Shattered Lies

by Kathleen Brooks

  * * *

  The bar must have thought they were crazy. There was no other explanation for the attorney general, the director of the FBI, the administrator of the DEA, Lizzy, Dalton, Valeria, Grant, Alex, and Roxie to be crammed into the small storage room.

  Everyone was shoulder to shoulder around the edge of the room as Lizzy, Dalton, Valeria, and Grant stood in the center of the room.

  “Okay, here’s the game plan,” Lizzy said, holding up a cell phone she’d retrieved from a vodka case. “This phone belonged to Dan March. I’m sure there’s a tracking app on it. There’s never been a body found. Mollia Domini will come if we turn this on. And that’s what I’m hoping.”

  “You want them to come to us, so we have home field advantage?” Kirby asked.

  “Yes and no,” Lizzy began. “I have a good idea where Roland Westwood and Manuel Hernandez are, based on previous tracking. There’s a compound via tunnels from the US into Mexico. I want the phone to be turned on and Alex and Roxie to track the GPS signal being sent from the phone. I want to know who’s retrieving it. I’m betting it’s someone in Mexico. Then I want that phone mined for all intelligence while we go into Mexico via the same tunnels I think Manuel’s men will come out.”

  “It’s a diversion,” Janet said, smiling. She was in her late forties but hadn’t developed the politician softness that Kirby had. She still looked as if she could handle herself in a shootout, especially with the three guns Lizzy had been able to spot on her so far.

  “Yes,” Lizzy answered. “I need the bees to leave the hive.”

  “Where do you want us?” Kirby asked.

  “San Diego.”

  * * *

  Tate rested her head on Birch’s shoulder. They sat on the couch in the Treaty Room in the middle of the night as Lizzy and her team flew to California. The White House was quiet at this time of early morning, especially in the residence. Crew was sleeping in a nearby chair. He’d been asked to keep an eye on her and Birch while the group of agents and Lizzy’s team took a military plane. They’d be arriving in an hour.

  She and Birch had thought about going to bed, but they couldn’t. Not when their friends were walking into the lion’s den. Instead, they found themselves sitting in the Treaty Room with the televisions on silent, waiting to see if there was a leak in the handpicked team sent to collect Manuel Hernandez and Roland Westwood.

  Birch rubbed his hand over her shoulder as he kept her pressed tight against him. “How are you feeling?”

  “Anxious. What happens if—?”

  “Shhh. We don’t talk about what-ifs. We’re prepared, and they will handle anything that comes their way.”

  “I don’t think I could stand another flag being handed to us.” Tate looked to where Jason’s flag had been placed in a shadow frame and hung on the wall.

  “I know. Right now we must simply have faith that good people doing hard work will win. It’s never easy to stand up against the hate and the division that a group like Mollia Domini thrives on achieving. They want to pit us against each other to tear our country and democracy apart so we don’t see what they’re doing in the shadows. We’ll be doing their job for them. Chaos creates opportunity for the ambitious. It’s exactly what they want to happen to us. It’s easier to overtake half the people than a united country demanding their leaders check their power and do what’s right for their citizens. No, Mollia Domini wants that division so they can tell their oblivious victims what they want to hear. Give me your freedoms and I’ll make the others pay. That was their plan. To kill the strong leaders, to tear the country apart by having them pitted against each other, and then swoop in as the savior. It’s the dictatorship playbook.” Birch kissed the top of her head reassuringly.

  “But they’ve already lost. They lost the second your speech was given. The second people started questioning the bias. They lost the second people took a hard look at who was screaming hate, and instead looked past it to all to the quiet goodness of the people trying to do what was right. That was when Mollia Domini lost. They saw our field team even though they never laid eyes on them. Good will always win. Because I have faith that, at our core, we all want to not only be good, but do good.”

  Tate lifted her face to his. “I hope so. I almost lost you to the hate once. I won’t be able to stand it if they come after you again.”

  “Even if they don’t, they’ll never succeed. Will you come with me?” Birch asked as he sat up straighter.

  Tate nodded and took hold of her crutches to stand.

