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Chapter 130: Carla
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Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 131: Vaughn
VAUGHN TILTED HIS head listened for movement or voices, but heard nothing. What did he think he was going to hear through a wall with the shower running?Carla was next door.This was technically her room.Her things were in all the drawers, hanging in the closet and lined up on the vanity. Her stamp was everywhere. He was beginning to see her touch where others weren't. It was in the absolute cleanliness, the smoothed comforter, the picture perfect arrangement of toiletries. Even in the shower she'd positioned her bottles of shampoo and soap so they were visually appealing.And he was supposed to sleep in here?Not fucking likely.He'd had a hard enough time ignoring her this morning while in the company of Melody. Just Carla's nearness distracted him. It was frustrating, sexually and professionally. He'd worked around women he was in an intimate relationship with before with no problem. He'd always been able to get his job done and keep it work and pleasure separate. But
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 132: Vaughn
Sunday. Safe House, Beirut, Lebanon.VAUGHN STOOD UP against the glass where he could see the entire condo without having to turn his head. The coffee teased his nose while his mind was still waking up.He'd come downstairs as the day search teams were returning. The priority was comparing notes and compiling information for what their evening focus would be when it came to going out into the city.About the only thing Vaughn could contribute was his observations on their lobby manager's presence. The man had opted to not wear a suit jacket tonight.They were going to find Jared, one way or another.Vaughn's gaze went back to the stairs.He'd noticed the light on under Ashton's door. In the half hour or so that he'd been downstairs he hadn't seen either Carla or Ashton.She hadn't been the same after her phone call. Distracted and rushed were the words he'd use to describe her then. He'd fallen asleep while she was in the shower and when he'd woken up, she'd been gone.
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 133: Vaughn
Vaughn turned and went down the stairs. He grabbed the surveillance laptop and did a quick inventory of the cameras they had covering the place."What's that all about?" Grant asked him.The others had dispersed and most were pulling on gear."They want to have dinner downstairs in a private room with Jamie or I acting as waiter. That last bit was a concession they made." And it didn't sit well with Vaughn."Should be okay. The private dining room has its own entrance from inside the building. It was part of the building specs.""You think it's okay to green light this?"Grant shrugged. "It's not like they're wanting to go somewhere flashy and make a big scene. We gotta pick our battles."Vaughn thumbed upstairs. "Is that your official ruling, because Melody wanted a security assessment.""Yeah. Let's not piss them off more than we have to. This isn't going to be an easy job.""Got it." Vaughn waved Jamie over and caught him up on what was going on.It sucked, but V
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 134: Carla, Hani
Sunday. Empty Storefront, Beirut, Lebanon.CARLA TUGGED AT the sweater and shifted in her seat. When they'd agreed to this meeting, they hadn't considered where it would take place. Now she wished she'd done more than a momentary search.Most of the buildings they past were dark. The storefronts were covered in paper. Not many pedestrians came or went. The few cars they passed were older model and beaten up. Desperation hung in the air like a rancid odor. Of course these people hated Ashton what with the way the news reported his involvement in the oil deals.The hired care eased to a stop."Is this it?" she asked."I believe so." Ashton leaned forward and began speaking with the driver in Arabic.Carla pulled the scarf up over her head. Lebanon wasn't a restrictive country when it came to how women dressed. She could wear most anything she pleased and not cause a stir. However, the man she'd spoken to sounded older. It was a guess, but she was willing to assume that who
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 135: Farez
Sunday. Toy Town, Beirut, Lebanon.FAREZ FOCUSED ON keeping his face calm. He couldn't give anything away to these people. It was the proverbial give an inch, take a mile situation. But...How had he missed this stuff?He'd been researching and looking into the potential that oil might bring to their community, but he'd missed everything else.This report on fishing, if it was true, it would destroy his cousin's fishing business. That in turn would mean local restaurants that served sea food wouldn't have anything to cook. More businesses would close up. And then there were the reports, stories from other countries who were just as hungry for an influx of cash into their economy. People just like Farez who'd seen oil as their golden ticket, only to be skipped over.Oil was an answer, but maybe it wasn't the right one.Farez laid the tablet down and folded his hands together.This was a lot to process.How did he sell the others on Ashton's plans? How did he explain i
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 136: Vaughn
Sunday. Toy Town, Beirut, Lebanon.VAUGHN GUNNED THE motorcycle and leaned forward over the handlebars. He'd never carjacked anyone before, but he'd also never been this desperate to follow an errant client.Carla had no idea what she'd gotten herself into."The phone signal is close. You're almost there," Melody said through the comms.He'd been driving around aimlessly, working toward the area where the rest of the team was focused on, without luck. Moments ago Ashton called Melody directly. It was impossible to hear what was going on, but it gave him a destination."Turn right and you're there. Looks like the second building on your right. Jamie is three minutes away. The rest of the team is ten minutes out."Vaughn swerved around a familiar black town car waiting at the curb then whipped the bike around the turn, his back wheel skidding. He vaulted off the bike and let it crash to the pavement.He had a job to do.Cold fury coursed through his veins as he drew bo
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 137: Carla
Sunday. Safe House, Beirut, Lebanon.CARLA SQUEEZED THE straps of her purse tight to keep them from shaking. The elevator was far too cramped with the three hulking men surrounding her.No one had spoken since they'd left the toy shop.Not a word.It was safe to assume everyone had heard her admit to having sex with Vaughn.She knew how that must look to them. Ashton's girlfriend and their team mate. It was awkward for her, but what about Vaughn? What would happen to him?The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.The big, silent scary dude stepped off first then waved her to follow him.Brenden. That was Vaughn had called him.There was something about Brenden's eyes, a darkness that sucked up all the light. He'd seen things, likely done things, that haunted him.The men escorted her down the hall and into the condo.Melody stood inside waiting for them."I need someone on surveillance." Melody's gaze landed on Carla. "We need to talk.""Not right now."
