by J. M. Madden
Andromeda scowled and rested her head back on her hands. What a clusterfuck. She shook her head. "I don't have any clothes or anything with me. I can't just leave."
He frowned at her and gave her a strange look.
"Sure, you can. You just drive away. Anything we need we can get on the road."
She blinked, shocked at the ease with which he said that. "No, I am an officer of the court. I have a responsibility to report what happened and file charges if anyone has been apprehended."
Parker shook his head, resigned. "Fine. Call your boss, but don't tell him where you are."
Andromeda paged through to Mike's number and pressed the phone, then the speaker button. He answered on the first ring.
"What the fuck is going on, Andromeda? What happened at your condo?"
"I was attacked. First by a woman as I got off the elevator, then by a man that was with her. I made it to my car and had to drive through the gate to get out of the parking garage. Outside, there was a ..." she hesitated, glancing at Parker in the seat beside her. "A friend that had been attacked as well by four other men. All of the men looked to be of Middle Eastern descent and they were armed."
"Where are you now?" he demanded.
Andromeda winced. "I'm at a Wendy's debating what to do. As crazy as it sounds I'm going to go ahead and get Mac and get out of town for a few days. They're trying to get rid of us all, Mike."
"Andromeda, if Mozi doesn't accept the plea agreement you have trial in five days. Is it really the best time to be taking off?"
"Her life is in danger," Parker growled. "She's leaving town for at least four days."
"Who the hell is this?" Mike demanded.
"Parker Quinn, US Navy SEAL, retired. Andromeda could have been killed today. If I hadn't been there she definitely would have come to harm, at the very least, or been kidnapped. While she's gone, why don't you find out who the hell is after her. You've had months to figure out what was going on. Any lay person can see there's a terror cell in your city."
"And we're doing everything we can about that, buddy," Mike snapped.
"Well, while you guys throw paper at the terrorists to try to get them to be good, I'll be throwing bullets at them if they come near us. Got that?"
Silence stretched on the other end of the line. "Fine. Go get your witness, Andromeda. Are you ready for trial?"
"As ready as I can be, yes. I have my laptop with me so I can work remotely."
"You do that. And Andromeda?"
"Yes?"
"You better damn well keep me updated."
And he hung up.
Andromeda sagged in her seat, wondering what in the hell she'd gotten herself into. Yes, she was battling crime and getting danger off the streets, but it seemed never ending. And the deeper she went the more dangerous her life seemed to become.
Her eyes filled with tears and she had to force them back. The morning had been horrendous. In all of her thirty-three years, she'd never been attacked like that in her life. She'd never really even been punched or hit. And she certainly had never had someone actually try to take her life.
A weight settled onto her back. Parker's broad hand, apparently, because it began rubbing back and forth, over her coat. Her skin came to life, sending chills through her.
"Where did you come from?" she asked faintly.
"Colorado," he snorted. "But my old commander called me up and told me I needed to be here. I'm glad he did. Otherwise you would probably be dead."
Yes, she probably would be, and that pissed her off. What right did this family have to try to kill her?
Sitting up in her seat, Andromeda wiped her cheeks. "Yes, I think you're right. Okay, what do we need to do?"
"We need to get the fuck out of here before some random passerby just happens to know someone looking for you."
Andromeda looked out the windshield to see a bedraggled homeless man looking right at them. She slammed the car into reverse and turned right out of the parking lot.
"We have to find Mac," she said decisively.
Chapter 4
Parker shifted in the seat, already feeling cramped. Reaching down for the seat controls, he slid his back as far as it would go. Better, but still not great.
They merged into traffic at a stoplight and Andromeda glanced around nervously. He wanted to try to calm her fears, but it was probably best that she stay sharp. Holstering his Heckler Koch Mk 23, he sat back in the seat and tried to find a more comfortable position for his legs.
"How far away is this guy?"
Andromeda glanced at him with a wince. "It depends upon where he is."
