce had gone rogue, but had that information also gone public? Or had Pierce sent some kind of signal out for ARM to execute their plan?

  “He’s dead,” Ten Man finished.

  Kade was certain he hadn’t heard him correctly. “What?”

  Ten Man nodded. “It was just on the news. The police found his body at some countryside home in Virginia. He’d been shot.”

  “That’s . . . unexpected,” Kade finally said.

  “It gets worse,” Ten Man continued. “You’ve been linked with Nikki and Bobby, Kade, and the authorities are blaming you three for his death.”

  Kade’s head began pounding even harder. “I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not. Not after everything that’s happened.”

  “After I talked to you yesterday, I went to Pierce’s house. Don’t worry—it was before they found him.” Ten Man shook his head. “It was strange. There were pictures of Nikki everywhere. Everywhere. In his living room. In his bedroom. There were some probably from when they were married, but there were others of Nikki with Bobby leaving the hospital. There was even a picture of her sitting in the backyard at the house in Cape Thomas.”

  Nikki sucked in a quick breath. “That’s who was watching me.”

  “What do you mean?” Kade asked sharply.

  Nikki shifted to better face him. “You know when we went jogging that day and I thought I heard someone in the woods? I had that feeling that someone had their eyes on me. I discounted it as paranoia and exhaustion and stress. But I bet it was Pierce. He had that tracker installed in my necklace, and when he attacked me and asked where you were, he mentioned us being in Cape Thomas. Since we’ve been divorced, he’s been watching my every move.”

  “And when he saw you with Kade, that could have made him snap,” Ten Man said. “The man was definitely stalking you.”

  Kade felt Nikki shudder beside him. He rested his hand on her back. “What if he was the one who left the bomb-making materials? What if he wanted Bobby to look guilty? Maybe he even did that Internet search at Jack’s house on how to make bombs, knowing we’d think Bobby had done it. He could have tried to use the situation to his advantage to drive you back to him.”

  “I wouldn’t put it past him,” Nikki muttered.

  “Here’s the thing I don’t understand,” Kade said. “If Pierce is dead, then who’s behind all of this? Was he connected to ARM?”

  “And if Pierce is dead, who killed him?” Nikki whispered.

  CHAPTER 38

  Nikki lifted up a quick prayer before dialing. A few minutes later, she was connected with Secretary Polaner’s assistant again.

  “This is Nikki Wright. It’s urgent that I speak with Secretary Polaner. Please.”

  “Ms. Wright.” Surprise tinged the woman’s voice. “He was hoping you’d call again. One moment.”

  Three seconds later, Secretary Polaner picked up. “Nikki, you know there’s practically an army searching for you.”

  “I don’t have much time, but I need to let you know that there’s going to be an attack on US military bases in the very near future.” She needed to get her message out fast.

  “Is your brother carrying this out?”

  “My brother? No, for the millionth time, ARM is behind it.”

  “And Bobby’s helping?”

  Exasperation started to creep in. She had to get through to him. “No, Bobby is not helping. You’re not listening to me. People are in danger!”

  “Come turn yourself in, Nikki. Make this easier. Keep running and you might get hurt. Your mom and dad wouldn’t want that.”

  Kade squeezed her knee. The action calmed her just enough to finish the conversation. “Can you stop focusing on that for a moment? I’m trying to tell you about a terrorist attack.”

  “I fear this could be a diversion technique.”

  “A diversion technique?” Her voice climbed in pitch. She was wasting her breath, wasn’t she? He already had his mind made up.

  “Come on, Nikki. Even you have to admit that you haven’t done yourself any favors by acting like a crazy fool. Police chases, bombs in your basement, cover-ups. What are people supposed to think?”

  She had to remain steady here, but it was going to be a challenge. “Why would I need to stage a diversion?”

  “To protect your brother.”

  “I have proof,” she finally said.

  “What is it?”

  “Papers. Articles. Information from a journalist who died at the same time my parents did. It gives ARM a motive. And Bobby’s recollections.”

  “Recollections from a man with mental problems?”

  Her frustration rose. “You’ll regret it when this attack happens and you did nothing to prevent it. I’ll make sure your name is all over the news. I can promise you that.”

  “Bring me the proof,” Polaner said. “I’ll give you your brother for the information, if it proves to be credible.”

