by Laura Scott
Oh sure, now they were evacuating the area, while she was still trying to get the bomb out. Instantly, the crush of people grew worse as many ignored the request to move slowly but pushed and bullied their way toward the exit.
“Sun?” Mack’s voice was barely audible above the din.
“Here!” She hoped he’d see the cello case in spite of the crowd.
But she felt herself being carried along with those streaming toward the exit and nearly lost her footing several times. If the cello case dropped down and opened, they’d all be toast.
Like literally burned to a crisp, toast.
“Mack!” She stumbled and by some miracle managed to remain upright. More and more people pushed against her as if they could force her to go faster despite the mass of people in front of her.
She needed help fast!
Please, Lord, help me through this! Keep us safe in Your care!
“Sun!” Mack’s familiar face was a welcome surprise. She wasn’t sure how Mack managed to thread through the crowd to get to her, but she was grateful for his presence. “I’ll take the case.”
She gratefully released her grip on the case but latched onto his jacket lest she lose him again. “Where’s the Russian?”
“Handed him off to the Capitol police. Figured this thing was more important.” Mack took the cello case and used it as a prop to get through the crowd.
“Where’s the bomb squad?” Sun asked as they made some headway toward the south exit. “Do you see them?”
“Not yet.” Mack’s voice was grim. “I’m just hoping we can get out of here without this thing going off.”
Sun felt the same way and wished once again Yates and the president would have called this off hours ago.
Then again, if they hadn’t seen the musicians and identified the Russian, they may not have found the cello case at all.
A good reminder not to question God’s plan.
Now if they could get this case handed off to the bomb squad, they could work on getting Cliff Watkins in for questioning.
She felt certain he was the mastermind behind all of this. Unfortunately, she didn’t have any hard evidence to prove it.
* * *
January 20 – 9:39 a.m. – Washington, DC
Mack could see the exit just up ahead. He tried not to push people over as he edged through the crowd. Red and blue lights and a black square boxlike truck was pulling up, and he felt a surge of relief.
He couldn’t wait to hand this thing off to those better equipped to handle it.
The crowd parted as people veered away from the red and blue lights and men dressed from head to toe in SWAT gear. Mack shoved the cello case at the SWAT officers closest to him.
“Do you have a way to test if there’s a nuclear substance inside?” he asked breathlessly. “I have reason to believe it’s rigged to blow upon being opened.”
The two SWAT officers glanced warily at each other. “Let’s get this into the truck and see what we have.”
Mack wanted nothing more than to get out of Dodge, but he knew he couldn’t. This was their case, and he and Sun needed to see this thing through.
He turned to look at her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, although her pale skin and pinched expression told him otherwise. He completely understood, battling his claustrophobia had never been so difficult as he pushed through the crowd to reach Sun.
The SWAT team took the cello case into the back of the square box truck. He turned to glance back at the steps leading up to the Capitol. At least half the crowd had already dispersed, with streams of people still leaving the area.
A close call, really, considering the location of the musician platform. He could just imagine the North Korean opening the cello case and the missile shooting up into the sky right over the outgoing and incoming presidents of the United States.
“We need to find Cliff Watkins,” Sun said.
“Who?”
“The blond guy who speaks North Korean,” Sun quickly explained. “I saw him earlier with his wife, Congresswoman Joyce Clemmons. Watkins has to be the one who set this whole plan in motion. I think he hired the Russians and arranged for the North Korean cello player to be here today.”
“Call Jordan,” Mack urged. “Have Yates secure Clemmons and Watkins to question them.”
“I’ll try, but we don’t have any proof,” Sun reminded.
He blew out a breath because she was right. “No reason they can’t be interviewed, right? Maybe we can get something from the Russian.”
“Okay.” Sun pulled out her phone and made the call.
Mack tried not to consider what might happen if the Russian refused to cooperate. Being tried and convicted of treason may be enough leverage, but there were no guarantees.
If Watkins and Clemmons were responsible, he wanted them arrested and punished to the full extent of the law.
Then it hit him. If Watkins and Clemmons knew about the nuclear bomb, wouldn’t they already be making their way out of the city?
Of course, they would.
* * *
January 20 – 10:01 a.m. – Washington, DC
“We’ve confirmed there is a nuclear device inside the cello case,” the SWAT officer announced in a grim tone. “I don’t know how you figured out it was in there, but good job to both of you.”
Sun glanced at Mack with a smile, feeling as if the entire weight of the planet had been lifted off her shoulders. They’d done it! They’d secured the bomb and kept the president and the vice president safe from harm.
It was over.
Except, of course, for Congresswoman Clemmons and her husband, Watkins.
“We need the computer case,” Mack said in a low tone.
She stared at him, trying to think back to what seemed like eons ago rather than hours. “I think Jordan has it, we handed it off to him with my parents, remember?”
“We need to meet with him, ASAP.” Mack put his arm around her. “If Watkins and Clemmons knew about the bomb, they’d get out of here well before the time it was set to blow. I need to hack into the Metro camera system to see if we can find them.”
It was a brilliant idea. Sun made the call to Jordan who was already on his way over. “I told Yates about Watkins and Clemmons, but he claims no one has seen them.”
“Because they’re on their way out of town, but Mack thinks he can find them.”
“Meet me at the McDonald’s off Fourth Street, I’ll be there in five minutes.”
Sun grabbed Mack’s hand. “Come on, we need to hurry. They may have gotten off the Metro by now.”
They ran to the McDonald’s in time to see Jordan pull up in the SUV. He had Sloan with him, who had the sat computer open and activated with a signal. She slid into the back seat with Mack as Sloan handed the computer over. “I hope your wives are somewhere safe,” she said as Mack went to work.
