Chapter 19
“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Keith asked.
Crash looked over at Axel. They were the only two left besides Ethel and Roger, who knew Sidney was Aya Hasan. Halima had given her up to keep her out of the clutches of the man hunting her down.
It suddenly hit him; he knew who was responsible, and if it was Nasir, he wouldn’t stop until he found Aya. She’d been told the whole story about how she was rescued when she was two and why she was placed in Ethel and Roger’s care. For a kid, she adjusted well and never looked back.
Now, the girl was studying to be a doctor, and from what Wyatt told him, she was at the top of her class. He knew it was time to explain the situation because if that son of a bitch was hunting down Sidney, she was in more danger than anyone knew.
“Crash, if there’s something we should know, you need to tell us,” Aaron pushed.
“Sidney Collins is really Aya Hasan,” Crash began.
“Our team rescued her and her mother, Halima. That was the mission where we lost two of our team. The one that caused Brent and me to leave the military.” Axel blew out a breath.
“But Halima only died a year ago.” Sandy reminded them.
“It was believed Nasir was hunting her, and she knew the only way to keep her daughter safe was to give her up. Roger and Ethel deal with kids who need to be protected. Aya was three when she went to live with them, and her mother already started calling her Sidney, so they kept the name.” Crash explained.
“Does she know about her uncle?” Keith asked.
“Yes, she knows everything. It’s why Wyatt trained her in self-defense and taught her to use a gun, but she’s not aware how close he is.” Crash didn’t like this.
“Fine, you can go, but you’re not going alone,” Keith said with his phone in his ear.
Ten minutes later, Crash, Axel, Aaron, Keith, Hulk, and Trunk were on their way to the university. The dorm had been contacted and told not to let Sidney leave her room. She was to stay there until Crash came to get her.
“Are we sure this is Nasir?” Axel whispered.
“Who else would it be?” Crash asked.
“Gibson?” Axel suggested.
Crash hated the man, and he certainly didn’t trust him, but would he kill his men and the woman he sent them to rescue? He was a bastard, but he did everything to get Halima and her daughter away from Nasir. Plus, he wasn’t sure Gibson had the strength to overpower Wyatt, let alone Otto or Perry. He was barely five foot ten and wasn’t in shape, at least the last time Crash saw him.
“I don’t see it, but then again, who knows.”
Crash breathed a sigh of relief when they pulled up to Sidney’s dorm. Two vehicles pulled up on either side of Keith’s car.
“Trunk, you and Hulk stay at this entrance while we go inside to get Sidney,” Keith ordered.
“You do realize I’m the cop here.” Aaron glared at his brother.
“Yep, that’s why you have the gun.” Keith motioned for Aaron to go ahead of him.
“Yes, and I’m sure you don’t have one inside your coat,” Aaron grumbled as they entered the dorm.
They hurried through the hallway to Sidney’s room. Crash was relieved to see three officers standing outside her door, and they stepped back when Aaron knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Sidney asked through the door.
“Smart girl,” Axel whispered.
“It’s me, Sid. Brent.” Crash called out.
At first, he wasn’t sure she would open the door, but there were several clicks, and the door opened slowly. She had a knapsack on her back and a suitcase in her hand.
“Mom called and told me to pack.” Sidney didn’t look scared.
“You’ll be staying at the compound.” Keith reached in and grabbed her case.
“The compound?” Sidney looked suddenly terrified.
“It’s okay, Sidney. It’s Keith’s property and the safest place for you to be right now.” Crash explained.
“He’s really here?” She looked up at Crash.
“We’re not sure, but we can’t take chances.” Crash pulled her into a hug.
“What about mom and dad?” She looked around at the men.
“I’ve sent someone to pick them up. They’ll be with you.” Keith answered.
Crash hadn’t even seen Keith make the call, but he was thankful his boss was so thorough. Aaron closed Sidney’s door, and they headed back down the hallway. On the way out, Axel stopped and glanced behind him toward a large window at the end of the corridor. When Crash followed his line of sight, he immediately observed what Axel was looking at.
“Is that a propane tank?” Axel asked.
“Why would that be…”
Before Crash could finish, the building shook as a loud explosion sounded overhead. A few seconds later, there was another.
“Run,” Crash and Axel shouted as they grabbed Sidney and ran.
They were through the door when another explosion sounded behind them. They barely got out of the building when people started flooding out of the building and jumping from the windows of the three-story building.
“Oh my God, help them,” Sidney screamed.
By the time the fire department arrived, Crash had lost count of the number of kids they’d helped climb out of the windows. He wasn’t sure if everyone got out safely, but whoever set this whole thing up mainly wanted a distraction.
“Get Sidney back to the compound,” Aaron ordered as he ran toward the fire trucks.
“Can’t we help,” Axel offered.
“No, you all need to get to safety.” Aaron didn’t turn back.
“Let’s get out of here,” Keith said as he opened the door for Sidney.
“I have friends who live there.” Sidney sobbed.
“Hopefully, everyone got out safe,” Crash whispered as he hugged her.
Keith sped out of the university parking lot with Trunk in front and Hulk behind, each driving one of the armored SUVs belonging to NES. If his boss brought out these vehicles, he was worried.
Crash and Axel sat in the back on either side of Sidney, but nobody seemed to want to talk as the line of NES vehicles made its way through St. John’s streets and onto the highway. The only sounds inside the SUV were the soft music from the radio and Sidney’s sniffing.
“I’ve had your family picked up, too, Crash. We’re not taking any chances,” Keith broke the quiet ride.
