Chapter Seventeen
Area Fifty-Two
After Ten P.M.
Thursday Night
W hen they got back, Elizabeth was already there. She was sitting on the hood of one of the blacked-out Hummers. The look on her face said it all. She was in no mood to be fucked with.
As they got out, swampy and newly engaged, they headed her way.
“Oh, look. We have a haunted lair,” Zayn said.
Only, she didn’t comment back, and that scared the bejeezus out of him.
“Uh-oh.”
Elizabeth sighed.
“I have bad news and worse news. The bad news is, Tommy Bernard is not going to leave you guys alone. He went to your place and caused a ruckus.”
“We heard,” Maura said, dropping her gear. What she wanted was a hot shower and some tea.
“Well, I had a little talk with him, and still, he’s not going to back off. He thinks we stole his man, and Ethan is likely going to be in his sights. Watch your asses. He’s loco,” she said.
Well, what was one more problem?
“I’d stay here for a bit.”
Maura clued her in.
“We have Spiders helping us,” Maura said. “Reaper and Wolf are watching Chartres.”
That was good to know.
“What’s the bad news?” she asked.
“Alexsandr is here.”
Well, she was a little late with that intel. They already had confirmation from Reaper and Shing.
“We suspected. Two of his assassins showed up at Chartres. Reaper handled them.”
Good.
They were all on the same page.
“Here’s what I’ve been up to,” she said, and then, Elizabeth told them about the warehouse, her poking the devil, and the explosion.
Zayn sighed.
“It gets worse and worse.”
Yeah, tell her about it.
“Here’s the good news. We have his picture at every point of entry in the US. He can’t drive or fly out. We also took away all his mercenaries.”
“And two of his helpers,” Jagger said. “That means there are three left. We know their locations.”
That was good.
“Where?” she asked.
They shared what they’d gotten from Shing.
“He dispatched them to Cali, DC, and NYC,” Maura said. “They are going to be doing something there, and probably nothing good.”
That meant she only had one choice.
“I’ll notify my boss, and we’ll have to have Homeland on it. I don’t have the time to hunt them down. They are likely under by now.”
They figured as much.
Elizabeth did have good news.
“He’s running scared, and he has nowhere to go. You guys have him.”
Maura clued her in.
“I have some bad news for you.”
Oh, well, that sounded like funsies. What else could be dropped on her plate?
She was about to find out.
“What?”
“Shing Reung was handled. He was Fang’s righthand man. The bad part about that is he confirmed something we found. Merry located an account number. It turns out to be a bank security box. In it, there’s intel on all of us, and you and your family.”
She sighed.
“Well, now, we have to get that intel. There’s no way we can let CIA information out on us to be bought by the highest bidder.”
Maura was aware.
“We’re moving on the bank tonight. Care to come up with us and watch as our thieves do what they do best?”
What choice did she have?
When she hopped off the car, Zayn walked beside her, and he put his arm over her shoulders.
“We won’t let them find anything out about your babies,” he said. “We understand.”
She appreciated that.
“Thank you,” she said. “I don’t mind if people come after me. I can hold my own. It’s when they target my children that I have a problem.”
That they all agreed on.
“We have to pinpoint his location,” Maura said. “You told us he was here. There has to be a hidey-hole. There has to be at least one.”
There would be.
There always was.
“MATE might be able to track it,” she offered as they walked through the doorway and into the room with everyone else.
When they entered the room, Ethan was there too, and he was sitting on the couch next to Greyson, laughing and talking.
Merry immediately went to her computer to do what she could to find the jet.
Apparently, they were all back to work.
It was Remington that cleared his throat, getting everyone’s attention.
“Family, I’d like to make an announcement,” he said, getting all of them to focus on him.
When they were looking at him, he held up Calyx’s hand.
“We’re engaged.”
Stella clapped.
“Oh! I love a wedding!”
As soon as it was out of his mouth, Zayn, the asshole that he was, whipped a handful of coffee beans at him that he’d grabbed while making coffee.
