by Cara Carnes
13
The neutralizing agent worked. Rhea expended a relieved breath as she finalized her notes in HERA and got the system working on producing more. By the end of the day, they’d have the quantities Bree needed to create the weapons.
“You and Fallon were gone for a long time last night,” Bree commented. She sat on a stool beside Rhea. “Zoey sent Gage to look for you, but he came back empty-handed.”
So that’s what the sound was. Gage. Heat filled Rhea’s cheeks, but she kept her focus on the computer. She was too emotionally raw from yesterday to share what’d happened with her and Fallon. To be honest, she didn’t fully understand what was going on between them.
“Is it hard?” Bree asked.
Rhea froze. She didn’t pretend to not understand the question. They’d been inseparable since MIT. Was it hard being around so many children when she’d never have another of her own? “Some days, yeah. Others? No. I’m thrilled for them. I’ll be the best auntie around, one day.”
“You’ve never held Jessie. I noticed, but figured you were nervous around babies. It’s not like we’ve been around a lot of them,” Bree said. She touched Rhea’s shoulder. “You should’ve told me.”
“It was easier to forget. None of us are the type to regurgitate what we went through and chat about how life screwed us over.” Rhea scrawled a notation down on her legal pad. “Everyone’s got trauma they overcome.”
“Is that what she is? A trauma?”
Rhea shook her head. “Never. She’s the most precious gift I’ll ever have.”
“But you gave her away.”
“It was the best decision for her. Life isn’t fair, Bree. You know that. I pray you never have to face a decision as hard as the one I faced back then, looking into Rhianna’s sweet, innocent face and accepting I wasn’t the best choice for her future.” Tears streamed down her face. “I was blessed with a mom and dad who were there to help. I’ve been in her life and watched her grow.”
“Why haven’t you told her?” Tears glistened in Bree’s eyes. “I love you like my sister, but I don’t understand. Mary and Vi and Z told me you’d be ready to talk on your own time, but I look back to when Vi’s shit was going down and they were all here. She was here. You could’ve told me then. Why didn’t you?”
“I wasn’t ready.” Rhea swallowed. “Some wounds are best left covered. Exposing them hurts. Bree, a big part of me died that day. When I looked my mom and dad in the face and admitted they were a better choice for Rhianna than me, a part of me crawled away and died. Digging it up, letting everyone see it? Letting her see it? I’m not ready to face the what-ifs for that.”
What if Rhianna hates me?
Bree rose from the stool and dragged Rhea into a hug. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t force this conversation, but it hurts to know my best friend has been carrying this alone. I wish I’d known. All this time. God, Rhea.”
Rhea cried as her best friend rocked them back and forth. “She looks a lot like me.”
“Yes, she’s gorgeous and so smart,” Bree added. “I know you’re scared of how she’ll react, but if she’s anything like you, there’s nothing to fear. One day, you’ll need to tell her.”
“I hope I never have to,” she admitted. “She’s had a happy life with a loving family. I’ve been there for it all. I don’t see any added benefit to her knowing. I’ve thought about it a thousand times. I have at least a hundred different pros and cons lists. I can’t make the decision about me. This is about her.”
“You don’t want Stan telling her.”
“Dad won’t let the bastard near her. He knows what a monster he is now. He’ll protect Rhianna.”
“He’ll try, and the Arsenal commandos on her will too.” Bree ran her hand down Rhea’s hair. “She deserves to know. Wouldn’t you want to know?”
Yes. “Mary’s right. It’ll wait. I shouldn’t do this on Stan’s timeline.”
The red light above her computer flashed. She glanced back as the entry door to the common lab area opened and Fallon entered.
Anticipation pulsated within her, pooled awareness between her legs. He closed the distance with a confident stride. He caressed her face, ran his thumb along her upper cheek.
“You’ve been crying.” His gaze settled on Bree.
