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Chapter 84: Lee, Nolan
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Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 85: Yvonne, Samuel
Thursday. Grimaldi Place Guest House, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE KNEW SHE WAS in trouble. Bad trouble. Maybe the worst of her life.And all for doing what mother had asked her to do.She closed her eyes and willed her heart to slow down a bit. A deep breath in and she felt as though someone sucker punched her with a fistful of lavender. The candle was across the room on Dad's desk.Wasn't one of the side effects of pregnancy a heightened sense of smell?The silence in the room was absolute. Both of her brothers had retreated to the sofa.Her feelings teetered back and forth. On one hand, she was ashamed that she'd allowed herself to be pulled into this deception. Her mother had asked her to do many things for the good of the family, but nothing like this. On the other hand, Mom had gift wrapped Yvonne's way out. In the future, she would need to remember today. It would serve as a reminder why she was putting the best interests of her child above that of her family.Becaus
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 86: Nolan
Thursday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.NOLAN OPENED THE FRIDGE, but it was empty."Who took the last water out of here?" He turned to glare at Brenden and Grant standing at the breakfast bar. "The rule is whoever takes the last has to refill the God damn fridge."Grant stared back at him. "You need to check your tone.""Fuck you," Nolan muttered under his breath.He grabbed the case of bottled water and began filling the door with the bottles.When he'd finally crashed after another run to de-stress, he'd hoped that a little sleep would ease the anger and frustration knotting his back. Instead he'd woken with knots so tight it hurt to breathe.All because of Yvonne.He'd trusted her to be the reasonable one. The rational asset who wouldn't take unnecessary risk. And she was the one who succeeded in getting off the property for hours without anyone the wiser.It was salt to the wound to know that Yvonne hadn't turned to him for help. He didn't care if she'd deci
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 87: Nolan, Lee
Nolan exited the house without leaving an update on the chalk board. He lifted his phone and tapped on the text icon.He hadn't messaged Yvonne yet.Should he ask for permission or forgiveness for what he was about to do? And where was she?He changed his mind and tapped her contact, activating the call as he walked.The line rang once, twice, a third time.She could be ignoring him like he was with his mother."Yes?" Yvonne's voice was soft, maybe a little wary."I'd like to see you.""Why?""To apologize properly.""I'm not sure that's a good idea.""I was an ass. Again."Silence."Vee?""I can see you just fine."He glanced at her windows, but from what he could see at this distance the curtains were shut."Not there," she said.There were too many windows on the house to search.A bird twittered in the background through the phone.She was outside.Nolan kept walking, but now he examined the grass, the trees, until-there. Near the wall, almos
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 88: Yvonne
Friday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE WOKE WITH A start to the sound of something thudding against the hardwood next to her bed. She sat up, clutching the comforter to her chest, and blinked across the dim room at the hulking shadow hunched over at the side of her bed."Shit, sorry," the shadow muttered.Heart racing, it took a moment for the voice to register.She knew that voice."Nolan?" She reached over and clicked on the bedside lamp."Sh." He glanced back at the door.The floor creaked out in the hall.Someone was there.Nolan braced his hand on the mattress and leaned toward her, mouthing more than whispering, "Doug might have seen me."Yvonne glanced at the clock.She'd gone through so many time zones her body didn't know what time it was.Eight.Nine hours ago she'd left the guest house after nearly laughing herself sick at Vaughn and Nolan carrying on. It had been one of the most relaxing, easiest evenings she'd spent out in...she couldn
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 89: Yvonne
Yvonne slid her arms around his neck and he took her mouth. The kiss was possessive, branding. His stubble scraped her chin and though she might have initiated contact, he was taking over. Her nipples pebbled, growing harder until she wanted to rub against him to find some sort of relief, like a cat in heat."No," Nolan rumbled against her mouth."No?" She panted for breath, head spinning."You should eat something first." He flicked the top of the donut box open."I could eat later.""You'll eat now." He plucked a strawberry donut from the box."Bossy.""Yup." One side of his mouth kicked up. "I bet you spend most of your days telling people what to do. Maybe taking orders is good for you?""Maybe you're delusional?""I am a guy. I like my delusions." He held the donut to her lips, drawing a line across her mouth with the frosting.Yvonne had to hand it to him. He was right. She was the woman in charge at work and she chafed at being on the receiving end of orders
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 90: Nolan
Friday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.NOLAN SPARED YVONNE'S BED one last glance. He didn't want to trudge back to the guest house and pass out on the hard-as-a-rock mattress there. Things with Yvonne were too new to push for some sort of privilege. Plus, he should be present to do his job with the others should the need arise.He clipped his gun on his hip and was ready to go.Yvonne sat in the middle of the bed, wrapped in a fuzzy robe, her wet hair piled on top of her head."Plans today?" he asked."I really need to do some work.""How much longer can you remote in?""Maybe a week or two?" She grimaced. "There's some things I just need to handle personally. Ready?""Yeah."Yvonne swung her legs over the side, giving him a glimpse of her thighs and the maroon and teal plaid shorts she'd put on after the shower. He watched her pad to the window and peer out."Coast clear?" He circled the bed and came up behind her.She leaned back against his chest without u
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 91: Nolan, Lee
"Move, stay with me, look at the ground." Nolan powered forward.A loud boom and flash of light sent smoke pouring out of the foyer.Flash grenade. They were breeching the house right fucking now. Sheltering in the utility room was not happening. They'd be sitting ducks.They had to get out of here. Now.He spared a glance over his shoulder.Yvonne was on his heels.Theodore and Douglas brought up the rear with their father between them, practically dragging the stunned man.If the attackers were breeching from one point, perhaps he could slip the family out the side or the back?It was that or hope he had enough bullets to take out all of the intruders.Voices echoed off the marble.There was no time.He had to get the family out now.Nolan darted into the living room. "Shut the doors behind us. Yvonne, take your Mom.""I've got her." Yvonne looped her mother's arm around her shoulders. The woman cried big, tears accompanied by even louder sobs.Nolan proce
Aegis Group Lepta Team Chapter 92: Samuel, Yvonne
Friday. Chevy Chase, MD."WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE did they go?" Samuel pounded his fist on the dash.Everything had gone perfectly.They'd arrived, spent an hour confirming their information about the property, then it was go time. By all accounts they should have taken the family unaware and with no security presence to speak of inside the home.Now Samuel was down at least four men. Six hadn't made it back to the vehicles before they'd left to try following the targets.This was supposed to have been easy clean-up. He was supposed to be enjoying this new chapter of his life. Instead he was rushing around a country he hated trying to squash bugs.***Friday. Safe House, Huntington Terrace, MD.YVONNE'S HEAD SPUN. HER knee had stopped bleeding, but the cut on her left arm still oozed blood. She stared down at the slowly seeping wound soaking her robe, the voices in the SUV melding together.How had she gotten that cut?She couldn't remember.Everything h
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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.
