The Shadow Patriots Box Set 2

by Warren Ray

  They entered the office and Green’s jaw about dropped when he saw Stormy. Gibbs had told him she did modeling work in the past, but he didn’t expect her to be drop-dead gorgeous. Green took her hand as Gibbs introduced them.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Green forgetting all about his hesitation and anger.

  “Major Green, please no, the pleasure is all mine. From what they tell me, you’re the one who’s put his life on the line for all of us.”

  Green was pleasantly surprised at her response and felt a little embarrassed.

  Gibbs then introduced Green to his son.

  “Major.”

  “Kyle, it’s a pleasure, and thank you for the other night.”

  “It went off without a hitch. Perozzi’s driver was no problem.”

  “Well, he obviously gave his boss the thumb drive,” said Green. He then turned to Stormy. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?”

  She filled him in on everything she had heard Perozzi and Reed talk about, the animosity between them Reed’s abrupt departure.

  Green gave Gibbs a nod of approval when she finished. It appeared their plan of dividing Perozzi and Reed was starting to work. Divide and conquer was a motto he believed in and now they needed to step it up a notch. After hearing what Stormy conveyed, Green already knew what the next move was going to be. He broke out in a smile because for the first time since coming back to D.C., he now had hope that they could actually take down Perozzi and Reed.

  Chapter 88

  Jackson Michigan

  Amber sat in a big comfortable chair waiting for Elliott to awaken. He had come out of surgery hours ago and Doctor Lunsford said he’d be up about now. She looked at him and realized she had fallen asleep. Elliott smiled at her when she opened her eyes.

  “Hey, you’re awake,” said Amber, as she got up and sat beside him.

  “I’ve been awake for a little bit. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “Oh, Elliott, you didn’t need to do that.”

  “I know, but you looked like a sleeping angel and I was enjoying it.”

  “Elliott, you’re going to make me blush.”

  “Well, the last thing I remember was being in a firefight and then I woke up to see you, so it was a nice change.”

  She grabbed his hand. “Well, glad I could help.”

  “So, what happened? Where’s Cole and Cara?”

  Amber took a moment before answering. “She was killed.”

  Elliott closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

  “And to top it off; she was killed by her friend or a so-called friend.”

  “How is he?”

  “Not good. He’s like a different person now, Elliott.”

  “How do you mean?”

  Amber told him what happened when he killed the Jijis and how she’d had to break him and Scar apart.

  “Cole is racked with guilt.”

  “Scar said he barely spoke two words to him and Meeks. He didn’t even come to see Reese. She’s beside herself.”

  “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know. Nobody does. Reese went to go look for him.”

  Amber stood up and got some water for Elliott. She helped him lean forward and moved the plastic cup to his lips. He drank more than half before leaning back.

  The door then opened and Reese walked in with an exasperated look on her face.

  Amber knew something was wrong.

  “They’re gone,” said Reese.

  Amber was confused. “Who’s gone?”

  “Cole’s daughter is gone and so is he.”

  “What?”

  “I went to the morgue to see if he was there and her body is gone.”

  “Maybe he went to go bury her.”

  “Yeah, then why did he take the police van? I ran into Badger, and he saw him drive out of the parking lot with it.”

  Amber turned to Elliott hoping for an answer.

  He closed his eyes for a few moments and then looked at the girls. “Ten to one says he’s taking her home. He’s going back to Iowa.”

  Reese let out a gasp and tears started to run down her cheeks.

  Amber got up and put her arms around her. She figured Reese was thinking the same thing she was, would Cole come back to them or would he go off to Detroit by himself.

  Reese then broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.

  Amber had never seen her break down before and always wondered how she kept it together and now knew; she had bottled everything up and was now letting it all out. All it took was a bout of unrequited love to break her.

  It had been a long week for the Shadow Patriots. They fought many battles, where everyone lost someone dear to them. Everyone’s nerves were frazzled and on edge. Amber knew things would be different now that Cole had left. He was the glue that held this ragtag army together. He was their Captain, and if he didn’t come back, they’d go on, but it wouldn’t be the same. She tightened her arms around Reese running a hand through her hair and prayed for the best.

  Innocent Shadows - 5

  The Shadow Patriots Book Five

  Warren Ray

  Chapter 1

  Jackson Michigan

  The cafeteria was empty when Scott “Scar” Scarborough came in for a cup of coffee. He found the machine shut off and the decanter empty, so he went about making a fresh pot with the last remaining packet of coffee. He was surprised to find no one there as it was late-morning but figured everyone was still recovering from last night's operation in Grosse Pointe.

  He sat down and stared at the coffee maker as it started to boil the water. His mind was occupied with the operation, which he could only categorize as one of the strangest he’d ever been involved with since they started the Shadow Patriots. They successfully entered Mordulfah’s domain and rescued three people, but lost Cara because a woman she thought was her friend stabbed her with a knife. Scar let out a scoff as he got up and grabbed the half-full decanter. What the hell kind of person would do this? That poor girl. They must have lied to her from the get-go.

