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Chapter 134: Valentino, Miles
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2022-11-24 14:23:06Related chapters
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 135: Miles
Wednesday. Thames House Security Service Headquarters. London, United Kingdom.MILES SCROLLED THROUGH HIS email. He didn't have anything new, and there wasn't anything in particular he could do. But scrolling gave him an activity.Why had he opened his mouth? Why had he said any of that earlier? What was it about Diha that made him completely forget decorum and ramble on about everything he shouldn't?It was clear he'd made her uncomfortable, but he didn't know how to fix it or if he should try. What was done was done. In the future, he would be more careful about what he said to her. Just because he was attracted to her didn't mean anything to her. In fact, except for a few moments here and there, he was fairly certain she would have preferred to avoid his company.Too bad he had his orders.Bennett was pleased with their progress. He was certain the only reason that was because of Diha's progress. It couldn't be because of anything Miles had done or found out."Did you
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 136: Miles
Miles kept himself from looking at Diha. It was far too easy to let his mind wander when he looked at her. To wonder if his life might have been different if he'd met a woman like her earlier, before he'd gone and married his work.A woman like her didn't deserve someone like him.He should be glad when this operation was over and she went home. As frustrating as it was to not be in control of his life at the moment, being around her only magnified that. She had the job she'd always wanted, like him, and yet the little she'd said about her family and the rest of her life made it clear that her life was full. She wasn't damaged goods like he was.He turned the volume down and leaned back in his chair. It took effort, but he wrestled his thoughts back to the job.There were cameras covering the team and the building they were watching. Someone had rigged a camera up in the hall outside the condo which had gotten them glimpses of a man going in and out of the place, but never his
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 137: Aleksandr, Diha
Wednesday. Place. City, United Kingdom.ALEKSANDR SLOWLY WORKED THE stiffness out of his limbs.He hadn't intended to stay in place all night, but he was curious about what might happen below. It was obvious the men set up to watch Aleksandr's targets were the patient sort. They'd set up and gotten comfortable. From what he could tell, they were professionals, but he couldn't place them.Was it possible he wasn't the only one who'd been recruited for this job?That was a question he'd pondered for most of the night, but now, watching the local police round up the five men, he knew they couldn't be hired by Skilton. Skilton would never tolerate people who could so easily be scooped up by police.Aleksandr crawled backwards and then behind the shelter of the roof entry before pushing up to his feet. Muscles and joints protested. The cold and wet had seeped into his joints, numbing his fingers and toes. His collar was soaked and so was his knit hat.It was time to move.H
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 138: Miles
Wednesday. Valentino's Condo. Brighton, United Kingdom.MILES PEERED OUT OF the windows, going just under the speed limit as they completed their first circuit around the warehouse-turned-condo building.Brighton was a very different city from London. The vibe was younger, more trendy. The air seemed lighter.Maybe what he needed was to move out of London. Go to a different office.That idea didn't settle well with him. He thrived doing what he did, but he also wanted more."I don't see the vans or any sign the guys were here." Diha twisted in her seat.She'd changed out of her flowing floral outfit into a more casual ensemble of black leggings with a black tunic top. It was a shame. She'd looked so nice earlier, but it was a memorable outfit."I'm not seeing any police presence either." He had a pretty good eye for spotting surveillance, and yet there had been nothing."What did they think the guys were doing here? Did they talk to anyone? Look at anything?" Diha as
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 139: Valentino, Miles
Wednesday. Hotel. Bristol, United Kingdom."VIGGO, LOOK AT THIS." Valentino used the video game controller to select and zoom in on the motion activated camera feed.Viggo glanced up from his dinner and stilled.Two people stood in the living room of the crash pad. A taller, broad shouldered man watched a woman wearing what Valentino could only assume was a hijab as she peered into the computer."Hello, bunny. Who are you?" She leaned toward the computer.They weren't assassins. She'd put money on that. Which meant these two were law enforcement. It would have been too much to ask for all cops to believe her nice story about the Americans watching the condo. Whoever these people were, they weren't fooled by her story, which likely meant they were connected to whoever tracked them to the crash pad to begin with.It wouldn't be the man. He was muscle. Nothing interesting.But the woman?Valentino propped her chin on her hand as the woman pulled out a small plastic kit
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 140: Miles
They descended the stairs, but neither noticed anything out of place or abnormal. There was no third exit they hadn't known about. However, Valentino and his partner had fled the building, for now it would remain his secret. But not forever.Eventually they'd put everything to rights, and all the secrets would come out.They emerged into the chilly evening.Diha drew in a deep breath, then sighed. "Do you think the heat is finally behind us?""I'd say that's a safe bet. You like fall?""I do. Summer's nice, but it gets so hot. I prefer cooler weather.""My mother used to have hot chocolate ready on cold days when my brothers and I came home from school."She chuckled. "It was tea and biscuits in our house."Miles frowned and glanced at her. "Like, a proper biscuit or an American biscuit?"Her eyes twinkled and if he wasn't mistaken, she was grinning. "A cookie biscuit.""A proper biscuit. You mean a proper tea and biscuit.""Fine. Yes." She mimicked his accent as
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 141: Aleksandr, Diha
