SEAL in Charge

by Donna Michaels

  She nodded, warmth spreading through her at his confidence in her. No way would she let that man down. “Do you want me to contact DHS to have them operate the drone?”

  He blew out a breath and shook his head. “Not until they find the mole.”

  She nodded again.

  “Want me to go, so I can operate it?” TJ asked.

  It was better to have her hands free while listening so she could take notes, but it wasn’t necessary.

  “No,” Archer said. “I need you to stay here and keep an eye on all the feeds, update us on any movement. Watch the Jimmy imposter and let us know when and where you see Mr. Clean, because I’m sure he’s there, too.”

  “Roger that.” TJ made a finger gun and pretended to shoot it at Archer. “I have the perfect drone for you, Sandy. It’s smaller and can travel longer distances. I’ll go get it.”

  If it was smaller than the one Bella had used last night, she hoped it was heavy enough to sustain the wind, since she was going to have to operate it between buildings. She also hoped no one would detect it out their window.

  Archer, Bella, and Matteo also disappeared to change into their Federal Reserve Police uniforms Archer had acquired during his visit the other day. Sandy couldn’t help but feel it was also a great disguise for Mr. Clean and the boss, since they already knew the Jimmy imposter worked at a desk and wore a suit.

  She glanced down at her attire. Today she wore another sweater, this one in light blue, simple tan pants and comfortable tan flats. It would have to do.

  “I’m back and I’m bearing gifts,” TJ said, waltzing in with two metal suitcases in his hands just after the others returned. “Come get your coms on.”

  Sandy walked over with Bella and Matteo and listened as TJ explained how to operate the wrist watch-looking communicators they all strapped to their wrists. Archer strapped his com on, too, even though he was on the phone with Silas to update the man and make sure they had no trouble getting past Federal Reserve Police.

  When TJ finished, Sandy shoved an earwig in her ear and reached for the drone, but Archer appeared by her side, and grabbed the suitcase off the table first. No longer talking on the phone, he used his free hand to shove in his earwig.

  Damn...the man looked good in any uniform. This one was dark blue, almost black, and resembled a regular police uniform, complete with cap. He looked good enough to eat, but she kept that to herself. They had bad guys to bring to justice.

  “I’ve got it,” he said, turning to face her, hesitation and concern clouding his gaze, and for a moment she was afraid he was going to change his mind and order her to stay behind with TJ. But he lifted his chin and the hesitation drained away. “I don’t want you to leave the rooftop we land on, okay?”

  She reached up to cup his face. “Okay. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. You stay safe and find these guys.”

  “Yeah. It’s finally hunting time.” Bella grinned, setting a foot on a nearby chair while she lifted her pants leg to strap a special holster to her ankle that housed both a knife and gun.

  Guess the one on the woman’s Federal Reserve Police-issued belt wasn’t enough.

  Apparently not, because Bella repeated the arming process on her other ankle. “I’m packing much lighter than I’m used to, but I doubt the Federal Reserve Police would appreciate me going in there fully loaded. As it is, I’m hoping they’ll let me in like this.”

  Archer nodded. “They will. Silas is briefing the heads at the building now. No evacuation. Everything, unfortunately, has to appear normal if we’re to have any luck grabbing this group.” He set his gaze on each of them. “I’d rather be more prepared, but with the bomber boss’ arrival last night, and the Jimmy imposter in that building right now, it’s where we need to be, too. We’ll have to wing it.”

  “No problem, sir,” Matteo said. “SEALs taught us to adapt.”

  Archer nodded, a slight twitch to his lips. “That, they did.” Then his attention turned to her, and he handed her a holstered Glock from out of thin air. “I know you’re staying on that roof, but I don’t want you going unarmed.”

  Once again, Sandy was touched by the show of faith the man had in her abilities. She knew he had a hard time accepting that she was capable of using a weapon and suspected it was because he was worried if she shot at someone, they’d shoot back. But it was part of her job, even if it was a small part, since most of the time her work was done behind a computer.

