For Justice

by Jeannette Winters

  The team jotted everything down. The scenario was worse than they thought. It wasn’t only Renzo’s team that was set up, but Bennett was heading straight for the base, if what they just learned was accurate. They couldn’t take a chance, because if it was true, Bennett’s team would be way outnumbered. Fuck. For once Renzo hoped he was lied to. It was better than what they might be facing if it was the truth.

  Renzo tapped her earpiece twice to switch over to Bennett. “It’s a fucking trap.”

  He could hear gunfire as Bennett responded, “Taking on heavy fire. Could use some backup.”

  “Roger.” Renzo instructed Lee to cuff the father and his family and take them back to the camp. They couldn’t risk anyone finding out the plan had failed on the ridge. We just have to make sure it fails everywhere.

  Renzo pulled out his SAT phone and called Gabe. For this to be successful, it was going to take strategic planning and would require having eyes on each location. They had limited air support, so they had to maximize what was at their disposal.

  Once Renzo confirmed the chopper had landed at the hospital, he ordered it to take off immediately and retrieve them from their rendezvous spot. His team was short three now: Tony, Cory, and Hydria, but they were going to have to do.

  As the remainder of both Alpha and Omega teams hauled ass to meet the chopper, Renzo was relieved, knowing Hydria would at least be safe. She’d proven herself to be an asset in the gunfight, and she sure as hell didn’t cave under the pressure. Yeah she got clipped by a bullet and disobeyed his orders. She was still reckless in her actions. A team has a leader and orders must be followed. She also probably increased Cory’s recovery chances by doing so. If he got through this, he’d be sure to tell her. But this was going to make the supposed rescue mission seem like a walk in the park.

  The chopper landed, and only minutes later they were in the air, reinforcing Bennett’s team. Hold on, Bennett. Help’s on the way. When they opened the door, Renzo was floored. “What the hell are you doing here?” Hydria was supposed to be at the hospital, not on the chopper. He looked, and Cory thankfully wasn’t there.

  She pointed to her earpiece. “Where I’m needed.”

  Fuck. He should’ve taken that when he sent her off on that damn chopper. “Your leg—”

  “Stopped bleeding.” She turned so he could verify for himself. “I’m okay.”

  There wasn’t any fresh blood oozing, but that didn’t mean she should be out there. If she didn’t get it stitched, it would leave an ugly scar. He knew from experience. And scaring wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. Hydria slid over, and he took the spot next to her. As the chopper took off to meet up with Bennett, Renzo turned to Hydria and softly said, “Hydria, you don’t have to do this.”

  She met his eyes, and he knew nothing was going to stop her. She was driven by the same desire he was, they all were, to serve and protect. It was another trait he admired in her. “None of us do. It’s a choice. You know mine.”

  It was as unprofessional as one could get, but Renzo knew they were going into something that neither of them might make it back from. He didn’t care that the chopper was filled with his team and all eyes were on them. This ride might be their last chance, and he’d wasted enough chances already. Reaching over, he covered her hand with his, squeezing it gently. “Then we do this together.” Her eyes were wide and filled with doubt. Renzo leaned over and kissed her cheek. She blinked as though she still didn’t believe what he said. “This time, Ria, you’re with me.”

  This time she nodded and squeezed his hand back. There was nothing more they could say, but if anything did happen, at least there was no longer a question of whether or not they cared for each other. What a fool I’ve been. He wanted to make sure they got the chance to say the words and show her what he’d denied them both all these years.

  Renzo let go of Hydria’s hand when the pilot’s voice announced, “ETA two minutes.”

  Renzo tapped his earpiece. “We’ll take the flank.”

  Bennett replied, “Roger. Make it quick. We’re running out of ammo.”

  Each member heard that and knew how critical it was. There wasn’t room for any mistakes. One thing Renzo knew: he could count on every man, and woman, to do their job. They were going in as one team, and he had every intention of making sure they came out that way.

