by Maddie Wade
“Because anything else will make you weak, will make you vulnerable, and I can’t afford that weakness.”
“Love isn’t a weakness. It’s strength.”
“Not for everyone.”
“You never been in love?” She was running out of options now of trying to get him to see a different way out.
Allen was silent, and Autumn sighed in defeat, perhaps there was no getting through to him, maybe the human part of this was gone.
It was seven hours later as they walked back down the tunnel that linked his home to this underground weapons plant that he answered her.
“I wanted to be a doctor, a kid’s doctor.”
Autumn cocked her head as Maggie snuggled against her shoulder. “Yeah, I think you’d have been good at that.”
Allen chuckled humourlessly. “Nah, kids are scared of me.”
“Maggie isn’t,” she stated. “She fell asleep in your arms yesterday.”
“Yeah well, the kid obviously has about as much self-preservation as her mother.”
“No, kids are like animals, they can sense things. Maggie knows you won’t hurt her.”
His face hardened. “Don’t push your luck, Autumn. You won’t change my mind, and emotional blackmail won’t work on me.”
Autumn said no more; she had a feeling it was in the lap of the gods now. She just wished there was a way to contact Mitch. She knew he’d be going out of his mind with worry. The last kiss they’d shared came into her mind later that night as she lay in bed. It had been sweet and sensual and full of all the things she wished she’d said to him.
Mitch Quinn had changed her life, shown her what a true partnership looked like and she’d fallen in love with him. It hadn’t been her choice to fall in love but a beautiful shock from the blue, and it was something she’d cherish no matter what happened in the next few days.
Her only wish was that Maggie stayed safe, that her baby lived a long, healthy life. It wasn’t giving up, she’d fight with everything she had, but the rest was up to the fates and the men of Eidolon.
Knocking on the door, she waited for Allen to open it.
“What do you want?”
He’d said little to her since the conversation in the tunnel, and she was okay with that, what more was there left to say?
“Can I have a piece of paper and a pen, please?”
“Why?”
“I want to leave a note for Mitch in case I don’t make it out of this alive.”
Allen watched her for a long moment, his face a mask she couldn’t read. Then he closed the door in her face. Sighing, Autumn sat on the bed, her back going straight when he opened the door again and shoved a pen and notepad at her.
“Thank you.” She smiled at him with hesitance.
Allen nodded and stepped back, closing the door with finality.
Autumn began to write, not knowing how to start such a letter but knowing she had to at least try and express in words how she felt. It was one of the things that had hurt most when Terrell died, not being able to express her feelings.
The following morning when the door to her jail opened, she handed Allen the letter.
“If this goes wrong, make sure Mitch gets this letter please.”
He eyed it before nodding and placing it on his kitchen table.
Today was the day, she felt it in her bones. By the time the sun went down this would be over, she just prayed her smiley Roo would be safe.
“What’s he saying?” Mitch nodded to Anton, who was sat in the middle of the room with a bag over his head.
Decker grinned, and it was the coldest thing Mitch had ever seen. “Oh, he’s very talkative, wants the world to know how clever he is, how great and totally contradicting the other two.”
“What about the other two?”
“They gave Allen up in a heartbeat. Told us how he killed Terrell, how he set up the deal with Henderson, where the silo entrance is on his property.”
“Nice.” Mitch crossed his arms, a sneer curling his lips. He might hate Allen but that these men would give him up so easily made him uneasy.
“Oh yeah, they’re real treasures,” Deck said with a mocking grin that didn’t reach his eyes.
“What’s Anton saying?” Mitch and Deck kept their voices low, so the man who was tied up didn’t hear.
“He reckons he killed Terrell, that he masterminded the deal with Henderson. He says Allen has lost his nerve, that he didn’t want to get involved.”
“What do you think?” Mitch valued Decker’s opinion; he was the smartest mind he knew and could read people better than anyone.
“I believe Anton is telling the truth. I’m not saying he’s the sharpest tool in the box, but he is behind the deal and the murder of Autumn’s husband.”
Mitch clenched his fist at the reference to Terrell. “If that’s the case, none of this makes sense. Why would Allen leave Anton alive knowing he went behind his back, and who is really running the Cobras?”
“Allen is most definitely in charge still, but I get the feeling there’s dissent within the gang.”
“I want to talk to him.”
Deck nodded as he and Mitch stepped towards Anton. Waggs, Reid, and Blake were with Hench, and Alex and Jack were questioning Midas.
Dragging the hood from his head with a jerk, Mitch glared at Anton Williams. “I hear you’re the mastermind behind this chemical weapons deal.”
Anton’s greedy eyes lit up with pride. “Yes, I am.”
“Seems we have ourselves a player.” He glanced at Deck with chuckle and Anton gave a nervous laugh.
“Allen thinks he’s in charge, but he’ll soon see who’s really calling the shots at the Cobras.”
“Not Allen then?”
“No, he’s lost it. He wouldn’t take the deal, didn’t want us involved with chemical weapons. Thinks that innocent lives will be lost, but I showed him.”
Mitch could see the excitement in his eyes. “Yeah, how so?”
