18. Alpha #2
Seconds later, the dirt road became paved, and the driver brought them around a dark, windowless building made bright by the vehicle’s headlights. He stopped in front of an oversized hangar door.
Sin tapped his phone screen, the door began to rise, and the limo pulled forward, parking in the far-left lane.
“Full house,” Evangeline added.
“What’s going on?” Halston asked.
“This is our group’s Black Site and safe house,” Sin explained.
The driver opened the back door. One by one, they exited the vehicle, made their way toward the sliding glass door.
Sin stood in front of the scanner. The light turned yellow. Same for Evangeline. Then, Sin made a call.
“We’re here.”
Seconds later, Sydney came bounding over. Sin and Evangeline moved out of the way so she could see Gabriel and Halston. She broke into a grin, tapped her phone, and the door slid open.
In they went.
Sydney hugged Gabriel. “Monroe called me. She said things got ugly.” Breaking away, she continued.
“I’m relieved you’re okay.” A big smile for Halston.
“Hi! Welcome to Creepy Secret Zone.” She looped her arm through Halston’s.
“Let’s get you something to drink.” She greeted Sin and Evangeline. “Anyone hungry?”
No one was.
Still arm-in-arm with Halston, Sydney led them down the hallway, around a corner, and into a break room. The second Sydney released Halston, Gabriel made his move.
He sidled close, placed his hand on the small of her back. He leaned close, breathed her in, and whispered, “I missed you. Did you miss me?”
Halston’s gaze sent hit after glorious hit of endorphins streaking through him. In those few seconds, all the mayhem and the bloody business between Cosa Nostra and the Bratva faded away. The person hunting him down became a distant memory. Only the loss of Angelo remained.
And Halston. She mattered a great deal to him.
Standing tall, she pressed her mouth to his ear. “Missed you, need you.”
He had his answer.
Sydney thrust bottles of chilled water at them, waggled her eyebrows. “Conference room.”
As they followed like ducklings, Gabriel slowed Halston.
When the group vanished around the corner, he wrapped his arm around her tight, pulled her to a stop, and kissed her good.
Her growl sent a boost of adrenaline shooting through him as their embrace turned feral.
She clawed his back, nibbled his lip. He slipped his hand inside her sweater.
They were like two horny teens, and he was turning hard as steel.
She broke away, gasping for air. “Wow, you do it for me. I missed you like crazy, but I wasn’t worried.
You’re ruthless and a total boss. Being with you is like flying through the earth’s atmosphere at twenty-five thousand miles per hour.
I think I’m going to self-combust, but I keep coming back for more.
” She heaved in a huge breath, then smiled.
His heart soared. He was confident she was the one. His lifelong partner. His woman… the mother of his children.
He shot her a smile. “As long as you keep coming back for more, I got you.”
Sydney popped around the corner. “Did you two get lost?”
Halston wiped her wet lips, and Sydney smiled. “We have bedroom suites here in Creepy Secret Zone. If you need to stay, let me know.”
“Grazie, sorellina.” Thank you, baby sister.
“Do you need another minute?” Sydney asked. “I can make something up.”
“No, but thanks.” Halston cleared her throat and tugged down her sweater.
The trio made their way down the hallway and into a conference room.
One big table surrounded by twelve of the ugliest office chairs he’d ever seen.
The furniture was barebones, same as the building but, as Gabriel swept his gaze over the attendees, he felt like he’d arrived at a party, not a clandestine business meeting.
As Sin and Evangeline took their seats, Greystone, Teddy, and Caroline made their way over. Hearty handshakes and a sweet hug from Caroline.
“You okay?” Greystone asked.
“All good,” Gabriel replied.
“Welcome home.” Caroline said.
“I’m here, whatever you need,” Teddy said before leading him to a seat across from Halston. To his surprise, Z sat at the head. On either side of him—and across from each other were Kathrine Austin—Caroline and Sydney’s mom—and Stoni Alexander.
“Z, ladies,” Gabriel said.
Both Kathrine and Stoni acknowledged him with a smile.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Stoni said.
“It’s good to see you,” Gabriel replied.
Only Z remained stone faced.
Mr. Personality.
From the far end of the long table, Sin began. “We’ve got a lot to cover. Everyone knows everyone, except Halston Devereux. She’s with the Agency, but Evangeline has been her handler since she got back from Russia. Halston, welcome to ALPHA BLACK OPS. Gabriel, welcome back.”
With a smile that made Gabriel’s heart pound faster, she said, “My alias is Barbianna Bogdanova, unless I’m at the Russian Embassy. There, I’m Minka Kotov.”
After everyone offered a welcoming word, Sin continued. “These power outages aren’t a coincidence. They’re all targeted. It’s a major concern for NSA. Kathrine’s team has been investigating what’s behind them. Kathrine?”
