Chapter Eleven
Three P.M
French Quarter
Second Mission
S ome things took time to make happen, and this part of the assault on the Chinese assets was no exception. It took an hour of a stakeout to make sure they weren’t going to die before Jagger would let anyone make a move on the barber shop.
Was it excessive?
Possibly.
Did it need to be handled that way?
Yes.
While he was normally careful, as of late, he had upped that wariness out of necessity.
There was a time to take chances, and there was a time to not. As a father, he wasn’t making mistakes that might take himself, or Maura, away from their children.
The same was with Rogue.
Or Zayn.
Or Dakota.
Dads had to dad.
There was no fucking around and finding out on his watch. His whole goal was to survive.
Since coming to this town, they’d had to give up a lot of things, and their lives weren’t one thing he was willing to gamble with.
Hell.
No.
Now that his wife was back at the new location, and safe, Jagger could take care of the business at hand.
It was time to get this done.
“I think we’re about to move,” he offered.
Dakota agreed.
“We’ve seen five people go in, four come out, and we know there are three employees,” Dakota said.
He’d counted the same number of people.
Never let it be said they weren’t on the same page.
“Rogue, what have you gotten so far?” he asked. “Do we have schematics?”
He shook his head.
“No, but let’s just say it’s a good thing we have Remmy going in. The city has nothing online regarding the inside. That tells me someone was VERY careful about what was going on in there.”
“So nothing?”
He shook his head.
“I can tell you that it’s two floors, and that’s about it. From my illegal activities days, the gambling is likely upstairs and guarded by someone. Basements in NOLA are not common.”
Jagger heard his wife’s voice.
“Need me to show up and help you out?” she asked, joking to annoy him. “You know, to make sure you have this on your own.”
“We’re good,” Jagger offered.
“I mean, I could come and stick my nose into the fray, making you feel like you aren’t my equal.”
Rogue laughed.
“Oh, she’s going to ride your ass over this one.”
Yeah, well, he was well aware. He’d been to the wife rodeo plenty with the Major.
“I’m fine, wife. Settle down, and just do your thing. As soon as this is done, we’ll be heading in with Remmy.”
She laughed.
“Copy.”
The com went quiet.
“Are you sure?” she asked, breaking silence when he least expected it.
Dakota snorted.
“We all saw this one coming. You annoyed the Major, and now, she’s going to return the favor until we manage to get back to Area Fifty-Two.”
Again, he was aware.
“Zip it, Dak, or I’m going to ask for Snake backup,” he stated.
“I’m available,” Eve said. “I’m just doing donuts in an abandoned gravel parking lot.”
That was all her husband had to hear.
“EVIE! GO INSIDE,” Dakota ordered, and was met by a chorus of snickers.
It was clear the women were trying to give them ulcers and kill them.
“Where is Remmy when you need him?” Rogue asked, as the other two men were getting red.
They were about to blow.
The Major clued them in.
“He’s buying his girl a ring,” Maura said over the com. “So, make sure you bust his ass like a good bunch of merry assholes.”
Well, yeah,
Of course, they would.
That was how they rolled.
“Well, let’s hope he gets here soon. I want to get back in to babysit my wife. She’s a menace, and needs a stern talking to.”
Maura laughed.
“Keep it up, and she’ll be worse. You know how I get.”
Oh, he was ware.
Jagger didn’t want to see her try.
He knew better.
* * * H U N T E R – C R O F T * * *
Jeweler
Not Far Away
Ring Shopping
Remington wasn’t quite sure why he was so nervous. All he knew what that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Calyx.
She was a wonderfully strong, tenacious woman, and he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
Only, he felt bad for a second.
Before he walked in, he stared at himself in the window, and thought about his wife.
Karen.
It was in that moment that he wished he could get her blessing. Yes, he spoke to her in the bayou when he thought he was dying, but he really wanted a sign.
“Honey, please give me something that will prove that I’m not making a mistake of moving too fast. She’s the one, right?”
He held his breath, and nothing.
Remington was about to back away when he saw a little girl behind him in the window. Turning, she was heading his way.
“Hey! I’m selling cookies for Girl Scouts. Want to buy some?” she asked, opening her bag and showing him all of the different kinds of cookies.
Remmy smiled.
Kelsey had done a similar thing and he remembered the stories of her going door-to-door to sell them. He’d been away, but Karen had told him.
