by J. M. Madden
It was almost enough to make her cry. Or maybe she did cry, for everything they’d had to do today. Seeing the phone that had literally just been in her hand blow up was shocking, and a little terrifying. If Regent had given his people, more importantly, their families, these phones, it was a horrible, foolproof way to keep them in line.
But then, Regent was proving himself to be the monster she’d known him to be. The list of targets were all soft targets, meaning schools and places that didn’t normally have security.
She needed to call Brown. God, she hoped he wasn’t the dirty one.
Wait… the little girl at the school. Zed had said that she was the granddaughter of the CIA contact that had been helping them out. So, the guy had to be in his fifties or sixties. Right? Maybe late forties.
Brown needed to get someone on that kid, a team, preferably. She would probably have one of those phones. If it went off while she was at lunch or in a class, it could take out a dozen kids. Or more, if they were huddled together. The thought made her stomach turn.
With a final rinse, she stepped out of the stall, drying off quickly. If she could get a quick call in to Brown, then she could sleep somewhat peacefully, knowing that she’d at least done something.
Once she was dressed in her tee and black panties, she sat down at the table and glanced at the clock. It didn’t matter what time it was. She called Brown. He answered on the first ring.
Amberly heaved a breath. “I need you to answer a question, Brown, and be completely honest.”
“This had better be good, Temple.”
“Do you have grandkids?”
“Fuck, no!” the man burst out. “You have to have a family to do that first. And I don’t have one. What’s your point?”
Amberly had to make a judgement call to trust Brown, and she plunged into the story. She didn’t tell him about Devlin yet, but he would probably figure that out on his own in no time. It wasn’t going to come from her mouth, though.
She gave Brown the list of targets that Zed had given them, and forwarded the video on to him. “I can’t tell you strenuously enough, you need to get a team out to Colorado to track down that girl’s parents and figure out who the fuck her granddad is, because that’s your corrupt asshole.”
“I’m planning the team now. It’ll be officers less than forty. What is his big plan?”
“I’m not sure exactly. Zed knew about the targets, but he didn’t say anything specific about what was going to happen at those targets. It could be anything. Regent seems to be a bit of a coward, though. I don’t think he’ll attack them all at once. I think he’ll go for the one he screwed up last time personally.”
“I think you’re right,” Brown agreed. “Okay, your task is to figure out where the fuck he is and what he’s doing. Feed me intel as you get it. And if you get the chance, take the fucker out. We’ll deal with the aftermath later.”
“Roger that,” she said, and hung up.
Almost immediately, her eyes seemed to droop. It was like her body had given it’s all, and was now shutting down, whether she it wanted to or not. Heading into the bathroom, she did a final pee and brushed her teeth, then climbed into the second bed. The sheets felt like butter, and she turned on her side. At the last minute, she set her alarm to check on Devlin in the night, then she closed her eyes.
15
Devlin woke up wanting biscuits and gravy. He settled for cold lasagna, and it was damn good. When you’re so hungry your stomach thinks your neck has been cut, you don’t get to be picky.
Amberly was still sleeping, which was fine. He could tell by the neatly stacked laundry that she’d been up well past when he’d crashed. Looking around, he could see she’d done a lot last night. Then he caught sight of something familiar.
Peeking from the corner of her backpack was the little beaded elephant bag he’d gotten her years ago from a stall in Turkey. It had been cheap and quirky, but cute. He picked it up, holding it in his hands. Years ago, she’d kept a sonogram picture of the baby they’d almost had. Was it still in here? Would he be invading her privacy to look?
Unable to help himself, he unzipped the bag. In amongst a few makeup products was a laminated sonogram picture. This was what she’d gone back for in Chicago. It was why she’d risked being caught. To collect the only picture of the only baby she’d almost had.
His throat tightened as he looked at her. Maybe if they’d stayed together, they could have tried again… Dev shook off the melancholy and tucked the bag away in her backpack.
Once done with his Italian breakfast, he headed out the door to reconnoiter. The throbbing in his head had mostly gone away, though he felt like he could sleep another eighteen hours. The morning outside was crisp and fresh. It was the kind of morning that encouraged nursing a coffee on a front porch or in bed with the one you loved.
He’d love to go right back into the bedroom and curl up with her.
They had a fugitive to kill, though.
Devlin looked around, checking for cameras or any other kind of security. Nothing. The lights were on in the office, but when he peered through the window, there was an old man asleep tipped back in an old office chair, almost to the point of toppling over. He wouldn’t see shit.
So, Dev started scouting vehicles. He wasn’t impressed by what he found, though. Yeah, there were a few he could hotwire, but they were beaters not worth his time. One even had the keys hanging from the ignition, almost as if the owner was hoping someone would steal it. Yeah, not today, fuckers.
Dev headed back to the room. They would keep the Charger for now, even though the owner had to have reported it missing by now. Their only advantage was that the iron gray charger was one of thousands, and if he didn’t attract attention unnecessarily, they would be fine.
Amberly had kicked the sheets off when he walked in, and he couldn’t help but admire her. It was obvious she’d worked hard to get her body to this level, and he was proud of her. She looked up at him and smiled, then launched into a bone cracking stretch.
