26. Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter twenty-six
Peter
Phil, Chelsea, Quinn, and I were eating breakfast when Lukas came running into the kitchen.
“Holy fuck. The Dallas compound is under attack.”
Phil and I launched off our chairs and followed Lukas back to his office.
“Who in the hell is dumb enough to attack the Don Supreme’s compound?”
Phil asked what I was thinking.
Lukas ran his hands through his hair, gripping it tight. “Vaux.”
My mouth dropped open. “Vaux? Why?”
He shrugged. “Not a damn clue.”
Phil let out a sigh as he rested his hands on his waist. “What’s the plan for the ladies today?”
Lukas’s attention snapped to his face, and with how tightly his jaw was clenched, he was warring with something in his mind. “I want to keep them home, but when the danger is over a thousand miles away, it hardly feels justified.”
I nodded. “Especially when there isn’t anything that has come up on our radar.”
Our boss let out a deep sigh. “Yeah.”
Phil stepped forward. “I can keep closer to Quinn today if it will put you more at ease.”
Lukas nodded. “It would. Keep a close eye on Chelsea and Edith, too. I don’t foresee anything happening, but I’d rather overreact than under react.”
“We’ll roll out and run the day business as usual, unless I hear otherwise.”
Lukas nodded at Phil before he walked out and then shifted his attention to me. “I need you downstairs, watching cameras and monitoring the usual things for now. Mom said Lianne is going to call from the war room, and after I find out what they need, I may join you.”
I nodded again. “I’ll quickly finish my breakfast and then head down.”
On my way downstairs, my phone buzzed, but it wasn’t until after I grabbed my laptop and settled into the security room that I pulled it from my pocket.
There was a message waiting for me in the secret app.
Momma A:
Shield:
Momma A:
My blood ran cold in fear for a second, quickly replaced by determination.
Shield:
Momma A:
I bet he does.
Shield:
Momma A:
I immediately opened my laptop and logged into the secure backup server. After confirming everything was as it should be, I relayed that information to Lynette.
Lukas came downstairs long enough to let me know he was going to be on a video chat with the war room in Chicago until Lianne dismissed him and to come upstairs if I needed anything.
Momma E:
My eyebrows shot up.
Shield:
Momma E:
I let out a tense breath and switched to the other chat channel.
Shield:
Momma A:
It took me longer than I wanted to admit, but I eventually found an access point in the secure server that let me take a look in and around the warehouse property.
Nothing was amiss from what I could see, but then I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for.
The closest camera to the unit showed the entire door, and it was closed and locked.
I relayed the information to both women.
It was then I headed upstairs to check in with Lukas and get an update.
Lianne had sent Doc, Connor, Dante, and Avery to help out at the Dallas compound. While Doc and Connor had their hands full triaging, Dante and Avery were helping the Don Supreme rescue Wesley Backnoff and Barbara Dallas.
Lukas shook his head. “Kobe Vaux is an idiot if he thinks this is going to end well for him.”
“You know something about the rescue mission that the rest of us don’t?”
He shrugged and leaned forward on his desk. “No, just a gut feeling.”
I couldn't help but smirk and shake my head. “Your mom and sister have rubbed off on you.”
He shot me a playful glare. “Or it’s genetic.”
Lukas spent most of the day on a video call with his sister and the Chicago crew, and I split my time between his office and the security room, checking in on Hummingbird, doing miscellaneous tasks for Lukas, and of course, making sure we both ate lunch.
When I put a plate of leftover pizza in front of him for a late lunch, he smiled and shook his head. “Jess is going to love this.”
Ryan’s laugh carried through the laptop speakers. “What’s that?”
Lukas held up his plate. “Peter brought me food.”
“Someone has to take care of these kids.”
Jess’s voice caught my attention, and I walked to stand next to Lukas. “Oh?”
She waved at me and then nodded. “Yeah, I already full-named Ryan and threatened Lianne for trying to fight it.”
Lukas nodded as he took a bite of his pizza. “Peter won’t full-name me, but I know Quinn would, and I choose life and the pursuit of happiness.”
Several hours later, Lianne sat up with a start, grabbed her phone, and then let out a huge sigh as she slumped forward, holding her head up with her hands. “Thank god.”
“Talk to me, Li.”
She glanced up at the camera. “The extraction crew is back at the Dallas compound, and the mission was a success.”
Lynette reached over and rubbed her daughter’s arm. “Would you like to wait for them upstairs, my dear? I think we could all do with a change of scenery.”
Lianne nodded. “Lukas, would you like me to call you once they’re back, so you can be in on the debrief?”
“Yes, please.”
“Okay. Someone will text you and give you the heads up when we’re ready.”
Lukas let out a sigh. “You did good today, Li. I’m proud of you.”
A weary smile flickered onto her face. “Thanks.”
After the call ended, Lukas stood up, walked to the bookcase, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and poured some into two glasses, turning and handing one to me. “To living through one hell of a day.”
“To Lianne being cool under pressure.” I clinked my glass against his and took a sip while he emptied his glass.
“I’m going to call Quinn and then lie down for a bit while I can. As long as you stay in the house, I don’t quite care what you do right now. Do you want to be in on the debrief as well?”
My eyes went wide. “If I can.”
Lukas smirked. “Fair enough.” He walked out of his office, leaving me alone.
After a moment, I opened my laptop again, checking on Hummingbird. When everything was fine, I messaged Lynette.
Shield:
Momma A:
Shield:
I’d stretched out on the couch and was taking a minute to relax when my phone buzzed.
Violet:
Violet:
I chuckled as I read my sister’s message.
Peter:
Peter:
Violet:
I rolled my eyes. I’d forgotten to mail presents on time last year, but life had been completely insane here between Jeffery’s bullshit and Lianne and Ben getting married. This year, I set reminders on my calendar and was proud that I stayed on top of it.
Peter:
Violet:
Violet:
Violet:
I smirked and shook my head. My sister was as smart and perceptive as I was. The smile dropped off my face as I tried to figure out how to answer her question.
Peter:
Violet:
Peter:
Violet:
Violet:
Peter: