The Law of Motion (Law Series)

by Di'Nisha Robinson

  Hunter nodded with a that stupid smile again. "Look how fucking close that bomb shelter is to all those weapons, all that ammunition in the barn. I can't take a chance that someone will blow it, or set some shit off. It's too close, and it could collapse if blown right. No. I'd rather walk in."

  "How many are going with us?" Jackson asked, tracing his finger over the winding road up to the guard gate.

  "Well," Hunter sighed, looking to Cam, "I'd like to think fourteen. That's all of us," he said, gesturing around the room, which included himself, Jeff, Danny, Dario, Macon, Jackson, Ross, Victor, my father, and myself. "Liam, you've got two coming, yes?"

  "Yes," Dad stated with a nod. "I've called in Ned Caudwell and his brother, Harry."

  "No shit?" I asked, my eyebrows raising up high. "Don't they run..."

  "A hunting shop in West Virginia, yes," my dad replied. "And they've offered to help us out with some extra weapons and ammo, not to mention the truck they're driving.”

  "Very fucking cool," Jackson said with a grin. "Ned and Harry are great."

  "Perfect," Hunter whispered to himself. "I've got two agents coming in...some buddies of mine...Spike and Elam. Both are excellent shots and military trained." He turned to Cam. "I'd like you on the information feed with Tink. Her, you, and Kristen here. Will you do it?"

  Cam and Kristen were already nodding. "Definitely, because I think Tink and I can rig a few of you with cameras, so we can monitor your progress. With Kristen’s help, we should be able to get you anything you need."

  “What about Doc?” Dario asked noticing that she was being left out.

  Doc looked offended, “Well I’ll be storming the mountain with you all of course.”

  “No you’re not.” I interjected shaking my head.

  I was thankful that someone actually agreed. “Yeah, Tawny isn’t trained for anything like this.” Jeff nodded.

  “I went in, Viñales.” Doc countered.

  Kristen agreed with her. “She proved herself useful then didn’t she?”

  “That was different baby, she stayed in the chopper. I don’t feel comfortable putting a lady in something like this,” And then he looked at Ross and amended, “with no experience.”

  “Chance doesn’t like you guys...” I stopped because Juan was coloring and picked another word, “she doesn’t like you guys taking out problems.”

  Doc scoffed. “She taught us how to take out problems.”

  “Self-defense yes, hits no. She would never want things like that on your conscious” I explained, and I knew this was fact because she told me.

  “Well I am sure that she’d make an exception.” Hunter interfered. “We’re down on men as it is, and it’s saving her life.”

  “You don’t make that call.” I hissed at him, because he was crossing a line on everything that Chance was about.

  This time he actually bit back at me. “I do make that call. She wants on, she’s on. She can pick a lock like no tomorrow, she’s knows medicine more than some doctors, and she can handle a weapon.”

  “Then why don’t we leave you in the truck baby,” Ross suggested trying to come up with a compromise.

  Doc shook her head. “No Roslyn. I’m going all the way in this time.”

  “We could use your help Miss Tawny, but not at the expense of getting you killed.” Victor shook his head. He knew the shit wasn’t right either.

  “Did you girls talk to her?” I asked looking to Tink and Kristen, who were watching the exchange carefully.

  Tink looked to Doc and then to me, “We did.”

  “And you’re supporting this?” Dario asked looking at Kristen.

  Hunter sighed. “Truth is, if Kristen wasn’t needed on the info team, she would be suiting up too.”

  “Like hell she would.” Macon snapped his deep voice angry as he looked at his wife and Hunter. “You talk about shit like this behind our backs man? Does Tiny Tink wanna go too?”

  Tink sighed, “Don’t be ridiculous Macon; I’m far more useful on the computers and keeping communication going. But it’s nice to know you think that’s all I’m capable of.”

  “It’s not what we mean Sugar.” Jackson clarified.

  Tink didn’t look up from her work, “Yes it isbut I’ll assume that it’s from your need to protect me rather than you thinking I lack the ability to protect myself.”

