Wicked, page 17
“Go, go, go,” Ruckus shouted over the rotor noise.
The pilot lifted the aircraft, banking right and flying toward the mountains before banking right again.
Kat could finally relax. She was going to get some heat for all of this, but she didn’t care. She had something with which to bargain for Hollywood’s life. But it was chilling hearing that Eze had the triggers. Letting the scientist go went against everything inside her, but there was no choice. They would have to hope their plan of getting Eze to agree to a trade led them to capturing him in the end.
As the chopper touched down back at the compound and the prisoners were unloaded, Kat spied Michael walking briskly toward her. “Why wasn’t I informed?” he shouted at her. One thing Michael hated was being left out of the loop.
Wicked stepped to Kat’s shoulder, and Michael glared at her, sparing the big SEAL barely a glance.
“I made a call and kept it quiet. Probably why it went off without a hitch. We have Rafiq.”
“Kat, one of these days, your luck is going to run out. I’ll inform command.”
Michael turned on his heel and walked away. “He’s probably going to get me fired after all this is over. Going behind his back sticks in his craw, and he resents me for taking charge.”
“A station chief?” Wicked asked. “You think he’s responsible? I’ll fucking kill him.”
“I don’t know, but I’m not taking any chances. It’s the first mission we’ve been on that hasn’t been compromised.” She shrugged, wondering. It occurred to her that Michael, Wicked, and Kat were the only people living who had been involved on the op that had killed Phoenix. She had to wonder why Amanda and Jason had been murdered. Who was cleaning house and why?
She headed toward TOC wishing for food, shower, and bed. Wishing she could just snuggle up to Wicked and go to sleep. She looked over at him walking beside her looking so sexy in his battle gear, the stubble darkening his jaw, his broad shoulders swaying as his lean hips and muscular thighs ate up the real estate. Maybe sleep was overrated.
Inside the building, the three scientists were split up and each of them put into a separate interrogation room.
Kat started with the blonde woman. She looked the most terrified, and Kat remembered what Saten had said. Some of them were coerced, their families threatened. She set some water in front of the woman.
She eyed the water, but her thirst overcame her fear. “Who are you?” she said, then swallowed a sip.
“I work for the American government. We’re interested in the nuclear triggers. Do you know where they are?” Kat asked.
“It’s like Dr. Rafiq said. Mr. Eze has them. But Dr. Rafiq wrote codes for all of them. Without the codes, they are useless.”
Giddy inside with this news, Kat said, “Do you have the codes?”
She took another sip of the water, her flex tie impeding her progress. Kat pulled the knife she carried out of her boot and cut the plastic. The woman gave her a grateful look and drank deep. “Mr. Eze came into my home. He threatened my husband and my children. I had no choice in helping him. He made me abandon my job at the university. It’s been a horrible nightmare.”
“I’m sure. After this, you might want to get your family and get out of here.”
“You are going to let us go?” Her eyes sparkled with hope. She looked haggard and thin as if she’d been worked night and day with very little sleep.
“It’s a possibility, once we’ve checked your story. In the future, you might remember me, and if I need a favor…”
The woman sighed. “If I can see my family again, it will be worth owing you.”
Kat moved on to the second scientist, but he was tight-lipped. Until she got more information about him, she would have to tackle Rafiq head on. She entered the room and sat down across from him. Rafiq stared at her, impassive and deceptively calm. She was sure he was shaking inside.
“Do you know where Eze’s compound is?”
He looked down and refused to talk.
She opened the folder in front of her. “Your wife is very beautiful. Young.”
Rafiq’s head jerked up, and the panic inside finally broke in his eyes. “He will kill her. He’ll kill me. I have nothing to say.” The tension around his eyes and his mouth made her believe every word of that statement.
She placed the photo in front of him. “Do you think she’s still safe now that you have been captured?”
He sat back in his chair, defeated. “I only have the codes to keep us safe. He promised me much, but will he deliver?” The man shrugged.
