Chapter 15 #2
“You can’t go rogue.” She cocked her head to the side when he simply stared at her.
“Nick. I’ve already got enough ex-military testosterone suffocating me.
The last thing I need is the freaking CIA sending a squad here to bring you back.
Besides, we need your help, and you can’t break a bunch of security protocols for me from here. ”
“It’s about to get incredibly messy here. If I don’t break ranks, now, I won’t get another chance for maybe a week.”
Greer sighed. “You know I love the sentiment, but I’ve already got one hell of a team. So, don’t get arrested.”
Nick glanced at Chase, again, as if measuring how accurate Greer’s claim had been before pushing out a rough breath.
“Fine. But if you get yourself killed, we’re gonna have one hell of a conversation.
” He rolled his shoulders, visibly pushing down his unrest like Chase had done a thousand times.
“Now, about this bastard who’s decided you’re all his personal vengeance puppets…
Bodie filled me in on your theory about Dalton’s crew.
That maybe they’re not as dead as everyone thought. ”
Bodie stepped up. “Nick and the others have already seen this, but it’s definitely looking like that mission is at the heart of this case.”
Bodie spread out a bunch of photos, the images making Chase’s heart skip a few beats. “These are from Eli’s cruiser.”
Words and numbers scratched across the inside of the trunk, along with what looked like a note.
Greer shook her head. “No. We checked the trunk before venturing into the woods. None of this was there.”
“We figured as much. The creep gave us all the numbers, this time, in degrees and minutes. Nick confirmed the coordinates match that compound from the mission you were talking about — involving the Legion. And he said the word sacrifice that the creep scratched across Eli’s dog tags is another word from their motto — Salvation from sacrifice. ”
Chase flipped through the various images. “What about his dashcam? It was set to record when we arrived.”
“All it picked up was the two of you heading for the tree line, then you racing back after.”
“So, our guy turned it on, not Eli.” Chase held up one image. “Leaving a note’s new, but it’s hard to read it in the photo. What does it say?”
Bodie glanced at Nick on the tablet, then sighed. “We’re not exactly sure how it applies, but it says I’ll double back.”
The words hit Chase like a hammer, dropping his stomach to his knees before it reared up — nearly clawed free. How many times had he heard those three words reverberate in his head? Woken in a cold sweat, his own voice echoing in dark? And all because of that one night.
That one mission.
Greer grabbed his hand, snapped him out of his thoughts. “Chase?”
He hung his head for a moment, explosions echoing in the background. That wet rattling sound as Dalton tried to breathe. How the men had looked at him, as if they knew Chase had been lying.
He glanced over at his buddies. They knew, even if they hadn’t discussed every detail. — repeated every word. They’d all shared in the trauma. Just like with Sean and Rhett. The dark side of their brotherhood.
Chase raked his fingers through his hair. “That’s for me. It’s all been for me. The IV tubing, the staging. Killing Anna when he could have easily killed me, instead. He wants me to know that I can’t save everyone — hell, anyone — because I didn’t save him. Save them.”
Greer reached for his hand, not giving him the choice to pull away. “You can’t possibly save everyone.”
“No, but I made a choice. I picked those two hostages over my four brothers. I promised them I’d double back — help them get to the medevac chopper.
But then I took a couple hits to my vest, those missiles turned everything into white light, and Rhett pulled me out.
One of the few times he ever left the damn helicopter. ”
Zain shook his head. “You’re neglecting to mention the part where you’d already saved them. Carried Rios out from inside that building. That you pulled Dalton and Carver behind cover after they’d been hit.” He leaned in. “You didn’t abandon them. You did your job. Civilians, first. They knew that.”
“Apparently, at least one of them disagrees.” Chase eased back.
“Caleb Rios likely died before the missiles hit. Eric Dalton had a GSW to his upper shoulder — sounded as if it might have ricocheted into his lung. Royce Carver had multiple shrapnel wounds — was bleeding pretty heavily. I tried to stop it but... Only Marcus Hodges was a hundred percent before that attack.”
Greer inched closer. “I green lit the mission. If I’d done my job properly, I would have anticipated the added resistance. Had a contingency for it, and you wouldn’t have had to choose.”
“You can’t plan for everything. That’s just the reality of rescue missions. They’re dynamic. Regardless, how would Dalton’s team even know you were part of the op when you were a few thousand miles away in Langley?” Chase tapped his chest. “We didn’t.”
Greer glanced at Nick.
Chase frowned. “What’s with the look?”
Nick sighed. “You didn’t tell them.”
Greer toed at the floor. “My location didn’t seem important, especially when we’re all dancing around national security.”
Chase glanced at his buddies, again. “You were there?”
“I was at our command post about a hundred miles east.” She hitched out a hip. “Did you really think I was able to profile a foreign group, anticipate their movements and turn one of their own from some boardroom in Virginia?”
“Did Dalton’s crew know that?”
“They were the ones who intercepted the convoy, extracted my asset, then put him back in. I met with all of them on multiple occasions before that initial mission, then a few times afterward to coordinate the hostage retrieval.”
“Greer.” Nick’s voice boomed through the room.
“You’re not the only one responsible. I was the one who uncovered their group, who brought you onboard.
If we’re handing out blame, then there’s enough for all of us.
None of which matters. Our only focus is stopping whoever survived before they up their game because based on what Bodie told me, Eli was different.
No fake call to ensure you made it to the scene before he died.
No second measure. And our guy doubled back while you were in the thick of it to leave clues. ”
Nick leaned back in his chair. “I’m not a profiler, but that seems like an escalation to me.”
Greer inhaled. “Shit. Bodie, take Zain and get over to the café. I want all their video feed. And get every ATM and traffic cam surrounding the place. Nick’s right.
Chase had been coming back to my apartment for the last few days, so how the hell did the bastard know we were heading this way unless he overheard us talking?
Knew he didn’t need to make a fake call because we’d drive right past Eli’s cruiser — see the lights?
” She tapped the counter. “He must have left just before us, then watched it all play out.”
Bodie nodded. “On it.” He paused for a moment. “I left you a set of new radios at the door.”
He took off with Zain, the door slamming shut in the distance.
Nick cleared his throat. “Before I realized it wasn’t you… I had our satellite sweep the area. I’m sending you a photo. I’m not sure what’s off to the left, but it was in the vicinity.”
Chase minimized the video and opened the image, staring at the white spot poking out from a small clearing in the trees. Definitely not part of the landscape. “Is there a tower out that way?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Greer expanded the image. “It’s like he’s a magnet for trouble.”
“Who?” Chase stared at the image again. “You know what that is?”
“It’s a telecommunications array. On top of an RV.” She scoffed. “As in our neighborhood conspiracy theorist Buck Landry.”
Chase looked again. He didn’t quite see it, but he wasn’t going to question her. “Think he’s still there?”
“He’s not.” Another ping as Nick obviously sent a second image.
“I’ve had my guy following it, just in case I needed to fly out and exact some revenge.
I’ve just sent you where it was as of five this morning.
Hasn’t moved since. Your guy probably thinks he’s safe.
Not sure if he’ll have anything useful, despite being right on top of it, but it’s worth a shot.
Coordinates are with the image. I’ll get my people scouring everything they can get their hands on for evidence that Dalton or one of his guys ventured back into the country.
It’s a long shot and will likely come back way too late, but… ”
“Thanks, Nick. I owe you.” Greer closed off the connection, glancing up at Chase, her green eyes flashing in the light. Looking darker than usual. “You up for a ride? It’s time I had a chat with Bucky.”