Chapter 37
Jack’s team arrived that night. Nick was pleased hearing Jack’s plan, but he was more excited to get his hands on Holly’s phone.
Jack had gone through it a little. For as paranoid as the woman was, she put everything on her phone.
Nick would just have to wait until after they finished the mission to get his hands on it though.
Andrea needed it to contact the buyer. She still looked nervous as hell, and she was sure that wasn’t going to go away. She was brave for doing this, and Jack made sure to tell her every chance he got.
After he’d called the team, they’d gone shopping. Andrea hadn’t wanted anything from her house, and Jack didn’t dare go to his in case the police were in the area. Carlos’s men hadn’t been quiet when they’d started shooting up the neighborhood.
He didn’t want to risk the police seeing them, or God forbid Maya. So they stuck with a department store. Andrea had only selected a few outfits before Jack reminded her that she had to look like her sister as well.
Andrea chose one or two outfits begrudgingly. She was a bit lost in the makeup aisle but able to grab a few things efficiently. She hadn’t let him see what she’d picked out. He didn’t know if it was supposed to be a surprise or from embarrassment.
Now she sat in jeans and a tank top—and, to his dismay, a bra. Andrea insisted it would be rude to meet his friends without one. Personally, he didn’t care what the guys thought, but whatever she was most comfortable in.
Jack busied himself in the kitchen while they waited. They had also picked up a few groceries, and he was now making nachos. Luke usually did the cooking when they were war planning, but since this was his op, he figured he’d do the cooking even if it was something simple.
Andrea sat on a stool across from his, looking jittery. She had been that way all day, and nothing he’d said or did could ease it. She jumped a foot when there was a knock on the door.
“That’s the guys,” he told her and opened the door, not even bothering to have his weapon at the ready.
“Hey,” Luke greeted him.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Please.” Luke waved him off. “We always have each other’s backs, you know that.”
“I know. It was just supposed to be my mission that became the whole team.”
“Well, are you going to let us in so we can learn more about it?” Luke asked, raising one eyebrow.
“Yeah, sorry.” Jack stepped back, and the guys filed in.
As each man came into the space, Jack watched Andrea’s eyes widen. They were an intense bunch of guys for people to meet for the first time. The other ladies in their group had had similar reactions.
They were all large, muscular, and covered in scars, and many were missing different limbs. Some an arm, others a leg. He was the only one who still had all his limbs, but he had all his scarring from the bomb.
They stood in a semi-circle around her, all smiling.
“Andrea, these are my friends and my teammates. Each of them are loyal and good guys.” Andrea didn’t acknowledge if she’d heard him or not, but he forged on. “This is Luke, he’s the leader of us misfits.”
“Andrea.” Luke nodded at her in greeting.
Andrea seemed to come out of her daze and pushed off the stool to approach him. She held out her right hand for him to shake. Luke took it.
“Next is Barry.”
“Nice to meet you.” Barry held out his good hand for Andrea to shake as well.
“Next is Greg. That’s Carson and Rob.” They both took turns shaking her hand. “And last is the newest member of us misfits, Drew.”
“Ma’am.” Drew nodded in greeting.
Out of everyone in their group, Drew probably had it the worst. He had been a POW for years, having gone through unspeakable torture.
His captors had broken his legs more than once.
They had removed a few of his fingers from his shooting hand.
Dr. Shane, who was in charge of prosthesis back home in Vegas, had constructed him new fingers.
She was a miracle worker who had fixed all of them up. They would never be back to what they were before they were injured, but they felt more whole if not improved. Dr. Shane added modifications to their prosthetics like pocket holders for knives and ammo.
“I’m sure you’re all hungry. Get something to eat; afterward, we’ll make a plan.”
The guys threw their stuff on the ground and piled into the kitchen.
They didn’t carry more than a small travel duffel each.
They all packed light. Just a few toiletries and a change of clothes.
Weapons were probably still downstairs in the car.
The building was secure, so Jack wasn’t concerned anyone would try and steal anything.
Jack wasn’t surprised all the nachos were devoured in a matter of moments.
“Alright, let’s get to planning.” They all moved into the living room.
Jack, Andrea, and Barry took a seat on the couch.
Carson and Rob took the bar stools while the rest stood.
Since it was a safehouse meant for one or two, he hadn’t needed much furniture.
“I got the blueprints of the hotel,” Barry announced, opening his laptop and showing it to everyone.
“There are three exits. The main, back, and a side emergency.” He pointed each of them out on the screen.
“The conference room is here.” He pointed toward the back of the building.
“There are two doors in and out of that room. One leads back into the main part of the hotel and the other toward rooms.”
“Can you get to any of the exits from that side exit?” Luke asked.