  Chapter Eleven

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  There had been no doubt that Bennett’s team would’ve been killed or captured if backup hadn’t arrived when it did. The mercenaries who had been hired were well prepared but weren’t expecting backup to arrive and attack from the flank. It had been a fatal mistake on their part, and both the Alpha and Omega teams were able to pick off more than a dozen of them before they realized what the hell was happening.

  That didn’t mean they’d gotten off without incident. Two of Bennett’s team had been shot, one fatally. No matter how many times Renzo replayed the scenario, it wasn’t good. Hydria being with them had been the right choice from a team perception. He, on the other hand, felt sick knowing it could’ve been her who had been fatally shot.

  He’d been able to deny his affection for her for many years. It’s what was needed then. Somehow they ended up halfway around the world, and he found he was battling more than rebels and mercenaries. If there was a time for him to step up and be nothing other than her superior, it had been today. She might be beating herself up for what, if anything, she could’ve done differently. That fact was, it all fell on him. She was his responsibility when she got shot and then again when they attacked the compound outside of Chino.

  He had a lot of thinking and sorting out to do. That’s why parting ways with Hydria wasn’t easy. She knew the drill. Even though they were in a foreign country, their actions still had to be documented, and with the fatality of an American, arrangement needed to be made.

  Renzo promised her he would meet her at her hotel once he was done. He was glad Bennett hadn’t put her up in the same crap hole that he did everyone else. No place for a lady. He hadn’t mentioned it, but still appreciated it. Now he was still sitting in Alex and Ziva’s home, and he wasn’t sure how quickly this would end. He understood there was a debriefing that needed to take place immediately in order to ensure the snake that kept trying to destroy Tabiq, didn’t show its ugly head again. He looked around the room: Bennett, Alex, and Ziva all had the same expression. One of frustration, knowing damn well this wasn’t over. The victory was only temporary.

  They were fighting something that should never have been an issue to begin with. Alex’s father, James, had brought a loving country, although poor as dirt, to its knees. Introduced it to greed and hatred. It was going to take years of fighting and reprogramming the internal structure of more than the government and law. How do you teach people to trust and believe again?

  Renzo was good at hiding his feelings, but he had no idea how Alex and the other children were able to pull it off. If James had been my father . . . He brushed the thoughts from his mind. It was only going to take him to a dark place toward all the Hendersons. They shouldn’t pay for their father’s sins. By all accounts, James’s children didn’t seem to inherit his sadistic behaviors.

  But facts didn’t lie. James didn’t need his children to carry on his sick perverted legacy. Hell, there were at least two generations affected by it. Not only had they lived in fear, but the people of Tabiq had to accept that disgusting, horrific lifestyle as normal.

  If he ever doubted for a second if it had changed since James’s death a few years ago, he knew it hadn’t the moment he realized that slimeball of a father on the ridge didn’t care about his children. He’d actually had his own flesh and blood in that house, not knowing what was going to happen. At any point, his wife or daughters could’ve been shot or killed. It was a battlefield for God’s sake, and accidents happen. What type of father doesn’t tremble at the thought of his children getting caught in the crossfire? Renzo wouldn’t give him the honor of being called an
animal because even animals weren’t so callous and cruel. All this so we could be blindsided by that ambush.

  “We can’t change the rules just because we don’t like the way they’re playing the game,” Bennett said.

  “This isn’t a game you can win. I almost missed it. Damn it. If that asshole had looked shaken up in the slightest way, I never would’ve questioned this being anything other than what his son told us. That was a small mistake on his part. But if he hadn’t made it, we all could’ve been wiped out. I never would’ve entered his home,” Renzo said, knowing all too well how close they’d come. “Not even our intel knew he was the rebel leader. How the hell can we fight the bad guys when we think they’re the good ones?”

  “The point is you saw it, and you reacted,” Alex said.

  That wasn’t making Renzo feel any better. He was trying to stress a point, one that Alex didn’t seem to get. Or maybe one he didn’t want to face.

