Owen lowered the phone, but kept the connection live. He felt sick as he looked at the guys gathered in the room. He had two options: get Addy to a medical facility that could do an emergency exchange transfusion, and hope that the time it took to transport her, prepare the transfusion, and complete it happened fast enough to save her life. Or have his team hit the WKB compound, potentially losing several lives to save one—and there was no guarantee they could even save her.
“I can do the exchange transfusion at the clinic,” Beck said, “but I don’t have enough units of her blood type on hand. I would have to get those up from Cheyenne.”
“We don’t yet to understand what type of nano she was given, what type of termination was coded—we don’t even know if an exchange transfusion would work,” Joyce said.
“Owen,” Val said, breaking through his thoughts. “This is our chance to end the Omnis. This is what we’ve been working toward. We’ll get you and Addy into the labs, then we’ll take out the Medusa heads running the org.”
Owen shook his head. “It’s a suicide mission. They know what the deputy did. They know we’re coming. They’re waiting for us. They have Augie there…somewhere.”
“We anticipated this,” Kit said. “We’ve stashed our weapons and ammo strategically around the compound. We’ve rigged explosives at key points. We’re readier than they are. Let them think we’re coming in blind—it gives us another advantage.”
“We have eyes out there—not just the cameras, but Lion and his cubs have been watching everything,” Max said. “They know, real time, what’s happening. I can get into the Omni computers and patch in Greer and Nathan so they can work it from here.” He looked at Beck. “If you’re game, you can be Joyce’s eyes and hands onsite. The Ratcliffs can work it remotely through us.”
“Agreed,” Beck said, without hesitation.
“Owen,” Kelan said quietly, “we’re only as strong as the weakest among us. If we aren’t willing to take a stand for your woman, then we don’t stand for anything after all. And if that’s the case, we should just cede this war to the fucking Omnis, because we are not better than them.”
Owen felt the crushing weight of his decision. He looked at each man and woman who hadn’t yet spoken. Each nodded at him.
Owen lifted his phone. “We’re going out there, Dad.”
“Be careful, son. Be damned careful.” The line went dead.
“Max, you’ve been in the one renovated silo under the WKB compound,” Owen said. “Where’s the most likely place for this software lab?”
“The finished silo has ten floors underground,” Max said. “The lowest is just a mechanical room. The next floor up is where I saw the one space I wasn’t allowed into. The floors above were Syadne meeting rooms, offices, dorms. Other floors warehoused drugs. There’s not going to be much happening in the unfinished areas of the tunnels. No light, no power, no Wi-Fi.”
“We have to clear the silo space and hold it for the FBI,” Kit said. “We need to split up. Owen, you take Addy, Doc Beck, Ace, Max, and Angel and go into the tunnels the back way. That should give you a little extra protection for transporting Addy while things are exploding above ground. The rest of us will clear each floor of the silo on our way down to the ninth floor. Access to each level and some of the areas inside each level are protected with biometrics. Each of you has enough explosives to blow several doors.”
“We need people alive and machines intact,” Owen said. “If there are lab workers inside, hold them.”
“What about the key players?” Val asked. “Where’s it likely we’ll find them?”
Kit shook his head. “Could be anyone’s guess. They might be holed up in the finished silo; they might be somewhere else entirely.”
“And is lethal force authorized?” Angel asked.
“Only as a last resort,” Owen said. “The more info we can get out of everyone we find, the better it’s going to be for the bigger fight. Kit, tell my pilot to get up here and wait on standby. It’s a short flight from here to the WKB compound if the helicopter’s needed, but I don’t want it flying into enemy fire unnecessarily. We’re going to have to drive in—it isn’t safe for the chopper and it will just expose our attempt to sneak in the back way.”
“Copy that.” He stepped out to give that order.
The battle plan they’d made laid out who would go and who would stay and the positions each was responsible for. It didn’t need much change. They’d already agreed to take the silo while Lobo and his men took the main grounds, and Lion and his pride watched the silo tunnels.