  Everyone silently broke off into their tasks, ending the argument for the time being. I tried to pay attention to anything other than Hunter, but his conversation with Doc as she leaned against the conference table just ticked me off again. He was talking her through everything that she should expect on her first mission. “I won’t lie to you, Tawny the gear will be pretty heavy, and will take a bit of getting used to. Not to mention you’ll be caring your medical supplies on top of that.”

  She nodded tucking her hair behind her ear, folding her arms in front of her as she continued. “I could fit the important things into a side pouch or something. That will lighten my load.”

  “What weapon are you best with? Have you used anything automatic?”

  “She isn’t going!” I snapped before she could answer. “Or can you not hear?”

  Hunter just sighed shaking his head. “What is the issue man?”

  “You’re my issue.” I snapped back, unable to take all of the changes. “You can’t come in here and make changes you can’t handle.”

  “Handle?” He questioned with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve been doing this a bit longer, I think I should know the right calls.”

  I shrugged not backing down from him, I didn’t care who he was. “You can’t just walk into a situation and start making changes to how shits been run, I don’t care what type of pull you have.”

  “I didn’t walk into this situation, I was invited.” He spat back without missing a breath, hinting at the fact that Alyssa wanted him there. “I’m sorry that you’re threatened by me being in control, but this is my call.”

  “It’s not your op, it’s my girlfriend.” I hissed correcting his hints. “I’ve lead this team with her so I know what types of calls she would make, and this isn’t one of them.”

  He scoffed. “I know she is willing to go out of the box when necessary. I’ve known her a bit longer.”

  “Longer or not, I know her betternow, so if you think for a second that”

  “Enough, damn it!” Doc yelled over our low yet tense argument, bringing the rest of the rooms attention to it, including Juan Carlos. “Since you two are set on measuring your dicks take the shit outside where it won’t intefere with getting Alyssa home!”

  Half of the room gaped, because half of the room had never heard nor seen Doc lose her temper, the other half looked between the three of us uneasyly, because it was such a rare occurrence, and they were unsure what came after.

  She ran her hand through her hair, pushing it out of her eyes again, walked to the head of the table and began flipping through her informaiton with Tink. Another few seconds went by before she looked up again. “Why are you still standing there? Go!”

  “You aren’t serious?” Hunter questioned with raised eyebrows and then looked to me. “Is she serious?”

  I shrugged, and Tawny went on. “Yes I’m serious, get out.” We both attempted our reasons of protest, and she held a hand up. “This may be your op Hunter, and she may be your girlfriend Adrian, but it’s a known fact that in Alyssa’s absence Gravity is mine. So get the hell out of my conference room! Don’t come back until you’ve worked out your shit and getting Alyssa back is your main priority.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” I hissed, because Alyssa had been my main priority since I met her.

  Doc started to say more, but a calmer voice of reason interfered, “Son.” My dad started, “Maybe it’s best you both step into the hall and get the issues resolved, we can’t have any miscommunicatons, for Alyssa’s sake.”

  I nodded stiffly, yanking my leather jacket off of the chair and heading to the door. “O
utside Grayson.”

  

  “I get it, you’re threatened by me.” Grayson announced after several minutes of tense, angry silence infront of building.

  I rolled my eyes fuming sarcastically, “Yeah, that’s it.”

  “It is exacty.” He nodded agreeing with himself, making me want to punch the charisma out of him.

  “Ok, know it all, what am I threatened by?” I hissed trying to make amusement cover my words.

  Grayson looked at me, smug, as if he knew that I would ask that. “Alyssa, doesn’t get close to just anyone, and the fact that she is close to me means something.”

  “Or maybe I don’t like you because you’re a smug, know it all, asshole that wants what’s mine.” I corrected, though I couldn’t deny that he was right about part of itnot the threatened part however.

  He just rolled his eyes and then nodded, like he caught on to something I didn’t say. “Ah, so this is about, Babes.”

