by Laura Acton
Ray grinned at Loki and Lexa. “How about we grab lunch at the Jamaican Parrot?”
Lexa released a breath she had been holding since Broderick’s outburst and nodded. “Sounds good to me.” She pushed thoughts of what Dan said away, to focus on Ray. Neutralizing subjects, though occasionally necessary, was a difficult thing to do. Ray would need some support tonight.
“I’ll drive.” Loki’s expression remained somber as he rose.
As Lexa stood, she could see Boss starting in on the paperwork. There was always so much more when they had to neutralize a subject and when there was an injury to report. Damned rookie didn’t have to push me! I can take care of myself. Before she exited, Lexa asked, “Boss, you want to come with us?”
Nick shook his head. He needed time alone to gather his thoughts. The team couldn’t continue operating like this. “Thanks for asking, but no. I brought a sandwich with me today.”
“Okay, but if you want me to bring you something back, give me a call,” Lexa said over her shoulder.
Nick nodded.
She winced as she rolled her shoulders. A long, warm, salt bath would be needed tonight. Tomorrow when they did close-quarters-combat drills she would let the rookie have it. I’ll show him I’m not a pushover and can do this job as well as any man and better than some. I don’t need some cocky soldier to play hero. I’m a capable officer.
Playful Minds Daycare
14
August 4
TRF HQ – Gun Cage – 9:45 a.m.
Bored out of his gourd counting ammo, Dan kept losing his place as random thoughts started assailing him. Yesterday sucked. He spent an hour on the roof trying to rein in his emotions. He even contemplated jumping, but Charlie Team was in the outside training area running drills while music blared in the background. The music reminded him of Brody, and he ended up finding a concealed section by the air handler. Crouching there, he let his tears fall as Hardy’s harsh words echoed in his head, pummeling him.
Hardy accused him of not following orders and killing a teammate. He was so far from the mark. Complying with orders brought about Brody’s death. He was cleared to fire. His job, to take out the targets. Those were his orders, he always followed orders, even if he didn’t like them.
TRF is supposed to be different. One night long ago, he listened to an MP tell him how he planned to join TRF and how they were all about protecting lives. It sounded promising to Dan who only returned to camp that night. The mission kept him in the field for seven days straight with another unit, adding so many to his kill total and threatening to blacken his soul entirely.
Saving lives is what I need. I must atone for all the lives I took, especially Brody’s and Shy’s. Not that I ever can, but I have to try. Crap, I lost count again. Focus or Jon will be riding your ass. Dan pushed all his painful memories, his guilt, and his failures down into a box he built inside his mind and slammed the lid shut … the only way he could operate. He restarted counting the ammo.
Dan was sure Hardy assigned him this task as a punishment for his outburst yesterday. Hardy glared at him all during workout and during the briefing session this morning. Further introspection suggested another reason … perhaps setting Lexa on her ass today had something to do with this chore.
During hand-to-hand training, Lexa came at him full force. He had no choice but to set her down, time and again. He tossed her as gently as possible, but that seemed only to tick her off more. She dealt out several solid hits in retaliation. Lexa really did pack a punch.
The rest of the guys didn’t like it much that he was putting her on her rear either. Their glares told him so. And Bram laid him out hard a few times to demonstrate to him how he felt about the perceived ill-treatment of Lexa.
Dan knew a lot of combat moves, thanks to his Special Forces training, but more so from Ripsaw’s tutoring. Ripsaw was a master of many martial art disciplines and could be almost as deadly unarmed as armed. After sparring with an annoyed Bram, Dan conceded Bram’s skills were damned good. The big guy could’ve held his own against Ripsaw and Mason.
He tossed the ammo down. Shit! I lose everyone I care about. The damned box wasn’t staying closed. Memories of Ripsaw, Buzz, and Dutch invaded his mind. He couldn’t save them … he failed them. Like he did everyone he cared about.
