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Chapter Thirty One
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Tinkling wind chimes teased her awake. Lizzy stretched, and her toes stuck out the bottom of the covers—her Lizzie McGuire bed cover. When last had she lain in her childhood bed? Hadn’t she outgrown this clunky wooden bed when she was ten? Too tired to care, Lizzy’s eyes ran over her bright blue walls. What on earth had motivated her to choose such a crazy color? Kids made no sense.
The smell of pancakes wafted up the stairs. Mom made the best pancakes, with thick British syrup and loads of cream. Yum. She wiggled her toes.
Time to get up. Lizzy looked up at her blue ceiling. Wait. Blue? She stared up at the open sky. The endless blue surrounded her tiny bed. Relaxing into the comfy duvet, she watched a single drifting cloud. Playing the shape game, she supposed it looked like a man on a horse. Two birds flew across the sky, their silvery wings capturing her gaze.
Her eyes flitted back to the now pink cloud. No, wait&mdas
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Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Two
He managed to stay away for a whole nine hours, even shaved and caught some shut-eye, before stepping into a viper’s nest. Lizzy was the spitting snake.Max loomed over her. “Don’t try it. One toe even touches that floor!”“And you’ll do what?”“Lizette Steyn, what the hell are you doing?” Johnny leaped forward as she swung her legs over the side.“You forgot to mention that Slater got injured trying to rescue my tiny ass!”Johnny glared. She glared back.“I didn’t want to stress you out.”“I want to see him.” She folded her arms.“He’s way over in the next building. When you’re feeling stronger, I’ll take you.”“What’s his condition. Be honest.”“His right arm is shattered. Compound fracture in his right humerus and a distal radius fracture. The surgery went well, b
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Three
GermanyTwo days laterNot too shabby, Lizzy thought. She’d cruised through finger surgery. The doctors were pleased with the injury site.The next day the shady dudes in suits were back to question her. This time it was a lady with perfectly coifed hair and artfully applied makeup who made Lizzy feel like a soiled pile of bones, languishing in starched and sterile sheets. Refusing to have any family members present, Lizzy soldiered through the barrage of questions, pleased with her robotic responses. She’d handled it like a boss, all on her own. What was all the fuss about?Lizzy’s gloomy entourage was getting on her damn nerves. John looked like he wanted to start a phonebook-ripping rampage when Lizzy asked them all—including him—to leave the room while the agent questioned her.John could never know the details of her last day with the Scythian, and Lizzy didn’t need t
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Four
Something crashed into his bed. Fucked-up situational awareness, Slater thought as he cracked open a lid.Lizzy’s curls swayed as she tried to reverse the wheelchair with one hand. “Crikey poop! You’d think they’d have at least one kid’s wheelchair in a place this huge. Drat!”Johnny’s voice boomed as he turned the corner. “I turn my back for one second—how the hell did you get in here so fast!”“It’s not my fault you need to stop at every vending machine to find the right muffin; you’re the one with the darn tapeworm.”“The muffin was for you, Lizbug! Easy with that thing. Don’t you dare use your right hand, keep it elevated!” Johnny grabbed the handles and smoothly parallel parked her alongside the bed.“No, wheel me to the other side! Line up my good side with Slater’s good side.”They were like a bickering old
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Five
They were off to a good start on the ride from the Landstuhl hospital to the Frankfurt airport, chatting as Johnny negotiated the ninety-minute drive. Lizzy was happy to be discharged after twelve days in the hospital. It all went to shit when he pulled into the rental lane, ran around and leaned over to unclip her belt. It could’ve been the click, or him looming too far into her personal space. She flinched like he’d hit her. Her panic attack slammed in like a tidal wave. This was something new to her, and her terror and confusion slammed through him as she wordlessly begged for help. Johnny crouched on the tarmac for thirty minutes, ignoring angry motorists, instead chatting, asking questions, and gradually pulling her out of the flashback.His mind raced over his limited choices. Take her back to the clinic or check them into a Frankfurt hotel for the night or board the plane with an emotionally traumatized subject. Once she’d recovered her
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Six
The night had been a rough one, even with the light on and Johnny back on the floor. The screams that woke him had Johnny trying to calm a spooked Lizzy. The terror reflected in her unseeing gaze broke his heart, but not half as much as the pitiful begging that followed.Gripped by the nightmares, she pleaded, “Don’t hurt him, master. I’ll wear it. He’s just a kid. It’s me you want. No! Let go!” She grabbed at her splinted finger.“Lizzy, baby. Wake up.”Instead, she went stiff. “Don’t let him eat me. Please. No. No!”Johnny grasped her shoulders and gently shook her. Gulping sobs had him pulling her onto his lap. She screamed and fought, but he held her to him, humming an old country ballad as he rocked her.She finally settled, whispered thanks and asked him to let her go. She turned her back and curled into a ball. The second attack occurred an hour later and then again in the ear
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Seven
