Power (The Santini Assassins #1)

14. Coming Home

14

COMING HOME

SIMONE

E arly Monday morning, Simone woke refreshed and ready to work. Initially, the death-threat text had rattled her, but she refused to be intimidated or scared into submission. This time, she’d push through the fear, the concern, and the monsters lurking in the shadows.

She’d once been a beast. She’d find her inner beast again… or she’d die trying. That’s how determined she was.

After a quick cup of coffee and a piece of toast, she said goodbye to Elsa. “I’m sorry to leave,” Simone said. “I’m envious of Slash and Carrera.”

Elsa smiled. “Sometimes I feel like a third wheel.”

“Don’t say that,” Slash said as she put her arm around Elsa and kissed her cheek. “That’s stupid talk.”

Carrera chuckled. “We’re a three-legged stool, G-ma.”

Elsa laughed, then set her sights on Simone. “You better come back for out next family supper.”

“I’m sure she will,” Slash said. “If Luciano doesn’t invite her, I will.”

Simone thanked Carrera for his hospitality

“I’m sorry to lose you as a watcher, but you’re back where you belong,” Carrera said. “I’m here if you need anything.”

Slash grabbed her handbag, slid on her sunglasses. “Love you, husband.” She kissed Carrera goodbye.

“Love you more, babe.”

“Where are you two headed?” Elsa asked.

“Simone is training with the rescue team today,” Slash replied.

Elsa’s eyes lit up. “You are going to have so much fun, Simone.”

Simone smiled. “It’s been a while, so we’ll see how much fun I have.”

“Will she be rappelling out of the helicopter?” Elsa asked Slash.

“No, she won’t,” Simone replied, and everyone laughed. “That’s definitely not happening today.”

Slash followed Simone home. She dropped her suitcase in the foyer, hurried back outside, and into Slash’s ALPHA SUV.

Simone’s phone buzzed with an incoming text and a shiver skirted down her spine. Be a boss lady. She glanced at the text from her brother, Gary, as Slash drove of the neighborhood.

Sis, we haven’t seen you in f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Come for dinner. You pick a night and I’ll make it work.

Relief washed over her and she replied.

Starting a new work project today. Let me get back to you.

Then, her relief was quickly replaced with dread. What if the person who sent the threatening text was watching her? She turned to check.

Slash pulled onto the main road. “Looking for a tail?”

“Yeah,” Simone replied.

“Rebel’s in the black SUV on our left,” Slash explained. “His wife, Brit, is in the back seat with binos.”

“Wow, okay.”

“There’s another black SUV in front of us,” Slash continued. “That’s Dakota and Providence. She’s driving. He’s lookout. Prescott—he’s on the rescue team—is driving his SUV, and his sister-in-law, Addison, is his lookout. She’s an ALPHA Op and also on the rescue team. They’re behind us. And if that’s not enough protection, Hawk is flying an ALPHA helo for aerial surveillance, and Cooper’s with him. Hawk and Prescott are brothers, and Hawk is married to Addison.”

“This is crazy.”

“We’re a much more sophisticated group than in the beginning,” Slash continued, “and super tight. It’s definitely fam. You’ll fit right in.”

Excitement swept away the last remnants of fear and anxiety. Yes, it might take her a hot minute to find her footing, but she would. An entire organization rested on her finding The Bomb Maker and she would not let them down.

The convoy veered off the main road, then made several turns, finally driving onto a dirt road. They stopped at a large NO TRESPASSING sign. Five minutes passed before Slash’s phone rang.

She answered, put the call on speaker.

“We’ve been cleared by Hawk,” Dakota said.

All four vehicles continued onward. The woodsy area cleared and the dirt road turned into a paved one that led to a warehouse-looking building similar to ALPHA HQ, sans windows. Slash followed Dakota around back and stopped in front of a large hangar door. When everyone had rolled in, the giant door rose, revealing an oversized garage with a fleet of black SUVs. One by one, the vehicles pulled into the empty left lane. The drivers killed their engines, and the ALPHA Ops exited.

This moment felt surreal. Simone had imagined returning to ALPHA dozens of times, but she wasn’t sure she could muster enough inner strength.

But I did, and I’m back.

Despite feeling elated, sorrow tinged her heart. She wouldn’t be there if Frederica and her team were still alive.

The team made their way toward the entrance. One by one, they stood in front of the scanner. Each time the light flicked from red to green.

