“The attorney general has a plan,” Big Earv said. “He briefed us before sending us out to look for Michaels—and he said the most important thing is to bring him back alive.”
“That’s a change,” Michaels grumbled. “He was trying to get me to kill myself not even an hour ago.”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t have pinned his hand to a desk with a knife,” Hawk said.
“How’d you see that?” Michaels asked.
Big Earv sighed. “Look, I’d love to discuss all the details leading up to this moment with both of you—and I’m sure we will at some point—but I need to get the president back to the cottage.”
“You really think that’s the best idea?” Hawk asked. “I think there’s another way we can handle all this.”
Michaels immediately began to hyperventilate.
“Would you simmer down?” Hawk said. “Your opinion doesn’t really matter at this point.”
“My chest,” Michaels said. “Look on my chest. There’s a red dot on it.”
Hawk and Big Earv both inspected the red point that danced around the center of Michaels’ chest.
“It’s over, Conrad,” Ackerman said as he lumbered toward them, his gun still trained on Michaels. “Let’s finish this now.”
Big Earv pulled his gun out and aimed it at Ackerman.
“Drop the weapon,” Big Earv said. “Whatever beef you have with Michaels, get in line. And just know that it isn’t worth it.”
Ackerman laughed. “You want me to have mercy on this lowlife con artist? I’m doing the American people a favor by taking him off the ticket next month.”
Michael glared at Ackerman. “Just do it already, but don’t try to take some sanctimonious position based on what you do. You’re lower than low.”
“You do nothing but use and abuse everyone around you,” Ackerman said. “You deal in the currency of terror while proclaiming to be the one who will protect us all against the threats of our enemies, enemies you helped create.”
“And you’re the one who carries out those orders,” Michaels said. “Are you seeing the disconnect here, Ollie?”
“The honesty from both of you is refreshing,” Hawk said. “And while I’d prefer to see both of you die right here and now, Big Earv has spoken. Now put your gun down, Ackerman.”
“Well, if Chuck Pearl tells me to do something, then I better do it. Ain’t that right, Brady Hawk?” Ackerman said with a sneer.
“I heard you were amused at making me stick with my legend,” Hawk said, “but I doubt you were amused at the mess I made of your scheduled delivery to Al Hasib. That’s probably what drove you here, isn’t it? You’re seeking sanctuary after the botched deal and Al Hasib made you public enemy number one. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“Shut up,” Ackerman said. “I have half a mind to put a bullet in you first.”
“How about you and I both save all the bullets in our guns,” Big Earv said. “Now, drop your weapon before I handle your defiance in a way that I’m sure you won’t enjoy.”
“Why? So you can put me behind bars next to this piece of shit?” Ackerman said, gesturing toward Michaels.
“You and I both know I’m not going to prison,” Michaels said as a mocking grin spread across his face.
Ackerman didn’t hesitate. He pulled the trigger and fired two shots in Michaels’ center mass. Ackerman turned to take aim at Hawk before collapsing to the ground. Hawk and Big Earv each put a couple of bullets in Ackerman. He was dead before he hit the dirt.
“What’s going on over there?” called another Secret Service agent through the woods.
“The president has been hit,” Big Earv said into his com. “I repeat, the president has been hit. I’m on site and handling it.”
He turned to Hawk. “You better get lost—and fast. You don’t need to answer for any of this or find yourself in the middle of any congressional hearings.”
“Thanks, Big Earv. I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. Now get lost before you’ll need more than a favor to escape prison.”
Hawk nodded and hustled up the hill, disappearing deep into the forest enveloping Camp David. He ran until his sides hurt before falling to his knees in exhaustion. After all that had just transpired, he needed some kind of emotional release, but he dared not scream in case he drew the attention of some other Secret Service agents. And Hawk couldn’t conjure up a tear if his life depended upon it. He refused to shed anything for Michaels.
I can’t believe he’s gone.
Hawk snapped to his feet when he heard helicopters hovering overhead. After racing a few meters through the woods, he stopped when he noticed that the helicopter was setting down in a clearing less than a hundred meters away.
Checking over his shoulder once more, he dashed in the opposite direction of his car. He glanced at the field and watched as a dozen soldiers stormed from the chopper and fanned out.
Hawk scrambled up a short hill before he skidded to a stop and struggled to maintain his balance. He’d nearly plummeted into a rocky ravine some fifty meters below. After he regained his composure, he looked back at the clearing where the soldiers had come from. Two men dressed in Army combat fatigues hustled toward Hawk, both guns trained on him.
“Don’t make this any harder than it has to be,” one of the soldiers said.
Hawk raised his hands in surrender.
