Chapter 8 Keeping Sydney Safe
KEEPING SYDNEY SAFE
TEDDY
Teddy had no idea what kind of work Sydney did, but he did know her life was in jeopardy. No way in hell would he just drop her off and hope for the best. For now, she could hide out at the Black Site, sort things out, and gain perspective.
Plus, he liked having the strong-willed beauty by his side.
She’d cleared Naomi’s home like a boss, managed through her emotions like one too.
His gut told him she worked for a three-letter agency.
Could be FBI undercover. Maybe CIA. Whatever the case, she wasn’t safe on her own, even if she was a badass.
He pulled off Route 7 in Tysons and drove into a shopping center. “I’m watching to see if we’re being tailed.”
She turned around, trained her gaze out the back window. “Who am I looking for?”
“I can’t tell you,” he replied.
“That’s helpful,” she said, her sarcasm front and center.
“Now you know how I feel.”
She pasted on a smarmy smile. “Thanks for this. Seriously. I’m barely holding it together.”
He rubbed her thigh. “You’re doing great. If you change your mind and want to talk, I’m here.”
“Thank you. Seriously, I appreciate that.” She leaned over, kissed his cheek.
He regarded her. She looked okay—no, check that—she looked phenomenal.
But the scars he carried weren’t all physical.
The emotional and mental ones were just as slow to heal.
Maybe for her too. He didn’t know. He hoped, over time, he would.
For now, he needed to get her off the street and into their safe house.
One step at a time.
After she confirmed they weren’t being tailed, he pulled into traffic. Several more turns and he drove into the upscale Great Falls neighborhood. Once again, he pulled over.
She turned around, her focus on the quiet street. When he turned onto the road with the No Trespassing sign, she said, “We’re going to Creepy Secret Zone.”
Teddy shifted toward her. “How do you know about this?”
“Caroline and I tell each other too much.” She shrugged. “It’s always been that way.”
“Is she gonna know about us?”
Her gaze softened. “What about us?”
“For starters, we’re in the same clothes as yesterday.”
Sydney glanced at his dress shirt, then down at herself. “Oh, crap, I can’t go in there dressed like this. Are there other people in there?”
“Maybe, but that costume demands respect.”
She chuffed out a laugh. “I’ll keep your suit jacket on, if that’s okay.”
“Absolutely.”
As the wooded area cleared and the well-worn dirt road became paved, she murmured, “Well, damn, there it is. Creepy Secret Zone.”
He couldn’t help but crack a smile. “You can’t tell your boss—”
“No worries. I won’t tell anyone.”
Teddy drove around back of the windowless building and stopped in front of what appeared to be a gigantic garage door.
After pressing a button on the rearview mirror, the door began to rise.
As soon as he could clear it, he drove in, parked in the second left lane of six.
A fleet of shiny black SUVs filled the large space.
He cut the engine, tapped the button on the mirror, and the door started closing.
After exiting the vehicle, he made a call. “We’re here. Who can let us in?” He listened. “Gotcha.”
Teddy stood in front of the scanner by the entry door. The light turned from red to yellow. He punched in a code and the light flashed green, the door slid open.
He gestured for her to enter, but she said, “If this place is what I think it is, someone might shoot me on sight. You go first.”
He entered, she followed. As he escorted her through the quiet hallway, she craned her neck left and right. After turning the corner, she said, “This is great.”
“You think?”
“Absolutely. It’s huge. How many people can stay here?”
As they got closer to the men’s and women’s locker rooms, the door to the women’s opened. Slash and Addison stepped into the hall.
“Hey, Tank,” Slash said before shifting her focus onto Sydney. In a flash, she pulled her firearm, pointed it at Sydney. “Oh, whoa, Tank, whatcha doing?”
“Easy, Slash,” Teddy said. “You remember Sydney, Caroline’s sister. Greystone gave her the nod to stay here for a few days.”
“Sorry.” Slash re-holstered her weapon. “Seeing Sydney out of context, I overreacted.”
Teddy raked his hand through his hair. “You did not think I was bringing a woman here to give her a tour, did you?”
“We’ve had some shit go down here, so I’m hyper-vigilant about keeping us safe,” Slash replied.
“I get that,” Sydney said. “Gotta protect the home turf. Thanks for not shooting me.”
“Sydney, I’m Addison.”
“Why are you going underground?” Slash asked.
“I work at Langley, and someone on my team got gunned down,” Sydney replied. “Tank was with me when I found her. My boss wants to ship me out of the country, but that’s not happening. Tank offered me protection ‘til I figure out next steps.”
