Moriah put her hands on her hips and waited until they both looked at her. "If there is the slimmest chance that The Fates are up there, we're going hunting. If you want to stay here, keep quiet. If you want to play with the adults, keep quiet and follow me." She spun again, and trusting Dixon to keep his brother in check, she headed out.
"Dude, I'm not sure I like her."
She heard Drake's comment and let it slide off her back. Like she fucking cared.
"Like I fucking care." Dixon's response sent a shiver up her spine. "She's perfect for me. You've got your own woman. Deal with it."
"But she's bossy as shit."
"She's used to working alone," Dixon countered.
"I'm used to working in silence." Moriah hissed at them as she waited for the brothers to shut up and join her at the door of the building.
"See. Bossy." Drake took up position on the right of the door, Dixon on the left. They moved in perfect precision. She watched as they put on their game faces and was pretty fucking impressed with the way they moved out of the building, clearing the entrance before both of them ghosted ahead of her into the woods. They moved silently down the exact path she would have taken. The thickets and brambles thinned about twenty-five feet inside the tree line, and that's where they moved forward.
They paused at the back of the house. The woods were closer here and the open space they'd have to travel to reach the house was limited. It was the best way to access the home.
Moriah took a knee along with the men and settled in to watch the home. About every five or ten minutes someone could be seen in the shadows near the house. Obviously, one solitary nighttime guard for the entire structure.
"Amateur hour," Drake whispered. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag. Joy’s eyes dropped to his hand. What. The. Fuck.
Dixon nodded and reached over to pluck some candy from the bag. Drake moved his arm offering the bag to her. Moriah's eyes skipped from one brother to the other. "Seriously?"
"What? It's stakeout food." Drake explained as Dixon grinned at her and winked.
Moriah's eyes swung back to Dixon's brother. "Are you twelve?"
"Nah, I'm legal." The man extended his hand again.
Moriah shook her head. "No, thank you."
Dixon chuckled and took another grab at the confections. "So, full breach of the back door?"
Moriah slowly turned her head toward her lover. She nodded and purred, "I like the sound of that."
"Holy fuck. Things I don't need to know." Drake shoved another piece of candy in his mouth. "I think I need mental bleach."
Dixon cleared his throat and adjusted himself in his pants. Yeah, he liked the sound of that too. She smiled and winked at him before she focused on the house again.
"I'll go in first. Give me two minutes before you follow. I want to make sure there aren’t motion detectors or an alarm system that will trigger. The guard isn't moving far from the house, and there may be a reason for it. If they see me, they may think I escaped. If they see you, they will go into defense mode."
"That makes sense." Drake nodded and grinned at her.
Moriah cocked her head again and examined Dixon's brother. It was entirely possible that he was slow. "Of course, it makes sense. What, exactly, do you do for Guardian?" She kept her focus on the man but could feel Dixon laughing silently beside her.
"I run the training complex with him." A shit eating grin spread across the Drake's face.
Moriah nodded. "Oh, so your brother can keep you from playing with sharp objects. Good to know." She didn't wait for any comebacks and darted forward. Granted she had a smile on her face. She could really enjoy some verbal banter with that guy. He was...interesting. Not breathtaking and required for her peace of mind, like his brother, but amusing nonetheless.
She dashed across the lawn and pushed behind a bush, bracing her back against the house. Fuck. That. Hurt. Her bruised muscles screamed when her shoulders made contact. She ground her jaw shut.
The sound of nylon moving against nylon held her in place. The guard that had just walked around the house made another circuit. Her eyes cut to the wood line. She couldn't see either brother. She allowed her breath to escape before she drew another steadying lungful of air. The man walked past her. She timed her move to coincide with his turn at the corner of the house. There were no windows at that location, and it was dark. The lights from the front of the house and at the back door didn't reach the far corner of the home. She drew another breath and pushed up, careful to plant her feet firmly with each bounding step. The guard turned, and she launched. She used his leg as a ramp and grabbed his neck as her legs swung up around the man's shoulders, using all ninety-three pounds of her person to pull him forward and to the ground. They rolled, and she was up, the knife in her hand thrust into the base of the man's skull and through his spine. He stopped moving instantly. She moved away from him and braced against the house again. Her back and shoulders violently objected her every move.
