Ricochet (Out for Justice Book 1)

by Reese Knightley

  During the day, they setup the sting and at night, they worked the list. The last name on the list had stumped Noah. The name said Carl, with no last name listed. He thought it was a typo and mentioned it to Mac. Mac, of course, had known of an undercover cop by the name of Carl and had called Kane. Noah had been surprised to find the Carl on the list was the same caring man from his past.

  The man’s eyes were closed, and his chest moved with his labored breathing.

  “You a cop now?” Carl muttered.

  “And you’re a veterinarian?” Noah volleyed back, his fingers making quick work of what remained of Carl’s long-sleeved shirt before he started helping Mac bandage the man’s wounds. Kane moved in and held a bag of ice to Carl’s face. The FBI agent’s face was grim. The man was clearly worried for his friend.

  Carl lifted a hand to take hold of the ice pack. “I am a vet.” The man’s laugh came out pained.

  “And FBI,” Noah added.

  “Yeah,” Carl admitted. “I wanted to get you kids out so badly. But it was bigger than I’d imagined.” Carl placed a hand on Noah’s arm. “I had to wait for the raid.”

  Noah realized the man’s words for what they were, guilt. “Listen, you saved more than just my life, Carl, you saved almost a hundred people by doing your job.” If Carl had taken him and Jenny out early, chances were the operation would have been abandoned before the raid could have happened and all the innocent people involved would have suffered, been lost forever, or quite possibly killed. Unfortunately, decisions of that magnitude came with collateral damage.

  “You’re all grown up,” Carl observed after a long moment.

  “Yes, he is,” Mac agreed, tearing off a piece of tape to place over the gauze.

  Noah smirked and shook his head. “Listen, Carl, we are working our way down a list. Your name was on it. Care to tell us why?” Noah asked.

  Mac wiped his hands on a damp rag. Resting on his haunches, the marshal let Carl catch his breath.

  “CIA?” Carl probed.

  Noah shook his head. “No. I get that a lot.” He couldn’t answer Carl’s unspoken question. “Tell me what happened here,” he said, lifting a piece of gauze and wrapping up one of Carl’s mangled fingers. The man hissed. Sirens were blaring in the distance.

  “Everything was good. The raid at Stevenson’s house went down as planned, with the exception of Stevenson and Manning getting away. I even went up to Washington as directed by Stevenson and worked for a man named Peter Thornton,” Carl told him, and then glanced at Kane. “Kane knows all this. Anyway, the raid there went down as planned even though we failed to capture Stevenson or Manning again. I was pulled off the case because the trail had gone cold. Next thing I know, it’s seven years later. I’m doing desk duty, and tonight I have bad men at my house asking about you, Noah.” Carl finished speaking and hissed under his breath.

  “How the hell did they get your name?” Noah frowned.

  “I have no idea,” Carl admitted. “But now that you all know, we can find out.” Carl sank back, resting after his lengthy speech. Then the man frowned. “What list?”

  “A list I took off Stevenson.” Noah looked up from a particularly deep wound on Carl’s arm.

  “Took?”

  “Let’s just say, Stevenson won’t be asking for it back, ever.” Noah moved around Mac and lifted a water bottle so Carl could take several sips.

  Carl scowled. “Good, always hated that fucker.”

  “Your name was last on the list,” Noah told Carl. “So, I suspect that Manning just found out about you.”

  “I think the FBI has a leak.” Carl coughed, winced, and lowered the ice pack from his face.

  “It’s not the FBI; it’s the Marshals that have the leak,” Kane told Carl.

  “Maybe they’re sharing information?”

  “Maybe,” Kane agreed, but didn’t look too happy about it.

  Perhaps other FBI officials were on Manning’s list. As far as Noah could tell, there were both bad people and good people on the list. He was starting to think that it was an all-around collection of people Manning ordered Ricky Stevenson to keep tabs on for a number of reasons, including blackmail.

  “You can’t stay here,” Mac said, pushing upright.

  “I don’t want to,” Carl said, again struggling to stand. Noah and Kane reached out to assist the man. Seth had disappeared, but that wasn’t unusual for the operative.

