Fighting Chance (Misty Grove Book 1) (22 page)

“I’m okay! Jeez!”
 

Relief crashed through him as her beloved face appeared from the dark confines of the van. He stifled the overwhelming urge to grab her and run. As his vision adjusted, he yanked her behind him instead, keeping his gun trained on the two men groaning inside the vehicle.

“Driver is unconscious,” Lucas said beside him.

“And the man who fell off the van?”

“Alive, but definitely a broken leg and currently unarmed.” Lucas held up an M4 carbine.

A Buick sedan stopped beside Trent’s Silverado.

Millie and John alighted from the car. Reinforcements had arrived.

Fuck. Should he call this in?

He turned to Cassie who was eyeing him curiously. He touched his fingers lightly on the bruise forming on her cheek.

“Who hit you?” Trent gritted through his teeth.

“You should see the other guy.” Cassie smirked.

Trent exhaled deeply. “I can’t decide whether I’m proud of you or I want to turn you over my knee and spank you.”

She grinned up at him. “Why not both?”

God this woman drove him crazy.
 

Trent wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. “This is becoming a habit, hellcat.”

She squeezed him back.

“Locking you away in my house is looking more and more appealing,” he murmured into her ear.

Cassie laughed shortly but buried her face in his chest with a sigh.
 

“We’ve got company,” Millie said casually just as a black Suburban rolled to a stop beside them.

Trent unwound his arms from around his girl and stepped in front of her to shield her from the newcomer.
 

“You and I are going to have words, Stone,” Cassie huffed in irritation.

Outwardly, everyone was cool and collected, but a tense cloud descended on the whole tableau.

A salt-and-pepper-haired gentleman stepped down from the SUV. He surveyed the group and the side-tilted van and shook his head. He wasn’t a very tall man, but he exuded an air of authority that made people pay attention.
 

“Admiral Porter,” John said. “To what do we owe this honor?”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Well, your men fucked up.”
 

Trent glared at the man who he now knew as Admiral Benjamin Porter. He was the unnamed CIA officer, who had been on the conference bridge about the Route 11 shootout. They’d all assembled at the diner, which Millie had closed the moment Cassie was abducted. Her abductors were newly minted CIA agents sent by the admiral to “contain” his woman.
 

“I’m actually glad they did,” the admiral returned Trent’s heated stare with a solemn one. “It was a test, Sheriff. I knew in my gut Cassie has the means to defend herself, but I’m a big fan of trust but verify.”

“You could have gotten her killed.”
 

“And she could have killed my men. As it is, my men are worse off.” His gaze drifted to the corner of the room where his agents were being treated by an agency physician. “You step into her world, Sheriff, you have to accept the risks that come with it.”

“What exactly is the threat against Cassie?” Millie asked.

“I’d prefer not to repeat myself and wait for Colt and Matt,” Porter said. “They’re almost here.”

As if on cue, a rap vibrated at the diner’s entrance.

Lucas opened the door to Matt and Colt, the latter had his arm around Kate.

The blank look on Kate’s face indicated no progress on her condition.

“How is she?” John asked.

“It’s going to take a while for the effects of the serum to work themselves out from her system,” Matt explained. “But we’re assured she’ll come out of it. Where’s Cassie and what the fuck happened?”

“She’s in my office sleeping off the effects of the tranquilizer,” Millie said. The diner owner repeated what the admiral had already told the group.

“This is bullshit, Admiral,” Colt asserted while helping Kate to one of the booths before turning to the man in question. “Cassie and Lucas are under my protection. You know this. You’re the one who signed off on it. We’ve shut down Harold Baxter and Red Bridge. Why are the hits still coming? Is the person who has Piper behind all this?”

The admiral turned his gaze at Colt. “There’s been a development.”

“What development?” Trent asked before anyone could raise the same question.

“The agency had Xavier Sanchez in its sights, and it was only a matter of time before we built a case for the feds to arrest him.”

“We’ve determined he’s the man who experimented on Kate and has Piper,” Matt noted. “So what has changed? Why change your play and send men after Cassie? You know we can get in trouble with the feds without their involvement.”

