Prologue #2
The door opened and in streamed Gabe, Undertaker, Sean, and Griff.
They appeared tense. I sat straighter. Oh shit, what was up?
They said hello and thanked us for coming as they took their seats.
The silence stretched for several seconds before Sean got the ball rolling.
While all four owners had equal authority in the company, Sean tended to be their frontman.
He didn’t seem to mind. They all had a say in all decisions.
“We’re sorry we had to bring you three in here on your days off. If we could’ve avoided it, we would’ve. However, time is of the essence. We asked the three of you here since you’re the operatives closest to the focal person in this assignment.”
When he paused, Beau jumped in. “Focal person? You mean someone we captured or helped before?”
“No. Let me explain. We got a call early this morning from Special Agent in Charge Orson Cox at the DEA. He asked us to work on a case with his agents. He knew that we would take an interest in it. When he explained, we agreed immediately. However, urgency is paramount. Delays could lead to loss of lives,” Gabe continued the explanation.
“What kind of case? Where?” Ben asked before either Beau or I could.
It wasn’t unheard of for agencies like the DEA, FBI, or Homeland Security to ask the Dark Patriots for assistance.
We were very good at what we did. Sometimes, our involvement was out in the open.
Other times, it was a black op where our involvement would be denied, and we’d be left to suffer the consequences of messing up or getting caught—nothing new for many of us who served on special elite teams in the military.
Cox, as the SAC, oversaw the Field Division in our Hampton, Virginia, area. Which meant he oversaw all DEA operations in his assigned region and reported directly to DEA headquarters. My mind snapped away from those thoughts and back to the four bosses before me.
“It’s Justin. He was sent undercover on a case.
Nothing unusual for him. However, he was getting close to identifying the head of a large pipeline of drugs into the country.
His check-in was supposed to be twelve hours ago.
When he missed and didn’t make the backup one two hours later, they deployed agents to bring him in.
He wasn’t in the apartment they had set him up in, and there were signs of a fight.
His place was torn up, and there was no sign of Justin. ”
Sean had taken over again but was stopped by the swearing and angry hissing of the three of us.
Fire was in all eyes around the table. Sean, Gabe, and Griff were better at hiding it.
Undertaker, he didn’t even attempt to hide it.
You would swear, at the flames in his eyes, that you were looking straight at the fires of hell.
He was called Undertaker for a reason. It took us a couple of minutes to get ourselves back under enough control for Sean to continue, but it was Griffin who spoke.
“We get it. We feel the same. Cox knew we would want to help. They know this company’s success rates in recovery.
And no disrespect intended to the DEA, but we have more leeway in some ways than they do.
We’ve been asked to send in an operative, someone familiar with Justin and how he operates, to help track him down and extract him.
Cox thinks you guys would know how Justin would hide if he’s free.
There was no blood at the scene, which has given the DEA a slight hope that he got away and can’t risk calling in. ”
“With that said, the recourse is clear. We want one of you to go in and find Justin. All of you have worked the closest with him in the field. You know him. We want to bring our friend home,” Undertaker growled.
Instantly, Beau, Ben, and I all volunteered. When we were told they wanted only one person, despite what Ben and Beau said, I spoke over them.
“No disrespect, but I’m not sending my two friends, with wives and children, into this situation. You need to stay home. I’ll go show the DEA how to do their jobs.”
“We’re not shirking our duty because we have families,” Beau protested. Ben echoed it.
“No one is saying you are. I know you’ll gladly do it. I’m saying, let me,” I explained.
There was more back-and-forth. I thought of Danae.
I wasn’t being totally truthful with them.
Yeah, I wasn’t married, nor did I have a child yet, but I wasn’t unencumbered.
However, among the three of us, I was the one nearest to being single.
After I returned, I’d introduce everyone to Danae. Then we’d be close to even footing.
After almost twelve minutes of back-and-forth, the decision was made.
The bosses agreed with my logic. I would be sent to help Justin.
I began steeling myself to tell my woman that I had to leave for a few days, maybe a week.
She would understand, but be worried. I’d stay in touch, though.
Or that was the plan until Sean piped up again.
“There’s one other thing. We don’t know whether there’s an issue at the DEA involving leaked information.
Something in Cox’s voice and vagueness made us wonder—another reason to bring us in.
To ensure we don’t endanger anyone, especially ourselves, from this moment on, you are under strict no-contact orders.
You’ll leave from here. I know you keep a bag packed in your car.
You’ll head straight to the airport. Your packet with your orders and other pertinent information to study on the plane is here. ” Sean slid a folder over to me.
“Heath, this is no joke. You cannot speak to anyone from the moment you leave this room until one of three things happens. You find Justin and call for evac, you call to be brought in, or you’re recalled.
I have to tell you, Cox sounded pretty pessimistic, though he said he’s optimistic.
He believes Justin is dead,” Gabe warned.
My stomach dropped. That meant I wouldn’t be able to tell Danae I was leaving.
For a moment, I considered telling them about her, so they’d pass along a message, but then I decided not to.
It wasn’t how I wanted to do it, and besides, time was essential, and they’d have a million questions I didn’t have time to answer.
Besides, I’d warned her that there was always the chance I’d have to go radio silent on her due to an assignment.
If it happened, she was to wait for my call.
I’d get in touch as soon as I could. When I didn’t return, she’d know what happened.
So, although my stomach felt weird and my chest ached, I stood and wrapped up the meeting. My bag was in the trunk of my car. I’d head straight to the airport and from there, see where I went. I’d work my ass off, night and day, to get Justin home safely and myself back to my divine one, my Danae.