  “Where are you two going?” Crew asked sleepily when Birch grunted as he stood. His ribs were still tender, but improving each day.

  “We’ll be right back. Don’t worry, we’re not leaving the residence.”

  Crew nodded before lying back against the cushion of the chair. His feet were propped on the matching ottoman as he drifted back to sleep.

  Tate used her crutches to maneuver out of the room, Birch held the door, and then walked side by side with her down the hall. They made their way to the solarium and then out the door onto the promenade. She breathed in the heaviness of the night air. The dew that came about before the sun made everything seem fresh and clean as they walked to the baluster and looked out over the fountain on the South Lawn and at the Washington Monument, lit up against the dark sky.

  “Soon we’re going to be caught up in the whirlwind of the mission. Once again, Mollia Domini will be all we’re talking about, either in victory or defeat. Right now, right here, I have you beside me.” Birch stepped up behind Tate and set aside her crutches.

  Tate leaned against the baluster and smiled. “I’m glad we have a moment together alone. I love you, Birch. I’ve missed not being at your side more, but with all this craziness—” Tate took a deep breath and let some of the tension go. She felt powerless as her friends headed straight into danger.

  Birch leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers before taking them fully in his. Tate sighed. She was home in Birch’s embrace. “Thank you for loving me despite me being president. We’ll never have a normal relationship.”

  “You’re worth it, Birch. It’s not the amount of time we have together but what we do with it. And I know one thing I can’t wait to get back to doing,” Tate leaned up and kissed the man she loved.

  * * *

  Grant smiled down at Valeria. She was asleep in the plane but had slumped over in her seat and curled into his side. She was snoring softly and drooling on him, but it was the best feeling in the world.

  This woman who had shot her way into his life was suddenly at the center of it. He pulled her closer to him and shut his eyes. They were almost to their destination, but his mind was on Valeria instead of the jump they would have to make. The thought of Valeria being injured caused his heart to seize. How could he tell her he loved her? How could he explain it when he didn’t understand it himself? It had hit hard and fast, but he wouldn’t change it for anything. It motivated every move he made. Tonight he could end Mollia Domini and tomorrow he could ask Valeria to marry him. But until Mollia Domini was caught, there was no point saying things that might distract them from the mission at hand.

  “Ten minutes to jump,” the pilot called over the speaker.

  Valeria shot up and wiped her mouth. Then she looked at his black shirt and squinted. “Sorry about that,” she said, wiping at the wet spot. She looked at all the agents Kirby had brought with them to Quantico. They’d taken off from the Quantico MCAF, a small airstrip on the base, in a small cargo plane. There was a wall cutting the plane in half. The front half was crammed with seats and through the airtight door was the cargo area.

  Grant grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. “Be safe tonight. I’m depending on you to have my six.”

  “I thought you’d have my six,” Valeria teased as they stood up and made their way to the back of the small cargo plane. Lizzy and Valeria had made a stand when Dalton and Grant tried to talk them out of going. Surprisingly, it was Janet Salin
ger who had been the most difficult. She’d wanted to go in first, but finally they all agreed Dalton and Grant had the most experience breaching buildings. Then Lizzy and Valeria, with Janet covering the back. It has been a hard sell, but finally they’d all agreed.

  Dalton closed the door to the cargo area once everyone was in then locked it shut. Each person grabbed a parachute and started pulling it on. Valeria tugged her parachute into position and Grant checked it before she checked his. “How are you doing, Salinger? Feeling rusty after sitting behind a desk for so long?”

  “Bite me,” she snapped even though she had a grin on her face.

  “You all ready?” Dalton asked as he strapped the helmet onto his head. The helmets were not only bulletproof, but they also had night vision cameras attached to them.

  “I’ve been ready since before you were in diapers,” Janet called out. Valeria snorted, Lizzy chuckled, and Dalton and Grant shot worried looks at each other. Janet didn’t become the head of the DEA by riding a desk, and she was reminding them of that.