  “Don’t call her that, she isn’t your babes.” I corrected glad to finally be able to.

  He let out a laugh at that. “She has and always will be Babes to me. The nickname is no different than you all calling her Chance. That’s not the issue you’re having.”

  “Then what is?” I inquired angrily. I hated ‘know it alls’.

  He thought for a moment, and then let gave me an austere, almost sympathetic answer. “I’m not the reason that Bablyssa won’t marry you.”

  My head shot up, and I didn’t hide my surprise, “She told you I proposed?”

  He nodded, “Yeah, on the drive up here, and no I’m not the reason why she isn’t marrying you.”

  “But you are taking advantage of her saying no.” I snapped, angrily. Because no man wanted to be rejected, let alone have other men know about it. “Using a fucked up situation to score points with her.”

  He shrugged, but didn’t deny it. “Perhaps it can be viewed that way, but not in the fucked up way that your putting it. I would have helped her with whatever situation was occuring, and yes, I have introduced an alternative.” His voice held it’s own hint of bleakness as he muttered under his breath, “Not that she’d notice, she’s too into you to wonder what we could have had.”

  Rejection, the only common ground we had. “Did she tell you why she refused my proposal?”

  Though I wanted to know, I would have been bothered if he knew, especially since the girls didn’t even know. When he shook his head, I got a mix of relief and frurstaion surging to my brain. “No, but if I know Alyssa, then it’s not hard to figure out.”

  “Meaning?” I growled, unsure of what he was implying.

  He smirked at me as he scoffed, his breath blowing white as it hit the cold. “Easy man, I’m not implying inadequacy on your end. Alyssa has always put everything ahead of herself, and love for that matter. One of the reason’s that we didn’t get together.”

  “Oh.” Was all I could say.

  “But…” He started again. “That’s only one theory. I have another, which you do play a role in.”

  “Go on,” I urged him with a resigned sigh.

  He let out another white breath before going on. “Well, there is a possibility that she’s associating you with that other guy at this point.” He rolled his eyes into his head as he tried to remember the name. “Roger…Rosco…”

  My arms flexed instantly when I realized who exactly he was trying to recall. She told me stories about the last guy she dated. “I’m nothing like that shithead Rodney.” I spat, squaring at him, realizing for the first time that he was slightly taller than I was, not that it would matter. “He fucking cheated on her. I would never cheat on her.”

  “Maybe then again, maybe not,” He shrugged stepping back from me. Sitting on the bench next to the door and rubbing his hands together. “She didn’t break it off with him for cheating.” He thought and then corrected himself, “Well yeah, she did, but it was more.”

  “And she told you.” I guessed dryly leaning against the door.

  He shook his head. “No, but she isn’t as complicated as you think. Yeah the act of cheating was beyond fucked up, but it was him not being satisfied with everything that she had already given him. That he felt the need to seek more.”

  “So I’m an asshole for wanting to marry the woman a love?” I questioned sarcastically at his logic.

  He nodded again, “In a way yes. She’s been through a ton of shit, long before Cuba. You need to see how far that you’ve helped her come, and maybe be ok with the fact that she doesn’t have any more in her.”

  “She does have it in her.” I argued. She was so loving, so sweet, and the side of her that no one else saw but me, told me exactly. “I mean, she’s pretty much my wife as it is.”

  “So then it’s your own insecurities then?” He asked looking over to me. “From what you’re saying and what I see, you have it. She’s moved in with you, she shows you she loves you, and she’s definitely faithful. What more is there?”

  I had nothing. He was right.

  He took advantage of my silence, continuing his musings aloud. “Unless…you’re worried about her leaving... That someone else will come along and take what you feel is yours.”

  “It’s not a feeling, it’s the truth, she is mine, just as much as I am hers.” I argued.

  He gave me that smug as smile again. “And there is my point exactly. If you know that, then why not wait until she is ready to be married?”

  Again I had nothing.