  “Thanks,” she told him, and went through the safety process of checking the pistol before attaching the holster and gun to her right ankle. It might not be her Glock, but she already felt better with the reassuring weight of the weapon on her leg. She was packing others, though. The hair sticks holding her bun in place. They were weapon gifts from Bella.

  “Is there anything else you want me to do?” she asked, feeling like she wasn’t contributing enough.

  “Yeah.” He stepped right into her personal space and cupped her face. “Stay safe.”

  She inhaled and blew out the breath, running her hands up his chest, fighting to keep her emotions at bay. “I will, if you will.”

  His jaw worked a time or two before he walked her backward two feet, until her back hit the wall and his mouth came down on hers for a fast, hot, desperate kiss, conveying all his worries and fears and hopes. Sandy returned the embrace, wishing it could last and that the incredible man holding her didn’t have to go search out a mad bomber with a crazy IQ and no regard for life.

  Archer broke the kiss, but continued to cup her face while he held her gaze. “We’ll finish this later.”

  Drawing air into her lungs, she nodded. “Roger that.”

  A smile quirked his lips before he released her and stepped back, his SEAL in charge persona washing over him to turn her lover back into her boss.

  Sandy straightened her shoulders and refused to allow her mind to worry about him or the team, or all the innocent people who could get hurt today if they failed.

  Failure was not an option.

  They knew about the Jimmy look-a-like, and to keep an eye out for Mr. Clean. She just wished they knew what the boss looked like. And if there was anyone else that was part of the crew.

  With luck and TJ’s drone, Sandy was determined to find the bomber so Archer could end this madness before it started.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Not far from the nest, they pulled in to the local airstrip—the same one where Archer had boarded a flight with Silas the other day, and where Bella had rented helicopters when needed for Knight Agency ops. The one she rented for them today was fueled up and ready to go, so she performed a quick maintenance check before proclaiming it flight ready.

  Good. The sooner they got to the city, the better. He should’ve made everyone travel up last night when their target had escaped to the open ocean. It was obvious the bastard was headed for New York Harbor, since all the chatter around him had mentioned New York.

  He clenched his hands into fists then splayed his fingers out wide before relaxing them. To be fair, at the time they hadn’t known about the Jimmy imposter or they would’ve been up there as soon as they’d found out.

  What was done, was done. It was a waste of time stressing over something that should’ve been and prudent to focus on what could be.

  That held true in personal life as well as business, and considering the line between both was currently smudged, he chose to look forward, not backward, and turn that could be into is now.

  After helping Sandy get seated in the back and buckled in, he climbed into the front passenger seat, needing to keep his mind sharp and in op mode. But damn, it’d been tough to leave her side. His desire to protect her was something he had trouble burying, and exactly what he intended to accomplish by the time they reached the city in forty-five minutes.

  He brought to mind images and memories of that day in Munich and vowed to take this man and his team down for those people whose lives they cut short, and for the surviving families who wer
e forced to live without their loved ones.

  Today was for them.

  And Rodrigo.

  And to prevent any more innocent blood from spilling because of these madmen, especially so damn close to where his father and brother had died at the hands of a similar bastard.

  By the time they’d touched down on the rooftop of the building owned by a businessman who owed Bella a favor, Archer’s mindset was solid, adrenaline pumped, and he was ready to carry out the mission tasked to him by his buddy Silas, the head of Bone Frog Command at DHS. He knew the division was Silas’ brainchild, and new, with the potential for other retired SEALs to have the opportunity to use their training to carry out missions for their country, just as he was doing today. Archer was not about to let any of them down, either.

  Was there a lot at stake today?

  Fuck, yeah.

  Was he going to fail?

  No fucking way.

  As Bella powered down, Archer exited the chopper and opened the door for Sandy, not surprised to find her already unbuckled, with the drone suitcase in her hand. He helped her deboard and held onto her hand a few extra seconds as she stood in front of him, her gaze full of the same feelings he was letting her see in his eyes.