  “Okay,” Lizzy called, bringing them all around. Alex and Roxie joined them even though they weren’t jumping. “We jump and rendezvous here,” she said, pointing to a map. “The mountains, right here, are very rocky. Grant and Dalton will be here, near the door. Janet, I want you across the way with the rifle, and more importantly, the camera. Everything needs to be recorded for the courts.”

  “You’ve got it,” Janet said, double-checking her rifle straps and holding the gun tight against her body in preparation for the jump.

  “Then Val and I will take these points here to be able to lay cover fire if Dalton or Grant become exposed. Any questions?” Lizzy asked, holding out the map to let everyone get one last look.

  “I think we’re good,” Alex said seriously, causing Janet to look confused. “And dude, I got the best idea for the ambush.”

  “Alex is so smart.” Roxie looked up at Alex with adoration, and he blushed.

  “I thought Kirby had this handled,” Lizzy said, not sounding happy.

  “But I came up with an even better plan. A boat.”

  “A boat?” Dalton asked.

  “Yeah, we’ll turn on the phone once it’s on a boat. It’ll look like Dan’s coming into port. It funnels them into one area to get onto the boat and it’ll keep civilians safe. I can do all I need to do from the boat as long as it has a stable internet connection.”

  Everyone was quiet for a moment. “Dude, great plan,” Dalton jested, smacking Alex’s back. Lizzy smacked them both and rolled her eyes.

  “But it is a good plan. We’ll see you on the other side.” Lizzy grabbed Alex into a brotherly hug before Kirby came over to open the door. The plane had steadily been decreasing its altitude to near thirteen thousand feet. It was time to jump.

  “Come on, kids. Let’s let them get to work. Keep in touch, James,” Kirby yelled over the sound of the engine as he pushed Alex and Roxie back toward the seats. He checked the door, wrapped his arm around a cargo net, and pushed the cargo hold button.

  Wind raced in as the back of the plane opened. It might have been a warm summer night, but not at thirteen thousand feet. Here the wind had a bite to it as they stepped forward. No longer alone, Lizzy still was depending only on her team. It didn’t matter five FBI agents handpicked by her and Kirby were up front. They weren’t part of the team that got them this far. They weren’t her family. The people she was jumping out of a plane with were. Except Janet. However, if Janet ever wanted to leave the DEA, Lizzy would make a place for her on the team.

  “Now!” Kirby yelled.

  Grant jumped. His body was yanked from the plane by the rushing air as he disappeared into the night. Dalton grabbed her before Lizzy could jump. “If we get through this, we’re getting married.” He kissed her then as her mouth hung open in surprise. The kiss was hard, fast, and then nothing but the wind dancing along her still moist lips. Dalton had jumped.

  “Holy shit, you’re getting married,” Valeria said as she turned her back to the night air. “I better be your maid of honor.” Valeria opened her arms, laughed, and jumped backward into the night.

  “Are you crying?” Lizzy asked Janet as they moved to the edge of the cargo ramp.

  “That was the most romantic proposal I’ve ever seen. If only someone had been shooting at you right then. You better say yes,” Janet ordered before jumping.

  Lizzy shook her head and jumped. The air fought her body, disrupting it as she pulled her arms to her side to speed up her freefall. The bastard had jumped before she could give him her answer. For that she was going to make him wait.

  29

  Alex leaned over the rail of the boat and threw up for a third time. Whose bright idea was it to get on a boat? Roxie rubbed his back, and his humiliation was complete. He’d wanted to be a hero. He wanted to be Dalton or Grant. Instead, even Humphrey was more macho than he was. What hero got seasick the second they left shore?

  “Maybe we should move back onto land?” Roxie suggested.

  “No,” Alex said, wiping his mouth and taking a sip of water. “It’s a good plan.”

  He took a deep breath and looked around the boat. It was a confiscated drug smuggling boat the DEA had lent them. The deck of the small million-dollar yacht had an outdoor couch that was actually storage space. Two agents were going to be hiding there in order to surround whoever came for Dan’s phone. The Coast Guard was out of sight, but fully armed and ready to move in to surround the yacht as soon as they were given a signal. Inside in the large saloon on the main level would be Kirby with three agents and the phone. One agent in the empty refrigerator, one in the bathroom, and Kirby sitting at the kitchen table with an agent that freakishly resembled Dan March. Lizzy had helped with supplying the right clothes and haircut from the last time she’d seen him, which no one bothered to fill in Kirby or anyone else about.

