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Chapter 54: Tabby
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2022-11-24 14:23:06Related chapters
Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 55: Jamie, Abner
Saturday. Sundown Forest, NY.JAMIE CREPT FORWARD, DUCKING under the boughs of an older tree. The scent of damp, good earth was overlaid with a more alarming odor. That of gasoline. The closer they got to the mining facility, the stronger it got. This close he could even catch flashes of movement through the tree limbs up ahead. Whatever was going on, they'd upset the local birds who were flitting back-and-forth overhead making a ruckus.He paused, tilted his head and strained to hear. Were those voices?Tabby had pointed Diha at the old mining company and from there the pieces had fallen into place quickly. The facility had been closed for so long it wasn't part of regular records. Zora had to get the county clerk out of bed to dig out the paper blueprints for the place because few other mentions of it existed. If they hadn't lucked onto the tunnel, Abner would have gotten away totally free.It was the perfect place for someone like Abner to hole up and preach his apocalypt
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 56: Tabby
Saturday. Sundown Forest, NY.TABBY TILTED HER HEAD up and tried to simply take in the beauty of nature, but her insides were too knotted up. How could something so beautiful hide something so horrible?She'd been faced with many ugly realities in her life, but this was one of the worst. And she was powerless to stop it, to change what was going on. All she could do was sit and wait to hear something from Jamie and the others. Too bad she wasn't good at being patient.What were the chances Zora would let her get a closer look at the drones?The FBI team had packed up the drones and all the forensic evidence was currently traveling with them since the support team had merely left one site for the other.She needed something to do, and right now she wanted a way to keep her mind occupied, to stop thinking a hundred horrible things about what could happen to Jamie out there without her.She loved him and she barely knew him. They hadn't gone on a first date. Neither of them
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 57: Tabby, Jamie
TABBY'S HEART POUNDED AS she watched the nearly six foot long drone hover in the air. The SWAT team had loaded her onto their ballistic vehicle and taken her to a hill where she could look down on a bit of the building's roof sticking out from the trees.This was it.She was hoping and praying that the EMP worked how she assumed it was designed to.Tabby toggled the control pad, held her breath and pressed the button.For a moment nothing happened.And then the six foot, two hundred pound drone dropped to earth like a dead weight, landing directly on the roof of the former mining complex. The data pad in Tabby's hands flickered and died. A murmur went up from those around her."What just happened?" the SWAT Sargent asked.The EMP."It worked." Tabby turned and pointed down the hill and through the trees. "It worked."Out of the forest, four figures emerged."Logan!" Tabby threw herself off the ballistic truck and sprinted toward the men."Was that the EMP?" Logan
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 58: Tabby
Sunday. Tabby Grissler's Home. Washington, DC.TABBY REGRETTED HAVING HER assistant ensure she had a new phone on her doorstep when she arrived home. She pressed the ignore button on her mother's latest phone call.It was Sunday.Mom wanted to know why Tabby hadn't been in church. She couldn't have gone. Around the time church was starting was when she'd been escorted from the hospital by FBI agents and to the airport.She hadn't even gotten to see Jamie. No one would tell her anything and since everyone's phones had been reduced to glorified paperweights, it wasn't like she could just call them up.Mom probably wanted to know if Dalton had ever gotten in touch with Tabby.Had Dalton used their mothers to further his plans to kill her? Why had he wanted to do that in the first place?It was hard to wrap her head around the idea that Dalton wanted her dead. And now, he was the one who'd died. In her head, she'd imagined confronting him someday, asking him if he'd intent
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 59: Jamie
JAMIE PRESSED HIS FACE to the top of Tabby's head.When he'd woken up alone in the hospital, he'd feared the worst. For several agonizing hours he'd been in the dark about how the op ended. By the time Logan had arrived, Jamie had already attempted leaving the hospital twice and had been physically restrained.Losing his cell phone had only made it worse. It wasn't like he knew any numbers besides his family and he sure as hell wasn't going to call them at a time like this.No, he'd just wanted to know Tabby was okay. That they'd caught the bad guys and the kids were safe.Tabby pushed at his shoulder until she could look up at him. "Are you okay? What happened?""Mind if we sit?" He nodded at the sofa."Yes, sit." She took his hand and led him slowly across the house.Every few steps Tabby glanced down at his leg. It hurt like hell for now, but would pass.He sank down on the cushions and stretched his bum leg along the chaise portion of the sofa. "Some good memories h
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 60: Epilogue.
Two weeks later...EVAN IVANOV SHUT THE front door to Logan's apartment. He was the last one to arrive to their not-technically-happening team meeting.They were all frustrated.Following the capture of Gazi, recovering the drones and stopping both Abner and Dalton, the whole team had expected a bit more transparency when dealing with the task force. But details were still few and far between."Thanks for joining us," Jamie called out. "We getting started, or what?"Harper being Harper threw a crushed can at Jamie. "You just want to head to your girlfriend's house.""At least I've got a girlfriend." Jamie's grin was unrepentant.Evan had to say, out of all of Jamie's girlfriend's, Tabby was the one he liked the best. There was just something about the two of them together. They fit.It was the kind of relationship Evan wanted. Someday."Guys," Logan barked. One glare from him and the peanut gallery on the other side of the room stopped their banter. "I spoke with Z
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 61: Prologue
Volume 2: Forged RiskMonday. Aegis Group Offices, Seattle, Washington.EVAN IVANOV SWIPED HIS finger across the screen of his phone, studying the grinning, laughing faces of his nephews. His sister had posted the images on social media with the caption, Happiness is a family gathering. From the looks of it, she'd invited everyone. Except Evan.How many times had he told his sisters, his brother and parents that if they gave him even twelve hours' notice he could be home? Some days he could make it there in less time. He had his bags permanently packed with his job. He didn't mind. Hell, he'd like the invite.Evan wished he could blame the exclusion on his move to Seattle, but the truth was that he'd always slipped between the cracks where his family was concerned. He just didn't fit. Never really had. His team was more like family than his blood.Harper Wright filled the doorway of the SCIF, or Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, room. The room was a glorifie
Last Updated : 2022-11-24Aegis Group Task Force Chapter 62: Evan
Nine weeks later. Monday. Task Force Headquarters, Washington, DC.EVAN FASTENED THE TOP button of his suit and clipped the name badge on his lapel. The logo was for a fictional company that existed, but served as the front for the Task Force operations out of a DC office building. The move to DC had been as quick as Zain warned them. Unfortunately, their job was a lot of hurry up and wait broken up with odd jobs that made little to no sense at all. Most days Evan was a glorified chauffer. To date, they'd only done one real operation, and that had been a near disaster.Today's summons to the headquarters for a briefing was likely more nothing, but Evan couldn't shake the hope that they might get to do something.He pocketed his phone, a notepad and pen, his keys then did a last look over the apartment. Each of the guys had been given a place in the complex next door to the office building. Evan agreed with the others, the government probably owned it, not that it mattered. At
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
