by Barbara Gee
When the girls caught up, Tuck was pacing while talking, and Ryan was waiting silently, his hands on his hips. Maddy went to Tuck and he stopped and drew her against his side.
“There’s no one else?” Tuck asked tensely.
Libby winced, scared about whatever it was her brother was being asked to do. Then he turned and his blue eyes latched onto Ryan, causing Libby’s fear to instantly multiply.
“I’ll talk to him and call you right back,” Tuck said, lowering his phone.
Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “What’s up?”
Tuck didn’t mince any words. “The agency managed to track down some of the men who were members of the terror cell our undercover agent was embedded in. They arrested four men around midnight and interrogated them. One started talking. Our agent’s cover was blown, we’re not sure how yet, and he was taken to the house of sympathetic cell relatives in Grand Forks. At least a half dozen members of the cell are hiding out there, the main player included.”
“Do you know the exact location?”
Tuck nodded. “It’s been under surveillance for the last three hours. A two story house on the northern outskirts of the city. It’s in a bad part of town, and there’s an abandoned seven story hotel a block away with line of sight. They have no idea we’re on to them, and they’re being lax, partying it up with the cousins. Most of the windows are uncovered, and our agents are set up in the hotel with full view of the front of the house. We have other agents watching the back, but there hasn’t been much activity from that side.”
“So why not move in?”
“The only thing the bad guys are doing right is guarding our agent. They have him in an upstairs bedroom. The head of the bed is up against the wall under the window, so he’s only visible from the waist down, but he’s been identified by his pants. Several pairs just like them were found in his apartment.”
“He’s alive?”
“Yeah, there’s been some movement. Still, it’s apparent he hasn’t had an easy time of it.”
“And there’s always an armed guard on him?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah. They switch off, but so far he hasn’t been left alone for even a second. Agent Luther said he’s close to having enough agents in place to storm the house, but they’re going to have to blow the doors. There’s no way to go in silent.”
“And the guard will hear it and eliminate your guy.”
“Unless the guard is taken out first, yeah.”
“Surely you’ve got a long gun set up in the hotel?”
“We do, but our sniper was just taken to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. They think it’s appendicitis. The closest agency replacement is on his way back from vacation, five hours out, minimum. Agent Luther knows your background, Ry. He can get a chopper here in twenty minutes and have you on site in another forty. If you’ll agree to help.”
“I’ll want my own gun. It’s locked in Virgil’s gun safe.”
“Have you shot it recently?”
“Not since I’ve been here, but as a rule I try to spend an afternoon at the range at least once a month. I’m good to go.”
Tuck nodded. “That’s all I need to hear.”
Ryan looked at Libby, a glimmer of apology in his eyes, along with the urgency. “I have to try to help,” he said.
“I know.”
“He won’t be in any danger,” Tuck assured her, dialing his phone. “I’ll go along and make sure of it.”
Ryan walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Can you take care of Hank for me? Explain that I had to go help Tuck with his job and I’ll be back as soon as I can?”
“Of course. We’ll take good care of him. But this is going to be hard on you, Ryan,” she said softly.
“I can handle it. I wouldn’t go if I didn’t know that for sure.”
“Okay.” She hugged him tightly. “I’ll be praying for you.”
“Best thing you can do. I’ll be back soon.”
Tuck hung up his phone and gave Maddy a quick kiss. “They’re already on the way. Fifteen minutes. Let’s get to the house and get your gun. The chopper will land in the field west of the house, away from the stables.”
They were two miles from the house, and the men took off at a fast pace, leaving Maddy and Libby in the middle of the road, stunned and apprehensive. Finally Maddy approached and patted her friend on the back.
“He’s not going to be in danger, Lib.”
Libby wrung her hands. “Not physical danger. But if he has to take a shot and he misses, for whatever reason, I don’t know what he’ll do. I don’t know if he can recover from that a second time.”
“A second time?” Maddy asked curiously.
