Chapter Nineteen #2
Quaid mused a moment. “I met Mackey in Iraq a couple years before Afghanistan. He’s mellow now compared to those days. Back-to-back missions as a Tier One asset isn’t exactly a calming profession.”
“Intense. Risky. Demanding. Deadly. Does that cover it?”
“Yes.” Quaid smiled at the memories. He hadn’t recounted how he and Mackey met for years. Nobody asked anymore. Many thought they’d met in high school. But their brotherhood was built on blood, danger, and common purpose.
“Were you CIA by then?”
“Yes. Out of the Marines and operating solo. Surreal. Mosul had fallen. Operation Inherent Resolve. Nine months of brutal urban combat.”
“I vaguely remember this history.”
“Mackey was there doing weapons interdiction, terrorist tracking, and dismantling networks that were running guns, drugs, intelligence, and people. We weren’t chasing ISIS anymore.
We were chasing what was left behind: men, weapons, mayhem, and ghosts.
Caches buried in the desert. Fighters slipping across borders.
Networks don’t die just because someone declared victory. ”
She slipped her hand into his. “And where was our spy?”
“Your spy was running intelligence channels tied to those same networks and monitoring cross-border information flow between Iraq and Syria.”
“Instant friendship between you two?”
“Nope. Not even close. We weren’t in a casual, glad-to-meet-you situation. He had a job. I had another one. We didn’t trust each other.”
She shifted in his arms, studying his eyes. “What happened?”
“I had a line on a weapons pipeline running north. It was also carrying sensitive intelligence. I thought I was the only one tracking it.”
He paused, remembering. “I wasn’t. Mac had a team on it. We hit the same target within seconds of each other – with different objectives. I wanted answers and to destroy the intelligence before it got into the wrong hands. He wanted…well, everything else.” He gave a small laugh.
“You work for the same government, though, right?”
Quaid smirked. “Do you talk frequently with the DEA?”
“No. Point taken.”
“He didn’t ask who I was. Didn’t care. He wanted to know if I was in his way.”
“Short and sweet.”
“Yep. I wasn’t. But before I could utter any explanation, secondary shooters hit us hard. We stopped pretending we weren’t on the same side. He had the team. I had the intel.”
She waited, silent.
“More important, he had my back and I had his. He didn’t pull out when he could have. He covered me. I understood everything I needed to know about him at that moment.”
“That was it?”
“Hell, no. We met many more times while we were both in country. It became a running joke, two jack of all trades making friends. Who knew, right? We met again a couple years later in Afghanistan with Hunt. The QM idea was already in my head. He was the first person I asked to join me. He’s one of those people who makes sure every step gets to the objective, then he gets everyone home.
When it matters, really matters, I trust him to run the fight. ”
She stroked a finger over the back of his hand. “He coached me today.”
“Not surprised. About what?”
“Mind set. Being sure. Not second-guessing myself and dealing with the reality not the fear.”
“He’s good at cutting through the bullshit.”
She snuggled closer and yawned. “What’s our objective tonight?”
“Rest for awhile. We’ve been going non-stop all day. We’re losing our edge. Mac’s monitoring Operations. He’ll get us if he needs us. Whatever he wants and whenever Mac says go, we do.”
&&&&&&&&&&
Mackey grabbed his phone. Operations was unnaturally quiet, everyone glued with deep intensity to their monitors.
This was about Quaid, and it kept them focused.
He didn’t correct it. He had extra personnel handling their normal security business.
All was green there. Everyone else was on Operation Killer.
No imagination on the mission title, but he’d live with it.
He punched in the number for Frank Walker and waited for the man to answer in a gruff tone Mac understood. “Frank. Any update?”
“We’ve had sightings. Four to be exact. Either he’s getting less careful or he has another agenda. We did what you requested and let him be. Tell me why I was doing that.”
“We planted the trap. He’ll come here. I’m guessing tonight by my gut, but how much reconnoitering he does before executing his plan is a question. Did anyone follow him?”
“No, tried to. But he’s good at evasion. I’ll send the spotting locations.”
Mac’s phone dinged. “At least we flushed him out. One of the secondary goals of the manhunt was to make the man keep moving.”
“Do you need backup?”
“Yes, on the flank we talked about. Can you live with that?”
“Yeah, if you have enough people with the FBI, and you keep his field of fire contained to your people.” The man groaned. “I can’t believe I said that. Command is going to have a fit no matter what, but sometimes risk is the only way.”
