Chapter 38

38

With less than ten minutes until the general’s arrival, Jason wiped the sweat from his forehead. His tech tee was soaked through, quick-drying cloth and all. Whoever coined the term, Hot August Nights, wasn’t kidding.

Almost 2200 hours, and the thermometer on his watch still read ninety degrees. Yowzah.

The hot night wind blasted his face as he eyed the deserted grounds. Emergency floodlights cast eerie shadows, transforming once-cheerful rides into looming specters. The Ferris wheel creaked softly in the stillness, a ghostly reminder of happier times.

“T-minus three minutes,” he murmured over comms, his heart rate picking up as adrenaline began to course through his veins. “Time to rev this thing up.”

Paige, Cody, and Liv were stationed in the vast underground parking and maintenance area that sprawled beneath the park while he and Alex and the rest of the crew waited in their assigned hiding places topside. He wished he had Mason and Graham there providing sniper cover, but knowing Bridger had extra protection at home was worth the loss.

“On it,” Gabriel announced from his workstation tucked behind the old shooting gallery.

Suddenly the park was alive with movement. Holographic versions of the team members popped out from behind rusted ticket booths and decrepit carnival games, weapons at the ready.

“Wow,” Fenn breathed, staring at one of his doppelgangers. “I had no idea I was that stunningly handsome.”

Kate’s hand connected with her fiancé’s midsection. “Really?”

The real Fenn grinned, pulling her close. “What? I can’t say that about you, my love, because I am well aware of how stunning you are.”

Tai circled one of his holograms, whistling low. “Man, Gabe, you even got my good side. Didn’t know I had one.”

Gravy snorted, poking at his own image. “Dude, you made me look way cooler than I actually am. After this, can I have like a makeover?”

The team’s laughter eased the tension some.

Jason glanced at Alex, catching her eye. The confident quirk of her lips sent a jolt through him that had nothing to do with pre-mission jitters.

“This tech is incredible,” Mac said, his usual gruffness tinged with awe. “We’ve got this in the bag.”

Everyone but Gabriel seemed more relaxed. Alex’s cousin still had a white-knuckled grip on his tablet. Sweat beaded on his forehead, glistening under the harsh floodlights.

Jason’s chest tightened with empathy, remembering his own first op jitters.

“You’ve got this, Gabe,” he murmured, squeezing the tech wizard’s shoulder.

Tai eyed one of his monitors. “Heads up, folks. We’ve got incoming. Three black SUVs, approaching fast.”

Jason’s pulse quickened. “Shut it down,” he ordered Gabe.

The holographic images disappeared.

He strode to the main gates, the old hinges groaning in protest as he swung them open.

The convoy rolled in, tires crunching on gravel. Four oversized men built like identical bricks emerged first, scanning for threats. Then, the general stepped out of the center vehicle.

“I count four security goons,” Alex said. “No sign of additional Seven-Five operatives.”

Jason barely heard her. His attention was locked on General Munsinger, the man he hadn’t seen since that grim day at the rehab center five years ago. The change was stark. The once-imposing figure now seemed hollowed out, his ramrod straight posture a poor disguise for the weariness etched into every line of his face.

He wanted to blame the man’s civilian attire for his less-than-imposing figure, but it wasn’t the clothes. The man had grown … old. And sour.

The general approached, his eyes as flat and cold as a shark’s.

Munsinger probably intended to intimidate Jason, but all Jason felt was sadness. The man had locked away every emotion, every connection, until there was nothing left but duty and secrets. The cost was written in the deep furrows of his brow and the gray pallor of his skin.

Jason squared his shoulders. He’d chosen a different path—embracing the messiness of emotions, the complications of relationships, the strength found in faith and family. Looking at the human husk before him, it was obvious he’d made the right choice.

“General,” he called out, his voice steady despite the tension thrumming through his body. “Welcome to our little circus. Shall we get this show on the road?”

A blur of motion came from his left. Gravy darted forward, arms outstretched. Tai moved to intercept Gravy, but Jason shot out his arm, stopping Tai.

“Let him go,” he murmured, heart clenching as Gravy threw his arms around his father.