“He had a really awful experience in Afghanistan. He missed a first shot, and he blames himself for the death of three good friends. Even though he saved dozens of lives while he was over there, it’s that one miss that haunts him.”
“I didn’t know. Tuck shouldn’t have asked him to do this.”
Libby shook her head slowly. “Tuck has faith in him. I need to have faith, too. He wouldn’t go if he didn’t believe he can do whatever they ask of him.”
“Then we’ll have faith together,” Maddy said. “Come on, let’s get back and get breakfast ready. Hank will be up soon, and with this being the first time Ryan has left him for more than a few hours, we need to make everything else as normal as possible for him.”
“I’ll make waffles. They’re his favorite. I can’t run, though. My stomach is feeling too queasy.”
They were still a half mile from the house when they saw the black jet-powered helicopter land, and then lift off a few minutes later, screaming north east toward Grand Forks.
Libby stopped and bowed her head, praying for the man she loved, trying to give her worries and fears over to God.
***
Tuck texted Maddy two hours later. He said Ryan was in place, eyes on the target, and they were playing the waiting game. The FBI agents on the ground were debating whether to go in as soon as all their assets were in place, or wait for dark. Tuck promised to keep them posted.
The day drug by. Hank played happily all morning, then Kay picked him up from the office at the job site right after lunch, as usual. Libby was glad the little boy wasn’t concerned about his dad’s absence, and wished she could say the same about herself. She kept reminding herself of Ryan’s quiet confidence when Tuck asked him to go. Ryan hadn’t hesitated, his only request being to get his own gun.
That was part of why she loved him. His desire to do whatever he could to help his fellow man and his country. It was so much a part of who he was, and Libby didn’t want to change him. Her prayer was that she could handle the worry and stress that loving this kind of man entailed.
***
Ryan lay flat on his stomach on a thin mat that had been placed on a sturdy table, set up in the dusty old hotel room facing a broken window. His initial thought was that his “nest” was a lot more comfortable than what he was used to lying on as he peered through a scope for hours on end. But he soon forgot about his comfort and surroundings, his focus solely on the bedroom where the FBI agent was being held.
Tuck stayed with him in the room, only speaking when it was necessary. Other agents came in and out periodically, but Ryan barely noticed. The timing of the FBI’s attack on the house was still being debated, but he tuned it out. His responsibility was to watch the guard in the room for any signs of aggression toward the hostage. If he observed any sign of aggression, he was cleared to shoot. If possible, to maim, but if that wasn’t an option, a kill shot was authorized.
If he were forced to take a shot before it was planned, the FBI agents, who were already in place, would attack immediately. Otherwise, the FBI would choose the time and let Ryan know when to take out the guard.
The murmur of voices in the room got louder and edged past his veil of concentration. He knew they were still discussing the timing. Without moving his eye from the scope, he said, “Hey,
Tuck. C’mere a sec.”
His friend immediately came over and squatted by his left shoulder.
Ryan spoke softly, his body still motionless. “I can make this shot in daylight or in the dark. That’s not a problem. My only concern is that they might pull the blinds once darkness falls. If they do, we’re screwed.”
“Good point.” Tuck returned to the back of the room and the discussion resumed. This time it lasted less than a minute, then Tuck came back over to Ryan. “We’re going to go while it’s still light. We have parabolic mics set up and our listeners said a couple guys just went out to get a bunch of food to bring back. We’re going to wait until the food is there and everyone is digging in, then we’ll go. Estimate is thirty to forty minutes.”
“Got it,” Ryan said. “Just saw the hostage’s legs move, so he’s still with us.”
“Good. I’ll let the others know.”
Ryan breathed slow and steady, the pad of his right index finger on the trigger but not exerting any force yet. His body was relaxed, his feet flat to minimize muscle strain. He was vaguely aware of tightness in his shoulders, but it was nothing that would affect his shot. Stiffness was the result of holding position for hours on end, and you learned to deal with it.
