by Kelly Moore
Shots ring out. Karl is down, and Theo stands beside him, feeling for a pulse. Karl, all bloody, takes a swing at Theo, sending his gun flying. I keep inching closer to Derrick.
Karl and Theo fight, and Karl rips Theo’s mechanical arm off. They struggle a few seconds longer before Theo regains his gun and fires. He gets up and falls back to the ground. Derrick comes out of his hiding place, rushing to Theo’s side. I walk over to him and aim my gun.
I nudge Karl with my foot. “Too bad. I really liked him.”
“Like you liked me?”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Derrick. I loved you. If you remember correctly, I tried to save you.”
I squat down next to him but keep my gun steady. “Why do you have to play the hero?”
“Why’d you have to be such a lying bitch? You betrayed my team!” Spit flies from his mouth. “They’re all dead because of you.”
He's filled with hate after all these years. I don’t want to focus on that. I still love him. “You wanted to marry me. We can still do that, you know. I’ve never forgotten the way you touched me.” I stand. “As a matter of fact, the night that I saw Theo sitting out there bidding on one of my girls, I knew you’d come, and I’ve thought about nothing else since.” I lick my lips. “You can’t tell me you don’t miss us.”
I show a moment of weakness, and his leg kicks out, knocking me to the ground. The gun fires as he rips it out of my hand, but it misses me. I look up, and he’s standing over me with the gun.
“I fucking hate you!” he yells.
I slowly stand. “There’s a fine line between love and hate, Derrick.”
“There is no line for us. You killed anything I felt for you the day my men died.”
I know he’s lying when I see his hand shake. “I’m sorry about your men. If I could’ve had it play out any other way, I would’ve. I didn’t come out of it unscathed. I lost my eye when you threw the grenade.”
“Theo lost his arm, and I’m left with a nasty scar down my face. I could give a shit about your eye. Why did you do it? Was it all about money for you?”
“Yes, and the power it gave me.”
“And this?” He waves his hand around.
“Do you know how much money I’ve made selling organs and trafficking women? I’m just one of many. You may stop me, but you’re not going to stop this business. There’s too much money to be made.”
“How did you get so fucking evil?”
“I’ve always been this way. You were just too blind to see it. That’s what made your team an easy target.”
I see rage fill his features, and he aims the gun at my head. He’s dripping in sweat, and he screams, “Ahhhh!” I know he wants to kill me. Maybe he should. Instead of pulling the trigger like I wish him to, he lowers the gun.
A woman’s voice comes out of nowhere. “He can’t kill you, but I can. My sister is dead because of you!”
I turn to face her and then look between the two of them. “She looks like me.” I can’t help but laugh. “I guess you’re fooling yourself if you think you ever got over me.”
“I’m nothing like you! You destroy people’s lives for nothing more than greed.” I watch her place both her hands on the gun.
“Don’t do it,” Derrick says, and she looks at him.
“Why, because you still love her?”
“No, because I want her to pay for what she’s done. Rotting away in prison will be worse than death for her.”
“She’s smart. She’ll find a way out.”
She’s right, I will. As her focus turns back to me, light floods the room, and a German swat team rushes inside. All three of us hit the ground. We’re cuffed. Derrick shows his ID and tells his side of the story, and I’m hauled off to jail.
Thorn’s Redemption
Book 10
* * *
Chapter 1
Rebel
“Is she out of surgery yet?” Theo asks as he, Thorn, and Tate come crashing through the waiting room doors.
“The surgeon came out a few minutes ago and updated me. He said she’d lost a lot of blood, but they were able to repair the damage. They won’t let me in to see her until she’s in a room.”
“That’s good news,” Theo says.
“Damn, she’s one tough lady.” Thorn adjusts his hat.
“She’s alive, thanks to you.” I shake Thorn’s hand. “Any word on Nina’s whereabouts?” I address my question to Tate because I know she’s been working closely with Honor.
