Shadow Rising (A Lacy Merrick Thriller Book 2)

by Robin Mahle

  “And you stand to earn a great deal of money if this remains a secret. Their stock continues to grow.”

  “Now you’re understanding what it is that I am about, Mr. Jian.” He raised his glass and downed another shot.

  28

  The time had come and today would be a day that would define the rest of Lacy Merrick’s life, if she was lucky enough to survive it. She was running on pure adrenaline now. Sleep hadn’t come in any form during the night and now the sun spilled over the horizon and shone through the pinholes of the worn out curtains in the worn out motel. Her heart and mind stayed firmly on her children. This was for them as much as it was for her. Someday, they would know what she tried to do for their father and for the country. Whether she succeeded was already written in the stars, yet Lacy wasn’t lucky enough to be privy to that information. None of them were and she could not know if these people who surrounded her now would do so after the day was done.

  “You ready to go?” Aaron appeared from the bathroom and sat down next to Lacy. “Did you eat anything at all?” He looked at the bag that sat on the small table. “You should eat a bagel. It’ll help settle your nerves.”

  “I had a little bit of one and some coffee.” She turned to him. “Didn’t help much. I still feel like I want to throw up.”

  “Me too.” He smiled. “We’ll get through this. We have help. Good people who know what they’re doing.”

  “I know. I miss Trevor. I wish he was here. What if we can’t help him?”

  “Lacy, what you’re about to do today will put an end to this. Axell will be exonerated.” He patted her knee. “Try to eat a little more. We’ll have to leave soon.”

  “He’s right.” Will pulled on his shoes. “Try to get something in your stomach. Believe me, it will help.” He checked the time. “Delgado, we need to leave in ten minutes. How are you coming along?”

  Agent Delgado wrapped the fresh bandage around his wound. “Fine. Just finishing patching myself up.”

  “Good. We need to get this show on the road.” Will stood and pulled on his jacket.

  Lacy plunked a few more scraps of bagel into her mouth and washed it down with coffee. “Okay. I’m ready.”

  Within minutes, they were on the road, heading back to the mall where Lacy lost her husband, along with so many other families who lost loved ones. And that was where it would end. One way or another, it would end today. On the drive, all Lacy could think about was not her speech, not those she knew would be in attendance, not the plan which they’d plotted out so judiciously. But it was, as always, her children. They’d be getting ready for school now and their aunt would drive them. A task that had, in the past, become banal in its meaning, but now was the only thing she wished she could do in this moment. It was what she should do as their mother. But another was caring for them—Jay’s sister, who had lost her brother at that mall and had worked so hard to overcome the pain, just as his parents had.

  She’d told them about the ceremony, or rather, got message to them, but also said it would be best if they weren’t there. They stopped asking questions why a long time ago. They knew what she was trying to do, if only in abstract terms, and if they needed to stay away, then they would and she would explain in time her reason.

  Lacy turned to Will, whose eyes were on the road and whose thoughts she could not presume to know. He’d turned out to be a good friend, one that Jay would’ve liked too. He’d completely changed the course of his career just to help her and who wouldn’t admire that? Though she felt that any form of repayment would never be sufficient.

  She turned to the backseat where Aaron and Agent Delgado sat, peering through their respective windows, both appearing to gather their strength to see this through. Aaron, a man who never wanted to be anything more than one who walked the line between right and wrong, but who’d most definitely teetered on the edge of wrong for the past six months, even if it was to do right in the end. A friend whom she knew had garnered some feelings for her in recent months, but could not see it in her heart to return those feelings—not now. Perhaps not ever. Her heart still belonged to her husband and it would remain that way for the foreseeable future.

  Finally, she turned to Agent Delgado, a man she had written off as being on the wrong side of this battle since the day they met. But one who, in his own covert way, was on the right side after all. Still, he’d nearly lost his life yesterday and, by default, had more than proven his loyalty to the cause. He’d lost a friend and who knew what lay ahead for him when this was all over.

  The only one in this team of co-conspirators she did not yet possess a level of comfort for was Station Chief Ward. Axell had trusted her, but could she have done something to prevent his detainment? Lacy couldn’t be sure, but she had helped Aaron, keeping the truth of his actions from her colleagues. That had to count for something. However, her part in all this was minimal, a backup team that Lacy hoped would prevent Lei Jian from leaving the ceremony today a free man.

  “Lacy?” Will turned to her. “We’re here. You okay?” It seemed he noted her distant gaze.

  “Yeah. Fine. I’m ready.” She tugged on her jacket as if to reinforce her words.

  He pulled into the parking lot where, as of now, only a few cars were parked. The ceremony wasn’t to start for another hour, but they needed to be there early and ensure everyone was in place and Lacy was at the designated speaker location in plenty of time.

  “Okay. Let’s get this done.” He stepped out of the car and helped Delgado from the backseat. “You sure you’re okay to do this?”

  “Don’t think I’m going to let you take all the glory, Caison.” Delgado smiled. “Let’s find Fraser and make sure we know when Turner is here.”