“I agree. It was a gamble and I’m prepared to take the flak from it. When the Route 11 standoff exploded in our faces”—the admiral looked pointedly at Trent—“we ticked off almost every bureau in the southeastern seaboard, so we had to make our move before we spooked Sanchez.”

“Do you have him in custody?” Colt asked with interest. “Did he reveal his endgame?”

“He’s dead,” Porter replied.

A murmur rose up among the group with this revelation.
 

“What? And Piper?” Matt asked in surprise, looking briefly at Kate who continued to look on impassively.

“She wasn’t among the bodies recovered.”

“Wait a minute ... wait a minute,” Colt cut in. “You don’t think Piper killed him?”

“That crossed my mind, but it would defeat her purpose of overcoming her expiration date. There were tracks from other vehicles. It is our belief that Sanchez was about to flee the country, but we have a bigger problem. Dr. Moses Devlin has escaped federal custody.”

Trent watched with growing dread as the people around him displayed varying degrees of anger and stunned disbelief.
 

“What the fuck?” Matt burst out angrily. Lucas had turned around and punched a hole through a wall. Millie, after recovering from her shock, shot Cassie’s twin a disapproving look. Apparently Dr. Devlin was bad news to the citizens of Misty Grove.

“How the fuck did this happen?” Colt grated out.

“Who’s Dr. Devlin?” Trent asked.

“He was the lead geneticist at Chrysalis, and Sanchez a mere apprentice at that time,” Porter divulged, choosing to answer his question first. “He’s the author of the Berserker serum for the clandestine Specter Agent program. He recently developed a bioweapon, but we managed to arrest him before it was unleashed on U.S. soil.” Porter turned to Colt. “The prisoner transport van was intercepted. The feds are still investigating how its route was leaked. We’re assisting in the background of course.”

Impatience needled on Trent’s nerves. “Bottom line it, Admiral.”

Instead of getting offended, the admiral nodded. It seemed Trent was not the only one who wanted to get to the fucking point.

“The HGH-13 serum was the latest iteration of the growth hormone drug that could duplicate the strength of an ES subject without DNA editing. We’ve recovered Dr. Devlin’s private notes from the Chrysalis project. The twins Scout and Bear held the superior modified DNA among all created ES. The female counterpart has the best genetic sequence for cloning. Therefore, Cassandra Reed is the ideal source for subsequent development.”

“To what end?” Trent asked.

“Private armies, Sheriff,” Porter said. “Africa is a continent rich in natural resources and a hot bed for political strife and greed. Corporations, warlords, and even other countries are vying for their share of the pie. The agency has learned its lesson when the Specter Agent program imploded and our agents joined the mob. We cannot have our own technology turned against us again.”

“Cassie is a person,” Trent growled. “Not some damned technological pawn.”

“I agree,” Porter acknowledged. “Why do you think Colt and Matt fought to free Scout and Bear from Chrysalis? Colt lost his own brother in the process and Matt thought he had lost his twin. We freed them so they could live normal lives. So don’t tell me I only see them as pawns when I could have easily signed off to have them put down.”

Trent inhaled sharply at the admiral’s words, his fists clenched at his sides. Conflicting emotions warred inside him. On one hand, he was thankful that the admiral chose to save the twins. On the other, he was furious that putting the twins down was even an option.
 

“Do we know who’s running the show? Obviously Dr. Devlin has a financier since all his assets have been frozen,” Colt speculated.

“We have narrowed it down to a man known as the fixer. He came on the CIA’s radar a few years ago when a few villages in the Congo were systematically wiped out. He’s been expanding into the private army business. I cannot stress how problematic this could be for our boys who frequently conduct covert ops in the region.”

Everyone nodded, remembering the Mogadishu tragedy.
 

“So I’m asking you, Colt, Matt,” Porter said. “Do both of you believe Cassandra is safer here or should I take her with me.”

“The hell you’re taking her,” Trent objected harshly. “Cassie is mine to protect. She stays with me.”

“I don’t believe I asked for your opinion, Sheriff,” the admiral shot back.

“Well, I’m giving it,” Trent snapped.

“This is way above your head, son.”

