Chapter Twenty-Eight

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

IN THEIR QUARTERS , Teagan walked straight to the kitchen, grabbed a soft drink from the refrigerator, and downed half of it without taking a breath. She set the bottle on the counter before she dropped it, annoyed at her hand shaking. Bad enough to show weakness by puking in front of the man she adored. Trembling just ticked her off.

She closed her eyes, stomach still roiling. Really? Pervert Peters planned to tie her up for weeks and rape her to get her to cooperate? Never going to happen. She'd sooner die than allow him to put his hands on her body.

"Teagan." Seth's arms wrapped around her waist, his chest pressed to her back. "He won't touch you. I give you my word."

"What if he sets you up for the Secret Service? You won't be around to protect me."

"If that happens, you'll protect yourself. You're a fully trained black ops soldier who knows dozens of ways to kill to keep yourself safe. I expect you to use every skill in your arsenal to escape Peters' clutches."

She spun in his arms. "You heard what he said. He'll use Violet against me. She's my friend. I can't let him hurt her."

"You also heard him admit he would only play you. Richardson won't let him hurt Violet. He's too interested in having her for himself. Besides, from what I've observed, Violet is just as capable of protecting herself from predators as you are."

"They're both sick creeps."

"You'll get no argument from me."

"Why aren't you more upset?"

"Oh, I am, but I'm also grateful we have a few more pieces of information. Working in the dark doesn't give us the best chance to defeat their plan."

"We don't have the targets yet."

"We know the Secret Service is providing protection. We also know the date and time. Perhaps Fortress can help us narrow down the potential targets before we leave in the morning."

"When will Peters inform us we're leaving Haven?"

"My guess is minutes before the caravan is due to depart. He doesn't want us to have too much time to ask questions or put pieces of the puzzle together."

Well, he would have succeeded if they hadn't planted the bug where it would do the most good.

"Are you ready to report to the others?" he murmured, cupping her nape with his palm. "If you don't want to recount the information, I can tell them what they need to know."

While Teagan appreciated Seth giving her the option of bowing out, she refused to take the easy out. She shook her head. "Let's go. They need to know they're being set up for a fall."

Seth brushed his mouth over hers and released Teagan.

She preceded him to the living room, where their teammates waited for an update.

With one look at her face, Violet surged to her feet, releasing Noah's hand. Did her teammate realize how much of a couple she and Noah were becoming? Somehow Teagan didn't think it was only for show.

"What happened, Teagan? Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine. Sit down, Violet. We have news."

"Not much," Seth clarified. "Enough to know Peters and Richardson have plans to get rid of us after we assassinate the target assigned to us."

"Can't say I'm surprised by that," Noah said. "Give us details."

Between the two of them, Teagan and Seth recounted the conversation in the headquarters conference room.

By the time they finished, Noah's eyes glittered. "Neither one of them will touch Violet while I'm still breathing."

"I think that's the whole point," Bowen said dryly. "Peters and Richardson plan for us to be out of the way, whether dead or in jail, so they have free access to Violet and Teagan."

"We know the plan," Seth said. "We have to come up with a way to make them think we're falling in line without assassinating anyone or becoming victims ourselves."

"We need to know the identity of the targets," Knight said.

"That's where Fortress comes in. We need help to narrow down the possibilities."

"Call Zane," Violet said. "Get him on this now." Her voice was tight.

Noah wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "We're on it."

Seth made the call and put it on speaker.

"Yeah, Murphy." A child cried in the background.

"It's Seth Dixon. You're on speaker with my team."

"Understood. Hold." A minute later, Zane said, "Go."

Seth updated him and asked for help in narrowing down potential targets. "I know we have little, but it's all we've got."

"I'll see what I can do. No idea where you're headed?"

"Not really. From the hints, I'd say we're headed east to Washington, D.C."

"Have you spoken to Maddox?"

"Not yet."

"I'll get started on the search. Call the boss. Now." Zane ended the call.

Seth blew out a breath and made the second call.

"Maddox. Talk to me."

"It's Seth Dixon. You're on speaker with my team."

"Sit rep."

Seth summarized what they'd learned from listening to the meeting in the conference room. "We've asked Zane to help us narrow down likely targets."

"Too many without more information," Maddox agreed. "The most obvious targets are Martin and Reynolds."

He froze. "The President and Vice-President of the United States? No way."

"Can you think of a bigger splash than to take out the leaders of the free world?"

"What's the point? No one will appoint Peters as president. He doesn't have a presence on the political stage."

"If Martin and Reynolds are the targets, you need to find out what Peters has to gain. I'll update the feds on what we know so far. Contact Burnett."

"Yes, sir."

"Teagan."

She stiffened. "Yes, sir?"

"You dealing?"

"Yes, sir."

"If you can't, I need to know about it yesterday. Understood?"

"Copy that, sir."

"Maddox out." He ended the call.

Seth made the third call, this time to Burnett. He updated his commander, then said, "We still don't have enough to stop this runaway train, LT."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do we. This mission will get messy before it's finished."

A snort. "Already is, Dixon."

Something in his voice warned Teagan more bad news was coming. She rested her hand against Seth's back in silent support.

"Have more news for us, sir?"

"Cops from our station are harassing your family."

He scowled. "They live out of our jurisdiction."

"Doesn't matter."

"They're all right?"

"No harm done. Hateful messages left under windshield wipers, being tailed everywhere or pulled over for no reason. Your mother has refused to leave the house."

