by Cara Carnes
Bob was an extreme scenario, one she hoped they’d never come across again. If they did, they’d act because that’s what The Arsenal did—they exposed and rectified imbalances in justice. They subverted those wielding power not theirs to possess and harming others.
The Arsenal wasn’t the scales of justice. They were a shield. Seeing Marshall look the most powerful man in the world in the eyes and telling him she and her friends wouldn’t be used like this again made the unease Bree hadn’t realized she harbored dissipate. It also made her decision to deal with Bob more palatable.
“Good, then we look forward to helping when necessary.” Marshall said. His gaze cut to her and Ram. “You two have a good evening.”
“You, too.” Bree watched the two men leave. She melted into Ram’s arms and hid her face. “Tell me I’m asleep and that didn’t just happen. I didn’t just tell the president about…ugh. And I rambled. Why did you let me ramble?”
“Because it was cute.” He kissed her nose. “I guess you can’t tell me what he was asking about.”
She bit her lower lip. “I’m probably not supposed to, but I don’t want to keep secrets from you. I’m injecting a power supply into an undetectable tracker like we use. If Bob steps out of line or becomes a threat, it’ll be activated.”
Damn. The man deserved far worse, but Ram understood there were a lot of political ramifications if anyone discovered what all he’d done. “Does anyone except Marshall and me know?”
“I’ll have to tell Zoey to get the programming into HERA and hidden. Other than that, no one will know.”
“And you’re okay with that?” He worried it’d be too much. She’d endured a lot since coming back to the compound. Too much.
“Yeah. I am. Being on that mission taught me a few things. I’m not going to second guess my ideas. Not all of them will work, but my superhero power is outside-the-box thinking. If even one of them keeps someone I love safe, it’s worth it. This keeps everyone safe.” She kissed his chest. “Now, about that second round.”
Ram laughed and dragged her to the bed. “I’ve created a monster.”
“Maybe, but I’m your monster and you love me.” She grinned.
Two days had passed since they’d returned to The Arsenal. Bree had finally caught up on her sleep and spent some quality fun time with her family. She grinned down at her bowl of oatmeal as she chewed on her toast.
Life was really good now that all the troubles had been cleared off the board. Mostly. There was still a lot of follow-up work, but the bad guys had been identified and apprehended, so it was a huge win as far as she was concerned. There were only a couple things she still needed to do.
“You didn’t tell me you went on a superhero mission!” Luke pounced into the seat beside her in the mess hall.
Laughter echoed around her as Doug and Pierce listened. Ram chuckled.
Damn. Someone had blabbed. Concern flashed in Lars’ eyes a moment as his gaze cut to Ram.
“She did and she kicked some serious evil’s ass,” Doug said.
“Not sure you should say that to a kid,” Ram muttered.
“He’s heard worse,” Grams commented. “I heard you all had been very busy. I’m glad to hear everything is settling down. I must admit I do love what you all are doing here.”
“I know Momma Mason has enjoyed having you around,” Doug commented. “And you still have a sew-off to do with Pierce here, now that we have some downtime coming up.”
“That’s right. I heard we had a great seamster in our midst. I look forward to seeing your work,” Grams said as she patted Pierce’s hand. “More men should find their joy in sewing. I find it quite cathartic.”
“As do I,” Pierce admitted. “When we’re done eating, I’ll take you over to where I have most of my stuff tucked away.”
“You mean the house?” Nolan said as he sat with his food tray. “Wanted to chat with you three about it. We’ve officially taken it off the list of available locations. It’s yours. Along with your place in Housing. What you three do isn’t my business, but I’d love to hear about it sometime. You manage your stress very well given everything you witness. I think more of our teams could do the same.”
Wow. Bree studied the three men. They didn’t want anyone to find out about their hideout. It was a private place. A sanctuary. “Nolan. That’s their sanctuary. It would be like asking Vi to quill in front of everyone and let them read what she wrote.” Heat rose in her cheeks. Oops. Not everyone knew about the hidden messages within her designs.
“I know, which is why we haven’t said anything, but given what’s happened with Fallon’s team and the fact Sinclair is more than a bit concerned that not everyone here is managing their stress properly, it’s something I had to broach.” His took a sip of his orange juice. “Even if it’s uncomfortable.”
“Well, you could’ve done it privately, you know.” Bree stabbed her spoon into her oatmeal.
Grams chuckled. “My. You defend him just like I used to defend your grandfather, dear. While it’s adorable, there’s no shame in what they do.”
“She’s right,” Ram whispered against her ear. “Totally adorable, but we’re okay talking about it if there’s value in doing so.” He glanced at Doug and Pierce. Both nodded.
“I’m not sure it’d work for everyone,” Ram said. “It started off a while ago. When missions went sideways, we didn’t want to go our separate ways. We wanted to stay close but unwind. We each had our own way of doing that. Doing it together just made it more… important. We were close, having each other’s backs while focusing on doing something we found cathartic. Like Grams said just a few minutes ago, that’s important to have.”
“I agree, which is why I want to start a program of some sort to encourage the operatives to find hobbies and interests outside the work we do,” Nolan said. “Now that Sinclair has some help coming on, we should be able to do something. Nothing big at first. We just want everyone to know it’s okay to focus on themselves, even when we’re busy.”