She moved forward slowly. Just a few more feet before she could get to the back door. She slammed back into the wall of the house and slid down the foundation behind a bush when the back door opened. She blinked at the little poof of white hair that bounded out of the house. The dog daintily moved forward before it copped a squat and did its business.
She narrowed her eyes and glared back at the wood line. That would have been nice to know. Fucking dogs were a huge problem. The door opened again, and a woman's voice called to the poof. "Sasha, come in here now...fucking dog."
Moriah reached down to the ground. She felt around until she found a rock and tossed it near the poofy thing. The bundle of fur turned and started sniffing where the rock had landed. Moriah shook the bottom branch of the shrub she was hiding behind, and the dog bounded toward her. Perfect!
"Sasha, no. Come here. Dammit, it's cold out here!" the woman whisper-hissed at the dog before she stepped out of the house. She pulled her silk robe around her and clutched the lapels, trying to ward off the cold.
Joy watched as the woman walked down the stairs. She waited until the dog buried its head under the bush she was behind. It growled. Before it could bark, she grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and put her hand over the muzzle. It whined like crazy, and that was what she wanted.
The woman scurried to the bushes. "Sasha, come here!" Her whisper-hiss had all the hallmarks of becoming hysteria. She watched as the brothers ran up behind the woman. Dixon grabbed the woman, his hand covering her mouth. Moriah held the dog. It struggled against her hold, wiggling and trying to go to the aid of its master, but she couldn't let it make any noise. The woman swooned in Dixon's arms, and Drake picked up her feet. The men bolted to the tree line and she followed with the tiny piece of fur in her arms.
When she caught up with them, she nodded. "We take her and get the fuck out."
"Agreed." Dixon and Drake spoke at the same time.
"Well?" Moriah demanded. "Move!"
"See, bossy as hell." Drake grumped as he grabbed the woman and threw her over his shoulder. "Lead the way."
Dixon nodded and took the point. Moriah watched their six and kept the dog quiet. By the time they reached the Suburban the animal was settled in her arms. Drake flopped the woman into the back of the vehicle. Dixon zip-tied her arms and legs. A thin silver blanket covered her from view even though the windows were tinted black. They closed the door and turned to her. "What are you going to do with that?" Dixon pointed to the white puff of fur in her arms.
Joy looked at him and grunted. Damn fool, what did he think she was going to do with the dog? She was going to take it with her and make sure it had a good life. It wasn't like that woman would be able to take care of it anymore.
Drake's laughter was low and still quiet, "Oh my God, you were right. She's Frank in female form."
Dixon chuffed, "I told you."
Dixon held open the door for her, and she climbed into the back seat of the huge Suburban. Thank fuck it had heated sea
ts. She ached, and she needed sleep. Dixon pulled her seatbelt across her and leaned in for a kiss. "I will always come for you." He dropped his lips reverently across hers. Moriah reveled in the tenderness. She sighed as he lifted away. The dog in her arms laid its head down and closed its eyes.
"Looks like you got yourself a pet." Dixon stroked the fur before he lifted his eyes to her.
"You or the doggie, Quick Draw?" She winked at him, and Drake chuckled from the front seat.
"Me. Definitely me. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth." He lowered for a kiss again.
"Yeah, just scratch his ears, and he'll follow anyone. As much as this lovely reunion is sappy sweet and all, we really do need to get going." Drake's words broke through the kiss they shared.
Moriah waited for Dixon to shut her door before she turned her seat warmer up to the highest setting. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, relaxing for the first time since she'd received Dixon's text to follow Smith.
Her eyes popped open again. "Where's Smith? Did he make it out?"
Dixon twisted in his seat. "He did. He came to me and told me where you were."
"You didn't kill him?" She was impressed.
"He was going to, but I talked some sense into him." Drake chuckled and grabbed the candy bag out of his vest.