“Whoa there, badass. Don’t look at me like that. She was my BFF way before you blew your way into our lives. You don’t think she’s gonna react to what went down yesterday? It’s a process. She’s got a lot of shit to work through, and newsflash, it’s not gonna be pretty.”
Promise me you’ll talk to someone about this.
I will. I’m just not ready.
I know. When you are, I’m here. Doesn’t have to be me, but you need someone.
Last night’s exchange with Fallon drifted within her thoughts. She’d attempted therapy several times since leaving MIT, but she’d never found someone she meshed with enough to unload the darkest thoughts.
That darkness led to the neurological toxin Stan stole. If she’d purged or exorcised the hideousness she buried deep within her, maybe…
“You’re doing it again,” Fallon growled.
“Doing what?” Bree asked.
“She’s burrowing into her head and blaming herself.”
“You don’t know that,” Rhea said. How the hell had he known?
“I know those sweet eyes, Doc. I recognized the wariness, the guilt before you looked down. You shrink your shoulders inward and lower your head against your chest, making yourself as small as possible.” He lifted her chin. “Thought we agreed last night we’re fighting this one together.”
He leaned down and claimed her mouth in a possessive kiss. Tingles burst beneath her skin as a moan escaped her parted lips. Their tongues dueled for control, but she surrendered to the onslaught and grasped his face.
Fallon severed the kiss and grinned. “There’s my girl. Tell me we’re fighting this one together.”
“We are.” Her pulse quickened.
“Then let’s go. Everyone’s assembling in the whiteboard room.” Fallon took a step back. “I’ll wait for you two in the hall.”
“Wow. I think I just had an orgasm watching that.” Bree plopped onto her stool and stared back at the doors as they swished closed. “That man is… wow. Not sure I can formulate words right now.”
Neither could Rhea. Although Fallon was a private man, he’d made his intentions clear last night.
You’re my mission. I’m not stopping until we’re free from this bullshit and we can explore what this is between us.
“I’ve never been with a man like him,” Rhea admitted. “I’m scared I’ll screw whatever this is up.”
“Fallon Graves blew up the mold when he was born,” Bree said. “Learn from Mary and Vi and Zoey and Kamren and Ellie. They’ve settled in with their commando badasses. Don’t fight it. Whatever you’re feeling, whatever’s going down with you two, let it happen. Men like Fallon live life expecting every day to be their last, so they go all in quick. Trust your gut, and trust him. If it’s going too fast, tell him, but don’t run from this. You deserve happiness.”
“You make it sound like this is serious.”
“Your man only has one setting.”
Rhea knew she only had one setting when it came to Fallon. She wanted to explore their attraction. No. She wanted anything and everything he’d give. And take. “I’m in over my head with him.”
“I’m betting he’s thinking the same thing about you.” Bree stood. “Come on. Let’s get going before he comes back. I’ll spontaneously combust if there’s a round two.”
“She good?” Donovan asked.
“No, but she will be.” Fallon watched Rhea and Bree take seats near Edge and Quillery. He wanted to stand near her but sensed her need for distance. The woman was rattled by what they’d done last night.
So was he.
Sex had always been quick and only when convenient. He scratched the itch with whoever was around and move
d on. Relationships were a hard limit.
Not anymore.
Rhea was different, which was why he’d kept last night to kissing. She deserved the time it’d take to do it right, not that he knew what the fuck the right way was.
Being around her made him want more than a quick roll in the sheets. He wanted to be the one she whispered her secrets to. Rage rolled through him. Carlisle had betrayed her trust. Fallon wouldn’t ever do that if someone gave him a piece of themselves.
He’d never had that with anyone.
Walking in, seeing Rhea’s tear-stained face earlier, it undid him. She’d given a piece of her hurt to Bree. The two women were tighter than Edge and Quillery in many ways. Fallon was glad Rhea had such a strong army at her side.
He just hoped she’d let him stay at her side too.
