"I can understand the self-preservation part. The idea of loving someone, knowing you might be missing her soon...I understand that feeling."
"I'm not going anywhere, Jackson."
"Not if I can help it."
Ten minutes later, Mack climbed into her ship.
"All checks are good to go, Mack," John informed her.
"Roger that. Alright. Beginning sequence," Mack said, flipping the buttons on the console in front of her.
She turned to look out her view screen, seeing Jackson getting ready to take off as well. He gave her a reassuring smile.
"This is it, everyone. You are the best defensive team I have ever led and it's a pleasure to work with each and every one of you. Our security has been threatened, as well as each of our lives. So, really just another Tuesday. Let's bring down this traitor," Mack said into her intercom to the squad.
"Nicely said," John's rough voice told her from behind in his seat.
Mack didn't say anything as she started firing up her engines.
“Mackenzie," John called to her. She looked behind at him, blinking several times. "I'll be behind you the entire time. Don't worry. She is almost back home."
Even as he said the words, he wondered which home he meant. Mack reached behind her and gave John's hand an appreciative squeeze.
"Sierra Squad, let's move out," Mack ordered.
#
Meanwhile, Maddie paced in her dorm room.
"You're going to burn a hole into the carpet if you keep that up," Seth teased.
Maddie ignored him and continued her pacing.
"Hey," Seth placed his hands protectively on her shoulders, forcing her to stop and look at him. "Everything is going to be alright."
"And if it's not? What if I am waiting around here to die?" she asked.
"Mack isn't going to get herself killed. Jackson isn't going to let that happen and neither are John and the rest of her team," Seth said.
"Don't worry, little one. The way John sees it, protecting Mack is the same as protecting you. She's safe with him," Logan told her.
Seth dropped his protective arms after a moment, giving Maddie her space. She studied her protectors for a moment.
"I'm sure there are things you both would rather be doing than babysitting me," Maddie said gloomily.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about us. Remember, we asked for this assignment," Seth said.
"Watching you is important too, little one." Logan shrugged.
"Little one? Why are you calling me little one?" Maddie asked.
"Well, there's you and Mack. Big one and little one," Seth commented.
Maddie flushed. "I don't know if Mack would like that."
"It's actually supposed to be a term of endearment. And no one would ever dare to call Mack the big one," Logan teased.
Maddie nodded and began staring out her window into the vastness of space. She couldn't help but giggle slightly to herself.
"Care to share with the rest of the class?" Seth asked.
“Logan cares about me," Maddie grinned.
Maddie didn't have to question whether they liked her or felt obligated because of Mack. All three of the Brooks brothers seemed genuine in their affections toward her, regardless of the ways they showed it. Seth had an easier way of showing it, and there was still that electricity she felt between herself and John. Not to mention the kiss, however brief it was.
"Of course. We all do." Seth nodded. Logan tried to keep a straight face but failed.
"You have a very handsome smile. You should show it more," Maddie mentioned.
"Thank you," Logan replied, an edge of warmth creeping into his voice.
Maddie returned his smile before looking back out the window.
"My guy is out there," she admitted, taking a sip from the water bottle in front of her.
"I know. He's our guy, too," Seth said.
"Are you in love with our brother?" Logan asked.
Maddie chewed on her bottom lip for several minutes as the twins watched her anxiously.
“Yeah, I am,” she admitted.
“See, I don’t get it.” Seth shook his head. “Why aren’t you going after him?”
Maddie nearly choked on her water. Logan had to hit her on the upper back as she coughed to get the water out.
“Seth.” Maddie cleared her throat. “It’s so much more complicated than that.”
“No, it’s not.” Seth brushed the blonde streak from his face as he looked at her intensely.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few hours or even days. If I put my heart out there, only for something to happen…”
“John’s going to come back to you,” Logan softly said.
“You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
Maddie watched as the fighters began to leave the space station.
"They should only be about twelve or so hours," Seth said, hoping to bring her comfort.
Maddie turned and nodded.
"Come, let's play Uno," Seth encouraged, offering up a distraction.
She smiled gratefully as Seth began dealing the cards.
#
"Uno!" Maddie proudly announced several minutes later.
Seth and Logan groaned, throwing down their cards.
"I think we need to check you for cheating," Seth teased, grabbing the cards.
Maddie giggled slightly, shaking her head. "Just deal the cards, Brooks."
Logan chuckled. "You sounded like Mack just now."
A loud noise in the distance made all three of their heads snap up in attention. The base shook in response.
"What was that?" Maddie asked, alarmed.
Another loud noise resonated. This time it seemed to be a little closer. Part of the ceiling gave in slightly, sending dust everywhere.
"Move!" Logan ordered.
Maddie clumsily scurried to her feet. Seth grabbed her arm as he pulled a side pistol from seemingly out of nowhere.
"Listen and do what you are told. No back talk. Understood?" Logan asked.
Maddie gulped but nodded in agreement.
Logan opened the door and looked down the hallway. After a moment, he motioned for Seth and Maddie to join him.