“Don’t patronize me, Admiral. I’m sure you’ve checked into my background. You know who I am. You know who Colt is, and you damn well know who everyone else in this room is. If those bozos you sent after Cassie are an indication of how you’ll keep her safe, you’re out of your damned mind.”

“He’s right. I’m staying.”
 

Everyone’s eyes swung to the hallway. There stood Cassie.
 

His hellcat.

Trent headed for his woman. They were going to have to pry her away from his cold, dead fingers.
 

“How are you feeling?” he whispered as his arms closed around her.
 

“I’m okay. Looks like I slept through all the fun.”

Trent grunted.
 

“It seems a decision has been made,” Lucas spoke up for the first time. “Cassie stays.”

“I hope you realize the consequences of your choice, Cassandra,” the admiral stated. “Like I said, I’m glad my men fucked up. Otherwise, it’s off to the AGS bunker for you.”

“Artemis Guardian Services?” Trent had heard of the security company ran by the legendary Viktor Baran.

Porter nodded. “If I had sent the guardians after Cassie, the outcome wouldn’t be pretty. It would make what happened today child’s play.” He didn’t need to elaborate that someone could be dead or gravely injured.

“Well, thank God we’re on the same side,” Millie quipped.

“Indeed,” John murmured.

The admiral rose from his chair and looked at Cassie. “I trust you know what to do if your situation is irremediable.”

His woman stiffened beside him. She answered the admiral with a nod.

The admiral contemplated Cassie a few seconds longer, as if weighing other options. None of them, Trent was sure, he’d be on board with. He raised his gaze and looked at Trent. A flash of challenge gleamed in the older man’s eyes before he turned his attention to the room.
 

“I’ll keep in touch.”
 

The admiral signaled his crew to leave, then turned and walked out the door.

*****

“I don’t like the sound of the admiral’s last words to you, babe. I hope it’s not what I think they mean.”

Cassie wished the admiral hadn’t said what he did. She understood her position and duty. Right now, Trent was staring at her fiercely, his gaze boring into hers, demanding a straight answer. She wasn’t going to lie.
 

She tilted her chin up defiantly, but resignation etched her voice. “It is what it is, Trent.”

His hands, which were gripping her shoulders, convulsed as his face tightened with fury. “Over my dead fucking body, and I mean it! You think I’m going to stand by and leave you no choice but to take—what? A cyanide pill? If you get taken, I’m coming for you, tracker or not. No situation is hopeless, you hear? I don’t care if I have to follow you to the ends of the earth.
I. Will. Find. You.”

Silence in the diner, then a sigh from Millie. “So romantic.”

“But they already have Cassie’s blood, wouldn’t that already give them her DNA anyway?” John asked.

“The recombinant serum creates a new DNA strand in the host that can be used in cloning. I believe it changes with each administration of the HGH serum,” Matt answered, his jaw clenching. “I’m with Stone. I’ll be damned before I let what happened to Kate happen to you, Scout. You are not taking any cyanide pills or slitting your damn throat. If you get taken, we will get you out. Just stay alive and never stop fighting. Protocol or not, the admiral can go fuck himself. We’ve made our own rules for so long now anyway. The agency does not factor in our decisions.”

Colt rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve known the admiral a long time. His methods are unorthodox and even underhanded, but his endgame benefits everyone.” There was amusement in the ex-Navy SEAL’s eyes that irked Trent. “I believe, Sheriff, his statement was meant to manipulate you. He knows you’re ex-Delta Force. He’s familiar with soldiers of your caliber, and most of all, you’re protective of Cassie, extremely so. He’s making sure you stay that way and keep our girl safe. He wouldn’t be needing to call on the guardians to do the job.”

“Motherfucker,” he cursed softly beside her.

“And what am I? Chopped liver?” Cassie retorted. “I don’t know why, despite foiling my own abduction twice, you all think I need a bodyguard.”

“You tell them, Scout,” Lucas piped in.

She grinned at her twin.
Dear Lucas, always having my back.
 

“If I understand right, we don’t know when the serum will wear off. I prefer not to take any chances,” Trent countered curtly.

“I’m not completely helpless without mega-strength,” she shot back.

“I know you’re not, babe.” Trent gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze, his eyes softening. “But let’s be cautious, okay? Can you give me that?”