CHAPTER SIX

By the next morning, Magnolia and Walker were on a transport to Virginia, then would be picked up by Evie and Savannah to head home with their own medical team. She had a lot of explaining to do, but she would be safe, and that's all Walker cared about. She would get the care and treatment she needed, and he wouldn't be leaving her side.

"Just get better, Mags," whispered Ellie, holding her sister tightly. "I love you, and everything will be alright now. You've got your guy, and guess what? I got mine too."

"Oh, Ellie, I'm so glad," she whispered. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that Walker and I were still seeing one another. We just didn't want anyone interfering."

"It's all okay now," she said, shaking her head. "Get home and take care of you. Let Mom and Dad know that I'm okay and Leif is with me."

"Take care of her, brother," said Leif, hugging Walker as they left.

"I'm not coming back until she's okay, Leif. I can't."

"I know. I would feel the same way. We'll be alright. Just get home and take care of her."

They stood near the hangar as the plane took off, waiting until it was out of sight, and they were sure that Walker and Mags were safely on their way home. When her phone rang, Ellie looked at the others.

"It's Em," she said, answering the phone. "She just left, Em. She's on her way home with Walker."

"Walker? Are they still, you know what, never mind. I've got some information for all of you. The group that took Mags is called Gods of Apep. Apep was believed to be a serpent-like god that battled Ra every morning for the sun. They claim to be fighting for a more enlightened Egypt, but the problem is, they aren't Egyptian, at least not the leaders."

"What the hell are they?" asked Sebastian.

"Hello to you, too, Sebastian. They're Sudanese, Pakistani, and a myriad of other identities. I think what they're really fighting for is control of Egypt, which, in the times of the Kush, was part of Sudan. Ellie, you have to be careful. They had a photo of Mags, and we are all identical, so if anyone still has that photo, they're going to think that you're her."

"I know," she nodded at the screen. "I've thought of that already. Where is Maddie?"

"She's working with the Egyptian government to try and get their assistance, but they're stretched thin right now. Part of what is happening there could be blamed on these rebels."

"Mags said they were planning something big. Do you think they'd try to destroy the national treasures? Maybe attack the pyramids or antiquities?" asked Ellie.

"It could be. But the truth is, it could be anything at this point. Look, I'll do whatever I can from here, and I know that Em is working on it, too. Just be careful. I nearly lost one sister; I can't risk losing another."

"You can be damn sure I'll do everything in my power," said Leif.

"I'd like to think you two have learned your lesson. Maybe now we can all just sit down at the holiday table as a family again."

"I love you, Maddie."

"Love you, too, Ellie."

Ellie looked out over the base, seeing the myriad of men and women walking around. As with any foreign base, there were local military members present, civilians, and sometimes foreign allies as well. It was a breeding ground for traitors.

"Someone is telling them where to get these weapons or are providing the weapons to them," she said, looking at the others. "We need to find out who."

"Eleanor?" called a woman, walking toward them.

"Oh, Jenny. Hello."

"Hey, I'm sorry about your sister, honey. I just heard she left. Are you sure you don't want to follow her?"

"No. I'm needed here. I want to get the men that did this to her." Jenny stared at the team behind her, all glaring at the older woman. "Jenny, this is the team that helped me to get my sister back."

"Boys. Nice to meet you. Look, Ellie, I know this will be hard to hear, but Abubakar was found murdered this morning. We think someone saw him speaking to you."

"Shit," she muttered, biting her lip. She turned to the men behind her. "He was my contact in Cairo. He was the one that told me they had Mags."

"Someone else was watching," said Forrest.

"Yeah, but who? That's what we need to find out," said Sebastian. The woman stared at the men, then back at Ellie.

"Are they going to continue working on this op?" she asked.

"We've been given clearance by our commander to do whatever is necessary to find these men," said Leif. "We'd appreciate the agency's cooperation."

"You'll have it, but I think Ellie needs to be removed. It's too close to home for you."

"No," said Ellie, shaking her head. "Not in a million years. You take me off this, I'll resign."

"You resign, you'll be leaving this base."

"You try that, and I'll use everything at my disposal to ensure that I get access to what I need." Her tone was uncharacteristically threatening, and Jenny stared at her, backing up a step. "I don't want to use my favors, but I damn sure will."

Jenny stared at the young woman, then back at the team behind her. She looked at the names on the uniforms. Robicheaux, Norgensen, Frode, Vernon, Slater, Carson.

"Unfucking believable. You're connected to the Robicheaux Rangers and Voodoo Guardians," said the woman. "All this time, I just thought you had a nice family that served in the military. I should have looked harder. Shame on me."

"What does it matter?" asked Brix.

"It doesn't, I suppose. I just thought Eleanor and I had a better relationship."

"We do, Jenny. I respect the hell out of you, but you're not going to take me off this case. I owe it to my sister."

"Alright. Alright, you can stay and work on this. But you do anything stupid, and I'll send your ass home one way or another."

"Thank you, Jenny." The older woman walked away, and Ellie turned to look at her friends.

"Do you trust her?" asked Leif.

"As much as I trust anyone at the agency. So. Sort of."

"Okay, good. I'm not sure she's being dishonest, but there's something there I don't like. I think she knows something but isn't telling us."

"That's dishonesty, Leif," she smirked. He nodded, kissing her forehead.

"Let's hit the showers and get some sleep. Maybe by the time we wake, Em or Maddie will have something for us."

"Eleanor Marie Stanton!"

"Oh, shit," she whispered, touching the comms device behind her ear. "It's my father."

"That one is all yours," grinned Leif.

"Leif Frode, if you so much as attempt to turn that comms device off, I'll have Hiro send a shock to your brain that will have you pissing in your sleep." The voice of his own father had him more than a little worried.

"Hiro, brother, I thought we were keeping this to Cam and Luke and the others."

"Sorry."

It was a solid hour of parents yelling at their children, telling them how irresponsible they were being, giving them the business. When they seemed ready for a second round, Leif had his fill.

"Enough!" he said, silencing the others. "Listen, we get that you're upset with Ellie and the others. I get that you're pissed at us for not telling you sooner, but we're all adults and professionals. Ellie, Maddie, Em, and Mags have gotten this far by being good at what they do. Mags was sold out, or at least we think she was. We're going to find the men responsible, and we're going to end this.

"Now, if you feel the need to send the entire team over here, by all means, go ahead. But stop screaming at us like we're children. We're sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but just like all the times you didn't tell us about shit happening at home, we did it believing we were protecting you.

"We love you. All of you. Focus on helping Mags and Walker. They're in love, and this is going to be a test of that love. Ellie and I are in a good place. Where we should have been all along. That's all we can say for now."

"Okay," said Chief, "I appreciate your honesty. And you're right. You're all professionals and know what you're doing. Is there anyone else who would like to confess anything about my daughters? Now is the time."

"Uh, well, sir," said Forrest. "I'm in love with Maddie, but I don't think she knows that."

"Same," said Sebastian. "I mean, not with Maddie. With Em."

"And what the fuck are you going to do about that?"

"We'll handle it when we get back, sir," said Sebastian. Forrest nodded, and Chief just grinned, smiling at the men.

"Glad to hear it. I'm not getting any younger. Be safe, and we'll send help if we think you need it."