Kyle ran out of the room. Xander went to the door of the bathroom. The water was still running, and steam had begun to puff out of the cracked door.
Xander stepped inside. “Are you doing all right in here, Natalie?”
Natalie pulled back the shower curtain and peeked around at him. Her eyes weren’t as far off in their own world now, and she nodded to him. He walked over and took her in his arms. The water continued to run over Natalie’s back. She hadn’t even bothered to remove her underwear.
Natalie pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Xander, who are you? What was this? Are you some sort of spy?”
“It’s complicated, but yes, something like that. I’m so sorry that I put you in danger. I never would have brought you here if . . . This is the first time anything like this has happened.”
“How did you know how to fight and shoot like that? As a Navy SEAL?”
“How did you—”
“I saw the picture in the hallway downstairs of you getting that award,” Natalie said, cutting him off. “Does this have something to do with that? Do you work for the government?”
“The less you know, the better. I’m so sorry . . .” Xander’s voice trailed off as he held her. Natalie didn’t say another word.
“Natalie?” Annie shouted from the bedroom. “Natalie?”
“In here, Annie. Everything is okay.” She released her hold on Xander as Annie entered the bathroom. Annie rushed past Xander and threw her arms around Natalie.
“What the hell is going on? There are dead men all over the place. Are you okay?” Annie asked as she looked over Natalie’s body, checking for injuries.
“I’m fine, Annie. Xander saved my life.”
“Saved your life? Are you kidding me? He is the reason you were in danger in the first place, isn’t he? Is he some sort of criminal or something?”
“No, Annie, nothing like that. He—”
“He what? You still think you know him? Natalie, there are dead bodies lying just outside this room. We saw a helicopter leaving as we pulled up.”
“Okay, Annie, okay. I honestly don’t have . . .” Natalie trailed off as she stared blankly at the wall.
Annie sounded remorseful. “I’m sorry, Natalie . . . here, here’s a towel.”
Xander took Natalie’s clothes out of her bag and laid them out on the bed. “Natalie, I’m going to be right outside in the hall, all right? Your clothes are on the bed.”
“Okay. Please don’t go far,” she answered from the bathroom.
“I won’t.”
Xander walked into the hall as Kyle finished subduing the two men in his bedroom. Xander took a moment to drag the dead bodies out of sight before Natalie and Annie came downstairs. He went back upstairs and helped Kyle put the two still unconscious men in the master bathroom and locked them in. Kyle stopped and looked around the bedroom, his eyes finding the broken windows.
“They actually came through the windows?”
Xander ran his fingers through his hair. His breath still labored from the close call. He couldn’t believe he had put Natalie in such danger.
“I know. Someone went to great pains to plan this. Someone has been watching us.”
18
Sarah Gilbright Considers Getting Her Ass in Gear
Sarah Gilbright sat wringing her hands just outside of Director Manning’s office. She’d barely had time to study the agents recommended for the team she was spearheading to watch Xander, and the shit had already hit the fan. Three incidents in a matter of three days. She couldn’t be sure about the man in the bathroom at the Kentucky Derby; there were no real signs of foul play, but it just smelled of Xander King. Smooth and flawless. Miguel Juarez, she knew for sure, was Xander’s work, due to the description the young blonde girl had given to the officers who took her statement. It was just too obvious, describing her hero as tall, gentle, and hot. Sarah couldn’t help but smile.
Manning’s door flew open.
“What the hell are you smiling about? Something about all of this funny to you?” His face was red and his chest was heaving angry breaths. He was this mad about Juarez and Kulakov, so there was no way she could tell him about the tip she had gotten about the attack on Xander’s home in Lexington. She just hoped Xander was okay. She had no idea yet what actually happened, and until she did, she wasn’t telling Manning a thing.
“Get your ass in here. You got your team together yet?”
Sarah stood, shaking her head no. She gave her tight white skirt a tug and pulled her purse up over her shoulder.
“Mr. Manning, I haven’t even had time to speak with anyone—”
“Well, Xander has had time to kill more nut jobs. Maybe you should consider getting your ass in gear? I told you this was top priority.”
“Yes, sir. You are right.”
They both entered Manning’s office, but neither of them took a seat. It was more shoebox than office really, not much larger than a prison cell. The walls were filled with medals and certificates of accomplishment. Manning picked up a white Styrofoam cup and spit a tobacco-filled wad inside of it. His chin jutted in anger, and his bottom lip bulged with Skoal. Wintergreen. Sarah noticed the small disk of it on his desk. The entire room reeked of it. It was an unmistakable smell; her little brother had picked up the habit on the high school baseball team.
“You’re goddamn right, I am. We’ve got to get our heads around this, Gilbright. Give me the latest on what you’ve found out about Xander’s parents’ killer. You do have an update for me, right?”
Sarah cleared her throat.
“I do, but it isn’t much. I spoke with the detective who investigated the crime scene that day. Said there wasn’t much more than shell casings and tire marks to go on. He sent me all of his records, and I may have a lead through the Blue Grass Airport. There was a private plane that flew in that morning and for some reason some information is missing. I’m looking into it. But, sir, I can guarantee you Xander has already been through this information. If the plane had anything to do with his parents’ murder, the owners of that jet would already be dead.”