“Someone wants to speak with you,” the other soldier said.
He took Hawk’s hands and zip tied them behind his back.
CHAPTER 30
Washington, D.C.
HAWK CLIMBED ABOARD the troop transport helicopter and sat down against the wall. He buckled in and took the headset offered to him by one of the soldiers who apprehended him. Adjusting the earpiece, Hawk looked up and stared directly across the chopper at a man dressed in a suit and tie.
“Mr. Vice President,” Hawk said.
A smile spread across Noah Young’s face. “I heard you were in the neighborhood and thought I’d give you a lift,” he said into the microphone on his headset.
“Next time, can you tell your men to give me a heads up?” Hawk said. “I was plotting how I could jump out of this bird without breaking my ankles so I could escape.”
Young chuckled. “We haven’t lifted off yet, so there’s still time if you want to test your theory.”
Hawk shook his head. “So, what’s this all about, really?”
“Well, I’m headed back to Washington now to be installed as the new president.”
“Why not take Air Force One instead of this old clunker?”
“Too soon and too raw, though I did consider it.”
“You moved really quickly on this,” Hawk said.
“The plan for me to take over was already in motion. Thomas Preston was satisfied that he had enough on Michaels to put him away for life for committing treason along with a hefty list of other crimes. But now that he’s dead, I don’t have to waste this last month on trying to extricate myself from a needless trial.”
“Who else knows about this?” Hawk asked.
“Just a handful of the cabinet—and we intend to keep it that way.”
Hawk scowled. “You’re not going to tell the truth about what Michaels was doing?”
“Maybe someday, but not today. A scandal like this will just tear the country apart even more than it already is. It’s just not necessary.”
“So, what’s the official narrative going to be?”
“One of Michaels’ ex-military pals had a long-standing grudge with the president. Ackerman snuck onto the Camp David property using his army training and shot Michaels, who lied to a Secret Service agent to meet the friend. The Secret Service agent gunned down the killer before he shot anyone else.”
“So, Big Earv is a hero?”
“He soon will be.”
“Good. If anyone deserves it, he does. But he won’t like having to cop to that story.”
“He doesn’t have a choice, thanks to you.”
“What do you mean?” Hawk asked.
“He knew you might be sneaking onto the property and told no one. But one of the other agents picked up his phone call and told us about it. We held that card up our sleeve in the event that something like this happened.”
“You’re blackmailing him to make him the hero?”
“That’s one way of looking at it. I’d rather just say it’s how we’re ensuring that he sticks to the story. It’ll be much less of a headache if he repeats the rehearsed version of the events we’re going to give him.”
“Fair enough.”
“But you didn’t pick me up and take me back to Washington just to discuss all this, now did you?”
Young shook his head. “I want to talk about your future and the future of Firestorm.”
“No disrespect, sir, but how can you be doing that when you’re only going to be in power for the next few weeks?”
“I have plans of sticking around much longer.”
“You’re going to be on the ticket next month?”
“That’s the plan. The party will hold an emergency meeting tonight to decide who will replace Michaels in the general election next month. And I have an overwhelming amount of support.”
“And you think you’ll be able to forge a new identity apart from Michaels’ coattails in that short amount of time?” Hawk asked.
“I’ll have some of the best political strategists in the world to help me. So, if anyone can do it, they can.”
Hawk nodded. “You’ll have my vote.”
“I was hoping for more than that,” Young said. “I was hoping to have your commitment—a vow to reignite Firestorm with full support from this office and more resources.”
“I’m open to considering it, depending on what Blunt and Alex say. But why the urgency?”
Young sighed and shook his head. “We got word that Al Hasib is planning another attack. And if they succeed, their numbers are only going to swell. We need a win by taking out Karif Fazil and delivering a blow to their operation. And you’re the one person we trust to pull it off.”
“I’m honored, sir. But like I mentioned earlier, Firestorm is not just me. We’re a team. If Alex and Blunt are in, you can count on me. We’re a package deal.”
“Very well then. That’s all I can ask for at the moment. I trust you’ll all choose to return. There’s still some unfinished business you have to do.”
“I’ll consider it and let you know as soon as possible,” Hawk said. “I appreciate your commitment to Firestorm. It’s vital to our country’s security, and I’m proud to be a part of such a talented group of people.”
Young nodded knowingly. They rode in silence the rest of the trip, while Hawk was lost in his thoughts.
* * *
THREE DAYS LATER, Hawk met Alex and Blunt at the airport. Clutching a bouquet of flowers, Hawk wasted no time in thrusting them into Alex’s hands once she exited the secure area.
“Hawk!” she said. “What ever did I do to deserve this?”
