Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
Jackson pulled his SUV to the side of the road behind a large armored vehicle filled with SWAT. Aerial satellite images of the area had been combed over by the team. There was nothing between this road and the cabin. He killed the engine. The sound of crickets and forest nightlife resumed. It was four in the morning, and he should be exhausted, but adrenaline kept the tiredness away.
Daniel hopped out of the passenger side. Felicity, Grady, and Bennett poured from the back seats. Jackson popped the rear hatch so they could access the bulletproof vests and equipment that’d been loaded in preparation for the raid, but he didn’t get out of the vehicle himself. Instead, he called Piper.
She answered on the first ring. “I’m still mad I can’t be there.”
His lips curved into a smile. “It’s better you’re there to keep your family safe. Don’t tell him I said this, but Cole’s aim isn’t that great yet. He needs to spend more time in the shooting range.”
Weston’s wife, Avery, had an unexpected medical complication. She would be fine, but he had to return home to help care for her and his newborn daughter. Cole was more than capable of keeping Ava and the kids safe, but Jackson felt better knowing Piper was there too. He worried the team was walking into a trap. It was also possible this excursion, an hour away from Rock Fort, was a distraction designed to draw resources away, so Piper and her family were vulnerable to an attack.
Jackson had debated leaving her, but it was Piper who’d encouraged him to go. If Shawn’s information was correct, the threat against her could be eliminated within the hour.
“Be safe, Jackson. I love you.”
Those words never failed to make his heart skip a beat. “I love you too.”
He hung up. Guilt and indecision warred within him. Had he made a mistake leaving her behind? Jackson gave himself a mental shake. That was just irrational fear talking. Piper was at home, behind locked doors and an armed security system, with a Texas Ranger guarding her. She was safe.
He exited the vehicle. The thunderstorm had lightened to a drizzle. Grady handed him a bulletproof vest. “Piper okay?”
“She’s mad about being left behind, but otherwise, she’s fine.” Jackson slipped the vest on and secured it. “Have you spoken with Tara? ”
“She’s praying for us as we speak.” Grady slapped him on the shoulder before grabbing a rifle. Jackson followed suit, and they joined the rest of the law enforcement officers.
Derek, also dressed in tactical gear, stood at the front. “The cabin is five miles to the north. We’ll split up as per the plan, surround the cabin, and then approach by foot. Each team takes a bomb detection dog with you. The perpetrators are considered armed and dangerous. Everyone use caution. Any questions?”
No one spoke.
Derek nodded. “Be safe and godspeed.”
Nerves jumping, Jackson and the rest of his team divided up by predesignated units. Then they all loaded into the back of several armored vehicles and drove roughly four miles to the cabin. At some point, the other vehicles split off. Everyone was approaching from different angles. The bomb detection dog assigned to them, Lisa, was a beautiful German shepherd. She led the way into the forest.
Jackson’s boots sank into the muddy ground. The scent of wet leaves and pine surrounded him. He pushed aside some tree branches with the length of his rifle. The brush was thick and difficult to navigate, leaving him with a claustrophobic feeling. His heart beat increased. Adrenaline and fear narrowed his vision. It took several deep breaths to clear it.
The dog halted suddenly. Everyone froze. Wally’s history with bombs meant the area surrounding the cabin could be booby-trapped, hence the bomb detection dogs with every team. Jackson held his breath. Sweat beaded on his brow, mixing with the rain before dripping down the side of his face.
Lisa pressed forward. Her handler gave the okay signal with his hand and Jackson took more steps forward. The cabin came into view. It was in a natural valley. Firewood lined the front porch and a rustic rocking chair sat discarded on the grass. This place had once belonged to Wally and Todd’s maternal grandfather. The deed had never been updated, which explained why it hadn’t come up during a property search.
The team commander gave the hand signal showing they should spread out. Jackson moved to the left, as designated. It was slow trekking, the foliage thick and green.
A blast erupted, white-hot heat and debris flew as the house exploded. Flames sparked in the trees. The force of the bomb nearly knocked Jackson off his feet. He struggled to draw in a breath, the air tinge with ash.
