Sweet Firecracker

by Nikki Bolvair

  Grabbing them, I walked to the back porch and entered her house.

  “Hello?” I called out, but no answer.

  Instead of searching the whole house, I went directly to the garage and opened it. Not finding a car there, I realized she must still be at the office. It made sense. Myter was still at large. Putting the keys back and waving goodbye to Fred, I drove over to the office.

  The large, intimidating building stood in the middle of downtown. Driving up to the secure entrance, I waved to the guard before entering my access code to the garage. I slid into my assigned parking spot and made my way to the elevators that would take me up to the fifth floor where Lindsay Phillips’s office was located.

  When I arrived at her door, she was on the phone talking to someone in an urgent tone. Did she find Myter? She turned when she spotted me and beckoned me in. “I want to know how that happened,” she demanded. “And I want that information, now. I don’t care if it’s the weekend.” Her tone brooked no argument. “Yes, today.”

  She hung up the phone and placed her hands on top of the desk, staring at me. “We have a problem.”

  My eyebrows rose. “Okay.” I entered farther into the room. “What kind of problem?”

  Phillips stood and walked over to me, placing a hand on my arm. “Look, you know I’ve tried to hide where you’re from the best I’m able to, but…” She shook her head. “Someone found out.”

  I tensed. “What do you mean, ‘someone found out’?”

  “Myter accessed the computer with Craig’s old passcode and gained access to your files. We were able to lock him out, but not before he gained access to who your real father is. I can’t protect you anymore, kiddo. He knows too much.”

  “Shit.” I pulled away from her and went to the window to stare out over the city. “It was bound to happen, right?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  I nodded and turned back to her. “It just means I have to be careful. He knows what my father is capable of, we all do. Hopefully, that alone will make him err on the side of caution.”

  I walked back to her and dipped my hand into my pocket. “Look, I have to go. My dad is requesting my attention. I just wanted to drop this off.” Taking out the flash drive, I gave it to her. “And let you know that…” I paused.

  “What?”

  “To let you know that whatever is going on with me, I need some time.”

  She nodded, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “I figured that.” She went back to her desk, opening her notebook to flip through it. “I’m giving you a month’s leave to figure it out.” She glanced up. “To get whatever treatment you need. Full pay.”

  My eyebrows rose. “Full pay?”

  She nodded slowly. “The agency doesn’t want to lose you. They’re willing to take action or incentives to make sure you stay.”

  “What about Myter and Bane?”

  “Other agents will take care of it. You and Trisha are off the case.”

  Frustration filled me. “But I want to help.” I stepped forward. “I need to.”

  “I’m sorry, Melissa, but you’re off the case. Spend this time sorting yourself out.”

  Angry now, my voice went low. “You can’t do that.”

  She walked over to me and navigated me to the door. “I just did. Figure things out, come back, we’ll talk.”

  “But how can I keep myself safe if I’m not involved?”

  “It’s because you’re involved that you aren’t safe. Go on, have dinner with your father.”

  Once she had me out of her office, I turned and headed down the hall. “Don’t go doing something stupid, Melissa,” she warned, reading my mind. “Let us worry about this.”

  I flipped her off.

  “And get a new phone!” she yelled.

  Back in the truck, I made the drive to the airport, arriving just in time to grab the private jet my dad sent for me. Dress bag and shoes in hand, I boarded, settling into one of the large, cushioned seats as the jet took off. It curved through the air, flying me toward the Colorado Rockies. It wasn’t actually my father’s jet, but he knew somebody and used his pull to get me access since the only way in and out of his mountain retreat was by air.

  During the flight, I took the time to get dressed, do my hair, makeup, and put my shoes on. Have to look my best.

  ***

  We landed in the evening, and the chill in the air didn’t bother me much.

