19. The Unknown
Chapter 19
The Unknown
Bull
A week later…
It’s been a hell of a week, most of it filled with frustration and dead ends when it comes to finding the assassin after President Obi and/or Yakubu. Wire is digging into every known associate within Ubin’s business and his business partners.
Both Falcon and Rebel are getting tired. They’re constantly on duty, and it takes a toll. I hate to leave Maya, but I’m going to have to fly out and give them the much-needed relief they need. Falcon and I spoke yesterday, and we decided to give it another day before I make the trip.
This has been going on too long, and although another attempt hasn’t been made on either the president or his son, collectively, all of Storm feel that the assassin is regrouping, biding his time for the perfect opportunity.
I’ve also asked Wire to check into Calvin’s and Josh’s parents. Josh’s family is a typical household. The mom works in an office, dad works as a mechanic and has been there for over eighteen years. Josh has a little sister in middle school, and the family seems pretty close-knit.
Calvin’s father is a corporate accountant for an international organization and his mother is a stay-at-home mom. The only thing we found was an investigation by the IRS that was conducted in the same year that Calvin was absent from school. It could be a coincidence, or it could mean that his father is into shit he shouldn’t be. Either way, I mentioned this to Maya and told her to keep her eyes open and to talk to me if Josh approaches her again.
The only bright spot was when Gertie got her new carpet and invited us all over for tea, even Wire. She’s a very bright lady, and when the girls were out of the room, she looked each of us in the eye and said, “I know you have something to do with this. I would make a fuss, but I really like the upgrade.”
“Gertie—” Phoenix starts.
“Don’t lie to me,” she says sternly. “I’m letting you get away with this one. Be thankful and move on.”
Personally, I don’t care that she knows as long as she can be in her home, and we don’t have to worry about her tripping. I would have done it anyway, even with her kicking and screaming all the way. It’s good that Gertie’s not fighting us on it, and we decided the payback will be weekly visits with our adopted grandma. Gertie laughs and says it’s our punishment for going behind her back. I’ll take that any day.
I’m sitting in my office when I hear Wire shouting, “I got you, you fucking son of a bitch.” Then he calls out for Phoenix and me. “Yo, I got him. I’ve found the connection. We’ve got to get Falcon on the phone.”
Phoenix and I join Wire in the boardroom, where he’s staring up at the screen at a face I don’t know and one of Ubin’s sons, Oman, his oldest child who is studying in the UK and getting his master’s in business.
“Isn’t that Obi’s grandson? Why would he want his grandfather dead?” I ask.
“Not him, the other guy. Oyeiku Naribi is an older student, by five years, I might add, who befriended Oman a year ago. He’s from a neighboring country, and his father isn’t a good man. Although his father’s never been convicted, he’s been arrested for drug smuggling and gun running and has strong ties to rebel forces throughout the world. Oyeiku started at the school a year ago and doesn’t hang around anyone else except Oman. He appeared out of nowhere and has inserted himself as Oman’s best friend,” Wire explains.
“What are they after?” Phoenix asks.
“My guess is a political takeover and expanding his business,” I add. I could be wrong, but I highly doubt it. Phoenix appears to be in agreement when I see him nodding.
“That’s my guess too. We need to pick this guy up and get some answers,” Phoenix says. “Get Falcon on the line.”
I can see the relief on Falcon’s face during our video call. Rebel was on duty, but he’s going to relay the information.
“I need one of you down here. We’re trying to minimize the president’s duties, but he’s fighting us and won’t cut down on his obligations,” Falcon says.
“I’ll come,” I volunteer.
“You might be better off picking up Oyeiku. Get a flight to England, and take Wire with you. Call in a favor and have a plane standing by. Bring him and Oman back to us, and Phoenix is joining us directly.” Falcon directs.
“Won’t his father lose his mind when he finds out he’s missing? We could be setting off a war we aren’t ready for,” Wire points out.
“He may have a tracker on his phone or a microchip embedded under his skin,” Phoenix states.
“I’ve got a jammer. I’ll reroute the tracker to loop the streets of London. By the time they figure it out, we’ll be in Carinol,” Wire says.
“Bull, your job is to get this guy talking. The sooner, the better. There’s a huge festival that they’re preparing for, and I’ve got a feeling this is where they plan to make their move. No matter how many precautions we take, there are too many variables to control,” Falcon adds.
I give him a sly grin. “I’ve got my ways.”
“Keep him alive. If he’s the one and his father is behind it all, his son will be the bargaining chip, and to get his son back, his dad will have to confess,” Falcon advises.
After we let Falcon go, Wire makes the arrangements through another contact. These guys are men we’ve served with. They have their own security firm. Falcon modeled Storm Enterprises off them, and we’ve helped each other out a few times. Their pilot will fly us Wire and me into a small private airport near London, and then, after we pick up Oyeiku and Oman, will take us to Carinol. Phoenix will fly into the airport closest to Carinol, where Rebel will pick him up.
With the plans set, the only other thing to do is pack and tell Maya that I’m going to be gone for a while. The worst part is I can’t give her a time frame. It could be three days or three weeks. We leave in four hours. I’ve gotta go back to my apartment and pack a bag. I want to see Maya to explain things before I go. Wire and I agree to have him pick me up at my place in an hour.
As part of our military training, I learned how to get ready at a moment’s notice. Having been a sniper along with Wire and Falcon, I learned the art of patience and waiting for the kill shot, but also how to sense danger and react fast to stay alive. Wire’s an excellent shot, and I trust him completely to have my back when I go in and grab the target.
