by Dianna Love
“You could always take a walk down the aisle and say hello.”
He didn’t say anything, but she could tell that might be more activity than he wanted on this flight.
The flight attendant’s next announcement instructed everyone to shut down electronics in preparation for takeoff and that this flight would arrive on time in Miami at twenty minutes after six this evening.
“I’m going to catch the devil,” Trish mumbled, pulling out her book when Dixon turned his tablet off.
He asked, “Why?”
“I forgot to call home to tell them we were taking an earlier flight. After all that’s happened this week, my family is smothering me and thinks I can’t take a cab from the airport.”
“You certainly will not take a cab. I’ll have my driver drop you.”
“Thank you.” She still should have contacted Heidi to let her know Trish would arrive close to seven tonight instead of after nine.
But she’d be extremely safe riding with a senator.
Trish just wished she’d had a moment to herself today to call Josh. Did he miss her? Would he come by tonight?
Or would he finish up his investigation and just disappear from her world forever? Zane had once told her how some undercover operatives spent years gone.
Had that been why Josh never acknowledged her words after she’d left the hospital? Maybe he didn’t want a woman saying she loved him.
Whether he wanted her to or not, she did love him.
Enough to not make him admit he’d heard her and to let him go when the time came.
He’d said either he or Zane would pick her up at the airport. She might just pass on the senator’s generous offer if she could reach Josh by phone.
Chapter 46
Josh sat at the dining room table in the team hotel suite, trying to keep his attention on the six-inch wide electronic unit mounted inside the briefcase.
Wondering why he hadn’t heard from Trish all day.
Wondering if her neck was bothering her.
Or if she missed him.
He’d gotten confirmation that she’d arrived and was met by Senator Dixon’s staff, which included security. She was safe. Josh had to believe that or he couldn’t function.
He still had to decide what he was going to do if this monitor in front of him started receiving a signal.
Would it lead his team into a trap?
Or would an attack happen while he sat here staring at a static map of Miami? The map had appeared as soon as he opened a program that was unlike any he’d seen before.
And he’d seen plenty.
He wanted to dig into the backside of this program and see what he could find, but the risk of hitting a hidden oh-shit electronic tripwire set to destroy the software was not worth the gamble.
Sadly, this represented their only chance at finding Rikker.
“What time is it?” Ryder asked the room in general when he walked in looking marginally rested and as if he’d slept in his clothes. Probably had. Combat naps.
“Seventeen-forty-eight,” Dingo answered, but he was no longer tied to the laptop. Ready to move out the minute they had a target, the Aussie had on his dark cargo pants and a brown long-sleeved T-shirt over a body shaped by weights and rowing. Nick released constant sighs from taking his turn studying the security camera feeds on the laptop monitor. No one had gotten twitchy or acted suspicious in the task force offices so far.
Ryder crossed the room to Josh. “Nothing yet?”
“No.” Josh stood. “Your turn.”
Ryder sat down and turned the briefcase toward him. “The purpose of this briefcase might be simply to keep us out of the way.”
“I know.”
“Or a map to a trap.”
“I. Know.”
“Could be–”
Josh grabbed his forehead to keep from strangling Ryder who had thankfully fallen silent then muttered, “Shit.”
Jerking his hand away, Josh looked down where a light had begun blinking. “That’s near the Miami airport.”
Trish was flying in tonight, but not until closer to ten. This whole thing could be a scam to divert the attention of Josh’s team, which would mean someone knew he and Ryder were not agency people. Or maybe this had been sent for the DEA.
Hell, he wasn’t freaking clairvoyant. It came down to a fifty-fifty chance that this could hand him Rikker or kill everyone on his team.
Standing up, Ryder said, “Decision time. What’s it going to be?”
Chapter 47
Rikker carefully unpacked each of the three boxes, following explicit instructions on where to cut the packing tape and which flap to open in specific order.
He carefully integrated each of the three pieces with his base unit. With the exception of those parts shipped in the High Vision container, everything else he’d needed had been easy to acquire.
With the sliding glass doors to the patio open, he could hear the low roar of jets passing overhead on the way to landing at Miami International. Some developer had practically stolen the land for this neighborhood, then built decent two-story homes, figuring families would deal with a little noise in exchange for a bigger house than they could normally afford.
That’s what the listing realtor had said, all pleasant and bubbly until Rikker had sliced her throat.
The real selling points on this house for Rikker had been the extra-high privacy fence and deep backyard.
He couldn’t wait to finish assembling this unit and take it outside.
Weather was perfect. He’d have a straight shot to Flight 819 on approach in twelve minutes.
Chapter 48
“Might have to shut down the airport,” Josh told Sabrina through his Bluetooth. He spun the wheel on his Porsche, taking a sharp left.
Ryder rode shotgun with the briefcase open on his lap.
“Can’t do that without a clear threat,” Sabrina said. “What if we send people fleeing and that’s exactly what someone wants?”
The two right tires lifted up a few inches then dropped down. Josh whipped between two cars, passing through with no more than a hand’s width of clearance. “I didn’t say we do it yet, but it’s on the table. See if you can get someone in the tower. I sent Nick for now.”