“Sure. Do you have the mint ones?” he asked, since they were his favorite ones.
She nodded and pulled a box out and handed it to him as she waited to be paid.
“How much to I owe you, Miss?” he asked.
“It’s Karen. It’s six dollars,” she said.
That hit him hard.
And there was his sign.
Yeah, he’d asked for one, and the universe had delivered.
“Karen, huh?” he asked, pulling out a twenty and giving it to her.
“Yeah, boring name, I know. My mom could have been a little more creative, but it is what it is,” she said, making change.
He stopped her.
“You can keep it. I’m good. Think of it as a tip to support the Girl Scouts. My daughter used to be one.”
She smiled at him.
“Thanks! Have a good day,” she said, heading down the street to the next person.
That hit him in the feels.
Only, regarding marrying Calyx, he felt better.
It was clear that his wife was with him, and that meant his little girl was too. Spirits ran wild in NOLA, and he trusted that he’d carry them with him forever.
“Thanks, Karen,” he whispered to his deceased wife. “I needed that.”
Heading into the ring shop, he browsed as he waited for someone to help him.
When a pretty brunette headed his way, he was already sure what he wanted.
“Cher, what can I get you?” she asked.
He was to the point.
“I’m going to propose to my woman. How about that emerald cut ring?”
She pulled it from the case, and showed him.
“What size ring finger does your girl have?” she asked as she tried to help him.
That was a good question.
He stared at her hand, and Calyx’s fingers seemed pretty similar.
“Close to yours.”
The woman said nothing, but Remmy knew what she was thinking. He didn’t even know his girl’s ring size.
The old him would have freaked out and panicked, thinking that was a sign, but the new him…
He wanted to live.
He could get that ring sized later if need be.
“Can you put that ring on your finger for me?” he asked, and she did.
When he looked at it, there was nothing but happiness in his heart. It screamed Calyx. She was tough, but she loved being a woman. She deserved that ring.
“I’ll take it.”
She looked surprised.
“The first ring? You don’t want to see more?” she asked.
No, he didn’t.
When you knew, you knew.
Oh, and he knew Calyx. She might have had a rough start in life, and ran The Underground, but he knew her. She was a classy woman, and a few pieces of her jewelry were emerald cut.
AND…
He really needed to get the ring and go. He had a job to take care of next.
“That will be eight thousand dollars,” she said, looking a little skeptical.
He understood that.
He was in a hoodie and jeans in a jewelry shop buying a big ring and looking almost homeless.
When he pulled out his credit card, she took it, asked for ID, and ran it.
Yeah, she really thought he was homeless.
When she rang it up without an issue, she was much nicer at that point. When were people going to learn you couldn’t judge a book by its cover—especially in NOLA.
“Thank you,” he said, putting his card and license away.
The woman was then super helpful.
“She can bring it in to get it sized if it’s needed,” she offered. “We’ll do it for free.”
He assumed.
Taking the black ring box, Remmy tucked it into his inside pocket.
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, grinning at her. “Have a good day,” he added, whistling a tune as he headed out. Outside, he put on his sunglasses and pulled up his hoodie.
“She’s gonna love it,” Maura said over the com in his ear. She’d turned on his camera so that she could back him up if he needed it.
Only, he didn’t.
Hearing her voice, he laughed.
“I hope she couldn’t see it,” he said. “Or the surprise is going to be ruined.”
Maura reassured him.
“She’s in her room, checking out your love nest for when you get back.”
He lifted a brow.
“I get a love nest?” he asked, surprised.
Maura broke it to him.
“Remmy, wait until you see what Elizabeth got for us. It’s shinny and nice like that ring.”
Well, then, in that case, he wanted to get this little mission done.
So he could get back to his girl.
ASAP.
* * * H U N T E R – C R O F T * * *
Home Boyz
Barber Shop
The French Quarter
Thursday Afternoon
As he reached the shop, he was able to spot the rest of the team. They were hidden pretty well, but he knew their habits.
Zayn would be high up, where he could get the vantage point.
He’d be their cover.
When he looked up, there was the quick flash of a scope, proving he was right.
In a blacked-out Hummer, down the street, that would be where Jagger would park his ass.
How he got his hands on a sweet ride like that…no clue but he wasn’t questioning it.
It was likely ‘borrowed’ .
