Chapter Forty-One

Red

"Where are you two right now?" Black asked over the speakerphone.

"We rented a car to drive to Rabat," Nomad said as he slowed for a turn. "So we can catch our flight."

"I have updates."

Red leaned forward against her seatbelt. "You sound like you sunk your teeth into something juicy."

"I can tell you broad strokes of your successes this week," Black said. "First, about Moussa's death. I am sorry for your loss."

Red swallowed and audibly sniffed air into her lungs before she could say, "Thank you."

"But his death is heroic. He saved thousands of lives. Possibly tens of thousands of lives."

Tension formed around Red's eye sockets as she held her lids open and unblinking. "What have you found?"

"From the various sources of information, we got a list of the terrorists that are on American soil. We have their safe houses and their targets. The FBI is staging a simultaneous raid of each location. No other information offered."

"Good." Red and Nomad said together.

"I can confirm that the men who took you and Elena at the ball were indeed members of the treasure-hunting team. The hit in Munich was well-planned and executed, but Elena et al didn't wipe out the entire team for whatever reason. Only those present would be killed. The hole in that plan? Dangerous, capable team members who would seek the ring, the money from the bounty, and vengeance. Those four are in the wind. The CIA has no interest in pursuing them. They are not associated with terror or crimes against America. If the Moroccan government wants to figure out the murders outside of the Palais Royale, they will have received an anonymous intelligence report with the details that we have that are unassociated with the ring."

"Okay." Red sat back in her chair and popped her seat belt over her chest. "There were two other terrorist targets. Did you figure them out?"

"One was planned for a concert this fall. The organizer, the host city, and the head of state received that information. They were planning to use explosives that they obtained in Algeria and bring them across the Mediterranean. No money, so that one might peter out anyway. But plenty of eyes on the situation. The last one was nick of time and is planned for outside of Moscow."

Red said, "Elena had daddy issues."

"Yes, aggressively angry daddy issues," Black agreed. "And daddy owns a sports park where there is to be a soccer match."

"When?" Nomad asked.

"Today."

"Wait." Red's brows flew up to her brow. "Today?"

"Elena's mom's birthday. They planned a Trojan horse attack and have had tangoes on site for months."

"But the government knows," Red pressed. "We have a duty to warn."

"They were warned with plenty of time. We were able to give them not only the detailed plans but also the names, addresses, and even the phone numbers of the men who planned to execute the directives."

"So safe?"

"Safe," Grey confirmed. "I'm heading into a meeting. Let me know when you land."

"Will do. Thanks, Black."

"Out."

"And they all lived happily ever after." Red turned to Nomad. "Ties up with a nice neat little bow."

They drove in silence, holding hands. Red felt the weight of the next few hours.

She roused from her thoughts when Nomad squeezed her hand. "Talk to me, I'm falling asleep."

"Do you want me to drive?"

"In a bit. I'm good for another hour except in the silence. The radio is doing nothing for me." They had the French news as background noise to hear if anyone said anything about missing tourists in the east. "What are you thinking about?" Nomad asked.

"Have you ever considered what you'll do after you leave the military?"

"I have some friends who work for a group named Iniquus. That might be something I'd consider. I might like to go to university. Working for the State Department interests me."

"Who are your friends at Iniquus? I know some of the operators working there."

"My team's K9 used to be handled by a guy named Tripwire. He left the SEALs because he contracted an illness that affected his lung capacity. He's on Cerberus Team Alpha. We're in regular contact with him to share updates and K9 antics. And then, back when I was a Green Beret, I worked with a guy named Ares in East Africa. He's now head of Cerberus Team Bravo. I haven't talked to him in a good while. I should catch up with him and see what he's up to. He left to take care of his K9 after his dog was seriously injured during an op."

"That's unusual, isn't it?" Red asked.

"His dog, Judge, dove off the vehicle Ares was driving because it wasn't going fast enough to get to Ares's fiancée, who was about to have her throat slit by a guy hopped up on khat and wielding a machete."

"Woah!"

"The machete sliced down Judge's side when Judge was destroying the man."

"Did Ares fiancée survive?"

"She's alive. As far as I know, the psychological damage was too much. She shut down, and their relationship is in the rearview. Still, Ares loved—loves Hailey and felt like he owed Judge. Last I heard, after rehab, Judge and Ares had that new gig, and they like it there."

"You're not a Green Beret, now," Red said.

"I am not. I'm what you think I am."

She nodded. "Iniquus is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Do you think you'd like to do that then? Private security?"

"I don't think so. I know Iniquus is putting together Cerberus Team Charlie. Cerberus Teams are all tactical working K9s and their handlers. For the most part, their work is about getting people out of hot zones or pulling clients from mass disaster areas."

"Wholesome." Red smiled.

"Exactly. But I think I'd like to go to university. I have a lot of real-world experience under my belt. And a unique childhood that I think could be put to better use. I think working for the State Department makes sense."

"With all your languages? I'd say they'd be lucky to have you."

"What about you?" Nomad asked. "Is this where you'll stay until you retire, or have you thought about other things you might like to pursue?"

"This whole assignment is not what I do. I'm a field officer. I'm trained for the tactical side, of course. I don't enjoy the kind of work I've been called to do on this assignment. I'm a coffee and schmooze person. I manage my people. Yeah, I feel beat to hell by this last week."

Nomad rubbed her arm. "Did you tell your team?"

"They know."

"And what are they saying?"

Red turned toward the side window. "That I need to come in from the field for a bit. Take a rest."

"What's a bit?"

"A month?" She shrugged, looking back at him. "Six weeks?"

"But that's R she'd reached out.

There had been blood.

"Are you okay?" Red had asked in the dream.

Holding very still, her eyes closed, Red forced her lips to move. "Nomad, are you okay?" When he didn't answer, she managed to reach a hand toward him. "Are you okay?"