Sinner Reborn

by Morgan Kelley

  “Free me, Elizabeth. I need this one last thing.”

  It felt ominous, but Elizabeth Blackhawk was going to give Avalon what she wanted. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Be safe, Avalon. We’re going to get you through this. Nathaniel Carter will take good care of you. I promise. When it’s all over, I’ll see you on the other side.”

  She didn't doubt that for a single second. Only, in the end, only one of them would live. Already, she knew who must die.

  Her time was up.

  They’d meet again but not in this lifetime. “Goodbye, Elizabeth, and thank you for all you’ve done.”

  With that she hung up.

  It was beginning.

  Now Avalon needed to wait. Everything would play out the way it was meant to, and she could finally be free. She trusted them. For the first time, she believed that the people who were trying to help her would do just that.

  In the end, she’d get her wish.

  The cage would be open, and Oracle would be free.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Monday Four A.M

  W ell, this had to be a first. In his many years with the FBI, some as a director and some as an agent, Ethan Blackhawk had never had to show up before shift to a civilian’s house to ask for this kind of favor.

  It was certainly something he never wanted to do. Granted, Callista Gaines was one of his people, but she wasn’t the one he was hoping to sway with this visit. There was no doubt in his mind that if he asked, Doctor Gaines would be on board.

  No, she wasn’t going to be the tough one.

  Ethan Blackhawk needed Detective Quinton Gaines help just as much as the doctor’s. See, where Avalon wanted Callista to solve this, Ethan was nobody’s fool. He knew that Quinton Gaines would be the one who would make or break this little side mission.

  The man didn't really like the FBI to begin with, but there were other reasons to be cautious, and Ethan didn't blame him.

  Callista was pregnant, and he knew what that was like. There was no way he was going to force his shrink to head out into the world because Oracle had a bug up her ass.

  No, he’d need to sway the husband.

  If he didn't play this right, Quinton would shit a brick.

  Why?

  Who wouldn’t when their pregnant wife was sent out into the field? He and Callen had been in this positon before, and it sucked.

  So, he was going to get their assistance as a team. Hopefully, when they heard why, he wasn’t going to get thrown out on his ass for asking something so insane.

  When his wife promised to do this for Oracle, he thought she was batty. Then she told him why.

  It swayed him.

  Plus, she tacked on the little caveat that he and Callen didn't like. If Callie didn't do it, she’d do it herself.

  That wasn’t happening.

  Not now.

  Not ever.

  So, they were going to pass this off to a detective and his profiler wife. Ethan didn't feel the least bit guilty. He was going to give them a little help. It wasn’t as if they were heading out alone, without someone to watch their backs.

  At least that gave him a little reassurance. He didn't like sending his team into imminent danger with no one to cover them.

  As he pulled into the driveway, he knew it was time. There was only so much stalling he could do. Now he needed to hope that Detective Quinton Gaines wouldn’t be pissed.

  Well…too much.

  Walking to the door, he rang the bell and waited. He hoped that Quinton Gaines didn't come downstairs and kick his ass for waking him, Callie, and likely his daughter this early.

  Ethan put his best smile on as he heard the lumbering footsteps.

  When the door opened, the large man stood there, and it wasn’t lost on Ethan that he was carrying his sidearm.

  “Are you out of your mind?” Quinn asked, rubbing his hands over his scruffy face after placing his Glock on table by the door. “It’s four in the freaking morning.”

  “I need to see your wife.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Seriously?” Quinn didn't know much about the man before him other than Callie was his shrink. From the little details he’d picked up, Ethan Blackhawk was being put back together piece by piece.

  “I’m not having a breakdown, so you can relax,” he offered. “I like to save them for work hours as much as possible.”

  “Then why?”

  Ethan ran his hand down his tie. “Do you think I’d be out of bed and away from my family if this wasn’t important?” he asked. “It’s work related.”

  Quinn let him in.