“No. But I did gather intel that Nina owns a port in Seattle. It appears to be how she’s been moving her merchandise all this time. It’s still been up and running even when she was in prison.” She hands me a file, and I skim over it for anything that might look familiar.
“How did we miss this? It looks like she owned this before I met her.”
“She used an alias and paid cash for it. We only found it because one of the guards at the prison overheard one of the men she paid off mention it, so we investigated deeper and made the connection.” Tate points to a paragraph in the report.
“This has to be where she’s headed and where our people are being held captive. Call Honor and tell her to have a plane ready in an hour. I’ll meet you there. I want to see Fallon first.”
“Why don’t you stay here and let us handle it?” Thorn asks. “I’ll take lead on the mission.”
I debate internally. I want to go after Nina for what she’s done, but I need to see Fallon, and my team is capable of going after her without me. “I should stay here until she’s out of the woods.” Knowing Fallon, she’ll be pissed that I didn’t go after Nina.
“We’ll find her and our people.” Theo puts his hand on my shoulder. “Hazel needs you here.”
“Have Mad Dog and Lawson stay with Fiona and Honor. Once I know for sure that Fallon is okay, I’ll bring Mad Dog with me. I want them moved to a secure location. Get ahold of Commander Lukas and make the arrangements.” Theo gets on the phone as he and Tate head out the door. I stop Thorn by grabbing his shoulder. “Wait up a second.” I don’t talk until the other two are outside the hospital.
“I need you to be in charge. Theo and I’ve dealt with Nina for years. We need a different perspective on her. Who she really is, and how she operates.”
“Yes, sir.”
“When you get your hands on Nina, don’t kill her. If anyone gets that pleasure, it will be me.” I’m dead serious.
“I’m not making any promises. After what I watched her do to Fallon, I’m not taking any chances. She’s a heartless bitch that won’t hesitate to kill one of our own.”
“We’ve got to get our people back first. If you kill her, they’re as good as gone. Sean is tough and will fight her, and Lauryn is capable of outsmarting her, but I know nothing about your wife other than the fact that Nina said she’s beautiful, and she’d make her a lot of money.”
“Ex-wife, and yes, she is, and she’d never win against the likes of Nina.”
“Nina said she has your wife and lover in the same room. Please tell me that you’re not messing around with Lauryn.”
“It’s not what you think, but she and I knew one another in the past.”
“We’ll deal with this later. I need you to be focused.”
“I am, sir.”
“Get the hell out of here and find them.” He rushes out the door the same time a nurse calls my name. “Derrick Rebel?”
“Yes.” I walk over to her.
“Follow me, and I’ll take you to Ms. Davis’s room.”
We walk through several doors then she badges into the double doors leading inside the ICU. She stops in front of glass doors, and I see Fallon. I don’t wait; I rush into her room. Her eyes are closed, and she has oxygen tubing in her nose.
“Hey, doll.” I lean down, kissing her forehead. Her eyes flutter a few times before they open.
“Rebel.” Her voice is soft and sounds dry.
“I’m here. The doctor says you’re goi
ng to be okay.”
“Nina?”
“Don’t worry about her. The Gunners are going after her and bringing back our family.”
Her eyes close tight then open wide as she cringes when she tries to sit.
“Lay back down.” I guide her shoulders toward the bed.
“Who did she take?”
“She has Lauryn, Thorn’s ex-wife, and…Sean.”
“Sean?” Her voice gets louder.
“He was at the bar at the time. It looks like he put up a good fight.”
“Thorn has a wife?”
“Yeah, I don’t know the details, but somehow she’s connected with Lauryn. Thorn has a past with her that none of us were aware of.”
“You have to go.” She tries to get out of bed and holds her stomach.
“You’re bleeding.” I hold her side, trying to keep her from moving. “Nurse,” I yell over my shoulder. “You’ve got to lay back down.”
“You have to go after her. You’re the only one that can stop her.”
