Well shit.
Then add in that this was Doctor Christopher Leonard’s first Christmas with his new child, and the guilt became more like inescapable quicksand.
While she and Ethan would suck up a bad holiday, she hated to see her friends have to do that.
This was screwing with so many lives, and that was unacceptable.
As she strolled into the morgue, it was decorated with Christmas lights and everyone was laughing. Around this time of the year, there wasn’t as much killing. Suicides were up, but the FBI didn't handle those kinds of cases unless it was a cult taking itself out.
Thankfully, murder took a holiday.
Now it was back on, and she had to prepare for the worst. As she crossed the room, Chris and Tony were singing ‘Jingle Bells’ and laughing.
While it should have made her feel a hell of a lot better, it didn't.
No, it was definitely worse.
They didn't hear her coming, but a Fed was a Fed, and Chris must have sensed her approach. Well, that or he had the place booby-trapped to alert him of bosses arriving.
“Elizabeth!” he said, grinning when he turned.
And then he saw her face.
“Oh, shit! No! You can’t! You can’t come down here when we’re about to start vacation and take it away!”
Her people knew her so damn well that she didn't even have to tell them she was going to ruin their day.
Immediately, Tony turned. His laughter stopped too. “Oh boy. We just got boned.”
“Hey, guys,” Elizabeth said, trying to keep her emotions in check. She was a mess from pregnancy hormones, her children being threatened, and ruining their holiday.
“You’re sending us out, aren’t you?” Chris asked, moving toward her with his skull head cane.
She handed him her phone. Ethan had gotten a picture of the message, and he forwarded it to her. She didn't have to speak. It was going to say it all. Elizabeth trusted these men. They were like brothers. If they opted to choose Christmas over helping her, she’d take one for the team and call in backup.
She loved them too much to do it.
Chris and Tony hovered over it reading.
Then they looked up.
“Elizabeth!”
In that second, she knew they were quality people. Gone was the outrage that they were heading out, and in their eyes was the concern.
“You’re the target.”
She simply nodded.
“We’re in.”
Then the worst thing ever happened.
Elizabeth was helpless to hold back the tears. Maybe it was all the emotion from Callen being there by himself, or that they’d played this game before—nearly losing Ethan, but she couldn’t help herself.
Chris’s eyes went wide as tears filled hers.
Elizabeth burst into tears.
Taking her hand, he and Tony led her into the small office they shared. The last thing they wanted was for any of the tech team to catch their boss weeping. It would blow her badass persona out of the water.
“It’s okay, Lyzee,” Chris crooned, holding her to his side. “Let’s talk about it.”
She wiped furiously at her eyes. She hated that she couldn’t stop this from happening.
She hated that they were being stalked.
She hated… just about everything at that moment.
“It’s okay, Lyzee. We’ve got you,” Tony said, circling his body around one side of her as Chris did the same thing. There, in the lab’s office, she was cocooned between two men she loved.
“I’m sorry. I’m a mess,” she whispered. “I just don’t know what to do.”
They both hugged her.
Elizabeth felt safe. There weren’t a lot of men in her life that could give her that, but these two were special. They’d been through a lot in all the years working for the FBI. She’d saved them, getting their blood on her hands, and they’d saved her, always having her back.
This was family.
They were just as much hers as the children or Wyler.
The tears continued.
The men stared at each other helplessly. This wasn’t like her at all. Something was wrong.
Then it hit Chris.
“Are you having a baby?”
She nodded. “I’m pregnant, and I didn't tell Ethan or Callen yet. Then we get this. Someone’s going to have a stroke. I don’t know what to do.”
It wasn’t like Elizabeth to break. While she may crack, she always stayed intact. This time, she was in pieces.
Tony gave her a kiss on the cheek. “It’s okay. No one is going to take you. We’ll get ready. What do you need us to do? I’ll talk to Jaxon, and we’ll postpone the wedding. I can’t get married knowing that a woman, who I call sister, is suffering like this. I won’t do it without you. You’re my only family.”
She cried harder.
Chris punched him in the arm.
Tony shrugged helplessly.
“Tony’s right. You and I are his best men. We’re going to have to put it off until we can all be together.”
She buried her face in Chris’s neck. “This sucks. I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I’m ashamed to say that if it weren't my kids, I’d do it without you, but I can’t risk them. I can’t do it…”
They understood.
Chris held her against his chest. “Lyzee, honey, it’s okay. It’s a holiday. I’m not even Christian. I can have Cyra and Bethe hold off on Christmas until we get back. It’s not a big deal. She’s a baby. She’s not going to know if we celebrate on the twenty-fifth or the fifteenth of January. The day doesn’t matter. Only family does,” he offered.
She held onto Chris as she wept. It reminded her of a few times she leaned on him in their past for strength.
He was a good man and an even better friend.
When the tears finally slowed, she turned to face the other doctor. “I’m sorry, Tony. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, Lyzee,” he said, giving her a hug. “I’m not upset. We were only having the wedding in Chris’s mausoleum. We can postpone it. I swear.”