  “You can head straight back to the kitchen. The coffee should be starting up. I’ll get Callie and meet you there. If a big dog charges, stand still. He’s ferocious.”

  Ethan could hear the barking and didn't know if the man was kidding or not. Instead, he opted to focus on coffee. He’d skipped his on his way out the door.

  As he found himself in their homey kitchen, he poured himself a cup. He could hear them talking as they came down the stairs.

  “Ethan, are you okay?” Callie asked with concern in her eyes. “Are you having nightmares, or has something come up?” she asked, approaching him.

  He gently patted her hand when it touched his forearm. Ethan genuinely liked the shrink. She saved his life, and he owed her. “I’m good, Doctor. I have a situation, and I need your help.”

  She poured herself and Quinn a cup of coffee. “Okay, what is it?”

  “Oracle.”

  That one word had their cups pausing halfway to their mouths.

  “What?” Quinn said. “Are we talking the same woman who got us hauled into your office in the back of a van? Is this some sick game?”

  Blackhawk laughed. “No, it’s not, but we are talking about the one and same. Something has come up, and I need your help.”

  Quinn went to say something sarcastic, but Callie stopped him. “What is it, Ethan? You know we’ll help.”

  “Your brother is getting Oracle today. The handoff is going down later, but we’ve had something brought to our attention, and it needs a little finesse.”

  “Okay, what?”

  He told them about the conversation Elizabeth had with the woman. While Oracle was top secret, barely in his security clearance, he still shared everything. If he was going to ask them to put their necks on the line, he wouldn’t hold back.

  That’s not how he ran his shop.

  “And how does that affect us?” Quinn asked, checking out the incredibly calm man. From the steady blue black eyes, to the perfectly tailored suit, he screamed self-assurance. It pissed Quinn off, and he didn’t know why.

  Ethan tucked some of his raven black hair behind his ears before leaning forward to lower his voice. “We have some things that need to be dug up.”

  Quinn stared at him. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but my wife is pregnant. The last thing she needs is to be running around playing detective.”

  Who was he kidding? The last thing Quinn wanted was to have his wife out there.

  Ethan took in the man’s rugged appearance. Quinton Gaines was no fool. He’d been a street cop in Atlanta, and a tough sheriff. Judging him by the sun bleached brown hair and calm green eyes would be a mistake. This man was tough and hardcore.

  He was a worthy adversary.

  This was going to be a hard sell.

  “I’m aware, Detective. If Oracle didn't specifically mention that Callista had to do it, then I wouldn’t be here. She needs her help. Something about how this is your story too.”

  Quinn didn't like this. “No.”

  Callie glanced over at him. “What my husband meant to say is that he’s going to leave this up to me. Isn’t that what you meant, Quinton?”

  Ethan felt bad for the man. He’d had his ass handed to him many times by a hormonal, pregnant woman. It was hard not to grin.

  “Callie. That’s not what I meant at all, and I’m not going to preten
d. Do you recall getting hauled into interrogation without knowing what was going on? Oracle is bad news, and I don’t really want you in the line of fire.”

  She stared at him. “Quinton, we seldom get what we want in life. Things pop up.”

  Ethan stepped in before it turned to marital discord. “If someone is chasing Oracle, and she’s going to be in Nate’s care, he’s going to need someone he trusts to work this investigation in the background. Now that he’s going to be getting her as his charge, his life is on the line.”

  That had their attention.

  Callie would do anything for her brother, and Quinn would too. Family came first. They were all about sticking to the people you loved in life. This changed everything.

  “Someone is pushing hard. We have to run this off the system with no paper trail and undercover. Someone wants this woman, and we have to stop them. I need you to help, and so does Director Carter and Special Agent Mars. They’re going to be running hard and fast to stay ahead of this person.”

  Callie looked concerned. “I’ll do it. Send me out into the field.”

  Quinn all but fell out of his chair after hearing her words. “Callista! Maybe you can do this in an office somewhere!”