“Dad! Good to see you, man!” Gravy’s voice cracked with emotion.

The general stood stiffly, his arms at his sides, clearly just enduring his son’s hug. “Robert? You shouldn’t be here.”

Gravy’s smile faltered, but he pressed on. “I’m doing great, Dad. Really great. I?—”

“That’s enough,” his father shook him off, stepping back. “I’ve got business with these people.”

Gravy’s shoulders slumped. Jason shared a look with Alex, her eyes mirroring his own mix of anger and sympathy.

“Right,” Alex said, her voice cool and professional. “How about we talk state-of-the-art holographic tech?”

Munsinger seemed nervous, his fingers tapping an erratic rhythm against his thigh. “Yes, let’s get this over with. I don’t have much time.”

“In a rush, General?” Jason asked. “Hot date waiting?”

“This isn’t a joke, Reilly,” the man snapped. “Just show me what you’ve got so I can make the Joint Chiefs happy and get out of here.”

Or Seven-Five. Jason itched to call the man out. Whether willingly or not, they all knew he was there to negotiate on behalf of Seven-Five, not the US government.

While Alex launched into her prepared spiel about the holographic technology, Jason watched the general closely, ready to move the instant he got the signal.

Cody came over the comlink from his position in the basement. “Okay, folks. I’m calling the ball. Three. Two. One. Go!”

Four soft pops echoed through the night as Kate and Fenn’s tranquilizer darts found their marks. The security team crumpled to the ground. Jason and Alex moved in perfect tandem, securing the shocked general.

Alex trained her handgun on him while Jason zip tied his hands behind his back.

“Let go!” the man ordered, struggling against Jason’s hold.

Jason tightened his grip on the man’s shoulder. “Sorry, sir. Orders.”

That earned him a reptilian glare. “You’re dead, Reilly. All of you. Dead.”

“Dad!” Gravy protested. “These are my friends. They’re here to help. Chill out.”

His father turned away, disgust warring with fury.

Jason didn’t bother responding. Either the bluster was a show for any possible Seven-Five operatives listening in, or Munsinger was one of them. He was seriously starting to bet on the latter.

The rest of the team emerged from hiding, sweeping Munsinger and his unconscious bodyguards for bugs before securing the four men and pulling them into the shadows, out of sight of any enemy drones that might get through Tai’s defenses.

Jason pressed his hand into the older man’s back, urging him toward the heart of the abandoned park. The crunch of gravel underfoot gave way to the hollow echo of their footsteps on weathered wooden planks as they approached a nondescript maintenance door.

“Watch your step, sir,” Jason said, his voice tight with suppressed tension. “It’s a maze down here.”

He didn’t expect the general to cave quickly, but the man’s stony silence, and his cold-hearted treatment of his only child, surprised him.

Definitely Seven-Five.

The air grew cooler as they descended into the bowels of the amusement park, the musty scent of disuse mingling with the faint ozone tang of old electrical equipment. Shadows danced on grimy walls as their flashlights cut through the gloom, revealing a vast underground labyrinth of machinery and utility systems.

His feet hit the flat surface of the basement parking area. They were almost home free. Just a little farther to their waiting van, and they would have their valuable bargaining chip secured.

Whichever side he was on, the general would be Seven-Five’s downfall.

The rest of the team filed into the parking garage, forming a semi-circle around Jason and their prisoner.

“We’re taking a little ride,” he told the general, pushing him gently toward the waiting van.

The general straightened, rolling his shoulders back, his demeanor shifting from defeated to commanding in the blink of an eye. Gone was the haggard, coerced man they’d captured above ground. In his place stood a figure of authority, radiating confidence and control.

“No,” the man said, “we’re not.” He raised his chin, fixing Jason with a cold stare. “You people have made a huge mistake. Now it’s time to pay.” He held Jason’s gaze. “Nox Aeterna,” he shouted.

Darkness crashed over them like a tidal wave.

Jason blinked furiously, his night vision worthless against the inky blackness. The hum of electricity died, leaving only the sound of ragged breathing and the rustle of clothing.

“Anybody copy?” He checked the comms.

His earbuds echoed with a deadly silence.