Sanctuary Breached WITSEC Town Series Book 3

by Lisa Phillips

  The four heat signatures began to make their way down the mountain. Bolton watched their progress, noting the general direction would take them right to the park. The north side but the center of town. From there they would likely begin their search for Remy, giving Sam enough time to ensure his charges were safe.

  The town’s residents were spread thin, but against four guys? It would have to be enough.

  **

  The lock disengaged on the door, but Nadia didn’t pay much attention. She was too busy trying to get her brother to acknowledge her. The room under the Meeting House was crowded. How anyone could get a second’s peace when this three-thousand square foot space was crowded with almost one hundred and ninety people was anyone’s guess. But some seemed to be managing it. The kids were playing Xbox in the corner like this was game night.

  Was it so hard for Shadrach to actually look at her? Across the room he sat with his elbows on his bent knees, head on his handcuffed hands. Why couldn’t John take them off for now? Shadrach had done something good, and yeah, it involved killing Sam’s fake mom, but what was the problem? A bad person was dead. Maybe that made Nadia mean, but she didn’t much care what people thought. It was cut and dried as far as she could see. Someone else could shed a tear over the woman’s life, but it wasn’t going to be her.

  Shadrach shifted his shoulders but didn’t look up. He didn’t look comfortable. Had he eaten? Was he asleep?

  Andra elbowed her. “I know you’re worried about him, but there’s no need.” Nadia glanced at her, but Andra didn’t let her argue. “He knew what he was doing.”

  “So I’m not allowed to be concerned he’ll end up in jail for life?” There was no way her brother could withstand being cooped up like that.

  “We have bigger problems right now.”

  “The breach.” Nadia sighed. “It’s not like anyone can get to us in here. We’re twenty feet below ground in a bunker.”

  Andra grinned.

  Nadia rolled her eyes. So she could dismiss anything that wasn’t immediate, and Andra saw the bigger picture—all the pieces of the chess board at once. It wasn’t like they didn’t know they were very different people.

  “There is also the problem of Andy.”

  Nadia glanced at the man for the shortest possible amount of time. Sure enough, Andy Evangeline was staring at her. Why, Lord? He’d been nursing a terminal crush for months now, and it didn’t seem to be easing off. Nadia was the focus of his attention every second he wasn’t at the recycling center. Who knew what he thought about when he wasn’t watching her or following her around. It was the last thing she needed in the middle of this.

  She glanced back at her brother. “I should go talk to him.”

  Andra tore her eyes from her admittedly handsome husband, who seemed concerned about whatever Sean was telling him. “If you think that’s best.”

  “You know I hate when you do that.” Nadia strode across the room, past people gathered around tables and sitting on couches. Frannie was talking with her sister, though it didn’t look like she was having any fun. Poor girl. Izzy was a drama queen at best.

  John stepped in front of Shadrach. Nadia lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. “I want to talk to my brother.”

  Shadrach looked up, his expression blank apart from his eyes. Most people didn’t get the fact that was all they needed to read him.

  John said, “I’ll be right here the whole time.”

  Nadia Marie fought the urge to roll her eyes. Did he think her brother was going to hurt her? The idea was ludicrous. They were twins, and they hadn’t exactly hung out the past few years, but there was a bond between them that never went away. And it never would.

  She crouched in front of him. “Hey, spider.”

  The endearment had been “spider monkey” years ago, when they’d been teens with slender limbs more awkward than helpful. Their mom was petite and round, which meant they’d gotten their height and build from their father. Whoever he was.

  “Hey, Na-na.”

  Thank you, Lord. He seemed aloof, maybe even cut off from her, but her brother was still in there. Their bond was still intact. It wasn’t wishful thinking.

  “So you got my letters?”

  His expression didn’t change, not giving her anything. His eyes had leveled off, no longer sparking as they had when he’d told them all what happened to the president and Susan. “I didn’t tell them about Sanctuary.” His gaze flicked to John for a second. “And you didn’t break your WITSEC contract.”

  That was debatable, given she’d told him enough he could figure out what had happened to her on his own. “So how did you know where here was?”

  “The president and Grant.” He paused. “I’m glad you’re here. That you’ve been safe so far.”

  “I have.” Nadia set her hand on his forearm. “It’s been a nice life.”

  He knew what her choice of words meant, and his lips pressed together. They’d always wanted more for each other, pushing until the other relented and went after something simply to stop the other from hassling them anymore. It was why she’d finally shown some of her drawings to a gallery owner. Though it hadn’t exactly ended the way either of them imagined it would.

  The forearm under her fingers was covered with a sprinkling of hair. Past the edge of his sleeve was the tell-tale ink of a tattoo. Shadrach sat still while she pushed back the arm of his sweater. Along the outside of his forearm, in two-inch block capital letters it said, F-O-R-E-C-O-N.

  She looked up. “You did it?” He’d always wanted to make the elite team within the Marines.

  “I got that after the president was killed. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me, but I wanted to remember what I’d had. I’ll always know I achieved what I set out to.”

  Nadia’s eyes filled with tears.

  “Now she’s gonna cry.”

