Chapter Twenty-Five

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

THIRTY MINUTES LATER , Iona sent a message to Seth. He glanced at the screen. "Artemis is ready." He slid his phone into his pocket. "Noah, Violet, you go first. Distract the guard closest to the extraction site. Marsh, Knight, you're next. Head for the guard on the other side of our quarters. Teagan and I will talk to Ryan, then walk the inner perimeter of the compound and keep people away from the extraction point. Bowen, that leaves you to get Jillian and Rubin to the right location."

Bowen nodded. "I'll take care of them, sir."

Seth glanced at Noah. "Watch your backs. If this goes wrong, you know what to do."

"Copy that." His intense stare drilled into Seth. "Nothing better go wrong, partner. I don't want to train anyone else to take your place. Hear me?"

He saluted. "Yes, sir. Go."

After waiting two minutes, he signaled Marsh and Knight.

Marsh squeezed Jillian's hand. "Teagan and Violet's friends will take good care of you. I promise you'll be safe."

"Will I see you again, Andre?"

He smiled. "You might. Let's get you to safety first, all right? I'll keep tabs on you, and one day you might see an old friend when you least expect him." He shook Rubin's hand. "Be safe and take care of your girl."

"Yes, sir. I will."

The two detectives left by the back door, merging into the shadows and disappearing from view.

Seth kept an eye on his watch. When another minute had passed, he turned to Bowen. "It's time. Jillian, Rubin, do exactly what Grant tells you to do without arguments or questions. No matter what happens, he'll keep you safe."

Rubin held out his hand to Seth. "Thank you."

"Some good people out there are putting their lives on the line to help you and Jillian. The best way to repay all of us is to follow the rules. Stay alert, and you'll stay alive."

Jillian hugged Teagan. "Thanks for everything, especially for telling me about your past. It helps, you know. It helps to know other people have been through similar things and survived."

"You'll be fine. You and Rubin take care of each other."

"Time to go," Bowen said. "Fall in behind me and stay as quiet as you can." He glanced at Seth and gave him a chin lift. A moment later, they were gone, too.

"Come on. Let's have a chat with Ryan." After Teagan slipped a lightweight pack over her shoulders, they locked the back door. Seth threaded his fingers through Teagan's.

Ryan straightened as they approached. "Sir, everything all right?" he asked, voice low.

"It will be. We need your help."

"Anything."

"We don't want any visitors to our quarters for the next four hours. Can you do that?"

"Yes, sir. What about the kids?"

"If anyone asks, you haven't seen them since dinner."

"I want to help."

"You are, Ryan. I'm trying to protect you as well as them. Let me."

"I can handle punishment, sir."

"I believe you can. I don't want you to face it. The kids will be safe. You have my word."

Ryan relaxed. "Understood, sir."

"Stay at your post, soldier."

"Roger that."

Seth and Teagan began their walk around the interior of the compound. They talked to four guards scattered around the quad. Two of them were doing their jobs. The other two, however, were not.

One guard was flirting with a beautiful woman Seth had seen around the compound. Teagan's eyes narrowed. "You take Tristan," she murmured. "I've got the girl."

"Tristan," Seth snapped.

The guard's head jerked up. His gaze locked with Seth's. He swallowed hard. "Sir."

Teagan motioned for the other woman to follow her. Reluctantly, she complied after a quick glance at her boyfriend.

"Eyes right here." Seth's voice was harsh.

Blood drained from Tristan's face. "Yes, sir."

"What is your job, Tristan?"

"To guard the camp, sir."

"Is that what you were doing when Teagan and I walked up?"

"No, sir."

"Explain."

A hard swallow. "I can't, sir."

"I can." Seth moved to within inches of Tristan's body. "You were more interested in flirting with a woman than in protecting your fellow Brotherhood members."

"I was only distracted for a minute."

"Many people can die in one minute, including the woman you're trying to sweet talk into your bed." He pointed at Teagan. "You see that beautiful woman talking to your friend?"

"Yes, sir."

"She's mine. If you don't do your job, she could die in an enemy attack. Is that what you want?"

"No, sir."

"Neither do I. Do you remember what I told you this afternoon during our meeting?"

Another hard swallow. "That we only have one chance to get it right."

"You put my woman at risk, Tristan, along with every member of my team. You put your friends, coworkers, Peters, and Richardson at risk with your minute of flirtation."

