Forged Risk

by Sidney Bristol

  Obran released the note and slid his hands out from under the pillow. He sat up, giving the newcomer his full attention. She had the bearing of someone important. The cloak of authority hung on her shoulders.

  This was the real person in power here.

  She didn’t speak, she just studied him for several moments. Weighing him. Assessing his value.

  Those muscle bound idiots didn’t make him nervous. But this woman? Sweat broke out along his spine despite the chill in the room.

  THURSDAY. FBI HOLDING Facility. Austin, Texas.

  Felecia kept her head up. She was grateful that among the clothes Kelsey had brought her was a dress that made Felecia look a little professional. She still felt like a child playing dress-up, but when she looked at herself in the mirror she at least appeared more poised.

  “Zora’s good people, but she’s not going to trust you,” Kelsey said in a low voice. “Just answer her questions. Keep it simple. Remain calm. She’ll likely try baiting you to react.”

  “You call this good people behavior?” Felecia said without looking away. She wanted Evan there with her, but she didn’t think he’d have insight like this.

  Kelsey blew out a breath. “It’s a lot to explain. She’s a black woman in a position of power and we haven’t exactly done a great job. You also know why she’s not easy to trust.”

  The mole.

  Felecia was glad Evan had slept with her last night. She wasn’t keen on being alone, and it didn’t seem like Evan’s team was either. The moment he was called away, Kelsey had shown up and kept her company for the rest of breakfast, right up until they were summoned for the briefing.

  “You’ve got this,” Kelsey said.

  Felecia blew out a breath and did her best to settle her nerves. Kelsey opened a door and held it for her.

  Inside was a mix of people she knew and those she didn’t. There were the expected people, like Evan and his team. Only Logan and Tucker sat at the table. Sammy and Baruti were also there, one across from the other. Zora Felecia knew from their brief video call. A white woman and an Asian man also sat at the long conference table, but no one offered introductions.

  Zora glanced up from her tablet. “Felecia. Have a seat.”

  She indicted the chair at the far end of the table opposite her.

  Felecia glanced at the assortment of chairs along the wall where Evan, Kelsey, Harper and Jamie were sipping on coffee. There was a practiced ease to their posture she wasn’t buying.

  Well, Felecia had expected this to be a hostile encounter.

  She pulled out the seat and settled herself, moving at her own pace.

  Her mother had always told her to never do things according to someone else’s agenda. Rushing made mistakes.

  She shut down that line of thinking before it distracted her.

  Zora set the now dark tablet down and folded her hands over it. “You didn’t follow the questions my agents gave you. Why?”

  That was easy.

  Still, Felecia paused a moment.

  Don’t let her bully you.

  “When your people questioned me they wanted to know about the Horsemen. If my father was only going to answer a few questions, shouldn’t we start with the most important ones first?” She shrugged and crossed her ankles to keep from bobbing her knee.

  “That’s not for you to decide,” Zora said coldly.

  “Hey now,” Logan said spreading his hands. “Felecia’s done nothing but cooperate with us from the beginning.”

  Felecia was startled at Logan coming to her defense.

  Zora studied Logan. “I’d have thought it would be harder to fleece you.”

  Logan merely reclined back in his chair, regarding Zora with an equally cold stare.

  She turned her attention on Felecia. “Here’s the deal. I don’t trust you. I think you’ll do whatever serves your best interest. I don’t believe your little story about hating your father either. I’d be more likely to believe that you’re working with him.”

  Felecia clenched her jaw. The atmosphere in the room chilled and a few people shifted in their chairs.

  “What person doesn’t do what’s in their best interest?” Felecia spread her hands. “I’d be a fool to not think about myself.”

  “So you admit you’re still working with your father then? Because that’s in your best interest?”

  “I can’t admit to a truth that isn’t true.” She pressed the toe of her ballet flat against the still healing flesh on her ankle. “I can assure you that working with my father is not in my best interest.”

  “Did you look at the pictures we sent you?” Tucker asked cutting off whatever Zora was going to say in reply.

  Zora continued staring at Felecia. “I did.”

  “Then you saw the chains. You saw everything.” Tucker snorted. “I admit, I don’t much like this situation we got tossed into, but Felecia’s been on our side at every turn. There were a couple of times she could have gotten away if she wanted to, but she hasn’t. So why don’t we cut this hostile bullshit and work together on this?”

  Zora’s eyes slid toward Tucker and something flashed in the depths of that look. “Are you in charge now?”

  “No, ma’am, I am not,” he drawled.

  Logan cut in smoothly. “That Tucker’s trying to say is that this time could be put to a better use.”

  “Could it?” Zora arched a brow.

  “Agent Clark?” The white woman with the grandmotherly smile leaned forward. “If I may move this along?”

  Zora’s gaze cut back to Felecia. “This is Agent Baker. You will answer her questions.”

  Felecia gave the kind faced woman her full attention.

  “Felecia. That’s a nice name.” Agent Baker shuffled a few sheets of paper around. “Your birth name, what was that again? Just to confirm.”