“What are you doing?” he asked, after being pelted by the beans.
“We don’t have rice.”
He said it so calmly and with a straight face, everyone laughed.
Then, converged on Calyx.
The woman was hugged, and she was given so much love. Remington too. Greyson congratulated them, and so did the rest of his family.
They expected this.
Only, now, here came the hard part.
“Since we’re all here, I need to tell you that when we get married, and The Underground reopens, I’m going to be leaving the team.”
That did what was expected.
They all went dead silent.
“Oh,” Maura said.
Remmy explained.
“I’m going to be at The Underground with Calyx. I don’t want to leave her alone. I’ll be available when you need me,” he began.
In that moment, Calyx saw their expressions and felt the disappointment in the room. The people who loved him were crushed by that.
She saw how sad it made his family not to have him there with them all of the time.
Calyx cleared her throat.
“Actually, I’m getting out of the bartending game,” she said, making a sacrifice for her man.
Remington looked at her.
“What?” he asked.
She explained.
“I kinda like being here. Tonight was all kinds of fun, and when I’m trapped in a bar, it’s not the same. I’ve made my money, and I’ve built a really good nest egg. I think I’m going to pass The Underground off, and if you guys will let me, I’d like to be here with you.”
Remington just stared at her.
What was this?
“Baby. Are you sure?”
She smiled.
“When you proposed, it felt so good to be hugged by Merry, and Maura. When you asked, I felt like I was part of something. I’m not going to be like the Major, but I can contribute. I can help. I’m good with a gun.”
Stella sighed.
“Of course, she’ll get a gun, but I can’t have one.”
Zayn stared at his wife.
“Not about you, pumpkin. How about you hush and let them talk.”
Stella zipped it.
Calyx continued.
“You guys need Remmy, and I know for a fact that Remmy is stupid in love with you guys too. I can’t ask him to give that up. If you guys will have me, I’d like to join the team. I’m not badass like all of you, but I’m loyal to a fault, and I’ve built a network in the city that I can offer up.”
Maura headed her way and hugged her. She smelled like swamp and goo, but she wanted Calyx to know she was always welcome.
“When you marry this nut, you’re ours. Welcome aboard, and you can’t change your mind when you’re chasing Stella around to get any guns she finds.”
Stella laughed.
“A babysitter too?”
Calyx smiled.
“I have never had a family. I can always make money in other ways. I can’t make a family. Remmy loves it here with you guys, and so do I. I’ve had a good two days off.”
He kissed her.
“I love you,” he said. “Thank you for this.”
She just clung to him.
“We have a good life with your family. Why stop that now?”
He couldn’t be happier.
Merry heard MATE beep, and headed toward the computer monitor. When she looked at the screen, she sighed.
“Well, MATE narrowed down the location that he might be to the Ninth Ward. The only problem that’s one and a half miles by two miles. That’s a lot of space to cover.”
“Holy shit,” Maura muttered.
There was no way they’d find his hidey-hole there. Half the buildings were abandoned, and they didn’t know where he’d go.
She laughed.
“I mean, not a lot, but…”
Yeah, they were shit out of luck when it came to flushing him out.
Greyson was watching Alyona.
When he jerked his head, she headed his way.
“I’ll be back,” he said to Ethan.
When they went to the hallway that led to the lab, Greyson lowered his voice.
“Aly.”
She looked scared.
“We don’t have a choice. He slipped through our fingers. I need you to be plan B.”
The second he said it, her eyes went huge.
Then, tears filled them.
“I don’t know if I can,” she whispered. “What he did to me, Dad. What he did to my soul…”
Instead of forcing her, he held her, and wrapped his arms around her.
“Okay, then don’t do it. We’ll find a way. I haven’t told them about you being his picked wife, and how he sent you here. No one knows but us, and your family won’t say anything.”
She leaned on him.
“I don’t think I can do it.”
Again, he understood. He kissed her temple.
“I understand.”
She needed to know.