Dev immediately went hard, because her breasts were perfectly outlined by that thin t-shirt. “Oh, baby, you are absolutely stunning.”
“Right,” she drawled, turning her head to him, her eyes sleepy.
Dev knew it wasn’t the ideal time or place, but he needed to do it. Locking the door behind him, he crossed the room and sank down on the bed beside her hip. Without giving her a chance to protest, he leaned down and took her mouth.
“Mm,” she hummed “Good morning. How is your head?”
Dev pulled back to look down at her. “Doesn’t hurt a bit right now,” and he grinned.
Amberly smacked him on the shoulder, even as she pulled him down for another kiss.
Dev probably would have been okay with a good morning kiss, but then she shifted her hips, lying flat, and angling her thigh out in invitation. Saying no was not a possibility, but he did pull back enough to look down at her. “Babe?”
“Let’s not overthink this, Devlin. I want you. You know that. I’ve never stopped wanting you.”
Dev couldn’t have asked for anything more. As quickly as he could, he tossed his clothes and settled onto the bed with her. Somehow, she’d gotten her own panties off while he was distracted. Opening her arms, she guided him to nestle between her thighs.
Dev really tried to go slow, but when she met his mouth with her own, her tongue sweeping out to slide against his, he knew neither one of them were going to last long. Lifting her knees, Amberly reached down with one hand and guided him into her.
Dev’s throat tightened with emotion as he felt the sweetest homecoming ever, gliding into her body. They’d said it to each other many times over the years. The house was not the home. Home was the person inside the house. And home was finding the person that matched you perfectly, who was your counterpoint.
As he slid into her, it literally felt like he had found his other half. Again. He’d found her once and lost her. But he wasn’t going to lose her again
. The sense of familiarity and peace he felt was more important to him than the orgasm rolling his way.
“Oh,” she breathed, her hands coming up to cup his face. “I’ve missed you.”
His hips flexed spasmodically, surging into her again and again, and he could feel her shudder beneath him. Deliberately, he slowed, arching more forcefully into her, then pulling out, the way he knew she liked. Bumping her cervix really revved her up, and if he did it right, he could give her several rolling orgasms that way.
“Oh, you bastard,” she panted. “I have missed this so bad.”
Dev pushed up on his arms to look down at her, grinding his hips hard. Amberly’s eyelids fluttered, and even in the dim light from the bathroom he could see the red flushing across her chest. That was a clear sign of her arousal. It had been there yesterday morning when he’d checked her arm, and it had gotten him hard then.
The woman was everything to him.
Sharp fingernails dug into his ass in supplication, and he ground even harder against her, circling, as her pants accelerated. Then, just a few hard strokes in, she arched off the mattress, giving a high, keening cry. The clutch of her body around his felt incredible. Knowing his own orgasm was close, he slowed, doing just enough to keep her body rippling but not enough to bring his own orgasm.
Amberly cried out and fell limp to the bed, her hands gliding up his body and out over his shoulders. Then they circled back and up to his head. Holding his face close, she kissed the fuck out of him, her tongue gliding in and out, doing everything he loved.
Even though he was trying to hold his orgasm back, she was doing everything she could to drag it out of him.
He wasn’t going to be able to fight it much longer.
Then she pushed him away.
Grinning, Dev rocked back on his heels, knowing what she wanted. Amberly lifted up, peeling the t-shirt over her head. Before she could even lower her arms, he’d cupped her ribcage in his hands and latched onto one of her breasts, sucking hard. She cupped his head in her hands, pressing her lips to his hair.
After he’d paid attention to both breasts, she drew away, and positioned herself diagonally across the mattress, face down. Then she spread her legs and lifted her ass to him.
Dev almost came right then. He gripped his cock in his hand and forced the orgasm to recede. Once he thought he had himself under control, he leaned over her. The position was perfect because when he guided his dick forward, he was perfectly in line with her hot, wet pussy. This was a very dangerous position, though. His dick glided over the inside of her pubic bone here, which was good for both of them. But it was too good. Within just a few gliding strokes, he was right back on the edge of orgasm. And she was grinding her ass up into him, trying to get him to hit deeper.
“I want you to fuck me, Devlin Kreed,” she moaned. “Now!”
All thoughts of prolonging the interlude left, and Dev let his body go. He slammed into her, over and over, desperation pushing him. He needed this orgasm, more than any other orgasm.
And as it washed over him, it was as perfect as it could be. Amberly cried out beneath him, her body going taut as she came again, her body clutching around his cock. Dev groaned because he didn’t think his orgasm was ever going to end, but eventually his body played itself out. He really tried not to slump on top of her, but he did for a second, making her giggle beneath him. Even that movement was too much for his sensitive dick, and his hips jerked into her again.
Once he’d caught his breath, he rolled to the side, smacking her pert ass as he went. Amberly giggled and turned over to nestle against his chest. They were both tacky with sweat, but he didn’t care. If she wanted to curl into his arms, he would damn well hold her. His arms had been empty too long.
Dev knew they were on a timeline, but he wasn’t going to allow Regent to steal this pleasure from him.