She clung to him too.
“I hate my job sometimes, and this is one of those times.”
They all felt that every now and again. It was normal.
She was normal.
“We’ve got your back, Elizabeth,” Chris said.
They’d been through so much. They held life and death in the palms of their hands more times than anyone could count.
Now they held hers.
“I’m sorry. Hormones,” she whispered, wiping at her eyes until Chris handed her a handful of tissues.
While keeping stoic was more her thing, with these two, she could be herself. Elizabeth trusted few, but in that room, she knew she was safe.
Her secret would remain hidden.
“No one knows about the pregnancy,” she said.
“They won’t hear it from us,” Chris reassured. “We’ll keep it quiet.”
She gave them each a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for not busting my ass for being all weepy.”
They took a seat on the couch in their office. One man flanked each of her sides.
“Our pleasure. We will use it against you in the future unless you give us something else to work with.”
She laughed.
“Tell us about the case,” Tony said, as he held her hand in his.
“We have two boxes wrapped like presents to go along with this note. Ethan is betting there will be remains inside. Since they couldn’t possibly stick a whole body in there, that’s why you’re going in too, Tony. You’ve got to put them back together again.”
He got it, and he didn't mind.
“If it’s not remains?” Chris asked.
“Well, we’ll touch down, check it out, and if it’s someone jacking with the FBI, you’re flying back here.”
They wouldn’t leave her. If the team was going in, the whole team was going in. Both men glanced at each other over her head.
; Their minds were made up.
“Don’t stress it, Lyzee. How big of a team do you need?” Chris asked. “I can call in some people, and we can be at full force in the next thirty minutes.”
She knew it sucked. Her techs were already on vacation for the holiday.
“I feel horrible.”
Tony, who didn't have kids of his own or a pregnant wife, as of yet, reached into his pocket. “Maybe you should eat something,” he offered. “Have some candy.”
He handed her a chocolate bar.
She unwrapped it and took a bite.
“Is this supposed to calm the savage beast?” she asked.
Tony laughed. “Hell no! It’s to keep your blood sugar from dropping and keep you from passing out. That’s all we need. Ethan has to be frazzled as it is. We don’t need him to come down here to find you on a metal table taking a nap.”
Yeah, that would give him the big one. He was already freaked out.
This whole case was going to be bad.
She could already tell.
“About the size of the staff,” Chris asked again.
“We can probably get by with minimal team. I don’t want to call everyone in and jack their holiday too.”
Chris patted her on the leg as they sat beside her. “I’ll handle them, don’t stress it. They’ll be more than happy to come in, Elizabeth. Your team is loyal to you. You’ve been a really great boss for years, and that’s going to make them want to have your back.”
She hoped that was true.
“You just worry about you. How far along are you?”
She shrugged. “I might be more toward three months than freshly knocked up.” She told them about how she started spotting, and they assumed she wasn’t pregnant months ago.
Immediately, he was up.
“I can have the hormone levels done before we even leave here. Let me get a sample.”
Tony grinned at her. “You’re having another baby. That has to be exciting.”
She nodded. “It is, but I’m worried about the ones I have. This one is along for the ride. I’m pretty sure I can keep him or her safe.”
He couldn’t blame her.
As Chris worked on her arm, Tony kept her distracted. “You’re going to be fine. You’re badass Elizabeth Blackhawk. You won’t let someone jack with you. It’s just another case, and as soon as you believe that, you’ll be fine.”
She patted him on the cheek. “Thank you, Tony.”
Elizabeth knew she’d never be fine. When it came to her kids, she was vulnerable. This killer had been watching them.
That scared her.
“You’ve got this, Elizabeth,” Chris said. He knew his friend well, and she was distracted. “You have to tell the men, own it, and move on. If you go into this distracted, you’re going to put yourself at risk. When you’re focused, you’re dangerous.”
She closed her eyes.
“You’re right. I just needed this pep talk. I can do this,” she said, popping the last piece of chocolate in her mouth.
“You have to be the boss now. Flip the switch, put the rest away, and do what you were born to do—lead,” Chris said, shaking the sample.
He was right.
“I need a full team mobilized and ready to go. Contact Merry, and call in backup. We’re going to go in as the FBI, I’ll do the assessment, and go from there. We can wean off any non-essential personnel when we get there. We won’t have time to screw around. We’re going in meaning business.”
They both grinned. “There’s our girl.”
She stood. “Thanks.”
Neither man needed to hear that. They knew the bond they shared.
This wasn’t payback.
This was all about taking care of a woman they loved. She was their sister.
As she reached the door, Elizabeth stopped. “Chris? Tony?”
They glanced over. “Yes?”
“I love you both.”
With that, she was gone.
The men didn't hesitate. They did what the boss said.
They mobilized because the bottom line was that they loved her too.
* * * B l a c k h a w k - W h i t e f o x * * *
Fort Whitefox-Blackhawk
When they got home, it was chaos. It was like they were mobilizing an army. Elizabeth watched as Wyler and Cindy moved everyone around, packing, grabbing, and gathering the needed items for their departure.
