"Nic, over there. Pull off, and we can run over two blocks and up one." Jade pinpointed his attention to the spot she indicated up the road.
He slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop before backing up and slamming diagonally into a parallel parking slot. Nic hit the ground running and felt, more than saw, Jade right beside him. As they rounded the corner, he saw billowing smoke in a thick, black, rolling cloud spread out above the buildings on each side of the street. The reality of the disaster pressed with a vice-like grip on his heart. Jade grabbed his arm and tugged, pulling him through an alley. They emerged, and both skidded to a stop. Chaos stretched out in front of them. Fire, rescue, ambulance, and police vehicles scattered in a random pattern among the pandemonium. The kaleidoscope of flashing lights was a momentary distraction from the devastation behind the vehicles. Over three quarters of the front of the building was missing. The gaping maw revealed partial courtrooms, offices, and hallways. Paper fluttered in the air, kept aloft by unseen currents. The pile of rubble that mounded at the base of the building contained enormous slabs of rebar reinforced concrete. The bomb had to have been massive. How did the marshals guarding the premises miss an explosive device of this size?
"There!" Jade grabbed him again and directed his attention away from the utter ruin of the building.
Nic followed her pointing finger. She'd located the on-scene command center. It took far longer than it should have to reach the hub of activity. NYPD stopped them several times. Both of them flashed their badges to gain access. The impediments frustrated the fuck out of Nic. Once they arrived at the command post, Nic elbowed his way into a circle of men.
"Have you reached the courtrooms in the rear of the building?" Nic demanded as soon as he broke through.
The Fire Captain swung his attention toward Nic. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Nicolas DeMarco, Chief Operations Officer for Guardian Security, this is my co-worker, Jade King." They both held up their badges.
"The captain shook his head. We have two rescue units trying to clear the way. There is a passage that is partially clear, and they are using hydraulic lifts to try to stabilize the material."
"I need to get in there." Nic wasn't going to let anyone stop him. It was his responsibility to ensure his mother's safety, and he'd fucking failed. He had to make sure she was all right.
"No way. I'm not going to be responsible for your ass." The captain swung away from them and bellowed, "Where the fuck are my refilled air tanks? Someone find them and get them to my people. Now!" Nic grabbed Jade's arm and nodded toward the left. They worked their way through the crowd.
"I'm going in." Nic studied the area, looking for an access point.
"I figured. Look." She pointed toward a side entrance where first responders were entering and exiting the building.
"We need a way past the guards." Nic could hear the radio traffic. The NYPD and NYFD were in contact and not letting anyone into the area that didn't belong there. Nic slowly turned around looking for anything… Jade saw them the same time he did. They moved as one to a pallet of air tanks. He checked to make sure they were full before they both hefted two tanks each and headed toward the entry control point.
"Whoa! Wait up. Who are you?" An NYPD uniformed officer stopped their advance.
"Capt'n needs help to get the refilled air tanks in to his people." Jade shifted the tank on her shoulder and looked at the guy. "Call him."
The officer tipped the radio clipped to his epaulet and spoke into the mic. "Oscar 19, we have people bringing in refilled air tanks. Are they authorized?"
The static on the radio lasted less than a second before a bellowed reply shot back, "Let them pass!"
Nic led the way and handed off the full air tanks to the firefighter inside the door. Jade did the same. When the man's back was turned, they bolted up the stairway. Nic had been in the building only a handful of times, but he had a basic idea of where they needed to go. They ran up three flights before debris blocked their path. The door to the interior of the building was off its hinges, but they could hear voices. They maneuvered their way through the rubble and came up on a team working to remove the last portion of debris from a small passageway that led through the hallway.
"What the fuck are you doing up here?" one of the firefighters demanded when he saw them.
"Guardian Security. There are U.S. Marshals, FBI agents, and others in there. We need to determine the status of several people. The Capt'n cleared us in." Nic spun the lie and motioned toward the cleared path and the rescue crews that were now going into the area.
