Chapter 26
“Well?” Cullen asked as he watched his father put the cell phone back in his pocket.
The four had returned to the empty office in DC to watch for Hewett. There was a surprise for Orrin that Cullen and Mia decided to keep to themselves for just a little while longer.
Orrin blew out a breath as he leaned back against the wall. “Maks wasn’t lying about Callie’s injuries. I can hear it in her voice.”
“And Wyatt?” Mia asked as she turned her gaze from the window while holding the camera.
Yuri lowered the binoculars and looked at Orrin.
“He was with the others, getting ready for the attack,” Orrin explained.
Cullen finished off his bottle of water. “Let’s get Hewett taken care of quickly. We’re needed in Texas.”
“We must not be hasty,” Yuri said.
Mia shot him a harsh look. “We’ve been watching Mitch for several days. We’re not being hasty.”
Orrin started to reply when the door opened, and Kate Donnelly walked in. Cullen watched the way his father quickly straightened from the wall.
“Kate,” Mia said as she hurried to her.
While Mia helped Kate with the bags of food, Orrin asked, “What is she doing here?”
“She wanted to help,” Cullen explained.
Yuri shook his head, a frown upon his brow. “She should have returned home.”
“Yes,” Orrin agreed. “She doesn’t belong in this war.”
“Speak for yourself,” Kate stated. Her gray eyes swung to Yuri. “Someone decided to pull me into this. So, now I’m here. Get used to it.”
Cullen quite liked Kate. He also saw the way Orrin watched her. There was something between the two of them that, if allowed to grow, could be something significant.
“Doc, you don’t want to be here,” Orrin said as he took a few steps toward her.
She shoved her shoulder-length, red hair out of her face and smiled. “It wasn’t by luck that I stumbled upon Cullen and Mia. I was meant to help you.”
“And your son?” Orrin asked.
A sad look crossed Kate’s face. “With his father.”
“I am afraid not even that will keep him safe if the Saints want him,” Yuri said.
Mia said, “None of us are safe. Not in this room, not out on the street, not in our own homes. It’s going to be people like us—those who stand up and fight—who will win.”
“I know what I’m risking,” Kate said to Orrin, their gazes locked. “Your son gave me plenty of opportunities to change my mind. Now, let me look at your wounds.”
His father followed her to a far corner where she pointed to a chair and told him to remove his shirt. Cullen watched it all with interest. Especially the way Kate kept touching Orrin.
“She cares for him,” Mia whispered as she walked up.
Cullen had to agree. “And I think Dad might feel an attraction himself.”
“It’s about time. He’s been alone for too long.”
Cullen’s gaze moved to Yuri, who also watched the couple. He made his way to the Russian. “Did you know my mother?”
“Da. I met her once. A beautiful woman,” Yuri said, turning his attention to Cullen.
Cullen crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you know of her murder?”
“Nothing more than you or your father.”
“But you have theories,” Mia said as she joined them.
Yuri shrugged one shoulder. “Perhaps.”
Cullen lifted a brow and said, “I’d like to hear them.”
“Please,” Mia added.
Yuri glanced at Orrin. “I think the Saints instigated the entire thing.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Who knows,” Yuri said. “Orrin always followed orders, but he would also do everything he could to save his men. That did not always sit well with others.”
There was a deep furrow on Mia’s brow. “So Orrin could’ve saved someone who was supposed to die?”
“It could be anything,” Cullen said.
Yuri said, “You might never know the cause.”
“Or the killer.”
A fierce look filled Mia’s black gaze. “I refuse to believe that.”
“One fight at a time,” Yuri cautioned.
Cullen looked out the window at Hewett’s office. “Or two birds with one stone.”
Mitch hung up the phone. There were times he liked that his offices weren’t at the Department of Defense because it kept him out of sight of others. Then there were times when it would be easier if he were at the DOD.
He walked out of his office to look at the people working for him. Every available piece of technology was set to looking for Orrin Loughman and Yuri Markovic, but so far, there had been nothing.
They had gotten a glimpse of Cullen Loughman before losing him again, and they had gleaned nothing on the eldest son, Wyatt. Which made everyone in the Saints organization more than uneasy.
Results were wanted immediately. What none of them realized was that the US government had trained these men to blend in, to stay hidden when needed.
No matter what that shitbag Andrew Smith said, Mitch wouldn’t stop searching until he saw Orrin’s dead body with his own eyes.
“We have all the technology in the world at our disposal, people,” he said from the doorway of his office. “And none of you can find the Loughmans?”
“Owen hasn’t left the ranch,” one of the team said.