When it was Simone’s turn, Dakota extended his hand. “Welcome to BLACK OPS, Red. It’s great to have you back.”

As she shook his hand, a sense of allegiance filled her soul.

“We’ll scan your retina,” Dakota explained.

Simone stood in front of the scanner, the light flashed bright, then went dark. After Dakota keyed in information on his phone, the door swung open.

She stepped out of the way while the Ops filed past, pausing to introduce themselves or welcome her into the group. There was a brief second when she wished she’d returned sooner, so she could have worked with Fred again, but that wasn’t her path.

My time to return is now. I’m going to hunt down the monster I was too terrified to search for then.

The group moved as a pod, surrounding her like a newborn. Their faith in her buoyed her spirits. If they believed in her… she had better believe in herself.

As Brit made a pot of coffee, Providence gave Simone an unexpected hug. “Welcome back. We’ll do whatever we can to ensure your success.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

Cooper Grant joined them, welcomed Simone with a warm handshake before addressing Providence. “Did you bring a chip?”

Providence unearthed a small plastic container and a hypodermic needle, and Simone’s pulse shot up. She hated needles.

“Is that for me?” Simone squeaked out.

“We might have a rabbit,” a man called out as he approached, and everyone laughed.

“Nicholas Hawk.” He shook her hand. “We got you. It’s not gonna hurt a bit.”

Addison joined them. “Red, welcome back to ALPHA. We are not injecting you with a chip in the middle of the break room.” She shot her husband a smarmy look. “Troublemaker. We need her to solve this case, not run screaming from the building.”

The group laughed as Slash put a comforting arm around her. “Let’s head to the locker room.”

As she and Slash made their way down the quiet hallway, Slash said, “This is the Black Site, also known as the Safe House. Down that hall are several private suites with bathrooms. There’s a fully-stocked working kitchen and a rec room. Offices and two conference rooms are housed on the opposite side of the building. You’ll see those later.”

Slash stopped in front of the women’s locker room. “Let’s suit up for practice.”

“Was the needle a joke?” Simone asked as they walked in.

“ALPHA Ops have chips in their necks. It’s for our protection in case we’re taken. It became policy after Cooper got kidnapped.”

Slash brought her over to a locker. “Your gear.”

Simone’s locker was stocked with two pairs of camouflage shirts and fatigues, a three-pack of black socks, two black ski masks, an ankle holster, and a single shoulder holster. There was a go-bag and a duffle bag as well. She knelt to check the combat boots.

“How are these the right size?”

Slash waggled her eyebrows. “ALPHA knows all.”

Simone grew quiet as she changed into training gear. Minutes later, she pulled her hair into a ponytail, wound it into a neat bun, and secured it with clips.

With her boots in hand, she joined Slash on the bench.

“How are you doing?” Slash asked.

“I’m ready to get started.”

Providence walked in, the needle down by her side, but Simone spotted it right away. Her heart kicked up speed and the desire to bolt took hold, but she stayed seated on the bench.

Providence sat next to her, held up the needle. A microchip was floating in a tiny amount of fluid. “I insert this in the back of your neck, between the layers of skin. If you have sensitive skin, it might itch a little, but that’ll go away.”

Slash took her hand and Providence chuckled. “It’s an insertion, not an injection.”

“I don’t like needles,” Simone murmured.

“Let me tell you about training this morning,” Slash said.

As Slash chatted away, Providence stood behind Simone. With a tender touch, she inserted the chip. Simone felt the brief stick of the needle.

“All done,” Providence said. “You did great.” She handed her a small tube of cream. “Use this if you itch.” She stood. “I’m a phone call or a text away, for anything. What questions do you have for me?”

“Will I be assigned a laptop?”

“Great question. I was going to give you everything after training, but we can do it now.”

“I’m heading outside,” Slash said.

“I’ll bring Red out in a few,” Providence said.

Simone grabbed her go-bag, slung the duffle over her shoulder, and left the locker room with Providence. The hall was quiet, but when they turned the corner, the collection of voices grew louder, reaching a feverish pitch as they passed the break room. She glanced in. The group was still nestled in there, like a family at a holiday gathering.

But this was no holiday. This was Simone’s much-needed second chance. The woman once known as Red felt like she’d come home. A surge of confidence spurred her forward.

In the conference room, a laptop, a computer bag, two Kevlar vests, and a double shoulder holster waited on the table. After they sat, Providence opened the laptop, typed in a temporary password, then slid over the laptop so Simone could change it.

