Identity Crisis

by Rochelle Paige

  Brody’s fingers flew over his keyboard and an image popped up on the monitor. I wasn’t standing next to Delia, but I could see everything on her screen now that he’d synced with her. The first step of this stage was complete and I gave her a quick thumbs up, wanting her to know the connection had been successful on our end. It was one less thing for her to worry about.

  We didn’t have long to wait. They were quick to respond to her chat request—with an innocuous handle better suited for a normal retail site than an arms dealer on the deep web.

  Customer Service: You’re a hard woman to track down, Serena.

  Delia: I was motivated to stay hidden. Getting shot isn’t something I want to experience again.

  Customer Service: You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat. Maybe you should have kept your nose out of our business.

  Delia: I wish I had. More than you can possibly know.

  Customer Service: It appears we’re at an impasse. I’m assuming you had a reason to reach out to us?

  Delia: Yes, I’d like to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. One where I’m out of the picture but still alive.

  Customer Service: I’m listening.

  Delia: We meet face to face. Today. I hand over the card. You let me walk away and you’ll never see or hear from me again.

  Customer Service: Sounds to me like the agreement you’re proposing benefits you more than us. How do we know you’ll keep up your end of the bargain?

  Delia: How do I know you won’t kill me the moment you see me?

  Customer Service: Touché, Serena. Point well made.

  Delia: I’m willing to leave Atlanta. For good. But I’ll need funds to do it.

  Customer Service: How much?

  Delia: A million. In cash, small bills so they’ll be harder to trace.

  Customer Service: We could put a hit out on you for less than a million.

  Delia: You’d have to find me first.

  Customer Service: I’m sure we will eventually. Out of curiosity, what exactly would our money buy us with you?

  Delia: The card with your login information, my laptop, and me living the quiet life as far away from your activities as possible.

  Customer Service: People have been known to do stupid things when motivated by greed. How do I know you won’t head straight to the police after we hand over the money?

  Delia: Because I’ll have exactly what I want already. My life and the money. If it makes you feel more comfortable, take some photos of me during the exchange. Then I’ll never be able to go to the cops because you’ll be able to incriminate me.

  Customer Service: Point well made again, Serena. I’m beginning to think you were wasted on Jonathan.

  Delia: No doubt about it. I was.

  Customer Service: Okay, I’ll bite. Let’s meet in person. Do the exchange and go our separate ways. A shame really since you’ve peaked my interest.

  Delia: Can you get the money together in two hours?

  Customer Service: Easily.

  I continued to switch my focus from the monitor to her face, making sure she was holding up okay under the pressure. As soon as Delia gave him the details of the location Phillips had selected for the meet, I caught sight of Brody out of the corner of my eye. He was giving her the signal to end the chat. She pressed the power button and held it down, as Brody had instructed her to do. She didn’t hesitate, not even when Phillips stalked toward her.

  “You were supposed to keep them online as long as possible,” he growled before turning toward Agent Michaels. “Please tell me she didn’t fuck this whole thing up because she got scared and decided to turn the goddamn computer off. Did you get what we needed?”

  “I didn’t.” Phillips looked like he was about to blow a gasket. “But I think Mr. Slater might have had better luck than me.”

  Everyone’s attention turned toward Brody, who was standing there with a smug grin on his face. He pulled a thumb drive out of his USB port and held it out to Phillips. “You know my skills. What do you think?”

  Phillips snatched the drive from Brody and handed it over to Michaels. “Download it and make sure he didn’t miss anything. Call the office and get everyone’s help on this. I want eyes on all the data he managed to grab, and I want it now. We only have a couple hours before the meet. I need to know exactly where we stand evidence-wise before it happens.”

  ****

  “I’m nervous,” I admitted, my voice low, not wanting Delia to hear me. The shock on Brody’s face was clear and unsurprising. We’d been on countless missions together. I’d never been nervous on an op before. I’d always been focused on the objective: get in, get the job done, and get out. I’d never felt apprehensive like this before.

  “You want to back out? I can take the three of us so far off the grid, they’ll never have a hope of finding us.”

  His voice was the barest hint of sound, but I knew he meant every word. Regardless of the sacrifices it would take to make us disappear, Brody would do it if I asked. Even at this late juncture when we’d have to make our escape literally under the noses of the dozens of federal agents. “The meet’s set. They’ve seen her face through the webcam during that damn chat. We need to move forward and take these fuckers down. Eliminate the threat to Delia for good.”

  Delia had changed into the outfit Brody prepared for her—complete with two mics and a grand total of six tracking beacons. He’d managed to get an extra one into a ring, and fuck if it didn’t piss me off to watch him hand it over to her even though it might save her life. I was an unreasonable bastard when it came to Delia. A bastard who needed to get his head in the game before he fucked up the operation and got them both killed. I wasn’t willing to let that happen, not to Delia. And if I had my way, I’d make it through this alive, too. Then I’d get to work on convincing her to spend the rest of her life with me.