  They had unfinished business. He would be fine, but he was damn glad she wasn’t going with him. Knowing she was safer here than with him in the building with the bomb threat made it easier for him to leave her behind to do her job.

  A second later, Bella and Matteo joined them from the other side of the chopper, signaling they were ready to roll. Archer released Sandy with one last squeeze before he turned on his heel and strode across the rooftop to where an older man in a fancy suit smiled and waved at them behind a large glass door.

  As they neared, a burly man in a suit opened the door and stepped aside while they entered the building into one large, vacant room. It appeared to be a lounge area, with a gigantic TV screen behind a large bar, two walls of windows, and another with an elevator and a door he assumed led to the stairwell.

  “Bella, my hero,” the man crooned, grasping her upper arms while leaning in to kiss her on each cheek with a flourish. Archer felt Matteo stiffen next to him, but he had to give the man credit, he didn’t lose his cool. “Always a pleasure to see you. And don’t you look adorable in that uniform.”

  “Good to see you still have your head, Mr. Horvath.” She winked, receiving a snort from their host. Smirking, she turned to them and made the introductions. “This is my husband, Matteo.”

  The man gasped and clasped Matteo’s hand in both of his while he pumped it up and down. “It is an honor to meet the luckiest man in the world.”

  “Indeed...I am,” Matteo said, efficiently slipping an arm around Bella, while removing his other hand from the man’s grasp.

  Well played, Archer thought, while thrusting his hand to their host. “Archer Malone,” he said, shaking hands. “Thank you for allowing us to land, and for letting Sandy work from your rooftop.” He nodded toward the far corner, where she was opening the drone case.

  “But, of course,” Mr. Horvath replied. “Any friend of Bella’s is mine, too. I was just about to sit down for a brunch I’m hosting for several business acquaintances. You are all more than welcome to join.”

  “Thank you, but no,” Bella said, setting a hand on the man’s shoulder as she guided him to the elevator. “But if you could make sure Sandy has some water, I’d appreciate it. The sun is very direct this morning.”

  “Consider it done,” their host said, sending a pointed look to the burly man, who immediately fished a bottle of water from behind the bar and rushed outside to hand it to Sandy.

  Feeling better knowing she was here with hospitable people, Archer hit the down button on the elevator, eager to get where they needed to be. When it opened, they all piled in, including Mr. Horvath and the burly dude, and Archer was glad the elevator was huge, with an equally huge weight limit.

  Their host got off four floors down and turned to them. “If you finish your business in time, we’ll be having brunch until one, then putting on a huge spread for dinner at five. Feel free to stop in for one, or both.”

  “Thank you,” Bella said, pressing the Close Door button and Lobby button, and holding them in.

  Archer wasn’t sure that express elevator trick would work in this building but hoped it would, since there were over fifty floors and they didn’t have any more time to waste.

  “Does he always put his hands on you?” Matteo asked his wife after the doors closed.

  Archer leaned his back against the far wall and settled in to watch the floor show to kill time.

  Still holding the buttons in, she turned to smile at her husband. “Does that really bother you?”

  Matteo lifted a shoulder. “Depends.”

  “Oh?” A wicked gleam entered her gaze. “On what?”

  He could sense his buddy stiffen up. “On where he touches you.”

  “Relax.” She chuckled. “You know you’re the only one I allow to touch me in the ways you’re implying.”

  Matteo blew out a breath and his hard features eased into a grin. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Archer,” Bella said, leaning toward Matteo, her hands still on the buttons as they descended past the twentieth floor. Apparently the express trick worked. “Just warning you I’m going to kiss my husband now and there might be some tongue...correction, there better be some tongue.”

  He chuckled and shook his head as Matteo gave his wife what she wanted—which, by the look of it—was no doubt what his buddy wanted, too. But because the angle appeared uncomfortable and he didn’t want to watch, Archer stepped toward the control panel and pressed his thumbs to the buttons under her fingers.