  “You might look at this as a victory, Alex, but I look at it as an eye-opener. If you’re going to continue with rebuilding Tabiq, you need to rethink how you do it. These rebels aren’t going away. Not as long as there is someone willing to fund them. Until that person or group is flushed out, you better prepare yourself for a replay of today.”

  “We knew. I haven’t been able to tell anyone, but we’ve discussed this with some top US officials. There is a plan in place to shut down the funding.”

  “What are you saying, Alex? You know who is behind this and didn’t tell us? Because that’s fucked up,” Renzo angrily snarled.

  “Who? No. But whoever they are, they have a man on the inside. That’s how we knew they were back on the move and reached out for help from you and your brothers,” Alex explained.

  “I don’t remember Rafe mentioning any of that to me. I highly doubt that would’ve slipped his mind,” Renzo said, glaring at Alex. “How do you know you can trust this so-called guy on the inside?”

  Bennett answered this time instead of Alex, “Because I’m telling you, you can. I know him. He’s walked away from a lot and knows the risk. No one knows his name except me. We need to keep it that way.”

  Renzo didn’t like being kept out of the loop, but there were things he hadn’t shared with Bennett either. That didn’t mean they didn’t trust each other. There were times in this line of business when it was a need-to-know. Renzo would argue he needed to know who Bennett’s contact was. I’ll work on that when we’re alone. Arching a brow, he said sarcastically while pointing at Alex, “Not even your boss here?”

  “Let me remind you that Alex is not my boss. Never has been. And the answer is no. Alex doesn’t know the name of the contact.”

  Renzo was shocked but believed Bennett. There must be a damn good reason for keeping it so top secret. “So you guys are staying here and seeing this through to the end?”

  Alex reached out and grabbed hold of Ziva’s hand. “This is Ziva’s home, which makes it mine as well.”

  Bennett nodded. “My mother-in-law lives here. I need it to be safe for when my wife, Zoey, wants to visit.”

  He hated the fact their reasons were the only ones that meant anything. Family has always come first in my life. Normally Renzo would’ve thrown his hat into the ring and offered to stay as well. It was a fight worth fighting, but he couldn’t commit to what was going to be a long-term endeavor. Not yet at least.

  “I wish you guys luck, and I may be back. Right now I have a few things I need to attend to myself.”

  Bennett laughed. “Nicely put. Tell Hydria I said thank you. She did really good today. And I won’t be expecting her to report to work tomorrow.”

  Renzo laughed. “I think she needs at least a week off. You know, for her leg to heal.”

  Ziva rolled her eyes. “You guys are horrible. Why can’t you admit your feelings instead of playing these games? It’s surprising any of you got married.”

  All three men shut up. There were comments to be made, but no one was stupid enough to make them to the woman who could go into labor any minute. Instead, Renzo smiled and bid them all a good night.

  On the way to the hotel, Ziva’s words haunted him. He wasn’t the type of man who played games. Alex, most definitely. Bennett, possibly. But no way in hell did he. Renzo was always straightforward with everything in life. Why would anyone suggest otherwise? I’m sure Ria doesn’t think that.

  He was beginning to second-guess himself. He’d had an epiphany regarding how he felt about her when she was shot. Had those feelings resurfaced after all this time, or had he been covering them behind excuses? Hell no. My reasoning was valid.

  Of course, he didn’t want her on the force where she could get hurt. Where did that get them? She ignored everything he said, and he’d bet she pushed that much harder to spite him. She seemed surprised to find him in Tabiq. Could that have been an act? Was Ziva calling it all wrong? Could it be the women playing their games and the men being manipulated like pawns? She had never struck him as a woman who’d do that, but then again they never discussed why she had lied to him either.

  He’d been anxious to make it to the hotel and pull her into his arm and kiss her until she couldn’t remember her name. Now he wanted to see her for a few other reasons. Before he went any further and got all mushy by sharing his feelings, he had a few questions for her.