Wednesday. Bristol, United Kingdom.ALEKSANDR PRESSED HIS BACK against the wall as the car sped out of the parking lot and onto the mostly empty street. His head swiveled back to the hotel room door standing open.Something was going on here, and he very much wanted to know the answers. But his job was very simple.He put the couple out of mind and slunk further down the line of rooms for a better vantage point.A few people had stuck their heads out when the shots were fired. The police would arrive shortly. That meant whatever Valentino was doing would have to be wrapped up soon.What had those people taken that was so valuable it was worth running the risk of getting caught? What was Valentino doing?Despite having studied the hacker, there were some things that didn't make sense about him. Questions Aleksandr wanted answers to. If he was going to make the man disappear completely, Aleksandr needed more information.Then again, with Valentino outright assaulting cop
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 142: Miles
Wednesday. MI5 Safe House. Brighton, United Kingdom.MILES HAULED THE SMALL grocery store haul into the safe house. It was hard to keep an eye out for Diha and on the cottage's interior, but he managed somehow.He'd taken as many twisty, turning roads as possible to get to the house on the northeastern edges of Brighton in a quiet neighborhood. When he'd stopped to grab food and some medical supplies, he'd paid in cash and kept his face away from the cameras.Valentino might still find them. It was a risk they couldn't escape, though Miles would be a hell of a lot more careful now.If only he'd paid attention to his gut. He'd known something wasn't right."This is cute." Diha stood in the formal living room of the small house and turned in a circle.The house was in an older style with simple furnishings.Miles set the things down on one of the desks in what would have been a formal dining room in any other house. Here, it was a workspace for up to four agents."Stay
Last Updated : 2022-11-24
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Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 374: Quentin, Epilogue
A week later...QUENTIN WISHED HE COULD savor this moment. He slapped the cuffs on the pint-sized asshole who'd had Candi's life in the palm of his hand that fateful night. Was it just a week ago?This should be more satisfying.It was, in a way.Eleven perfectly timed arrests effectively cut off all the heads of Metis. According to Nadine's notes, there was still one unknown head of the organization out there. But they were not alone. Metis itself wouldn't be ordering the death of anyone else. But it didn't bring Nadine back. It didn't restore the time Quentin had lost with Candi. It did make the world a little better, and in the end that's what mattered. Nadine's final acts were all about sacrifice and justice.Quentin stepped back as the FBI agents continued doing their job.He'd been granted permission to be here. As CIA, he had no jurisdiction nor the ability to make an arrest. Still, putting those cuffs on the little asshole felt good.Nadine would be pleased.
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 373: Candi
Sunday. Clementine Baker's Home, Washington, DC.CANDI CLUTCHED Q'S HAND in both of hers. "Is this it?""Yeah," he whispered.They stared at the moderate sized home in a DC suburb. Now and wind pelted them. Her teeth chattered. And yet, it felt good. The bone chilling cold reminded her that she was alive."Are we going to knock?" she asked."No. Come on. The FBI lookouts know why we're here."Q led her through the yard and a side gate. A uniformed police officer sat at the first-floor window watching them. Q nodded. Candi lifted a hand, but let it drop to her side without actually waving."This way."Solar lights chased away the shadows, making it less ominous. In a few hours, the world would wake up to a blanket of new snow. A clean slate.Candi didn't know how to feel right now.On one hand, they'd found Nadine. They'd done what they'd set out to do.But, Nadine was dead. Her final act had been to save Q and give them the means with which to combat two threat
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 372: Quentin
Small hands shoved Quentin sideways a second before bullets erupted into the night.Quentin yelled. It was mixed rage and fear. He staggered sideways, only for Nadine to shove at him again."Move, damn it," she barked.They dove behind the shelter of a single boulder. This side of the creek the ground was rockier.Quentin yanked his sidearm out of his holster and sucked down air.Unlike the men at their back, Quentin didn't have unlimited ammunition. Not unless he took theirs."Give me a gun," Nadine hissed.He still couldn't trust her. "No.""Damn you," she growled."Come out and it'll be quick," a voice called out.Nadine laid a finger across her lips and stared him down.He opened his mouth, but she spoke first."You can't think I'm that stupid," she said. With her other hand she pointed back down the way they'd come.She wanted him to go to the creek?"I think you know what your options are," the man called out.Quentin's head knew he couldn't trust Na
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 371: Quentin
Saturday. Harper's Ferry, VA.QUENTIN KEPT AN ARM right around Nadine and held to the broken stub of a branch. The ground beneath them had started to crumble. He wasn't convinced that they'd keep their perch if he let go.Damn it.Every time they made a move someone was in their path. And it wasn't always the same pair.Were all six circling him and Nadine? Did that mean they'd captured Candi? Or had she gotten away?He'd heard a couple of shots off in the distance. Could it be...?No.He had to keep his mind here and now.Quentin strained to hear anything. A leaf on the wind. The crunch of a boot. Something.To Nadine's credit, even her breathing was soundless.Could he trust her to not turn on him?He didn't think so.She leaned toward him until she could whisper ever so faintly in his ear. "Now."He understood her meaning. They were both watching and waiting for an opening. Words were unnecessary risks.One thing was certain, he could trust Nadine to h
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 370: Candi
Candi's heart raced as she watched the man kneel by the bag and yank the zipper.She lunged left, behind a tree and drew her weapon.Overhead, there was no mistaking the whining whirl of helicopter blades. It might not be anyone friendly, but DC was about a half hour away by air. They'd called Q's contacts about forty-five minutes ago.Could that be help? More enemies? Something else?She didn't know, but she had to hope. She had to believe this wasn't how it was going to end."Hey!" the man barked. "Get back out here.""Keep the cash and let me go, no one has to know." She clicked the safety off the gun.Candi had mostly blocked out the fact that she'd shot and killed someone after being kidnapped. Now, it was on repeat in her mind.Could she do it again?If she got to tell Q she loved him-again-she'd pull the trigger.Her hands shook.The leaves rustled underfoot, allowing her to track the man's movements. She shifted around the tree, keeping it between them.
