Hellfire- The Series, Volumes 1-3

by Leigh Barker

  She frowned.

  “When you are back in Washington. Listen for anything that has a bearing on the bid.” He raised a hand. “Nothing dishonest or questionable. Just listen. And let me know where the wind is blowing.”

  No, I would never betray the trust placed in me! “Yes, darling, I will do that. If it means we’ll see each other.”

  The smile again. “Every time I come to the capital. And if my bid is successful, I will need to be there frequently.” He nodded. “It will be just us. You and me against the world.” He laughed.

  “Yes, you and me.” She pushed aside the whispering voice and smiled. A small price to pay for…happiness. She never thought she’d use that word about herself. Happiness.

  “And will you also look at the investigation into Davy’s assassination? It has a bearing.”

  “Yes, Wakeman will insist on it.”

  Christian took her hand in both of his. “Meeting you was the best thing this world has ever given me.”

  She blushed. She felt her face flush. And she didn’t care.

  Christian looked past her, out to sea. And smiled.

  Ethan watched the marine chaplain bend and speak to Ben’s widow sitting between her two sons in front of the grave. The casket was draped with the flag of the United States and sat on beams across the open grave. He stood at the back of the small cluster of chairs, with Loco, Smokey, Chuck, and Winter. Nobody spoke. No one even ribbed Loco for wearing a blue suit. They just looked at the casket and bowed their heads.

  He wondered if they’d told Joanne her husband’s casket was empty, except for a couple of concrete blocks. He hoped they hadn’t. Some things are just better left unknown.

  The chaplain walked to the head of the grave, took out his Bible and opened it slowly. He looked up at the flag, then at Joanne and her sons, staring straight ahead, their jaws set.

  “There is no right or wrong in war,” he said, “only life and death. To each man the gift of life is given. And from each man that gift is returned to God our Saviour. We are not told who will return and who will not. Only the Lord knows, and He chooses those He wishes to be at his side with great care. Often His ways are shrouded in mystery, but from His place on high He sees us all. He knows us all. And His mercy flows as the rivers in spring.” He looked at Joanne again. “Benjamin’s soul is with the Lord and his eternal happiness is assured. We can take solace in the knowledge that this brave man died doing what is right. He will be waiting at Heaven’s gates when his loved ones move to join him.” He closed his Bible. “Let us pray.”

  The family and friends sitting in the three rows of five chairs bowed their heads. Ethan watched the empty casket, his jaw clenched by the anger burning in his heart. Faraj would die for this. For killing his friend just to muddy the investigation. There would be no trial. There would be no Miranda rights. He would just be dead. He looked up slowly at the old chaplain. And there would be no funeral. He would rot in whatever hell he had in his creed. So help me God.

  “Amen.”

  The six-man honor guard came to attention at the single order, raised their rifles and fired a three-volley salute. Then a lone bugler, standing fifty yards away in swirling dry leaves, blew “Taps” to say goodbye to a warrior.

  The honor guard stepped up to the casket, three on each side, and as one, folded the flag in precise, rigid movements. Thirteen folds, until it was a simple tricorn with the stars pointing upwards. Then one marine took the flag, slipped three shell casings from the salute into its folds, and presented it to Joanne.

  “Ma’am,” he said quietly, “on behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Marine Corps and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.”

  Joanne took the flag and laid it on her lap. Her sons still stared straight ahead. They were not going to disgrace their father by bawling.

  Ethan closed his eyes. The boys should cry, it was what the ceremony was for. A last goodbye. Tears for a loved one.

  He turned and walked away through the bare trees. And wiped a single tear from his cheek. “Goodbye, Ben. It was an honor.”

  The Traitor

  Ethan walked out of the windswept cemetery and waited by two identical black Suburbans for Kelsey to show. He had no doubt she was at the funeral, the government car gave more than a hint, but he’d have known anyway. She would have come to pay her respects to one of the men who’d saved her daughter, but she would’ve stayed back in the shadows so she didn’t intrude on the family’s grief.