Suddenly, movement snagged his attention. He caught a flash of color as a man took off running.
Wally.
Jackson hit the button on his intercom. “I’ve got Wally. He’s running northbound, headed for the road. I’m in pursuit.”
There was no response. Were the comms down? Taken offline by the explosion?
Jackson didn’t waste any time to find out. He bolted through the trees. Branches smacked his face. His breath came in bursts, the bulletproof vest and the tactical gear weighing him down. Sweat poured down his back. He tripped, nearly face-planting, but caught himself at the last moment.
Wally disappeared around a bend. Jackson kept going. He tried to keep the other man in sight without risking his own life. There was no way to know if Wally was armed. Or if he was leading him into another trap. Roots threatened to trip Jackson again and thick tree branches hindered his view.
Wally reached a dirt path and then whirled.
Jackson ducked.
A bullet winged over his head and lodged into a tree. He gritted his teeth. “Texas Ranger! You’re surrounded, Wally. Drop your weapon and put your hands on your head.”
The criminal ignored him. Wally fired a few more rounds before taking off into the woods. If he had a plan, it wasn’t obvious.
Jackson updated his status to the team in case the comms were working and then continued in pursuit. He couldn’t lose Wally. Piper’s life depended on it. Heart pounding and anxiety swirling his insides, Jackson followed Wally’s path uphill. He kept his rifle at the ready and his gaze sharp, searching for any sign of an ambush. The nighttime animals were silent. Even they knew there was a predator nearby.
A drop-off appeared out of nowhere. Jackson windmilled his arms back to prevent momentum from taking him over the edge. Air whistled across the bare skin of his neck. He had just one heartbeat to steady himself before Wally slammed into him.
They crashed to the ground. Cold mud sank into the fabric of Jackson’s clothes. By the grace of God, Wally’s gun clattered down the side of the cliff. He was no longer armed, but that didn’t stop the assault. Jackson struggled to get the upper hand, but with the tactical gear weighing him down, hand-to-hand combat was ineffective. Wally was strong and wiry and able to move much faster.
They struggled over control of the rifle. Wally’s expression was fierce and determined. Death shone in his eyes. There would be no forgiveness if he disarmed Jackson. The criminal would kill him without blinking.
Jackson elbowed Wally in the throat. The man gagged, his grip loosening on the rifle, but then he reared back and hit Jackson in the face with a heavy rock.
An explosion of light and pain blasted across his cheek, blinding him. A kick to the shin followed. Jackson grabbed Wally’s foot when he went for round two and twisted. The criminal crashed to the ground. The rock came around again. This time, it glanced off Jackson’s helmet, but the hit was delivered with enough force to rattle his teeth.
He aimed his rifle at Wally. “Don’t move, or I’ll shoot you.”
Wally froze. His breath came in pants. The rain increased in tempo, the downpour soaking both men instantly. Thunder rumbled. Jackson kept his rifle trained on the criminal. “Drop the rock and put your hands on your head.”
His words had to be shouted to be heard over the rain. Wally didn’t move. Jackson could see he was calculating his next move. For half a moment, he thought Wally was going to rush him.
Then Daniel stepped out of the woods, his own rifle trained on Wally. “Drop the rock and put your hands behind head.”
Grady followed. Surrounded and with little choice, Wally did as he was instructed. When the handcuffs were slapped on his wrists, Jackson breathed a sigh of relief. “Todd?”
“Nowhere to be found.” Daniel lowered his rifle and extended a hand. “You hurt?”
“I’ll survive.” Jackson waved off the help and rose. Muscles he hadn’t known he had were aching. Blood dripped from the wound on his cheek. He winced when Daniel shone a light on it.
“That’s gonna need stitches.”
Jackson didn’t care. What mattered was Piper’s safety. He focused on Wally. “Where’s your brother?”
“I want a lawyer.”
He growled. “I bet you do.” He started to take a step forward, but the muddy ground underneath him gave way. His stomach bottomed out.
Then he was airborne as a mud slide took him down the cliff.