A nurse comes in and helps me get her back in bed. “It’s too soon for you to be up. If I need to sedate you to keep you calm, I will,” the nurse says, and I lift my hand so she can look at her. “You’ve ripped a couple of the stitches. I’ll have to contact the doctor. Keep her still until I get back.” She scurries from the room.
“I don’t want to leave you.” I sit on the edge of the bed next to her.
“You have to. If you don’t, she’ll never be out of our lives.”
“I’ll go only if you agree to follow doctor’s orders. I’ll station Mad Dog outside your room. I don’t trust Nina to not come back here and finish what she started.”
“I will, I promise, but don’t let her get away. She’ll destroy so many more people’s lives, and you can’t let that happen.” Her eyes drift closed.
I’m so torn. I don’t want to leave, but I know she’s right. I’m the one she’s really after, and I have to be the one to bring her down. My phone vibrates, and I tug it out of my pocket. It’s my dad’s number. “Damn it! With everything that’s happened, I forgot about my parents flying in for the wedding.” I step away from Fallon and answer it. I update him on what’s happened but leave out the part about Sean. I don’t want them to worry.
“I want you and Mom to get out of here. Go someplace you haven’t been. Your lives may be in danger if you stay here or go back home. I’ll call you when it’s safe to return.” I hang up and go back to Fallon’s side.
“Our wedding,” she whispers as her eyes continue to droop.
“It’s okay, doll. We’ll get married when all this is over.” I watch her fall asleep then get on the phone with Mad Dog. I’m not leaving here until she’s well guarded. I make arrangements for Honor to get me on a military plane. I don’t want to hold up my team headed to Seattle. I then call Commander Lukas.
“I need more men as fast as you can get them to me. Four more in Portland and a backup team in Seattle.” I tell him the new information about the port. “Honor and Lawson can brief them and get them up to speed. The team here needs to protect who’s left behind. Mad Dog will be stationed outside Fallon’s room.” I hang up and wait impatiently for him to arrive.
“You’re not to leave this post. Commander Lukas is sending backup. When they get here, Honor can direct one of them to the hospital to relieve you, until then, you don’t move and you call me if anything happens.”
“Yes, sir.” He stands tall in the doorway.
I walk over to Fallon’s bedside and lean down, kissing her lips. She doesn’t budge from her sleep. “I love you, doll. I’ll be back when Nina is either captured or dead, then we’ll get married,” I whisper.
I run to my truck and drive like a bat out of hell back to headquarters. Lawson and Fiona are held up in my office with Honor.
“This place isn’t secure. As soon as back up comes, you two are going to a safe house.” I point at Lawson and Fiona.
“We want to stay here and help.” Lawson crosses his arms over his chest.
“Not going to happen. You can’t help if you’re dead,” I bark.
“Nina didn’t infiltrate this place. We’re perfectly safe here, and I can help sweep the building.” Lawson holds firm.
“I can help too,” Fiona says, mimicking her father's stance.
“They are safer here where we can look out for each other. You said there was a team coming to headquarters,” Honor adds.
“Not one of you is to leave this god damn building! Is that clear!” I slam my hands on the desk.
Lawson and Fiona nod. Honor says, “Yes, sir.”
“Commander Lukas is sending four men. They’ll rotate out with Mad Dog at the hospital. Two stand guard here at all times.”
“I can take a shift too,” Honor adds.
“Me, too,” Lawson pipes in.
“Honor, I need your eyes on the computer, tracking information for us. You’ll be our contact. Get satellite feeds from the Seattle port to our main system. Contact the nearest base and have them halt all movement on the water. Detain anyone in route, coming and going.”
“Yes, sir.” Her fingers fly over the keyboard. “Did Thorn and his team get off the ground yet?”
“They were air born ten minutes ago.”
“Did you find a plane for me?”
“I did, sir, but all flights have been temporarily grounded. I was lucky to convince the pilot to get our men in the air.”