Mitch laughed wryly. “That’s not new news since he hasn’t left in days. I need Cullen, Wyatt, and Orrin Loughman. And Yuri Markovic. We should be able to find a fucking Russian on our soil!”
His attention was diverted to the door to his left as it opened. As soon as he saw Schenck, he let his distaste show. The tall, skinny Airman was out of uniform as he saw Mitch and smiled smugly before making his way over.
“What do you want?” Mitch demanded.
Schenck tsked. “You should be nicer to me.”
“Because you’re a killer? Guess what, asshole, we all are.”
Schenck crossed his arms over his chest. “I killed a general. Can you say the same?”
For some reason, someone in the Saints higher tier had taken a liking to Schenck. For the life of him, Mitch couldn’t figure out why. Schenck was a singularly dislikable fellow, who rubbed everyone raw.
“Obviously, you came for something. Spit it out,” Mitch demanded.
“They’re sending me after Mia Carter.”
Mitch knew that the Saints taking such a drastic approach meant they were tired of not getting results from him. But he wasn’t worried. He knew exactly what type of people he searched for, and they were going to be almost impossible to find. He’d done this kind of work his entire life.
Schenck had only begun recently. The odds of him succeeding were slim. And he was going to enjoy the little shit failing.
“Good luck with that,” Mitch said.
Schenck laughed. “You don’t think I can find her. Well, let me tell you that she liked me. She went out of her way to talk to me.”
“Good for you.” God, how he hated the fucker.
“She believes I was close to General Davis,” Schenck continued. “As soon as she sees me, she’ll want to comfort me for the loss.”
It was all Mitch could do not to roll his eyes. “Are you just going to stand out in the open and wait for her to find you?”
“Of course, not. She’s not far.”
“Do you have any idea how many people are in this city alone?”
Schenck smiled as he turned his head to him. “Worried?”
“Not in the least. Even if Mia sees you, she won’t go to you.”
“I beg to differ.”
Mitch faced the arrogant jackass. “If you see her, watch your back. They’ll have figured out someone in Davis’s office betrayed him. Cullen will sooner slit your throat than take the chance that you’re a spy.”
“Guess only time will tell which of us is the winner. Oh,” Schenck said, holding up a finger. “I almost forgot. I was sent to give you the news. Jankovic has been killed.”
Mitch balled his hands into fists he was so angry. “You’re just now telling me this?”
Schenck’s smile grew. “The most interesting part is who killed him. Orrin Loughman.”
“Impossible,” he stated.
Schenck shook his head. “Smith saw it.”
The realization that Orrin had taken the key to their greatest weapon was dimmed by the fact that Orrin had found one of their secret locations.
How? The question ran through Mitch’s head with the speed of a bullet train, but there was no answer.
“They aren’t pleased.”
Schenck’s words sounded as if they came through a tunnel. Mitch’s heart thumped irregularly against his ribs. If Orrin could find a secret location, he could find him.
And if that ever happened, Mitch knew his life was over. Orrin was smart. He’d have figured out who betrayed him.
Mitch ran a hand down his face and turned away from Schenck. Orrin was in the area. Was he even now waiting for Mitch to make a mistake or show himself?
“You really should step up your game,” Scheck said before he walked away.
Mitch noticed that his team was staring at him. He motioned for them to get back to work as he walked into his office. Once seated at his desk, he looked at the phone. None of his calls or emails to Callie had been answered.
He might as well write her off. No doubt she suspected him as well. There would be no help from that corner. He’d have to kill Orrin.
And if he couldn’t do that, then he’d have to convince Orrin that he hadn’t betrayed him.
Mitch believed in everything the Saints were doing. He’d been a part of the organization since he was in college. Over the last twenty years, the Saints had more than doubled in size and now invaded every government in the world, no matter how big or small the country was.
He feared the Saints. Always had.
But he knew what Orrin Loughman could do, and he was prepared to give up a name in order to live. There was one name Orrin would be most interested in—and it would definitely work to keep Mitch alive.
If Orrin believed him. And if he got a chance to talk to Orrin. Those were the two problems Mitch could foresee.
He pulled open his bottom right drawer. He paused, looking through the open blinds to the team beyond, and took out the gun. Mitch rubbed his thumb over the metal of the weapon.
There was much he was prepared to do for his country. Even more for the Saints. But when it came to facing Orrin, Mitch knew he was outmatched.
He put the holster on and slid the gun inside. Then he grabbed his coat. Mitch didn’t say a word to his team as he walked out of the room and then left the building. He paused out on the street and looked up at the surrounding buildings.
“I’m here, Orrin,” he said. “Come and get me.”