Outside the Wire

by Holly Copella

  Mac smiled sweetly and shook her head. “No, I didn’t follow you,” she replied. “I was following him.”

  “Him?” Melissa asked with confusion.

  “Yeah, him,” she replied with a moderately psychotic grin on her face. “The Russian.”

  Melissa looked down and saw the gun containing a silencer in Mac’s hand. She fired two nearly silent shots into Melissa’s abdomen. Melissa clutched her bleeding stomach and stared at Mac with surprise and horror as her legs buckled.

  “I didn’t save him from your ex-boyfriend just to get him killed again,” Mac casually replied then shrugged. “It’s nothing personal.”

  As Melissa hit the ground, Jackie, Zack, and Riley appeared through the chain-link fence. Jackie hesitated when she saw Mac standing over Melissa’s body.

  Mac eyed Jackie and rolled her eyes. “Figures you’d survive,” she muttered.

  “Play nice,” Zack announced firmly. “We’ve all had a long night.” He touched his ear transmitter. “Ross, we’re out. What’s your twenty?”

  “Heading out the main entrance with Lee, a caravan of bounty hunters, and a few extras,” Ross replied through his transmitter. “What’s the situation?”

  “You can tell our fan club that the bounty’s been lifted due to an unexpected death in the family,” Zack replied. “We’ll meet you at the rendezvous.”

  Chapter Forty-six

  The virtually empty interstate diner was nearly an hour’s drive from the disaster left behind at the racetrack. It was a little after three o’clock in the morning by the time the team regrouped. After parting ways with the disenchanted, oddly forgiving bounty hunters at the local hospital, the moderately worn group of fifteen sat at three sets of tables pulled together. They watched the news coverage of an explosion at the closed racetrack. There were claims of several bodies pulled from the rubble in what looked like a drug deal gone terribly wrong.

  Beck returned to the group of old and new friends looking exhausted but relieved. “I contacted the safe house,” he announced with a sigh. “All parties concerned were happy to hear we’re all alive and still in one piece.”

  Alma and Kelsey returned from the ladies’ room and approached the table. Wexler and Jason stood in response to their return.

  “We should be going,” Wexler announced.

  Ross stood as well and extended his hand to the man who’d kept him alive for two weeks. “Thank you for everything, Wexler,” he announced. “If you ever need anything--”

  He shook Ross’s hand. “Back at you, Ross,” Wexler replied then grinned. “Thanks for the stolen SUV.”

  “You’re welcome, but ditch it the first chance you get,” Ross warned.

  Lee hugged both women, expressed her thanks for all they’d done to keep her safe, and then returned to her seat once the four left the diner.

  “We should probably get back to the others,” Ross remarked. “It’s late, and I’m in dire need of a shower.”

  Everyone nodded in agreement. Ross cast glares around the table.

  Monroe shifted in his chair and indicated Mac. “Shouldn’t we drop off Zack’s girlfriend first?”

  “She’s not my girlfriend,” Zack immediately corrected him, sounding a little gruffer than necessary.

  “No, you just owe me about a thousand favors,” Mac remarked casually. “You should be happy I stuck around considering how little you trusted me.”

  “You knew the people after us. You were the one feeding me all the information regarding Ross, Lee, and the hit on the team,” Zack reminded her. “I had reason not to trust you.”

  “So she wasn’t actually trying to stop you?” Jackie asked becoming curious then eyed Mac. “You were helping him the entire time?”

  “When he needed me,” Mac retorted. “Mostly, I was just left in the dark while risking my life.”

  “You lied about your relationship with Melissa Pendleton,” he boldly remarked while glaring at her. “You were sleeping with the enemy--literally.”

  Mac shook her head while smirking at him. “That’s so typical,” she snapped. “When a man does what I did, it’s called taking one for the team. When a woman does it, she’s automatically deceitful and hiding something.”

  Bogart suddenly became interested in the conversation and eyed Mac while attempting to understand what they were saying. “Wait a minute,” he announced while sitting forward. “Who were you sleeping with?”

