by Em Petrova
Jess. Something must be wrong with Jess.
She pictured him as she’d last seen him, rough and rugged. His face creased with worry and the gold of his cross necklace glinting.
She felt herself move but didn’t register she was walking until she reached the woman at the door. Her vision wobbled in and out as she was led to the front counter and handed the phone.
She brought it to her ear. “Avery Aarons here.” Her mouth was suddenly chalky.
“Woman, you are a fucking hard one to track down. Are you looking at a TV?” Reggie’s voice only confused her further. Was this about Jess?
“No, I was working out.”
“There’s a huge threat to the city, and it’s all hands on deck.”
The words sank into her muddled brain. Threat. Here in Austin.
“Bomb threats are going up. We need you, Aarons. Meet me at this address. I’m not going in without my partner at my side.”
“Reg—”
“Dammit, you’re not hearing me, are you? We fucking need you. We’re spread thin all over the city, and we need more uniforms!”
She stared at the dead phone in her hand before dropping it to the desk. She waved at the workers there. “Turn on the news now! Follow whatever instructions they give you and keep everyone here safe!”
She ran for the locker room and changed into her jeans and top in seconds. Running out again, she tried to hail a cab, but they kept zooming by her.
Finally, she jumped in front of one, waving her arms. The driver rolled down the window. “Lady, we’ve been told there’s some major problem here in the city and we’re to return to the garage right now.”
“Where’s your garage?” she shot out.
He named a place.
“Take me that far and I’ll give you double the rate.”
He nodded, and she jumped into the passenger’s seat. Without asking permission, she switched his radio to a news station. The report projecting through the speakers was dour.
The cabby threw her a look. “That doesn’t sound good, does it?”
“No, it doesn’t. How fast can you drive?”
“Where are you really headed, lady? You got kids at one of those church daycares they’re talking about being threatened or something?”
“I’m a cop. I need to reach the Municipal Court building—now!”
“Well then, I can take a detour.” He whipped the cab down a side street at a high rate of speed. She quickly reached for her phone. The lines to the precinct were all busy, even Chief Gilbert’s direct line.
“Dammit,” she swore to herself, ending the call and dialing a new one.
She knew Jess had gone dark since leaving for his mission, so calling him was futile. But she could perhaps save someone he cared about.
“Jenna. It’s Avery Aarons. I need you to get Madison and head home as soon as you get this message. Please take any route outside the city limits that you can to get to your house. If you can’t get there on other roads, then get out of Austin and drive west. There’s a threat to the city—a bunch of them. Please listen to me.”
The cab driver threw her a wild look. “Should I even bother going to the garage? I’ve got my old dad in one of the nursing homes. Maybe I should go get him.”
“No. Just listen to your boss and get to the garage. Your dad will be looked after. Okay?”
He nodded and took several narrow streets and alleyways to jet them around the most congested area of the city. When they reached the Municipal Court, bomb squads, SWAT vehicles and police cars were barricading the front. Firetrucks and rescue units were on standby as well.
Avery jumped out and threw a handful of cash at the driver. “Thank you so much! Stay safe!”
“You too!” he called before she was off and running, sprinting in and out of people on the clogged sidewalk to reach the front of the building. A man in SWAT gear stepped up to block her way.
“Can’t go inside, lady. There’s a bomb threat.”
“I’m a cop.” A cop without a badge to flash at him.
“Sure you are.” He looked over her street clothes.
“She’s with me.” Reggie’s deep voice made her whirl, and she hurried off with her partner.
“Fill me in,” she demanded.
He did, in as few words as possible. Bomb threats made to the court and another civilian target, people to protect. No explosives had been found as of yet, which had the Air Force looking to the skies, but the cops and feds were scrambling, trying to find out which was the real threat or if it really was both. The bomb squads were in the trenches right now.
What was happening? The world was going insane.
“What can I do?” she asked.
“We’ve already got everybody in the building corralled into one area. Problem is, we’ve got felons inside on trial. We have to get the court workers and civilians out safely and make sure the felons are evacuated under guard.”
“Reg, I need a weapon.”
He stared at her. “I thought you always have a concealed carry.”
“I did… until the parking lot incident. I haven’t carried a weapon since.”
“Shit. I’ll give you my backup, but I don’t like being without. Let’s go.”
As Avery followed her partner into the building, she tossed a look up at the sky. Somewhere Jess was out there, deep in his own brand of danger. She offered up a prayer that they’d both return home safe.
* * * * *
“Jess, what are we lookin’ at with this Moreno guy? What is he capable of?” Cav’s voice came from over his shoulder.
They were grounded just short of their destination, their orders to pause their mission long enough to get a bead on what was happening. Sully was on the horn with Downs, and the rest of the guys sat on edge, prepared to jump at the first order.
Jess looked at each of his team. Linc and Lennon wore twin expressions of anger and worry. Woody had torn off his helmet and was turning it in his hands, over and over, while staring into space. Cav had his legs braced wide, his posture loose, but Jess knew he was ready to pounce.