  “If anyone asks, tell them Ghost helped you. Don’t mention me by name.” Noah waited, his gaze serious and intent. He had to keep Manning in the dark at all costs.

  “Ghost.” Carl tested the name, and then nodded. “I’m just glad you’re the friendly kind,” Carl added, cracking a smile.

  Mac gave a bark of laughter, and Kane chuckled.

  “Har, har.” Noah shook his head and smirked.

  Noah moved back when the EMTs came through the back door with a stretcher.

  “You rest, Carl. We’ll get these bastards.” Noah stood and picked up a clean shirt he’d found and draped it over the man. He’d need something clean when he left the hospital.

  “Ghost?” Carl called out.

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t care who you work for as long as you’re on our side,” Carl told him.

  “I am.”

  “And thank you,” the agent whispered.

  “It’s not necessary,” Noah said, but Carl placed his hand on his arm and squeezed.

  “It is to me,” the older man said quietly, and Noah nodded. Then the man looked at Kane and Mac. “Thank you all.”

  Mac nodded, and Kane gently clamped Carl on the shoulder and accompanied the man to the ambulance.

  Manning was getting good at being one step ahead of them. Noah was sick and tired of the kingpin using his power to push people around. It only made him more determined than ever to find the fucker.

  Noah let himself and Mac into the house with the key Stefano had given him. He flipped the lock after they were inside and stood listening to the quiet. Then someone coughed and he knew they were probably in the kitchen.

  “This way. It’s either the living room or the kitchen,” Noah offered. Those two rooms were the only areas big enough to hold the whole unit.

  He’d called ahead and they knew he was bringing Mac. There was no doubt that Mac was going to play a big part in his life and if the team couldn’t accept that, then he would find another line of work. Yeah, Mac meant that much to him. Mac’s hand brushed his shoulder and Noah gave him a half smile.

  “It’s going to be fine,” Mac said. “I’m harmless.”

  Noah snorted. “My ass.”

  “Your ass is not harmless.” The man blinked innocently at him, and Noah shoved him playfully.

  He liked it when Mac slipped an arm around his waist as they stepped into the room, united as one.

  Phoenix was gathered with the exception of one. No, make that two. Chief and Lash were both missing. The chief he’d expected, but he was a bit worried that Lash wasn’t there.

  The guys stopped talking and turned as one. It would have been intimidating to anyone who didn’t know them. They looked fierce.

  Stefano stood and smiled. “Mac, come meet the team.”

  Noah slipped his hand into Mac’s as the marshal advanced into the room. Storm narrowed his eyes at him, and Noah narrowed his own right the fuck back. The big man smirked, and that was as much of a smile as he would do.

  “This is Frost,” Stefano told Mac, and Frost gave Mac a two fingered salute in greeting. “Wild, the name says it all.” Stefano laughed when Wild flipped him off. “Over there skulking against the door is Storm. That’s Reggie on the lap top. You know Reboot Hell and Mamma Bear.” Reggie gave Mac a quick wave and went back to his computer, and Allison smirked at Mac. Seth stood and offered the man his hand.

  “I thought there were eight,” Mac questioned.

  “Ah, yes. We are missing Lash. He couldn’t make it,” was all Stefano offered.

  �
�Welcome to the family,” Wild joked, always the smartass.

  “He’s not family,” Storm growled, and left the room.

  Mac looked after the man and then at Noah.

  “Don’t mind Storm,” Noah said, and squeezed Mac’s hand.

  “Yeah, we usually don’t pay him any mind,” Wild said loudly.

  “I heard that!” Storm yelled from the other room.

  “You were supposed to, asshat. Quit making Noah’s significant other feel like shit.”

  “Significant other?” Storm came back to the doorway. “Who the fuck talks like that? He’s his fucking boyfriend.”

  “Alright, guys, knock it off,” Stefano ordered. “Get the barbecue going so we can eat.”

  “Yeah, food always calms these beasts,” Allison said, standing and smoothing down her skirt.

  “You’re one to talk,” Reggie piped up and dodged Allison when she swatted at him.

  “Don’t mind the children, they’ll grow on you,” Frost told him, and then looked at his watch. “Nice to meet you, Mac. I have a date, so I can’t stay.”

  Mac shook Frost’s hand before the guy left.