“He’ll get in.”
“Maybe.” Or he’d start a riot. Never knew with Nick.
“Call you back.”
Ryder dictated another turn to watch for.
Josh slowed enough this time to keep all four wheels on the pavement.
Dingo flew overhead in a helo. His voice came through Josh’s commo unit. “I have eyes on you.”
“Copy that,” Josh answered, in communication with the other three by radio. The minute Josh and Ryder confirmed whether this “test” was definitely a threat and not some hoax, Josh would alert Nick who would rally airport security.
If they didn’t arrest him.
Nick had a tendency to bring out the wrong kind of reaction from law enforcement.
“ETA?” Sabrina asked when she called back on Josh’s cell phone.
Josh said, “Ryder?”
Eyes locked on the small monitor, Ryder said, “ETA five minutes.”
Josh relayed that information then told Sabrina, “You find someone with the FAA to get Nick in that tower.”
“I’ve got someone with better resources working on it.”
Just the way she said that told Josh she was talking about Gage. “This op has FUBAR stamped on it already. Think involving the agency is a good idea?”
“He was right about the container and Rikker picking up the packages,” she tossed back, confirming Josh’s guess about Gage.
With the team hearing Josh’s side of the conversation and Dingo knowing what Josh meant by the reference to agency, Dingo spoke up. “I don’t like it none better, mate, but we don’t have many choices left now do we?”
True. Josh told Sabrina, “He fucks us over again, I’m going after him.”
“You won’
t have to.”
“Slow down,” Ryder said, putting his phone away and focusing on the briefcase.
Josh ended the phone call and eased his car down to forty miles an hour. He kept slowing as Ryder gave him directions into what looked like an attractive middle-class neighborhood.
“One of those houses down on the right.”
Josh pulled to the curb. It was just after six, the dinner hour in many neighborhoods like this one. Older homes, but well maintained. A few kids and dogs played in yards and along the street. Real estate signs poked out of three yards. “Sure this is right?”
“This is where the signal is coming from. I’m betting it’s that house with the realtor’s “For Sale” sign. Fifth one down on the right.”
Hell of a place to run an attack out of so maybe this was only a hoax. Josh told Ryder, “We walk down to the house. You cover the front. I’ll insert through the back.”
Ryder did a weapon check, and reached for a lightweight black jacket in the backseat.
Josh had the flannel shirt Sabrina had given him at the hospital to cover his weapon. The shirt made him think of Trish, who he couldn’t be thinking about right now.
I love you. She deserved someone to love.
Not a man who had lived so long in the dark that he would extinguish the light around her.
He hadn’t been happy about her going to Chicago, but with this new development around the airport he was glad she wasn’t arriving for another two hours. If he didn’t have answers by the time she called to say she was leaving, he would either convince her to stay there or have security pull her aside.
She was not coming near this airport until he knew it was safe.
When they headed down the sidewalk, Ryder grumbled, “Kids everywhere. They keep popping out from behind bushes and cars. Fucking nightmare if we have a situation in that house.”
Josh agreed, but had no words of advice beyond protect the civilians at all costs. Nothing Ryder had to be told with his military training.
At the corner of the yard with the realtor sign, Josh peeled off from Ryder, walking as if he were considering the house. Ryder took the front walk, easing up to the windows to look in. He gave Josh a shake of his head. Nothing obvious.
Josh continued around the house to the tall privacy fence that surrounded the backyard. In his ear bud, he heard Nick’s voice. “I’m in the tower, but I may need help getting out. All clear right now.”
That didn’t sound good.
Since Ryder would know Josh couldn’t make a sound right now, Ryder answered softly. “Copy.”
Jet engines rumbled overhead with incoming flights.
Josh peeked through a crack in the wood fence. He could see a figure squatted in the backyard, focused on something his body shielded from Josh.
Nick’s voice boomed in Josh’s ear. “A flight on approach is having major electrical problems. The pilots say the plane is losing control. The engines are powering down.”
At that moment, the figure in the yard turned enough for Josh to ID him. Rikker.
Josh tested the latch on the wooden gate. Unlocked.
He opened it and stepped into the yard, wanting to kill the bastard, but he had a duty. “Get away from whatever that is, Rikker.”
The former CIA agent glanced calmly over his shoulder while he kept his hand on the strangest looking mechanical device Josh had ever seen. “Hello, Carrington. Willing to risk killing millions by shooting me?”
Was it a fucking bomb or what? “Get up.”
“Blood’s on your head. I’m moving slowly.” Rikker kept a hand on the backside of the unit as if he couldn’t let go. “If I move my hand, everything goes boom.”
Shoot him? Knock his hand loose? Would either of those choices kill people?
Josh told Ryder, “Keep the front covered.” He walked over to see if Rikker pressed a button.
Rikker used that moment to yank up a hand that held a 9mm Browning Hi-Power. Josh dove away, rolling and firing up at Rikker to keep from sending a stray bullet into the next yard.
Kids screamed out front.
Rikker dove away, too, and he was up on his feet as quickly as Josh, but Josh got a kick in that sent Rikker’s weapon flying. Rikker made a counter move that knocked Josh’s away.