“Do you hate me?”
At her words, he lifted her chin.
“No. I love you. I’ll always love you. I adopted you. You and Tessa are my only girls. There’s no way I’ll ever hate you or be disappointed. If you can’t do it, I get it. Can you do the job tonight?”
She nodded.
“Easily. I’m actually looking forward to it. I want to help some way.”
Then, that was all he could ask of her.
“Then, just do the job. Your secret is safe with me. We’ll find a way.”
She was grateful for this out.
“I love you.”
He returned the words, and then kissed her temple.
“Go get ready. Rogue and Jinx will be going out as soon as she de-swamps.”
Then, he left here there.
When he went back in, Elizabeth was telling them about the issue she had with the homicide captain.
Greyson sat back down with Ethan.
“So…troubled, huh?”
Ethan glanced over.
“About?”
He pointed.
“You have a wife, and you’re still in love with Gene. I am honestly shocked you didn’t marry him all of those years ago. He was your soulmate.”
He stared at his wife.
“I have my soulmate,” he said, meaning her.
Greyson thought about his own life. Because Ethan had been his friend years ago, he gave him some advice.
“You can have more than one. I learned that. Tell your wife how you feel.”
Ethan said nothing.
His heart hurt too much. The idea of hurting her made him sick to his stomach. There was no way he could just say that to her.
Ever.
This was his burden to carry, and if it got too difficult, he’d be a man, and ask Gene to leave.
When Elizabeth came over, she sat across from them.
“Want to head to the hotel?” she asked. “Or would you rather stay here?”
Honestly, he didn’t care.
As long as it was with her.
“Where will you be?” he asked.
She pointed at the couch.
“EJ, Artemis put all of our intel into that file. She knew about our kids, and she sold it to Alexsandr. They have to get that file before he does tomorrow morning.”
That was all he had to hear.
“Then we stay and we get that file. What can I do?” he asked.
She wished she knew.
Elizabeth focused on Greyson.
“Maura said you have a plan B. We’re going to need it if Merry can’t help us pinpoint a hidey-hole. Get it ready,” she said, getting up.
And that was an issue.
Why?
Because in this case, the only way to catch Alexsandr was going to be with his weakness.
AN.
ASSASSIN.
And she didn’t want to do it.
They officially had a problem.
A HUGE ONE.
* * * H U N T E R – C R O F T * * *
Poe’s House
Same Time
End of Day One
It was after ten, and he helped Gamble get ready for bed. Thankfully, the man seemed tired.
Earlier, when they were talking and having a therapy session, Reginald went out and bought Gamble lots of things. There were so many that he was able to fill the dresser in the guest room.
As Gamble was showering, he laid the man’s things on his bed, so he had some clean, new pajamas.
That always made a person feel better.
Hopefully, it would help Gamble too.
When he heard the water go off, he headed into his own room, attached by the doorway, to give the man an iota of privacy.
“I put your things on the bed. I wanted to give you some space to get ready on your own.”
He could hear him moving around.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
The man was silent, and Poe wanted to keep the narrative going. Open communication was important when you were struggling.
“How do you feel?” Poe asked.
Honestly, Gamble wasn’t sure.
It was a weird feeling being there.
At Chartres, he was chased with the demons of Storm and his child.
Here…
He felt safe, and he hadn’t felt that in a while—since Storm did the deed and did him dirty.
Finally, he answered.
“I’m okay. I guess.”
That answer was something to be expected. This was, after all, day one.
“Are you decent?” Poe asked, waiting.
“Yeah, I am, Doctor.”
When he peeked in, Gamble was sitting on the edge of the bed in his pajama bottoms, and shirtless.
He was all ribs and bones.
It was startling to see, even though he’d seen it before when he’d helped him into the tub.
“I thought we could talk,” Poe said, coming into his room, a box of chocolates with him.
In his opinion, sweets were the doorway to open conversation.
After all, who didn’t like chocolate?
Sitting down, he opened the box for Gamble, and offered him some.