“He has one of our men. I’m going to trade you for him. Unless you know where his compound is and are willing to cooperate.”
“I don’t know where it is. He met me at the prison. I can’t help you.”
Kat closed the folder and rose. “All right. You will soon be free.”
He frowned and shook his head. “As long as Eze is alive, I will never be free.”
Kat left the room. Now it was nothing but a waiting game. Hopefully, Eze contacted them soon before he found out they had Rafiq. Kat rather liked the element of surprise.
She went back to Saten’s small house, but when she went upstairs to release him, he had passed away during the op. Her heart heavy, she released him from his bonds gently. She contacted the authorities with an anonymous tip, then left him in peace.
Back at the compound, she keyed her comm. “Ruckus?”
“Go,” his voice flooded her earpiece.
“I’d like a SEAL guard on the prisoners. I just don’t trust anyone in this compound, and we can’t lose Rafiq.”
“Copy that. Blue and Tank, take the first watch, bring Bronte with you.”
“You got it, LT,” Tank said. Blue checked in as well with his affirmative. She felt marginally better.
She made her way to the Mess Hall, and when she entered, she saw Blue and Tank setting their trays in the bin. They smiled at her as they passed. “Thanks,” she said.
Then she spotted Wicked eating with Cowboy, Dozer, Dragon, Scarecrow, and Ruckus. She went to the line and got herself some food. Making her way over to their table, she sat down.
“Did you get anything out of our friends?” Ruckus asked.
“Yes. The woman is a university professor and she was conscripted into service. Eze threatened her family. The man won’t talk. My analysts are building profiles for both of them. Rafiq has the codes for the triggers in his head.”
Ruckus grinned wide. “That’s good news for Hollywood.”
His cheer was contagious as she smiled, too. “We’ll have to be careful with an exchange. Eze wants Hollywood dead. He means business as evidenced by that bounty. I think he’ll try to kill him during the tradeoff. We just have to be prepared.”
“I’m prepared. I have one of the best snipers in the navy.”
Dragon tilted his head and gave Ruckus a dubious look. “Say what?”
Ruckus chuckled. “You’re good, but I will definitely hurt Kid’s feelings if I say you’re the best. The boy wonder has more kills than you, I believe,” Ruckus said.
Cowboy laughed and said, “Son, you better take that and run with it. That’s a high compliment to be compared to our agent of chaos.”
“I’m well aware. I always jump at the chance to operate with you.”
She met Wicked’s amused gaze. It turned warm, lighting the amber deep in his eyes. He wanted to kiss her. She could tell by the way his eyes slid over her face and lingered on her lips. She wet them, and his eyes flared.
Then someone nudged him, and he looked over with a scowl. “Salt?” Scarecrow said. “You in La-la Land, man?”
“Just tired,” he said picking up the salt shaker and handing it to Scarecrow.
Crow narrowed his eyes and met hers, assessing. His brows rose, but she looked down.
Wicked cleared his throat. “I’m heading out.”
It was Kat’s cue to finish her meal. “I’ll walk you out,” she said, trying not to sound breathless. But she just wanted to corner him and kiss the hell out of him.
She and Wicked received more speculative looks. She should have realized that them getting along would be a red flag something had changed. She didn’t feel the need to fill them in, though. She liked having Wicked all to herself.
She intended to have him as much as possible.
13
Just as Wicked was dumping his tray, Michael entered the mess. He headed right toward them, and Wicked sighed. Wicked turned to look at her and said, “If I stay here, I might kick his ass. I’m not in the mood for him.”
Cursing Michael for his timing, Wicked’s body hummed from Kat’s heated look.
“He does have a punchable face.”
Wicked threw back his head and laughed. She smiled, and the tension between them was palatable. “Damn, that was good. You’re not the only person who has said that.”
“I can imagine.” The wry look on her face made him chuckle. He leaned down, loving the closeness with her. “You try to keep from punching him, okay?”