Five days later and her new routine held her cemented in that same spot. Three nights of bloodcurdling night terrors and agonizing pain around her injury. Mornings spent at this fence post. Afternoons with Dr. Greene, who was an okay therapist, Lizzy supposed. She battled to open up to the old biddy. What did that old bird know about being held hostage by extremists?What did anyone know? It was tempting to reach out to Mason Clark. He was the only other one who lived through the Scythian terror. Was he as broken as she felt? Did he have a stable support system?John was her rock. Lizzy wasn’t sure what a self-entitled, ungrateful and now damaged girl did to deserve such devotion. He’d slept on the freaking floor beside her bed—a fussing warrior watching her every move.Well, that wasn’t fair. Not every move. He kept his distance when there were chores to be done, only pausing to shake her out of the reverie and force her to eat.C
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Eight
Upon waking, the first thing he registered was the smell of bacon and eggs. The night had been a peaceful one. No night terrors or gut-churning screaming. His phone buzzed. MIT. Johnny reached over to take the quick call.After pulling on a T-shirt, he wandered downstairs. The happy scene made him pause. Lizzy munched on a piece of toast as she laid out some plates. Freshly picked flowers sat in a vase; the bright blooms matched the cheeriness of her teal blue dress. Minimal makeup enhanced her ethereal beauty. He loved her whether she chose to go barefaced or chose to wear makeup, he knew the makeup made her feel girly, and it was nice to see that small sparkle twinkling in her wide blue eyes.She plated a massive portion and plonked it down in front of him.“Shit, girl, I’m going to have to double my PT on the course today, to get rid of this mountain of calories.”“What course?”“I built an out-course. It&rsqu
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Thirty Nine
Therapy started the next day with massages to the injury site to reduce scar sensitivity. Lack of mobility and stiffness were challenges to be overcome. The occupational therapist limited her activities, and Lizzy could see why. The hand was far from functional and would remain that way for three months. No gripping, twisting tightened objects or using the palm to push out of a chair. The surgery had removed and rerouted tendons and nerves, to aid with functionality, and to overuse the hand would cause damage.When her first session finally ended, and the therapist left, she shook with pain. John stepped through the back door as she gulped down a couple of pain pills.“You need to eat something.”“Yes, sir!”“Don’t get snarky,” he said, pulling out a loaf of sliced bread. “By the way, I need to run down to Salt Lake tomorrow. I’m meeting the team at Camp Williams. We’re looking at a
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Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Preview - Book Three
Make sure to check out “Fire in the Knight,” book three of the Mobile Intelligence Series. Find out what happens to Charlotte Quinn and Donnie Wilson!Saint Julian’s, MaltaWith no sign of potential witnesses in the hall, the man pulled the apartment door shut with a soft click. He adjusted his hoodie and ran down the steps before stepping onto the damp pavement. The sun had set and on a wet November night in Malta, the streets surrounding Spinola Bay were practically deserted.It was time to settle in and wait. The mark—Joseph da Silva—had only just sat down for dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. It would be at least an hour before he returned to his rental villa facing the water.With quick and efficient movements, the assassin made his way to the docked speedboat. Villas and hotels pressed together around the inlet, stacked like LEGOs around the small cove. He ignore
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Nine
WyomingThree weeks laterRay huffed out a snore as she rolled over to her side on the wooden porch. Scratching her velvety neck with his foot, Johnny took a swig of beer. The setting sun provided the perfect backdrop to Lizzy’s sweet profile as she strummed softly on her guitar.She paused, then swore. “Gosh, dang it.”“The finger again?”“Or lack thereof.”“Don’t push it. Give it time.”Lizzy stuck out her tongue, and Johnny grinned. She made a pretty picture, sitting cross-legged on the rocking chair with her hair twisted in a cute bun at the nape of her neck. Not quite long enough, tendrils fell around her face, dancing in the autumn breeze. Back to her normal weight with flushed cheeks—an outside observer would never guess at the trauma she’d experienced just a couple of months before. Dragging his chair closer, Johnny leaned i
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Eight
John kept to his word. Two days later and he was ready to be checked out of the hospital. Lizzy giggled as he waddled over to the bathroom. The back of his gown left little to her imagination.“Don’t laugh. It’s not funny. You’d think they’d have a larger gown for taller patients.”“I don’t think it’s your height, baby.” Lizzy laughed. “You look like the incredible hulk, hulking out of teeny human clothes.”Donnie walked in, grinning at John’s bare ass. “And the beard gives him a yeti vibe.”“I need clean clothes.”Lizzy spent a day in the ward, under observation. Charlie was kind enough to bring Lizzy a change of clothes the day before, but she’d mistakenly packed an old pair of John’s pants that no longer fitted around his muscled waist.“Relax, big man. I have your lumberjack clothing ready and waiting.”&ld
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Seven