"Please, sir, I won't do it again." Tristan's voice cracked. "Please, don't send me to the punishment room."

Cold chills swept over Seth's body. "You should be more afraid of me than any punishment room. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're dismissed, Tristan. Go back to your quarters and think about what we've discussed. You have one more chance. If you screw up again, you're done. Am I clear?"

"Y-y-yes, sir. What about my guard post? I don't want to leave it unattended."

"Someone else will cover for you. You'll owe him a big favor. Go."

Tristan spun on his heel and sprinted for his quarters.

By the time Teagan finished dressing down the other woman, the girlfriend was in tears. When Teagan finally released her, the woman ran off sobbing.

Way to influence friends and enemies. Seth dragged a hand down his face as Teagan walked toward him. "We need to find someone we trust to cover Tristan's post. He's been relieved of duty for the night while he thinks about whether he can do his job without interference or distraction."

"Nice. The girlfriend, Penny, won't be bothering him while he's on duty again, either."

"Good. Suggestions for Tristan's replacement?"

"Colton Wells. I spoke to him in the chow line at dinner. He's eager and willing to work hard."

"What's he been doing?"

She smiled. "Trash pickup. He used to be a cop. He's also a friend of Ryan's. I think he'll be happy to help tonight. He also has noticed the problem Jillian was having with Peters. He felt the same as Ryan."

"Good to know. Did you find out where his quarters are located?"

"Funny thing, that. Colton volunteered the information in case we needed an extra hand with anything."

"This qualifies. Go get him. I'll take over here until you return."

Teagan returned five minutes later with a well-built, dark-haired man in his early thirties. "Seth, this is Colton. He's volunteered to take over Tristan's shift for the night."

Seth shook his hand. "I don't remember seeing you at the meeting after lunch."

Colton grimaced. "I was going to the meeting when Mr. Richardson stopped me. He told me to get back to work collecting trash, that I wasn't good enough for the enforcers or camp guards."

"Do you want one of those jobs?"

"Yes, sir."

"Qualifications?"

"I was with Metro-Nashville Police for ten years. When I was injured on the job, my wife demanded I quit. She was worried about my safety. Even though I did what she asked, she divorced me a year later. I sort of drifted until The Brotherhood recruited me."

"Is The Brotherhood what you thought it would be?"

"No, sir."

"Were you a beat cop or a detective?"

"Detective."

"Are you open to returning to law enforcement?"

Colton opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"I'll take that as a yes." Seth studied him a moment. "You should," he whispered. "Soon."

The other man was silent for a beat. "When?"

"Be packed and ready."

More silence, then, "I knew something was going on in this camp. I won't like it, will I?"

"No, Colton, you won't. For now, follow my commands only. You hear me? I'll do what I can to help you. My entire team will."

"You're undercover," he murmured. "I wondered why an elite Special Forces team would land in this place protecting that blowhard Peters."

"The men on my team are detectives with the Ardmore police. We could use more detectives on the force, Colton."

"Think I'd have a chance after being here?"

"If you want a chance, I'll put in a good word with Lt. Burnett for you."

"I want it. Bad."

"Consider it done."

Colton inched closer. "What about Jillian?" he whispered. "Tell me you'll get that kid out of here."

Seth's phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen. Relief swept over him. Jillian and Rubin were out of the compound. He looked at Teagan and nodded, then refocused on Colton. "It's done."

The former cop sighed, his expression mirroring Seth's feeling of relief. "Thank God."

"When someone asks, you heard and saw nothing tonight."

"No problem. Anything I should ignore?"

"My teammates for the next four hours."

A nod. "I'll do anything you need to help."

"My orders only, Colton."

"You got it, sir."

Seth clapped him on the shoulder and signaled for Teagan to follow him. They found another guard smoking marijuana while on watch. Seth dressed him down, then said, "You'll be assigned another task, Neal. I won't have a man who can't be trusted guarding me or my team. With an offense like this, no second chances. Dismissed."

Neal cursed at him and Teagan, threw down the butt of his joint, and stomped away.

Seth sighed. "Got another suggestion for his replacement?"

"Shelly Vance. She was military police."

"Do you trust her?"

"Gut instinct? Yes."

"Go. I'll cover Neal's position."

Teagan hurried off and returned with Shelly. "Seth, meet Shelly Vance, former military police. Army."