  He sat back down and blew on the hot coffee before taking a sip. His thoughts shifted to Winters and what he must be going through. To watch your daughter die in front of you after you had risked your life to rescue her was beyond comprehension. How does one even try to get over something like that? Especially, after not seeing her for a year and to be so close to having her back, then poof, she’s gone.

  Scar shook his head not wanting to dwell on the unthinkable. The image of his own son, Scott, flashed before his eyes. He flew EA-6B Prowlers in the war out west. The military used these aircraft to pinpoint and neutralize the enemy’s fire control radar. It wasn’t too far from the realm of possibility that he could be killed at any time, but to successfully rescue your child and then have her die in your arms would be soul crushing. To be right there and then have it taken away was too much for any man. He didn’t blame Cole for leaving. The man always carried the heavy burden for the group and it had been a hell of a week here in Jackson. From fighting the enemy and evacuating the citizens, to personally taking responsibility for the attack on the hospital, and then having his daughter killed. Was it any wonder he cracked and left the group?

  Scar let out a heavy sigh because the burden of command would now fall on his shoulders until Winters came back—if he came back. It was always a tacit thing that he was next in line. It was just something that happened whenever Winters was out of the picture, the men turned to him. While he never shied away from the responsibility, he never enjoyed it even though he was accustomed to giving orders. He had owned his own construction business and at one time had over fifty people on the payroll. However, having people’s lives in your hands was quite a different thing. If he made a mistake in his business, it usually just cost him money. In this current business, mistakes cost lives. He took another sip and remembered his Marine Corps training. That training turned him into the man he was today. Thinking about it gave him a confidence boo
st and figured it would kick in when he needed it. Besides, this group was comprised of some tough and highly qualified fighters.

  Scar looked up when he heard the door open. He raised his cup when Corporal Joshua Bassett walked in. Here was one of their most qualified fighters. His youthful energy, military training, and combat experience gave him an edge over the older members. Officially, he was still in the Army and had fought in the Middle East. This experience alone put him far above the rest with the exception of Nordell. His thirty years in the Corps was going to be invaluable to them in the future.

  Bassett grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down. “Hell of a night.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “You been up to see Elliott?”

  “Just left him. Amber is hovering over him.”

  Bassett gave him a sly grin. “He’ll like that.”

  “He deserves it.”

  “What about those twin girls? Did you hear their story?” asked Bassett.

  Scar gave him a quizzical look and shook his head.

  “That cop, Captain Vatter, is their cousin and was the one who gave them to Mordulfah.”

  Scar’s jaw literally dropped.

  “I know, right? It’s pretty messed up. After we got back, one of the nurses scooped the girls up and took them away.”

  “Dammed despicable pig,” said Scar.

  Bassett took a sip of coffee and stared into the cup. “So, what are we going to do?”

  Scar was waiting for it and now it had begun. Bassett was looking for orders. He was an Army man through and through. While he was quite capable of making his own decisions, his training told him to get directions first. Scar didn’t expect Bassett to mention Winters’ absence. For him, it just was, and now you moved forward.

  “We’ll continue moving the citizens out. Why don’t you get with Nordell and make arrangements for a group tonight?”

  “Sounds good, although I have a feeling he’s going to be tied up for a little while.”

  “Oh?” asked Scar.

  “He’ll have Posey on the brain today.”

  With everything that had gone on, Scar had forgotten about the spy they captured last night. “Oh, yeah, forgot all about him.”

  “I can assure you, Gunny hasn’t.”

  “I hope he doesn’t make too big a spectacle of it.”

  “Don’t count on it. I have a feeling we’re talking about a big gathering. Think western movie style hanging.”

  Scar rolled his eyes. While he wanted Posey to pay for his crimes, he had bigger things on his mind than some grand execution. He wanted the group to continue as if nothing had changed. He figured the best way to do this would be an evacuation mission. Giving the men some purpose was the best way to keep their head in the game. There would be a lot of gossip today, which typically evolved into negative tones. Usually, there’s a person or two that will think the worst and try to pull the group down to their level. He had dealt with it in the past and knew the havoc it could reap. It was the last thing he needed to have happen now.

  Chapter 2

  Washington D.C.

  Staring into the salt-water tank in his office, Lawrence Reed watched the exotic fish swim back and forth with no particular place to go in their contained world. The big fish were kings of this world and weren’t bothered by the smaller ones, all of whom gave way to them. There was a certain pecking order and everyone knew their place making it appear that everyone got along. Reed let out a scoff thinking how D.C. was relatively the same. The district was a big fish bowl with a few big fish in charge, with some medium ones striving to become big fish, and many little ones just going about their business in their own little fiefdoms. There was a certain order of things and it appeared to work. However, underneath the niceties, there was a constant struggle for wannabe big fish trying to reach the status of a truly big fish. Once in a blue moon, they legitimately earned a place among the big ones, but mostly they simply spent their time trying to manipulate other fish and events.