  As things went, it was a good start. Storm continued to be standoffish, but Wild had no problem putting the guy in his place. Allison and Seth seemed to have taken to Mac, and that went a long way toward easing his lover into the group. It would take time. The unit didn’t trust people. That Noah could vouch for Mac made the first meeting if not stellar, at least bearable.

  “So…US Marshal, huh?” Reggie asked, eyeing Mac.

  “Reggie,” Seth rolled his eyes, “always a whore for a badge.”

  “So?” Reggie said, appearing unaffected by Seth’s choice of words. “He’s hot. Do you have a friend, Mr. Mac?”

  Mac laughed. “It’s just Mac. And my partner is bi.”

  “Oh god,” Noah groaned. “Don’t tell him that.”

  “Oh, reeeeeeally,” Reggie drawled in a high pitched squeak, and the team literally groaned as one, making Mac laugh harder.

  Noah winced. He was so fucking glad when Storm walked over and clamped his hand over Reggie’s mouth, leaving the small techie blinking wide-eyed over Storm’s massive palm.

  Everyone laughed when Reggie bit Storm’s finger.

  Mac

  Noah’s unit was a flipping trip. He wished he could have brought Kane and Jake to meet them, but he knew they wouldn’t have let them through the door. It was like standing in the middle of a pack of wild animals. Ones you didn’t want to turn your back on. He was thankful Allison and Seth kept up a conversation with him. Stefano treated the men more like a father than a commander, but Mac could tell they respected the hell out of the guy. They moved as one, even when teasing and razzing was going on. To an outside observer, they were incredibly in sync. So much so, Mac didn’t doubt they would kill for one another.

  “Let’s sit over there.” Noah handed him a plate that Stefano had packed with burgers and chips. Mac took the soda Noah had cradled in his arm and followed him to a table where Wild and Seth were debating the latest score of an ongoing video battle.

  “So you all just meet here at Stefano’s house?” Mac asked curiously around a bite of burger.

  “Just until I can get an office set up,” Stefano said, coming to squeeze between Wild and Seth, effectively breaking up what was beginning to sound like an argument.

  “If I wanted a nine to five, I would have become a banker,” Storm grumbled, looking none too pleased about the idea of going into an office.

  “It’s not going to be that kind of office,” Stefano reasoned. “It’s going to be a place we can meet when we have shit that needs to get done. It’s going to have state of the art technology. Like an operations hub.” Stefano finished and took a bite of food. Storm grunted and seemed somewhat mollified.

  “Oh! I like technology,” Reggie yelped.

  “Sweet hell,” Storm muttered, and the team cracked up.

  “What did I miss?” Mac asked, confused.

  “He’s our only techie,” Noah pointed out.

  “Hey, not the only one!” Seth argued. “I could tech you into the ground, Reg, and you know it.” To which Reggie just rolled his eyes and Seth flipped him off.

  Mac shook his head, smiling, and finished his burger.

  Mac cinched down the bulletproof vest that covered Noah’s chest and back. Kane had argued that Manning showed no signs of wanting to kill Noah. In fact, the man wanted something completely different. Mac told Kane how that was before; now Manning wanted blood. When Kane started to argue, Mac told his friend to go fuck himself, and the agent had backed off.

  He wanted to demand that Noah enter WITSEC while the joint FBI and Marshals task force and Phoenix took care of Manning, but one thing was wrong with that picture. Mac knew forcing Noah into hiding was the quickest way to push Noah away.

  The man before him was brushing his hands aside and cinching the vest like a pro. And Noah was a pro, had been doing missions that were classified at a level Mac had never heard of before. Mac sure hoped to God it was enough to take down Manning. Noah’s hands on his shoulders brought his gaze up.

  “I’m good. You and my team will have my back,” Noah said softly.

  Mac could only nod and help Noah pull the hoodie into place. Fiddling with the strings, Mac hoped Noah couldn’t see his hands shake.

  Noah’s warm, strong hand settled over his and Mac clenched his jaw. “I’m going to deliver what’s coming to him. And then I’ll come back to you.”

  Noah’s words rang with such sincerity, Mac had to swallow twice before responding. “Like a rebound?” he joked to keep his emotions at bay.