“That sounds like a lovely idea,” Grams said. “So many don’t take care of themselves these days. I can’t tell you how much I worried about Bree. Now that I see how many people she has here that love her, I know she’s okay. If she isn’t, there’s always someone to talk to, even if that isn’t me.”
“Grams…”
Grams patted her hand. “You’re a grown woman, dear. Of course you aren’t going to come to me with everything. You have this fine young man now and so many friends I can’t keep their names straight.” She laughed. “It does my heart good to know you have come into your own. I worried for a lot of years that it wouldn’t happen. I love your parents, but they didn’t do right by either of you. Especially you, Bree.”
Bree tightened. She wasn’t okay with delving into that with everyone around. “I’m working my way through that, Grams. I promise.”
“Good. Now, I know both of you rapscallions are worried about me on that mountain. I love it dearly, but I love you both and my great-grandbabies too much to ever put a cabin as a priority. Your grandfather would be so mad if I didn’t move here.” Grams took a sip of her coffee. “Honestly, I haven’t had this much fun in years.”
Bree smiled. “I’m glad, Grams. There are a lot of options, you know. We can find the perfect place for you.”
“Someone is already helping me look. I have quite a nest egg and am more than capable of finding something.” She cut her gaze to Lars. “And that something will be alone because you, young man, need to move on and find someone. You’ve done a good job raising these babies, but you need to focus on you.”
Wow. Grams was really dishing advice out this morning. Bree smiled. It felt good to have her family here with everyone else she cared about.
Nolan’s cell chimed. He glanced down. His expression turned grim. “We’ve got a visitor. Jaron Cohen just surrendered himself into our custody in exchange for a conversation with us. He has the kids.”
Holy shit. That wa
s the only outstanding thing on their massive list of things to worry about. No one had been happy they hadn’t found Bob’s kids. Crazily enough, Bob hadn’t even asked about them. At. All.
What a jerk.
Bree kissed her family goodbye and followed everyone into the whiteboard room. Gage and Marshall stood in behind a handsome man who was far calmer than she expected. Both Bob’s kids were tapping away on their cell phones as if they hadn’t been missing for weeks.
“I think everyone’s here,” Mary said. “Addy and Kristof are in town with Stacia and Olaf. Mr. Cohen, you said you wanted to speak with us.”
“Yes, though I did not realize it would be quite so many of you.” His gaze cut to the kids. “Perhaps you two should go outside.”
“No way.” Bob’s daughter shook her head. “First off, Josh and I are both adults. We willingly went with him because my dad has lost his mind. Those guys he had staying at the house gave me the creeps.” She shuddered.
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves,” Josh said. “Sorry, Tabitha saw a lot more than I did, but I trusted her judgment and agreed to her idea.”
“Her idea,” Marshall said. “Let’s rewind. We were under the impression you were both kidnapped to force your father into providing Mr. Cohen here with some information.”
“Pfft. Please. Jaron tried everything he could to get my father to help him. Everything.” Tabitha crossed her arms and sniffled. “It’s so sad. I’m ashamed he’s my dad, honestly. This whole thing is disgusting.”
“Exactly what is going on?” Bree asked.
“I assume you know who I am,” Jaron said. Everyone nodded. “An associate who worked with my brother very often went missing. He was determined to find her, despite her father’s warning to not get involved. I believe that is what got him killed.
“After I buried my brother, I took on his mission. Finding Leora was all that mattered. I couldn’t understand why her own father would simply declare her dead and move on.” His jaw twitched as he looked away. “It was unacceptable.”
Bree agreed. “So you kept investigating, reaching out for help from certain organizations.”
“I did. At every turn they used what I offered in exchange without giving me anything of value. I had to use some unorthodox methods to gather intel.” He flushed slightly. “I am not proud of everything I have done, but I regret nothing. Which is why I am here. I know you have likely put together more of the story than I have. All I had of value to offer has probably been given to you by others already.”
“Why the kidnapping?”
“He didn’t kidnap us,” Tabitha snapped.
“Our paths crossed in my final attempt to speak with her father,” Jaron said. “She overheard more than she should have because she had made it a habit of listening in to figure out what was going on with her father.”
“Like you wouldn’t have. Those guys were total creepers.”
“They were,” her brother agreed.
“Look, I heard Jaron begging my father for his help in finding this woman his brother loved. I mean, that’s sad. Then I heard that the brother died trying to find her and I just couldn’t not try and help.” She shrugged. “So I followed him when he left. We chatted around the block from the house. I came up with the idea, not Jaron. I talked Josh into going along with it, because, hello. Vacation. Right?”
Oh boy. That timeline didn’t work with what Bob had said, which meant he’d already been involved with either Alex or someone else before the kids were missing. Interesting.
“The plan didn’t work,” Vi said.
“It did not,” Jaron said. “I was going to return them to their house, but grew concerned when I surveilled it. I recognized the mercenaries there and knew no good would come to Josh and Tabitha if they were there. Those men wouldn’t have thought anything of using them.”