  Riley shifted in her chair alongside Bogart’s and gently placed her hand on his lower arm. “I’m pretty sure they’re talking about my step-aunt.”

  Bogart stared at Riley a moment then eyed Mac with a slightly surprised look. “You mean Melissa was sleeping with you and me?”

  Mac raised her brow. “Yeah, but in my case, it was because she wanted to,” she snapped with irritation. “She was just trying to keep you occupied until her henchmen could take you out in Washington.”

  “That’s cold,” Bogart announced then sank back in his chair and shook his head while pouting over his bruised ego. “I really need a steady girlfriend.”

  Riley smiled sweetly and clung to his arm. He eyed her, noted her look with some surprise, and then grinned in response to her cuddling.

  “So this safe house,” Ross began and eyed the others. “None of you knew it was one of Zack’s secret retreats?”

  Everyone but Jackie shook their heads in response.

  “When I learned of the hits and discovered Othello snatched Holden from the hospital, I knew the team needed someplace remote and unknown,” Zack informed Ross. “I contacted Othello under one of my other names and sent him to my retreat.”

  Beck turned to Jackie and appeared curious. “And you discovered this?”

  Jackie nodded without feeling the least bit guilty that she kept the information from him. “I couldn’t tell you because you’d probably think it was a setup and force everyone to leave,” she replied although it was only a partial truth. She couldn’t let Beck suspect she’d intended to go rogue.

  “But how did you know?” Monroe asked her with a curious look. “I checked every inch of that place. I didn’t find any evidence that Zack had been there. I mean, apart from the ample weapon’s room.”

  “I left her clues,” Zack reluctantly replied.

  “Why did you do that?” Jackie finally asked. “You went to great lengths to make us believe you turned on us, yet you left clues for me that told a different story.”

  Zack fidgeted but didn’t respond.

  “He was concerned he’d be killed,” Mac informed her with a hint of jealousy in her tone. “He didn’t want to die knowing you hated him.”

  Beck snorted a laugh. “No need to worry about that,” he remarked to Zack. “She was an absolute pain in the ass. She refused to believe you’d turned.”

  “Why not just tell us?” Bogart finally asked the question on their minds. “Did I miss something?”

  “They were watching me,” Zack replied. “Mac was in their good graces, so I asked her to run interference. I knew they had Ross and Lee and that they’d be distrustful of anyone new.” He hesitated a moment. “I also didn’t see the point endangering the rest of the team for a situation I’d created. I assumed I could handle it on my own.”

  “What were you doing at the boneyard?” Monroe asked.

  “I thought if I sabotaged the planes, you’d be stranded in the boneyard long enough for me to finish my mission,” Zack informed him. “Stranding you there would keep the team out of harm’s way.”

  “So why did you try to abduct me then?” Jackie finally asked.

  Mac rolled her eyes and groaned.

  Zack cast a disapproving look at her then focused his attention on Jackie. “I realized I couldn’t do it on my own, so I needed to recruit you and Kirk onto my ‘ghost’ team,” he replied. “When a Kirk lookalike had an accident, I knew I could switch the dead guy for the real Kirk.”

  Bogart smirked and cocked his head. “And then the ‘real Kirk’ knocked
out the real Bogart.”

  Kirk groaned with annoyance. “You’re like a whining old woman,” he snarled. “Get over it.”

  “Claiming the ‘kill’ on Kirk also bought me extra points with Melissa,” Zack remarked.

  “Did she ever pay the million on Kirk’s head?” Gil then asked.

  Kirk shifted in his chair and avoided looking at the others without comment.

  “No,” Zack replied without even flinching. “I wasn’t expecting to see that money. That would be wrong and immoral.”

  All eyes were suddenly on Zack and Kirk. Zack looked them dead in the eyes without reaction or emotion. Kirk played with his coffee cup and refused to look at any of them. Ross groaned with disapproval and shook his head.

  “I’m curious,” Bogart remarked while eyeing Kirk and Zack. “Which one of you is ‘wrong’ and which was is ‘immoral’?”