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 138: Carla
Carla focused on keeping her breathing slow. Everything else would fall in line. She wouldn't let them rattle her.Grant was a hostile partner. She would not yield ground to him because that would only make him devalue her input. He wasn't reasonable."I think it would be best if we sat," Melody said and braced her hands on the table."Start when how and when you made contact with the kidnapper." Grant made no move toward the table."Thank you, Melody, but I'll stand." Carla never took her eyes off Grant. "I reached out to Farez last night when you refused to listen to my evaluation of the situation. Your brute force approach didn't work. It was time to try something else.""And you thought-what? You could do this job better than us?"Carla made herself take a deep breath. Grant was hostile. Thanks to Vaughn, she understood the tension. Grant wanted to do their job to the best of his ability, and he saw her as thwarting that. No one wanted to see anyone kidnapped out from u
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Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 258: Epilogue.
Three Months Later. Aegis Group Offices, Seattle, Washington.MELODY PLACED HER SERVICE weapon in the case and clicked the lid shut. This was the real moment for her when she got to switch off from a job. Used to it was when they turned a newly rescued asset over to whoever had paid to have them rescued, be that family, coworkers or other loved ones. However, after Ibiza everything had changed.She smiled at the newly hired munitions clerk and slid the case over. Unlike the guys she didn't feel the need to keep her weapons at home."I'm done with this. Thanks," she said."There's the sharp shooter," Vaughn said coming into the small room, Nolan and Riley bringing up the rear.Melody flushed and inwardly preened. That had been a rather exceptional shot there at the end."It was just a shot." She rolled her eyes and leaned an elbow on the counter as the guys all requested their own secure cases. "What are you three doing?""Carla's birthday," Vaughn said as if that expla
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 257: Melody, Grant
Tuesday. Forgery Front, Chicago, Illinois.MELODY WANTED NOTHING MORE than to let Grant take over. He was good at that. It was kind of his thing. But she knew he wasn't on Ethan's side. No one was. They didn't understand him. Not that she did either, but after spending a few days around him she had some insight to the man, he'd become.But first...She took Grant's face in her hands and pulled him down for a quick, hard kiss."I missed you," she whispered."You're safe." He squeezed her.She nodded then let go of him and turned her attention on Ethan.The man had taken two central mass bullets. He needed a damn doctor.She grabbed Grant's hand. No matter what came next, she wanted him by her side. She marched across the small space to where Ethan leaned on the only still-standing desk. Nolan had his gun trained on Ethan while a man she didn't recognize spoke to him."Who are you?" She stepped between Ethan and the newcomer. "Why aren't you getting him a doctor?"