“We have this. And Frank, we appreciate all your help. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
“No need to suck up, Mac. You’ll owe me.”
“That’s a debt I’ll pay personally.” Mac disconnected and texted Alanna’s boss.
Nick Ryker was in the day room eating and talking with Whit.
The senior agent would join him momentarily.
Hunt was already coming to Operations from Cait’s office.
Quaid and Alanna were asleep on Quaid’s office sofa, armed to the teeth.
This was a far cry from them being alone the first time Mercer went for them.
They’d already been doing the heavy lifting. He left them to rest.
He checked the sightings from Frank’s addresses with Kerry.
Still no definitive shift to QM. At this point, they were banking on Alanna’s profile and his gut.
He was not a betting man, but those were pretty long odds.
Even if everything in him said they were accurate.
But he’d become numb to risk long ago. This was nothing new.
Every variation of their scenario he’d reviewed and his gut approved.
Harrison came to his side. “Check ins from all stations will start in five. I have them running every fifteen minutes.”
“Elizabeth still in her office?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Double check. I wish she’d gone home.”
Harry frowned, exasperation in his expression. “You and me and what team of horses to drag her there? She’s cleaning her shotgun. Ranch girl knows how to kill varmints.”
Mac snorted, but got back to business. “I want positions on everybody.”
“Delaney will supervise building security through the night. No surprise bombs this time. Remy will handle oversight of all the teams.”
“Keeping attention high is going to be difficult if the timing drags waiting for Mercer.”
“No doubt.” Harrison wandered off to keep things rolling.
There was a balance between procedure and overkill, but in this case, careful was their call sign no matter how that appeared.
The guy had an ego the size of the Grand Canyon.
He was coming and everyone knew the stakes.
Still…what was it Hunt always said? Prep for the moment of clusterfuck. It always comes.
The wait was on.
&&&&&&&&&&
QM International Flash Update: 00:45:20 PST 12/28 – San Diego HQ. Active operation in progress. All non-operational personnel remain at secure alternate locations. Maintain communications and await further instructions. ?
Alanna heard the door and cracked an eye. The light left a blur in her vision.
“Get up, you two.” Mackey’s gruff voice brought her to attention. ‘Whit’s outside. We have movement down the block.”
She rolled out of Quaid’s arms to stand, letting him move. “He’s what? What the hell is he doing?” She claimed her two weapons from the coffee table. “Stubborn old man.”
“At this point, he’s springing the trap in the wrong place. We’re shifting the plan. Quaid, you, me, Hunt, and Ryker. Outside. Whit’s not going to get him contained in the building. It’s going to be the parking lot.”
Quaid swore. “We’ve already done the fucking parking lot. There’s no way to trap him there.”
“We better get ready for a fight, then.” Mackey left them.
“This is my fault. I shouldn’t…”
“Shh. We’ll after action it later. Let’s go nail this bastard. Not in my parking lot again. This time we take him.” Quaid handed her the tactical vest and helped her into it. She did the same for him.
“What time is it?”
He glanced at his watch and followed her out of the office. “One ten a.m.”
“His hunting time.”
He checked her gear and stopped to say something, but didn’t. She took his hand. “I know. Let’s go.”
Quaid opened the door for Operations and ushered them into quiet mayhem. He left her at the door and went to Mackey, listening to terse instructions she couldn’t hear.
She paused a minute, disoriented, then shook it off. She really had to address her eardrum and hearing issues when this was all over.
Everyone stuck to their jobs and were calling out updates as necessary. It was as well structured as any operation she’d seen.
Ryker came to her side. His own gear solid and in place. “Ready?”
“Yes. Let’s go. Before he kills Whit.”
“He wants you, not Whit.”
“He wants both.
“No, he wants you. I reviewed your work. Whit was the draw to get to you.”
Alanna stared at him. “How did you reach that conclusion? Why?”
“It’s the sequence, but let’s ask him.” Ryker moved off, going to Mackey.
Quaid came to her. “You, me, Mac. Ryker and Hunt as backup. Let’s go.”
“Out the front?” The main entrance now had a crude working door.
Quaid checked her vest again. “Yes. Remember how we got out of this before?”
She gripped his hands in hers. “We don’t have an expensive sports car to sacrifice this time.”
Quaid gave a short laugh at the reminder. “No, but we do have a hide in those juniper bushes. Remy built it. Protection.”