"What?"
She shrugged, looking pale in her dark coat. "He's a bit of a wanderer. He doesn't always stay in one place, but German Village is where he lives. We set a time to meet next week but I'm early."
She took two more turns before she started to slow down. Parker looked around.
This area had a lot of character. History was written upon every brick building and landscaped yard. Even the streets were brick. It had been a long time since he'd been in such a well-cared for area. It was obvious there was a strong sense of civic pride here.
Andromeda pulled up in front of a book store and coasted past. There were several wrought iron benches around, but they were all empty.
"We may not see him," she murmured. "It's early yet. Nothing is open. He likes to sit on the benches and read. I’ve never seen a man read like he does."
She merged back into traffic and drove a few blocks, then turned left. A giant park opened up beside them. The rain had held off today, so joggers and dog walkers used the paths. It was a nice, crisp fall morning.
Lips pursed, Andromeda drove along the perimeter of the park, eyes darting here and there. When they completed the circle, she pulled into a parking spot. "I know he likes to come here to read. It's his favorite place. Do you want to hang out a few minutes or come back?"
Parker could tell she was distraught and needed a break. He scanned the area. It seemed quiet enough, in a weird way. There were people out, but the Range Rover fit in like she lived here. "I think we'll be okay for a bit."
Andromeda turned the ignition off and melted into the seat. She looked drawn and worried, but still incredibly beautiful.
Parker had never seen anything like her. Tall and athletic, she must be an imposing figure in the courtroom. But her face was ethereal. She had the finest pored skin he'd ever seen, smooth as porcelain. The wings of her brows were strong and delicate. And her eyes... her eyes. A man could lose himself for years in the depths of her golden topaz eyes. They were so unique. He'd seen men and women both do double takes when they talked to her.
High cheekbones and a strong chin gave her the perfect oval face. Her lips gave her a sensuality to balance out her stark bone structure. Her dark hair had been cut almost boyishly short. If she'd been trying to reduce her femininity by cutting off her long, almost-black hair it hadn't worked. The short cut was a little longer in front and gave her a pixie-ish cuteness that she would probably smack him for if he ever told her.
He glanced down her body, wishing that she wasn't wearing the bulky coat. She'd had one of the most beautiful bodies he'd ever seen. It had been many years since he'd seen her but he assumed her curves were still there. Yesterday she'd worn that rain jacket, camouflaging all her good parts.
But her looks were such a small part of who she was. When he'd met her in a bar years ago she'd been letting off steam after taking some big lawyer test in school and she'd been exuberant, her eyes glowing with an inner strength he'd never seen in another woman. She was well on her path to being a lawyer and she loved everything about her profession.
Parker was just as passionate about being a SEAL. He lived and breathed weapons and tactics and strategy. He took every training they offered; it was why he was in Boston. It had been refreshing to find someone as invested in their career as he'd been. Unfortunately, his career had burned out sooner than he'd expected. Hers seeme
d to still be going strong.
Andromeda glanced at him, then down at her hands. "I was pretty shocked to see you. You look good, Parker. Really good. What have you been doing?"
He sighed, knowing that this would come up at some time. And she was being kind about his looks. He hadn't been that good looking guy for a long time. "Well, I was with the SEALs for several years, before I got... injured. Then they politely kicked me out the door."
She frowned. "Seriously? Why would they do that?"
Parker shrugged, looking out the window. Anxiety began to creep into his bones. "Mind of I crack this window?"
He pressed the button to roll the window down a couple of inches, inhaling the moist air.
"Don't worry about it," she said eventually. "You don't have to tell me."
Parker wanted to tell her, kind of. He could tell by the sound of her voice that she was a little hurt. But it was too damned soon to get into something so heavy. They'd been together less than an hour and he didn't know which way this situation was going to go. Depending upon how things went he could be here a day or two weeks, and he didn't plan on engaging in anything with her. Besides, after all this time there was a chance she was already attached to someone. No, there was no ring on her finger, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Andromeda was a busy lawyer. Maybe she just didn't have time for attachments.