  “It was a high price,” she said as she came and stood beside him. “Those boys lose their father so my daughter is safe.”

  Ethan leaned back against the car and looked at the grave and the friends hugging and saying what everyone says at such a time.

  “Ben was a soldier,” Ethan said.

  “Yes, but this isn’t a war. He shouldn’t be dead.”

  He turned to her and was silent for several seconds, then put his hand on her arm. She looked up at him and her eyes were lined with grief for a man she’d never met, but to whom she owed everything.

  “This is a war,” Ethan said softly. “As much of a war as any in some foreign shitty desert.” He took her hands in his. “Somebody’s killing the people who protect this country. And killing them on our own soil.” He looked again at the grave, now deserted except for Joanne and the two boys standing in silence in front of the shiny black casket.

  “Will we find them, Ethan?” She was crying. Tears ran down her cheeks and along her jawline.

  He wiped away the tears with his finger and tried to smile at her, but the pain was too great.

  “We will find them. I will find them.” He took a long slow breath. “And they’ll pay for this.” He glanced again at the grave. “And for bringing their filth to our home.”

  She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Then let’s go and do that.”

  Ethan raised a finger and she turned and saw Chuck, Winter, Smokey, and Loco walking up the path from the chapel.

  She left Ethan and went to them and hugged each one in turn without speaking. Loco grinned, but the rest returned the hug with varying degrees of discomfort. Winter patted her on the back as if she were a baby with wind, then stepped back as quickly as he could without offending her.

  She took a breath to control herself, then looked at each of them. “There are no words to express my gratitude for what you boys did for me, a complete stranger.” She looked at the grave. “And the price you paid.”

  “Ma’am,” Gunny said, with a slow nod, “you are most welcome.”

  The others mumbled their agreement.

  “Any time, ma’am,” Loco said. “You just ask.”

  She managed a smile at his eagerness to get them all killed, turned and walked away along the path, leaving them to talk to Ethan.

  “She’s a fine… FBI agent,” Loco said, as he reached Ethan and turned to watch her go.

  “NCIS,” Ethan said.

  Loco frowned. “Navy cop?” He whistled. “First time I’ve seen a navy cop look like that.”

  “Yeah,” Smokey said, “they’re usually hitting you with their batons.”

  Loco sighed. “That’s because I’m misunderstood.”

  The others exchanged knowing looks, but let it go. This time.

  “What now, Top?” Gunny asked.

  “You did good out there,” Ethan said. “There’s more to do, but I can’t ask you to put yourselves in harm’s way for me. You’ve done your tour and not all of you came home. That’s on me.”

  They all spoke at once, then shut up and let Gunny take the lead.

  “We chose to take this mission, just like we chose to join the Corps. Nobody made us. Sure, some of us came home under a flag, but that was always a risk, and one we knew and accepted. It’s not on you. Never was.”

  “He’s getting to like these long speeches,” Loco said, with a grin.

&nbs
p; “The enemy we thought we’d stopped has come to find us here,” Ethan said. “I’m going to dig it out and stamp on it.”

  “I’m in,” Gunny said, and the others nodded agreement.

  Ethan smiled. “I never doubted that. But some of you have families. I can’t ask you—”

  “You’re not asking,” Winter said, “we’re offering.”

  “I had a family when we deployed to Afghanistan,” Gunny said. “Had a family when I got back. And had my self-respect.”

  “Amen to that,” Smokey said. “I for one won’t walk away and leave you with your ass sticking out of the foxhole.”

  There was silence while they stared at him, and tried to get the image out of their heads.

  “Okay,” Ethan said, “then it’s time for some recon.”

  “Say the word,” Loco said.

  “Somebody’s killing good men. I think there’s a pattern, but it could be just a diversion to throw us off the real target.”

  “And what’ll that be, Top?” Winter asked.

  Ethan collected his thoughts. “It looks like Faraj is assassinating every officer who had anything to do with sending the drone that killed his family. But I’m not just going to latch onto that and run with it. There’s another target, not obviously in the chain of command.”