“Verena knows he’s weak. If she doesn’t hear from me in the next twelve hours she’ll have her team kill every man in the silo, including Allen.”
Mitch’s gut tightened at the truth he heard in the man’s words. “Why kill Terrell though if he was the mind behind the formula?”
“Terrell handed his balls to his wife. She wanted him out, so he tried to bail. Allen was going to let him, but I showed that idiot. I killed him and made it look like Allen. I was so close to getting rid of Allen.”
Mitch rubbed his bottom lip before leaning back on his heels and crossing his arms. “So, let me get this straight. You killed your brother-in-law, set Allen up for the fall, brokered the deal for the chemicals, and have a failsafe in case you get caught?”
“Exactly.”
“But you’ll still end up in jail for all that.”
Anton laughed. “I’ll run the Cobras from the inside, don’t be a fool, man. I have the power now. Allen will die and will make my men rich.”
“Hench and Midas in on this?”
“Yes, they hated the direction Allen was taking the Cobras too. He suddenly grew a conscience like a fucking pussy.”
“Who checks the silo operation?”
“Allen does daily but not for long. Verena will kill him soon, wipe out his entire team and put ours in.”
“How many men?”
“Allen has twenty soldiers, but Verena is sending in double that amount.”
Mitch tipped his head. “Are you really that stupid, Anton, or is this a game?”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Anton’s arrogance had turned to bluster now.
“Well, if Verena has the silo set up, has the people to work on the formula, what does she need you for?”
“I’m her right-hand man.”
“You’re a fucking moron. You’re as good as dead, you just don’t know it.”
“No, you need to help me.” The panic made his voice rise two octaves.
“If I had my way, I’d personally deliver
you to her with a fucking bow on for what you’ve put Autumn through.”
“No come on, man. I protected her. I kept her safe.”
Mitch’s fist slammed into Anton’s jaw as his calm composure snapped. Bending close to the whimpering man he kept his voice low. “You fucking liar, you almost ruined her, and I’m going to enjoy watching you squirm when they find out what a little snitch you are.”
Mitch walked from the room as Decker gagged his mouth and covered his head again. He needed a minute to get his head around things. Pushing outside, he felt the fresh night air on his skin, the smells of the countryside familiar to him now. He’d spent the last few weeks hating Allen for what he’d done to Autumn, but he was innocent of that, he was also not guilty of killing her husband. Guilt for thinking the worst of the boy he’d known hit his chest, and he put a hand against the wall of the building to catch his breath.
Deck stepped out lighting a rare cigarette, the glow bright in the darkness of the night. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just trying to sort it in my head.”
“Seems simple to me.”
Mitch lifted his head, cocking it to the side. “Yeah?”
“Allen is destroying the Cobras from the inside. He knew you’d come for Autumn and wants us to take down the lab.”
“With Anton and the others in custody, the gang will fall apart, lose power and implode from the inside.” Mitch began to pace his mind whirling with possibilities, and then what his mother said struck him. “He planned this all along.”
Deck frowned. “What?”
“I was talking to my mum earlier, and she said Allen visited her years ago before he joined the Cobras. He told her he was on a different path to me and the only way to avenge his brother was from the inside out.” Mitch looked at Decker with shock. “He planned this all along, to take control and then destroy the gang that took his brother.”
“We need to talk to the others, because if we don’t make our play before dawn, then Verena Finch will send in her team to slaughter them all.”
And Autumn and Maggie would be in the line of fire with him.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mitch crouched low to the ground, his mind focused on the job ahead, as the stillness of the night cloaked him and the team. He’d wanted to go straight to Allen, walk into the lion’s den and face the man who’d taken his woman and child but there hadn’t been time. Lopez had picked up chatter that a hit was gonna go down an hour before dawn at the silo.
Eidolon needed to be in position to mitigate the threat before Autumn and Maggie could be hurt. The guards inside the silo would either come quietly or die. Jack always believed that they couldn’t seek retribution if they were dead, although he tried to keep the enemy alive if they had a use to him.
“This is Q in position.”
“Pyro check.”
“King check.”
The different team members began to check in with Jack holding the last line. “Boss man, check.”
As the explosion rent the air, he was already moving, his night vision device allowing him to see as the rats began to scurry from the den. He fired shot after shot as men came at him with guns, dropping them where they stood, their faces a mask of shock. He kept moving through the warren of tunnels until he came upon the lab.
Stepping through he cleared the room, knowing Waggs had his back as he listened over the earpiece as the team efficiently took down the threat to humanity at worst and at best, several hundred people.
Stopping next to the cot, he could smell the scent of the woman he loved over the gunpowder and chemicals. It called to him like a siren’s song, teasing his senses that she was close or had been. Looking around, he couldn’t see her anywhere.
“They aren’t here.” His face was a savage mask, the line of his lips harsh with fear and retribution. Allen may not be what he’d thought, but he’d still brought her into this danger.
“Boss man, Doc, and Q are moving to stage two. Let’s go.”
Mitch led the way from the lab and followed the tunnel that led to the house that Allen owned. The dark walls lit by crude lights, as he got closer he lifted his NVGs and then stopped, his hand lifting to stop Waggs’ forward momentum.