  One of my dad’s guards, Tanner, greeted me with a smile. A familiar face since my dad had few employees. A little uncomfortable sharing body space, I took his elbow and let him guide me into the massive estate that held my father’s mansion-like cabin. From there, Tanner left me in the hands of the butler. The house was the same. With a classic elegance to it, it displayed items that were never used. Never touched. Only objects to be admired.

  Once in the dining area, I greeted my dad, who wore a formal suit, and his wife, who was stunning in a blue satin gown. My dad placed his hands on my shoulders, giving me a slight kiss on either cheek, as did his wife. The three of us sat down, letting the four course meal begin.

  We talked briefly on meaningless things before my dad jumped into what was going on currently.

  Midway through the first course, he asked, “Gin, are you going to use the item I gave you?”

  I shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, I am. I want my free will, and I’m sure Dallon and Garrett wouldn’t have chosen this.”

  “Well, make sure that’s what they want. You might be surprised. How are you doing with work?”

  “Lindsay put me on leave. She assigned another team to search for Myter.”

  “Ah, that’s why you’re in such a mood tonight.”

  “I’m not in a mood. Trish and I are being put on the back burner, leaving others to clean up our mess. It’s our problem. We should be the ones fixing it.”

  “Well, I think it’s a good thing. You’ve become irrational and attached to the case.”

  I dropped my spoon in my bowl and sat back. “Irrational? You read my file. You know what happened on my mission.”

  His mouth pressed into a flat line. “You have a job. To get the information through. You chose to stay behind, and in the end, you got yourself caught as well. Both you and Trisha are bright and intelligent, but you’re loyal to a fault. That’s going to get you two killed someday, Gin.”

  My fist clenched my my lap, disbelieving what I was hearing. “So that’s what being loyal is called now? A fault? Getting the information through didn’t work out so well for me, did it? Or mom.”

  “You should really know your facts, Gin. I did go back for Hanson. After getting back to the base camp that evening, I got the information through, saving millions.” He was cold as he said it. Expression empassive. “I went back for my partner right away. But by that time, he was already gone. Navy SEALs found him a week later in an undercover op.” My father paused as a muscle ticked in his cheek. Not as cool as he seemed to be. “He never once expressed ill will toward me, not once. We were best friends. He understood. He never let on he hated me for my actions. The information had to get through. He knew that. We both did. I didn’t leave my friend behind. He knew the risks.”

  “Why was he kept alive?” Camille asked as she laid a comforting hand on his arm.

  His focus shifted to his wife. “At the time, the agency and I were never sure why. But looking back now, I see it.”

  The blood rushed from my face. “He sent the men to our house. Had mom killed.”

  He gave a nod. “It’s just speculation. I have no proof, but I believe he did. He took you, Gin. He stole what was mine.”

  I reared back. “Yours? You talk like I’m a piece of furniture or one of the priceless paintings you own. I’m a person, Dad. Your daughter. I’m not an object to claim.”

  He sighed, glancing to his wife as if to say, ‘see what I have to deal with?’ before bringing his attention back to me. “I never said you were an object that I owned, but in a sense, you are a pricel
ess piece. One designed after me. A precious one. We will always be connected. If that makes you upset, I’m sorry. When we found you, I felt it was best to keep you safe. To eliminate the danger and send you to a more… normal family. Director Lindsay assured me you would have a normal upbringing and the visits between us back then showed me I made the right decision. Now, all grown up, you took the leap into my world. You adhered to the rules. My dear, like it or not, you’re taking the path I once did at a young age. You are, if I may say, your father’s child.”

  Feeling the calm before the storm, I answered him. “While I may have your looks and desire for danger, I am not the same as you. Do you know which rule Mr. Hanson changed?”

  My father’s face turned grim. “I have my suspicions.”

  My shoulders stiffened as I nodded. “Rule number one. Where yours was to always get the information through, his was to always ‘be prepared to die’. Can you imagine? A six-year-old memorizing that? He made me chant it over and over until I was doing it in my sleep.” My voice trembled with the emotions I couldn’t hold back. “I hated it. In fact, I have a new set of rules. My own. Rule number one: Never leave a man behind. You might have gone back for Mr. Hanson, but you left me in a farmhouse scared and unsure of the future.”