“You’ll have a partner and a mentor,” Providence explained. “They’re your first points of contact, but you can also reach out to me or Cooper. Since we don’t know if there’s a mole, keep your guard up.”

“Of course,” Simone replied.

“Slash wants to be your mentor. We think it’s a great fit, but you have the final say.”

“Slash is perfect.”

“You’ll meet your partner after training.” Providence gestured to the Kevlar vests. “One is kept at ALPHA, one at your home. Since ALPHA is closed for now, keep both with you.”

Simone nodded.

“And definitely wear one for training today.” Providence unearthed a black essentials pouch from the go-bag. She withdrew several badges—ATF, DEA, FBI, DHS, CIA, and State Department, all with her photo.

“Your alias stayed the same,” Providence said.

Adrenaline surged through her. Things were getting real. Like really real. She stared at the name on the government badge and a myriad of memories came flooding back.

“Joelle James.” She hadn’t said that name out loud in years.

“You’ll need these.” Providence set two weapons on the table. A Glock and a SIG SAUER.

All I have to do is take them and it’s game on.

Simone pulled the Kevlar vest on, then the double shoulder holster. After checking both weapons for ammo, she secured them. “Now, I’m ready.”

Providence escorted her to the back door. “You’ve got ear and eye protection in your duffle. Put them on before you head outside. I’ll be working here all morning if anything comes up. The team is right through that door. Are you ready to get started?”

“Absolutely.”

Providence wished her luck before walking away. Simone fitted on the muffs and eyewear, pushed open the fire door and walked outside.

The muted sound of multiple rounds sent excitement racing through her. She waited near the door and watched as Rebel’s highly-skilled Operatives fired live rounds at targets.

Rebel acknowledged her with a nod, then held up his hand. The team stopped shooting. Guns were lowered, ear protectors removed. As Simone jogged toward them, butterflies zoomed in her tummy while her heart pounded loud and strong in her ears.

This was her chance for a do-over. She couldn’t be more grateful or more determined to right so many wrongs by flushing out a killer.

LUCIANO

As far as Luciano was concerned, Simone was killing it. Rusty, yes, but after twenty minutes of focused effort, the change was impressive. She’d taken direction from Rebel and from Slash, put their suggestions into play, and by the time they finished, she was hitting the target like a pro.

More than her ability to take direction, she appeared cool under fire. That was something he’d been concerned about. Time would help her confidence. As her abilities improved, so would her belief in herself.

Though her beauty shone through, it was her effort and determination that kept his attention anchored on her. When target practice ended, they set down their weapons and protective gear, and ran in formation. In this portion of the training, she had no problem keeping up. When it came to sit-ups and push-ups, she was a beast.

She struggled with pull-ups, but with an assist from Prescott, she finished the reps.

Sin exited the building. “How’s she doing?”

“Great.”

“Do you think she’ll take the case?”

“I do. She’s motivated by the death of her friend.” Luciano’s phone buzzed and he read the text from his assistant.

“Do you think she’ll work with you?” Sin asked.

“No other option,” Luciano replied.

“You’ll have to trust her.”

Luciano gritted his teeth. He’d been trained not to trust by his father, then after his world had imploded, he trusted no one. Even now, he struggled to believe that anyone had his back.

After he replied to his assistant, a wind gust blew his hair every which way. In one fluid move, he raked his fingers through, and tamped it down.

“Have you found any more chatter about Haqazzii’s terror cell?” Sin asked.

“No. You?”

“Nothing. We’re sitting on a ticking time bomb. At some point, Carrera will have to share intel with the Director.”

“That’s gonna spin everyone up,” Luciano said.

“No shit,” Sin replied. “What choice do we have? If the terror cell blows up those buildings, it’s another 9/11 all over again.”

“Let’s see how Simone and I do before we trigger a national panic.”

As the training session winded down, the two men retreated inside. Down the hall they strode, stopping in the break room.

“I’ve got a meeting with Dakota.” Sin extended his hand. “Use any office here, except his.”

Luciano shook it. “We won’t work here. It puts everyone at risk.”

“Your place?” Sin poured coffee into a mug.

“It’s secure.”

In silence, the men headed toward the offices. Luciano stopped in front of the conference room. “I’ll wait in here. Who’s bringing her in to me?”

“I will,” Sin replied. “She’ll want to shower and change before your meeting. Expect push-back.”