  Her heart dropped. Had Nikki heard him correctly? “My brother. You have Bobby?”
/>   “The feds arrested him about an hour ago.”

  Her gaze locked with Kade’s, and he shook his head.

  Nikki licked her lips, knowing this was her moment to sink or swim. “Where do you want me to go?”

  Kade cast her a sharp, disapproving glance.

  “Our offices.”

  She almost laughed at the suggestion. She might be desperate, but she wasn’t stupid. “No way.”

  “How about Rock Creek Park?”

  “No, I can’t do that.”

  “Then your brother will remain in custody.”

  Nikki knew better than to think Polaner would just hand her brother over. No, this was a trap. If she and Kade were arrested, then there would be no one to spread the word and warn people.

  She hung up, feeling like she’d just personally handed her brother a death sentence.

  CHAPTER 39

  Nikki leaned back in her seat, certain that all was lost. Bobby had been captured. No one was taking the information she’d discovered seriously. And just as she and Kade had found each other, they could never be together.

  If these attacks didn’t completely change their lives, then the constant pursuit by the police would. The feds wouldn’t stop until they were in jail. Her phone call with Secretary Polaner had confirmed that.

  The list of charges against her and Kade continued to grow. Conspiring with terrorists. Aiding and abetting a wanted criminal. Murder.

  Pierce’s death.

  How could Pierce actually be dead? It didn’t seem possible. It wasn’t that she mourned his death. But who had killed him? Why?

  There were still loose ends. Such as the Ace. If not Pierce, then who exactly was the Ace? And when would this terrorist attack happen? How was that article on her father connected with all of this? Nothing made sense.

  “If Bobby’s in custody, then he’s already shared what he learned with Polaner,” Kade said.

  “But he still thinks this is about a baseball game.”

  “Hopefully the feds know enough that they’re keeping their eyes open. You made the right choice. Polaner was just trying to trap you.”

  “How do we get Bobby back?”

  He frowned. “I’m not sure that’s a possibility right now, Nikki. He’s in such hot water that there’s not much we can do.”

  Nikki dropped her head.

  “We’ve got to think about the bigger picture right now. We need to get the word out about the danger people are in.”

  Nikki suddenly perked. “What if we can get Raz to put this warning on his radio program? He has enough listeners that it would get some attention.”

  “You think it’ll work?”

  She nodded slowly. “He has more than half a million listeners. A message from him would at least cause a stir.”

  “What if there’s a trap waiting for us?” Kade asked. “We’ve been to his place once before. We know he’s talking to the feds. We could be setting ourselves up.”

  “What other choice do we have? We have to risk it. At this point, we’re out of options. There’s nothing else we can do.”

  “You know what’s on the line here, right?”

  She raised her chin. “Our country.”

  “I was going to say your life.”

  “There’s more at stake here than just me.”

  Finally Kade nodded. “Okay then. Let’s try it.”

  Nikki glanced behind her at the winding road—a road full of people who had no idea what the future might hold if ARM had their way. She had an obligation to the people of this country to do everything within her power to stop the attack. It was a principle her dad had quoted often. Nikki might not be in the military, but she was still willing to fight for this country.

  She gave one last look behind her. There didn’t appear to be anyone following them. But it was only a matter of time before they were found again. She was certain of that.

  The silence between them felt charged as they continued down the road. There was so much at stake, and so much of their ability to block what was happening seemed bigger than what they were capable of as ordinary citizens.

  Lord, help us all . . .

  “You’ve been a real rock throughout all of this, Nikki,” Kade said quietly.

  Nikki frowned. “I haven’t felt like a rock.”

  “Most people would have crumbled by now, but you’ve stayed strong.”

  She reflected back on the last several days and the challenges they’d faced. There was one conclusion she’d become certain of. “All of this has made me remember where my strength comes from,” she started. “For so long I’ve viewed God as someone who takes away things in my life. Lately I’ve been reminded of what He brings to my life—things like peace and faith and hope. I’d forgotten what it was like to be comforted by God’s assurances. I desperately missed having God in my life, only I didn’t realize it.”

  “He can get us through the darkest times. He certainly got me through some.”

  Her gaze fluttered up to Kade’s. She knew something had changed inside her. If she could change, she knew others could also. She longed for nothing more than a second chance with Kade. She wanted to put the past behind them and see what the future held.