Parker couldn't say anything. He'd never gotten involved with anyone either. At least, not after Andromeda. Yes, there'd been more than his fair share of hookups, but no one he could tolerate for more than a few hours. Definitely no one that he'd consider giving up his lifestyle for.
"How are your mom and dad?" she asked.
Parker gave her a tight smile, appreciating the subject change. "They're fine. Still doing their thing in Pennsylvania. They've got a timeshare now in Hawaii they've been jetting back and forth to. It's a nice diversion for them and every time they go over they stay longer. I expect them to tell me any time they're moving over permanently."
"That's a long way from ... Colorado, was it you said?"
Parker glanced at her quickly. Andromeda remembered every detail. "Yes. Denver."
She cleared her throat. "Are you married, or do you have kids or anything?"
Parker blinked at the directness of the question. "Um, no, to both. You?"
For some reason her cheeks turned a little pink and she shook her head. "Nope. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride."
Frowning, Parker studied her expression. That sounded a little bitter. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it," she said quickly. "It's not your fault."
"How are your parents," he asked, desperate for a topic.
"They're fine. They moved up New Hampshire to be near my sister and her kids. She has three now."
Parker blinked. "Damn. She got busy, didn't she? Was she even married when we were together?"
Andy shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "No. She and Ben fell hard and fast."
Clamping her lips shut she looked out the window, her thumbnails running over top of each other repeatedly. Why did Parker feel like he needed to be on the defensive?
"Andy, what's wrong?"
The familiar shortening of her name slipped off his tongue without thought. Making a face she glanced at him.
"Not very many people call me Andy." She laughed throatily. "It sounds strange coming from you. I haven't been that Andy for years."
"You'll always be Andy to me."
She stared at him for a long moment and opened her mouth to say something, then decided better of it. She turned back to the driver's side window.
Parker felt like he was walking on eggshells. Their relationship had been hot and fiery, and ended just as abruptly. They'd both been at fault and he thought he may have been further along in the relationship than she'd been.
"There he is," she gasped.
Parker followed the line of her finger. There was a big man sitting on a bench on the far side of the park. Even from this far away he could see how big the man was. He held a leather bound book in his massive hands and was flipping through pages, obviously looking for his spot. His head was down and he wore a fedora hat, but Parker could still see the mass of reddish-brown hair springing from beneath was sprinkled with gray. He had a beard several inches long and the same vibrant hue as his hair, other than the streak of gray on his chin. The man wore some type of vest with multiple pockets bulging with paraphernalia, with a brick red plaid shirt beneath. Tan pants with yet more pockets finished off his ensemble, and a pair of well-worn loafers.
"That's your eyewitness? He looks like a nutty professor."
Andromeda laughed. "You are more right than you know."
She stepped out of the vehicle and started across the park to the man. Parker cursed, wishing she'd driven closer to the bench where he sat. This was going to fuck with his legs. He prayed the ground was more level than it appeared.
The big man looked up as Andromeda approached him and a cautious, disappointed look slid over his face. "Ms. Pierce."
"Hello, Mac." She reached out and shook his hand. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but can I talk to you a moment?"
The big man motioned at the expanse of bench beside him. He took up a lot of room himself, but there was enough for Andromeda's slim form. Parker paused a few yards away and scanned the area. He would let Andromeda work out the details with Mac.
Mac was younger than he seemed from a distance, maybe in his mid-forties, and though he was big, Parker didn't believe it was fat. He had a quiet, strong disposition about him, and his blue eyes were sharp as they scanned Andromeda's scuffed clothing, as well as Parker's.
Traffic was beginning to pick up and he felt very exposed. His legs were aching from fighting and he had a scrape down his right shin. His left elbow was throbbing and his knuckles were busted, but he was ready to go again if he needed to.