  She sniffed. “I am not.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Na-na. I can handle whatever happens.” His eyes flicked as he caught her gaze. “You need to give up whatever’s stopping you now and live your life.”

  He’d caught it. The dissatisfaction underneath it all. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “What do you have to lose?”

  She wanted to say, A lot. But that wasn’t true. What was her life here? A salon owner with great friends and not a whole lot more. If she threw caution to the wind and jumped with both feet off the cliff of mixed metaphors and distant dreams, what would happen? She could fall flat. She could fail.

  She could also live her life knowing she’d never reached for the one thing she’d always wanted most. Shadrach knew. Andra sensed it. The only person she would hurt if she didn’t do anything was herself.

  Shadrach’s eyes gleamed.

  “Ugh. You baited me, and I fell for it.” She smiled.

  “That doesn’t mean you get to give up, though. You know there’s more for you.”

  “Than this?”

  “The town is fine, Na-na. It’s you who isn’t.”

  “Back up, Nadia.” Andy’s yell was followed by a collection of gasps from people around the room. He had a gun pointed at Nadia and Shadrach.

  “Put the gun down, Andy.” John had his out, aimed at the recycling manager. “Or this won’t end well.”

  “She has to back up. She shouldn’t be near him.”

  Seriously? She looked at him, spitting mad. Literally. “He’s my brother, Andy.”

  Sean rooted around his belt. In his pockets. “He stole my gun.”

  “That man killed the president!” Andy sputtered. “He doesn’t deserve you looking at him like that.”

  People were starting to shift in their seats as they turned to glare at Shadrach. Nadia shook her head, still in her crouch. “So you’re going to shoot me?”

  Andy said, “No! I would never do that.”

  Nadia Marie turned so she was in front of her brother. Shadrach shifted and pulled her up with him so they both stood and his fingers had a hold
on the inside of her elbow. But he didn’t try to put her behind him. Because he knew—not that she was going to protect him, though she was, but something else—that she had a plan and knew these people. Particularly this idiot in front of them.

  “You’re going to have to if you think you’re going to hurt my brother.”

  The man had fought wars and given so much for this country. But did Andy care about that? No. He was jealous. Of her brother. “Now do as John said and put the gun down.”

  Nadia didn’t move her gaze from Andy, but she did see her friend inch closer. Andy hadn’t noticed her, but John would have. Andra wasn’t an employee of the sheriff’s office, but apparently she intended to help. Which was likely why everyone else stayed out of her way.

  “Put the gun on the ground, Mr. Evangeline.”

  Andy’s attention flicked to the sheriff. “Tell her to move away from him. I’m sick to death of her looking at other men like that—”

  Her stomach turned over.

  “—when she should be looking at me!” Andy’s face was red.

  Behind her, Shadrach muttered an expletive she agreed fit the occasion but one she didn’t say. Not anymore. If she, or he, were shot today, then Nadia would never get the chance to share her faith with her brother. He would never know the life she’d found here.

  God, give me the chance to tell him.

  Andra pressed a black weapon that looked like a gun, but wasn’t, against Andy’s side. “Put it down.”

  His face fell. He lowered the gun. Andra grasped it and stepped back. Her arm flexed.

  Andy jerked and fell to the floor.

  “Andra?” John’s voice was stern. “Did you just stun him?”

  She looked up from Andy’s unconscious body. “My finger slipped.”

  Nadia Marie laughed.

  **

  Grant ran his hand through his graying hair and looked around his home office. Thousands of miles from where his brother was about to fight a war to keep Grant’s nephew safe. Emergency protocols are being enacted.

  That was the last word he’d heard. Now all he had was hours of nothing.

  Grant slumped to sit on the edge of his desk, the phone loose in his hand. He shifted it, and found the contact for the commander of the Air Force base closest to John.

  Genevieve’s heels tapped across the hardwood. Her blue dress hugged her figure, still slender even after three girls, but she worked hard for it. She’d always worked hard, and yet when they’d separated it had been because Grant was the one on the job all the time. They had a way to go, but at least they were back under the same roof, and they were working on it a couple of times a week with the counselor.

  “Hey.”

  She gave him a small smile and started to walk toward him. “Is it happening?”

  He nodded.

  “There isn’t much you can do. Let’s go get something to eat. Take your mind off it.”

  Grant didn’t think anything was going to take his mind off it. But there were things to do here that meant he would be tied up for a while. “Can you give me an hour? There are still a couple of calls I have to make.”

  Closing in, she set her hands on his stomach and slid them up his chest. “Are you sure?”

  Grant chuckled. “Sorry, Gen.” He shifted the phone, hit the green button, and put it to his ear.

  “Put the phone down, Grant.”

  The call connected. “General Harper, please.”

  Something shifted in Genevieve’s face. “You need to put the phone down.”

  “I have to make this call, honey.” He surveyed her face.

  She shifted. “I didn’t want to have to do this.”

  Her hand came up. A needle swiped toward his neck. Grant swept his forearm up and intercepted it. The needle stuck in his arm. Grant squeezed her wrist, but she didn’t let go.

  The phone connected. “Director Mason?”