The ground shook once again under her feet. If it wasn't for Seth still holding onto her arm, she would have fallen forward. The shocks seemed to be getting stronger.
"We've got to get to the hangar," Seth said.
"We can't go that way though," Logan said, nodding toward the right. Maddie could see smoke rolling over Seth's shoulder.
As soon as Logan spoke, another explosion shook, collapsing their way left.
"How are we going to get out?" Maddie began panicking.
"Trust me," Seth whispered to her.
Logan shot his weapon several times in the air, creating a large hole in the ceiling. He grabbed her, causing her to cry out unexpectedly, and hoisted her up in the air. She crawled through the hole and waited for them to join her.
"Stay!" Logan barked his order as she heard gunfire below her.
She covered her ears and closed her eyes tight, trying to block out the weapon fire and the screams she heard below her as she willed the fighting to stop.
"We've got to hurry," Seth said urgently, joining her.
He grabbed her wrist and started to pull her in the direction he wanted her to go.
"Where's Logan?" she asked but received no answer.
Maddie could hear more gun fighting in the distance, and it was only growing stronger. She could smell the results of the explosions in the air mixed with debris and blood. The thought made her stomach twist inside.
Seth punched a hole in the floor of the air duct they were in and dropped down.
"I'll catch you," he told her.
She took a deep breath and jumped down, landing in Seth's protective arms. He carefully set her down then grabbed her wrist again. There was fighting all around them. Her lone protector guided her skillfu
lly through the hangar to a fighter jet.
"Strap in," Seth ordered.
She dutifully obeyed as he started the engines.
"We don't have time to go through the checks, so this is going to get bumpy. Hang on."
He wasn't kidding about it being bumpy. Maddie felt like she was going to lose her lunch but, thankfully, was able to keep it down. Seth piloted the fighter jet out of the hangar and into open space. Maddie let out a sigh of relief as the space station moved further behind them.
The relief was all too brief as two enemy fighters flanked them.
"Maddie, do you see the stick in front of you?” Seth asked. “Looks like a computer joy stick."
"Yeah, I see it."
"That's the weapons system."
"You want me to use it?"
"It ain't gonna use itself, sweetheart."
The color drained from Maddie's face as she gripped the stick. I need to find the newfound confidence I had a little while ago. She took a deep breath and focused.
"Think of it like a video game. Focus on the green screen in front of you," Seth instructed.
She moved the joy stick, seeing the red box move across the green screen.
Maddie scrunched up her brow, concentrating on the two yellow dots on her green screen. After centering them in her red target box, she pressed the red button, firing several shots at once. She missed the first few shots but eventually did get her target as the yellow dots disappeared.
"Great job!" Seth happily exclaimed.
When Maddie didn't respond to his enthusiasm, Seth's voice softened. "They were trying to kill us, Madison."
"I know," Maddie murmured.
"Are you still with me?" he asked.
"I'm fine."
"Mack is going to hit the roof. We have no choice but to join the defensive team now," Seth said, punching in the coordinates.
Maddie barely heard him. Her thoughts were consumed with Logan and everything that had just transpired. She felt too drained to cry although her body craved a release.
"Madison, we all knew when we joined this agency what it could mean one day. Logan knew the risks," Seth muttered.
Maddie couldn't help it. She threw her head back and laughed, reveling in the release it offered her.
"What's so funny?" Seth was perturbed by her reaction.
"Your brother – your twin brother – gets killed and you are comforting me?" Maddie wiped tears of laughter from her cheeks.
"You think this is funny?" Seth demanded.
"Not at all. I...I..." The laughter turned to tears. Before she could help herself, she was sobbing into her chest. Her tears streamed down her cheeks and splattered on the glass control panel in front of her.
Seth frowned, wishing he could do or say something that would offer her comfort. A part of him wanted to let her shut down. It was a normal response for all that she had been through. Another part of him wanted to join her. But they were getting ready to head into a battle and he needed to change his focus. He pushed the last remaining image of Logan from his mind and pulled a gun from his belt.
"Pull yourself together, little one. Here," Seth passed a gun toward her.
"What's this?"
"Logan's."
"Oh."
Maddie ran her hands over the gun, feeling the heaviness of the metal before rotating it in her hands. There was a splatter of blood on the weapon which she wiped off with her sleeve. She couldn't allow herself to wonder if it was Logan's. She closed her eyes, summoning up the strength she felt before Mack left.
Mack! Seth was right: she was going to flip out.
#
"What are you thinking about?" John asked, bringing Mack back to reality.
"Glad Maddie is safe back at the station," she admitted.
"That girl is stronger than you let her be," John pointed out.
"I know exactly what she is made out of, John. I'm fully aware. But you know the risks. If I'm to die, I want it to be aimed at me, not at her."
"No, I certainly understand. Don't get mad, but I would prefer it aimed at you, too. And trust me, if it were my clone, he would be under lock and key as well. But don't fool yourself into thinking Maddie is fragile."
"I know. Jackson has said the same thing."
"That's a good man you have there."