“There are a lot of twists and turns, but yes, you can get to the emergency exit. If we can block the emergency, we can cover the main exits and the two side entrances into the room. That leaves three to cover the conference room.”
“Any chance you were able to get a back trace through the number for who our buyer is? Make sure we’re not outnumbered.” Jack didn’t want any surprises. The seven of them could handle just about anything, but it was better to be forewarned than unprepared.
“I’ve tried, but there is no information.” Barry looked at him regretfully. “It’s a restricted number, so there is nothing to go off of. We’re going in blind.”
“No, you can’t do this then,” Andrea spoke up.
“Andrea.”
“No, you have no idea what you’re up against. How many. It could get you all killed.”
Most of the guys chuckled, which only seemed to upset Andrea. She didn’t understand this was what they did for a living. Faced overwhelming odds and came out on top. It was why they were chosen for this assignment.
“They aren’t laughing at you, sweetheart,” Jack assured while stroking her back, trying to smooth her ruffled feathers. “We plan for all kinds of contingencies. What’s the weapon situation?” he asked Luke, already knowing the man was well-prepared but wanting to reassure Andrea.
“We have enough for at least fifty men. Andrea, even if there are more, they aren’t all going to pile into the hotel at the same time. The buyer may have a few people with them as cover, but they aren’t going to bring them in by the dozens.”
“What if they’re dressed like civilians and hidden throughout the hotel?”
Jack scratched his upper lip to keep from smiling.
He looked around to see a couple of the other guys trying to hold back their laughter.
Except for Luke, he was stoic. It wasn’t because he didn’t find it amusing—he probably did—but he was in leader-mode and could understand her concerns even if she had seen too many bad spy movies.
“Barry can access the security in the hotel to view anyone coming in and out the hotel until we show up tomorrow.”
“You can?” Andrea asked, sounding stunned.
“Yeah, there isn’t much I can’t hack.” Barry waved her off. It wasn’t a boast but the truth. Jack had seen Barry do some incredible things on the computer over the years. Things he hadn’t thought were possible either.
“Alright,” Luke spoke up, taking over one again. “I want Carson and Greg covering the main exits. Barry and Rob cover the conference exits. The rest of us will set up around the room itself. Clear?” Everyone nodded. “Good. Andrea, did your sister make a reservation for the hotel to stay in?”
“Not that I saw.”
“Alright, Barry, make one in Holly’s name.”
“Holly’s?” Andrea asked confused.
“They are expecting your sister. So everything needs to be under hers unless you know of an alias she used.”
Andrea shook her head, looking sad. Jack remembered her saying she wasn’t close to her sister. He continued to rub circles around her back. She was holding up better than he’d thought given the situation.
“Alright, we’ll do weapons check and get some sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll set up at the hotel.” The guys started filing out of the loft, leaving Jack and Andrea alone.
Jack turned to face Andrea. “I’m going to help the guys; will you be okay here?”
“Yeah,” she said the word, but he had a feeling she was holding back on him.
“What’s going on in that pretty mind of yours?”
Andrea licked her lips, looking nervous. “Are you sure we can do this?”
“Absolutely. Without a doubt. This is a walk in the park for us,” he answered quickly.
“I hate to know where you go walking if this is normal.”
“I know you’re scared. It’s natural, but by this time tomorrow, it will all be over.”
“And then what? What happens to me?”
“Whatever you want. You can stay in Florida or go anywhere. If WITSEC won’t help, I will.
As you’ve seen, Barry is good on the computer.
I’m sure he could create a new identity for you.
” Really, he wanted to ask her to stay with him, but it seemed too soon for that conversation.
Maybe after they dealt with the buyer. “But let’s focus on one thing at a time. ”
“No sense worrying about things to come.” Andrea blew out a breath before announcing, “I’m just going to take a shower and go to bed.” Her eyes widened as if a thought struck her. “Where is everyone going to stay?”
“I’m with you, the guys can figure it out.”
“Jaaack,” she stressed his name. “You can’t make them sleep on the floor or cram in the bed together.”
“Sweetheart, we’re used to sleeping on cold hard ground. This is nothing new to them. Two can share my bed. One the couch and the rest the floor.”
“Do you have enough blankets for everyone?”
“They’ll be covered,” he assured her, warmed that she was so concerned about his friends’ comfort.
“Okay.”
“Get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
Andrea groaned. “The next two. Okay, now I really need that shower to help me relax.”
Jack gave her a soft, quick kiss. “If it doesn’t help, I can.”
“Jack,” she whispered as if they might be overheard, which was unlikely as everyone was already downstairs, but he didn’t miss the heat in her eyes.
“Just offering.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She gave him another kiss, and Jack watched her walk away.
As much as he would like to follow her and take care of her, he had other things to take care of.
Keeping her safe for one. Jack waited until she disappeared down the hall before he left and joined the guys downstairs.