  My stepmother broke in. “Melissa, he was doing what he thought was right at the time. Now, he’s trying to make amends and hopefully for you to let go of the animosity you have against him.”

  I threw my hand up. “Why? Why now?”

  My dad spoke up. “Because I’ll be leaving the mountain and coming out of retirement. I’m needed with all the unrest going on overseas.”

  This information perked my curiosity . “Where are you going?”

  “Here and there. I have many places and locations to hide. I want you to have one as well.” He slid an envelope across the table to me. “I want you to have the mountain. A safe place for you to escape to and raise a family if you choose. This is my way of keeping you safe. Mack will no longer be at your disposal. I’m…” His lips quirked upwards in amusement. “As your mother would say, ‘I’m cutting the apron strings.’ You’ll be on your own.”

  My resolve softened. “I’ve been on my own for awhile, Dad.”

  My stepmother’s brow furrowed with concern. “But you’ve used Mack recently, more than once, Melissa. You won’t have that any longer. Your father’s trying to let you understand exactly what’s going on.”

  “I understand,” I told her, frankly.

  Dad grimaced and leaned in, addressing another conversation. “I can tell you weren’t keen on talking about the antiserum. Are you sure you want to take it?”

  I narrowed my gaze at him. “Do you think I shouldn’t take it because you like the idea of me being with two guys, two men?”

  “No,” he said slowly. “I’m not fond of the nature of it, but I’m not opposed to having two highly trained operatives as permanent fixtures in your life. If they happen to give me a grandchild or two, I would be grateful.”

  “I’m taking the serum.”

  He chuckled. “Sure you are.”

  The stepmom patted his forearm. “Enough of this chat about what needs to be done before we leave.”

  “Wait, what about Myter and Bane?” I demanded. “Surely, you’re not leaving before this is solved. He knows who you are, now. Who I am.”

  He shook his head, his eyes pinched with regret. “I’m sorry, it’s out of my hands.”

  Help

  Melissa

  On the ride back to Texas, that one sentence replayed in my mind. Out of his hands? How could it be out of his hands? He was a plethora of information, of endless ways to get people to do what he wanted. Why couldn’t he help us find Myter and Bane? They were traitors to our country. Was there really something else more important going on for him to abandon this search?

  We landed in Texas late that night, and I threw my dress bag into the truck, not caring if it wrinkled or not. I sat in the parking lot, uncertain of where I should go. I had a decision to make. Where would I go from here, in the middle of the night? My apartment and sleep it off? Or make the three hour drive back to Bath, give or take a few, and take the antiserum.

  My gut clenched with a deep ache I chalked up to the effect of what was happening to me.

  Did I really want to do it? Did I want to take the risk of never having Garrett or Dallon back in my life? Could I really see them with someone else? It had been so long ago when our friendship grew only to be separated and reconnected in a more intimate way. Thrown together in a massive confusion and scientific espionage, we had only had five… no seven days of getting to know one another and half of that was spent between the sheets. But even with that small bit of time, my heart told me the years between us didn’t matter. I wanted to stay with them. My head spoke reason about how impractical it was to love two men. Was I truly thinking about staying with them?

  I pulled out of the parking spot before I realized what I was doing and headed toward the farmhouse. It was only to check on Trisha, I told myself, to make sure she was okay. And then to take her back with me. The reasoning satisfied my brain, but my heart knew it was a lie.

  When I pulled up to the farmhouse, it was still dark. Vehicles were nowhere to be seen, and it looked like the farmhouse had been abandoned. Dark windows, no signs of life. Well, it was what we wanted a safe house to look like, that way no one would think twice about searching there. Unless they wanted to be found. Did the guys stay for that reason? Hoping for me to come back?