  Grant ignored the general as he faced off with his wife, his eyes searching hers before they went to the needle. “Gen, what is this?”

  Chapter 20

  It only took him two hours to find them. Sam felt a twinge of guilt at leaving Beth without exchanging their rings. It wouldn’t be a big deal, though. He knew well and good she’d expected him to be the one protecting her, but she also knew Sam would never leave alone a situation where it was his place to resolve it. With Tommy in town, there was no way he would let the man run amok when Sam could match his skills and eliminate the threat to Sanctuary.

  Sam kept pace with the team as they descended the mountain path just before noon. His gun was loaded, and he had an extra clip. Why he’d left the deputy’s badge on his belt, he wasn’t sure. Except that maybe the insignia of his unit was important. Tommy had destroyed his previous team, and killed all his brothers. Sam wasn’t going to let that happen again.

  Tommy led his team, followed by Daire and two other men. Daire looked so out of place in the forest Sam almost laughed. The tough guy had “mercenary” written all over him but with an edge of big city that this country boy didn’t understand. Give him a dock and a fishing pole any day. He’d sit and think of his Pop and all the wisdom he’d imparted before the Lord “took him home” as Pop would say.

  Tommy slowed, his attention on a paper map he’d folded to book size. “This is it.”

  How had he gotten his hands on a map? Sanctuary wasn’t on any of the publically available maps, and it was a no-fly-zone the military enforced with no explanations. The only exceptions were aircraft Grant had approved to be allowed access in and out of town.

  The team stopped. The third man pulled a pole from his backpack and split the legs like a tripod. He set it on the ground where Tommy indicated, and clicked a button on the top. A display light activated. “Ready.”

  The fourth man came alongside him, holding a laptop that looked like it would survive a nuclear holocaust. He lifted the lid and clicked buttons. “Scanning.”

  Sam studied them. Far enough away he could make out everything, but not close enough they would see him. He’d assumed they were looking for Remy and Beth, to find out where the missile was located. Because Remy had built a bomb. He’d hardly been able to believe it, although she hadn’t known what she was doing, and she also hadn’t constructed it from start to finish all by herself. Her expertise was genetic engineering, which meant there was a biological component to the weapon he kind of didn’t want to know about. That would have been her part in the process.

  These guys were hunting. Maybe they planned to get the women once they had their hands on the bomb, but that was apparently first on their priority list.

  Sam blew out a silent breath. Remy really hadn’t known the intended purpose for whatever she’d created in her test tubes and Petri dishes, but she had made something. He just didn’t get making something just to prove it was possible.

  “It’s not here.”

  The tripod was lifted and put away.

  Tommy unfolded his map to a different segment of the town. “Let’s head to the next spot.”

  He had a list of places the missile might be buried? Someone had done a whole lot of homework, surveying the town for possible sites. Were they discounting the whole “hide your valuables under the mattress” idea? Or would they head into town, guns blazing, as soon as they were done checking these sites?

  “Move out.”

  They started trudging in his direction.

  Sam stepped out onto the path in front of them, gun drawn but pointed at the ground. Tommy knew that wouldn’t make much difference if he intended to shoot them.

  Four guns were lifted to point at him.

  “You’re all under arrest.”

  Tommy smirked. “Cute.”

  Daire didn’t indicate he knew Sam in any way. At least he’d only get shot three times instead of four. He hoped.

  “Are you sure you want to do this when you could be doing some TV show, or a photo op? You’re missing out on providing the military with a great morale story ab
out what a hero you are, stopping me from killing all of you. Too bad you didn’t do it in time to save the rest of the team. That must be a terrible load to bear.”

  Word-for-word, he’d given Tommy the one statement from a reporter that had tripped him up. He’d covered it well, but Sam had seen it.

  Tommy grimaced.

  Of course, he’d have to save face in front of this team. Sam didn’t think he was going to break down and confess when there was no one here who didn’t already know exactly what had happened in Afghanistan.

  He recovered fast. “Nice of you to show up. Saves me the trouble of hunting your sorry self down and then putting you down.” Tommy glanced around. “Where’s the little wife? I would’ve liked to have said hello.”

  Which was why she was in a reinforced bunker. “You won’t get anywhere near Beth ever again.”

  A snicker from beside Tommy told Sam what the fourth man thought of that.

  “You’ve done enough, Gun. It’s time to give it up. This syndicate can’t get their hands on a deadly weapon. They think they’re going to cleanse the world of those who aren’t strong enough to be here.”

  “You think I care about their twisted methodology? Apparently you have no idea how much they’re paying me.”

  “So you’ll miss out on Olivia’s last days for a paycheck? Because you care about her so much you’ll kill your team just to pay for her treatment?” Sam shrugged one shoulder. “Seems kind of backward to me.”

  “You’d know, country bumpkin. Oh, sorry. Lieutenant, sir.”

  Sam lifted his gun. “This is the end of the line, Tommy.”

  Tommy smirked, and fired.

  Sam fired two shots into the third and fourth man. A bullet slammed into his chest. More gunfire as they fell, and he heard Tommy grunt. Where was Daire? Why wasn’t he helping?

  Sam lay on the ground with fire burning through his chest.