“Do you like chocolate?” he asked, trying to be friendly.
He stared at them, as if they might bite him.
“Yeah, I used to. As of late, I don’t like much of anything.”
At least there was a stark difference to when he first saw him that morning. At least he got some food in him.
Poe thought back to dinner.
And lunch.
And breakfast.
The man ate, and he ate a good amount. Was a sweet treat needed?
No.
But it was nice to have something that gave you pleasure when your world was hell.
This was just part of the process.
Feed his mind.
Feed his body.
Feed his soul.
“Try one. I pick them up when I head back to the UK on holiday. They are my weakness. I can’t pass up chocolate. I’m weak like that.”
Because he knew the man was just being friendly, Gamble picked one, and bit into it.
There was jelly inside, and it was fruity.
Poe explained.
“Those are one of my favorites. They are Turkish Delights, dipped in chocolate. My brother and I would steal them all from the boxes my mother would buy. It drove her bonkers, but we didn’t care.”
At the mention of his brother, Gamble stared at him.
“How long did it take you to get over your brother dying?” he asked, needing someone to help him see if there was an end in sight for him.
There didn’t feel like there was one.
Poe considered it.
Then, he was honest.
“About ten years. Oh, wait. I’m still not over it. Sometimes, I have dreams about him, and sometimes, I’m haunted by his face—mostly when I look in the mirror and see myself. Loss is painful.”
That it was.
“I want to forget them,” he finally said. “I just want to erase them from my memory, so I can feel again,” he whispered. “I’m a horrible person for wanting to do that.”
Poe reached for his hand, and held it in his.
“No, you’re not. You’re human, and you’ve been through trauma. You’re entitled to feel the way you feel. There is no wrong or right way to mourn.”
He wished that was true.
Only, this burden was his to carry.
“I’m scared,” Gamble finally said. “I’m scared I’ll end my life, and she’ll be there waiting for me. Both of them will. It’s the only reason I haven’t taken my life yet. I can’t bear to be haunted in my death like I was in life.”
He let him talk.
“I hate her so much, Doctor.”
Oh, that was crystal clear. The man was wracked with guilt and anger.
“I know.”
Gamble kept talking.
“My child was so little. She was a toddler. She was smiles and peace…”
His voice quivered.
“Look at me,” Poe said, knowing he had to pull him from this mire, and it wasn’t going to be enjoyable for the man. It was going to be painful.
“You’re not going to want to hear this,” he admitted. “Only, someone has to be the one to say it to you. That someone is me.”
Gamble looked over.
“What?”
Here went everything. All of the trust he’d built hinged on getting Gamble to see what he was pointing out. He could lose him over this.
“She didn’t suffer. Drowning is quick, and it is like falling asleep. That’s the one thing you can hold onto.”
The second he said that Gamble pulled his hand away, and stood.
Yeah…
Poe expected this to happen.
Here came the anger part of mourning.
That one sentence shoved him into it. It was going to be painful for Gamble, but he wouldn’t heal unless he could hear the truth.
The man now standing there was breathing heavily as he faced the doctor down.
“I’m sorry that I had to be the one to tell you that, Gamble, but it’s time you face it. What happened to your child was horrible, but she didn’t suffer. She went peacefully.”
That was all it took.
He raged.
With his arm, he swiped everything from the dresser in front of him.
Poe sat there.
Watching.
“You have to let her go. There’s a difference between mourning and hating yourself to the point you die.”
Gamble didn’t want to hear it.
“Stop.”
Only, Poe didn’t.
“No, Gamble. I can’t stop. I have to be honest. That’s my job. She didn’t suffer, and your wife didn’t either. They left that pain for you, and you have to decide to walk with it, or work through it.”
The rage rose up, and he punched the mirror with his hand, shattering it.
The sound made Poe jump.
Then, Gamble turned on him, and moved toward him on the bed.
“Stop talking like that,” Gamble ordered.
Poe didn’t back down.
He had to push until there was a breakdown or breakthrough.
