Chaos_The Dogs of War, a Lost and Found Series Spinoff

by J. M. Madden

  The sky outside was beginning to lighten with the coming dawn. With a final, breathy sigh against his neck, Angela crawled off of him and padded to the bathroom. Aiden heard the toilet flush, then the shower start.

  The normality of the sound struck him. Considering he’d never had a relationship like this before, she had blended into his life seamlessly. He loved having her near him, and he would fight anyone and anything to keep her at his side.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  They headed into town an hour later, after they’d grabbed some breakfast and everyone had gotten showers. First, they hit Angela’s apartment. Aiden insisted upon going into her apartment first, so she let him, but there was nothing to see, other than one pissed off, neglected cat.

  “Oh, Chester. You poor bastard. Did you think I left you?” Ignoring his attitude she picked him up and curled him into her arms. The cat tried to protest but apparently realized how much he’d missed his minion, and settled in for the adoration.

  “Do you like cats?” she asked Aiden.

  He looked at the animal, brows furrowed. Chester apparently didn’t like the appraisal because he hissed and scrambled out of Angela’s arms.

  “With soy sauce and fried rice maybe…”

  Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him. “You did not just say that!”

  Aiden grinned. “I like cats. He may get lost in the warehouse, though.”

  She shook her head. “He’s an old street cat. He’ll figure it out. We’ll leave him here for now, but it’s not fair to him for me to be gone all the time.”

  “I agree. I would be lonely too.”

  Grinning, she leaned up to give him a quick kiss. Fontana and Wulfe moved through the apartment as Angela went into her bedroom to change her clothes and drop off her dirty laundry. She packed a few days’ worth of clothes and some extra toiletries, then she was ready to go.

  Chester even came out to tell her goodbye and she felt bad leaving him behind, but until they decided what exactly was going to happen, he would have to stay here. She was scheduled to go back to work in three days and she was sure that would be a change as well. Her life was in flux right now, but as she looked at the men standing in her home, she knew she wouldn’t change anything that had happened in the past week.

  After her apartment they headed to LNF. Shannon smiled as they walked into the reception area. “The guys are waiting for you in the conference room. Go on in.”

  The men greeted each other the same way they always did, with handshakes and backslaps. There were two other men at the conference table. The first, a tall blond with laughing eyes and a cruelly damaged left hand, introduced himself as Chad Lowell, the third partner of LNF. And the fourth man, a stocky, blond haired guy with warm chocolate eyes, introduced himself as Brian Calvert. Then they settled down to plan.

  “Have you had a chance to go over the information?” Duncan asked him.

  Aiden nodded. “We had an idea that there were other camps, but we didn’t have concrete information until now. And there are way more men involved than we ever expected. We think as many as a hundred and fifty to two hundred men.”

  John shook his dark head. “That many military… you would think someone would have said something, or investigated.”

  “We don’t know that anyone hasn’t,” Wulfe murmured.

  “Is that for all of the countries?”

  “Yes,” Aiden confirmed, pulling out a notepad. “Thirteen countries in total. Over a period of about three years.”

  “Where to even start,” Duncan sighed. “I guess with the American troops. What do we know about them?”

  “All three camps had American troops. Guyana, Brazil and Venezuela. We were in the one in Brazil. From what I can account for, it looks like eighty men across the three camps were American. I can’t pinpoint how many are deceased or if there’s some kind of release from the program. At some point they have to either use the men in the field or release them back to their service, but I can’t find any record of either one. This info that we’re working with is more than two years old. The programs had just started.”

  “So we have no way of knowing if there are men still in the camps unless we go there?”

  Aiden looked at Fontana. “Yes, probably.”

  The possibility of going back into that hellhole was not something he wanted to contemplate. He glanced up and caught Angela’s look. She wasn’t wild about it either but he could see in her eyes that she would understand if he did decide to go back.

  I love you.