“I’ll try,” she said as he took a step back.
Michael’s sour expression made his fist clench. “Kat, I need to talk to you.” He looked at Wicked. “Privately. Agency business. You understand, Cross.”
What a pompous ass, Wicked thought, but he nodded and gave Kat an I’ll-see-you-later-look. She nodded back, the heat in her eyes banked. Walking out of the mess, he went to the barrack he shared with Cowboy and gathered up his shower stuff.
He walked to the showers and stripped down. Stepping into the spray, he closed his eyes and let the hot water pour over him. He gave over to that nagging voice inside him. The one that still wouldn’t let go of his guilt. They had talked about Phoenix, and being with Kat was everything Wicked knew it would be. He wanted her. More than he wanted his next breath. But was it right? Did he have the right?
Nothing had been resolved between his brother and Kat. She’d never told him how she really felt about Wicked. He knew if she’d been able to have that conversation with Phoenix, told him she cared more for his brother than him and broken off the engagement, it would have been very difficult to have any type of relationship with her.
With Phoenix alive, it would have been impossible for any of them to move past this. He would have lost Kat for good. His love for his brother was pitted against his love for Kat. He bowed his head and rubbed at his eyes.
He wondered at the reaction of his sister and dad. Selene had known. He didn’t know how she’d guessed, but she’d been aware of his feelings for Kat. All he’d ever gotten from her was support and love. He wondered if she was trying to compensate for Susan. Whatever her reasons, he loved her like hell for it.
His dad was a wild card, and Susan was a sure bet. She would blow everything out of proportion.
Her words had lost their power to sting a long time ago. What she’d said on the balcony was old news. But her power to hurt him in regard to Phoenix was very real. It’s where he was vulnerable, and not even his body armor could repel those emotional bullets.
She’d taught him his emotions made him weak. But Kat had taught him that they made him human. He realized that not dealing with them all these years had made him weak. A strong man didn’t shy away from anything hard, not even what was happening inside. Ignoring it broke down his foundation when what he needed was to come to terms with what affected him emotionally. Real men handled all aspects of their lives. Emotion required as much courage, maybe more, than combat.
His family wasn’t the only problem standing in the way of his need and desire to move forward with Kat in his life. He also had to tackle the problem of working together.
It was problematic not only for SEAL command, but for CIA command as well. If they made the commitment to stay in each other’s lives romantically, their professional life would have to change. He’d either have to transfer off his team—he swallowed hard, his heart clenching—or she would have to find another SEAL team to liaison.
He turned off the water and grabbed his towel, drying off. Slipping on underwear, he grabbed his camo pants and buttoned. Pulling a black T-shirt over his head, he tucked it into his pants, then donned a belt, socks, and his combat boots. Once fully dressed, he threw the damp towel over his shoulder and walked out of the showers. About halfway back to his barrack, he saw Kat and Michael in front of the main building. It looked like they were arguing.
“Hey, can anyone join this party?”
Wicked’s head whipped around to find Kid standing there. “How the hell did you get here?”
Kid smirked. “I grabbed a ride on my flying unicorn. How the hell do you think I got here?” He rolled his eyes. “It was rough over France. She loves croissants.”
Wicked took two steps and caught Kid around the neck and squeezed.
“I heard about Hollywood and I cut my leave short. Ruckus pulled some strings. There’s no way I’m not going to be here.”
“What about Paige?”
“She’s the one who insisted I come.”
“She’s a keeper,” Wicked said.
“Yeah, she is,” Kid said softly, his feelings for his wife unguarded and genuine. Damn he loved that about Kid. He’d always been able to express himself. There might be chaos there, but there was also order. Kid had learned that, and he was younger than Wicked. “Where’s Ruckus?”
Just then, Ruckus came out of the showers, and Kid smiled. Ruckus shook his head as he closed the gap between them.
“Ah, LT, perfect timing.”
“I had a feeling you’d show up.”