  “You can let go now and grab your husband, Bella,” he told her, and a second later she nearly knocked him over in her haste to align her body to Matteo’s without breaking the kiss.

  Their eagerness and the way their passion morphed out of control reminded Archer of his connection with Sandy. A simple kiss could turn into a full-blown, throbbing need to lift her up and take her against the nearest wall or solid object in the space of a single heartbeat.

  What really astounded him about Matteo was how the guy could work with his wife in this type of business, even though Bella was extremely capable of taking care of herself. Archer couldn’t stand the thought of Sandy being in harm’s way. Hell, even now, he hated leaving her side, despite the fact she was safe, and he was headed toward the danger.

  “Sandy?” he said quietly. “Can you hear me?”

  Their communications were set to open, which meant all five of them were connected.

  “Yes,” she immediately replied, a smile in her tone. “I can hear everything.”

  He snickered. “Doubt they care.”

  Her soft laugh sent goosebumps down his neck and chest. “Roger that.”

  It was the mark of a good team member when they followed protocol and didn’t comment, despite the interesting things she’d definitely heard. Perhaps, given time, working with her permanently might be something Archer would come to terms with, but for now, he was glad it was Matteo’s wife accompanying them to the Reserve and not Sandy.

  To his amazement, Bella and Matteo drew apart without needing him to prompt them, which he was about to do since they just passed the fifth floor. When they reached the lobby and the doors opened, the three of them were back into agent mode and remained that way during their three-block trek to the employee entrance of the Federal Reserve.

  Whatever it was Silas had told their boss must’ve been good, because after flashing their credentials, they were immediately ushered inside, but went through the security process like the other employees.

  Archer couldn’t fault them for that.

  Once they were through, they each headed to their pre-determined locations. Bella went upstairs to the fifth floor to observe the Jimmy imposter, Matteo checked in with the head of security, and Archer asked to be taken downstairs
to check on the gold, even though TJ had eyes on it.

  Each undertaking took some time, especially his, because it required several security protocols.

  “Jimmy-point-one is chillin’ at his desk,” Bella informed. “TJ, can you hear me?”

  “Loud and clear,” came the hacker’s quick reply. “I’ve been listening but remained quiet to keep chatter down.”

  Archer gave TJ credit as well, for remaining silent the whole time so far.

  “Can you see what Jimmy Imp is doing on his computer?” Bella asked. “The monitor is facing the wall, so unless I walk in and stand behind him, I can’t tell.”

  The woman was stationed in a large break room across the hall diagonally from the imposter’s office.

  “That’s a big ten-four,” TJ replied. “The Imp is playing solitaire.”

  Archer frowned but said nothing since he was standing near two FRPs, who guarded the elevator that led to the gold. The men were unaware of his duty, they only knew he was waiting for a supervisor to take him downstairs.

  “Solitaire? Seriously?” Bella grumbled. “Okay, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

  “Me, too,” TJ said. “And no Mr. Clean sightings yet, either.”

  “He’s here somewhere,” Matteo joined the chat.

  “Keeping my eyes, peeled,” TJ said. “Sandy, how’s the drone treating you?”

  “Good. I love it,” she said. “Nice design. So far, though, I haven’t heard anything pertaining to the mission. Or the voice from last night.”

  Damn.

  Archer kept his face dialed to expressionless but was getting antsy. Something was definitely going down today with the Jimmy imposter filling in here. And with the Rodrigo murder investigation still ongoing, it would force any normal person to want to leave the city as soon as possible.

  Of course, there wasn’t anything normal about this bastard. Which remained true when he finally got the tour of downstairs and found nothing amiss. Each cell represented a country and held stacks of gold bars. There weren’t any vending machines, or garbage cans, or filing cabinets, or anything at all in that area but concrete, steel, and gold.