  He knew being part of a team required trust. Whether it was on a SWAT team or with Bennett, each team functioned on that five-letter word. A relationship was no different. Without trust, we have nothing.

  He’d always thought he could trust her one hundred percent. But there was still the issue she lied to him back in Rhode Island. Was there an explanation he’d find acceptable? Guess I won’t know until she tells me.

  There was a lot he needed to tell her as well. Things he was still sorting out himself. Renzo could plan his mode of attack for an entire team, but he had not one damn clue what he was going to say to Hydria when they finally saw each other.

  She’d promised to stay put in the hotel, but sitting still wasn’t something she was good at. While Renzo was at a meeting with Bennett and Alex, Hydria paid a visit to Cory in the hospital. He was out of surgery but heavily medicated, so he’d sleep and heal. While she was there she bumped into Logan, who was kind enough to take a look at her leg. Even though Renzo had tried to get her to go earlier and she’d refused, it seemed like a good idea while she was there.

  “I gave you more credit than to go back out there with a wound like this. I need to have a talk with my brother. This is out of control.” Logan lectured her as he cleaned the wound.

  “It’s really not that bad. I—”

  “Are you a doctor?” Logan asked gruffly. She shook her head. “Then please do not tell me what is bad or not. This may seem to be a simple flesh wound to you, but what you’re not taking into consideration is that diseases and infections could cause you to lose that pretty leg of yours.”

  He poured a liquid on it that stung so bad she’d rather feel the bullet a second time. “Is that payback for waiting?”

  “You’ll thank me for it later when your leg is not all red and oozing. You should’ve stayed at the hospital where it’s safe.”

  Oh, not another one. She was really getting tired of everyone telling her to be safe. Her parents lived a safe life, but did that stop another car from crashing into theirs and killing them? No. Instead of bringing the attention back to her, she turned it to him.

  “So you believe it is foolish to be in Tabiq, and you’re heading back to Boston?”

  Logan stopped what he was doing and met her gaze. “Are you saying I was speaking to you this way because of your gender?”

  She laughed. “Totally. If I was Renzo or Bennett, you’d stitch me up and send me on my way.”

  Logan shook his head. “You’re wrong. I don’t care what sex you are. Your life is precious as well as theirs. I’ve told Bennett many times one day he would make my sister a widow, but he, like you, can’t seem to stop. I can’t und
erstand it.”

  It made sense to her. “We are in the same business.”

  “Excuse me?” Logan seemed puzzled at her comment.

  So she explained, “We both value life and will do anything in our power to save it. To give the best quality of life we can to another. You do it through surgery and we do it by trying to prevent people from getting hurt. In the end we are all just putting the needs of others before our own.”

  Logan laughed. “I see why Bennett hired you. If they ever need someone to negotiate for them, you could—”

  “Talk them down?”

  Shaking his head Logan said, “Talk them to death.” He taped a gauze pad over her wound. “You should be all set but come back and see me in two days so I can check it.”

  “I will, and will you please tell Cory I’ll be back to visit him then?”

  When she left his exam room she bumped into one of the nurses. She called her over and said, “I see Dr. Henderson took good care of you, but I have something that will help you sleep.”

  There was no way she was ingesting any illegal substance. What she loved about Logan was he didn’t offer her a pain killer. She’d encountered enough people hooked on drugs while on the police force that she hated even taking over-the-counter pills now. “Thank you, but I don’t want any drugs.”

  The nurse was shocked and explained, “No drugs. This is a powder we use in our bath after a long day at work. It’s made of different flowers and fresh ground sea salt and will help relax the discomfort of your achy muscles. I promise you there is no medication in it, only natural soothing scents. Doctors fix the body, but your spirit needs comfort too. People are all talking about what happened today.”

  Gossip traveled fast. There was no way members of Bennett’s team would be brought in with gunshot wounds and no one would know. Hydria wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. At least they know we are fighting to protect them.

  “Yeah, it was a bad day.”