“Let’s get started.” Marshall twisted in his chair and rested his elbow on the table. “Before I turn over the meeting to Operations, I need to give everyone a heads-up. I’ve gotten three calls since Tucson. The first was from the FBI. They received an anonymous tip linking us to the Carlisle Industries facility explosion.”
“Anonymous tip?” Edge asked.
Marshall shrugged. “They don’t have the clearance for this op. I’ll make them stand down.”
The alphabet soup rarely worried the Masons from what Fallon had seen. Amusement flickered across everyone’s faces. Nolan and Jesse both chuckled. The latter started pacing between the table and the closed door.
“Tell me you started with the big call first,” Dallas said. Arms crossed, he smirked.
“Daniels called. He’s retired from the SEALs, but he’s heard talk from the group he’s with now. A small operation based out of Florida, Leviathan. They turned the contract down, but someone’s looking for extra protection.” Marshall leaned back in his chair. “That someone was not Carlisle. No names were shared, but the person indicated a contractor of theirs had some security issues.”
“He’s not the leader,” Rhea said, surprise in her voice as she leaned back in her chair. She looked over at Edge and Quillery. “Can we find out who called this Daniels?”
“We can try,” Quillery said and began typing on her computer.
“Final call came this morning,” Marshall said as he looked about the room. “Someone with clout is trying to pull our government contracts.”
“That won’t happen.” Edge folded her arms. “That’d have to go through Bob, right?”
“Depends how they go about it.” Jesse shrugged as he drew to a stop near the front of the table. “They could go above his head.”
Above the Secretary of Defense’s head was more clout than Fallon expected from this clusterfuck. He’d never doubted the Quillery Edge, but this was more complicated than they’d initially expected.
“Israeli intelligence intercepted communications to a radicalized cell they’ve been keeping tabs on. The invitation list to the upcoming auction has been culled.” Edge’s grim expression crackled tension within the room. “Getting in just got harder.”
“Are we ready to call Kristof yet?” Jud asked. “I’ll take point if you want.”
“We may need you with Addy’s team when the time comes.” Zoey sighed heavily, resignation in her voice. “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to use Kristof.”
Fallon empathized with the woman. He’d spent years tolerating Peter Rugers when he would’ve preferred blowing the bastard up. Sadly, strategic work relationships were a necessity in the black ops world.
“He’ll get us in,” Quillery said. Worry flashed across her face a moment when she looked at Zoey.
Fallon had always been impressed by how easily Edge and Quillery maintained a pulse on those who worked with them. The two women would make sure Zoey was okay before the Russia phase of the operation moved forward.
“Jud, you and Addy hang back when we’re done here. We’ll establish contact, then go from there,” Jesse ordered.
“Understood,” Jud said.
“And Cuba?” Donovan asked.
Excellent question. Fallon wanted the Carlisle phase of the mission to end so Rhea was safe. The sooner Cuba was neutralized, the better. Tension rolled through him when the grim expression settled on Edge’s face once again.
Fuck. Not good.
“Cuba’s on standby,” Edge said. “Initial communications from Carlisle flagged multiple locations and contacts. A few hacks into local surveillance cameras and investigations have our Russian splinter cell bunkered down in an abandoned rocket fabrication facility in Florida. After its first closure, many different groups, including the CIA, used it. It was abandoned after Hurricane Andrew.”
Images appeared on the table’s surface and along the walls. Time and date stamps for less than an hour before zoomed in on vehicles parked outside the supposedly abandoned facility. Vines, shrubbery, and tall grass enveloped most of the area, but worn paths indicated heavy movement over a long enough period to be worrisome.
Someone had moved in, holed up.
“Five miles south of Everglades National Park,” Jesse added as another map of Florida appeared with a red dot.
They’d found the Russians’ base of operations. Fallon shifted his stance and waited for the plan.
“That’s not a potential launch site for the missing missiles, is it?” Nolan asked.
“That’s unlikely, but we need it investigated.” Quillery pulled up more images.