  “I’d rather he left us out of it,” Ross remarked.

  “Back to my original question,” Monroe announced with a serious look on his face while shifting in his chair. “What do we do with Mac?”

  She glared at Monroe, clearly annoyed by the question, but didn’t comment.

  Zack shrugged. “Well, considering all she’s done for me and how she risked her life for the team, I’m thinking we get her a suite at a really nice hotel.”

  Mac glared at Zack as her mouth fell open. Her look turned enraged. “You bastard!”

  “Sorry, Mac,” he announced while casually sinking back in his seat. “I’m not letting you anywhere near my weapon’s stash. I’m not even happy that Holden knows where it is.”

  Ross slapped his palms on the table, jolting it, and catching everyone’s attention. “Then it’s settled,” he announced. “We’ll drop our guests off at the hotel down the road.”

  Riley appeared almost as disappointed as Mac was. She clung to Bogart’s arm and smiled affectionately. “It’s late,” she informed Bogart. “You could stay at the hotel tonight. I know I’d feel safer having you close by.”

  Bogart stared at the smile on her face and immediately caught her hint. He gently cleared his throat and eyed the others at the table. “I think I should stay with Riley at the hotel,” he announced and casually shrugged. “Make sure she’s safe until we’re certain no one’s after her.”

  Everyone at the table rolled their eyes and groaned.

  Mac frowned and folded her arms across her chest. “That figures.”

  Kirk snatched the breakfast check as everyone stood to leave. He slapped it into Monroe’s hand and followed the others from the diner.

  Monroe shook his head. “Why do I always get stuck with the bill?” He then muttered, “Everyone knows Zack’s one million richer.” Monroe headed for the register while removing money from his pocket.

  Jackie was about to follow the others when she witnessed Mac kicking Zack’s chair in anger as she passed. Mac didn’t say anything, but she was clearly mad at him. Zack remained alone at the table, slouched in his chair, and stared at nothing in particular while playing with a creamer pod. Jackie returned to the table and sat next to him.

  “You’re really good at pissing off women who can kick your ass, you know that?” she remarked.

  “It’s my trademark,” he muttered without looking at her.

  “What’s wrong?” Jackie finally asked. “She obviously wants you. What’s the problem?”

  He didn’t respond.

  “I know you’re not the ‘talk about your feelings’ type,” Jackie announced with a groan, “but you need to make an exception once in a while or you’ll go insane.”

  There was a long silence. Zack remained fixated on the creamer pod. “I don’t trust her. Trust is very important to me right now.” He was still unable to look at her while maintaining a frown. “Can you ever trust me again after everything I’ve done? Did I ruin our relationship?”

  Jackie affectionately placed her hand on his. He finally glanced up and met her gaze. She smiled warmly and leaned closer to him. “I’ve been to hell and back for you,” she informed him. “It’s safe to assume you’re stuck with me forever.” Jackie gently touched his face then kissed him quickly on the lips. “I love you. Get used to it.”

  He hid his smile. “I already am.”

  She stood and extended her hand to him. “Come on, let’s go home.”

  Zack placed his hand in hers without hesitation and joined her.

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Two days later. The team had returned to the lodge to get back to a somewhat normal life and make necessary repairs while they had the additional manpower. They’d left the place a mess, leaving those who hadn’t been there for the final act speechless at the destruction.

  Othello stood before the massive hole in the lodge lobby and stared at it while the guys covered it with a large sheet of plastic. “That’s one big hole,” he reported then resumed sweeping debris from the lobby floor.

  Everyone was pitching in to help straighten the place while staying there for a well-deserved rest after their ordeal. It was always nice coming home. Holden’s boss, Blake Harris, took care of the mess Jackie left behind at their house and even sent the homicide cleanup crew in so the place would be ready for their return. Gil’s ex-wife, Ellie, decided to stay at a hotel near her home in Virginia so she could return to work. Gil and Darth returned to the lodge in Colorado to help with cleanup. Although nothing was said, the last day at the ranger’s station was moderately uncomfortable between Gil and Ellie. Once the novelty of sex wore off, their differences surfaced, and it was back to fighting as usual.