  “I don’t know.” Felecia swallowed. “Names have always been something that changed. I don’t know what my parents called me when I was a baby.”

  Agent Baker tilted her head. “What’s on your birth certificate?”

  “I don’t have a birth certificate. I was born at home.”

  “Any particular reason?”

  “My family are Roma Ruska. My grandparents didn’t have any trust for people not like us. Not after what they’d lived through. I was born at home, at least that’s what I was told.”

  “I see.” Agent Baker consulted pages of what looked like notes.

  She asked questions about Felecia’s upbringing, what schools she’d gone to, places she remembered living. It took Felecia about half an hour to realize that the woman was mapping out her life, using one answer to spark more questions. Felecia kept her answers simple, but the woman was hunting.

  Agent Baker wore the mask of a kindly old woman well, but under it she was every bit as tenacious as Zora. The difference was in delivery. Too late Felecia realized she’d allowed herself to be lulled into this performance.

  Zora had wound her up. Now Agent Baker drew out all the answers. By the time Felecia’s stomach started to growl she could sense the danger she was in.

  It was Zora who called a break for lunch, and before she could issue further orders Kelsey jumped in to ask Zora something. Evan was at Felecia’s elbow in an instant, his big body between her and Agent Baker. He guided Felecia out of the room, his long strides forcing her to almost jog to keep up with him.

  “Slow down.” She tugged at his hand.

  Evan opened a room and pulled her into an accessible bathroom then locked the door.

  “What? What’s wrong?” She pulled away from him, staring into his worried blue eyes.

  “I think you should go,” he said softly.

  “Why?”

  “Something doesn’t feel right.”

  She grimaced and thought about last night, the funny feeling she’d had. “I thought it was just me.”

  “Zora’s not coming clean with us.” He edged closer. “She knows something she’s not letting us in on. I’m
worried about where this is headed.”

  “What should I do?”

  “I think Kelsey will help get you out of here. Jamie’s got some cousins who live in San Antonio.”

  Felecia shook her head. “No, family is too obvious.”

  “You’d do it then? You’d leave if I can get you out?”

  “I don’t know,” she said slowly. “I don’t feel like there’s a good option.”

  “Me neither.” He took her hand in his. “I also don’t want to send you out by yourself. I want to keep you with me, but...”

  “I know.” She patted his shoulder while on the inside her panic was rising.

  What the hell was she in now?

  THURSDAY. FBI HOLDING Facility. Austin, Texas.

  Caleb studied the plain looking building behind the tall chain-link fence. The place was built like a fortress. But every site had its weaknesses and this one was no secret. Like most modern buildings it relied too heavily on technology to sustain it, from programmed thermostats that maintained optimal temperatures in server rooms to the automated security systems.

  That was going to be their way in.

  Of the forty-eight people given orders to report to the ready site, only thirty-five were present. At least ten were still on their way. The remaining three had slipped off and left on their own according to others. Caleb would worry about them later, after this was over. Most importantly though, he had his two best techs on-site. With them here and their other people back at their headquarters he expected to take the entire facility offline right before they made their attack.

  Bodhi sidled up next to him. They stood on top of a nearby building wearing jumpsuits and pretending to be an HVAC company. No one paid attention to people in uniforms. They all knew that from their time as SEALs. A whole other lifetime ago.

  “They’re ready to go over the plan,” Bodhi said.

  Again?

  Caleb stifled his urge to groan and instead nodded. Life had been easier when Kurt took the lead. All Caleb had to do then was show up. He’d never appreciated that until now.

  He turned toward the makeshift table. A large printout of the building was held down with a few pieces of debris they’d picked up on the roof.

  “How’s it looking on the technical side?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Our contact says we should have access in twenty minutes,” Ramon replied.

  Caleb nodded. He didn’t like not knowing who this contact was, but both Bodhi and Ramon had claimed this wasn’t unusual. Maybe it was just a detail he hadn’t paid any mind to before Kurt’s death.

  “Our target is being held here.” Caleb tapped a black X on the map. “Two teams will enter from here and here. Bodhi’s team will stay in the wings to offer support and get us the hell out of here. Every person in this building should be armed. We treat every person as hostile. Shoot to kill.”

  “We still interested in the girl?” Ramon asked.

  “Yeah.” Caleb nodded. “If we find the girl, get her. Skilton thinks she could be useful. What else?”

  “Have we considered local law enforcement?” Bodhi asked.

  “That’s your problem. Keep them off us for as long as you can.”

  Caleb wished they could practice. A hit like this should be rehearsed, not thrown together on the fly.

  “I’m getting connection,” one of the techs announced.

  “We’re almost in,” the other one said.

  Caleb glanced at the other men. “It’s game time. Get in position. Now. Go.”

  They jumped to, hustling to the ladder leading to the ground.

  It felt weird being obeyed like that. Not uncomfortable, just different.

  Caleb followed the others. The techs would remain up here where they had spliced into the fiber optic cables serving the compound. They were on their own from here on out and would relocate later after the job was done.