“I’ve missed laying like this, and being with you,” she murmured.
“Me too,” he rumbled, breathing in the scent of her hair. Absently, he stroked a hand down her back, then back up. Her skin was so incredibly soft, like a foal’s downy coat when it was first born. Her fingers were playing in his chest hair, twirling like she always used to do. Then her arm reached around his waist and squeezed.
They were going to have to talk about where their relationship was going, but it wouldn’t be today. “Maybe when this is all over we can get dinner or something.”
Amberly looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. “I would love that. We have to save D.C. and kill a man first.”
Devlin grinned. “We’d better get to it, then.”
Half an hour later, Amberly was still smiling.
Other people had talked about their exes like they were the worst people on earth, and less than twelve hours ago, she probably would have agreed.
Wasn’t it funny how fortune could turn on a dime?
They got cleaned up and repacked, then headed out to the car. Devlin had explained his reasoning about keeping the Charger, and she agreed. Hopefully, they would just blend into the crowd of other Chargers on the road. Once they got closer to where they were going, perhaps they would swap out for a truck.
They settled into the car and pulled their seatbelts on. She felt the crinkle of paper in her pocket. “Oh, I forgot about this,” she breathed.
It was the grocery list Zed had been tasked with. Smudged and crumpled, it had about a dozen items on it.
“Urea Nitrate has a line through it,” Devlin murmured, pointing. “Charley said some components were already being collected. That’s the fertilizer that was used in the ‘93 World Trade Center bombing, wasn’t it?”
“It was,” she agreed. “But he’s going further. He’s got components for scatter bombs on here. They scratched lengths of iron pipe through. Ten penny nails, ball bearings, detonation cord, are all crossed off. He’s also got SETA 3 on here, which is a lesser known name of one of the components of Semtex.”
Devlin glanced at her sharply as he sped up onto the interstate. “Same shit we used in the teams to blow stuff up.”
Amberly nodded. “Yup. It’s not crossed off, so I assume that’s what they were approaching the Russians for. So, even though he didn’t get the Semtex, or maybe more Semtex, he still has all the makings for an incredibly destructive pipe bomb. It would have to be hand carried, though. Which means he has to have people willing to be suicide bombers.”
“Holy hell… I wish we knew what was inside those cell phones. They could be little tiny charges of Semtex. If he had a way to wire the electronic trigger to only go off when he texted or called…” his voice trailed off.
“…the phones would be completely safe until he lost patience with his people or something,” she continued. She looked out the window for a moment. “He’s completely egomaniacal. He has all that power in his hand.”
“Yes,” Devlin agreed. “And there’s no way to know how many of these phones he handed out. “
“Nope.”
“You need to send a copy of that to Brown and fill him in.”
Amberly thought so as well, so she took his phone and snapped a picture, then sent it to her boss, explaining what it was.
“Send that pic to Charley, too, just in case.”
Amberly found her in the contacts and felt a little guilty about glancing back through their history. There wasn’t much there, mostly him giving updates. Her opening message to him had been Moon Devil, obviously to get his attention. Who the hell was this woman?
Switching screens, she typed off a text to Brown to keep her computer use incognito.
Give me five minutes.
Researching on the computer would be a hell of a lot easier than on a borrowed phone.
16
The drive to Bozeman seemed to take an inordinately long time. There wasn’t a lot of traffic, but somewhere ahead there had been a crash, because the interstate was at a standstill.
“I hope we get there soon,” Amberly murmured, looking up from her lapt
op screen. She’d been clacking away for the past two hours, researching and collating data.
Dev looked at Amberly and grinned. “Everything is working out the way it needs to, babe.”
She cocked her head at him, stretching her neck muscles. “Why do you say that?”
“Haven’t you noticed? It’s the new moon tonight. It will be completely dark. Perfect stalking time for the Moon Devil.”
Amberly rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever. It’s going to be black as pitch and unless you have NVGs, you’re going to bumbling around in the dark like the rest of us.”
Hm. She was right. He didn’t even have anything like that, even at home. After he’d been charged, he’d given everything over to the evidence techs. It didn’t matter. He hadn’t wanted any ties to them at all after that.
There were civilian grade optics available, and he’d have to put it on his card, but it might be better than nothing. Being Montana, they might be able to find a decent hunting store that carried that kind of stuff. One of his fellow teammates had been from Billings. It would have been nice to have the option to call him for support.
“The stores will be opening soon in Billings. We have time to gather up some stuff before we head on to Bozeman.”
What should have been a two-hour trip to Billings ended up taking a little more than three, and they had two more hours to get to Bozeman. But they took the time to stop at a hunting store just off the interstate. They had small night vision spotting scopes, but they were nothing compared to what he was used to.
“Beggars can’t be choosers, I guess,” he murmured to Amberly as he carried the bag from the store. He knew the scope would fit on his rifle, but he hated going into the field with unfamiliar equipment.
Once they got to Bozeman, they found a motel on the north side of the city and checked in. They had to use his card for that as well, because they were damn near out of cash. Now that he’d committed to using the card, he could get cash out. It would just tell everyone where he was.
