Chapter 8 #2
“I mean, marked by various agencies for quick termination level bad.”
“Rowan did say someone high up in the federal food chain was most likely funding these bastards.”
“She’s likely right.” Nick cursed when his right shoulder shifted. “Son of a… Try to stay out of trouble. And keep your damn phones on. I’ll be in touch.” He ended the call, his warning lingering in the stillness.
Greer shook her head. “I swear that man’s got a death wish.”
Rowan sighed. “Seems to run in your circle of friends.”
“You included.” Greer glanced at the screen. “I’m so sorry about Evan. Can’t imagine what it was like, being there. Experiencing that firsthand. If there’s anything I can do…”
Bodie stood. “We can start by finding where these assholes are hiding.”
“I might have an idea.”
Buck’s voice rose above the old-fashioned clock ticking on the wall — what Rowan assumed was some kind of throwback for Bodie. Maybe a family heirloom with the burnished edges and intricate face.
Bodie turned to Buck. “You got an idea?”
Buck shifted on his feet, looking as if he wanted to chew on his thumbnail before physically shoving his hands down by his sides. He swallowed, rolled his shoulders. “That factory. It looks familiar. Remember that smuggling case you had me work a few months back?”
“The artifacts that group was storing in those old caves, then moving by boat at night?”
Buck nodded. “There’s an old cannery south of here. Close to that water treatment plant where…”
He drifted off, but Rowan knew there was more to the story. That something pivotal had happened there based on his clenched jaw. How some of the color drained from his face. Greer’s, too.
Buck shifted on his feet. “Anyway, I remember seeing silhouettes in the windows. Hearing what might have been a generator hum. I took a cursory look, but since it wasn’t our guys, I didn’t do a full recon.
Figured it was more of those paranormal investigators cropping up all over Raven’s Cliff.
But the inside looked a lot like that factory in the video. Might be worth checking out.”
Bodie grinned. “Brother, if you say it’s worth checking, then let’s go.” He took a few steps, then stopped, glanced back at her. “Assuming you’re onboard.”
Rowan joined him. “Any lead’s better than sitting around here, waiting for Nick to call. Is he always like that?”
“Busted up? Pretty much. Or did you mean paranoid? Because there’re few people Nick trusts.”
“You all seem to have it.”
“Like I said. He’s solid.”
Rowan glanced at Greer. “Are you gonna shoot me in the ass if I suggest you hold down the fort? In case things go sideways and we need a rescue?”
Greer crossed her arms. “Are you saying that because you think this scouting mission’s going to go off the rails or because I’m pregnant?”
“Honestly? Both. But mostly because I know Beckett’s crew would come running if you asked.”
“They’d do that if any of you asked, but you’ve got a point. Someone should man the radios, just in case. Though, Bodie’s the one who’s still limping.”
Rowan looked up at Bodie. “True, but he’d break ranks and follow, regardless, so I might as well just have him tag along.”
Greer smiled. “Sounds like you’ve got him figured out already. Fine, I’ll have Chase and the others on standby. Just don’t make me regret not coming along.”
“Scout’s honor.” Rowan patted down her jacket, checking for extra mags and her knife. “We’ll take the Tahoe, seeing as it’s already banged up. Unless I’m missing something.”
“Oh, you’re missing something. Or more precisely, someone.”
Rowan snapped her gaze to the doorway. Eric Dalton stood in the threshold, hands shoved in his pockets, shadows lining his eyes. He swept his gaze across each of them, settling on Bodie.
Bodie grinned. “I thought you’d moved into Wade’s hospital ward. Started paying rent.”
Dalton flipped the man off. “I just wanted to make sure he was conscious.” Dalton shook his head.
“The ornery bastard woke up cussing a couple hours ago. Might be worse than Chase as a patient and that’s saying something.
But the night deputy arrived, and I had this feeling you jackasses were heading into trouble, so… ”
Bodie eyed him. “Is that your way of saying you want to tag along? Without even knowing what the mission is?”
“If it involves those sons of bitches who hurt my friends, then I’m in. Period. Don’t much care what or where.”
“Then, gear up. We could use an overwatch.” Bodie turned and focused on Buck. “Buck? You okay riding with us or do you need to drive my truck?”
Buck swallowed, paled a bit, then drew himself up. “It’s not that I don’t trust…”
Bodie waved it off, tossed Buck his keys. “No explanation needed. Might be good having options.”
Dalton clapped Buck on the shoulder. “I’ll ride with you. Leave the love birds to themselves.”
Bodie rolled his eyes. “You’re an ass.”
“But I’m not wrong.”
Buck stopped at the door after Dalton stepped out. “I’ll take point, if it’s okay. There’s a back road out there. Might be better to stay off the main routes, especially if they’re looking for your ride.”
Rowan waved at the exit. “Try not to lose me.”
“From what Bodie’s said, that’d be a pretty tall order.”
Buck walked out the door, joined Dalton in Bodie’s truck, waiting while she and Bodie slid into her Chevy. Buck checked his mirror, made a few hand signals, then drove off, bumping along the driveway and onto the main road.
Rowan followed, looking over at Bodie. “How’s the leg?”
Bodie chuckled. “Better than yesterday.”
“Considering how much pain you were obviously in, that isn’t reassuring. You could stay in the truck — join Dalton on overwatch while I recon with Buck.”
Bodie leveled his gaze at her. “Not likely. Don’t get me wrong.
Buck’s solid. Would die to keep you breathing despite him needing to drive himself.
” Bodie sighed. “It’s not really my story to tell, but he’d be okay with me filling in the broad strokes.
He was in a car bombing overseas while on deployment.
Lost a few years from the trauma. But ever since an incident a year ago, he’s worked his ass off to get past the residual effects.
Reclaim his life. But being in a vehicle’s tough for him. Especially when he’s not in control.”
“I can only imagine.”
“Regardless, he’s good. And I’m coming.”
“Understood.” She turned left at some obscure gravel road, Buck’s taillights shining ahead. “What about this facility? You think it could be the same one?”
“Buck’s the best damn tracker I’ve ever met. If he saw this place while on a hunt, the intel’s good. Just don’t ask him about aliens or anything supernatural. That’s one rabbit hole you’ll never climb out of.”
She smiled, trailing Buck as the man took a series of two tracks and logging roads, finally stopping at the top of a hill.
He killed the lights, parked off to one side, leaving her enough room to pull in beside him.
They rounded the SUV, snagged her vest out of the hatchback, then met Buck and Dalton at the back of Bodie’s Tacoma.
Buck grabbed a few canisters out of a container in the back, clipped them to his vest — next to a camera he’d obviously strapped on during the ride. “Can’t be too prepared after our last encounter.”
Dalton pointed to a slight rise about a hundred meters south. “I’ll bed down on that rise. It should give me a clear sightline to the majority of the facility. Though, anything below ground’s outside my reach, so watch your damn six.”
Dalton took off, disappeared into the foggy shadows.
Rowan nudged Bodie. “Will he still be able to cover us in all this fog?”
Bodie merely nodded. “He’s got a thermal scope, along with some other surprises on his rifle. He’s good.”
“Then, let’s get this party started.” Rowan motioned to Buck’s camera.
“Let’s try to do this by-the-books. Keep it strictly recon unless we’re provoked.
Buck, I’d appreciate it if you’d photograph anything that looks out-of-place.
Hell, capture everything. Otherwise, we keep to the shadows, and for god’s sake, don’t die. ”