"Do something, sir." His mother was a social butterfly. Being cooped up for days on end would send her into a depression.

"I'm on it, Dixon, but I can't tip our hand. Remember, we don't know who is in The Brotherhood's pockets."

"Lieutenant, it's Teagan. Have you spoken to Maddox about this?"

"Not yet."

"You should. Although Seth's brothers won't take advantage of Fortress protection, his parents might."

"How do we explain to them without giving away the game?"

"Send them on vacation," Violet said. "Tell them Seth arranged it. Fortress can take care of the details. Get them out of town until this mission ends. Afterward, Seth will explain everything in person."

"It's a good plan, sir," Noah said. "Gets them away from the harassment and out of The Brotherhood's reach. Maybe Maddox will consider sending a couple of operatives to provide security."

"I have a better idea." Teagan grabbed her phone. "Give me a minute, Lieutenant. I'll see if I can arrange something for the Dixons."

She sent a message to Maddox requesting the Dixons be taken to Otter Creek to stay with an operative stationed in town, or perhaps with Josh Cahill's parents. With so many operatives and cops in Otter Creek, the Dixons would have a nice vacation in a safe environment. Plus, the Cahills loved company and their son, Josh, had been a Delta Force operative who now worked for Fortress.

Maddox replied in less than a minute.

Relief swept through her. "Lieutenant, Maddox will arrange for the Dixons to go to Otter Creek. They'll be safe there."

"What's so special about Otter Creek?"

"It's home base to two black ops teams and the Fortress bodyguard school. I can't think of anywhere safer to send Seth's parents. People who know security will take them care of."

"Seth, you agree with the arrangement?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'll contact Maddox and complete the details. Thanks, Teagan. At least that's one worry off my shoulders."

"Something else going on, LT?" Bowen asked.

"One of the SWAT officers has gone off the grid."

Seth groaned. "Not good. Let me guess. It's one of the snipers?"

"Yep."

"Who?"

"Russ King."

Knight whistled. "He's military trained."

"One of the best," Burnett agreed. "Lines up with what Peters will probably ask Teagan to do."

"King just disappeared?"

"He took vacation time, but he's now off the grid completely." He sounded furious. "Keep me updated as you can, Dixon. Things will move fast now. However this goes down, you protect yourself and your team. Hear me?"

Seth's jaw hardened. "Count on it, sir." When the call ended, he turned to his team. "Get your gear together. Peters is hoping to catch us off guard. We can't let him. Teagan, contact Iona. She needs to know what's happening so Artemis can move out when we leave Haven. Same goes for the backup team. The way things are happening, we might need all of them to survive."

The team scattered to pack while Teagan reported to Iona.

"The fun never ends on this op," Iona said. "I'll contact Adam so Phantom is ready to leave on short notice, too. Get some rest. Unless I've read Peters wrong, he'll want to leave before the sun comes up."

Seth shifted closer to the phone. "Iona, I have four more people I'd like to leave the compound before this situation explodes. Is that possible?"

"Give me an hour and we'll make it happen."

"Thanks." He glanced at Teagan. "We can't leave Ryan, Ivan and Martina, and Colton in Haven. The feds will swarm this place like locusts. I don't want them caught in the fallout."

"Agreed. Do you know where their quarters are located?"

"Ryan's on guard duty outside our quarters. I'd say Ryan does."

"Get him. Let's see what he knows."

Seth went outside and returned a minute later with the machinist. "Ryan, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir. I packed what I needed last night. My duffel bag is behind your quarters, in case I had to go without warning. Is that what's happening, sir?"

"I can get you out of Haven tonight if you want to go."

"Do I need to?"

"Ryan." Teagan watched him closely. Was he a traitor or a friend? "This is your only chance. Will you take it?"

A slight nod. "What about Ivan and Martina and Colton? They're my friends. I can't leave them here. Please."

"Do you know where their quarters are located?" Seth asked.

Another nod.

Seth glanced over his shoulder as Bowen entered the room. "Go with Ryan to bring Ivan, Martina, and Colton here."

Bowen's gaze sharpened. "Yes, sir. Let's go, Ryan. Stay in the shadows. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"Yes, sir."

The two men left by the back door. They returned minutes later with Ivan and Martina and Colton. All of them carried a duffel bag.

"What's going on, sir?" Ivan asked Seth. "Ryan said we needed to pack only the essentials."

"We can get you out of Haven if you go tonight."

The guard frowned. "You're leaving The Brotherhood?"

"Peters is taking us on a special assignment, one my men and I aren't supposed to survive."

Colton's expression darkened. "But Violet and Teagan will?"

"Knowing what you do about Peters, what do you think is the answer to your question?"

Teagan said, "Ivan, think about Martina. Don't stay where she's at risk. This is your chance. Take it."

Ivan looked back at Seth.

"Listen to her," he murmured.

The guard turned to Ryan. "You're going?"

"My mother didn't raise a fool. I trust Seth and his team. Would you rather trust them or Peters and Richardson? They're up to something, Ivan. You know they are. They act like this is their own little fiefdom, and they own all of us. Teagan's right. If you won't leave for yourself, do it for Martina. She deserves better than to be forced into Peters' bed."

Ivan wrapped his arms around his wife and looked at Seth. "When do we leave?"

In less than an hour, Ryan, Ivan, Martina, and Colton left Haven protected by Fortress operatives.

Once his team gathered in the living room, Seth said, "Get some rest." He glanced at his tactical watch. "We won't have long before Peters wakes us."

Three hours later, someone pounded on the door.