“Yeah, like a bad penny,” Cowboy said, with a chuckle, coming up to them. He clapped Kid on the back, squeezing his shoulder.
“I’ll fill him in,” Ruckus said. “Have you eaten?”
“When has that ever mattered?” Kid said. “I’m always hungry.”
Wicked chuckled along with Ruckus.
“Later, big man,” Kid said, and the three of them walked off toward the mess.
Wicked went back to the barracks and deposited his stuff. There was a knock, and he called out, “It’s open.”
Scarecrow stuck his head in. “You decent?”
“No but come in anyway.”
Scarecrow laughed softly. “You made a joke. Wow.”
“Hey, I’m as funny as the next guy.”
“No, you’re not. You’re grumpy and contrary and a pain in the ass.”
“Tell me what you really think about me.”
Scarecrow sat on Cowboy’s neatly made bunk and leaned back against the pillows.
“So, what’s up with you and Kat?”
Wicked looked over at Scarecrow, not fooled by the innocent expression on his face.
Wicked didn’t have subtleties. It wasn’t in his nature. He knew Crow would keep anything he said to himself.
“We made up.”
Scarecrow burst into laughter, holding his stomach. “Really, Rion. You are something.”
“What?”
“I should never expect a book from you when a teaser will do.”
“What the fuck, Arlo? What do you want me to say?”
“I want the damn details. It’s been killing all of us. I’ve known something’s been up since she walked into our ready room.”
“You sit around the knitting circle talking like a bunch of women?”
“Well, yeah. We do. We’re fucking nosy nellies.”
Wicked sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. What had he just told himself in the shower? It took more courage to share than it did to hold back. Crow was one of his favorite people, a trusted brother. His team meant more to him than any other non-family on the planet. The Brotherhood ruled. There wasn’t anything he could say that would change their minds about him.
Before he knew what he was doing, everything poured out of him in one big long stream of words. Scarecrow’s brows rose at the beginning, then he went into serious listening mode, sitting up, not saying a damn word until Wicked finally ended with, “So that’s everything except what the hell I’m going to do about moving forward with her, what will happen when I break it to my family, and what I’m going to do about leaving the team if it comes to that.”
Scarecrow just sat there, clearly dumbfounded by the way Wicked had opened up when he’d been nothing but a closemouthed, stoic son of a bitch.
“Damn,” Scarecrow said. “I had no idea you’ve been dealing with all this shit with her. Fuck. It’s a wonder you’ve kept it together. I’m seriously sorry about the loss of your brother. That must have been tough as hell, especially with what you were going through with Kat.”
There was a short silence, then Crow said, “Leaving the team isn’t an option. Take that off the table now.”
Wicked tipped his head in silent acknowledgment. His shoulders relaxed some. “I can’t just yet until I talk to Kat, for nothing except principle alone. She’s part of the equation now.”
A glint of amusement twinkled in Crow’s eyes. “Well now. If you had as much common sense as you did principle, you’d be a rich man.”
The corner of Wicked’s mouth lifted a little. “Fuck you.”
“Ah, there’s the Wicked I know and love,” Crow said. “What are you going to do, boy?”
Wicked stared at him for a moment, his throat thick, then looked down at his hands. “I don’t know,” he answered, his tone subdued.
“Well, shoot!” Scarecrow said, his face full of concern, and it warmed Wicked’s heart that his teammate, his good friend, cared that he would leave. It meant…everything.
Scarecrow leaned his forearms on his thighs. Wicked could tell by his solemn expression that he was considering his next words. “Love is like a pig in a poke. You look at her and think, she’s mighty fine. You know there’s going to be some great bacon, barbeque sauce on that pulled pork? Outstanding. And the roast? Well, you wanna slap your momma and say howdy when you taste it, but there’s some major mud rollin’ between you and that sweet little sooey. What you have to consider: is it worth gettin’ all muddy and such to catch that slippery, greased devil?”