  Noah snorted. “I was thinking something more.” The man’s voice dropped lower, becoming sexier. “Something harder, deeper, and definitely more dangerous to your heart.”

  “Dangerous, huh?” Mac’s lips twitched.

  “Like a ricochet.”

  Their eyes met and gazes held.

  “Like a ricochet,” Mac echoed. He drew Noah close, feeling the man’s body sink into his, and Mac squeezed Noah tightly, not wanting to let go.

  Noah brushed his lips against Mac’s jaw. “Don’t worry. You’ll have my back.”

  “Always,” was all Mac could whisper. He would always have Noah’s back, and he would have the man back in his arms again soon.

  Mac stayed out of sight. From his position inside of the local bank on the second story, he had a view of the street. Across from the bank stood the coffee house. Next door to the coffee house was a bookstore, and inside was Jake in a ball cap and jeans, looking like a college preppy.

  Kane was in a van parked in the alley a block away. The FBI had assigned several men for the job.

  Noah wasn’t wired, but he had a tracking device in his sneakers and cell phone. If Mac had been in charge of this operation, he’d have put a tracker in every piece of clothing Noah wore, as well as one beneath Noah’s skin. A bit extreme, yes, but Mac didn’t give a rat’s ass what others might think. All he cared about was Noah coming out of this unscathed.

  Allison was there, dressed like a high schooler. Beside her stood Seth, looking hot in skinny jeans and layered shirts. Mac couldn’t see the rest of the unit, but Noah had assured him they would be there.

  Noah moved into Mac’s view. His beautiful blond Adonis, all grown up, looking sexy as fuck in fitted jeans that hugged trim hips and a baggy sweatshirt that covered a tactical bulletproof vest. His gaze stayed locked on Noah, tracking his every movement.

  It was unlikely that Manning or his goons would try for Noah at the coffee house, as it was too visible. However, the bookstore and the bank ATM were different, less populated, and they both had back entrances.

  What freaked Mac the fuck out the worst was that Manning would probably send a hired thug to snatch Noah. If that were the case, then they would need to let it happen so they could follow Noah to Manning. If they didn’t get Manning, they were fucked, and this operation and the risks they were
taking would have all been a waste of time.

  Mac casually scanned the area and noted that Buller was leaning against the coffee house wall, reading a newspaper. The man was wearing a pair of scrubs as if he worked at the local hospital down the street. Last week, the man had been garbed in a business suit. Buller didn’t normally go on task forces with them, but they were down two agents. With Anderson’s betrayal and Conrad’s leave of absence, they were short-handed. And even though Phoenix picked up the slack, Buller had insisted on being there.

  A few of Kane’s FBI agents covered each end of the alley behind the bookstore and the coffee house. They swapped out new vans and stickers each day. The FBI was positioned farther away to leave escape routes open in case Manning or his thugs made a run for it. That way, hopefully, there was less chance of innocent bystanders getting hurt if gunfire broke out. A trapped perp was a mean perp. Some of the bloodiest murders Mac had witnessed happened when a perpetrator became trapped.

  Noah wandered past him, but they didn’t make eye contact. Noah stood at the ATM withdrawing a twenty-dollar bill, and then moved aside to check his phone. The strategy was to draw out and linger each place Noah went so that he spent the maximum amount of time. Mac’s gut clenched when Noah pushed his hoodie off. The sun glinted off of the man’s bright hair.

  Manning had better make a play soon. They’d gone over this same stakeout three times over the past two weeks, and still no attempt had been made to snatch Noah. Mac was sure he’d formed an ulcer and had more gray hairs growing near his temples. Noah had told him the premature gray made him look sexy.

  Mac couldn’t joke with Noah about any of this. He feared for Noah at every turn, and jokes were not going to make it better. In fact, the joking made things strained between them.

  The younger man paused to pocket the phone, and Mac wanted to head down the stairs and yank Noah close, just to feel the beating of his heart.

  The door at the top of the stairs opened, and only his training kept Mac from whirling around with his gun out. He gave a casual glance instead and watched as an older couple shuffled out the door and down the hallway from accounting. The pair entered the elevator that would take them to the main floor of the bank.