  Aaron stepped out last and joined Lacy. A false sense of assuredness appeared on his face.

  “It’ll be okay. It’ll be over in a matter of hours now. All we’ve worked toward, it’s about to come to a head.”

  “No matter what, Lacy, I want you to know that I would and will do anything for you and the kids. Jay was my friend and I know he’d be proud of what you’re doing.”

  “He’d be pissed is what he’d be.” Lacy smiled. “But I know he’ll watch out for us today.” She began to walk toward the staging area and the final touches on the stage were being installed. “You see the others?” she asked Will.

  “Not yet. Don’t worry. They’ll be here.”

  She continued on and the stage came into full view. The American flag placed prominently as a backdrop. A podium for the guest speakers and several chairs that lined either side of the stage. Rows of guest chairs were being placed for an audience that was to include the family members only. And at the very back, a place for the media, who, in Lacy’s opinion, had failed enormously to properly question the death of Undersecretary Kendrick. Perhaps none of this would have been necessary if they were not so partisan in their treatment of the administration and would have discovered the story of a lifetime right under their collective noses. Still, Lacy would give them fodder today—and a great deal of it.

  “I see Fraser up ahead.” Will picked up his pace and, upon reaching him, extended his hand. “Everything all set?”

  “Yes. Turner will be here in about thirty minutes.”

  “And what about Lei Jian?” Lacy caught up to them and asked the only question that mattered in her mind.

  “Dunn all but confirmed Jian’s attendance as well. Seems the two had a lengthy dinner last night and Jian stayed in the deputy’s suite.”

  “For fear I’d find him.” Agent Delgado, with the help of Aaron, was the last to arrive.

  “No doubt.” Will turned to Lacy. “Why don’t we get you to your section and let you prepare.”

  She turned to the others a final time before they were about to change the world. “I just want to say thank you to all of you. You’ve risked your lives for me, for this country, and I would not be standing here were it not for all of you. Good luck.”

  “Good luc
k to you, Merrick.” Delgado made the final statement, encompassing what they were all thinking. “God speed.”

  Will placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “See you soon.”

  While the others departed, Aaron waited with her. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Lacy, but I love you. You know that, right?”

  “Of course I do. I love you too.” She kissed his cheek. “Now’s the time for us to make Jay proud.” Lacy turned and headed toward the back of the stage to prepare.

  Several police officers, fire fighters, and other first-responders began to arrive and Lacy knew the time was drawing near. The courage it would take for her to follow through with her plan hadn’t yet been fully summoned. She feared that all of these people who had risked their lives during the attack would learn a horrible truth and wondered just how much it would change things. And then the family members began to arrive. Just like her, they’d lost loved ones in the mistaken belief that they were victims of Islamic terrorism, a phrase that had been engrained in the American psyche and, in fact, the entire world.

  “Just calm down,” she told herself in a whisper, but when it caught the attention of another, she grew fearful.

  “It’s okay. Just share your story. That’s why we’re all here,” the woman said.

  “I lost my husband.”

  “I lost my daughter.” The woman took hold of Lacy’s hand. “Just speak from your heart. It’s all any of us can do.”

  “Thank you.” Out of the corner of her eye, Lacy spotted the deputy secretary. She feared making direct eye contact because she knew the truth about him and her eyes might not keep that truth hidden.

  More and more people arrived and began taking the stage, taking their seats, and the media was in full force with their microphones and cameras. But Lacy hadn’t seen the secretary of state or the president yet. Not even Director Mobley, whom she knew was due to take the stage as well.

  “Mrs. Merrick?” A man approached her from behind.

  “Director Mobley? I—I knew you were coming; just hadn’t seen you yet.”

  “I had some things to take care of. Are you ready?”

  His tone conveyed the double meaning hidden in his words. While he wasn’t made fully aware of the plan, she knew Will had kept SSA Kelly informed and that he had passed along certain information. But she couldn’t confide in him. He wasn’t a part of this yet and she would do her best to keep him out of the loop. Because what she was about to do would cast eyes in his direction too. And she hoped he would not be made a scapegoat in all this. But then, that would be up to her to make completely clear. Those who had a hand in this would pay—and pay dearly.

  The music began and a choir began to sing. The lump in her throat was far too big to swallow down now and her hands trembled. She was glad to have eaten something and was grateful Aaron had insisted upon it.

  First up was the president and it was the first time Lacy had ever seen him up close. She wondered what he’d known—if anything—about the people in his charge. Had he known what they’d done to the country? The enormous deception? She couldn’t know for sure, but didn’t think he did. Although in the press conference, when she thought all of this was going to come to light, he said nothing and in fact offered a vague apology. But that was her grief talking. Perhaps he knew nothing and she wouldn’t condemn him without cause.

  She stood near the left of the stage and eyed Director Mobley. He must’ve felt her stare because he turned to her and nodded as though he was giving his permission. Lacy closed her eyes and inhaled a calming breath. Never before could she recall being so nervous. Her heart pounded in her chest and if it weren’t so cold, her brow would be drenched in sweat.