"Fine, but your asses are waiting here. I don't need you in my people's way." The man dismissed Nic without a second glance.
"Let them do their work, Nic. There is nothing we can do now but wait." Jade led him to the side of the hall, out of the way of the responders.
Nic leaned against the wall and then slid down it. Several tons of cement and iron rebar separated him from his mother. This disaster was his fault. He was the fucking point man on this investigation. He'd fucked up somehow. Missed something. There had to have been a clue, some intelligence that he'd discounted or overlooked. His mind reeled with guilt and despair. What had he missed?
Jade squatted on her heels facing him and blocking his view of the passageway. He moved. She moved in front of him again, bringing his pissed off glare straight up to her face. She stared at him with a determination he'd rarely seen before. She spoke, low only for his ears, "There was nothing we could do to prevent this Nic, but there is plenty we can do to figure out who the fuck did it. Whatever happens inside that mess, we have a way to get even for what they've done. Get off your ass, and get your head on straight."
Chapter Eighteen
The dust. Jade observed the dust that hovered around them. The first responders were doing triage. Radios squawked with words and terms she'd heard before. Nic stood resolutely beside her. While they waited, she fixated on the dust. It continued to layer itself on everything like a fine powder. It was easier to focus on the minutiae than the cosmic scale of fucked up that engulfed her.
Her heart hadn't stopped pounding. Adrenaline filled her immobile body. She wanted to scream in frustration. The second Nic bellowed her name this morning she'd been on high alert, but what she was feeling couldn't compare to the emotions that had to be tearing apart the man standing next to her. Jade shifted, leaning slightly into Nic, reminding him she was there for him.
She had no idea what she'd do if she were in his position. She couldn't comprehend the emotions that had to be playing through his mind. Didn't even want to try. She did know were she in his position, she'd want a way to settle the score. She'd want revenge. Jade put up shields and kept a distance from her family, but she loved them. The emotions that screamed through her mind now? Not even going to look at it. They were too raw, too tender to examine.
Jade pulled out her phone and glanced at it. There was a weak signal. Her fingers flew over the keyboard sending a text to Jewell telling Guardian where they were and what they were doing.
Several minutes later, a flurry of activity pulled both of them off the wall. Two responders carried out a person on a backboard. Jade recognized the man. He was one of the marshals assigned to Nic's mom. The firefighters carefully transferred him to a waiting stretcher as a medic slid to his knees and started an assessment. A second marshal exited, right arm bleeding and strapped to his chest. Jade recognized him immediately. She spoke to the man almost every night when they exchanged custody of Judge DeMarco. He noticed her and gestured with his good arm back toward the hole. "They are bringing her out. The FBI agents in the courtroom have secured the defendant. It's not good. Not good." The man staggered to a wall and leaned against it. He lifted his eyes towards them and shook his head slowly. "She's hurt bad."
Jade started forward, but Nic was past her in a second. The next person
carried out was his mother. Jade grabbed him, stopping him and put herself between her lover and his mother. "Nic, wait. Let them work on her! Stay out of their way, for just a minute." She stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around him, turning her head so she could watch the paramedics work.
Blood painted Judge DeMarco's face. A thick layer of white dust also covered her, giving her a deathly, sallow appearance. Nic grabbed Jade's arms and squeezed, not to move her or get past, but almost as if the act could anchor him. Two medics scrambled, cutting her clothes from her body. As if in a coordinated explosion, their actions flew into hyper-speed.
"She needs to go. Now! She has internal bleeding."
The EMTs piled the equipment onto the stretcher with her and were heading out the door in seconds. Jade followed Nic down the stairs and to an ambulance. Nic flashed his badge and attempted to get into the back of the bus. "No room. Take the front seat!" shouted the medic working on his mom. Nic dropped off the back of the wagon and bolted to the side of the vehicle. He sent a worried expression to Jade.
She motioned for him to continue and yelled, "Text me which hospital they are taking her to. I'll meet you there."