When Wyler saw them, he immediately raced toward them. The alarm was clearly apparent on his face. The first thing he did, was hug Elizabeth.
“Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
She clung to the man, breathing in his familiar scent. It was of home and sage. The scent brought her back to when she would hug Timothy.
It offered peace.
Ethan explained everything to his father. Leaving nothing out, he told the man that they were all in danger.
Wyler’s face said it all as he held Elizabeth tightly.
This was concerning.
“This is bad,” he said, grabbing the pouch around his neck and taking it off. He placed it around Elizabeth’s head.
“I had a dream last night,” he offered. “My father said to give this to you.”
Elizabeth touched it with her fingers. When it came to Shamanism, she was still learning, but she could tell by the scent, he was giving her some protection.
She’d take it.
“I’ll be okay, Dad,” she offered.
He dropped a kiss to the center of her forehead. “You make sure. Timothy said trials are coming for this family. You’re the raven, and there was blood on your wings.”
Ethan hated this kind of thing. While he respected his heritage, it still freaked him out. Immediately, his mind went back to Salem, and when he first met Elizabeth.
He recalled that big raven sitting in the tree, squawking for her soul.
It had nearly reaped it too.
“I’ll be okay,” she reassured, running her fingers over the long gray braid that was hanging down. Over the last few years, the stress was getting to Wyler too. He was aging before their eyes.
Elizabeth felt guilty.
They were adding another child to the mix, and that was going to add to his stress.
Well shit!
“I’ll get everything ready, Ethan,” his father reassured. “You just pack what you need. In my dream, Timothy said to keep an eye on the fox.”
Yeah, he would. Ethan was going to be all over Callen and Elizabeth until this was over. It was a good thing they already shared a bed.
No one was hurting them on his watch.
“We’ll be ready in ten,” Wyler reassured.
Then, as if a sign, there was the telltale tinkling of chimes from the back porch. Through the glass door, they could see no one was messing with them, but they shook.
“We got it, Granddad,” Elizabeth whispered. “I’ll be fine.”
It had been a while since she’d heard the chimes, but she was glad. It was cathartic to know the man was around, watching out for them.
Ethan didn't comment. Silently, he whispered a prayer to his deceased ancestors. He wasn’t big on buying into the Native mojo, but when it came to the people he loved?
Yeah, he’d suck it up.
As Elizabeth headed toward the living room, her angels were sitting there. All three older kids were perched on the couch, watching the rush of agents and family. The second CJ saw her, he vaulted the couch and began heading her way.
He looked more and more like Ethan every day. The wild mane of black hair was getting long, and she loved it.
Scooping him up, he kissed her noisily.
“Oh, I love you, little man. We’re going to send you and the others on a trip.”
“Where goin’, Momma?” he asked, watching her. Those deep blue eyes missed nothing, and he was definitely his father’s son.
Callen James Blackhawk was going to be just like him when he grew up.
“Oh, sweetie pie, you’re go
ing to Uncle Gabe’s house. He’s going to be watching you guys for a while. Momma and Dads have to go to work in another town.”
He didn't say anything, but Elizabeth knew he was analyzing everything she said.
Finally, he spoke, “What about Santa?”
“He’ll still show up, but there,” she reassured. “Then when you guys get home, he’s going to be here too. You get two visits from him this year.”
That seemed to appease him.
She made a mental note to have Wyler go shopping when he arrived in Georgetown.
Elizabeth sat on the couch with him still in her arms, and the other two children crawled against her. Charlie watched from her spot on a blanket on the floor.
They all kissed and clung to her. They may not know exactly what was happening, but they picked up on it. Each child was wary. She could see it in their little faces.
Kanje and Sungila moved closer, protectively flanking her legs. When they dropped their heads on her knees, she was awash with emotion.
Elizabeth fought the tears.
It wasn’t easy.
“I love you all. I want you to know that you guys are the four best things in my life. I couldn’t live without you. Thank you for being my baby birds.”
They clung to her.
Cat fought for space on her lap, much like she always did. Elizabeth’s heart skipped.
“I love you, Momma,” she said.
“Oh, Kitty Cat, I love you too. When I’m gone, you’re in charge. You make sure EJ and CJ behave, and you kiss Charlie for me every night, okay?”
She nodded.
Ethan watched from across the room.
He wanted to be sick.
There was no doubt in his mind what she was doing. It was like she was saying goodbye, and he couldn’t bear it. So, he took drastic measures.
Heading her way, he picked Charlie up and then grabbed Cat. Sitting beside his wife, he held his family near. “Everything is going to be fine,” he reassured, kissing the girls on his lap. One watched him with eerie green eyes, the other tried to chew on his tie.
Elizabeth leaned on him.
She needed his strength more than anything at that point. Ethan could always hold her up.
Slay Bells Ring (An FBI Romance Thriller Book 12) Page 5