  Several minutes passed while she watched the families in the audience wiping their tears as others spoke. She, too, would have been overcome with emotions if left unchecked, but she couldn’t—not now. Not when she needed every ounce of strength she could muster to get through this. More than once in the past few minutes did the idea cross her mind to scrap the whole thing.

  As she peered again at the families, she searched for Lei Jian. Had he been there? If so, where? In the far distance was Elizabeth Ward and this offered some comfort.

  “Mrs. Merrick?” One of the organizers approached. “It’s time. Please, follow me.” The man led the way toward the stage and began to ascend the first of three steps.

  Lacy halted.

  “Ma’am?” He offered his hand. “It’s okay.” He helped her onto the steps, then onto the stage. “Director Mobley will introduce you.”

  Lacy was shown to the podium and stood to the left of Mobley while he spoke of Lacy as “one of their own” and how she’d been instrumental in the investigation, fighting through her grief and pain; and that she was a woman to be admired. But that wasn’t how she felt in this moment.

  All eyes fell upon her and they wanted to hear her speak. They wanted to be inspired by her story; her courage. But that was not what she was here to do. In fact, the real reason she was here was to stand at this podium and do what she should have done months ago. She would not wait to see the secretary and reveal her knowledge. She would not wait to speak to the president to tell him the horrific tale. Instead, she would take the truth to the people. Unfiltered, unedited. The truth as she knew it.

  “Mrs. Lacy Merrick.” Mobley stepped aside and placed his hand on her back.

  Lacy approached the podium and smiled at him before lowering the microphone. “Thank you, Director Mobley. It has been my honor to serve under your guidance and the rest of the Bureau for these past several years.” She peered out into the crowd and spotted Will and Aaron. Both stood near the back but smiled when they caught her eye. Lacy drew another breath and continued. “I lost my husband, Jay Merrick and, like many of you, wondered how such a thing could’ve happened so close to home. I felt especially responsible because it was my job to know. My job to listen and be wary of information that crossed my computer screen on a daily basis. I am but one of so many who felt the same. With each occurrence, each attack, we felt responsible. Only this time, this one, it cost my husband his life.” Lacy looked again at the families.

  “And I went back to work and I did what I knew I did best. I listened. I learned. And I discovered, with the help of extremely bright and talented people on my side. Inside the Bureau and out. I learned—we learned the truth.” Her eyes again landed on her friends, whose faces already appeared uncertain.

  Aaron turned to Will. “This wasn’t what she had written down.”

  Will eyed the station chief, whose team was closely monitoring Lei Jian. She returned a confused look.

  “I learned that there are more than one group of people who seek to change our way of life. Who seek to take from us the rewards of our hard work, our savings, our lifestyles, everything we have. They, too, are terrorists. But of a different nature.” She began to notice the uncomfortable shift of Deputy Turner in his seat as he beamed his gaze to her. In the audience, murmurs began. The media began to snap pictures of her. Ward’s team shifted into place around Lei Jian. She must’ve sensed what Lacy was about to say.

  “However, they have one advantage over those whom we call Radical Islamic Terrorists. While they seek to destroy our nation from the outside, this new enemy seeks to destroy it from within. An enemy we see in our daily lives, in the faces of those whom we elect to protect us from these atrocities. Not all. But some who hold the highest power.” Lacy looked at Deputy Turner.

  The president had already been escorted off the stage by secret service, but not Turner and not the secretary of state. Not yet. Lacy knew she had but only a few sentences left before they would accost her. The truth had to come out and it had to be now.

  “To the families of the victims and survivors of this horrific attack, you should know that people in our government knew of this attack. They knew it was coming and chose to keep their mouths shut for their own political gains. Isn’t that right, Deputy Secretary?”

&nbs
p; The crowds began to turn. The media was pressing their way forward and Lei Jian tried to make a run for it. But Ward’s people held firm. Will and Aaron and even Agent Delgado had nothing short of shocked expressions. Will began to shake his head at her, but she would not be silenced. Not anymore.

  “The deputy secretary would have you believe that this was all the work of an Islamic attack. But no. Far from it. His undersecretary took part in a plan with the Chinese government to pull off the attack and lay blame elsewhere. And they did. I have proof of this involvement.” Her voice began to raise in response to the growing dissonance. “I have proof that the Chinese government planned the attack and that that man,” she pointed to Jian, “was the mastermind behind it. He wanted to ensure China could continue to acquire American companies, own their employees, and control our economy. They are responsible for your loved ones’ deaths. And for my husband’s.”

  The secret service overtook the stage and ripped Lacy from the podium, carrying her down the steps and around the rear to the line of black SUVs.

  “Wait! You have to stop Turner and Jian! You have to get them!” she began to yell.

  None of her team could be seen from back there. She was on her own and had no idea if they’d secured Jian. But she’d done it. She’d spoken the truth. But she wondered as she stood, arms clasped on both sides by secret service, would anyone believe her?

  29

  People had begun to swarm the SUV where Lacy waited to be whisked away to someplace she had no idea where. But it was done. She was free of the horrendous truth she’d been keeping and now all hell had broken free.