Mack smiled. "I'm very lucky."
"We're coming up on the asteroid field," John informed her, breaking off from the conversation.
The fighters moved from their flanking positions and began their assault on the smaller asteroids protecting the offensive squadron's intended target.
"Sorry we're late. Got held up in traffic," Seth joked through the intercom.
"Seth! What the hell are you doing here?" Mack demanded.
"I had no choice, Mack. The base fell under attack. I'm sorry."
"Damn it. Maddie?"
"I'm here. I'm okay." Maddie's voice was weak. Damn, Mack sounded furious.
"Where's Logan?" John asked.
Seth paused. "He's not with us, John."
John lowered his gaze, the news shaking him temporarily. Mack closed her eyes at the news. However, now was not the time to mourn. Mack grabbed John's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Alright, Seth, stay behind me. Jackson?"
"I'm here." Jackson's voice came over the comm.
"Flank my right. Johnson, flank my left," Mack ordered.
"Roger, Captain," a voice Maddie didn't recognize answered. It must have been Johnson.
Soundless explosions surrounded the planes as the asteroids were blown to space dust. Several attack fighters came out of the larger asteroid toward them. Maddie steadied her hands and began to target the yellow enemy dots on the screen, taking out one that had maneuvered near Mack's plane.
"Great shooting, Seth!" Mack exclaimed.
"That's Maddie," Seth responded.
Maddie is on the weapons system? Holy hell. Mack's anxiety jumped through the roof.
Mack landed her plane in the cargo hangar. Several planes joined her moments later, including Seth's and Jackson's. Seth helped Maddie out of the plane, holding on to her tightly.
"You are not to leave Seth's side, do you understand?" Mack yelled at Maddie.
Maddie flushed from the anger and nodded.
"I'll keep her safe," John said.
"There is no safe here. Maddie stays with Seth. He'll protect her. John, I need you to lead one of the assault teams. No arguing," Mack ordered.
Maddie wanted to let Mack know that she had a firearm but decided against it. She wasn't sure if that would get Seth into trouble or make Mack feel better about her being here.
"What are your orders?" Seth asked.
"Get to a control room and eliminate communications," Mack told him.
"Come," Seth told Maddie, pulling on her arm gently.
The hangar filled quickly with men and women attempting to stop the infiltration. Seth led Maddie behind their plane, trying to hide from their enemies. Neither of them seemed to want to have to use their guns if they could help it. Maddie kept her head low, waiting on any instruction from Seth.
A small group of five men came toward them. Maddie pulled out Logan's gun and shot twice, hitting one of the men in the chest. Seth gave her a quick smile before firing his gun as well. Maddie barely had time to duck before a bullet hit the plane, narrowing missing Maddie's head.
Seth cursed, returning fire. His bullet hit Maddie's would-be assassin, killing him instantly. The two of them rushed toward the center of the room only to be surrounded by armed guards. The clicking sound of the weapons being cocked and pointed at them rang in Maddie's ears.
Slowly, Maddie and Seth placed their guns on the ground and raised their hands above their heads. One of the armed guards raised his hand and brought the butt of his gun to her head. Maddie slumped to the ground hard. The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was Seth falling next to her, his green eyes going dim.
CHAPTER SIX
"Ow," she groaned.
"Easy," she heard Seth say beside her.
Slowly, Maddie opened her eyes. Her vision blurred several times before finally coming into focus. Seth was tied to a chair on her left, struggling to get free of his binds. To the right, Maddie could see Jackson and Mack still unconscious and anchored down as well.
"What's happening?" Maddie groaned again, trying to regain her senses.
"It was a trap," Seth whispered.
They were locked in a large, brightly lit room that had different kinds of torture instruments throughout. Chains lined the walls. As her vision came into focus, Maddie could see a large table with a copious array of knives of various lengths and shiny instruments of different shapes and sizes laid out.
A tall, seemingly unremarkable looking woman stood at the table, running her hands over what appeared to be a whip. Maddie had never seen Megan Gatewood before, but she wasn't quite what she had been expecting. The rogue agent had a very plain face that was highlighted by a large gash above her right eyebrow that went down to the corner of her mouth. She wore a gray suit that covered her entire body with her platinum blonde hair pulled back into a bun. Seeing Maddie awake, the woman moved swiftly toward her and narrowed her eyes.
"Nice of you to join our little party," her captor coolly said.
"Glad that you could invite me." Maddie smarted off.
Without saying another word, Megan struck Maddie across the face with the whip. Maddie could not hear Seth yell over the ringing in her ears. The leather cut into her left cheek, causing Maddie to cry out in shock and pain. Tears swelled up in her eyes as she began to feel her face swell. Megan dropped the whip and grabbed Maddie by the chin, forcing her to look into Megan's cold brown eyes.
"I just want you to know I'm going to enjoy this," she said.
"I don't have anything to do with this," Maddie said, her voice sounding like a whimper.
"I know. It's a little sad, really. Rubbing out your life due to crimes committed by the original," Megan pointed toward Mack.
Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars Page 250