Seth shook her hand. "Why didn't you come to the meeting after lunch today?"

She scowled. "Mr. Richardson told me to get my sweet little butt back in the laundry room where I belong."

He rolled his eyes. "We have a vacancy in the guard unit. You interested?"

"Absolutely, but you don't know my capabilities, sir."

"You're a trained police officer. I worked with enough in the military to know your training, Shelly. Make sure you're at the training session at 0400 tomorrow morning. If you're as good as I think you are, you may find yourself on the enforcer squad."

"Wherever I can help, sir. Any special orders?"

"You will see or hear nothing during your watch if it involves my teammates unless we're in obvious distress. Understood?"

Interest filled her eyes. "Yes, sir."

"You're on watch until 1:00 a.m. Can you function on three hours of sleep?"

"You bet, sir. The Army trained me well."

He chuckled. "Same. We'll check on you before we turn in ourselves. We're making the rounds of the guards and checking security."

"Yes, sir."

Seth and Teagan completed their circuit around the interior of the compound and turned toward the back of the headquarters building, where Violet and Noah waited for them.

"Got what you need," Violet murmured. "Let's get this done."

Noah checked the door. "Locked."

Teagan pulled a set of lock picks from her cargo pocket and crouched in front of the knob. Within seconds, she stood and opened the door.

Incredible. Seth wasn't sure whether to be impressed or appalled at how quickly Teagan manipulated the lock picks to gain illegal entry to the building.

He entered the headquarters building with his teammates on his heels. "We're on a security sweep. Violet and Noah, check the first floor for occupants. If you find bugs and cameras, remove them. I doubt Peters and Richardson want eyes and ears in this place."

"Copy that." Noah motioned for Violet to precede him.

"Second floor, babe," Seth murmured. "We'll follow the same pattern as Noah and Violet. Security sweep of the entire floor. We'll spend extra time in Peters' office to be sure nothing slips past us that might harm him."

She bypassed the elevator and headed for the stairwell. A minute later, they emerged on the floor with the executive offices.

Seth motioned toward the office beside the stairwell. "You take that one. I'll take the one across the hall. Let's get this done and go." His gut told him trouble was coming. Whether it would hit tonight or tomorrow, he didn't know, but he intended to heed the silent warning.

One by one, they cleared the offices, with Teagan scanning each one for unwanted electronics and removing what she found. Finally, they reached Peters' office. Once again, Teagan had to pick the lock.

"We'll have to lock it back before we leave," Seth murmured. "Peters will notice if the door is open in the morning."

"No problem." She easily manipulated the lock and opened the door. "Keep watch. I'll be as fast as I can, but I have to scan for cameras and bugs first. Once I deal with those, I'll search for a password. If I can't find it, we'll have to sneak Riley in here."

Seth brushed a kiss over Teagan's lips and motioned her inside the office. Once she slipped into the room, he turned to face the hallway and settled in to wait. Ten minutes later, the elevator chimed with the car's arrival.

Not Noah and Violet. They would have used the stairs. Seth straightened from the wall and waited.

Two sets of footsteps echoed in the hall as the couple walked closer.

"Please, Mr. Peters. I need to finish my tasks and go to my quarters. My husband is waiting."

"Your first duty is to me," Peters said, then paused a few seconds. "Unless, of course, you want your husband to spend some quality time in the punishment room."

A soft gasp. "No, please."

"I guarantee he won't be able to do his job for at least a week, and he will also reap consequences for not pulling his weight. Is that what you want?"

"No, sir," came the tearful response.

The more Seth heard, the angrier he grew. Appeared Peters was targeting a different woman since Jillian wasn't available. This woman wasn't any more eager for the militia leader's attention than the teenager.

He stepped into Peters' office. "Peters is coming down the hall with a woman."

"I'm almost finished," Teagan murmured. "Keep him off me for two minutes."

"Get it done or call it, babe."

"Okay. Go."

Seth returned to the hallway and walked halfway to the corner so he could delay Peters and the woman without the militia leader seeing Teagan at his computer.

Seconds later, Peters and a dark-haired woman with tears streaming down her cheeks rounded the corner. Peters stopped abruptly, eyes narrowing. "What are you doing here, Dixon? I thought you were getting some rest."

"Security check." He eyed Peters. "You're supposed to be resting tonight to be fresh for your meetings tomorrow. Why are you back in the office?"

"None of your business."