Large wooden crates stacked alongside a loading dock. One zoomed-in image showed RPGs and assorted weapons.
“Not good,” Fallon said.
“The plan?” Marshall asked.
“Earn brownie points with the FBI by tagging them into the takedown,” Quillery said. “There’s also others interested in this splinter cell. Homeland Security. ATF. DEA. We appoint one team to work with them.”
“It’d be better if we handled it alone,” Gage commented.
“Our contract with the DOD will ensure we lead the strike team,” Jesse said. “That’ll enable us to coordinate the strike’s timing with the Cuba takedown, then move to the missile auction.”
Smart. One Arsenal team could oversee the Florida takedown without draining additional resources—resources which would be needed elsewhere. Like Cuba.
“That’s a lot of mileage to cover. Widespread,” Addy said.
Fallon’s gut clenched as he and Donovan locked gazes. They’d experienced the fallout of a widespread assault firsthand when The Arsenal took out three insurgent encampments at once.
“We’ve done it before,” Dylan said.
And Fallon and his team damn near died. Zoey’s gaze slid to Fallon. The woman had burned herself at the NSA to expose a dirty CIA-led nest of assholes who’d entrenched themselves within the area as friendlies. If she hadn’t put her ass on the line for Quillery, Fallon wouldn’t be breathing.
Tension struck the room. Fallon didn’t doubt where everyone’s thoughts had wandered. Most everyone settled their gazes on him or Donovan.
“We’ve done it before, and we can do it again,” Donovan said. Arms crossed, he flashed a cocky smile and shifted his stance.
“We’ve expanded since then, but we can’t take anything for granted,” Marshall said. “We’re up against a lot of unknowns for this. How are we looking for the neutralizing agent?”
Rhea flipped through a sheaf of papers in front of her. “The test batch was a success. The primary batch is in process and will be completed by the end of the day.”
“There’ll be enough to cover all these sites?” Cord motioned toward the images.
The skepticism in his voice matched Fallon’s initial thoughts. There were far more weapons in Florida than they’d anticipated. Had some of the biological weapons been transported there?
“None of the images we’ve captured indicate anything beyond normal weapons in Florida,” Edge offered into the tense silence. “Rhea? Bree? Will there be enough, or do you need more time?”
“There’s enough, though I’d
like to build extras, keep some on hand until this mess is over,” Bree said. “We don’t know how many more locations we might uncover later.”
“Agreed,” Edge said. “Let us know if you need help.”
“That leads us to Cuba,” Jesse said. Imagery flashed on the overheads within the room. “Once we’ve gotten the counteragent production completed, three teams will be dispersed to the target area. Fallon’s will take point on a controlled explosion of the entire facility, including the private residence a quarter click away. All recent surveillance indicates around-the-clock shifts of as many as one hundred local laborers and forty armed guards. More of the latter are expected before we make target.”
“That’s a lot of innocent civilians,” Bree said.
Fallon had studied the facility layout extensively the past several weeks. Although their options were limited, there were ways to minimize casualties. He stepped forward and tapped the access panel on the computerized table in front of him. He thumbed through the images until he found the lower level floor plan. He brought it up so everyone could see.
“If we penetrate the facility and use drones to eliminate as many of the armed combatants as possible, I can create a multi-layered destruction sequence. The first would target the engineering room on the lower level. That’d kill the facility’s power and give time for the laborers to evacuate on their own.”
“Panic would provide good cover,” Jesse said. “A secondary team could set off smoke bombs on the plant’s main level if needed. It’s a large plant. Fire on the lower level wouldn’t reach every corner of the work area fast enough.”
“Agreed,” Gage said. “It’d work, though. The secondary explosions could take the entire facility down after civilians are cleared.”
“We’d need control of their drones and surveillance first. I’m assuming both will be harder to crack than the last time,” Zoey said. “But we’ll get in. Vi and I have a good handle on their programmer’s style.”