  Ethan wished that was a possibility. He didn't relish sending a pregnant woman out into the field.

  She turned toward her husband. “You’re going to help me too. We have to do this, Quinn. I feel like this is important. I can’t leave my brother and Luke out there without my help. We started as a team, and when I ran, they came to help me. Remember?”

  He did.

  Quinn knew how important the men were to their family. So, he had no choice. “We’re in, Director Blackhawk. What do you need us to do?”

  Ethan relaxed. “I figured you’d say as much. I already contacted your boss, and he’s well aware that you’re going to be working on something out of town for the FBI.”

  “We have one little problem,” Quinn reminded them. “Suzie? Your parents can’t be here by morning. Luke or Maura would be our back up, and she’s off on a mission somewhere.”

  Quinn had a point.

  Ethan had that covered too. “She’s coming with me. I happen to have a father who is really good with kids, a housekeeper, and a house full of children.”

  He stared at the man like he was nutty.

  “Quinton, we have four kids. I think we can manage one more. Besides, Suzie is around the same age as Catherine. They have a yard full of play houses, a sandbox, and two guard dogs. What more could a kid want?”

  Callie touched her husband’s arm. “I trust them. In fact, she’ll be with Elizabeth. They’ve met, and Suzie likes her.”

  Quinn relaxed. “How dangerous is this side job?” he asked, expecting the truth. There was even more on the line now.

  “For you it should just be research. I won’t lie…for your brother and Luke, it’s dangerous. This Oracle mess is heating up, and they’re wearing bull’s-eyes on their backs.”

  “I still don’t like this,” Quinn stated. “Shit has a way of exploding all over and covering anyone involved. I don’t want my wife in danger.”

  “I figured you’d say that, so I have a backup plan in place.” Ethan pulled out his phone and sent a text. Within seconds, there was a tap on the back door. “There’s my backup plan now.”

  Quinn crossed the room and opened it. There stood a man in fatigues, carrying a gun tucked into the back of his pants.

  “Who the hell?”

  “Director, you called? I’m reporting for duty.”

  Ethan stood and shook his hand. “This is Captain Jagger Armstrong. He helped my wife keep Oracle safe. He’s going to be your backup as you dig into her past.”

  Quinn stared at him. Yeah, the man looked to be about half his age. That wasn’t reassuring. Then he checked out his gear. The soldier was dressed in riot gear, and looked like he was going into a demilitarized zone.

  “Can you use all those guns, son?” he asked.

  Jagger focused on him. “I’m a Marine, sir, with three tours in the Middle East, and four years in Special Ops. I can use these weapons with my eyes closed, in a dark room, and with bombs going off around me.”

  Well, that was reassuring.

  “Have we met?” Callie asked. She had a good memory, and she was pretty sure that she’d seen his face somewhere before. The auburn red hair and green eyes looked vaguely familiar.

  “You know his sister. Jagger is Doctor Armstrong’s brother.”

  Callie stood and shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jagger. Your sister is a sweetheart. She is an amazing artist, and we often have coffee together in the mornings before she starts her shift in the morgue.”

  It was like a switch was flipped.

  The hard core Marine softened. “Thank you, ma’am. I happen to agree. Next time you see her, send my regards. My work keeps us apart most of the time.”

  Quinn’s mental alarms were screaming, and he wasn’t afraid to point that out the FBI director.

  “So, you’re giving us a fully armed Marine bodyguard, but telling me this is a cakewalk? Why do I think that’s a total load of crap?” Quinn asked.

  “We don’t know what any of this is going to bring. All we know is that someone is dying to get their hands on Oracle, and we can’t let it happen. If she goes down, her handlers are going with her, and we know what that means,” Ethan stated.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me helping Major Gaines with this?” Jagger asked. “I can recommend a few other soldiers who could babysit the doctor and detective.”

  He didn't pull any punches. That’s solely what this job was going to be—daycare for adults who could get into trouble. He’d rather be in the middle of the action—like he’d just been.

