CHAPTER NINETEEN
“What do you have?” asked Cam, walking into the conference room. AJ and Hiro were at the front of the room, ready to show the team the details of the video.
“We’ll get to the faces in the background in a minute,” said AJ, “but Adam turned to tell Tim something. I’m not sure if he heard him, but if we slow the video down, you can see his lips moving very clearly. Get back – it’s her. Keith helped me with this just to be sure I wasn’t misreading something. He said it was very clear for him.”
“They both knew something was wrong,” said Cam. “If he was telling him to get back, it’s her, he knew who ‘her’ was.”
“You see him waving the team back. It didn’t look like it initially, but he raised his hand and waved back and forth. The minute he got out the word ‘her,’ he was shot.” AJ turned the controls to Hiro, who flipped to a different screen.
“Before he looks back, we see just pedestrians on the street, no one in particular that’s important to us. When he sees her, his head swivels quickly, and we catch three faces that are intriguing to us.” The images were slowed to a painful degree, the grainy shots difficult to see at first.
“Three? Three fucking faces that shouldn’t be there,” said CJ.
“Actually, they were supposed to be there. Those Americans working on shipping contracts? It wasn’t just any shipping contracts, and they weren’t just any Americans. They were contracts for the DOD and UN. They were negotiating shipping channels that could support secure cargo, including items from a DOD favorite.”
“Us,” said Luke.
“Us,” nodded Hiro. “The DOD has been giving some of our technology to nations that they’re supporting from a military or security standpoint. Here’s your three stooges – Fayha, Messina, and Tehren.”
“Jesus,” muttered Eric. “What the hell were they doing there?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to bet that Adam and Tim both knew something was wrong and knew that those men were there. Maybe they were planning to kidnap the Americans and force them to do something with our cargo. When they killed Adam, they probably had to run, considering the crowds that moved in.”
Luke shook his head, standing and pacing the room.
“What the fuck are Zacharov’s daughters doing with these three? Are they all working together?”
“I think we have to figure that out,” said Hex.
“I’ve got it!” said Tanner, running into the room. They all looked at him, brows raised in expectation. Hiro and AJ smiled at him, nodding.
“Got what?” asked Cam with frustration.
“Unbelievable. We got the video off his thermal camera, but his comms device was in there as well. Listen.”
There were scratchy sounds like fabric rustling, then someone whispered.
“ She’s here. I just know it.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I just have a feeling. There’s something she wants with these people, but I can’t figure out what. They’re negotiating shipping contracts, for fuck’s sake.”
“Which begs why the fuck are we here?”
“Something is definitely fucked up, Adam. I don’t like this. I don’t like fucking your wife.”
“We both know that you had to, and she’s not really my wife. This was a set-up, and you and I both know it. We have to play this game, Tim.”
The men stared at one another in shock. Both Adam and Tim knew she was doing something illegal.
“Still, she has your name. I don’t want to be the guy that’s fucking his teammate’s wife.”
“If it makes you feel better, I could date Jill.”
“Don’t be an asshole. Jill is an unfortunate casualty. She was handy, and I feel guilty for using her.”
They heard the soft gasp at the door, and everyone turned to see Jill standing with Ajei and Kate. Kate glared at her husband, Ajei giving them all the look that said they wouldn’t be living in peace any time soon.
“An unfortunate casualty,” she whispered. “I guess I always knew that. I mean, he didn’t want to get engaged. I thought it was the natural progression.”
“Jill, we have no idea what it means, honey,” said CJ, standing to go to her. She held up her hands, shaking her head.
“I’m not some frail bird. I understand how things work sometimes. I didn’t love Tim. I know that now. I shouldn’t be angry that he was using me. In truth, I’m somewhat relieved that he and Adam were trying to do something good, not something bad.”
“We’re going to figure all of this out, Jill,” said Eric.
“I know you will, but I’d like to be included. It was part of my life,” she said, staring at them. “Besides, I can help you. You forget that I have some contacts of my own at the Pentagon. I can find out who those Americans were and why Rangers guarded them.”
“Honey, we’ve tried to find that information,” said CJ. Jill pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.
“Colonel Masters, it’s Captain Jill Morgan. Yes, sir. I’m doing well, sir. Sir, I need a favor.” She walked away from the conference room and down the hallway, speaking softly.
“You guys really know how to screw shit up, don’t you? Did you not think for one moment that woman might be near?” frowned Kate.
“Honey, we didn’t know you were coming back to the offices. We’re sorry. We would have told her everything,” said Cam.
“Would you?” said Ajei. “My experience with you guys is that you don’t tell us everything. You hide shit until you can’t hide it any longer. Do not do that to this woman. She’s tough, experienced, and she knows the kind of people that you’re dealing with.”
Jill returned to the conference room, still talking to the colonel.
“I’m not sure I’m understanding you correctly.” They frowned at her as she listened carefully. “I see. Nothing. Got it. Thank you, colonel. Yes, sir, I owe you one. Yes, I think I could get you one of Mama Irene’s coconut cakes. I will.”
“Well?” asked CJ.
“The group of Americans weren’t civilians as you originally thought. They are DOD employees negotiating the trade of G.R.I.P. materials to the military of Cyprus.”
“We didn’t authorize that,” said Kate. “They were doing that illegally!”
“We’ll get to that. The colonel said he was unaware of it as well. He’s trying to get the names of the DOD group to find out who authorized their visit. The Ranger commander, William Wildman, authorized the team as security.”
“Bill Wildman?” frowned Hex.
“I think so,” nodded Jill.
“Bill Wildman has been a loose cannon in the Army for thirty years. I’m surprised he’s not dead yet. If he had anything to do with this, it’s dirty, it’s illegal, and it’s going to kill some people.”
“More people,” said Jill. “It’s going to kill more people. William Wildman died of an apparent heart attack two weeks ago. Since it was deemed natural causes, no one thought anything of it. They are going to kill more people.”
Luke shook his head.
“Not if we stop it.”