The minutes ticked down. He breathed in and out, his eye steady on the scope. The guard was seated on a chair by the bedroom door, fully visible to Ryan. He was holding an M-16 semi-automatic rifle across his knees. His right hand was gripping the trigger guard, but his finger wasn’t on the trigger. If he held that position, Ryan knew the shot he would take. He would only go for a center mass kill shot if things went south in a hurry.
He heard Tuck’s quiet voice from slightly behind him. “The food guys just pulled up to the house. Stand by, Ryan.”
A couple minutes later Ryan tensed as the guard reached over and opened the bedroom door. The man maintained his seat on the chair, but shouted something out before closing the door again. Probably calling for someone to bring him some food, or at least save him some.
Ryan focused on the man’s right hand, slowly taking up slack on the trigger.
Then Tuck’s voice came again. “We’re in position. Take the shot when you’re ready, Ry.”
Ryan inhaled, exhaled, his heartbeat slow and steady. He visualized the shot, and at the bottom of the next exhale, he squeezed the trigger. A microsecond later, the M-16 jumped out of the guard’s hand and a spray of blood spewed from his forearm.
“Guard disarmed,” Ryan said simply as he chambered another bullet. He continued to watch through the scope as a crowd of black clad FBI agents descended on the house. Expertly placed C4 blew the front door within seconds, and Ryan knew a simultaneous breach was happening in the back of the house. Ryan was aware of the activity, but he kept his focus on the guard in the bedroom, who had seemingly forgotten about the hostage due to the carnage of his right forearm. From his actions, Ryan knew he was howling in pain, trying to stop the bleeding. The door remained closed, but Ryan watched it, ready to take out anyone who came in to try to eliminate the agent still lying on the bed.
The fight was over quickly. Tuck approached Ryan again. “Stand down, Ryan. All the bad guys are neutralized. Our agents will be entering the bedroom in a few seconds.”
Ryan took his finger off the trigger, but continued to watch as the bedroom door opened and three agents streamed in, one of them tackling the screaming guard to the floor as a precaution against a hidden weapon. Only a problem if he can shoot with his left hand, Ryan thought with satisfaction. An ambulance pulled up in front of the house and the EMTs rolled a stretcher inside.
Letting go of his rifle, Ryan pushed to a kneeling position, rubbing his eyes and rolling his shoulders. All the agents had left the room and were en route to the house, except for Tuck.
“You didn’t take the kill shot?” Tuck asked.
Ryan shook his head. “I had a good angle. Bullet went in a few inches above the wrist and came out at the hand, catching the trigger mechanism. The gun was disabled, so even if he’d had the presence of mind to pick it up and try to eliminate the hostage shooting with his left hand he’d have been screwed.”
A proud grin split Tuck’s face. “Heck of a shot, buddy. Let’s go watch the wrap up.”
“Can you let Maddy know it’s over, so she can tell Libby?” Ryan asked, beginning to disassemble his rifle.
Tuck lifted the gun case up onto the table and opened it, then pulled his phone from his pocket and started tapping out a text.
CHAPTER 35
“That’s Tuck,” Maddy said quickly, taking her hands from the soapy dishwater and shaking them off before grabbing for her phone.
Libby froze in the process of lifting a glass bowl onto a shelf in the cupboard. She held her breath as Maddy read the text, then let out a tremulous breath when a bright smile lit her friend’s face.
“It’s over, Lib. Tuck said Ry made a brilliant shot, injuring the guy’s hand and disabling his gun with one bullet. They’ll be heading back here as soon as things are wrapped up.”
Libby set the bowl heavily on the countertop and slid to the floor, her shaking legs no longer able to hold her up. “Thank God, thank God, thank God,” she murmured.
Maddy joined her on the floor and gave her a huge hug. “He did it, Lib. It’s okay. He did it.”
“I knew he could, I was just so afraid something would go wrong, something unexpected, and he’d be put in a terrible situation. So many scenarios have been running through my head. I’m so relieved.”