  Parking in the driveway, I wished I took the Director’s advice and purchased a phone. It would help to get in contact with the guys to figure out which way to go. Into the barn or inside the house?

  I needed to grab the antiserum and explain it to the guys. Decision made, I got out of the truck and slammed it shut, hoping to rouse someone into coming out. No one made an appearance, so I walked up to the porch. Then I hesitated, unsure if I should knock or not, but when I drew closer I noticed the front door was ajar.

  My muscles tensed. That it was unusual. Wishing for some sort of weapon, I slowly backed off the steps, hoping nothing creaked. Back on the dirt, I went to the side yard and grabbed the thickest stick I could find and headed back up the porch and into the house, flipping on the lights as I went.

  Nothing in the front room looked disturbed; the exercise equipment was still where it had been before. I went over and traded my stick for a barbell before slowly stepping into the hallway, continuing to flip on lights as I went, wanting to secure the downstairs before I went up to the second floor.

  Easing my way past the steps that lead upstairs, I went toward the kitchen. I briefly considered the closet safe room as I paused at the hall closet, but I had no idea what the code was and again, it didn’t seem like anyone was there. Unwilling to let my guard down, I entered the kitchen and walked to the rotary phone that never rings and picked it up.

  Silence met my ear. I froze. Someone cut the line. Putting it back on the cradle, I turned and crept upstairs, worried someone found the antiserum my father gave me.

  I made it to my bedroom. Not bothering to turn on the lights, I went straight to the vent and pulled the lever that opened it, allowing the jewelry box to fall into my hands. My shoulders sagged with relief then tensed when I heard the shuffle of foot steps.

  Whirling around, I found Myter outlined in the doorway with a gun in hand. His once sure and smooth voice held an air of desperation. “I need your help, Melissa.”

  Myter held the gun in his right hand as he flipped on the light. His usual daily wear was worn and torn. He was a wreck.

  “This is messed up, Edmund.”

  His hand rose in a pose of surrender. “I’m just here to talk. Melissa, I didn’t set out to do this. My daughter got sick. It’s a father’s duty to make sure that all resources have been looked at when your child is terminal.” He slowly lowered his hands. “I talked to a few people to see if they knew anything about a new drug out on th
e market. That’s when General Bane reached out to me and said that General Steel was working on something top secret that might help.”

  It didn’t add up. “Just like that, General Bane offered up information? Why?”

  “I did it for a favor.”

  “Ah.” I nodded, realizing where things were going now. “The inoculations Trisha and I received.”

  “Yes. I’m sorry, but I was desperate, knowing there was some kind of treatment that could cure my daughter. I tried to get a meeting with General Steel, to see if he might let my daughter in on the program. He never answered my phone calls, never bothered to get in touch. I even went to an event and met up with him. I shook his hand, and he told me that he knew nothing about any new drug.”

  “So, you played with mine and Trisha lives for information that led you to a brick wall. Lovely.”

  Ignoring my comment, he went on. “He said he was sorry for her. The bastard knew. I was sure of it. So I took my own liberties in finding out all I could and accessed our database. I found very little information about it, but it was there. Proof. I went to get into the army systems and couldn’t. I was blackballed and reprimanded by Director Phillips who told me not to pursue it further. My baby got worse, Melissa. All the hospitals. All the needles. All the pain. I couldn’t handle seeing her like that. I left the nurses to tend to her while I tried to figure out a way to change General Steels mind. He wouldn’t listen, and then the very man we were investigating, that you were sent to bring in, gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

  “An offer that turned you into a killer,” I retorted.

  “But wouldn’t you have done it?” he rasped. “Wouldn’t you kill to save someone you loved?”

  His thoughts and reasonings were skewed. He wasn’t the same man I remembered before he became guilt-ridden and desperate to save his only child.

  “This is different,” I told him firmly. “Willing to take someone’s life, someone innocent who had their own kids, for the chance you might save your daughters? To make that ultimate choice on your own and not as a defense to your person, it’s wrong. You killed one of our own.”