“So you kept them for their own protection,” Nolan said.
“He did. I swear. I have so much of it on video. He asked us almost every day if we wanted to go back,” Tabitha said as she held up her phone. “Check it yourself. I didn’t even want to go back. I mean, Dad didn’t even give a shit. Has he even asked about us at all?”
“Tab,” Josh warned.
“What? He’s being a dick and I’m sick of it.”
“I take it the men Tabitha mentioned seeing around her father’s house wasn’t Alex’s crew?” Mary asked.
“They were not,” Jaron confirmed. “I can give you their names, if you would like. I will accept whatever you want to do here, Edge. All I want is some answers about Leora. Please. I will accept whatever punishment I deserve, but I must know. For my brother.”
“We can’t give you a full answer without speaking with her first, but I can confirm we located her while on a mission. She’d been assigned to investigate a particularly difficult organization to penetrate and was recognized by a different group. They took her.”
“Knightwind,” Jaron spat. “I suspected them but could not confirm. It is why I approached them with what I knew about Bob.”
“Knightwind somehow forced her to attempt entry into The Collective,” Marshall said. “That’s where we found her.”
“When you took them down.” Jaron offered a chin lift to Jud. “I admire your work. That was a particularly good mission in my opinion. A much needed cleansing.”
Jud grunted.
“She is alive and safe,” Mary finished. “That’s all I can confirm at this time.”
“Will you speak with her, if you can?” Jaron asked. “I-I need this closure. My brother would want me to make sure she is okay and happy.”
“I will try and reach out to her, but it might take a while,” Mary replied. “You’re listed as wanted by your former employer. Is that genuine?”
“It is posturing,” Jaron said. “I expected it, though. I accept the consequences of my actions. That is the honorable thing to do.”
“Falling on your sword wouldn’t be what your brother wanted,” Nolan said. “I’ve got five of them myself. Trust me, I know.”
Jaron grinned. “That is a true blessing.”
“It is,” Nolan replied. He glanced over at Mary. “Can you clear his name?”
“Yes, especially given what we’ve recently found. Or who,” Vi said. “They’d still owe us even if they did this.”
“Why would you do that?” Shock filled the man’s words. “You do not know me.”
“No, but if everything you’ve said is true, and we will verify that it is, then it’s time someone helped without expecting anything in return,” Mary said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“Thank you. I’m afraid I must ask a favor, however.” He glanced at Tabitha and Josh. “They are young and headstrong, but good children. Please protect them. I know a lot has happened recently, but my contacts know very little. I do not want them harmed by whatever is going on.”
“We were already going to do that,” Marshall said. “Please feel free to stay here until we get everything cleared up with your former employer. You can come and go as you please.”
“Thank you. I will accept your kind offer, at least as long as it takes to get an answer from Leora.”
Bree’s eyes turned misty. He really, really wanted to get in contact with Lily. She hoped the woman agreed.
“What about the children?”
“We aren’t kids,” Tabitha said.
“You are,” Marshall said. “They can stay here and enjoy country living for a couple of weeks. The dust should settle by them. You’re both in college?”
“We are,” Josh confirmed.
“Good. We’ll sit down and discuss a plan going forward,” Nolan said. “We’ll ensure nothing that may happen impacts you as much as we can.”
“Yeah, but it will. That’s inevitable,” Tabitha said. “Like I said, my dad hopped onto the crazy train and refused to escape it.”
“You know a lot,” Vi said.
“I do, and I’ll share if it helps dig him out of whatev
er hole he’s crawled into,” Tabitha said. “I have a lot of it recorded, but it’s not online anywhere. I wasn’t that stupid.”
“That was smart to keep it offline, but it was a risk,” Mary said.
“A necessary one. I’m not sticking my head in the sand when I know there’s trouble in my house.”
Bree couldn’t help but laugh. It was like meeting a younger version of themselves. God, to be that young again. She glanced over at Vi and Mary. Both smiled. Yeah, they totally saw themselves in Tabitha.
The young woman tossed a thumb drive onto the table. “That has most of what I got before I left the house. A lot of it didn’t make much sense to me, but I’m betting it will to you.”
“Thank you,” Vi said.
“He’s a good man, you know. He lost his way when Mom died,” Tabitha whispered. “We all did for a while. Josh and I got through it together, though. So we’re okay.”
No one commented. There was only so much The Arsenal could do for Bob. They chatted back and forth for a little while, asking both of them about their plans for college. Tabitha wanted to be an investigative journalist. Imagine that.
She was totally perfect for that job from what Bree had just heard.
24
“Are you going to tell me why we’re down here?” Zoey asked.
“Nope.” Plausible deniability. All her friend needed to know was that Bree wanted a private chat with Bob before he left The Arsenal. Anything beyond that was between her and Bob.
Okay, the president, Ram, and Marshall knew what was about to happen, and Bree would have to explain it to Zoey after they were finished.
The see-through entry to his detainment cell clicked open. Bree was thankful no one had opted to move him to one of the cottages or commando quarters. That would’ve made what she was about to do a bit more challenging.
But no one was fucking with her friends and family ever again—not as long as she was breathing.