“I can’t. This is the truth. Now, we work through it. Your wife left this world a coward. She did it consciously, and when you stop feeling sorry for her, and embrace the anger, you’ll start to heal. They didn’t suffer. You are.”
That was the straw that pushed him and the camel over the edge into the freefall.
He grabbed Poe by the shirt, and pulled him up. Then, he slammed him against the wall.
Poe felt that to his core as his body was rattled. Gamble was a bigger man, and even emaciated, he was strong.
“You can beat on me all you want,” Poe said. “It won’t change it. She made the choice to break you, and you have to make the choice to tell her fuck off, and walk away. You have to walk away from the guilt.”
He didn’t want to hear any of this.
Instead, he slammed Poe against the wall again. The rage twisted his face in anger.
Only, Poe wasn’t afraid.
“Gamble, she was never meant to be yours. A person who is meant to love you forever won’t hurt you like that. You have to say goodbye.”
A third time, he slammed him against the wall, but this time, his legs were week. He started dropping, but Poe had him. He grabbed him, and together, they slid down the wall to sit on the floor.
And the tears came.
Gamble began sobbing.
As Poe held him between his legs, the broken man curled into his body, he felt bad he had to get him to go there, but it would help eventually. It would open the door so he could choose to walk through it.
He knew it would.
“Let it out,” he said to him.
And miracle of miracles, he did.
“I hate her so much.”
This was a start.
“Then, tell her goodbye. You can do it, Gamble. Say the words out loud. Tell Storm to fuck off, and that you hate her for being a coward and not staying to fight. She was a coward and left you alone to carry this horrible, unimaginable burden.”
He cried.
He sobbed.
He wept.
But he didn’t say the words.
“Tell her she destroyed you, but you’re going to rebuild and be a new man. That you’re going to survive. That’s the ultimate ‘fuck off’ . Survival.”
Poe held him against his body, and Gamble just wept. He was holding onto his shirt with tightly clenched fists.
With gentle fingers, Poe brushed his hair from his face, and kept talking to him.
He was honest.
“She didn’t deserve you, and your child deserved a better mother. Put the anger where it needs to be. Not on you, and not on me. On her.”
That dam broke.
Gamble raged.
“Fuck you, Storm,” he whispered.
Then, he got louder.
“Fuck you!” he screamed over and over again until he was hoarse.
He raged, his body shaking. The whole time, Poe held him, and didn’t let go.
“Tell her goodbye. Trust me, Gamble. I know how to fix you, but I can’t if you don’t trust me. Tell her goodbye. Tell her it’s done. You’re done.”
Those words hit him hard.
“I can’t yet,” he whispered. “I’m not strong enough to let go. It’s all I have. I’m all alone.”
Poe’s heart broke for him.
“That’s okay. You will be able to at some point. I promise. Eventually, you’ll be able to say the words.”
They stayed there.
Poe didn’t know how long they were there, but it was when Gamble’s breathing slowed that Poe looked down at him against his chest.
He was falling asleep.
While he didn’t mind playing pillow for the man, and that was a whole other issue, he knew that the floor was not comfortable when you were all bones.
“Hey, Gamble, let’s get you into bed, Mate,” he said, helping him sit up.
Somehow, the damaged man helped Poe get himself up, and he got him into the bed. As soon as he was in bed, Gamble crawled under the blankets, not looking at him.
Poe tucked him in.
“I’ll be next door if something happens. Come get me if you need me.”
He didn’t answer or speak.
Instead, he closed his eyes, and escaped.
In that moment, Poe knew to give him space. For now, he’d done what he could, and he’d pushed as hard as possible. It was time to back off.
Gamble would come to him when he needed to.
Going into his bathroom, attached to his own bedroom, he leaned on the counter, and stared into his eyes.
And saw his brother.
Yeah, he understood loss. Poe understood how much guilt was tied to it.
He knew another thing.
He’d never take on a case like this ever again.
The cost…
It was just too high.