21. Heading Home
Chapter 21
Heading Home
Bull
T he art of interrogation isn’t unknown to the Storm team. We’re all versed in how to extract information from the enemy, thanks to special ops training and having been in situations where getting the information we needed would have meant saving or losing our men’s lives.
Personally, I like to go for the jugular and get it over with. Wire hates doing it at all, but he’s also the kind who prefers it’s done quickly. Rebel and Phoenix have no problem with physical torture, within reason, of course, especially if it means saving the lives of innocents.
But Falcon, he can do it all and he does it better than any of us. He’s all about mental breakdown and intimidation tactics. He can make people tell all without ever laying a hand on them, which I find highly impressive.
Wire already found out that Oyeiku is much older than the university student he was pretending to be. We’ve looked at the thumb drive and found lists of people invited to President Obi’s personal banquets and dinners over the last six months and found that two of the men are now dead. They were killed in what seemed like accidents at the time, but we now have confirmed that they were paid to get information to Nakai, Oyeiku’s father. Once their obligation was fulfilled, they were expendable and a threat to Nakai’s plan.
It took a while to piece together why they would ransack Ubin’s office and what they were after. Ubin keeps all his confidential documents for President Obi and his family’s investments in a special safe. It is uncrackable and can only be opened by three men. This is information Nakai wasn’t privy to prior to the break-in, and his attempt to cripple Obi financially wasn’t going to work without getting close to Ubin’s son, who they would ransom for the contents of that safe.
In retrospect, we got to Oyeiku just before Nakai kidnapped Oman. Political power is an ugly game and one that President Obi would have given up for the love of his grandson. Yakubu, however, wouldn’t give in so easily if it meant betraying his country.
“It would be like leading our people to slaughter,” he spits out when we sit him and his father down to discuss what we’ve found. Yakubu is furious, but he knows that starting a war with well-known arms dealers isn’t a fight he’ll win alone. This is a much bigger problem that needs to be discussed with the neighboring countries and their leaders. Banding together would create a much bigger force with which to combat Nakai and his men.
Falcon’s been able to extract enough information to find out where and when the next attempt on President Obi will occur, but the greater target is Yakubu. Nakai already sees that Yakubu isn’t a man who will simply lie down and die. His idea is to take aim at President Obi, and when Yakubu moves to save his father, he’ll take him out as well.
“What do we do with Oyeiku?” Wire asks.
“I’ve got a thought,” I say. All heads turn to me. “Why not put him in the same car as President Obi? He can be his human shield. The president refuses to stop this parade, so when they see that Oyeiku is in the vehicle, it will rattle them enough to abort.”
“Or they take the shot anyway, and he kills his own son without a second thought,” Rebel says.
“I don’t want him anywhere near my father,” Yakubu insists.
“We can’t trust him,” Falcon agrees. “We’re going to make a few detours to the original route. Bull will drive. I’ll be with him. Rebel will be on the left and Phoenix on the right with your men to patrol the area and look for the shooter.”
“What about me?” Wire asks.
“You’ll be scanning the crowds from above. I want a helicopter tracking our movements. Any sign of danger, you need to give us an exit,” Falcon responds.
Wire doesn’t like ugly surprises, so it’s no wonder he replies with “I want to get a bird’s-eye view of the parade route now. I wanna be prepared.” Yakubu readily agrees and makes the arrangements.
“That takes us back to the original question. What do we do with Oyeiku?” I ask.
“Prison for now. Until I can get the other leaders to see that Nakai intends to take us out one by one, that’s the safest place for him,” Yakubu replies.
“Fine, but don’t for a second think that there isn’t going to be a hit to get him back. Is your prison strong enough to hold him? Do you have enough firepower to keep Nakai from getting to his son? Guy may be an asshole, but if he loves his kid, he’s coming for him,” I tell him.
“Then let him come,” Yakubu says in frustration.
“We’re out as soon as we catch the sniper. That’s our deal,” Falcon reminds him. Yakubu nods that he understands this. It’s one thing to take on a mission to save lives, but we’re not getting in the middle of their war. Storm isn’t an army. It’s a rescue team.
* * *
For two days, Falcon, Rebel, Phoenix, Wire, and I have been through every street where the parade is supposed to take place. We positioned men at every angle for the best view, and Wire’s been around the perimeter twice to make sure we haven’t missed anything.