"Stakeout food?" She asked.
"Nah. Road trip food." He pulled onto the gravel road and headed to the highway.
She closed her eyes again. "Dixon, your brother is kinda weird."
"I know, baby. I know." His voice was the last thing she heard as sleep overtook her.
Chapter 21
"What's the plan, D?" Drake drove the road that would take them back to D.C. from Virginia.
"We have to get her to Guardian, but you’re dead and I'm undercover. If we pulled this shit off, Stratus won’t know it was us, and they won't know Guardian has her."
"And if we fucked up and performed an unauthorized operation, killed those men and kidnapped a woman and her dog, we're screwed."
"I think the dog is the least of our worries. Fact, I'm authorized to conduct the undercover operation as I see fit. Guardian has given me the latitude to break the law in order to succeed. I have a coded list of people I can take out."
"I'm fairly positive none of the men we eliminated tonight were on that list," Drake drawled as he popped another gummy bear into his mouth.
"It was an operation where we needed to ensure complete silence. We've done these operations overseas before."
"Overseas and sanctioned through Guardian." Drake reminded him.
"This mission is sanctioned. We're covered. I'm covered, and you were never here."
"Bullshit. I'm not leaving you to take any blame."
"There won't be any blame. We can have Joy, ahh...Moriah take her back. She followed Smith. She figured it out, and she takes the credit for bringing in a Fate."
"But the kills, D. She's a Shadow, and she isn't an authorized agent within the United States."
"Archangel authorized me to do what was necessary to protect Dixon." Moriah's voice floated up from the back seat. "I'm not worried in the slightest about the kills. They were necessary."
"I won't lie to Jason." Drake shook his head before he shot a glare over at Dixon. "I will not go down that road."
"Nor will I. What we need is a face-to-face meeting with Jace." Dixon stared out into the darkness as his brother drove the car. They were at an operational fork in the road. Hell, they had so many avenues they could drive down it was more like the interchanges in D.C. The roundabouts will get you there, but it isn't the most direct route.
"Where do you propose we meet?" Moriah's voice pulled him from his thoughts. He glanced back at her and smiled at the little white piece of fluff. It was out cold with all four legs in the air and pink belly exposed, completely trusting Moriah to take care of it.
"I'm open for suggestions."
"I have an idea." Moriah groaned as she turned back to look at the woman they'd trussed up and dumped in the back. "Did you drug her?" Moriah winced as she turned back. She must have seen something in his look. "I'm fine. Been worse than this too many times to count. Soft tissue damage."
"Doesn't mean I like it." He'd have loved to make sure every one of the fuckers that took a swing at her had paid for it, but he'd settle for those he took out tonight. "And to answer your question, yes, she's drugged."
"Where are we going to meet?" Drake interrupted.
"There is this apartment in D.C. Bengal used to live in it, but it has become a bit of a landing pad for the Shadows as we come and go." Dixon could tell she was tired by the soft inflection and breathiness of her voice. "I'll arrange it. I just need a phone."
"Here." Drake handed his to Dixon who passed it to her. "It's safe." He added glancing over his shoulder to talk to her. "It's a Guardian device."
Moriah hit the numbers and then put the phone on speaker. They could all hear the thing ringing. “Operator Two-seven-four, good morning Alpha-Five.”
“Negative. Sunset clearance, zero operative.” Joy responded quickly.
“Standby, zero operative.” The operator's voice didn't vary an iota.
"She has to be a computer. Always at work. Same operator." Drake looked at Dixon.
"I don't know how anyone could be that level. Definitely artificial intelligence." Dixon agreed.
"Or the same woman with a motherlode of Xanax." Moriah interjected causing them all to laugh.
“What the actual fuck are you doing with Alpha-Five's phone, and what has happened to make you call at the ass-crack of dawn?"
"We need to deliver groceries." Moriah's statement hung in the air. Dixon twisted in his seat to see if the phone was still active. It was.
"When?" Archangel's question rang through the cabin of the Suburban.