Nic nodded and jumped in as the ambulance's siren started to wail. She watched the vehicle work its way through the cordon and then fly down the avenue.
Jade stood in the middle of the disaster. She swept her eyes over the scene, seeing but unable to come to grips with the incomprehensible evil that had brought down the building. The turbulent hum of activity dimmed as the magnitude of the entire situation settled upon her. She thought of the people who would never go home, and the families who would never hold their loved ones again; the first responders who worked to save lives and the mental and physical trauma they would endure during the rescue process. The totality of the malfeasance burned through her soul like acid-instant, unstoppable, and defacing. Jade surveyed the road where the ambulance had departed. Her heart bled for Nic. The man had done everything humanly possible to ensure his mother's safety and yet… She knew he blamed himself, or her, or both. He hadn't said it, but she knew. Just like she knew Nic meant more to her than a convenient hook-up. In the midst of the devastation surrounding her, the emotions she kept ignoring reared up and slapped her in the face. This time she didn't push the thoughts away. Maybe it was because of the horror she was witnessing, but whatever the reason, a flood of emotions swept her away.
Since her father died, she'd refused to let anyone close, but that hadn't stopped Nic. While she didn't know how to go forward with him, she knew she didn't want to go backward. Did she have the guts to let Nic in, to let him be her safety net? She'd been balancing alone on the tightrope of life for so damn long, she'd gotten fucking good at it. Jade stopped walking as a thought hit her. She honestly didn't need anyone to be there for her. But… maybe this time her mom's advice wasn't right. Maybe in this instance, she didn't need someone to keep her safe. Maybe this time, she was the one who would take care of Nic. The man was strong and could endure the fallout on his own, of that, there was no doubt. But now, he didn't have to go it alone, did he?
Jade turned, moving off the road to avoid an approaching fire truck. She kept her head down and walked out of the area heading toward the SUV they'd abandoned hours earlier. With each step, her path forward was clearer. It all made sense now. As long as she lived, she would protect Nic, because she cared for him. She didn't understand why, or for that matter how he'd come to mean so much to her, but he did. She'd lay down her life for him. Jade cleared the cordon and started to run.
If the disaster site had been chaotic, the scene that presented itself at the emergency room was unrestrained tumult. Jade tried three different nurses before she found one that could direct her to the person actually trying to process the multitude of patients into the facility. She waited her turn behind distraught family members. Several people were turned away because their loved one had not shown up at this hospital. "Next!" The man bellowed almost breaking her eardrum.
"Judge Bettina DeMarco." Jade snapped the name.
"Family?" He flipped pages as he spoke.
"No, personal security." She pulled her badge from her belt and damn near stuck the thing up the man's nose. She was wearing a 45-caliber automatic on her shoulder for fuck's sake.
"Yeah, okay. Elevators to the sixth floor. Ask the nurses at the surgical unit. Next!"
Jade was on her way before she heard the person behind her speak. Crowds of people waited for the elevators. Instead of waiting, she pushed through the throng and headed for the stairs. The door banged on the cement wall as she flew past it and took the stairs two at a time. She exited at the sixth floor and took a second to get her bearings. About halfway down the hallway, there was a nurse's station. She headed there at a jog, dodging people who exited the rooms that lined the corridor. She stopped at the desk and waited while the nurse dealt with a husband searching for his wife. A loud voice echoed down the hall. Jade knew that voice. Fucking Carmine DeMarco. She sprinted down the hall and skidded to a stop at an alcove where Nic, Mario, and Carmine stood. Carmine's arm extended out, his finger pointed directly at Nic.
"This is your fucking fault! You were supposed to make sure this shit didn't happen!"
"How the fuck was he supposed to know someone was planting a bomb in the courthouse? Was he supposed to sweep the building? Do you think he would have seen what an entire contingent from the U.S. Marshals Service didn't? You're a fucking idiot!" Jade's snarled retort brought all three sets of eyes toward her.