  Bogart reluctantly left Riley at the hotel in Virginia. After her aunt’s body had been discovered, a lawyer representing her aunt’s estate contacted Riley. She was about to become a very wealthy young woman, which meant there was an excellent chance she’d never see Bogart again after that. Bogart and Sal sorted through the furniture and moved the salvageable pieces across the room where Pinto and Lee cleaned debris from them. A few pieces could be saved with a little work. The rest was sent out back into the bonfire pit.

  Toward the front of the lodge, Jackie, Gil, Kirk, and Zack sorted through the helicopter ruins and salvaged useful parts. Holden was sidelined, forced to sit on the relocated helicopter bench in a supervisory capacity. Although his injuries were mostly healed and the stitches removed, he still wasn’t one hundred percent, leaving him on light duty. He was allowed to return to work later next week to a desk job until he was cleared for fieldwork. Darth kept Holden occupied by bringing him sticks. Holden threw the sticks, but a different stick was always returned. On the last throw, Darth dropped a wet stick onto Holden’s lap. When he looked down, he saw a man’s severely decayed arm. Holden cried out with surprise and tossed it from his lap. Darth barked excitedly and attempted to grab the severed arm, thinking he’d found Holden’s new favorite toy. Gil saw the arm Holden was attempting to wrestle away from the dog.

  “Holden,” Gil scolded. “Don’t let him play with decayed body parts. You don’t know where that’s been.”

  Holden managed to get the arm away from Darth and placed it in a plastic bag with other ‘parts’ they’d found in the wreckage. “I realize I shouldn’t ask,” Holden announced while making a face, “but what happened to the other bodies? Are we burning those in the bonfire pit as well?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Zack casually remarked then tossed Holden a boot with the foot still intact.

  Holden caught it, saw the severed foot sticking out, and grimaced while dropping it into the plastic bag.

  “All sorts of predators in these woods,” Zack informed him while resuming his work. “Something dragged those bodies off in less than forty-eight hours. Judging by the scat I’d found in the lobby, I’m guessing coyote.”

  “Good thing too,” Gil added. “Could you imagine the smell if they hadn’t?”

  “I don’t have to imagine,” Jackie huffed while sorting through twisted metal then picked up a hand by its pinky finger and made a face.
“It’s pretty bad from where I’m standing.” She grimaced and tossed the hand toward Holden.

  Holden and Darth lunged for the severed hand at the same time. Darth reached it first and took off with it. Holden groaned and limped after the dog.

  “Darth!”

  Jackie struggled to lift a piece of metal then saw a man’s smashed face staring back at her. Unfortunately, she’d found the rest of the pilot. She gently returned the piece of metal to its original position, made a face, and stepped back.

  “Zack,” she announced while looking at him and smiling almost sweetly. “This panel is too heavy for me to move. Would you get it for me?”

  Zack made his way through the debris, paused before her, and handed her what he carried. She accepted what he had in his hand then looked down at the dried, shriveled heart she held. Jackie cried out and tossed it aside. Zack casually lifted the panel and stared at the flattened face beneath it.

  “There’s something you don’t see every day,” he remarked then lifted his head. “Holden! Bring a shovel!”

  †

  Later that evening after dark, the guys sat around the massive bonfire while sharing a bottle of expensive brandy. It was possibly going to be another one of those nights. Jackie sat on Holden’s lap while they laughed and had a good time with the others, who were mostly drunk. Lee and Ross were extra lovey with the added alcohol. After everything they’d been through the past two weeks, no one was surprised by their overly affectionate nature. Now that they were drunk, the guys would soon need to chase them to their room before their behavior became obscene. At least at the lodge, they spent most of their day in their room making up for lost time while sparing everyone else their overly affectionate homecoming. Jackie finally realized Zack hadn’t returned after being MIA at least an hour. She whispered something to Holden. He smiled and nodded.