  Below, Ramon was already gone, no doubt to ready his team.

  Bodhi waited, watching Caleb.

  “What?” he asked as he reached the ground.

  “Is this a good idea?”

  Caleb snorted. “Too late to ask that question.”

  “Do you ever wish we hadn’t done it?” Bodhi blurted.

  Caleb froze, studying the other man. Was he serious?

  The question took him aback. They’d made this plan together, sought out how to make it happen. No part of their plan could have happened without one of them doing their part.

  Bodhi shifted from foot to foot. “I mean, we aren’t free the way we thought we would be. There’s always someone yanking your strings.”

  “That’s life. We made our decision, now we live or die by it.”

  Caleb turned before he betrayed himself.

  There was no going back. Not now, not ever. And if they didn’t succeed, if they disappointed Skilton, they were as good as dead. Failure was not an option.

  SWEAT MADE RAMON’S clothes stick to his skin. It was hot inside the delivery truck they’d stolen for this job.

  He was also blind, relying on a couple button pushers and Caleb.

  Caleb.

  Ramon still wasn’t sure about following the other man. Kurt was a person who knew the costs of what they did. He’d understood the nature of their new world. Caleb was still too idealistic, too soft. He was valuable because people connected with him. Almost every target they’d approached had opened up to Caleb in time. He just had a way about him.

  But Caleb as a leader?

  Ramon wasn’t sold, but he also knew he didn’t want the pressure of leading this outfit.

  The radio on his shoulder crackled to life. “Systems are down. You are good to go.”

  “You heard that,” Caleb said almost over the man. “Go.”

  Ramon didn’t need to snap an order. The driver revved the engine and the truck lumbered forward, picking up speed.

  The men in the back of the truck grabbed for handholds or crouched low to the ground as the truck bounced and jostled them around.

  Any moment now...

  The truck lurched, almost throwing Ramon to the ground. It would have if he weren’t prepared.

  A loud snap and pop followed by the screech of metal announced that they were through the fence.

  There was no turning back. At least not right now.

  If they survived this Ramon was going to have to think long and hard about following Caleb.

  The back door of the truck rolled up and the men began leaping out before the truck came to a complete stop. But, that was the plan.

  Ramon followed the others out. A moment later the truck crashed into the building, mere yards from the entrance.

  The name of the game was chaos now.

  23.

  Thursday. FBI Holding Facility. Austin, Texas.

  Evan stared into Felecia’s eyes and knew he’d made a decision. One that might change the course of his life.

  He was going to help her, likely even go with her wherever she went, and that meant closing the door on everything he’d been and done up until now. It was a scary idea, and yet as he looked at her it felt more right as the seconds ticked by.

  Felecia licked her lips. “Evan?”

  He opened his mouth, not sure what to say.

  The lights flickered once then went out.

  “Evan.” Felecia clutched his hand and stared at the ceiling.

  “It’s okay. It must just be a power outage. There are back-up generators.” He almost believed himself.

  They stood there staring up into blackness for a moment.

  A humming sound started up followed by beeps from near and far.

  “See?” He squeezed her hand. “Generator’s coming on-line.”

  The light flickered back on.

  “Come on,” he said and opened the bathroom door.

  Evan peered out, but the people he saw were frowning at the lights.

  He led Felecia out into the hall, walking at a brisk pace.

  “
Evan, what is it?” Felecia asked in Ukrainian.

  He could say nothing. He could repeat himself that it was just a power outage. But he wasn’t sure he could make himself sound believable.

  If they were under attack he needed more guns. They both needed protective gear.

  And then there was the rest of the team, the people in the building. Obran, Karen and Jacob.

  Felecia didn’t know...

  As if thinking about her prompted her to act she tugged on his hand, digging in her heels.

  The lights winked out. No flickering this time, they were just gone.

  Evan pulled on her arm. “Move. Now.”

  She didn’t resist him. “What’s going on?”

  He kept walking, the picture of the clear hall in his mind. He pulled out his cell phone and used the flashlight app to light their way. People called out to each other, no doubt confused. This facility shouldn’t lose power. Not like this.

  Which meant someone was likely causing this.

  “I think someone’s coming after your dad. Maybe you.” He stepped into her room. His gear was lined up against the wall.

  More voices joined those confused ones. The new ones were alarmed, likely building security or someone with sense to know they were in danger.

  Evan shoved his comm in his ear and activated it. “Anyone listening? Hello?”

  No answer.

  Because everyone else had remained behind in the conference room.

  “Put your vest on,” he ordered while strapping on his own.

  At least his clothes were dark. He wished Felecia’s dress didn’t have the bright purple flowers, but they’d make do.

  “Can you run? We’re going to have to run.” He could feel the seconds ticking down, urging him to move faster.

  Something was coming.

  “Yes, I can run,” Felecia said.

  He shoved a handgun at her while strapping on two more weapons of his own.

  “Where are we going?” She crouched at his side now.

  He didn’t want to tell her, but she’d want to know.

  Evan sucked down a breath and looked at her. “Jacob was brought in this morning.”