"You! You were supposed to be this big, badass specialist! Where the fuck were you? Stupid fucking bitch…"
Jade would never know what else Carmine was going to say. Nic had him slammed against the wall, his forearm choking his brother. Carmine's face turned a deep red as he struggled to move Nic's arm from his windpipe. Jade knew there was no way on God's green earth that was going to happen. Nic was fucking deadly, as his brother was learning-right now.
Nic pushed a little harder, forcing Carmine to stop thrashing against his hold. "You motherfucker. You can accuse me of anything you want, but you will never say a word against Jade again. Mom was at the courthouse. Jade was off duty. That explosion was not my fault. It was not Jade's fault. The only responsible party is the bastards that planted the bomb, so take your rage and shove it up your ass."
Mario placed a hand on Nic's shoulder. "Hey, come on guys. Mom is in surgery fighting for her life. Don't do this. Not now."
Nic searched his younger brother's expression and then focused back on Carmine. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "We're done. Do you understand? I want nothing to do with you. Ever."
"Fine by me, you fucking worthless piece of shit," Carmine spit the words out.
Nic put his weight behind one more savage shove into his brother's neck before he released him. Carmine coughed, bending over to catch his breath. Rigid with barely restrained rage, Nic stepped away and leaned against the wall, his glare fixed on his older brother. Jade had five brothers and two sisters, and she'd never witnessed such a vicious display of anger and resentment between siblings. She walked to Nic after giving Carmine a dismissive look. Whatever was going on between the brothers would have to wait. "How is your mom?"
"She's in surgery. The ward nurse said it could be hours." Nic's eyes still shot daggers at his brother.
"Hey." Jade moved to stand in front of him and moved his chin to bring his eyes to hers. "Let's sit down. We can do a lot while we wait." Jade needed to get his mind off beating the ever-loving shit out of his brother. Besides distracting him, if they started working now, between the two of them, they could acquire intel, and work with their D.C. counterparts to try to figure this mess out. She lifted up on her toes and kissed Nic. Carmine's snort of disgust behind her didn't matter, but she threw the asshole the bird anyway. Fucker. Lowering slowly, she put her hand be
hind Nic's neck and pulled him down with her. "I'll be here every step of the way." Her voice lowered again. Her next words were meant only for Nic, "I'll be your protection in this storm, lover. Let go. You can drop the act. You're safe with me." She echoed the very words that had sent her running away from him that first night.
Nic straightened and searched her face with a desperation and depth of emotion that would normally terrify her and be the impetus for her to bolt. Not this time. This time she swallowed that fear, and let Nic see the truth of her words. She would be his refuge, protect this man with her life and keep him safe.
He nodded and closed his eyes, pulling her into him. She dropped her arms to his waist and held on to him as tightly as he was holding on to her. In the riot surrounding them, a cocoon of peace blossomed. Jade didn't know how long they stood there holding each other; what she did know was that Nic needed her strength, and she was going to give it to him. Her phone vibrated, breaking the moment.
Nic's arms loosened around her allowing her to grab the phone. "Yeah."
"Hey, any word on Nic's mom?" Jewell's voice came through the line.
"Surgery. What do you know?" Jade motioned toward a row of hard plastic seats on the opposite side of the room from Nic's dickwad brother. Nic moved to sit down, and she followed.
"I'll get the brothers on the line. Hang on."
Jade reached into her pocket and pulled out her earphones. She plugged it into the phone jack and handed one earpiece to Nic. "Jade? How's Nic?" Jared's concerned question boomed through her earbud. She thumbed the volume down while Nic answered.
"I'm here, J." Nic's non-answer carried more poignant emotion than any bullshit he could have lobbed.
"We are working this hard, man," Jared responded.
"I want in." There was no room for argument in his tone.
"I know." Jason's voice cut through the conversation. "I've asked Jacob to pull some specialized resources from overseas. They have a one-time permission to use their skills in the protection of your mom. Unfortunately, it will be at least twenty-four hours before they can reach the states. Once they are online, you can rest assured no one will get close to her."
Jade (The Kings of Guardian Book 9) Page 17