At least that should take care of any stray bullets.
“The airplane is on a collision course,” Nick said in the ear bud, pounding the words in a low voice. “They say something is screwing with the plane’s electrical system. Won’t be able to control the landing. Six minutes.”
Rikker was throwing chops and hits.
Josh deflected, hit, jabbed, and kicked, knocking Rikker back.
“Stop whatever the fuck is killing that airplane,” Nick shouted this time.
“Getting there,” Josh snapped and took a hit to his back. He spun and dove at Rikker. Shooting him would be so much easier, but Josh couldn’t put a personal vendetta ahead of the lives of millions and he needed Rikker to stop that damn machine.
“We got company out front,” Ryder said, calm but tense.
Rikker collided with Josh, slamming hits against his ribs. They hit the ground and Rikker came up with a decorative rock he bashed against Josh’s temple.
Stars burst behind his eyes. Josh shoved up, but that had given Rikker the extra second he’d needed to escape.
Josh grabbed his weapon and started after Rikker.
“The fucking plane is going to crash!” screamed in his ear bud.
“Eight men out front with an armored truck...no open shot,” Ryder called through the ear bud. “Fuck, fuck a fucking duck. Rikker grabbed a kid to shield himself to the van. Dropped the kid. He’s gone.”
“Four minutes,” Nick yelled.
Josh roared and unloaded a full magazine of 9mm hollow point rounds into the mechanical device that popped and squealed then stopped making any noise.
Ryder came running into the yard. He looked at the gut-shot machine and shook his head. “Remind me to never go on bomb detail with you.”
The machine started ticking.
They both dove for the exit just as it exploded.
Chapter 49
Josh spit dirt out of his mouth and looked over at Ryder. “You okay?”
“Yep. You?”
Nodding, Josh pushed up and turned to see what had happened. Not a bomb, but the unit had self-destructed.
“Flight 819 has power coming back on,” Nick said, updating them. “But the pilots are warning the tower to clear everything they can. They may crash yet.”
Josh looked up to see a jet wobbling overhead with lights flashing on and off. Fuck. Don’t crash.
Ryder stepped up. “I called Sabrina on my way back here. She’s got a cleanup crew on the way.”
Josh kept watching that big chunk of steel lumber its way toward the airport. “You tell her we lost Rikker?”
“Yes. She said we’ll get him.”
That’s what Sabrina had said two years ago. She had to be disappointed. Josh was gutted over having Rikker in his hands and losing him. Nothing to be done right now.
Josh looked at the melting machine. “What the hell could that be?”
Ryder studied it and looked up at the flight that was still coming down crooked and faster now. “A laser unit of some sort?”
Josh’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out, his eyes glued to the plane as it wobbled. He felt sick. That jet was going to crash. He hadn’t killed this machine fast enough.
When he glanced at his phone all the blood drained from his head. Heidi had sent the message:
Trish caught early flight 819. Can’t get there in time. Can u?
The airplane hit the ground with a boom and metallic noise that went on and on.
Nick shouted something about it crashing, but Josh couldn’t hear past the roar of blood pounding in his ears.
Trish was on that flight.
Chapter 50
“You can’t go running in there,” Sabrina yelled at Josh thr
ough the speaker on Ryder’s cell phone.
“They let me in or I’m going through them,” Josh shouted back at her. He punched the accelerator on his Porsche, taking every corner on two wheels, only slowing when he reached the airport terminal.
“You said you could do this and not get involved again.”
“Not the time, Sabrina.”
He whipped his car to the curb next to where passengers were dropped off. Sabrina was still barking orders at him when Josh and Ryder jumped out of the car. Josh spared a second to tell Ryder, “This isn’t Slye business and I may land in jail over it.”
Ryder ended the call, “I’ll have someone to play cards with.”
Josh took off at a dead run with Ryder keeping pace.
Someone yelled about his car, but he was already inside the glass doors and rushing past passengers unaware that a plane had just crashed. At security, he flashed his FBI badge, shouting that there was “situation” he’d been called in for.
But he wasn’t making any sense.
Ryder stepped in, calmly showing his DEA badge and in seconds he had Josh pushed through. When Josh turned, Ryder yelled, “Go. I got this.”
Damn, he owed the FNG. Josh raced through the terminal, looking out the windows where a plane rested off the side of the runway. The nose had broken open and part of a wing was missing.
Sirens screamed along the runway, racing toward the airplane.
Ryder and Nick were talking in his ear bud, but Josh didn’t catch it until Nick said, “Did you hear me, Josh?”
“What?”
Nick told him where to meet him to get out to the tarmac. Josh made several turns and met up with Nick who raced alongside him, yelling instructions and using his FAA badge–where had that come from?–to get them finally outside.
Holy shit, there was a huge crack in the first class cabin where Trish would have been flying with Dixon.
Josh forced his knees not to buckle and kept moving.
Emergency vehicles were everywhere. Foam was being sprayed.
Nick held his ear and muttered, “No word on casualties.”
Passengers were sliding out from an exit. A female flight attendant and an older guy were helping passengers slide out. Josh’s heart thudded against his breastbone. He was frantic to get inside there and find Trish.