Sully turned his back to them, and suddenly he let out a rough, “Goddammit!”
They all stared at their captain.
Sully spun back to the group and swept his gaze over them. “Downs just gave word that there are bomb threats going up in Austin. Two verified targets so far, and a few calls they think are copycat reports but have to be investigated. Every law officer is on the job. Bomb units on scene, and buildings being evacuated and streets cleared. As of now, not a single explosive has been located.”
Jesus. Madison.
Every law officer on the job—Avery.
Jess suddenly felt as if he’d burst into flames with the worry hitting him square in the chest. Loving was going to kill him.
Had Avery been called to duty, despite her current state? If they were all hands on deck, it was possible.
Just as quickly as the thought popped into his mind, he felt a surge of pride in her. If anybody threatened his badass woman, he’d receive a round or two in the heart. She wasn’t going to take any threat sitting down, and she’d prove to the review board just how capable and levelheaded she was.
Jess ground his molars for a moment before speaking. “Moreno knew we were on to him after our visit to Chiapas. He knows who’s been intercepting his messages, that we’ve been listening in. His contacts wouldn’t like that. But so far, Moreno hasn’t made any strikes of his own, only shared intel.” Jess stated facts everybody already knew.
“But…” Jess looked from man to man. “We know he’s been traveling into the US through underground channels. He was here when we were at his house in Chiapas. Moreno’s deeper into this than just selling intelligence.”
Cav spoke up. “The threat in Mexico is a red herring.”
Jess nodded. “He’s trying to fake us out.” Worry flooded him. What if Moreno was striking back at him, since he’d been the one intercepting and deciphering his cod
es? What if Avery had become a target?
“Threats are against the court building and a shopping mall,” Sully stated.
“A government target and a public one,” Cav noted.
Sully nodded. “Downs ordered us to turn this chopper around and head back.”
“And if there is a threat in Mexico?” Woody asked.
“Then Knight Ops is there to cover it. We’re going to be on the streets of Austin searching for that fucking Moreno.” Sully looked directly at Jess, and he gave a hard nod in return.
It was time.
“They’re talking about dispatching Army Rangers from Fort Benning, but it’ll take too long. I think we’re on our own, team,” Sully said.
“Just get us in there,” Jess growled.
He prided himself on remaining cool, calm and together when a threat presented itself. But if something had happened to one of his loved ones—or any of their loved ones—he’d never forgive himself for not pulling the trigger on Moreno long before this day.
Chapter Ten
“This building’s clear. That’s the last man out,” Avery stated to Reggie as she watched the felon being led in shackles onto a prison van.
Reggie looked up from the call he’d just taken. “They need us at the mall. They’ve got too many people to handle over there, and they need some order. Let’s go.”
Avery followed her partner out of the court building, past bomb squads and K-9 units that were still searching the place. So far, reports hadn’t come in about whether or not a bomb had been found inside—but it didn’t matter. She’d done her job by getting the people to safety, and now she had another job to do.
The sidewalk was still clogged with pedestrians trying to get home to their families after learning about the threats.
Reaching their cruiser, Reggie jumped behind the wheel.
“I wish I had on my uniform. I feel I’d hold more authority with the crowd.”
“Shit, I forgot I’ve got an extra vest in the back. Put it on.”
She reached over the seat to grab it as he pulled into the traffic, using his siren to get the vehicles to part and allow them through. When she looked in the back, all she saw was a vest with an orange stripe.
“That’s a traffic cop vest,” she said.
Reggie gave her his trademark grin. “That’s what you’ll be wearin’ after the review board reinstates you. At least for a while.”
“Screw you,” she shot out, but laughed.
He chuckled along with her, the much-needed tension-breaker leaving both of them feeling looser.
The scanner was blowing up but not with dark tales of explosions one would expect. It was injuries among the crowd of people they were all struggling to keep calm and in order.
“Where’s your wife right now, Reg?”
“At home.” He pushed out a sigh. “I told her not to leave.”
“At least she’ll be away from all this.”
“Yeah. Where’s your boyfriend?”
She pressed her lips together. “He’s away for his job.” She hadn’t told Reggie about Jess’s work and wouldn’t unless Jess was okay with him knowing.
“Good. The fewer people in this city right now, the better.”
She didn’t know if it was a good thing the Ranger Ops weren’t around to deal with these threats. They were far better equipped than many of the agencies on hand were.
A military vehicle rolled through an intersection, and she tracked it with her eyes. “Looks like the government’s sent some backup.”
“Fuckin-A.”
“Think I’m getting my badge back after this?” she asked, mind skipping from topic to topic.
He shot her a look. “If you don’t, I plan to walk in there and throw down my badge too. Because a city that can’t recognize a good officer when they see one doesn’t deserve to have me on its payroll either.”
Her heart welled with appreciation of their friendship. “Thanks, Reg.”
“Car forty-nine, what is your location?”
Avery grabbed the two-way receiver and gave the closest street address.