I’m thinking that Oyeiku isn’t going to be an easy takedown. If his father is a rebel leader, it’s been ingrained in him to expect the unexpected. I’m not sure what I’m going up against, but both Wire and I decide the best way to get both men and get out before we’re noticed is when they’re leaving the university. We’ve decided against telling Oman anything until we have him safely in custody. We can’t risk having Oman acting any differently around Oyeiku and tipping him off.
I hear honking and look out the window from my apartment building. Wire’s right on time. I toss my bag into the cab of his truck and climb in.
“Need to make a quick stop,” I say. Wire’s already turning onto the main road and toward Maya’s school.
“Yeah, I figured,” he says with a smirk. “She’s going to hate this.”
“Probably. But this is what I do, what we do. It’s who I am and what I’m good at,” I say. I wish I could stop her from worrying, but that’s not going to be possible. Kailyn goes through the same emotional upheaval when we’re called out. I’m not sure if she’s resigned to it, but she understands that Storm Enterprises is all about taking on the stuff that no one else wants to do. I’ve asked her to check in on Maya while I’m away, and Kailyn promised she would.
Wire parks in front of the school, and I get out and head straight for the office to get a pass, then walk to her classroom. I get strange looks from the students wandering the halls. I’m a man on a mission, with only a few minutes to explain that I’m going and have no clue when I’ll be back. Leaving to take care of business has never bothered me before, but I’ve never had anyone else to consider before.
I look through the glass in the door to see her at the front of the class, fully engrossed in her lesson, her hands animated as she talks. I rap on the door to get her attention. She does a double take before excusing herself and coming to me.
As she opens the door, she tells her class, “Start on chapter four. I’ll be just outside this door.” I take her hand and move away from the prying eyes of her students. She looks up at me with concern. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m going to be away for a while. I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to call you. Wire’s waiting for me outside, and we’re taking off in an hour. I don’t like leaving you, but my brothers need me.”
“Can I text you?” she asks.
“Yeah, baby. But don’t get freaked out if I don’t answer right away. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“This is bad, right?”
“No more than any other mission I’ve been on. Wire and I have a solid plan, and if all goes well, we’ll be joining the others in the next couple of days.”
“Phoenix—”
“He’s on his way to meet Rebel and Falcon. We’re all in it.”
Her arms come around my waist as she presses herself close. “Please come home to me,” she says, her voice quiet. “All of you stay safe.”
I drop my head and brush my lips across hers. “I’m coming home. I’ll call you when I can. I promise.” I untangle myself, and when I lift my head, I notice Calvin and Josh peering through the window. “We have company, babe. You’d better get back in there.” She reluctantly walks away, looking over her shoulder and giving me a small wave.
I wait for the door to close, then put on my game face and focus on what’s ahead.
* * *
Maya
After returning to my students, I managed to get through the rest of the lesson, but barely. I’m glad when the day is over because I haven’t been able to get Bull out of my mind. I don’t know where Bull is going or what kind of assignment he’s on.
On automatic, I drive home, then hurry into my apartment. In my bedroom, I open the top drawer where Bull keeps his clothes. I pull out his T-shirt and bring it up to my face, inhaling his scent. It smells like Bull, and it soothes me.
I change into his shirt and grab the blanket from the end of the bed before I walk back to the couch. I flop onto it and snuggle into the corner. I know I should carry on like it’s just any other night, but I’m not sure I can eat. My stomach is tied up in knots. I try to do some reading, but ten minutes later, I find I’m on the same page as where I started.
Life is unpredictable. I understand that logically, but I’ve never been as happy as I am when I’m with Bull. He makes me laugh; he listens to what I have to say. He never dismisses my ideas, and when I have concerns, he doesn’t brush them off.
My phone buzzes, and I quickly look at the screen, hoping to see Bull’s name, but instead find a message from Kailyn.
Kailyn: How are you doing?
Me: Hanging in there. You?
Kailyn: I miss my man, but I know he’ll be back.
Me: I’m scared.
Kailyn: The Storm men know what they’re doing. The hardest part is waiting for them to come home. Want me to come over?
Me: I’m not very good company.
Kailyn: We can commiserate together.
Not long after her call, Kailyn is at my door with ice cream and cookies. We don’t bother with bowls and eat right out of the tub with big spoons. She gets what I’m going through because she’s been through it before.
“Does it ever get better?” I ask.
“In some ways, it does. I know what those men are capable of. I also know how much time they spend keeping their bodies in shape and continually training. They never go without a partner, and Phoenix has Rebel and Falcon. Bull and Wire are together, and don’t let Wire’s nerdy computer skills fool you. He’s a kickass partner and can hold his own with any of them,” Kailyn says. It does make me feel somewhat more at ease.
“It’s the unknown that I worry about,” I return.
“Yeah,” she agrees. “But isn’t the vast part of our world unknown?” I look at her in confusion, and she explains, “It was unknown that you’d come to live in this building and meet Bull. And remember, you also applied for a job and came to a city unknown to you to have an adventure.” She gives me a smile and crosses her legs on the couch to get comfy. “I’m so glad you ventured to the unknown, or I wouldn’t have a new, great friend.”
Kailyn’s a great source of comfort. I’m feeling better about it all, but I can’t help glancing over at my phone, willing it to ring so I can hear Bull’s voice.