Crash nodded because it was too difficult for him to speak. His entire family was in danger because of something he did nineteen years ago. It was shitty, but when he glanced at Sidney, he knew her life was much better than if she had stayed in Syria.
“Your dad is picked up as well, Axel.” Keith continued.
“He didn’t give you any trouble?” Axel asked.
“Not that I was told. Rex said he explained the situation, and your dad was concerned about your safety.” Keith turned off the highway into Hopedale.
Caden Rex Dixon was a former American soldier who started working for NES around the same time Crash did. He was formally from Georgia but never talked much about his family. He mainly kept to himself unless he was working or attending a mandatory get-together.
The gate to the compound opened, and the three SUVs pulled through. Keith had six bunkhouses at the back of his property, used for staff who didn’t have a place. The only one staying there now was Allyson’s cousin, but if Keith thought he needed the place for clients, Elijah would need to find other accommodations. There was also a three-bedroom safe house, so chances were they wouldn’t need him to relocate.
“Where are we?” Sidney asked.
“This is Rusty’s property,” Crash told her, using Keith’s nickname.
“Rusty?” Sidney looked confused.
“That would be the red-headed man in the front seat,” Keith chuckled.
“I thought your name was Keith?” She leaned forward.
“It’s a nickname that the staff uses. You can call me Keith,” he told her.
Sidney nodded as the SUV stopped in front of the safe house. There were several vehicles, and men stood around. Crash opened the door and stepped out as his father walked toward him. He looked pissed.
“How long do we have to be here?” His dad didn’t even wait until he was next to Crash.
“I’m not sure, Dad. It’s a precaution.” Crash helped Sidney out of the car.
As soon as the door of the car closed, Ethel and Roger ran toward her. They embraced, and Crash’s father seemed to lose some of his anger. Crash wasn’t sure where he was supposed to go, but when he saw Allyson sitting on the steps of one of the bunkhouses, he stalked toward her.
She stood as he stepped beside her and practically leaped into his arms. He kissed the side of her neck as they clung to each other for several seconds. Crash knew if his family was here, then the kids were as well, and he wanted to see them for himself to make sure Caleb and Mila were okay.
“They’re inside playing with Cam,” Allyson whispered as if she’d read his mind.
“Cameron is here too?” Crash asked.
“Keith is being cautious.” She stepped back. “I heard about the explosion.”
“It was close. Too close.” Crash wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and they headed into the house.
Mila was sitting on Cameron’s lap, playing with a musical toy, while Caleb watched something on his iPad next to them. Crash blew out a breath when he finally saw them.
“Caleb was a little upset that he wasn’t returning to my place. He said he wanted to go home.” Allyson whispered.
“He’s got to be so confused with being dragged from one place to the next.” Crash sighed.
“Cam told him they were on a kind of camping trip, but they didn’t have to sleep in tents. He promised to roast marshmallows.” Allyson laid her head on Crash’s shoulder.
“If a marshmallow roast is what he wants, den dat’s what he’ll get.”
Crash and Allyson turned around and smiled. They shouldn’t be surprised to see Keith’s sweet grandmother lugging bags, followed by her husband, Tom. The woman was always the first to lend a hand when there was a crisis.
“That’s right, dear. I’ll get one of the boys to head back to the store and pick up a few bags of them.” Tom headed back out of the house.
“Nan, you didn’t have to do all this.” Crash took the bags from the woman.
“Now, don’t you fret. It’s what I do.”
She headed to the small kitchen, and when Crash placed the bags on the counter, she began to pull food out of them. He wasn’t surprised to see enough for an army, but chances were this was all for them. The rest probably got deliveries as well.
“Now, I did put a little extra in here for da little fella and da big fella,” Betty pointed to Cam and Caleb. “Dere’s also some pureed stuff fer da little one.”
“Nan, what would we do without you?” Allyson hugged the older woman.
“Da whole lot of ya would fall apart.” Betty didn’t even laugh because she wasn’t wrong.
An hour later, a massive fire pit was burning in front of the bunkhouses. They rarely used the fire pit, but considering the day’s events, it was a good distraction. Keith’s wife and kids joined them, as did several of the other O’Connor kids. It wasn’t hard to see they were trying to make things as easy as possible for everyone.
“At least Caleb is enjoying himself,” Crash’s mother said as she sat beside him.
“I’m sorry about…” Crash stopped when his mother pressed her hand against his mouth.
“You don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t do anything.” She kissed his cheek, and he knew that was the end of that conversation.
By the time everyone had left, Caleb and Mila were sound asleep, and Cameron went inside with them. He hadn’t said anything about why they were there, but he assured Crash that he wouldn’t miss any classes because he could go online.
While Caleb and Cameron slept in one of the bedrooms, Allyson, Crash, and Mila slept in the other. The bunkhouses never had huge bedrooms, but they had double beds, and there was just enough room to set up Mila’s crib.
“You need to sleep,” Allyson whispered as she snuggled into his body.
“I’m trying,” Crash said.
“Do you think this guy is trying to get Sidney?” Allyson lifted her head and looked into his face.
“He killed a lot of people. It’s why Titus sent us in, or at least that was the information we had.” Crash didn’t tell her the military didn’t send them.
“Can’t your former leader do something?” She asked.
“Nobody knows where he is, and all information about that mission is sealed.” Crash pulled her closer.
They were told the information was sealed, but it was probably scrubbed from everything. It was such a fucked-up thing, and Crash thought the whole thing was behind him. They all did, but someone was trying to get a message across. What was it?