“Sounds like you better start thinking outside the box. If Xander has been looking for years, he has already sifted through the obvious stuff. We gotta use our connections. Talk to people who knew Xander’s daddy. He was good buddies with some higher-ups in the government. Let’s exhaust our inside track.”
“I understand we can’t have someone treating the world like the wild west, Mr. Manning, but aside from that, what is the rush? You said yourself he’s doing good things.”
“This small-time shit he’s doing doesn’t matter to me. We have got some major problems in Europe and the Middle East right now, and don’t even get me started on Russia. We need someone—Xander—who can change the game for us overseas. Someone who can walk in the shadows. And as you know, the only chance we have of him working with us is if we have something he wants. Otherwise, we can forget it.”
“I know. I’m on it. I will personally oversee every move he makes.”
“I know you will, Gilbright, and I’m going to be real honest with you. That’s part of what makes me nervous.”
Manning looked her up and down and shook his head. Sarah shifted her purse from one shoulder to the other.
“How do you mean?”
“I’ve seen the way you light up when you talk about him and—”
“I beg your pardon,” she interrupted. Her face went flush.
“Just that. You should see your face right now.”
“There’s nothing—”
“Listen. All I’m saying is this, it is clear the two of you are good-looking, young, and healthy adults. And I don’t care if you use that to get close to him. But you have got to be careful. You can’t go falling for this guy.”
“Sir, I—”
“That’s all. Just keep it professional. Otherwise, you’re off of this. You hear me?”
“I hear you.”
“Good. Now get the hell out
of here and bring me what I need. I want something in forty-eight hours.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“I don’t want your best. I want his. So get this done.”
Sarah nodded, and as Manning spit once again into his cup, she turned and walked out the door. Her heels clacked against the concrete floor, and her heart thumped inside her chest. She didn’t want to be pulled from this assignment. Because something was pulling her toward Xander King.
19
You Can’t Be Goin’ All X-Man on Me
The cursor on the empty text line blinked at him as he stared at his phone, contemplating another message to Natalie. He had called a couple of times to no avail, and he hadn’t heard from her since he dropped her off at the airport two days ago now. Did she make it back to California safe? Did she hate him?
“Mr. King.” A woman in a knee-length black pencil skirt and a satin maroon short-sleeved top got his attention. “Agent Thompson will be right out. Can I get you a coffee or anything?”
“No, thank you.”
This was the first time Xander had been to see Sean since he moved to Langley. The CIA lobby reminded him more of an oversize dentist’s office instead of a government facility. Well, except for the armed guards and metal detector at the front door, of course. He felt like he was waiting for jury duty or something. The thought of a desk job made Xander’s skin crawl. The thought of taking even just one more bullshit order from the government also made him sick to his stomach. He had gotten what he needed out of his time with the SEALs. He had also learned far more about his government’s corrupt and vile under-doings as well. Countless missions took countless innocent lives, and the people giving the orders lied to the American people, all the way to the bank. Sean had witnessed the same things as Xander, and that is why he was so willing to help him when he came to him about carrying out his own missions. Xander loved his country as much as a man could, but the government was another story entirely.
“Damnit, X. You are just as good-lookin’ as ever, you sorry son of a bitch!” Xander heard Sean’s unmistakable country twang from the other side of the lobby. “Get your ass over here!” Sean stood with his arms wide open like a big ol’ bear. The desk job had helped add some weight to Sean’s midsection, and there was a little less hair on the top of his head.
“What happened to you? Did your hairline get mad at your forehead?” Xander joked as he walked over and gave him a big man-hug.
“Damn, it’s good to see ya, Xander. How about that big badass pony o’ yours?”
“You saw him, huh? I told you . . . closes like a freight train.”
“You ain’t a-lyin’, X-man, that is one hell of a horse. He gonna win the Preakness in a couple weeks? You say the word and I’m gonna drop a couple thousand on him.”
“I’d say that’s a good bet, my man,” Xander assured him as Sean led him to his office. Sean shut the door behind him and took a seat at his desk. Xander took a seat across from him.
“Well, I don’t imagine good news brought you all the way to Langley on a Monday morning after a wild Derby weekend.”
“No, I’m sorry to say it didn’t.”
“Well, let’s have it, X-man.”
“I can trust you, right, Sean?”
“Trust me? Is that some sorta joke?”
“No, I’m just—listen, someone is after me, Sean. And I need you to help me find out who.”
“How do ya know someone’s after you?”
“Well, I killed nine men who broke into my house in the middle of the night Saturday. I still have two more of them alive, but they aren’t talking. They had a helicopter and automatic weapons; that shit was well orchestrated.”
“Nine men? At your place in Lexington?”
“Yep.”
“How are you here? Did your security team get them?”
“I don’t have a security team, Sean.”
“And you wonder why we nicknamed you X-man. You’re a goddamn superhero,” Sean wondered in amazement. “You gotta quit this stuff, X. All this is gonna catch up to ya.”