  He smiled as he caught the message. I love you, too. He must have looked shell-shocked at the ease of his own response because Wulfe elbowed him.

  Pay attention, Will.

  Aiden knew he needed his head in the game, so he looked at Duncan to focus back in on the conversation.

  “I don’t like the thought of anyone going over there,” Duncan was saying, “and if I can be brutally honest, I don’t know that you guys should. If you get captured we’ll never see you again. You’re basically walking back into the Collaborative’s territory.”

  “If we don’t do it, no one will,” Fontana snapped, surging to his feet. “No one knows what’s going on, or if they do they don’t care. We’re the only ones giving a flying fuck right now.”

  Duncan held up a calming hand, motioning Fontana back into his seat. “I’m not saying we’re not going to do it, but a lot of details have to be worked out before anyone goes anywhere.”

  Calm down, buddy. They’re trying to help us but he’s right, we can’t just rush into this.

  Fontana crossed his arms over his chest and stared out the window.

  “Do we have any kind of contacts in the area, or any connection at all?”

  There was silence for a few moments, until Chad spoke up. “It might be worth talking to Madeira. Seems like there was a reference to a Venezuelan helicopter pilot, but it’s been a while since I did that interview. I’d have to pull the notes.”

  “Why don’t you do that, Chad? Anything is better than what we have now. Any other connections?”

  Duncan looked around the table, but no one offered anything else.

  “Okay, logistics. What exactly do we need to launch an operation to South America?”

  “Equipment, people, money,” John listed.

  “I might be able to help with the money,” the dark haired man at the end of the table told them.

  “We had Brian come in from our Vail office,” Duncan told them, “because he’s better at this kind of stuff. He has a degree in forensic accounting and he’s been digging into these account numbers. Brian?”

  The guy grinned and leaned forward, paging through a tablet as he did. “Well, it took a little digging, but I can confirm that most of these accounts are still open, with money in them, but they haven’t been used in the past two years. They were savings accounts, not checking accounts or business accounts, so the way the money can be moved is limited. The guy that had access must have been carrying around large amounts of cash, because that’s the only way they could be accessed.”

  “So, paying bribes,” Aiden murmured.

  Brian nodded. “Exactly. And these are all out-of-country accounts. It was pretty sad how easy it was to get into them.”

  “Why would it be a savings account?”

  Brian shrugged. “He might have been paid a certain discretionary amount, then decided to create a separate account in each city he was close to. The accounts are in the same countries you listed. I have a feeling if we delve a little deeper they’re probably in the cities closest to the camps for convenience reasons.”

  “So, we can access these accounts?” Aiden asked.

  Brian made a face. “Unless I’m missing something ridiculously simple, yes.”

  “How much are we talking, here?” John asked.

  Looking down at the tablet, Brian paged through a couple of screens. “In excess of fifteen million US. I can get you an exact amount if you need it.”
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br />   John shook his head. “Not right now.”

  They all looked at each other, stunned. “Well, there’s the answer to your money problem,” Angela murmured. “It’s only fitting to use the Collaborative’s money against them.”

  “Knowing the countries where these accounts are,” Chad said quietly, “is there a way the good deceased doctor can posthumously create a fund for the care of these men?”

  Brian blinked, frowned, then looked down at his tablet, fingers flying over the screen. “It might take some creative footwork, but yes, I think I might be able to figure something out. I’ll probably have to make a call or two.”

  “Do that,” Duncan told him. “Chad, talk to Madeira and see what you can find out. There were five politicians’ names in those files. Did you find any more?”

  Aiden shook his head. “Just the senator, the assistant director of the National Institutes of Health, two lower level DOD directors and a congressman.”

  Duncan’s gaze swung down the table.

  “John, do we have anyone out in Washington right now?”

  “No. But we have a couple of people at the new branch in Columbus just waiting for something to do. Might be worth sending them out to sit on the names we found.”

  “Let’s do that.”

  “I’ll take the Collaborative itself,” Wulfe told them, voice uncompromising. “I have a contact there.”