They sat there together for a moment, then Libby stood and held out a hand to Maddy. “Let’s go tell Virgil and Kay, then we can finish the dishes. I can’t handle anything glass right now because my hands are still shaking.”
Kay was on the floor in the living room, doing a puzzle with Hank. Virgil was in a chair behind Kay, reading a magazine. Both of their heads jerked up when the girls entered, and Libby loved them all the more for their concern for Ryan.
She gave them a thumbs up, and their smiles were instantaneous. Maddy took over the puzzle with Hank while Kay and Virgil joined Libby in the corner of the room. The only thing she could tell them was what Tuck had texted, but it was enough. They hugged Libby and expressed their pride in Ryan, and just like that the mood in the house switched from quiet and tense to euphoric. Virgil suggested they build a fire in the back yard pit and make s’mores for Hank’s bedtime snack. The little boy enthusiastically seconded that idea, and the two of them went out to start the fire while the girls returned to finish things up in the kitchen.
They were sitting around the fire, enjoying the night and waiting for the wood to burn down into coals suitable for roasting the marshmallows, when Libby’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She quickly stood and walked to a corner of the yard before answering.
“Hey, Libby.”
His voice gave her goosebumps.
“Ryan. I’m so glad you called. Maddy said it’s over and things went well.”
“Yeah, but it’s taking a while to get everything finished up. Agent Luther doesn’t want anyone to leave until the whole scene has been processed and the reports are complete. So we probably won’t be home until tomorrow morning.”
“That’s fine. I’m just so glad it’s over. You’re doing okay?”
“I’m good. Everything went according to plan. How’s Hank?”
“He’s great. We’re in the back yard and he’s playing with Buzz while we’re waiting for the fire to burn down so he can roast marshmallows.”
She heard Ryan’s low chuckle. “I knew I could count on all of you to make sure he had a normal, fun day.”
“He missed you, but he wasn’t worried. I don’t think it even crossed his mind to wonder whether you’ll come back. He knows you will.”
“Just a few weeks ago he would’ve panicked if I was out of his sight.”
“Yeah. He’s come a long way. But I thought it might still be a good idea if I sleep in my old room tonight, so he’s not upstairs
by himself.”
“Thanks.” She heard Ryan clear his throat. “I’m sorry I ran off so quick this morning. I’m still conditioned to jump as soon as I get a call like that. I should have taken the time to make sure you understood.”
“I do understand. I know you pretty well, Ryan. I know there’s no way you’re not going to answer that kind of a call. I was just so afraid something would go wrong and you’d have to make a tough decision that would have you second guessing yourself. I don’t want you to have to go through that.”
“This one went off without a hitch. I was able to disable the guard and never really had to consider whether to go for the easier kill shot.”
“Tuck sent Maddy a text a little bit ago. He said he’s in total awe of you.”
Ryan gave a short laugh. “Yeah, whatever. He’s used to being the one in the hot seat. But I have to say, he was great in the support role. I was glad he was there.”
“I wish I could hug you right now. I know going there was harder than you’re letting on, but you faced it and you did what you had to do. I’m so proud of you, Ryan.”
“I knew you guys were praying. I was praying. It helped. And yeah, I wish you could hug me, too. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
“Okay. Hank and I will be waiting.”
“That sounds so good, Lib. You don’t even know.”
She smiled. “Hurry back.”
***
Libby wasn’t sure how Hank would respond to her taking over Ryan’s ritual of putting him to bed, but the little boy accepted her assurance that his dad would be home the next morning, and after his bath, he hurried into the bedroom where she was waiting with his dragon book. His pajamas were a little askew, indicating he hadn’t dried off especially well before tugging them on over damp skin. Libby straightened them before he crawled into bed.
“I’m going to sleep in the bedroom next door tonight, so if you wake up and need anything, just come get me, okay?”
“Okay. How many chapters can we read?” he asked eagerly.