Teddy hitched a brow. “That was easy.”
“Yeah, well, you didn’t point your metal at me,” Sydney said, her gaze locked on his.
The air became charged with electricity as they stared into each other’s eyes.
“Are you a Special Op with the Agency?” Slash asked.
Sydney tucked her hair behind her ear. “How do you know about that group?”
She didn’t answer the question.
“Greystone used to be with them, but he came over to the dark side,” Addison added.
Slash grinned. “With us.”
Again, Sydney’s gaze found Teddy’s. “So, you’re not just the GM at the family restaurant, huh?”
“No.”
“And you didn’t have lunch with Grey’s mom at the White House.”
“We did,” Teddy replied, “before we briefed the President.”
“Look at you stepping into the Oval Office,” Sydney said, her snark front and center.
Teddy chuffed out a laugh.
“I remember seeing you guys last night at Lost Souls.” Slash regarded Sydney. “Boss costume. I got clothes you can wear.”
“Tank, after Sydney changes, where can she find you?” Addison asked.
“My office.”
Sydney handed him back his suit jacket and body armor before vanishing into the locker room with Slash and Addison.
In his office, he stood in front of the walk-in-closet retina scanner.
The light flashed green, he grabbed a change of clothing, and headed to the men’s locker room.
After a quick shower, he raked his fingers through his damp hair, pulled on a black T-shirt, and khakis, and his body armor.
Over that, he tugged on a quarter-zip black sweater.
Fifteen minutes later, he went in search of Sydney.
She wasn’t in Slash’s office, wasn’t in Addison’s either. When he couldn’t find them in the break room, he pounded on the women’s locker room door.
“It’s Tank. Is Sydney with you?”
No response.
He cracked open the door. “Everyone okay in there?”
Nothing.
Back down the hall he strode in search of his guest.
Even in the light of day, the place creeped him out. No windows, two exits. The abysmal white walls and gray flooring reminded him of a prison. While he appreciated that the building offered no hint of its occupants, the place was stark and cold.
BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!
A round of gunfire crashed into his thoughts, and he took off toward the back of the building. He pushed out the exit, confirmed Rebel was running drills with his team—Sydney included.
He retrieved his rifle from his office closet. After checking the chamber for bullets, he turned his attention on his Glock. He loaded more bullets into the magazine, pulled on eye and ear protection, then headed out back.
Once outside, he made his way over to Rebel. While the team were shooting at targets pointed away from him, he wasn’t sleuthing toward a group of armed BLACK OPS practicing with live rounds.
He whistled loudly, waved his arm, and caught Rebel’s attention. Rebel tossed him a nod, raised his arm in a “stop” position, and his team placed their rifles in the “down” position.
Rebel climbed down from the short tower where he’d been standing, waived Teddy in “Wanna join us?”
Shooting was a perishable skill, so Teddy stole any chance he could to practice.
No point chasing terrorists if I don’t hit my marks.
“Hell, yeah,” Teddy replied.
“Full house,” Rebel said, and Teddy acknowledged all eight stations were filled.
Sydney stood at the farthest. “Pair me with Sydney.”
Rebel escorted him past the Ops. Teddy paused to shake hands with Hawk and Hawk’s brother Prescott. He shot Sin a salute, acknowledged Addison, her sister Brit, winked at Slash, and pulled to a stop alongside Sydney.
“Hey bossman,” Sydney said.
Teddy tossed her a nod, did a quick look-see to check her out.
Damn, she looks hot in camouflage.
“Take turns,” Rebel said. “Tank, you’re up.”
Rebel returned to his station, climbed up the short tower, and stood on the platform. He instructed them to begin, and the air was filled with the thunder of bullets exploding out of their handguns, the sound reverberating inside his chest.
With his Glock in hand, Teddy stepped up to the line, got in firing position, homed in on his target, placed his finger on the trigger, and began firing.
BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!
The bullets pierced the target’s center. When Rebel signaled for them to stop, Teddy stepped back so Sydney could have a turn.
Her smile sent a hit of energy powering through him. “Badass.”
At the firing line, she got into position, cradled the 9mm in her hands, and began firing. Like him, she pierced the center of the target, but she also pierced the groin, the stomach, and between the paper dummy’s eyes.
Sydney Austin was not playing around.
After he’d fired off several more rounds, Rebel’s calm, slow-rolling voice interrupted his concentration.