All they had to do now was execute that plan.
Owen nodded. “Then let’s gear up and get out there.”
And, please God, let them all come home safe, he said silently to himself.
28
Ace and Val were in the weapons room, gearing up. Val put his M16 in its case. Ace caught him staring at it.
“What gives, Val?” she asked.
“I didn’t want to take my dad out this way.”
“With a bullet?”
“No. By a sniper round. I wanted to look him in the eye. I wanted him to see me do it.”
“Val, this is the man who tormented you your entire childhood, the monster who calls this war a game. You are a legend in the sniper world for what you did in Afghanistan. What better way to take him out than using the very skill he mocked?”
Val closed the case, then bent over and kissed Ace. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I wish you were staying here. Your arm’s still in a cast. You don’t need to break it again.”
Ace stared into his eyes. “This is what I do, what I am.”
Val’s nostrils flared. “I know.”
“Besides, Greer’s stuck here. One of us has to end Henry. I think I’ve earned that right.”
Owen came back in the house after prepping the backseat of an Expedition for him and Addy with some blankets and a small armory. The women were saying goodbye to their men. The emotion in the room was dense. Owen saw Troy standing off by himself. He picked the boy up and carried him down the hall to Owen’s room where Addy still was.
“Say goodbye to your mom, boy.” That sounded so fucking final that Owen quickly added, “She’ll be all better when we bring her home.”
Troy got on the bed and kissed her, then settled down next to her so he could lay his head on her chest. “I love you, Mom. Augie’s not home. You can’t die yet. Please, Mom. Mommy.”
Tears were spilling down Owen’s face. He picked the boy up and hugged him. Troy wrapped his arms around Owen’s neck in a choking grip. He could feel the sobs racking the boy’s little body.
“Don’t let her die, Owen.”
Owen looked over to see Mandy at the door, wiping her own tears away. He knelt on the floor and pulled Troy free. “I’ll do everything in my power to save your mom and find your brother.”
The boy drew himself up to his full height and looked into Owen’s eyes. “I believe you. I love you, Owen.”
“I love you too, boy.” Another quick hug, then Owen sent him off with Mandy.
Addy was lying there so peacefully, so pale and still. He smiled and sat next to her, then leaned over and kissed her lips. “I love you, my Laidy, but you can’t leave me alone. Stay strong and fight, for your boys, for me, for us as a family.”
“Ready, O?” Kit asked, standing by the short hallway into the room.
Owen nodded. He lifted Addy into his arms, holding her close, her head resting against his shoulder. He walked down the long hall and into the foyer. The women stood aside, letting him through. He heard a couple of them weeping. Troy was there, with Mandy. The boy broke from her and ran to hug his hips. Mandy came right after him and pulled him away. Owen walked outside, hoping to hell and back that he’d be returning with her alive.
He set her in the backseat, then came around the other side, lifting her head and shoulders to his lap. He tucked the blanket around her
as Kit and Doc Beck settled into the front seats.
“There’s been a slight change to the plan, boss,” Kit said. “Yusef called Rocco and told him Jafaar had taken his boys as his personal bodyguards and was headed toward the WKB. Rocco’s meeting up with Lobo to head him off. Yusef’s boys are not in any way part of this, and Yusef’s been a good ally. If they can get him before he gets to the compound, it’s one fewer bad guy to fight, and Rocco might be able to keep the boys out of trouble.”
“Copy that.”
Highway I-80 west was a complete standstill. Fortunately, Rocco was coming from the opposite direction—heading away from where he most needed to be. It was worth it to put Jafaar down. He had to drive on the wayside to get around the stopped traffic. When he got to the front of the traffic jam, he parked and got out. Jafaar held one of Yusef’s sons in front of him, a gun to his head. The boy had tears running down his cheeks. Lobo shouted over to Rocco to hold his position. Rocco nodded and stood still.
“Jafaar,” Rocco called out in Pashto, “let the boys go. You aren’t authorized to kill them. Abdul Baseer al Jahni still needs them. If he loses you and them, it is too dear a price to pay. I can provide what you wanted. I can send al Jahni the formulas.”
“You trick me,” Jafaar said, stepping back to swing his focus toward Rocco.
“No. I’m speaking Pashto. The Feds can’t understand me. Let the boys go, turn yourself in, minimize al Jahni’s loss. If you do that, I will send him the formulas you needed so that he can have his own corner on the human modification market. You will have achieved your goal and also will remain honorable.”
“You don’t have it. You’re lying.”
“I’m not. We have the scientists. They will give al Jahni the formula as a means of mitigating the power King has. It’s all a power play, no?”
“If I give up the boys, the Feds will shoot me.”
“Not if you toss your weapon down,” Rocco said.
Jafaar looked from him to Lobo. He shoved the kid toward the car and went to his knees. He tossed his weapon off into the wayside. As Lobo charged toward him, he grabbed another weapon from his jacket, which he aimed at Lobo. Yusef’s son kicked his hand, dislodging the weapon as it discharged, sending the round harmlessly into the field.
Lobo’s crew swarmed him. Rocco walked over to the boys. One was still in the car. They were younger than Lion, but not by much. Rocco had read their files. Good kids. Trying to live the lives their parents had given up so much for. He held out a hand to the one Jafaar had been holding a gun on.
“You did good,” Rocco said in English.
“Are we in trouble?” the boy asked.
“No. You’ll need to go with my friend Lobo here to give your statements. They’ll get you back to your parents in no time. I’ll let your dad know you’re both okay.”
“Thanks.”
Lobo’s guys yanked Jafaar to his feet and walked him over to one of their vehicles. “I will hold you to your promise,” Jafaar said.
“Yeah, about that,” Rocco grinned. “See, I’m not authorized to make deals with terrorists. You got nothing.”
Lobo came over and shook hands with Rocco. “Thanks.”
“Sure. Don’t keep the boys too long. Their parents are beside themselves.”
“My guys will take them back to the motel and get their statements there. I’m headed west. How about you?”
“Same. I’ll cut over and follow you.”
Owen lifted Addy out of the SUV. They were parked on a Forest Service road behind the WKB. As he understood it, there were three ways of getting into the underground missile complex. One was the main entrance under the old warehouse. Another was through the grease pit in what had been Hope’s garage. They were taking the third access point used by the watchers that was hidden in the woods. One of Lion’s cubs came out from some trees like a little shadow.
“Fox,” Max said.
“It’s this way,” the boy said, waving them into the woods, leading them to the tunnel entrance. Max opened the hidden gate.
“Be careful of the stairs,” he said as Owen went by. Fox lit the way with a lantern. Max, Ace, and Angel shined their flashlights into the dark, making sure Owen’s way was well lit. Doc Beck followed with his own flashlight. This complex was nothing like the tunnels were Fiona had been taken. It was a rough dugout cut into granite. And though it wasn’t as large as the Colorado system, it still made for a good hike deep inside the underground passageway.
Fox stopped and looked at them. “King’s men are everywhere. Big ones.”
“Can you draw a map in the dirt showing where they are?” Owen asked.
Fox set his lantern down and drew some lines in the dirt. Owen had to turn halfway to the side to see over Addy. “Where are we now?”
“Here,” Max said. “This tunnel runs into the main corridor here. The tangos are blocking our entrance into the Syadne tower here.”
“On the schematics Angel showed us there was a spur tunnel just before the branch that leads to the tower. Can we get that far without them seeing us? I need a safe place to stash Addy and Doc Beck while we clear the way.”
“Possibly,” Max said. “If not, we’ll make it safe.” He grinned up at Owen.
Fox provided expert navigation. The Titan missile complex they were in had three silos. Owen knew from Max’s time here a few months ago that only one of the silos had been renovated. That was where the lab was. Near it was another short tunnel that led to an equipment terminal.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t get close to it. Faint light in the main tunnel alerted them to King’s fighters, who were spreading out into the space. Owen’s group shut off their flashlights. Max looked around the corner of the tunnel. A guard stood halfway between where they were and where they needed to go.
