Chapter Twenty-Two

With Syn and Gunner out of the picture, Brick took Felix with him along with two new recruits.

“I thought we were going to split up and each take a group?” Felix said from the passenger seat of his jeep.

“We were, but tonight’s concert gig only needs coverage until midnight and the students only need coverage during the day. And since Gunner and Syn are with Fighter, that leaves the Tammy Berry stalker case remaining.”

“Why just two recruits tonight?” Felix studied the dark SUV where two of Cobalt’s new bodyguards sat.

“Because those two are fuck ups.”

Felix barked out a laugh. “What’d they do?”

“They drank at the concert last night. Jaxon, Hayden, and Wyatt couldn’t find those two for about an hour. When they surfaced, they were shit-faced.”

“How many bodyguards did they take?”

“Jaxon took the whole team of new recruits to the venue. He positioned them around the arena and those two knuckleheads decided it would be okay to toss back several beers.”

“Idiots.”

“Mhmm.” Brick pressed the earpiece they all had tucked into their ears. “Get out and walk the home’s perimeter. Stay out of sight.” He gave the order.

“Not going to babysit that?” Felix said.

“It’s too cold, let them do it.” Brick shook his head and watched as both doors opened and the two men exited the vehicle. “Plus, If they can’t do a simple recon, then they’re done.”

Dressed for winter in thick black attire, the slighter recruit darted across the street and tucked in between two parked cars. The bigger one hunched over and ran to the side of the tall fence that wrapped around the place and stepped into the shadows.

“Not bad,” Felix murmured. “What’s their names?”

“Marshal is the bigger one and the other is Doc.”

“Doc?”

“Yeah, former Army medic.”

“And Marshal is former US Marshals?” Felix joked.

“No. Asshat.” Brick snorted. “That’s Marshal Freeman.”

Felix’s eyes snapped to his in the dark jeep. “As in related to our Ryder Freeman?”

“Yeah. His cousin.”

“I didn’t know he had a cousin.”

“Ryder’s family is huge,” Brick said. “I’m surprised that Gunner hasn’t told you about them.”

“Gunner doesn’t tell me much,” Felix sighed.

“You like him?”

Felix laughed, but it was a bitter sound. “Sure. He’s a good ol’ buddy.”

“And that’s all?” Brick probed.

Felix turned away from him. “He’s straight.”

“Ah, no. I think he’s bi,” Brick said.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s not attracted to me.”

Brick blinked at the back of Felix’s head for a moment. From what he’d seen, Gunner was protective, caring, and always wanting in on what Felix was doing. And if that wasn’t attraction, Brick didn’t know what to call it.

“He always asks to be on the same jobs as you,” Brick pointed out.

“That’s not about liking me. That’s his controlling nature.”

“If you say so,” Brick said before pressing his earpiece. “Check in.”

“All clear at the back,” Marshal said.

Brick waited.

And waited.

“Did they not get that they both needed to check in?” Felix huffed a laugh.

“Doc?” Brick said.

“Doc?” Marshal said.

Nothing. No answer.

“Shit,” Brick muttered. “They separated.”

“Fuck!” Felix whispered and followed him out of the jeep.

Brick pulled his Heckler and ran across the street to the side of the building the pair had disappeared around. The smell of wet trees and nearby garbage filled the icy air.

“Doc! Answer me.” Marshal’s voice held a frantic tone.

Charging around and down the tall fence, Brick melted into the shadows with Felix on his flank. They both hugged the wood and quickly inched their way.

“Marshal,” Brick said, keeping his voice calm and even. “Stay put.” He hoped like hell the man listened to him.

As they grew closer to the hulking figure of Marshal, Brick could hear the man’s ragged breathing. Marshal was bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to suck in air quietly but without success. Brick reached the man and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

“Fall in behind Felix.”

Marshal gazed at him with tortured eyes that Brick could just make out in the dim light from the street.

“I need you to watch our flank,” Brick ordered gently and Marshal gave a ragged nod. With jerky steps, Marshal fell in behind Felix, who patted the man’s shoulder. Brick didn’t wait for Marshal to adjust, he needed to locate Doc and fast.