“Why’s that?”
“There’s a big storm headed inland with winds that are unsafe for small airplanes.”
“I don’t give a shit about the weather. If you have to, find me a private plane and a pilot that’s willing to fly.” My cell phone rings again.
“I’m disappointed. I wanted you to chase me,” Nina says casually.
“Tell me where the fuck you are, and I’ll gladly come after you.” Is she still in Portland, or does she have men on the ground to know that I wasn’t on the plane with my team?
“If I told you where I was, that would take all the fun out of the game.”
“This is not a fucking game, Nina!” I yell into the phone.
“Why such the temper tantrum, Derrick? Did your girlfriend not make it?” she tisks.
I can keep Fallon safe if she thinks she’s dead. “No,” I say as solemnly as I can.
I hear a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. “You’re lying.” I swear I detect a sob in her voice. She doesn’t give a shit about Fallon, and I know she’s not sad for me.
“Wasn’t that what you wanted, her dead?”
“Thorn should’ve been able to save her.” This time her voice quivers.
“Is that guilt you’re feeling for taking an innocent woman’s life?”
“Of course not.” Her tone harshens. “Why would I care if your precious girlfriend lives or dies?”
“You tell me? It wouldn’t be like you to have a heart,” I growl.
“My heart turned to stone a long time ago. I suggest if you don’t want anyone else you care about to die that you play my game.” She hangs up the phone, and I slam mine on the desk.
“What did you hear?” Honor asks. “Background noises?”
“Blades. Chopper blades in the distance.”
Honor pulls up a map on her computer. “If she’s still in Portland, these are the only two areas cleared for nonmedical choppers.” She points to the screen. “If she’s in Washington, the area is too broad for me to pinpoint.”
“I’ll go check these out while you find me a pilot and a plane. In the meantime, since Nina thinks Fallon is dead, make arrangements for Fallon to be brought here. She’ll be safer amongst all of us, and our team won’t have to be split. Someone will be assigned to guard her twenty-four seven.” I turn to Lawson. “I want every inch of this place swept for bugs. Get it done before Fallon is released. Once she’s here, I want Fiona barricaded in the room with her. I’m not risking losing one more person.”
“I had
to keep Fiona from not following after Theo. She feels like this is just as much her battle, if not more.”
“That’s the last thing that needs to happen. If you have to tie her down, then do it. You’ll have your hands full with her and Fallon. I hope your wrestling skills are up to par.” I chuckle.
Chapter 2
Thorn
“The pilot says we are being rerouted due to the storm. He’s going to maneuver us around it, and we’ll have to land east of Seattle,” Theo says as he sits in the seat next to me, latching himself into it.
“We can get a jeep when we land and trek to the port.”
The airplane shifts, and it rattles us. “The storm that’s coming must be a beast.” Tate tightens her straps. “I hate airplanes.”
Both Theo and I glance over at her. “How did you ever pass SEAL training if you hate to fly?”
“A lot of puking on my part, but I didn’t let it win. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“If you’re going to throw up, please turn the other way.” I point in the other direction.
“Damn it!” Theo groans.
“What is it?”
“I’ve lost signal with Honor. It has to be this damn storm.” He pulls the mic out of this ear.
“We’ll get in contact with her once we’re on the ground.”
“I wanted to make sure Fiona stayed put. She was tucking clothes and a gun in a backpack when I told her we were headed out.”
“She’s really come a long way in a short period of time.”
“She has, and I’m so damn proud of her, but she’s a little too feisty at times.”
“Nothing wrong with a gutsy woman.” I laugh.
“No, but I like my balls where they are, perfectly intact.” He chuckles and looks at his crotch.
“Other than her fiery spirit, how are the two of you doing?”
He runs his hand over his head. “I didn’t think I’d ever love someone as much as I do her. I know it sounds like I’m being a wuss, but I’d give her the world if she wanted it.”