  Reed got out of his chair, grabbed a container of food, and sprinkled the flakes across the top of the water. Most of the fish bolted to the surface and fought for their share while others patiently waited for it to drop to the bottom, taking what they needed without the hassle of fighting for it while staying unseen. These bottom feeders reminded Reed of those who liked to stay in the shadows here in the district taking what they wanted without anyone noticing them. These were the fish to watch out for because you never knew when or how they would strike. They were difficult to ferret out because sometimes they would use other people to do their dirty work or they worked in concert with other bottom feeders.

  Reed plopped back in his chair knowing he had several bottom feeders working together. He rocked back and forth thinking about the chain of events over the last couple of weeks. The person who took out Pruitt must have gotten ahold of his laptop. There was no other way to explain the surfacing of the recording of Perozzi talking with Chinese officials. Reed cursed himself for thinking he had the only recording. He should have known Pruitt would keep a copy for himself. He should never have sent him to record that meeting in the first place. Reed shook his head thinking about his paranoia and how it was catching up to him. Perozzi was pretty pissed off listening to his voice on the recording. Of course, Perozzi knew about his paranoia, so there was no denying who ordered the recording. Besides, he was the only other one aware of the meeting.

  Reed reached behind his chair, grabbed a crystal decanter and poured a scotch. He ignored the early hour of the day and took a large gulp of the burning liquid. It went down as it always did, burning his throat and clearing out his nostrils. He slammed the glass down thinking about what to do about Perozzi. He had pushed too far and needed answers before Perozzi decided he did not want him around anymore.

  “Who the hell were these bottom feeders?”

  He grabbed a pencil and paper and wrote down Pruitt and recordings. He then wrote down Patrick O’Connor who recorded their conversations of the bombings. Trying to control his anger at O’Connor, he pressed down hard on the pencil breaking the tip. He grabbed another pencil and wrote down Allison O’Connor, wishing again he’d killed that alcoholic bitch. He wrote next to their names, recording and rescue.

  He leaned back in his chair thinking about her rescue and how whoever did it was able to kill two experienced men. Were they professionals? That possibility bothered him. He turned back to the fish tank and stared into it. As he watched a small fish swimming next to a big fish he realized what it was that bothered him. The shooter was a professional, but why did they need to rescue her? She shouldn’t have been anywhere near the district when they dropped off the recording at his house. They should have known in advance that he’d figure out where it came from. This had inexperience written all over it. He then realized he was dealing with bottom feeders all right but a bigger fish was involved as well, maybe even more than one.

  He wrote down work truck with fake license plates and knew without question, this was the work of bureaucratic bottom feeders. This was not an easy task to perform, but could have been done by any number of people. He would have to send someone who would tear the place down, if needed, to get the information.

  He looked at the list and figured there had to be at least five people in this cabal, possibly more. He tapped the list with the pencil eraser thinking about last night’s interaction with Perozzi. It wasn’t pleasant and a bit embarrassing having Perozzi know he was responsible for one of those recordings. It was interesting that this cabal sent him and Perozzi different recordings. These bottom feeders were clever to be sure and more than likely they were even now working on their next move.

  He poured himself another drink making it a double. He started moving the glass to his lips but stopped when it reminded him of the double-shot he took last night. A new waitress called Stormy served it to him. You could not forget a name like that especially on someone as beautiful as she was. She was too pretty to be working at a r
estaurant and she had an air of confidence that was different from the rest of the girls there. No doubt she had modeling experience the way she walked and carried herself. Her smart-ass answer to his question bothered him the most. No one there dared talk to him like that. Why was she there and why now? That restaurant didn’t have a lot of turn-over with the staff, so it was unusual to have a new girl there. The timing seemed too much of a coincidence while these bottom feeders were coming after him. He took the pencil, wrote down her name, and then wrote background check. He leaned back in his chair and after a few moments came up with a person whom he could assign to investigate. He picked up the phone and called him.

  Chapter 3

  The sun shone through the window of Major Green’s office in the Lafayette building. He sat in his chair and stared at the people in the park across the street. Their lives were far different from the rest of America. They didn’t have the food or electricity shortages that everywhere else had to worry about. They also didn’t have to worry about being killed by an enemy, either foreign or domestic. It was easy to ignore the hardships the rest of the country endured. Speaking of domestic enemies, the Shadow Patriots had gone on a mission to rescue Winters’ daughter last night. Mordulfah was using her as bait, and since Green hadn’t heard anything on the outcome yet, he didn’t think the prince had been successful. Had they succeeded, the phones would have been buzzing.