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 369: Candi
Saturday. Harper's Ferry, VA.CANDI CROUCHED BETWEEN THE rotted out remnants of a tree and a dense holly bush. This was as close as she could get to the house without being seen.Where had Q and Nadine gotten to?Candi had run out of the house, unable to hear anything beyond the blood pumping in her ears. She'd pushed ahead, convinced those men were right behind her. The only thought in her head was that she couldn't lag behind or else Q would have to leave her.Only, it had happened the other way around.She didn't know when or how Q got separated from her, but when she'd paused to turn around and look, he was gone.Her teeth chattered together. Had something been on the news about a cold front? The winter had been awfully mild so far. It would be their luck for snow to settle in today.Please, no...Where were they?She cautiously peered out through the branches.All but one of the men who'd arrived at the house had gone into the woods.Was this a bad idea?
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 368: Nadine
Friday. Harper's Ferry, VA.THIS WAS A DISASTER of her making.The stitch in Nadine's side felt like a knife was being plunged into her. That, or her scar tissue was warning her about the turning weather. The warm spell was most certainly over."This way," Quentin whispered.Her heart twinged.This was her fault.She was going to get this boy killed. And for what?Over the years, she'd lost her focus. She'd become a leaf, being blown about with no respite. She'd done things to stay afloat, things she regretted.Like involving Quentin.He didn't know it yet, but she wasn't leaving this forest alive."Shit," Quentin muttered."What-?"She never got the question out. Her foot slipped on the underbrush then she tripped on a root. Only, the ground wasn't where she thought it should be. She pitched forward and just kept going. Her shoulder hit the steep incline first, then the rest of her. Limbs tore at her clothing. Rocks scraped her skin. Something rubbery smacke
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 367: Quentin
Friday. Safe House, Unknown, VA.QUENTIN HELD TIGHT TO Candi's hand. He kept glancing at her to make sure she was really there and he hadn't imagined her dramatic return. He had the urge to leave Nadine here and run away with Candi, somewhere it would be just the two of them forever.Instead, he secured the front door then stood in the entry staring at her."And here I thought you'd finally grown a brain," Nadine said dryly.Candi held up her other hand, extending just her middle finger in Nadine's direction.Quentin's phone buzzed. He knew before he pulled it out that it was Wesley. Quentin turned the screen toward Candi. She shrugged and didn't offer any insight into what he should say or do.He clicked the answer button and put it on speaker."Wesley, hey.""Is she there?" Wesley's voice was flat, emotionless.Quentin glanced at Candi. "Yeah."Wesley sighed heavily. "Damn it.""You're on speaker," Candi said."Do you have any idea what I sacrificed to help
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 366: Candi
Friday.CANDI SLUMPED DOWN A bit more. Wesley gripped the steering wheel like he was on a race course. From where she sat, she could see the speed wavering between five and ten over the speed limit.He couldn't wait to get away from Q.Her heart nearly seized up just thinking that.She wrapped her arms around her more tightly, as if she could hold herself together with strength alone.It felt like history repeating itself.She had to leave because of Nadine for her own good.While Q remained where he was.Candi understood his resolve to carry through with his job. She really did. But her heart couldn't help but feel abandoned. Again.Q had chosen Nadine once over her, and now it was happening again.Yes, Candi knew it was different. This was about doing the right thing and protecting themselves."You're awfully quiet," Wesley finally said."Know your audience," she mumbled.He glanced at her. His sunglasses hid his eyes and made it impossible to guess at wh