I’ve been able to call Maya a few times, and each time, we end our conversation with the words “I love you.” She doesn’t ask where I am or what I’m doing. She knows it’s not something I can share. I call her one more time before we’re set to get ready for what I hope is our last day here in Carinol.
“Hey, baby. How’re you doing?” I ask.
“Missing you.” She sighs, sounding sad.
“Fingers crossed, babe. I’m hoping today’s the last of it,” I tell her. I thought that would perk her up, but it doesn’t. “What’s wrong? And don’t say nothing, because I can hear it in your voice.”
“Kailyn’s quiet, which means she’s worried, and she knows more than I do. I want you and the rest of the guys home safe. Whatever’s happening, it’s all going to happen today and I’m not going to be able to rest easy until I know it’s over,” Maya says quietly.
“Maya—” I try to interrupt, but she cuts me off.
“I know this is who you are, and I accept that. I don’t want you to change. Not even a little bit,” she says. “I need to learn to deal with these tough moments. I’m just not used to it. I love you so much. Every night, I sleep in your T-shirt so I can keep you close to me. Catch those bad guys and come back to me. Promise?”
“Yeah, baby. I promise,” I murmur. “Be home soon. Love you, Maya.”
“Love you double, Conall.” She’s the only one who makes my name sound like a beautiful melody when she says it.
* * *
Kevlar vest on. Gun strap secure. Two guns on my belt, one in my ankle holster, and two knives tied to the other ankle. I climb into the driver’s seat with Falcon by my side and wait for President Obi to get in.
“You ready?” Falcon asks.
“Want this done,” I grunt.
“We all do,” he says. He adjusts his earpiece and motions for me to do the same and get connected to the rest of the team. “Eagle eye, how’s it looking?” His question is meant for Wire.
“Fucking packed street with the entire country in attendance. Nothing out of the norm,” Wire responds.
“Phoenix, you set?” Falcon inquires.
“Yep. I’ve got my men working the streets and rooftops.”
“Rebel—” Falcon calls out to Rebel, who responds immediately.
“All set. Men are all ready for whatever goes down,” Rebel says. “Fuck me, that doesn’t look right!” We can hear his feet hit the pavement. “Above the bank, flashing. Someone’s up there,” he adds as he runs.
“Phoenix!” Falcon shouts.
“On my way,” Phoenix replies, and we can hear him running to meet Rebel.
Falcon gets out of the vehicle to tell the driver of the car behind him of the change to keep President Obi hidden and that we’ll be back. He jumps back in, and Falcon and I race through the streets to get to Rebel and Phoenix, all the while having Wire transmit what’s happening from his viewpoint.
“Rebel, he sees you. He’s going to make a run for it. He’s heading back into the building. Phoenix, take the back way. Cut through the alley on your left, two blocks from where you are. Shit! Reb, he’s aiming for you from the fifth-story window. Duck! I said duck!” Wire shouts, nearly breaking my eardrums. That’s followed by machine gun fire.
“Fuck! I’m hit.” We hear Rebel groan, then it sounds like he slams against a wall and drops. I’m speeding through the streets. Wire’s telling me where to turn to avoid traffic. I pull up to the bank with a screeching halt just in time to see Phoenix at the window, taking down the shooter with a hit to the shoulder, causing him to drop his gun.
Falcon rushes to Rebel’s aid while I race up the stairs to help Phoenix. When I get to the two men, Phoenix already has him on the ground. “I got him. Go help Rebel.”
Falcon and I help Rebel into the SUV and get him back to the president’s palace, where the doctor is on standby. The Carinol army has stepped in, and several of the soldiers are carting off the shooter. Our main focus is Rebel.
The parade goes on as planned. Phoenix, Wire, and I did our part. Falcon stayed with Rebel while the doctor removed the bullet from his gut and stitched him up.
“He shouldn’t be moved for forty-eight hours,” the doctor says.
“I want to go home,” Rebel states, his teeth clenched with pain, refusing to take his pain pills until we agree to take him home.
“I’ll stay with you,” I tell him.
“We all will,” Phoenix says.
“Home,” Rebel insists, his fists clenched at his sides.
Falcon steps in. “We’re taking you home, but you stay with me until you’re healed with a nurse to take care of you.” Rebel’s about to argue when Falcon holds up his hand. “Swear to God, I’ll give you a shot of morphine and keep you here indefinitely,” he threatens.
Rebel huffs, “Fine.”
Fuck, yeah! We’re going home.