Mitch cocked his ear, listening to the sound again, his eyes on Waggs and he knew when he heard it too.
Gunshots!
He was running before he realised what was happening, his feet moving him closer with a desperation he’d never known before. Stopping at the exit, he took a moment to look around and saw four vehicles surrounding Allen’s Linton’s house.
“Boss man, this is Q, we have four tango’s vehicles at the house.”
“Do not engage. We’re coming to you.”
“Negative, shots fired inside.”
Mitch heard Jack curse, but he didn’t respond, he knew Mitch would be careful, he also knew he wasn’t going to wait when the women he loved was in there and in danger. He looked at Waggs who nodded; he knew his friend would follow him into hell if he had too.
Running across the open grass, he skirted the edges so the motion detector wouldn’t pick up their approach. The back door was partially open, and he heard a voice coming from the living room. Blood covered the kitchen floor as they entered silently, and Mitch had to fight the enraged panic blooming inside him. He had to believe they were safe, or he wouldn’t be able to do this.
His heart beat wildly and his hand was far steadier on the weapon he used than he’d have thought. Only training and sheer will keeping him from losing his mind right then. He’d kill every man that had touched her or Maggie. Their safety was his only concern. He loved her with so much passion he knew without a doubt he wouldn’t survive losing her.
Through the glass double doors that led into the living room, he saw Verena Finch talking to two men, her face an arrogant mixture of evil and confidence. Her blue pinstripe suit didn’t befit the occasion yet somehow telling the story of her superiority or at least how she saw herself.
“We’re in position, and the tangos outside are down.”
Knowing they could move but still not seeing Allen, Maggie, or Autumn, Mitch looked at Waggs who nodded at the sofa blocking their view of the floor at Verena’s feet. Hope bloomed in his chest when he heard Autumn’s voice, clear and robust.
“You won’t get away with this, you sick bitch.”
Never had a sound been so beautiful to him. He didn’t allow himself the moment of relief because the danger was still imminent.
“Verena, you can do whatever you want with me but let them go.”
Allen, but the timbre of his voice held barely concealed pain, the rasp of his breathing told Mitch he was badly injured.
“I have no use for you. You were nothing but a pawn. Now the base is set up, it’s time for you to die with her.”
Mitch eyed the two men who wore black masks over their faces and were armed with MP5s through the scope of his rifle. His finger squeezed the trigger, and the first man fell seconds before the other man went down too. The shots were clean and deadly and the shock on Verena’s face morphed into fear before she turned to run, only to barrel into Alex and Reid.
Her screams of indignation and fury sounded in the night, but his only thought was Autumn and Maggie. He ran towards her, the raw expression of relief and love filling her face almost unmanning him. He slid to his knees and opened his arms, grasping her and Maggie, who was in her arms, to his chest in a crushing hold close to his heart. Mitch buried his head in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent, glad he was on his knees as he would’ve fallen to them as the emotion hit him.
He ran his hands over her body, checking for injury before he pulled back and looked into her eyes full of tears. “Are you both okay?”
Autumn nodded. “Yes, Linton saved us.”
Mitch looked down then, noticing for the first time Allen was on the floor beside her covered in blood from a shot to the chest. He was barely conscious, his eyes on Mitch and Autumn, a small smile playing at his
lips which resembled the boy he’d been.
Mitch wanted to feel hate, to let the anger inside him boil over for what he’d done but found nothing, just relief that he had the woman he loved and her sweet baby, who was now splitting the air with her cries, in his arms again.
“Mitch, help him. Please.”
Her desperate sob had him frowning as he looked to her and then to the man he’d known, whose lifeblood was soaking into the cream rug beneath his body. He’d caused so much hurt, so much pain, and Mitch needed that to end.
Releasing her, he held his hand over Allen’s wound, a groan of pain slipping past his lips as Mitch applied pressure.
“Doc,” he called, suddenly wanting Linton Allen to live.
Waggs was beside him in a second his hands working fast, cutting open the cloth of Linton’s shirt and using Quickclot to stem the bleed. Mitch removed his hands covered in blood and felt only regret that it had ended this way.
“Always knew you would be the one to end this.” Allen’s voice was weak.
“No, you did that. You set out to destroy the Cobras, and it worked.”
Allen closed his eyes in peace at last, and Mitch grasped his hand. “No dying.”
Allen’s eyes sprang open, but they were glassy now. “I’m sorry.”
“So am I, Linton,” he said, seeing the boy he’d once been in that moment. “I should’ve stayed or looked out for you when Devon died, and I didn’t. I was a coward.”
Mitch felt emotion clog his throat as he remembered the good times he’d had as a child on his poor London estate home. They’d played, rode bikes, and been brothers, Devon and Linton almost living at his home. It was only as they grew that things changed, that he and Devon got dragged into a world that was virtually impossible to escape.
“No, you tried to save him, I know you did. I never blamed you, Mitch. I’m happy you found a beautiful life.” Allen glanced behind him, and Mitch turned to see Autumn cuddling Maggie, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
Mitch glanced back his old friend. “I want you to know that.”
“Too late for me.”