  Alex and Roxie would be hidden in one of the bedrooms while Knoll would be operating the cameras in the main bedroom. The whole living room was rigged with cameras and bugs. Audio and video of the apprehension would be taken. Knoll, as attorney general, lectured the agents nonstop over the last hour of the flight about what to say and what not to do.

  Alex walked on wobbly legs toward the living room. AG Knoll had been handpicked by Birch just two weeks before. He’d been confirmed three days ago, and now he was in on the biggest takedown in history. Birch had told Alex that Knoll was a former JAG lawyer before becoming a prosecutor. He was levelheaded and didn’t scare easily. Alex didn’t know about Knoll, but he was scared shitless. The AG was dressed in a freaking suit, sitting with his legs crossed and flicking a piece of lint off his tie. Alex guessed he really didn’t scare.

  Roxie slid her hand into his, and Alex realized he was shaking. God, he was embarrassing himself. Roxie looked nervous, but she wasn’t puking over the rail like he was. Alex took a deep breath and felt his stomach roll. He swallowed hard as everyone turned to look at them.

  “Are you ready, son?” Kirby asked him.

  Alex nodded. He didn’t trust himself to speak when his stomach was pitching a fit.

  “One minute,” Roxie said cheerfully as she took out her phone and cranked up some heavy metal. Kirby looked assaulted, Knoll bounced his leather-clad foot to the music, and the agents were a mix of confused and amused.

  Alex and Roxie opened their computers side by side in the small built-in booth in the kitchen area. They sat shoulder to shoulder and someone placed a trashcan next to Alex with a smirk. Alex would have been insulted, but the fact is, he would probably need that trashcan.

  Alex hooked the phone up to his computer and nodded. Kirby leaned over the table and turned the phone on. No one spoke as the guitar wailed and the bass strummed. The phone’s screen popped up, and Alex went to work breaking into it.

  “Got it,” Alex said as he pulled up the phone’s GPS app.

  “I see it. I’m inputting the information now,” Roxie said, chomping on a piece of gum. Her ent
ire being was focused on her computer.

  “We’ve got action,” Alex said as his fingers flew over the keys of his laptop. His program tore apart the app. Instead of seeing what a normal person saw, he saw numbers, data, and code. Code that gave him the unique signature of the person currently accessing the GPS in Dan’s phone.

  “Come on,” Alex muttered as he followed the digital crumbs the intruder left.

  “It’s a Mexican IP address,” Roxie said, her eyes never leaving the screen.

  “Dude.” The high Alex felt as he outsmarted the person on the other end of the internet rushed through him and pushed the nausea down. “Duuuude . . . come on, come on. Yes!”

  “What?” Kirby asked but Alex didn’t answer.

  “I’m closing in on it.” Roxie said.

  “Verifying.” Alex double checked the location and pulled up a satellite image of the location.

  “Got it,” Roxie said. “Are you ready?”

  “Go,” Alex ordered, knowing they had found them. Roxie read off the GPS coordinates. “It’s a match. We found them, and it’s right where Lizzy and Dalton thought they would be.”

  “Where?” Kirby asked as he and everyone else squeezed in to look at Alex’s laptop. “Is it Manuel’s main compound?”

  “No. It’s on the northwest side of Laguna Salada.”

  Kirby looked at the map. “Pull up images for within a quarter mile of the border. There has to be some structure we’re missing.”

  “There’s a small solar field here that feeds electricity to this cell phone tower.” Roxie pointed to the screen.

  “Enlarge it,” Kirby said, moving to stand behind them.

  Alex zoomed in and cocked his head. “There are tire marks leading from the main road to the solar field, but no cars can be seen.”

  “There,” Roxie said excitedly. “Zoom in closer.”

  Alex did so and saw the back end of cars hiding under the solar panels. “There’s a structure under the solar panels.”