  The three of us rode in the back of an FBI van to a location about a half mile out from the park. The plan was for Delia and me to use the car they’d provided to drive the rest of the way. All the additional agents Phillips had brought in were already in place. One of their tech people, a woman, since I’d insisted on it, was checking the placement of the mic they’d put on Delia while Brody and I were standing a couple feet away. Phillips and Steele were on the other side of the van, just out of our line of vision. Michaels was inside, manning the monitors, where he’d stay for the remainder of the operation.

  “I better head out.” Brody’s voice was a whisper of sound in my ear. I’d slid the earpiece he’d given me in as soon as I exited the van.

  My eyes remained locked on Delia, but I nodded to let him know I’d heard.

  “The bike’s already in place, with a spare laptop and tablet waiting for me in the saddlebag. You won’t be able to see me, but I’ll have eyes on you the whole time. Anything seems off, I’ll let you know. You won’t be alone out there. I’ve got your back,” he promised.

  “Hers,” I corrected. “Delia’s safety is the objective here. She’s the mission.”

  “It’s the same as having your back. I know what she means to you and I’ll protect her with my life,” he swore.

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  He flashed me a quick smile. “Hoping’s for pussies. SEALs don’t need to hope. We just get the job done.”

  “All in. All the time.” It was a familiar saying to both of us. One we lived during our training and every single mission.

  “Hooyah!” It was the last thing he said before he slipped out of the parking lot, rounding the corner quickly so he could get into place before anyone noticed he was missing. The motorcycle was an exit strategy we hadn’t shared with Phillips and his team. He had made his priorities clear, and they were different from mine. Arguing with him wouldn’t do any good and I wasn’t about to back down. Not with Delia’s life on the line. I did what I thought was necessary to secure her safety. If Phillips ever found out, it would only be because we needed to use the measures Brody and
I had put in place. And if it came down to that, he’d have more important shit to worry about than Delia’s disappearing act.

  Agent Steele’s eyes locked with mine as she and Phillips walked toward me. Her gaze shifted over my shoulder for a moment, and I knew she had noticed Brody was gone. They both seemed to have an internal radar where the other was concerned. A quick nod was her only reaction. It was enough to tell me if her boss didn’t realize Brody had left, she wasn’t going to be the one to tell him—yet another reason to respect the female agent.

  “I’m ready,” Delia said as she joined us, stepping to my side and sliding her arm around my back.

  “Do you need to go over the plan one last time?” Agent Steele asked.

  Phillips didn’t wait for Delia to answer. Instead, he tossed the car keys. “We don’t have time to go over it again. She’s not going in alone, for God’s sake. West can baby step her through it if need be. Isn’t that why they insisted he go in with her?”

  We had insisted—Delia, Brody, and I. Phillips had wanted me to wait in the van, or better yet, the suite. He said he didn’t want me interfering with his operation. The bastard had argued that the only way this would work was if they thought she was alone. A defenseless woman they’d already shot once. No visible threat so they would be less on guard, more apt to say something incriminating. Delia going in alone wasn’t something I was willing to agree to. If they wanted her at the meet, the only way she was going was with me at her side. Period. End of story. Eventually, Phillips realized I wasn’t going to back down and altered his plan to include me, but had Brody in the van—where he probably thought he was right now. Clueless bastard.

  “We’re good,” I confirmed, leading Delia to the car and helping her inside. By the time I was in the driver’s seat, both agents were headed to the park, hand in hand.

  “I don’t envy Cyan her role today. She’s stuck playing happy couple with Phillips. Just the thought makes my skin crawl.”

  “Cyan?” I repeated, surprised to hear her refer to Agent Steele by her first name.

  “She told me I earned the right to call her that. And I like her. She’d make a great heroine in one of my books.”

  “There’s a lot to like about Agent Steele.” It wasn’t the usual way we’d done a comms check, but it would work. At least I knew Brody could hear everything being said in the car. Plus, his voice came through crystal clear in my ear.

  “Brody likes her, too.”

  “I totally forgot he was listening in,” she muttered. “Although, I could already tell he likes her. I think the feeling might be mutual.”

  I parked the car in an open spot across from the park. It was time to get serious. “Play time is over. We have to assume they have eyes on you from the moment you step out of the car. Wait for me to come around and open your door. Stay close to my side. Be ready to run or drop to the ground the moment I tell you to do it.”

  “Got it.” All traces of humor had leeched from her voice and she didn’t complain about the snap of authority in mine. Her eyes were focused and clear. She was as ready as she was going to be. I was damn proud of her for holding up like she was. Better than some of the sailors I’d seen in battle.

  I exited the car, my eyes sweeping the park as I searched for open lines of fire and escape routes. Fuck, the bench Phillips had selected was a crap spot. It left Delia vulnerable to several locations where a sniper could have been put in place. There was no way in hell I was going to lead her there. Luckily, Brody was way ahead of me.

  “Picnic table to the right, the one under the tree. It offers cover and it’s one of the spots where I placed a camera and mic last night.”

  I scanned right and found the spot he was referring to instantly. It was a much better position and the only place in the park I was taking Delia for this meet.

  She reached for my hand the moment I opened the door. As I helped her out of the car, I pulled her body close to mine and bent low so she could hear me without my voice being picked up by the microphones. I didn’t want to give the agents a chance to claim the table and take it out of play. “Slight change of plan. Don’t act surprised, but we’re heading to a picnic table to the right. The spot Phillips wanted us to use isn’t secure.”