“We need you on the scene at the shopping complex.”
“We’re headed there now.”
“Copy that. And Officer Aarons—welcome back.”
Too bad all joy at those words was lost in her worry.
As Reggie took a side street to get around traffic, Avery glanced at her phone again. Nothing from Jess.
She swung her head right and left, watching the buildings for signs of smoke that would indicate an explosion.
“Reports coming in,” she said, staring at the laptop now.
“Of what?”
“Suspicious case on the lower level of the mall.”
The radio broadcast details from all around Austin. A news helicopter had taken to the skies, which only managed to cause mass panic at a school on the outskirts of city limits, which only meant more cops were called over there to calm things down and reassure them all that they were safe.
Avery felt helpless in every sense. All she could do was sit back and listen and pray she and Reggie did some good in all this.
As soon as they neared the destination, city buses were loading those without vehicles. She and Reggie jumped out of the cruiser, in the thick of it, directing people, assisting an old lady into the back of a waiting ambulance where two other elderly people sat.
Avery spun toward where she’d last seen Reggie, and then she spotted the camo uniforms.
Her heart gave a hard lurch.
No, Jess wasn’t among those men. He wasn’t in the city.
A middle-aged man came up to her screaming that he’d lost his wife somewhere in the chaos and she wasn’t answering her phone. Avery was just trying to calm him down, when a cry rang out.
“He’s got a gun!”
People hit the ground with arms flung over their heads or ran willy-nilly into the parking lot. A motorcyclist gunned it through the pedestrians on the sidewalk, knocking people aside.
Avery rushed forward, her own weapon drawn. Please don’t let this be a repeat of the parking lot incident.
She jerked her head left and right, searching for a shooter in the crowd. Reggie was at her side. “That guy looks suspicious. I’m checking him out,” he said.
Giving a nod, she shouldered her way through a group of men and saw the flash of steel in someone’s hand.
“Stop right there!”
The man took two more steps.
With a flying leap, she hit the guy square in the back, knocking him flat out on the sidewalk. The weapon skittered out of reach, and another officer was on the scene to pick it up.
Using her weight and strength, she nudged the guy’s legs apart and flattened him with a knee on his spine. “Arms out to the sides, palms up!” she ordered.
Another cop appeared next to her. Together, they got the guy handcuffed and on his feet.
“I got this, Aarons. Reggie needs you over there.”
She handed the guy over to the other police officer. Suddenly, images of Jess filled her mind. When would she see him again? Did he know what was happening here?
She had barely drawn a breath when she heard Reggie calling her name.
“Aarons!”
She spun and then rushed back to where he was ordering people to remain calm and follow directions. Two firemen jumped in to help, and then she couldn’t think of Jess anymore.
She had work to do and knew he was out there somewhere, doing the work he loved too.
* * * * *
“Both buildings have been evacuated. The bomb at the mall is a dud.” Linc’s announcement had Jess looking up.
“That’s one down then. What the fuck’s happening at the court?”
“We’ve got orders to head there now,” Sully said.
The guys gathered around the chopper that had just put down. Colonel Downs had a van at the ready for them, and they piled inside.
Being in their home city with their loved ones so
close had each of them quiet and drawn into his own thoughts. Jess hoped to hell his daughter and Avery were safe. His chest was tight with worry, but he tried to shake it off and focus on what was ahead.
Sully turned in his seat to look back at Jess. “We’re setting you up with computer systems and will proceed into the court building without you. We need you on Moreno.”
“Tell me where and I’m there.”
Minutes counted down slowly, and Jess’s mind wandered over all he knew of Moreno. There was more to the man. He had to be a pivot point, calling the shots for at least some of these terrorist cells. But Jess had a feeling he might have created his own group of followers. A man like Moreno fed on his power. It might have once been enough for him to know a single phone call from him would have a ringleader dropping everything to speak to him. But he’d want more, and to get it, he’d need his own group of men.
Jess needed hooked up to a headset—now. He also wanted access to the past month’s worth of conversations between Moreno and his friends, as well as the codes he’d recently cracked. There must be something he was missing.
“This is you, man,” Sully said as the van came to a stop.
Jess looked at his team. “Godspeed.”
“We’ve still got communications with you, and we’ll be right next door in the court. Focus on your work, and we’ll focus on ours. Got it?” Sully’s tone was no-nonsense, and Jess was ready.
He nodded and opened the door to find Colonel Downs and two intelligence agents he’d worked with before standing there. Jess went with them, and the van rolled away, a man short.
Jess couldn’t think of that right now. “Get me into a headset,” he told Downs.
“This way. We’re set up and an agent is already dialed in.” Downs gave him a sharp glance.
“Moreno?” Jess asked.
“He’s silent.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. But if anybody can find where he’s at and his activity, it’s you.”
First he’d been told he was too close to Moreno, and now that was a good thing. He shook his head as he followed the agents and Downs into an office that had been commandeered as their headquarters. Desks had been cleared and computer systems in place.