Moriah looked at him. Dixon glanced around the area and guessed about an hour maybe a little bit more. He mouthed the response to her.
"Two hours." She replied.
"Your ward?"
She chuckled silently, but answered, "Both are safe."
"This better be good." The anger in the man's voice was crystal clear.
"I wouldn't call you unless it was necessary." Moriah confirmed.
"Archangel out."
Moriah stretched forward to hand him the phone and hissed at the effort. "I'm going to sleep. Wake me when we get to D.C." She adjusted the dog in her lap and carefully laid her head back against the seat.
Dixon handed the phone back to Drake. They rode silently for at least a half hour before Drake spoke again. "Where do you think we'll go from here?"
Dixon gazed at the horizon. The lights of the city glittered before them. "I don't know."
"You not coming home isn't an option." Drake sent a sideways glance at him.
"It might be the only option." His brother wasn't always on the same page as he was.
"Bullshit. We can do a Fury on your ass, too."
"To what end? The Fates will fill the seat with a stooge that will vote their way."
"And what says they won't kill you or another senator and do the exact same thing they did to get you elected?" Drake fired back.
"Nothing." He conceded his brother's point.
"Damn straight nothing. You've done your time. You've closed the doors to your past. It's time to come home. Let this go. Guardian has the resources to take it from here. You don't need to be involved any longer. If that woman is Stratus, the information they can pull from her will be a gold mine. If it turns out she is a Fate, we've got the ammo we need to take them all out." Drake's voice held a shit ton of emotion, emotion that Dixon echoed in the very fiber of his being.
"It will be Guardian's call." Dixon glanced at his brother. "I'm ready to come home, but all of this, it is bigger than either you or me. If it comes down to the safety of this country or my ass being back on South Dakota soil, you know which option will win."
Drake slid his eyes to his brother. They exchanged stares
for several seconds before Drake nodded and turned his attention back to the roadway.
Chapter 22
"Why the fuck did we stop a supermarket again?" Drake carried two totes up the stairs as did Dixon.
"Because she is living on a fixed income and she's sweet." Moriah was walking stiffly in front of them. She wanted to carry a tote, but Dixon was damned if he was going to allow the woman to put any additional strain on her back and shoulders. They'd parked the SUV and made sure the dog and the woman were warm, well secured and out of public view before they made their way into the building.
Moriah lifted a hand and pointed to the apartment on the right. "That's where he's waiting." She kept walking and rapped gently on the door in front of her.
They were silent in the hall. The small shuffling sounds on the other side of the door could be easily detected. The door opened with only a small gold chain between them and a tiny old woman. Dixon saw her smile before the door shut, the chain rattled and then it reopened.
"Nancy! What a wonderful surprise! What are you doing here so early?" Dixon watched as 'Nancy' gently hugged the frail older woman.
"Mrs. Henshaw, my friends and I are going to be staying next door for a short while, and we noticed the refrigerator isn't working. Do you think you'll have room to store our groceries?" Moriah waved at the four totes they were carrying.
"But of course, dear. Please, come in! I'll make coffee."
"I will, just for a little bit, but these guys have been traveling all night. They are going to go into the apartment and grab some sleep." Moriah exchanged a set of keys for one of the totes he was carrying. "Just set them by the door, I'll get them." She narrowed her eyes at Dixon, daring him to object.
"Not a problem, Nancy." Drake placed a very light emphasis on the name as he leaned forward and placed the totes he carried by the door. Dixon followed suit with the other bag.
Dixon listened to the two women as they slowly made their way down the hall. For some reason, making sure the old lady was okay was a priority for Joy or Nancy or Moriah...he sighed. What he didn't know about the woman could fill a terabyte hard drive. What he did know, were the important things. He knew her. The name she went by wasn't important. What mattered was all the moments they'd spent together. The times where she was the only sanity in his life when it spiraled out of control. The small secluded seconds when they were completely honest with each other, when they exposed their battered souls and damaged hearts, those were the important times. Those honest glimpses were what mattered. A name, a profession, or even their fucked-up pasts, didn't matter.
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