Jon entered the area and observed the rookie as he tossed the ammunition back into the box. “That’s not gonna count itself, Broderick. Inventory might not be a glamorous job, but it needs to be done. You better pick up the pace, you still need to mop the cage too.”
Glaring at the bullets, Dan bit back the retort brewing. He never lets up. Crystal clear the tactical lead hates me. He forced images of Murphy, Travis, Parsons, Nichols, and Snow from his mind—five among many who despised him for no reason.
Hardy kept him on the sniper range the remainder of shift yesterday while everyone else went on patrol. Not a half bad thing though. He got up close and personal with his new Remi, achieving an accuracy rivaling his C14 Timberwolf. His speed was now back where he preferred as well.
“Did you hear me, Broderick?” Jon asked, allowing his irritation to show in his voice when Broderick failed to resume counting. The rookie appeared to be ignoring him which grated on his nerves.
Dan lifted his head. His icy-hard gaze bored into Hardy. “Yes, sir.” He picked up the ammo and started counting again. Dan used sniper breathing to calm the rage burning just below the surface and reminded himself to maintain respect for the position even if he couldn’t respect the man. Hardy had done nothing to earn his respect thus far.
Still peeved about yesterday, Jon turned and left the rookie doing the job every one of them detested. They were lucky they didn’t have another call yesterday. At lunch, Bram laid into him about being too harsh on the rookie, and they got into a moderately heated agreement. They ended their meal early, both too angry with one another to eat.
Bram didn’t understand. He needed to ensure his team went home at the end of shift, that was his job, his responsibility. After lunch, he found the rookie up on the roof and ordered him to the gun range. He drilled Broderick like he would’ve done with any recruit for the remainder of the shift, while the others patrolled.
Lacking the standard gauntlet of trials they put recruits through, Jon used the afternoon to assess Broderick’s skills. The team depended on the sniper to keep them all safe. He needed to determine how Broderick performed under pressure as well as his reaction speed once given the signal permitting him to take lethal action.
After shift, he returned to Hayden Ironworks because the rookie’s words bugged the hell out of him. Climbing back into the Zulu position he identified, he surveyed the area. Jon couldn’t view Lexa’s spot from this location. He went to the place suggested by the rookie. It galled him to find the position provided a clear view of everything and access to Lexa. Broderick being partially right stuck in his craw, but that didn’t excuse his unacceptable action of running off leaving Lexa alone and dazed … anything could’ve happened to her.
This morning he and Bram were kosher again. They rarely fought and when they did they didn’t stay angry with one another long. When he shared he went to the ironworks and the results of his find, his friend responded, ‘Thank goodness, you’re not completely blind, but I still think you’re too hard on the rookie.’
Jon didn’t agree with Bram, but they decided to disagree and move forward. And since the team was his responsibility, it was up to him to break in the rookie, whether he liked it or not—and he still didn’t.
Thoughts of Alejandro and Burl kept entering his mind. Broderick was a reckless, aggressive soldier like Burl and impossible to interpret like Alejandro. Jon was damned if he would allow Broderick to get any of his team hurt or killed as they did.
Outside Playful Minds Daycare – 10:15 a.m.
Dan trotted toward the position Jon sent him to. This was the first time Hardy allowed him to be Zulu One. Right after Hardy left the gun cage, the klaxon alarm soun
ded, and he won a reprieve from counting ammo. But the reprieve was short-lived as the team raced to a daycare facility to face a hostage situation with a center full of young children.
Nick approached and spoke with Inspector Roman Pope who arrived on scene prior to them. “What do we have?”
Pope glanced at the sergeant. “Two armed men entered the daycare and proceeded to gather some children in one room.”
“Do we know why they entered?” Nick asked as his team geared up and set about their usual tasks.
The inspector shook his head. “No clue, but I must tell you, this could turn into a PR nightmare. Parents are showing up, and the news is already here.”
“I need you to keep them well back,” Nick requested.
As Pope took off to comply with the request, he noted NRB Agent Richard Donner hovering at the edge of the cordoned off area taking notes. Pope hoped TRF would resolve the situation without loss of life.