Andromeda murmured softly behind him, filling Mac in on what was going on. His answering bass rumble was unintelligible.
A jogger swung around Parker, her dark ponytail swinging. A man and his dog followed along behind, the dog passing close enough to Parker to strain against the leash in friendliness.
A car passed by, the sound of the tires on the brick streets making an odd vibration sound. It had been years since he'd seen brick streets anywhere.
Andromeda called his name and he turned, then stepped toward them. Mac looked him up and down, considering, and he eventually held out a ham-sized hand. Parker shook the hand without hesitation. "Mr. Mackenzie. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Mac frowned as if testing his words, then drew his hand back. He didn't respond to Parker's pleasantry, but Parker didn't blame him. They'd kind of just fucked up his reading time.
Without saying anything more Parker turned to survey the area. A few more people had entered the park. The young woman with the stroller wasn't an issue, but another jogger, male, had entered the property, as well as a couple of teenagers. One had his head down, typing into a phone. The other was running commentary into his ear, like he was telling him what to write. The whisperer glanced up and his gaze connected with Parker's.
Parker’s Spidey senses went on alert and he looked away, but kept the two kids in his peripheral vision. They were a hundred yards away, but that space could be closed quickly. He glanced over his shoulder at Andromeda. "We need to get out of here."
She glanced around, panic in her eyes, but he shook his head. "Nothing specific, we just need to get off the street."
He met Mac's eyes and the other man seemed to get a sense of what Parker was feeling, because he pushed up off the bench. "Let's sit in your car, Ms. Pierce."
They started walking back toward the car, taking the direct route over the grass rather than the twisting paved sidewalk. As soon as they started to move the teenagers turned to look at them, and Parker knew he'd been right. Something was up. Those kids had probably just broadcast their location to whomever was after them.
; Putting himself between the kids and Andromeda, he forced his legs into a light jog, tugging her along behind him. One of the kids gave a shout and the race was on. In spite of the pain in his leg he ran as fast as he could, towing her along behind.
"Mac, no," Andromeda yelled.
Parker glanced back to see Mac facing off with the two kids. There was a fixed blade knife in his right hand and he looked like he knew how to use it. Shoving Andromeda toward the vehicle he turned toward Mac. "Get the car, Andy. I'll protect Mac."
There were two pops and Parker looked around wildly, trying to see where they'd come from. His own gun was in his hand, but he didn't want to fire until he could actually see a target. There were too many innocent bystanders around.
The shots hadn't been from the kids. His eyes scanned over the pond to the copse of trees. There. Had he seen a flash of movement between the trees? They were so fucking exposed here. But it also worked to their advantage. There weren't a lot of places people could hide.
The dirt and grass in front of him exploded where two more gunshots struck. He gripped Mac's arm and tugged on it, pulling him back. On the far side of the park Andy's Range Rover started, the engine revving.
The teenagers pelted into a run toward them, heedless of who was watching. Parker saw the flash of black-bladed knives in their hands.
Mac was a big man, but he could still move when he needed to. Parker heard a scream and a crash and looked back to see Andy's black vehicle barreling toward them across the grass. The shooter must have sensed that they were going to lose their advantage because the bullets started flying in earnest then and even suppressed as they were, it still made noise. Innocent bystanders ran away, and those that were still in the park and heading toward them clarified their position as enemies. Parker opened fire without further hesitation.
One of the teens fell as Parker winged him in the shoulder. The second he shot in the knee. But while he'd slowed to focus his target, the shooter across the pond had done the same. Parker felt himself get shot. It felt like getting hit by a Mack truck in the right side of his body. Suddenly he was down and eating dirt. He gave himself the briefest second to breathe, then pushed himself to his hands and knees. He had to get moving again. But his bad legs failed him. He didn't have the range of motion anymore to just lunge to his feet. Normally, he braced his body against something— a chair or a counter— to get to his feet. But those things weren't available.