“Too late. I just need you to help me find out who did this. I know it was the same man who killed Mom and Dad. I know it was, Sean.”
“Hang on now, just hang on. Do ya have any idea who might do this? It’s not like people associated with all the targets you’ve taken out aren’t trying to find you. You know you don’t have any shortage of enemies.”
“I don’t have any enemies. No one can link me to the people I’ve taken out. Listen, all I have is that these guys were Middle Eastern.”
“Middle Eastern?” There was a hint of shock in Sean’s voice. Xander picked up on it immediately.
“What? What the hell aren’t you telling me?”
“There ain’t nothin’ I ain’t tellin’ ya.”
“Bullshit, this isn’t a joke. They almost killed me and someone special to me.”
“You’re talkin’ bout that Natalie Rockwe—” Sean paused. “Sorry. I’m telling you, I don’t know anything.”
“Damnit, Sean!” Xander stood up. “You weren’t calling me Saturday about the Derby, were you?” A pause. “Were you?”
“Now, Xander—”
“Did you know my house might get hit?” Xander rounded Sean’s desk, grabbed him by the collar, and stood him up. Sean pushed Xander back away from him.
“Are you serious right now? You think I would have let somethin’ like that go down? The hell with you then, buddy. You can take your ass right the hell back out the door if that’s what you think.”
Xander collected himself.
“Well, someone knew it was going to happen. I got a text right before it from an unknown number. It actually saved my life. It said someone was in the house, and then I saw the first gunman. Who the hell would know that? If it wasn’t you, who was it? I know you aren’t telling me everything.”
“Okay, okay. Sit down. Sit.” Sean straightened his collar and sat back down. “All right, you’re right. When I called you, I had just gotten off the phone with Marv. But I never sent you no text. Did you trace the number?”
“Of course, but Sam said it was from a burner phone. No trace.”
“Looks like more people know what you’re up to than ya think. Now listen, if I tell you what I know, you gotta promise me you ain’t gonna go run and do somethin’ stupid. This is high-level government shit and I can’t have you goin’ and makin’ a mess.”
“Sean, what the hell is it? What did Marv tell you?”
“Now this don’t mean nothin’, but since you said those men who came after you are Middle Eastern . . .” Sean paused.
“What? So help me God—”
“All right, all right. Calm down. Marv called and said there was a bad sum bitch over in Syria they was investigatin’. There was a couple of coincidences that caught his eye, and he made me promise until I did some research that I wouldn’t tell you about him. Now, I haven’t had the chance to research yet, so—”
“What the hell is the intel, Sean? What are the coincidences?” Xander stood up again as he raised his voice. “Does Marv think this might have something to do with my parents’ murder?”
“Now, X, there ain’t no way of knowing that.” Sean held both arms out, pumping his hands backward and forward in a gesture to try to get Xander to pump the brakes.
“But Marv thought enough of it to flag it? Sean, I’ve been dreaming of this day for fourteen years. My entire adult life has been devoted to this moment and you think you are going to stand here and not tell me what you know?”
The door to the office opened, and the woman in the maroon top poked her head in. “Is everything okay, Agent Thompson?”
“Everything is fine, Allison. Leave us.” She shut the door. “All right . . . Okay. You just gotta promise me you’ll do the right thing by this information and take the time to vet it all out. You can’t be goin’ all X-man on me.”
“Just give me the intel, Sean. I’m not playing games.”
20
An Aching Sadness in the Pit of His Stomach
Xander walked out of the federal building with a knot in his stomach. He had already texted Sam to begin running checks on a man named Sanharib Khatib. It didn’t really matter what the results turned up, though; Marv’s fears of telling Xander had been warranted. Regardless of what Sam told him, Xander’s next target would be Khatib. And for the first time, he would have words before the assassination was over. Sean tried to give Xander warning that if he attempted to go in by himself that it would be suicide, so just let them do their jobs. That of course fell on deaf ears as Xander was already texting Sam. As far as Xander was concerned, Khatib was a dead man walking.
Xander spent the plane ride back to Lexington confirming Sean’s words. Khatib was a bad dude. Sam had already forwarded some files on him, and a lot of the literature was headlined with the words “The Next Bin Laden.” Khatib had been the largest purveyor of oil in Syria for more than two decades. The reports followed along his journey of building an army of militants and killing his way to that position of wealth and power. Xander’s wheels were already spinning because of the fact his father had made his money in oil himself.
Coincidence number one.
It looked as though recently Khatib had become bored of the oil-stealing business. Lately, he had made headlines more for drugs, arms, and terrorism. It seemed the thing to do in that part of the world was to leave a legacy of hate before you died in a fury of ignorance. Of course, Xander understood the world’s hatred of the United States much more than the average citizen. That wasn’t his concern in this situation, however, and the more he thumbed through recent documentation of Khatib, the more he wanted to go back in time to learn more about Khatib’s life in 2004—the year Xander’s parents were brutally murdered in front of him. For some reason, Khatib’s involvement in an event on US soil in 2004 was classified to a point that Sam wasn’t yet able to get the intel.
Xander King BoxSet Page 13