"Wandering around the compound without security makes you a prime target, Mr. Peters. If you plan to leave your quarters at night, I'd appreciate advance notice so we can assign a security detail."

"Don't be ridiculous. I was in the Army for 20 years. I don't need bodyguards every minute of every day."

"How long have you been out of the military, sir?"

Color flooded the other man's cheeks. "Are you implying I'm incapable of protecting myself?"

"You brought in my team for your protection. If you don't need us, we'll find someone else who appreciates our talents." Seth folded his arms and waited for the comeback he knew was coming.

Peters smirked. "I don't think so, Detective. Have you forgotten the trouble you left behind in Ardmore?"

"I have forgotten nothing."

"If you leave my employ, all your problems will move back to the forefront, and you will have to answer for the charges pending, as well as for the problems in your file. If you go to jail, your woman won't wait 20 years for you." A wintry smile curved Peters' lips. "If you survive. Inmates aren't kind to former cops."

"And you'll make sure the inmates know I was a cop."

A shrug. "Can't control what leaks."

Jerk. "I can take care of myself."

"And your woman? Who will take care of her while you're fighting for your life behind bars?"

"Teagan can take care of herself. She has a mean streak of which I thoroughly approve. She doesn't need me for protection."

Teagan needed to finish what she was doing. Peters would become impatient soon.

"You're usually joined at the hip to the beautiful Teagan. Where is she, Dixon?"

"Checking security on this floor." He glanced at the woman. "Introduce me to your friend."

Peters' hand tightened around the woman's wrist. "This is Martina."

Ivan's wife. Crap. This wasn't good. Seth held out his hand to her, forcing Peters to release her wrist. "I'm Seth. You're Ivan's wife, right? It's good to meet you. Your husband is training with my team and speaks highly of you, especially your cooking skills."

She gave a slight smile. "He's a good man."

"Yes, ma'am, he is."

Teagan opened the door to Peters' office and walked down the hall to stand by Seth's side. "Mr. Peters," she murmured.

"What were you doing in my office, Teagan?" His voice was almost a purr.

"This discussion is classified, sir," Seth interrupted, glancing meaningfully at Martina. "You're dismissed, Martina. Go to your quarters."

Relief flooded her face. "Yes, sir." She spun and raced away from Peters, whose expression resembled a thundercloud.

"I want an answer, Teagan," Peters snapped. "My office was locked. Why did you invade my privacy? You better have a good reason or you'll be spending time in the punishment room with me. I can promise you won't do something like that again. Do you understand me?"

"Crystal, sir." Teagan pulled a plastic bag from her pocket and held it up for Peters to see the contents. Two cameras and two bugs were inside. "I checked your office for cameras and bugs, as I have the rest of the offices on this floor. This is what I found."

As Peters stared at the bag, his jaw hardened, then he spouted vicious curses. "Do you know how long this equipment has been in my office?"

"Long enough for the cameras to gather dust."

Noah and Violet rounded the corner. They passed Peters and flanked Teagan and Seth, presenting a united front.

"Show me where you found these items." He stalked to his office, threw open the door, and turned on the light. Peters folded his arms and turned to watch Teagan.

She walked to the bookshelf. "One camera was here." Teagan pointed to a dark corner of a shelf containing books about military history and famous battles. "The second was behind your desk." She gave Peters a wide berth as she crossed the office and behind the desk to point to a picture of Peters posing with a former president. "The camera was hidden in the picture frame."

"And the bugs?"

Teagan tapped the back of his black computer monitor. "First one was here. The second one was under the edge of your end table. Whoever was listening to your conversations had the office covered, whether you were at your desk or talking to someone in your sitting area."

"Do you know the range?" he said between clenched teeth.

"With these types of bugs, up to 900 feet. I can't tell you who was listening to your conversations. This building is centralized in the compound. Could have been someone in the building or someone close by. The person who planted the bugs might have been recording and listening later."

He turned to Seth. "Did you order this security sweep in my office?"

"You put us in charge of security, sir. We swept the entire building." Seth looked at Noah. "What did you find on the first floor?"

"A boatload of cameras and bugs. Someone is keeping tabs on what's happening inside this building."

"Did you get remove everything?" Peters demanded.

"Yes, sir."

Violet held up a large plastic bag filled with electronics.

Peters' face turned red. "Someone in this compound is a traitor. Find him, Dixon, and take him out."