  If she got out of this alive, she was going to make some major life changes. Life was too short to work in a career she hated. She wanted to help others from the ground, not from a distance the way she had been. Maybe volunteer at Hope House, go on more mission trips, or work with inner city youth. The possibilities were endless.

  “Okay, you two,” Ten Man said. “As much as I’d love to eavesdrop on this rekindling between you, I need directions to this guy’s house.”

  Nikki felt her cheeks redden. “Of course.”

  She leaned forward and explained how to get there. As if she didn’t have enough incentive to stop ARM before. Now Nikki needed tomorrow to dawn so she and Kade could talk about their future . . . and so she could finally be true to her God-given calling in life.

  Kade smiled to himself as he remembered the look in Nikki’s eyes. She was finally ready to trust him again, and nothing could make him happier.

  Well, almost nothing.

  They still had an enormous mountain ahead of them. If their plan didn’t work—if Raz didn’t go along with it—then they were in trouble. Aside from personally trying to shut down all of the military bases themselves, there was no way he could see to stop this.

  But Kade had always been a fighter, and he wouldn’t give up until every drop of life was gone from him.

  Even as he thought through their plan, something bothered him. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, though. He just felt like they were missing a key element.

  There were so many pieces they were trying to fit together, and they were going into this not even knowing what kind of picture they were supposed to form. Every mission he’d been on had a clear objective at the beginning. This entire task seemed vague, yet more impactful than anything he’d done over in the Middle East.

  He reviewed what he knew. Six years ago, Ron Pressley had discovered information about a Colombian mission by the US military that should have resulted in war crime charges. Somehow he’d found out about Garrett Wright’s role in the mission, and Garrett had given him an interview, despite the fact that it would ruin his career. Or was there more to it? Had Ron discovered something else pointing to even higher-level officials?

  Only Ron knew that.

  But shortly after the information came to light, both Ron and Garrett died under suspicious circumstances. Fast forward four years, and Bobby was sent to the exact same region of Colombia. While there, he was captured, he escaped, and he was pursued because he knew too much information—information that could thwart a terrorist attack.

  Meanwhile Pierce had stalked Nikki and been killed. Was he connected to ARM, or had all of this simply stirred up the inner crazy in him?

  Could Polaner be involved? Wasn’t he ex-military? Kade needed to look into it the first chance he had
.

  Finally they reached Raz’s place. They pulled onto a gravel road and traveled the rest of the way on foot. Just as they’d done before, they climbed the fence into his backyard. Ten Man offered to check out the house first. Kade stayed back with Nikki, hiding in the shadows.

  Several minutes later, Ten Man returned. “I don’t see anything suspicious. As far as I can tell, this isn’t a trap.”

  “It looks like it’s showtime then.” Kade glanced at Nikki. “You ready for this?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s do it.”

  He took her hand, and they darted across the yard toward the back door. Just as before, he twisted the knob, and it opened.

  Shaking off his doubts, Kade led Nikki inside. If this didn’t work, they were in trouble.

  So was the rest of the country, for that matter.

  “So you want me to announce a terrorist attack on our military bases on National Public Radio?” Raz repeated.

  Kade and Nikki had found him in his office, working on some depositions on his computer. He appeared surprised to see them, but he hugged Nikki for a long time and muttered something about thinking he’d never see her again.

  Nikki stood in front of him, unable to sit even though he’d offered her a chair. Kade stood beside her. Ten Man was by the back door, watching the perimeter of the house, just in case anyone suspected they were here. This whole thing felt like a ticking bomb in the distance, waiting to explode.

  “It’s the only thing we can think of,” Nikki told him, hoping Raz would see the desperation in her eyes. “People need to be warned and be on guard.”

  Raz leaned back in his chair, his fingers laced together over his midsection. He looked contemplative, like he was considering her words. “Who do you think is behind this?”

  “We don’t know. Every lead has dried up.” Nikki glanced back nervously. She halfway expected a SWAT team to burst in any minute.

  Sighing, she leaned against the wall, trying to get a grip on her emotions. “To be honest, Raz, I think Bobby and I have been a target of ARM the whole time. I think Bobby was a target when he was abducted, probably because of what my dad did when he was stationed in Colombia.”