Swiping at her mud-caked vision, Lizzy stumbled through the fence towards Charlie’s barn. When she’d flown off the porch steps, her immediate relief at seeing the deputy running towards her turned to horror when Muller’s bullet sliced through the man’s neck.Lizzy veered, then stumbled as a second one zipped past her cheek.Instead of heading for the road, she zigzagged across the field towards farm outbuildings that could provide cover. Her feet slipped, and she went down in the sloppy mud. Scrambling for purchase, she staggered towards the tree line before spotting the wooden barn. This time, tree bark shattered to the left of her, and she swung right, not daring to glance back.The farm was a ghost town. Charlie and her foreman were up at the hospital for her father’s third heart surgery. The rest of the staff had left early to set up a food stall at the Sunday farmer’s market in town. Still, a farm hand popped out from beh
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Six
“The storm could’ve damaged the phone lines,” Donnie yelled over the thrumming blades. Max ignored the logic, knowing in his gut that his family was in trouble and Johnny was either disabled or dead.His teammate should’ve made mincemeat out of Muller’s slimy ass and contacted Max by now. None of the mobile phones were being answered, and the landlines were dead.The colonel’s orders were to allow local law enforcement and the FBI to run the mission. But if Max was the first to arrive, he’d ignore that directive, just as he’d ignored the orders to stay on base until SOCOM briefed a fully manned black ops team.Defying orders, Donnie and Max threw on battle rattle and relied on a friend and chopper pilot to give them a ride. Now MIT scrambled to cover their men’s asses. They’d departed on a mission on American soil that was not fully authorized. Max didn’t give a shit. His pregnant wife and child w
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Five
Max hung up the call to his wife and strode into the meeting room. Abby wasn’t resting or eating as well as she should. Screw trying ever again for a third kid. This pregnancy was the most stressful shit Max had ever experienced, and that included going head-to-head with suicidal extremist bastards.Those worrying thoughts screeched to a halt as soon as Max saw his boss standing in the far corner. Max and Donnie had been pulled out of morning training and asked to meet one of their analysts—Jace Martin—on base. Jace was in the room but so was Colonel Jack Hearst. Was it to do with Slater’s replacement? Max doubted it, as he stood at attention. Donnie fell in beside him. The look on the distinguished MIT mogul’s face had Max’s skin itching.“Sir. It’s good to see you. What brings you to Utah?”“Erik, we’ve fucked up. Not just MIT but every agency in the northern hemisphere. Close the door and sit.&
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Four
The mattress creaked, waking Lizzy. She didn’t move, preferring to savor the safe moment. Cocooned in John’s bed and his love, she’d slept through the night and woken feeling at peace. It wasn’t quite morning, the hint of dawn scrubbed over by the sound of a storm sweeping in. Lizzy reached behind and felt the empty warmth as she heard John slam the window shut.Ray shifted next to her chest, and Lizzy snuggled deeper. “What time is it?”“Four thirty. I might as well get up; I need to check on the animals. This storm looks nasty,” he said before brushing his teeth at the sink.Lizzy dozed until the bed dipped, and he pulled his boots on.“Do you need help?”“I’m all good, Lizbug. If you feel like getting up though, I hear Abby banging around in the kitchen. I think Gabe woke her.”The wind howled as rain pelted against the window. “Five more minutes,” s
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Three
Two days later, Max and Donnie rolled out, headed for training at Camp Williams with the newest team member, Dylan Jenkins. A local Utahan sniper from the 19th Special Forces Group. Johnny admired the laid-back soldier. Aside from his Army career, the operator embodied a reckless, surfer-like attitude as a well-known snowboarder in Utah. It would be interesting to see how their uptight team leader handled the Owen Wilson wannabe. Dylan’s long-range marksmanship and excellent skills in the field would make him a valuable MIT member—aside from the additional training lined up for him at MIT headquarters later in the month. At Max’s insistence, Johnny stayed behind with Lizzy. As they were still evaluating Jenkins’ skills, it wasn’t essential for Johnny to be at Camp Williams. If they needed him, they’d call.***“I forget how hot the summers can get in some parts of the States, is late May supposed to be this warm?” Abby gr
Stain on the Earth book Two of the MIT2 Series Chapter Forty Two
Balancing tentatively on the ball of her foot, Lizzy poked her head through the canopy of leaves. Wyoming was truly breathtaking. Silence surrounded her. Not true silence as she could still hear insects buzzing, the leaves rustling in the afternoon breeze and a bleating sheep answered by three more. The distant hills looked so clear in the waning light, the golden rays contrasting with shadowed crevices in the craggy mountainside. She missed climbing trees; she still loved it.Her head sank back below the branches, and Lizzy looked down. The branch she balanced on bent under her weight, and she transferred her foot to a sturdier limb. The new branch instantly disintegrated, almost melting into thin air. Before she could comprehend her predicament, she fell to the earth, bouncing through and over battering limbs. Just before she slammed into the ground, strong arms caught her and they fell, rolling down a steep hill at a dizzying pace.A scarlet blur filled her vision a