They’d go in with a few people, and just enough to make sure the scene was handled without drawing too much attention to themselves.
That was the last thing they needed.
Now that he knew the lay of the land outside, he was ready.
“I’m going in,” he said. “Muting my com, so I won’t be able to answer you inside. Cover my ass,” he said. “I want to make it home to propose to my girl.”
They reassured him.
“I’m above you. I won’t let that ass of yours get holes, CIA man.”
Zayn was clearly his cover.
He laughed.
“Great. Zayn’s my backup. How could that go wrong? No one show him a mirror to distract him.”
“HEY!” he said, but Remmy’s com was already turned off, and he was walking in.
It began.
It was time to see what the hell was going on inside this barber shop.
If it was like everything else in NOLA, he was willing to bet it was just shy of foul.
NOLA was consistent.
Meanwhile…
Remington’s com was doing what it was supposed to. They could hear what was going on around him, but he couldn’t respond.
As a collective, the second team watched as he walked in, and a white dude pointed at a chair.
“Zayn, you make sure you have eyes on him. If that guy goes for him…”
Zayn sighed.
“Copy. This isn’t my first day, Captain. Calm down. The Major doesn’t nag like you do.”
They heard her laugh, but she said nothing.
Jagger was being careful.
In their world, things went sideways, and he didn’t want to have to tell his wife they lost Remington, or Calyx that he was dead.
He was, after all, vital to their survival in NOLA.
As Remmy sat, he made sure to give them a look around the shop, and to the one door that had a guy sitting in front of it.
Remington did his job.
They now had a looksee inside the business.
“That is our entrance into the gambling setup,” Rogue said. “He’s likely wired and can talk to the people upstairs, so we don’t have a lot of wiggle room.”
Jagger knew what that meant.
They had to go in silently or everyone upstairs would be alerted, and they had a shootout situation on their hands. That was bringing unwanted attention.
Quickly.
Just as he was about to say something, the com came to life.
“Need my help?” Maura asked. “I’m free to assist you if you need me.”
She’d been right.
That was annoying.
It looked as if Jagger owed her an apology later for butting into her operation earlier.
“I think we’re…”
Only, that didn’t stop her.
Not even close.
Someone was off to the races—without him.
“From what I’m seeing on MATE’S screen, Zayn needs to take out the man on the door. One shot, to the head. As soon as he does, you guys have to get in there, and take out the other three men. It has to be simultaneous. One spoken word, and they are going to hear it upstairs.”
Her husband was horrified.
“Maura,” Jagger said.
Only, his wife ignored him, and this was more about running it than annoying him.
The Major had to Major, apparently.
She wasn’t done.
“Then, you need to breach the door, and head upstairs. Bring a vest for Remmy. You’re going to need the backup. ShotSpotter software will be detected, but if you move fast, the cops will be slow to respond. It will take them a while to figure out where the shots came from inside a building.”
Jagger shook his head.
Apparently, he was done leading this. Someone had some issues.
“You’re a control freak.”
She laughed.
“Now you know how it feels to have someone up in your operation. Honestly, I can’t help myself,” she admitted. “It’s kinda my thing.”
Oh, he was aware, but really…
He did deserve this.
“Okay, well, Zayn, you heard my wife. We’re getting out, and you’re going to have to take one really good shot through the glass without it shattering.”
He reassured them.
“I have special bullets. Don’t you worry about that. I can make it. This is my thing.”
They hoped he was right. Now was not the time to fuck around and find out.
Everything rode on the people upstairs not finding out what was going on under them.
As they all got out, their silencers already screwed into the nose of their guns, they headed toward the barber shop to do what the Major had instructed.
“Dakota, you close it down once we get it under control. When the cops come, I want it to look like no one is inside and it’s not open for business. That’s going to buy us more time,” Maura said over the com.
Jagger just rolled his eyes.
“You heard the Major,” he said.
Well, then, he had his marching orders.
“Gotcha,” he said, letting Jagger and Rogue move in front of him to be the tail guy.
The street was busy as hell, but they had to get it done as quickly as possible, or Maura was showing up to not only clean up, but ride some ass.
No doubt.
As soon as they reached the door, Jagger felt the bullet drag past his ear, into the window of the door, and straight into the man at the bottom of the stairs.
It was a clean shot, like the man had promised it would be.
And that’s when hell broke loose.
All around them.