Rounding the far side of the place, he came to a standstill. Pulling out his penlight, he shined it across the snow before the light landed on a lump of dark in the distance. He recognized his man and also beneath him was another body. Quick strides took Brick to the two men and he crouched.

“Doc?”

Doc groaned and suddenly, Marshal was there. Before Brick could caution the man not to move Doc, Marshal plucked Doc up and into his arms.

“Well, that works,” Felix said. The suspect groaned and rolled to his back, gazing up at them through a beanie with eye holes and mouth cut out.

Brick pressed the business end of his Heckler into the man’s chest with one hand and shined the light in the guy’s face with the other.

“Felix,” Brick said.

Felix reached out and pulled the beanie off the man’s head.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the smarmy co-worker. You know,” Felix said as he pulled the guy up from the wet ground and zip-tied the man’s hands behind his back, “you were very high up on our list of suspects.”

“But…but…I love Tammy! She’s my soulmate!” the man screamed.

Brick clamped a hand on the man’s arm and jerked him around to face him. “If you scream one more time, I will slap duct tape over your mouth.”

The suspect’s eyes widened at his growl. “You can’t do that.”

“I can. I’m not the police,” Brick snarled, and the man wisely shut his fucking mouth.

“I’m okay, put me down,” Doc griped at Marshal.

“Then why didn’t you answer us!” Marshal growled, placing Doc on his feet.

“Because when I tackled him, I lost my earpiece!” Doc threw up his hands.

“Marshal, call 911,” Brick ordered.

“Doc, use a flashlight to find your earpiece. It cost a fucking fortune,” Felix said.

Doc stared at Felix and didn’t move before he hung his head.

“You didn’t equip your flashlight.” Felix shook his head and turned the handle of his super-powered light, giving it to Doc.

“They are on their way,” Marshal said and then turned to help Doc.

“What do you think?” Brick asked Felix with a slight jerk of his head to the pair combing the snow, brush, and debris that littered the side of the tall fence.

“Promising. You?”

“Yeah. They got the job done.”

Brick’s phone buzzed and he handed the perp over to Felix before he answered the call.

“What’s up, Jaxon?”

“I just got a call from Syn. Gunner was shot tonight.”

Brick’s eyes flew to Felix. “What happened? Is he okay?”

“He’s okay, but mad as hell. He was made by one of Fighter’s men.”

“So? All of Suwan Guardians know the core team of Cobalt.”

Felix squinted at him and then shoved the perp to Marshal and Doc to watch over. Felix stalked closer and pressed up to the cell phone to listen to the call.

“Yeah. I’m just as puzzled as you.”

“Who pulled the trigger?” Brick bit the word out.

“Mark.”

“That son of a bitch!” Felix growled and Brick placed a hand on the man’s shoulder.

They couldn’t make snap decisions—there had to be an explanation.

“Is he coming home?”

“Yeah, Gunner will come back with Syn in the chopper after finishing up at the urgent care,” Jaxon hesitated.

“And?” Brick probed.

“Fighter is with them. They should be here in four to five hours.”

“Okay, once we’re done here, we’ll meet them at the Cobalt helo-pad.” Brick ended the call and turned to Marshal and Doc. “You two think you can handle the cops and the report?”

“We can,” Doc assured him and Marshal nodded.

“Then we are going to stand back and observe. We’ll only answer your questions,” Felix said.

After the officers placed the suspect under arrest, loaded him in the back of the squad car, and took everyone’s statements, they could finally head out.

“Let’s go,” Brick told Felix, and they jumped into his jeep. It was a slow, quiet ride as Brick made his way back to the Cobalt building through the streets. At least the snow had stopped.

By his calculation, the helicopter should be landing soon. They made their way to his office and waited for the helicopter to land on the roof.

“I’m going to beat that fucker to death,” Felix vowed.

Brick stayed quiet. First and foremost on his mind was that Mark was one of Fighter’s friends.

He did not want that man coming between them.