“Why?”

“You’re an outsider and an assassin.”

A sly smile filled Luciano’s face. “She’ll be fine working with me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Sin said before continuing on to Dakota’s office.

I got this… and I got her too.

Luciano set down his computer bag. Seconds later, he was logged into Santini International and calling his assistant.

“Mr. Santini,” Dominic answered. “We have a problem.”

After listening, he asked a few questions, directed Dominic on how to handle it, and ended the call. Then, he turned his attention to his laptop, cloaking his Internet footprint, and jumping on the dark web.

“Come out and face the devil.”

Luciano went on the hunt for Inferno531. He couldn’t find any new posts, but there were several about Inferno531. Normally, he’d ask Teddy to do the Internet hunting, but he wasn’t playing the Teddy card without consulting Simone.

Twenty minutes later, Sin appeared in the conference room doorway. “Ready to meet your new partner?”

A rush of adrenaline powered through him.

He offered a tight nod. Sin stepped in, leaving Simone standing in the doorway. The air turned frenetic.

Her beauty captivated him, her can-do attitude excited him. The intensity in her eyes spoke volumes. He’d made the right decision by telling her in advance. Surprising her would have been a mistake.

Unable to ignore the pull, he made his way toward her. If she accepted this gig, and he had every confidence she would, they’d be equal partners going forward. Rather than shake her hand, he curled his fingers around her arms.

“Hello, Simone.” He pecked one cheek.

“Luciano,” she replied as he kissed the other.

He relished her soft skin, her familiar and intoxicating aroma. He heard Sin talking, but he couldn’t engage. Staring into Simone’s eyes was the best medicine for his suffering soul. His connection with her was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. A powerful, invisible force he couldn’t deny.

“Red,” Sin began.

“Yes,” she replied, her attention still locked on Luciano.

Dakota, Providence, and Cooper entered the room severing their connection.

After joining them at the table, Providence set a bottle of chilled water in front of Simone. “How was training?”

Simone’s smile sent a burst of energy through him. “Great. I need target practice, I’m going to hit the gym harder, but I loved it.”

“Good to hear,” Dakota said.

“Red,” Cooper said, “The Bomb Maker case is yours, if you’re up to working it.”

She glanced over at Luciano. “Absolutely.”

“Normally, you’d have the full support of our internal Internet Team,” Providence explained, “but we’re concerned this could be an inside job, so we think it would be best if you partnered with someone outside the organization.”

“That makes sense,” Simone replied.

“Luciano is well connected,” Sin said. “We think he’s the best choice.”

Simone slid her gaze to his. “Since he’s here, I’ll assume he has access to ALPHA.”

I do.

“He has access to the Safe House but not to our website.” Dakota said.

I’ve got that too.

“Only you have access to ALPHAnet,” Providence explained.

“I’m in, one-hundred percent.” Simone arched an eyebrow at him. “What do you think, Luciano?”

He appreciated that she wanted his input. The atmosphere was solemn, too solemn, so he shot her a smile. “I think we’re gonna kick The Bomb Maker’s ass and make his life a living hell.”

She smiled back, and his world shifted a little. Never before had a lover been his work partner. New territory for him. But he had every confidence they’d find their way.

“Excellent,” Dakota said.

“Luciano, can you drive Red home?” Providence asked.

“Of course.” He shook their hands, waited for them to leave, and shut the door.

Alone with Simone.

Something that was fast-becoming his addiction.

He sat back down and their eyes met. So much energy passed between them. He wanted to kiss her hello, tell her how much he admired her inner strength, and how he couldn’t wait to massage away her aches from training, and love her all night long.

Control, Luciano.

Instead, he said, “You killed it at training this morning.”

“Nothing like jumping into the deep end.” She extracted a small tube of cream from her handbag. “I’m being tracked.” She set the item on the table. “Can you put this on my neck. I’m sure the spot is red. It’s itching like crazy.”

What the hell.

He stared at her. “Tracked by whom?”

“ALPHA. All Ops have chips in their necks. It’s for our safety. That’s what they tell us anyway.”

With a tender touch, he moved her hair away, examined her neck. A circle of red surrounded a tiny pin prick. Resisting the urge to kiss her skin, he gently rubbed in the cream. While he shouldn’t be having these types of thoughts, he was. And he wasn’t going to fight himself on them. It had been years since he’d thought of another woman besides his beloved Linda.

“Does it look okay?” she asked.