“I got this,” Angel said. He picked up a metal shard and chucked it down the tunnel in the opposite direction. The guard’s flashlight flashed in that direction. He rushed toward the sound, only slowing to check out their tunnel when he was already in the middle of the entrance. Angel charged him, knocking his flashlight to the side and moving the fighter away from them.
They hurried down the wide main tunnel, stopping at the opening to the next tunnel that led to the Syadne tower. Max checked around the edge, then held up two fingers. “Wait here.”
He walked into the tunnel, moving without stealth like he was supposed to be there. He wore typical biker leather, his cuts, and a kerchief on his head in the club colors. One of the men pointed a lighted automatic rifle at him. “Identify yourself.”
Max held his hands up. “Just Mad Dog. Club sergeant-at-arms. Making sure you’re in position. And what is this, a fucking brew-fest? Spread out. You got a lotta ground to cover down here.” He walked past the first guy and stopped next to the second one. He looked over the guy’s weapon and stance. “Keep it like this.” When the guy eased his grip on his AR, Max shoved the rifle’s butt up into his nose, killing him instantly. Before the guy hit the ground, Max pivoted and fired at the first guy, dropping him.
Between that gunfire and Angel’s fight, they’d lost their stealth advantage. Max waved them forward. They managed to get into the spur tunnel Owen had been looking for. It was near the end of the tunnel that led to the Syadne tower, so it was a good place to hole up while the rest of the way was cleared. He couldn’t bring Addy and Beck into the middle of a gunfight.
“We’ll stay here,” Owen said. “Max, go meet up with the rest of the team. I’ll send Angel when he gets back. The lab is one floor up in the tower. Clear the way, then come get us.”
“Copy. Watch his back, Ace,” Max said, pointing at her.
“On it,” Ace answered.
Owen set Addy down behind a pile of debris. Ace used her flashlight while Beck checked Addy’s vitals. He didn’t look happy with her status. Owen adjusted the blankets around her. It was not as quiet in the tunnels as he thought it would be. Metal groaned in the distance, making eerie sounds that cou
ld almost be human. There was a constant drip of water somewhere near them. They all heard a slight rustling of fabric. Ace turned, her hand on her weapon.
Another little boy came out of the shadows. He whispered something to Fox, who looked at Owen. “There’s man in here, a little ways farther back. He’s looking for Ace. He’s old. He has a long white beard.”
Ace looked at Owen. “Santo.”
Owen nodded. “Can we trust it’s not a trap?” he asked Fox.
“We’re on the same side, sir. I don’t know about the man.”
Owen asked Ace, “You up to dealing with him?”
“Fuck yeah. I promised Greer.”
“Then go.”
The second boy ran down the tunnel, leading Ace away. Owen hated sending her alone. Santo was a sneaky bastard who’d manipulated her most of her teen years, and did so again a few weeks ago. But he couldn’t leave Addy unguarded.
Ace hurried after the boy, trying to move as silently as he did, as silently as Santo had taught her to. The boy ducked into one of the tunnels leading to an unrenovated silo, then pointed to a small offshoot from it, like the one Owen was in at the other tower. Ace felt the hairs rise on her neck, sensing Santo before she ever saw him. She dropped her flashlight, letting it light the little stretch of tunnel indirectly.
It caught the white wool of Santo’s homespun outer robe. His beard was the same color. He was an old man. And she was going to kill him. The facts were comforting to her.
“Hello, Grandpa.”
“Figured you knew who I was when your brother came looking for me,” Santo said.
“Did you? Why didn’t you give yourself up?”
“There’s only one way out of this game.”
“It’s no game.”
“It is if one of its players decides it is.”
“So because Jason Parker says it’s a game, it is?”
“When you end up playing by default, yes.”
“You know I’m going to kill you.”
Forsaken Duty, The Red Team Series, Book 9 Page 27