  She handled the shift in strategy like a pro, allowing me to lead her in the opposite direction without any outward reaction. I got her settled at the table, her back to the tree for additional protection. Then I scanned the park, marked the location of each agent, and catalogued the appearance of anyone else. There were a couple guys playing Frisbee about thirty feet away on a hill who seemed out of place. The way they moved was too precise. Swiveling to face the direction where Brody was located, I moved my head in a virtually indecipherable jerk toward the guys. Brody was the only one who’d pick up on the motion, it was so slight. Years of training side by side and serving on countless missions together left us in sync in ways nobody else would understand.

  “Looks like TAG brought in some backup.” Brody’s voice came through loud and clear. He’d caught the signal like I knew he would. “The woman with the golden retriever to your right. She’s setting off my radar big time, too.”

  His instincts were good. When I casually turned in her direction, I caught her staring at Delia. As soon as she saw my eyes turn her way, she shifted her focus to her dog, but I saw the recognition in her eyes. She was an operator of some kind, and she wasn’t ours.

  “Contact is confirmed,” he said quietly in my ear. “Black SUV parked next to the car you used. Two men, white. One’s six-foot even, jeans, black t-shirt, blond hair. The other is five-foot-ten, khakis, blue dress shirt, brown hair.”

  His rundown allowed me to pick them out quickly as they headed our way. I moved to stand between Delia and their entry point. “The car is out of play. First dude dropped his sunglasses and it took him two minutes to retrieve them after he set down the black duffle he’s carrying. Coincidentally, his glasses fell under your car.”

  I heard what he didn’t say. There were only two reasons it would have taken the guy that long. He either placed a tracker on the car or wired it to blow. Black t-shirt was the muscle. Dress blue was most likely the guy Delia had spoken with online this morning—and the highest up the food chain we’d get with this meet. This was the guy Phillips wanted the most.

  I leaned closer to Delia, speaking directly into her ear. “The car isn’t a viable exit strategy for us. It’s been tagged already. That leaves us with the feds, on foot, or Brody’s bike. Nod your head once if you understand.”

  A quick jerk of her head was all the confirmation I needed. We were running out of time. “The two guys walking toward us, about fifty feet out, are the ones we’re meeting. Chick to the right with the dog is likely an unfriendly. Two guys playing Frisbee might be with them as well. Whatever happens, do not engage with any of them.”

  By the time I got the last word out, we were no longer alone. Dress blue had joined us, his muscle standing slightly behind him and to the left. “You didn’t mention you were bringing company along, Serena.”

  “Neither did you,” I answered for her, drawing his attention right where I wanted it—on me.

  “It’s amazing how fickle women can be. Her boyfriend isn’t even buried yet, but here she is with a replacement already. Are you sure you want to risk your life for the kind of woman who didn’t even bother to properly mourn the man she was sleeping with for a year?” His tactic was a good one, divide and conquer. Insert a seed of doubt into my mind about her trustworthiness and maybe get me out of the picture voluntarily. “Or is it about the money for you? If so, I’m sure we can come to some kind of agreement.”

  My eyes shifted to the black duffle before locking with his. “I’d prefer to keep both, the woman and the money.”

  “What if I made you choose one or the other?” he asked.

  “Not sure you’re in a position to make me do anything, buddy.” He might be smart, but he wasn’t as good as he thought. I caught the look
he gave the woman with the dog. “You’re not the only one here who thought to bring backup.”

  Surprise flared in his eyes, followed by a hint of respect. “But did we both think to use a sniper? I know I did, which means you’re not getting out of this park with her alive unless I allow it. I could just have him put a bullet through your head right now and then I’d be the one with the woman and the money.”

  It didn’t matter how smart he was, I had several advantages over this guy. The main one being the tactical support Brody was able to provide. “Confirmed. There’s a sniper on the building at your four o’clock. If needed, exit routes are still available before the feds can take him out of the picture. Best one on foot would be at your eight o’clock. The tree would provide cover. The bike’s still an option, too.”

  I felt it then. The prickle at the back of my neck which told me things were about to go sideways. My gaze dropped to the black duffle and then trailed up the arm holding it. A million in small bills would have some weight to it, but his muscles weren’t straining. Not even the slightest. They were not here to negotiate, hadn’t even brought the damn money. I had no way of knowing what they had planned, but Dress Blue didn’t look like he was in any rush, which meant he needed more time to get whatever he had up his sleeve set into motion. Time I couldn’t let him have.

  The plan to get evidence of a payoff on tape was out the window. It was unlikely I had additional time to give Phillips. As I turned to grab Delia’s hand, I casually scratched my neck from side to side and then let my hand drop back down. “Goat fuck confirmed. Packing up my shit and starting the bike now. Repeat signal if you want me to come for Delia.”

  I didn’t have time to consider my next step before the woman with the dog started to move closer, her hand sliding behind her back.

  “Down! Now! Gun!” I felt the whoosh of air as Delia dropped to the ground behind me. “Under the table.”