“All good,” he replied. “Are you still at Carrera’s?”

“No, I’m back home.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I don’t think we should work here. It puts the group at risk. When we caravanned out, each driver had a lookout. It was crazy.”

“They’re in a tough spot because they don’t know who they can trust.”

“They can trust each other.”

“Have you seen this group? They aren’t individuals, they’re a pod.”

Her laughter touched his heart. “What’s the plan?”

“We should work at my home,” he replied. “It’s secure?—”

“We’ll start there tomorrow.” She opened her laptop. “Let’s stay here today.” She got busy typing, then glared at the screen. “I can’t get into ALPHA’s website.”

“Maybe I can help,” he said.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to see?—”

He opened his laptop, logged in, and spun it around. “I’m already in.”

Her eyes widened. “They said you don’t have access?—”

“Don’t believe everything you hear.” He shot her a smile, and damn if she didn’t smile back.

She moved to the other side of the conference table, so she had her back against the wall, then pulled out the chair next to her.

“For me?” he asked.

She shot him a smarmy look. “You catch on fast.”

He moved beside her, took her laptop, and did some troubleshooting. He isolated the problem, then asked her to try again. She got in.

“Nice.” She toggled around. “This looks completely different from the last time I had access.”

He laid out the map he’d taken from the terrorist in London. “A gift from a Haqazzii terrorist.”

After reviewing the map, she said, “I hear they’re very generous gift-givers. Did he give you his life too?”

“No. I took that.”

Once again, she eyed the circled buildings, then shook her head. “This is bad… and a lot of pressure.”

“We got this.”

“Are you always this cocky?”

“Always,” he replied.

She stayed focused on him for an extra beat before eyeing her laptop. “I’m running a report on all ALPHA employees who worked here five years ago when The Bomb Maker took out the first team, then I’ll cross-check it against current employees.”

She got busy, then glanced up. “How ‘bout you?”

“I got accepted into a chat group with supporters and sympathizers of the Haqazzii terror cell.” He toggled to the dark web, then over to the popular website.

She glanced over, did a double take. “That site sells illegal weapons.”

He turned the laptop so she could see. “Firearms, explosives, bomb-making kits, training courses. It’s a magnet for haters of democracy and capitalism.” He logged into the account and a different screen populated. “This is where I found out The Bomb Maker is back.”

“Show me.”

He went searching for the thread, but couldn’t find it. “Sometimes they’re removed,” he explained. “It was written by Inferno531.”

She pulled the laptop closer, read several of the threads. “Such hate out there. Why can’t we all get along?”

He pressed his mouth to her ear. “What would I do in my spare time if I’m not taking out the bad actors?”

Her breath hitched.

He loved how she responded to him, and he didn’t give a damn that he wasn’t being professional. He hadn’t felt this way in a long, long time.

“Have dinner with me,” he murmured.

“A working dinner?”

“If that gets you to a ‘yes’, then yes, a working dinner.”

“I’ll think about it.”

He liked watching her work, her fingers flying over the keyboard, her attention laser-focused.

“Luciano, work,” she scolded.

“Sì, signora capo,” he said. “Yes, boss lady.”

A smile lifted the corners of her mouth, but she said nothing more. They worked until someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Luciano said.

Providence entered with a large, brown bag. “Lunch, courtesy of Mama Maria’s.”

“Thank you.” Luciano pulled out his wallet.

“It’s on ALPHA.” Providence set down the bag. “Most of us are heading out and will be working from home. Red, I feel like the team’s abandoning you on your first day. If you need anything, please call.”

Simone nodded. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s great to be back.”

“Are you finding your way around ALPHAnet okay?” Providence asked.

“No problem.”

Providence regarded them. “I’m a phone call away, but I know you two are going to rock this.”

“Absolutely,” Simone replied. “I’ll keep you posted.”

In the doorway, Providence said, “Luciano, do you have an ALPHA SUV?”

“Hawk jacked up my Range Rover to ALPHA specs,” he replied. “I’ll make sure the hangar door is closed.”

On a nod, she wished them luck and shut the door.

“We don’t need luck,” he said.

“No, we don’t,” Simone replied. “We need grit?—”

“Cunning and ruthlessness,” he bit out. “We need to flush out this monster and rip his heart out of his chest.”

“Then, shove it down his throat,” she replied.

“We’re gonna have some fun, you and me.”

She flashed him a smile. “We sure as hell are.”