  It was more Jagger’s thing.

  Quinn heard his sister’s name and that got his attention. “My sister is doing this mission too?” He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Now the stakes were that much higher. They could lose Nate, Luke, and now Maura too.

  This changed everything.

  Blackhawk continued, “She’s been permanently assigned to Oracle. Wherever she goes, Maura goes. Until we find the FBI mole and get her someplace safe, the major is on duty.” What he didn't mention was that Maura Gaines had requested the job because her fiancé was in harm’s way.

  Callie was happy to hear that. If Luke was playing guard dog, it would make his life easier to know his fiancée was going to be there with him. She knew from talking to him, that he hadn’t seen Maura in a couple of weeks, and he was edgy.

  “What do we have to do?” Quinn asked.

  Blackhawk pulled out a dossier. “None of this is available to the FBI. We got all this information from Oracle in a phone call. I’m hoping that no one has it but us. We might just have a head start.”

  Callie took the file and started flipping through it. “Is this Oracle?” she asked, pointing at a picture of a pretty blonde woman. She was delicate looking, and had so much long hair that it cascaded around her.

  Then there were her eyes.

  They were spooky.

  Blackhawk nodded.

  Quinn offered the Marine coffee before crossing to stand behind his wife. “She’s young.”

  “And gorgeous,” stated Callie.

  “She’s twenty-five,” Ethan stated. “She’s been a part of the government since she was young—around fifteen. Everyone thinks she went off to college at a young age, but that’s the cover. She saved the president’s life and was given her code name.”

  Callie flipped through the papers. “She’s been a prisoner?” she asked, horrified at what she was reading.

  Ethan didn't deny it. “She’s got the ear of the President of the United States of America. Not many people can pick up a phone and have direct access to his office. You need to stop thinking of her as a prisoner. She’s a tool.”

  They stared at him.

  “Ethan, that’s a horrible life. She’s just a young girl. Thi
s has to be hell on her.”

  He hated everything about Oracle, but he wasn’t there to judge. Ethan Blackhawk also answered to the president.

  “Hey, I didn't bring her in. We’re only cleaning this mess up. The military used her. At this point, we’re just trying to keep her alive. They’ve realized that she’s a risk, and we’re handling it now.”

  Callie kept reading. “Has she been tested for psychic gifts?”

  “Yes.”

  “And?”

  “She scored off the charts. As far as I know, they haven’t made one that she can’t crack, but that’s not our concern. We need to figure out why she says her past will be the way to figure out her future. Once we do that, we’ll go from there.”

  Quinn saw movement from the corner of his eye. “Suzie, come on in,” he stated.

  The little girl walked in dragging her bear behind her. She had a mop of blonde hair and big aqua eyes. “Momma,” she said, still not moving. “Who that?”

  Ethan turned in his chair and smiled at her. “Hi, Suzie. I’m Ethan. I love your bear. Can I see him?”

  The little girl held him out.

  Blackhawk took it and fixed the bow around his neck. “He looks to be missing an eye. What happened?”

  “Zeke ate it.”

  They could all hear the barking from upstairs.

  “Well, we can fix that. How about you bring your bear to my house? I can sew it back on before I go to work.”

  Ethan could feel the adults staring at him. If he looked back, he’d laugh. No one expected the director of the FBI to relate to a small child.

  After work, children were his life.

  Suzie looked from him to the bear, almost hesitantly.

  Blackhawk pulled out his wallet and removed a picture. “This is Catherine. We call her Cat. She’s my little girl. Do you want to come play with her for a few days?”

  She took the picture and stared at it. “Lizbeth.”

  Ethan grinned. “Yes, that’s Cat’s mommy.”

  “What about Zeke?” she asked, cocking her head.

  Ethan held out his hand, and she took it. He lifted her into his lap and smiled. “I guess you can bring him too. I have two dogs at my house, and I’m sure they’d love a friend.”