Dan reached his sniper perch and quickly set up. He lay down on his stomach, put his eye to the scope, and began to scan the interior of the center, relieved to have adequate visibility from his vantage. Loki’s voice resonated through the earpiece. He listened as Loki informed the team it would be several minutes before he gained access to the camera feed.
Realizing the team needed intel now, Dan relayed his observations. “The targets … subjects are in the last room on the south side … looks like a nursery. Six adults and a bunch of kids are in one corner. One tar—subject is carrying an infant in his arms and pointing a gun at a woman who appears to be screaming. The other is separating the only male hostage in the room from the rest of the hostages. Targets acquired. Am I cleared to fire if needed?”
Jon pushed down his irritation at the rookie’s terms. “Hold. We have not figured out what’s going on yet.” Then he and Bram began studying the blueprints. Jon reluctantly admitted Broderick’s information proved useful.
Bram asked, “Dan, are the other rooms clear?”
Moving his scope, Dan scanned the remaining rooms. “Negative. Two rooms have children in them, but no adults are present. The kids appear to be no older than three.”
Jon’s gut clenched with the news. “How many children in each room?”
Dan counted, wishing he was counting ammo instead of innocent children in harm’s way. “Six kids in the second room. Ten in the third room.”
At Dan’s information, Lexa paused interviewing the two daycare workers who had been outside with seven children on the playground when the men entered the building. So far, they provided no insight. She reformulated her next question. “Ms. Hubbard, can you tell me the number of children who would usually be in rooms two and three?”
Ms. Hubbard wrung her hands after wiping the tears from her eyes. “Room two is for the two-year-old’s. Normally there are seven, but Sara Clarry is home ill, so only six would be here today. Room three is for three-year-old’s. Ten children are in the classroom today.”
“Why would the children be left alone in the rooms?”
A horrified expression crossed Ms. Hubbard’s face. “They’re alone?”
“Yes. How many adults should be with them?”
“Um, um. I think … two in each room.” Ms. Hubbard stammered out utterly aghast the kids were alone.
A woman approached and hesitantly spoke to Lexa. “The officer over there said I should speak to you.”
“Who are you?” Lexa studied the grandmotherly woman.
“My name is Gladys Arnal. I sometimes cover for the cook when she is out ill. I was inside when the men came in. I hid in the kitchen when I glimpsed their guns. I witnessed them go into several rooms and take the teachers out at gunpoint leaving the wee ones all alone.”
Ms. Hubbard offered more, “The doors are self-locking and require a code on the outside to open.”
“Can you provide me the codes?” Once Lexa obtained codes she shared all the information with the team.
Pleased he succeeded in getting into the daycare’s older security system, Loki said, “I have eyes in, but no audio yet. I’m attempting to tap into their intercom system. Boss, once I do, I’ll patch the intercom through to your phone.” His fingers flew over the keyboard.
Ray scanned the rooms capturing two screen images of the subjects. “Boss, as Dan reported all other rooms are clear. Running facial recognition now on the two men. Lexa, I’m sending you pictures. Perhaps the daycare workers might be able to identify them.”
Jon assessed the situation and turned to Nick. “We go in stealth and remove those kids before you start talking. I need Lexa and Ray.”
“Do it.” Nick nodded in agreement.
“Ray, Lexa, with Bram and me,” Jon said as he and Bram grabbed shields and trotted toward the entrance.
As she ran to meet up with Jon, Lexa communicated, “No luck with IDs. They have never seen either of them before. However, they confirm four of the female hostages are teachers from rooms two and three. The fifth female hostage is Mrs. Sundqvist, the infant room caregiver, her husband, Jacob Sundqvist is the other hostage.”
Loki grinned as he succeeded tapping into the intercom, no easy feat. “I’ve got ears in, anytime you’re ready.”
Nick headed for the command truck. “Let’s give Jon time to move those children out before I engage. We need to listen in, gather useful information, and figure out what is going on.”