“It’s been a challenge,” Kathrine said. “There’s been little chatter, and no one can figure out how to override the power grids in each of the cities to turn the electricity back on.”
“Stoni, why don’t you fill the group in,” Z said.
“My contacts at the Agency and the Bureau—along with a small group of rogue agents that funnel me information—have zeroed in on the Russians.”
“Is this a joke?” Gabriel asked. “You write novels. Why are you even here?”
“G, show Stoni some respect,” Greystone said.
“I am a fiction writer,” Stoni replied. “We talked about this after your surgery.”
“That was a blur,” Gabriel said.
“Where do you think I get my plots?” Stoni continued. “The reality of these situations is way more interesting than anything I could conjure up.”
“Conjure up,” Teddy blurted. “Nice wordsmithing.”
“About Stoni,” Z said with a stern glance at Gabriel. “Years ago, I looped her back in. Once upon a time, we worked together. We have the same contacts, but they’re all still talking to her.”
“Z’s burned bridges,” Kathrine explained, “but Stoni’s assets trust her.”
“It’s the perfect set up,” Z added.
“A few names keep coming up,” Stoni continued. “Dmitri Petrov, Natasha Petrova.” She glanced at Z, who nodded. “Two of my reliable, long-term informants mentioned Russian Ambassador, Yuri Bulgrov.”
“Oh, no,” Halston blurted.
“And my team has confirmed the Petrov siblings, along with Bulgrov,” Kathrine added.
“Halston has been working for the ambassador since her assignment began in Moscow,” Sin said. “Halston, why don’t you walk everyone through the documents you and Gabriel found?”
Sin got busy on his laptop. A screen behind him rolled down from the ceiling. He moved next to his wife as Sydney jumped up and dimmed the lights.
The first slide was the Russian map of the US.
“I walked in on a meeting with the ambassador Yuri Bulgrov, Natasha the embassy’s social director, and the Russian businessman Dmitri Petrov,” Halston said. “Bulgrov told me he handpicked me for an assignment that would—and I quote—shift the global balance of power.”
“That’s not good,” Kathrine said.
“The first group of cities that went dark had been marked with a star,” Sin explained.
“Portland, Wichita, Tampa, Richmond, Baltimore, San Jose, and Santa Fe. They’d circled the larger cities.
These are currently in blackout. New York City, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, and the DMV—the District, suburbs in Maryland, and all of Northern Virginia. ”
Sin tapped the laptop, and a different document projected on the drop-down screen. “Halston, bring the team up to speed on this.”
“Gabriel found this Russian document in the home of Pavel Donskoy—a member of the Russian Mafia who’s been working here,” Halston explained.
“It translates to read, ‘Twelve packages are arriving January 8th at Dulles with a 7:40 AM pickup. Two vans are needed. After the delivery gets loaded, Donskoy takes it to Ashburn.’”
“Pavel Donskoy was eliminated,” Sin said.
“This is a good time for me to jump in,” Gabriel stated.
“G, not now,” Greystone said.
A jolt of frustration pounded through him. “Yes, now.”
“It can wait,” Greystone pushed back.
“Se non stai zitto e non mi lasci parlare, ti pentirai di avermi zittito,” Gabriel said. If you don't shut the hell up and let me speak, you'll regret shutting me down.
Greystone narrowed his gaze. “Mi stai minacciando? è una stupida dimostrazione di potere?” Are you threatening me? Is this some bullshit power play?
Teddy intervened. “Dovete darci un taglio, tutti e due. Hai fatto approvare i tuoi punti di discussione, Gabriel? E Greystone, smettila di essere così dannatamente controllante,” You gotta take it down, both of you.
Did you get your talking points cleared, Gabriel?
And Greystone, don't be so damn controlling.
A growl shot out of Gabriel as his hands clenched into fists.
“This infighting isn’t helping,” Z said. “Gabriel, continue.”
“Pavel Donskoy’s brother was one of the Bratva who’d taken over my distillery plant in Milan,” Gabriel said, refusing to acknowledge his brothers.
“G, this is irrelevant,” Greystone said.
“Silence,” Gabriel seethed. “I overheard Donskoy’s brother on a call.
Since Pavel Donskoy is dead, his brother was ordered to fly here and manage the delivery.
” Gabriel eyed the team. “The man on the phone with Donskoy—the one barking orders—was Petrov. Dmitri Petrov. He’s managing the package delivery at Dulles. ”
Halston steeled her spine. “Oh. My. God.”
Then, silence.
Earth-shattering silence.
Gabriel leaned back. Message delivered and definitely received.
“Dmitri Petrov is in tight with the Ambassador,” Halston said. “He’s the one who told the ambassador the delivery date.” She shot Gabriel a little smile. “Nice. What happened to Pavel Donskoy’s brother?”