  Aiden looked at Wulfe. Since when?

  I’ve always had a contact there.

  Aiden tossed a look at Fontana, but he shrugged. He hadn’t known about this ‘contact’ either.

  “Okay,” Aiden said slowly. “Wulfe sticks to the company and Fontana and I will go in.”

  Fontana shook his head. “I want you to stay here, Will.”

  Aiden scowled. “Why the fuck would I do that?”

  “Because if the op is compromised or I go down, you’ll be able to find my unlucky ass.”

  Aiden’s heart sank. Yes, it sounded completely reasonable, but he didn’t like it.

  I don’t want you going in there alone.

  I don’t want to go alone, but it makes more sense to do it this way. We can’t all be taken at once. And if Wulfe is staying here, you should as well. Besides, he glanced at Angela, you have other obligations now, too.

  She understands that I will do what needs to be done to bring those men back.

  Exactly. That’s even more reason to stay.

  Aiden blinked and looked at Angela, then realized she’d asked him something. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “I asked if this conversation was something you can let us all in on?”

  Aiden realized as he glanced around that the LNF men were all looking at the three Dogs curiously. “Sorry, gentlemen. Private disagreement.”

  Chad waved a finger between them. “Were you all talking just then?”

  “Yes,” Fontana growled. “Wulfe will stay on the company in Virginia, Aiden will stay here to help run the operation and I will be going in.”

  “You’ll need a team,” Duncan told him. Fontana started to protest but Duncan held up a hand. “This part is non-negotiable. You brought us this problem, and we’re going to help solve it. Let’s report back here at 0700 and we’ll have a better grip on where we stand. And if anyone comes up with some long lost contacts, let’s get them warmed up. Till morning, gentlemen.”

  Duncan stood up, as did the rest of the group, automatically. Aiden knew it had been a while since Duncan Wilde had been in charge of any military operation, but there was no denying the command in his voice.

  The four of them waved at Shannon as they trooped out of the LNF offices. They were quiet as they each thought about what was happening. They’d been waiting so long for something significant to happen, and now that it actually was it seemed to be moving too fast. But the day stretched before them. They would be needing a distraction while they waited for LNF to get their ducks in a row.

  “Angela, if you’ll take me to my truck we’ll go get lumber to work on the warehouse.”

  She looked at him with a confused squint. “You have a truck?”

  He grinned and nodded. He directed her through the Denver streets to a grocery store parking lot. It was only a few blocks from the warehouse. He pointed and she pulled up behind an old mint green Chevy truck which had obviously seen better days. There was a for sale sign in the window. When they got out she followed, and she watched him as he reached beneath the bed for a magnetic key box. He unlocked the vehicle and climbed in, removing the for sale sign from the window.

  “This truck has been here a long time. I remember it. I just thought it had something wrong with it and never sold.”

  Aiden grinned and shook his head. “Nope. Runs fine.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “Well, okay then.”

  Wulfe and Fontana moved away and Aiden walked her back to the driver’s side of her own vehicle. “I want to take you out later.”

  Her mouth dropped open, then her expression softened. “Really?”

  He nodded. “Dinner out, my treat.”

  Happiness filled her eyes and she smiled. “What time?”

  “I’ll come pick you up at seven.”

  He dropped a kiss to her lips. “No shooting range tonight. That’ll be another night when we have more time.”

  “Okay.”

  As naturally as the heart beating in his chest, he leaned forward to give her a kiss. She cupped his cheeks in her hands, running her fingers through his beard. “Wear something sexable.”

  Angela laughed and turned to her vehicle. “Will do. I love you,” she told him softly.

  “I love you, too,” he told her, closing the door behind her as she climbed in.

  Aiden watched as she pulled away, his heart aching. Within seconds, he wished to see her again.

  Are you coming with us or should we leave your ass?