  He stood up clapping a hand on my shoulder. “I get it man. Alyssa is… it. If anyone gets it I do. The idea of having a future with her makes you not want to wait. And she’s completely oblivious to the magic she holds, making her all the more desirable.”

  Yeah, he got it. Maybe a little too much, those were the feelings that circled around me every day, unable to be formed into words. Then it dawned on me, his ability to voice them made me completely secure in my response. “You’re still in love with her, after all of this time.”

  He didn’t give me a yes or a no, just a weak smile and a question. “Would you not be?”

  “Which is why you’re still here?” I guessed raking my hands through my hair because I didn’t know how to feel about it. Part of me sympathized, another territorial, because this was the one guy that if things played out differently, would have her.

  He shook his head. “I didn’t get a chance to help her back then, I won’t fail her this time. Don’t worry, she’s a hundred percent yours.” He reassured. “I figured that out when I spent the night with her in New York.”

  “You did what?” I hissed again, because this was the first time that I heard about it.

  He laughed again, “It was pretty much innocent. You shouldn’t fly off the handle so easily.”

  “Pretty much?” I demanded ignoring his advice, because I was about to beat him into the pavement.

  He shrugged, “I made a move, she rejected, end of story. Alyssa already put me in my place, so there’s no need for you to attempt to. She wants you, not me, I get that.”

  “Don’t try again.” I warned relaxing. “She’s too young for you anyway.” I joked slightly sitting on the bench where he once sat.

  He laughed, because he was only four years older than I was, making him barely thirty four, still a few months shy of Dario. “I assure you, she’s mature enough to ignore it.”

  When he sobered from his laugh, I got real again. “Look, not that I think that your heart is in the wrong place on this or anything, but Tawny can’t go out there. It’s our job to protect those girls, and sending her into danger isn’t going to help.”

  “Well maybe you should stop looking at them as girls and start viewing them as women. She is young, yes. But Alyssa instilled in all of them what they need to survive.” He suggested before looking back at the door. “Now are we cool? Because I want to get back in there.”

  We were cool enough, for Alyssa’s sake, because I didn’t want to miss a bit
of the planning. “Let’s go.”

  I followed behind him through the lobby, towards the conference room, and before opening the doors he cracked a sarcastic smile. “Who knows maybe storming the mountain and saving her might tip the scale a bit.”

  “Yeah right man.” I scoffed entering behind him.

  Chapter 16- Plans

  It took almost three hours—well into the night —for us to form a basic plan. Right around three in the morning, we all started getting punchy and drunk with weariness, so Doc sent everyone off for a few hours sleep, at least until the four extra men arrived in the morning, we were back at it then.

  ———————

  I walked into the computer room with a bag of different things and a cup of coffee placing them on Tink’s desk next to her. She and Jackson were the only ones that didn’t leave last night, staying at the office in case someone called with a ransom amount for Alyssa, or something came up. She looked up at me grabbing the cup, taking a few sips before exhaling with an exhausted “Thanks.”

  “No problem. You look tired.” I noted picking one of the sandwiches and unwrapping it, forcing her to eat something of substance before going for the snack food.

  “I look like shit.” She corrected taking a bite of food. “But Chance needs me.”

  “She needs you at your best,” I corrected. “Not passing out from exhaustion.”

  She shook her head, her spiky cut moving side to side a second later than her actual head. “She needs me to keep you all from killing each other.”

  “I’m sorry about last night.” I sighed again, lowering my voice as everyone else piled into the adjoined conference room.

  She nodded accepting it, her almond shaped eyes still sad. “I just have never seen us fall apart this much.”

  “It’s Alyssa.”

  “I know which is why we need this to go as planned—” The shrill ring of the office phone made her jump. She looked down at her screen and then urgently grabbed her laptop, and pushed her chair from her desk, rolling into the conference room. “Don’t pick up!”

  Everyone looked up at her as she did it, the ringing phone only on the second ring. She hit a few keys on her laptop and a map of the U.S. filled the big screen behind her. When she was done, she picked up the phone snapping, “Gravity.”