“Please don’t make me come up with something mushy,” Hawk said. “That’s not my style.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Hawk caught Blunt staring.
“What? Are you jealous I didn’t bring you any flowers?”
Blunt chuckled. “You know by now that I only give flowers when I want to bug someone, right?”
Hawk gave Alex a long hug and then took her by the shoulders before looking her in the eyes. “You know I’d never do that to you, don’t you? But the senator on the other hand . . .”
Hawks’ words trailed off as he shot a sly grin at Blunt.
“I need to get a drink—and we need to discuss the future of this team,” Blunt said as he snatched his carryon bag and wheeled it behind him. He walked toward the exit with authority and purpose.
“What happened to your cane?” Hawk asked Blunt.
“I don’t need a cane,” Blunt said.
“It was a prop?”
“Sometimes,” Blunt said. “Other times, it was a certified weapon.”
“Now that that’s settled, I don’t need a drink to answer the question that we all need to answer right now,” Hawk said. “Is everybody still in for Firestorm?”
“Sure beats working for a bank,” Alex said.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Hawk said. “And what about you, Senator? You still got it in you to keep going until we dismantle these terrorists one by one, starting with Karif Fazil and Al Hasib?”
“Wouldn’t want to do anything else,” Blunt said.
“In that case, let’s go get some drinks—and celebrate,” Alex said.
“Wait a minute,” Hawk said. “We haven’t all committed just yet.”
Alex sighed and hung her head. “I can’t believe that it’s been so long I almost forgot about my half brother.”
“It’s okay,” Hawk said. “Given the circumstances, it’s understandable. But I want to know what’s up with Samuels.”
“As we all do,” Blunt said.
“Give me just a moment,” Hawk said.
Hawk slipped away from his two colleagues and dialed Young’s number.
“Do you have an answer for me?” Young asked.
“Almost,” Hawk said.
“What’s the holdup?”
“Shane Samuels,” Hawk said. “What happened to him and where is he?”
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about him.”
“Please explain. And no beating around the bush.”
“The long and the short of it is that Samuels isn’t who you think he is.”
Hawk furrowed his brow. “What do you mean? Who is he?”
“I can’t talk about this right now, but let me assure you that he never really was part of your team, if you catch my drift.”
“He was a mole?”
“More or less. But we can discuss this at length at a later date. The Firestorm team deserves an explanation, and it’s going to take a while to catch you up to speed.”
“In that case, I guess I’m calling to let you know that we’re in,” Hawk said.
“Excellent. I’ll be in touch about setting you up with new headquarters for Blunt and Alex as well as getting you going on your first mission. We don’t have much time to waste.”
Hawk hung up and jammed his hands into his coat pocket. He took a deep breath and strode back toward Blunt and Alex. Despite the mystery surrounding Samuels, Hawk hadn’t felt so free in years. Michaels was gone. The Chamber was decimated. Only Al Hasib remained, though it too had suffered tremendous setbacks in recent years.
And Hawk couldn’t wait to finish the job.
THE END
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to so many people who have helped with the creation of this project and the entire Brady Hawk series.
Brooke Turbyfill was a big help in editing this book, and Dwight Kuhlman has produced another great audio version for your listening pleasure.
I would also like to thank my advance reader team for all their input in improving this book along with all the other readers who have enthusiastically embraced the story of Brady Hawk. Stay tuned ... there's more Brady Hawk coming soon.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
R.J. PATTERSON is an award-winning writer living in southeastern Idaho. He first began his illustrious writing career as a sports journalist, recording his exploits on the soccer fields in England as a young boy. Then when his father told him that people would pay him to watch sports if he would write about what he saw, he went all in. He landed his first writing job at age 15 as a sports writer for a daily newspaper in Orangeburg, S.C. He later attended earned a degree in newspaper journalism from the University of Georgia, where he took a job covering high school sports f
or the award-winning Athens Banner-Herald and Daily News.
He later became the sports editor of The Valdosta Daily Times before working in the magazine world as an editor and freelance journalist. He has won numerous writing awards, including a national award for his investigative reporting on a sordid tale surrounding an NCAA investigation over the University of Georgia football program.
R.J. enjoys the great outdoors of the Northwest while living there with his wife and three children. He still follows sports closely.
He also loves connecting with readers and would love to hear from you. To stay updated about future projects, connect with him over Facebook or on the interwebs at www.RJPbooks.com and sign up here for his newsletter to get deals and updates.
Into the Shadows
© Copyright 2017 R.J. Patterson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
First eBook Edition 2017
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Table of Contents
What Others are Saying about R.J. Patterson
Other titles by R.J. Patterson
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Brady Hawk 10 - Into the Shadows Page 15