  “The President,” Winter said quietly.

  Ethan nodded. “He is the commander-in-chief of all branches of the military, and ultimately responsible for their actions.” He was silent for a moment as the suspicion that had been nagging at the back of his mind came into the bright sun. “I think Faraj may be planning to assassinate the President.”

  Loco whistled.

  Gunny looked away at the trees moving in the cold wind. “That’s a tough hit.” He looked back. “Shooting some generals isn’t hard.” He raised his hand. “Okay, it’s the act of a coward, but easy enough. Most of the senior officers don’t have any real protection.” He shook his head. “But the President? He’s got the Secret Service and every decent American looking out for him.”

  “And that’s why I think Faraj will try. To show us what he can do. To take revenge and at the same time demonstrate to the world that our remote anti-terrorism strategy has real consequences for the US.”

  Gunny got it. “Okay, but what can we do? Like I said, he’s got the whole Secret Service watching his six.”

  “The President gets a thousand threats a year. More. Some from obvious nut-jobs, but some are more serious. The Secret Service has to check out every one of them. And more than ever now we have home-grown terrorists trying to join the brotherhood.” He looked at Gunny without seeing him. “They’re stretched pretty thin. They’re not going to admit it, but I’m betting if I raise Faraj as a potential assassin without any proof, I’ll be labeled an attention-seeker at best, and a threat at worst. They’ll take the warning and put it at the bottom of the stack.”

  “Then that’s the mission?” Gunny said. “We recon the President of the United States?” Now he whistled. “That’s a first, even for us.”

  “Probably nothing,” Ethan said. “I could just be overreacting.”

  “Sure, it’s possible,” Winter said, “but that’ll be a first too.”

  “Okay then,” Ethan said. “Assume Faraj is going to try for the President.” He turned to Gunny. “This one’s yours, Gunny. Do what you do.”

  He waved Kelsey over from among the trees, where she was probably slowly freezing to death.

  “I’m going to carry on working this with the FBI and NCIS. You keep the President safe.”

  “Copy that,” Gunny said.

  “It’s a tough one, though, Top,” Loco said. He wasn’t smiling any more.

  “It is,” Ethan said, and waited for Kelsey to join them.

  “This is Gunny’s op,” he continued. “I’ll work the investigation with Kelsey.”

  Loco grinned. “Yeah, so would I.”

  They glared at him and he shrugged.

  “I just meant I’d work with such a professional NCIS agent as what we got right here, ma’am.”

  That didn’t work either.

  “Maybe you don’t need all the team, Gunny,” Winter said, nodding unsubtly at Loco.

  “He’s as loose wired as my ol’ granny’s bed,” Gunny said, “but he’s good recon.”

  “And expendable,” Smokey said, with a big grin.

  “And expendable,” Gunny said.

  “Thanks,” Loco said, and walked away, sulking.

  “How do you want to play this, Top?” Gunny asked.

  “Assume Faraj is going for the President,” Ethan said, and ignored Kelsey’s quick look of alarm as the pieces of conversation finally clicked together. “I don’t think he’ll do it himself. His MO so far is to get some patsy to do the dirty work.” He looked steadily at Gunny while he thought it through. “Can’t assume that to be the case, though.”

  Gunny nodded. “No. We’ll cover all the bases.”

  “Twenty-four-hour updates,” Ethan said.

  Gunny nodded. “Copy that.” He opened the passenger door of the other Suburban.

  “And Chuck,” Ethan said, and Gunny turned. “Watch your six.”

  Gunny nodded once and slid into the passenger seat. Smokey got in to drive and Winter and Loco got in the back.

  They were smiling. Back in the war.

  “You left one hell of a mess down there in Louisiana,” Dryer said, and leaned his elbows on his desk.

  Ethan shrugged and sat on the corner of his desk to let Kelsey have the chair. Teddy leaned against the low windowsill and smiled at something he found funny.