  I’m coming, damn it. He had a lot to do in the next eight hours.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Angela returned to her apartment, feeling odd. Slightly let down. Maybe she’d gotten used to running for her life. And she missed Aiden. It was crazy because she’d been single for so long. She had no problem fending for herself and living her own life. If she needed to talk to people she went to work or headed up north to see family. Friends enjoyed her company and she could go out with them any time if she called.

  Aiden had created a very definitive slot for himself in her life, though. Quite simply, she didn’t want to be without him.

  The thought of him going back to the jungle, and possibly — probably— to new screaming nightmares, terrified her. Yes, she understood his need to go back, but if there was any other way to do it she would push for the second option. She didn’t want him in any more pain than he already was.

  Chester gave her a dirty look when she walked into the apartment and immediately started meowing at her for food. Feeling guilty, Angela poured his regular dry food into the bowl then popped the top on a wet pack. Pouring half of the wet food over the dry, she watched as the cat dug in. Greedy little bastard. She stroked a hand down his sleek grey striped back.

  “Hello to you too, asshole.”

  Padding to the bathroom, she stripped and stepped into the shower, glad to have her own toiletries and space. Although, if Aiden ever came over here to stay they’d have plenty of room to play in the shower. And she had a bench on the back wall, too. Just the thought of putting that piece of tile to work excited her.

  It wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to come over for a few days. It was a little crowded in the warehouse loft right now. There was plenty of actual space, but not enough amenities for as many people as were staying there.

  When she stepped out of the shower she used her favorite lotion, a light, tangerine scent that made her think of spring. Then she went to the mirror over the sink and cleaned up her brows. The bruise was mostly fading from her left eye, so she left the Band-Aids off. When she got ready for the date she would try to add so
me concealer to the area, make herself more acceptable.

  Time slowed as she waited for seven o’clock, so she puttered around doing odd jobs. There was still blood on the floor from the attack so she cleaned that up, then checked the lock on her door. It was perfect. Worked exactly as it was supposed to.

  She had enough laundry to do a load so she walked down the hallway and loaded up the communal washer, then headed back. Logging onto her computer, she responded to several emails from friends and family, cleaned out her junk file and filled out yet another worker’s comp form, then sent it back to HR. In a couple days she needed to head back to the doctor to get the stitches out. He’d probably ask her about her face. Maybe she should ‘accidentally’ forget about that appointment and just take them out herself. She’d done it before.

  Then, after drinking a big glass of water, she went into her bedroom, pulled the blackout curtains and climbed into bed. Maybe if she played Cookie Kitten Bubble Pop for a few minutes she’d get tired enough to nap. She set her alarm and curled up.

  When the alarm went off three hours later, she blinked awake in surprise. Then she stretched languidly. Oh, man, she’d needed that. It took a few minutes to wake up properly, but once she did she was wide awake and full of energy. Her hair was crazy from going to bed damp so she wet it down and used a round brush to straighten it, then let it hang down her back. There was a pretty, pale blue peasant style blouse in her closet she didn’t wear very often. Maybe she’d wear that and a skirt, along with sandals.

  Once she was dressed, she put her makeup on. It hurt to add the concealer to her bruised eye, but it was worth it for the effect. She couldn’t see any of the bruising anymore. Once she got her makeup done she returned to the closet. She wasn’t feeling the peasant shirt. The low elastic neckline left her stitches and bruised arm out for everyone to see. Some kind, nosy person would ask her about it and she didn’t feel like explaining it.

  Pawing through the hangers, she found a floral printed sundress she could wear. The day had grown warm so this would be perfect. It was mostly blue with little white flowers. It was demure enough that there wasn’t anything hanging out and she had freedom of movement. She slipped on a pair of brown leather sandals. Comfortable. She could run if she needed to. Then she moved to her safe. Gun or no gun? Sighing, she reached for a tiny little .25 caliber she could slip into her purse. Then she slipped her badge inside a nice leather purse, and shifted everything essential over from her everyday cross body bag.