“They’re waiting for us back at the hotel,” Jordan said. “They wouldn’t leave without us, and we weren’t leaving without you and Mack.”
Sun shook her head. “Crazy, but thankfully it’s okay now. In fact, there may still be time to hold the inauguration ceremony as planned.”
Jordan shrugged. “Yates made it sound like they were going to do a smaller ceremony inside the Capitol and forgo the parade. It’s probably a smart move, and thanks to the good work you and Mack did.” Jordan hesitated, then added, “I heard from Tramall, he’s impressed enough to offer Mack a raise.”
“Huh,” Mack grunted as he worked the keyboard. “For as much help as he was, he should pay me his salary and mine.” There was a pause, then Mack said, “Got it! I’m in.”
“That was fast,” Sloan commented.
“Only because I’ve been in the video feed before, the Metro cameras are in the same system as the street cameras, just a different feed. Looks like they’ve taken care of my virus, too, which helps.” Mack gestured for Sun to scoot over. “Tell me which lines to check first.”
Envision
ing the Metro map, she started at the most logical sites for Clemmons and Watkins to use. “Start at the distal location, first, in case they’re already getting off.”
“Okay.” Mack turned the screen so they could both view the passengers. They went from one station to the next, and just when Sun was beginning to lose hope, she saw them.
“There! Call Yates, they’re on the Red Metro near the White Flint station!” She glanced at Mack. “I bet you a buck they have a car waiting for them at the Shady Grove exit.”
“You’d win that bet,” Mack joked as Jordan made the call.
“Yates is sending a chopper to Shady Grove as we speak,” Jordan announced. “Mack, sound the alarm if they get off sooner.”
“They won’t,” Sun said. “I’m sure they wanted to stay underground as long as possible.”
“I agree with Sun.” Now that they had the congresswoman and her husband in their sights, they could relax and wait for the couple to be picked up for questioning.
“Oh, and Yates claims there are a couple of other key congressmen and women who are missing,” Jordan said. “He thinks there’s a small circle within the government who are all in on this thing.”
There was a long, sobering silence in the SUV as they watched the train slow down, stop, then start up again for a few more stops before reaching Shady Grove. As predicted, the couple got off the train and stepped right into the hands of the Secret Service.
Jordan’s phone rang. “You got them?” There was a pause, then he said, “Following the money always works. Thanks for the update, Yates. What about the others?” Another pause, then, “Okay, sounds like you’re taking over from here.”
Sun realized they not only had the congresswoman and her husband in custody, but the others who were also involved. And the reference to the money trail means they may even have the proof they needed to put them away forever.
She slumped against the seat. “It’s really over.”
“Yeah,” Mack agreed softly. Then an impish grin flashed across his features. “We saved the world from certain war today, Sun. We make an incredible team.”
She had to smile back at him. “Yeah, thanks for your help with this one, Mack. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You held up your end of the bargain,” Mack said modestly.
“No, she’s right, Mack.” Jordan turned in his seat to face them. “I know the NSA has just offered you a raise, and I’m not sure I can match what they’re paying you, but if you’d like to jump ship and work in the private sector, Security Specialists, Incorporated could use your expertise. We’d love to have you join our team.”
Sun shouldn’t have been surprised by Jordan’s offer, but she was. Mainly because she’d figured Mack would be glad to get back to New York and whatever hacking job the NSA had him doing.
“I’d love to be a part of your team, Jordan, but I have one condition,” Mack said, reaching over to take her hand.
“And that is?” Jordan asked.
For an answer, Mack drew her close and kissed her. The two men coughed and turned back to face the windshield in a ridiculous attempt to give them privacy.
Kissing Mack was amazing, but she forced herself to pull away and look up at him. “You never said what your condition was,” she pointed out breathlessly. “For taking the job.”
“My condition is you, Sun.” Mack’s green eyes clung to hers. “I love you and want you to marry me.”
“You—love me?” Sun knew she sounded like an idiot, but kissing Mack, then hearing his declaration of love had her brain neurons firing in all different directions. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” Mack said in a low husky voice. “But—maybe it’s too soon for you?”
She shook her head. “No, Mack. I’ve loved you for a long time. I just never thought you felt the same way. After Abigail . . .”
“I was stupid to date Abigail, she bored me to tears.” His gaze was sweetly earnest. “No one can compare to you, Sun.”
She smiled and pulled him back down for another kiss.
“Come on, already, don’t keep me in suspense,” Jordan complained. “Are you working for us or not?”
It took a moment for them to break off from their embrace. Mack grinned at her.
“Yes, but I’m glad you don’t have a rule about married couples working together. Because I want to work with Sun, and I plan on marrying her as soon as possible.”
She thought about her parents and the fact that they were safe from harm, if still in need of medical attention they’d stubbornly refused, and nodded. “I’d like that, Mack. Very much.”
“Good.” He pulled her in for a hug. “I knew God brought us back together for a reason.”
Sun smiled, thinking about her parents and how great it would be to not just have them escort her down the aisle at their wedding but to have them as a part of her life moving forward.
With God watching over them, she felt certain they would have a wonderful future, together.
Dear Reader,
I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading Mack and Sun’s story in Target for Revenge. The entire Security Specialists, Inc. series has been so much fun to write. Touring the FBI in Washington, DC, several years ago gave me the idea for these books, and I’m thrilled to have received such a marvelous response from my readers. I’m truly blessed to have so many wonderful fans. A sincere thanks to each and every one of you.
Reviews are very important to authors, so if you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on the platform from which you purchased it. I would be very grateful.
I adore hearing from my readers. I can be reached through my website at https://www.laurascottbooks.com, through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LauraScottBooks, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/laurascottbooks.
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Sincerely,
Laura Scott