  “I’ll be filling in forms and answering questions for a month,” Dryer went on. “Twenty-four,” he mumbled to himself.

  “Twenty-four what?” Kelsey asked, leaning a little forward to show she gave a damn. She didn’t.

  Dryer looked up and blinked hard as if he’d been woken up. “Bodies. Twenty-four bodies.” He shook his head at the thought. “Homeland Security is demanding to know why they weren’t informed.”

  Ethan shrugged again. “It was an ongoing op. Decisions had to be made on the ground. No time for actions to be ratified by a committee.” He smiled. That should be enough BS to sooth bruised egos.

  Dryer nodded gravely. “That’s what my report said.”

  They had no doubt at all that it did.

  He sat back in his chair and looked from Ethan to Kelsey, as if deciding which one to ask whatever it was he needed to ask.

  “Where are we?” he asked Ethan, decision made.

  Ethan thought about it for a few moments, but mostly he was deciding what he could tell this bureaucrat and what he’d rather not.

  “Faraj has been working his way down the chain of command responsible for the missile strike on his home.”

  Dryer leaned forward and put his elbows back on his desktop. “And?”

  “And,” Ethan said, “I think he’s going to switch direction.”

  Dryer frowned and leaned back again, trying to look like he understood.

  “Ethan’s saying Faraj is going to try for a high-profile target next,” Teddy said.

  They turned towards the window and waited.

  “Makes sense,” he said. “He’s taken out the senior officers, tried for the base and failed. He’ll want to make a gesture now to show he’s smarter than Ethan made him look at Creech.”

  Dryer nodded slowly. “Who do you have in mind for this high-profile target?”

  “The President,” Ethan and Teddy said together.

  “Christ!” Now Dryer sat bolt upright.

  Teddy smiled again and stood up off the windowsill. “Makes perfect sense. He’s out for revenge. The President’s C-in-C of the armed forces, so he’s responsible for their actions. And it’ll make a hell of a statement.”

  Dryer reached for his phone.

  “You might want to hold off on that,” Ethan said.

  Dryer stopped with the handset halfway to his ear.


  “If I’m wrong and it turns out Faraj has somebody else in mind, you’ll have made a career-limiting call.”

  Dryer put down the phone. “Okay. I’ll hold off on calling the Secret Service. For now.” He looked at Kelsey. “What are you doing about it?”

  Ethan stifled a smile. The agency man making sure an agent is in the frame. Preferably someone from a different branch.

  “I’ve detailed a marine unit to recon possible weaknesses in the President’s security.”

  Dryer closed his eyes and looked like someone had slapped him.

  “I don’t want to know about any off-the-books op.”

  “There’ll be no fallout from it,” Ethan said. “Just my old team taking in Washington’s great historical sights.” He smiled reassuringly.

  Dryer watched him for a while, then nodded. “I can sell that. What else?”

  “We’re going to push ahead with our investigation,” Ethan said. “Faraj might not try for the President. Or he might send a fall guy just to jerk us around while he does whatever it is he intends doing.”

  “All sounds a bit vague,” Dryer said.

  “It’s all we have right now,” Kelsey said.

  Dryer picked up a thick folder. Meeting over. “Keep me informed.” He looked up. “About every aspect of this… these lines of investigation.” He took out a page from his folder and began reading.

  Ethan and Kelsey exchanged a quick smile, got up and got out.

  Dryer looked up as the door closed. “Watch them,” he said.

  Teddy nodded and crossed to the door. “Like a hawk.”

  Ethan let Teddy pass them in the corridor and then stopped and turned to Kelsey. “What do we do now?”

  She looked back at him quickly. “You’re asking me?”

  He smiled. “You’re the professional agent. Let’s do agent things.”

  Now she smiled, shook her head and walked away.

  “Where are you going?”

  She looked back over her shoulder. “To do agent things.”

  “This I’ve got to see,” he said and strode after her.

  He didn’t have to follow her far. She went into the lab a little way down the corridor. And closed the door behind her.