Rooftop Across from Playful Minds – 10:25 a.m.
Dan wanted to take action as things escalated in the nursery. “Target forced the male victim to his knees execution style. Am I cleared to fire?”
“Hold, Dan,” Nick called out.
“Sarge, he’s gonna shoot him.”
“Is the gun up?”
“No, not yet, but the position. Why else would he—” Dan was cut off.
“Dan, if a subject isn’t directly threatening a hostage or officer, we don’t fire. We only take the shot if it is the last resort,” Nick said.
“Roger,” Dan replied and kept a close eye on the targets. He slowed his breathing and cleared his mind, focusing solely on the hostile, prepared to shoot if the gun raised. Through his headset he listened as the team prepared to remove the kids from the building.
Command Truck – 10:35 a.m.
Loki got hits on facial recognition. “Boss, the subject holding the infant, is Maurice Hanno. Thirty-nine. Just released from Riverbend Correctional Institution. He served four years for sexual abuse. The victim was his own four-year-old child. Court records indicate the abuse occurred over a three-year interval. The other subject is Johnnie McFarland. Forty-six. Also, recently released. Served three years after being convicted of breaking into the residence of his sixteen-year-old niece, raping her, and threatening her if she called the police.”
“Obtain a list of employees and children to determine if any connection exists with either subject,” Nick instructed Loki.
“On it, Boss.” Loki concentrated on his objective.
Via the monitors, Nick watched the team move in. Jon provided cover as they entered room two. Lexa, Bram, and Ray each scooped up two children then they backtracked outside where they handed off the kids to patrol officers who whisked them to EMS units standing by. His team reentered to retrieve the ten kids in room three.
The reach and strength of Bram’s arms allowed him to transport five kids easily. The image made Nick smile briefly. Ray lifted three and Lexa took two, while Jon covered them as they rapidly exited. Nick sighed in relief. “Excellent work team. Now we focus on getting the rest out safely.”
Loki worked swiftly compiling the information. “Got it! Hanno’s ex-wife works here.” He glanced at the monitor in the room with the hostages. “She is the woman screaming at Hanno.”
“Patch me through, Loki,” Nick gripped his phone ready to engage.
Loki patched the intercom to Boss’ phone.
“This is Nick Pastore with the Tactical Response Force. We have everything under control out here, but we would like t
o know if everyone is alright in there.”
Rooftop Across from Playful Minds – 3:40 p.m.
Dan listened to Sarge talk to the subjects for nearly five hours. Hanno claimed his wife falsely accused him of assaulting their daughter. He alleged he got railroaded because the prosecution lawyer had an affair with his now ex-wife. The claim had some merit since the wife divorced Hanno and married the prosecuting attorney, Jacob Sundqvist, a year after Hanno’s conviction. Though, proving collusion between the two would be difficult.
Sundqvist just happened to be at the daycare when Hanno came to force his ex-wife to admit her crime. What a coincidence, Dan thought. Sarge tried to talk him down, but Hanno kept escalating. His prison buddy, McFarland, the subject threatening to kill the male hostage, was also prosecuted by Sundqvist. Which made this an extremely volatile situation with four infants, a dozen young kids, and six adult hostages.
Sarge’s negotiation skills thoroughly impressed Dan. The sergeant remained calm and in control the entire time and talked McFarland and Hanno into agreeing to release four of the women and all but one infant.
However, when the door opened to allow them to leave, all hell broke loose. The little kids screamed and ran for the door. Hanno held an infant, but without warning, he turned and shot his former wife in the head. Blood sprayed the kids next to her as she dropped dead.
Nick called out their lethal action command, “PapaGolf.”
Permission granted, Dan fired a lethal shot … the bullet perfectly placed. Blood exploded from the target’s head, spraying the children again. Hanno dropped to the ground. One woman lunged to catch the infant. McFarland raised his gun to Sundqvist’s head. Dan fired a second time and dropped McFarland before he could pull the trigger.