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 256: Melody, Grant
Tuesday. Forgery Front, Chicago, Illinois.MELODY STOOD FROZEN TO the spot, the visual of the crackling electricity up lighting the faces of Ethan and Liman burned into her mind. It was like something out of an action movie.Ethan hauled back and rammed the bathroom door with his shoulder. He roared his rage.Liman was trapped. There was no way out of that bathroom. Eventually Ethan would get in or Liman would have to come out. Either way, it was going to be an explosive conflict.This was her chance to get out of here. The back door was unlocked. She could slip out and be gone. Call the cops, Grant, anyone more capable to deal with this. And yet she remained rooted to the spot, unable and maybe a little unwilling to move.They'd already left Ethan once and look where that got him.Ethan planted his back against the wall and kicked. She heard the pop of hinges. Another kick and the door clattered to the floor. Her stomach clenched. Ethan shoved off the wall, only to be h
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 255: Grant, Liman
Tuesday. Aegis Group Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois.GRANT PUSHED UP OFF the cot. Some thoughtful person had brought four of them into the ops room at some point. He'd actually managed half an hour of sleep. It was better than he'd gotten trying to crash back in his room. Something about being near the constant buzz of activity helped ease his mind.He stretched, paying attention to the twinges of muscle protesting. The soreness was worse now post-crash.How was Melody feeling? Did she have any injuries?Watching the video, the ambulance had more or less driven off the road and tipped over. With any luck she wasn't badly injured.Grant gave Marco and Luke a wide berth. Both men had chewed his ass out for potentially risking Hannah and running into a situation by himself. Grant wasn't keen on rehashing that. Instead headed for the computer in the corner where Ghost had set himself up. Most people avoided him, which was fine for Grant. He didn't have to like the guy to use
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 254: Liman, Melody
Tuesday. Hotel, Chicago, Illinois.LIMAN LAID OUT EVERYTHING he'd spent the last thirty-six hours gathering. When he'd left their safe house he'd wanted to take supplies with him, but didn't dare beyond some cash. All he'd had was what he was wearing, some jewelry and a couple things he knew he could hawk at the pawn shop around the corner.It had taken some work hustling the goods he had, turning them into more profitable items, but he had a couple thousand in US dollars, three new to him guns and a small collection of ammunition, and if all went as planned, in another day he'd have a passport that would grant him an escape from this dammed country.He knew he couldn't go home. That bridge was burned. As soon as his government learned about the utter disaster, they'd want to bring him in for questioning. It wouldn't end in a simple debrief. There were no answers he could give his superiors that they'd accept. The only true end would be Liman's death.He had no intention of
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 253: Melody, Grant
Tuesday. Unknown.MELODY'S TOES HURT.That was her first coherent thought as her mind rose from the groggy sleep of the dead. She remained exactly where she was, as if even her subconscious was aware that there was a predator nearby.The handcuff secured to her left wrist bit into her skin and her fingers were numb, no doubt from the way she'd been laying.She strained to listen harder. There was no sound of traffic or horns. She couldn't even hear someone walking around, the whish of fabric or the soft sounds of someone breathing.If she didn't know better, she'd think she was alone.What did she smell?The air was musty and she recalled a vague memory from last night that included a sneezing fit."I know you're awake," a man said slowly.He was so close his voice seemed to rumble across her skin.Melody sucked in a breath and her eyes popped open.Ethan sat next to the bed, his clasped hands resting on the edge of the mattress. He was watching her."Jesus."
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 252: Grant
Monday. Aegis Group Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois.GRANT KEPT STARING AT the map, as if it would suddenly reveal where Melody was. He knew it wouldn't, but as the hours ticked by his hope was beginning to wane. Eventually they'd get a lead. They always did. But would it be too late for Melody?"I know who he is," Gavin announced.Grant straightened and stared at the younger man holding his tablet up like a beacon."And?" Marco prompted.Gavin referenced the tablet screen. "Liman Fahed. Intelligence officer for the General Directorate of General Security.""And that tells us, what?" Grant asked."A name is a start," Ghost said.Grant ground his teeth together and focused on the map.A name was just a name, especially when they didn't know how to find the man.He'd hoped that with Ghost's arrival, they might make some sort of forward movement on locating Melody, but they were still stuck in a holding pattern.They needed a lead."So I guess it's not useful to
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 251: Melody, Liman
Monday. Unknown, Chicago, Illinois.MELODY KNEW SHE WAS dozing. She hadn't actually fallen asleep, even if the odd, twilight state between sleep and wakefulness made her question that knowledge. Exhaustion had won out, more or less. But she couldn't relax enough to become totally unaware.A soft jangle of metal lured her consciousness back into the land of the living. It wasn't a suspicious noise. More like she'd moved and maybe disrupted the coil of chain. Or Ethan had finally decided to stop playing at being a statue.Thinking the man's name caused Melody to shiver. She opened her eyes, blinking into the relative darkness. The light filtering in around the door from the next room over provided enough light for her to make out shapes.Ethan was no longer sitting.He stood. Judging by the way his shoulders hunched, his back was to her, his attention on the handcuff securing him to the wall.The chain jangled again. He grunted.The hair on the back of her neck stood up.
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 250: Grant
Sunday. Aegis Group Headquarters, Chicago, Illinois.GRANT STARED AT HIS new phone. Zain had a bundle of them delivered via a courier about an hour ago. Since Aegis Group hadn't contacted Lepta Team's family beyond a few of the guy's girlfriends, it was imperative they have a means of communicating.The gut-punch had been opening up his photo gallery to see pictures of Melody. They'd gone to a nice dinner last week before leaving on the job. She'd looked beautiful in a goldish-pink dress that had shimmered. She'd rolled her eyes when he took a picture of her with the city lights behind her.Zain was nothing if not thorough. Of course their new phones would be updated with all their information and preferences, right down to the custom sound Grant had picked for Melody's texts.He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling.Following the outburst earlier Grant had opted to wait in the hall where he wouldn't be tempted to stick his nose in things and slow people down.
