by K. J. Dahlen
Several hours later, the first of the bags had arrived. Micah was able to retrieve the program that would shut the bombs down. Now all they had to do was disarm the toxin. This bomb had been left at J.F. K. Airport. It was taken into a vacuum controlled room as Michael, Kenn, Judson and Harper watched as the bomb expert opened it. They watched as the expert removed the few articles of clothing in the bag.
He removed a shaving kit next. He opened the kit and removed a razor, a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. He laid everything on the table as he removed it. So far, there was nothing that resembled a bomb. Next, he removed more clothing. He shook out each piece of clothing and laid it on the table. Then he removed a towel wrapped item. He laid the towel on the table and carefully pulled back the edges of the towel to reveal a small canister.
The bomb expert turned to look at the people standing on the other side of the glass and nodded his head. He moved over to a second table in the room where he picked up a heavy box. Carrying it over to the first table, he lifted the canister up and carefully placed it, towel and all inside the box. Then he closed the lid and set the lock. He then turned and gave Kenn and the others a thumbs up signal. The canister was safely locked up. The box he’d placed the canister in was lined with lead and once sealed, it could not be reopened.
“One down, three to go,” Harper stated as they watched the bomb expert move the box back to the first table.
“What are we going to do with the boxes once the canisters are locked inside?” Judson asked.
“They will go into a vault where they will be encased in cement,” Kenn explained.
“Have you heard anything from the bomb squads in the other places we found?” Michael asked.
“I’ve heard back from Minneapolis, Miami and Los Angeles,” Kenn replied. “The bombs had been set in very public places where they would do the most damage.”
When Brody Dentin joined them, he gave them an update, “We got the bags from Minneapolis, L.A.X. and Miami. They are being searched as we speak. We also found the rest of the bombs.”
“Then we’re done?” Michael asked. “The threat has been eliminated.”
“What are you going to do now?” Judson asked his friend.
“I’m going to have another conversation with Ali. I think he has the right to know we stopped him.” Michael grinned.
An hour later, Michael opened the door to Ali’s room.
Ali was awake now and he glared at Michael. “What the hell do you want now? When I get out of here, I’m going to kill you.”
“You won’t get out of here. In fact, in a few hours, you’re going to be put on a plane with your friends and the next time you see daylight, you’ll be getting off the plane at Gitmo. You and your friends will spend the next ten years in an eight by ten foot cell. When and if you ever come to trial you’ll be a nameless, faceless person, forgotten by the masses.”
“You won’t be able to forget me though, will you?” Ali sneered.
“I won’t think twice about you. I got justice for the deaths of my wife and daughter. That’s all I ever wanted. I put their killer behind bars. I can sleep now, knowing I did all I could for them.”
“You think you stopped me but you’ll never know for sure, will you?” Ali taunted. “Maybe there’s another group like us out there, waiting for their turn.”
“You know what? There probably is another group out there somewhere. We’ll stop them just like we stopped you.” Michael stood and went toward the door. He turned back to Ali. “Someone will be here shortly to photograph you and take your fingerprints for the record. Your life is going to change drastically when you get to where you’re going. I think you’re going to discover another way of life. It will be up to you whether you survive or not.” He raised a brow at him. “Personally, I don’t give you two months before someone down there tries to kill you, but hey…” He shrugged. “That’s just me.” Then he turned and left the room.
Chapter Seventeen
A few hours later, Gage, Willow, Stone, Shay and the others joined Michael, Judson, Phoebe, Kenn and Harper at Judson’s house.
Michael caught them up on the threat against the government and Stone caught them up on the gun situation at Dogwood Connors’s place.
Michael glanced over at Willow. “So everything I ever heard about your grandfather was true? He was running guns and explosives up to the day he died? And the Vipers murdered him over a gun deal?”
Willow nodded. “Somehow, he found out what they really were going to do and it seems he refused to hurt his own country like that. He sold guns and stuff but not to destroy America. He died being loyal. Jonah Connors may have worked outside the law but he was more than that to me. He did have honor. He was my grandfather and gave his life so that I could live.”
Gage glanced over at his former brother in law and noted he was holding Phoebe’s hand. Michael had that twinkle back in his eyes. He smiled slightly. Wrapping his own arm around Willow, he asked Michael, “So what are your plans now?”
Michael shrugged. “I guess I’ll go back to the bar.”
“We could use someone like you,” Shay announced.
Kenn harrumphed. “I’ve been trying to get him to come back to work for me and he just won’t do it. He was one of the best agents this country had.” He paused then announced, “We found Ben Malloy. His body washed up on the beach early this morning. He died of a gunshot wound between his eyes. Apparently, the Vipers don’t like it when someone fails them. When the blast didn’t take out the truck, they figured Ben had over played his hand and you guys were tipped off.”
“How do you know all of that?” Gage asked.
“The police arrested the three men in the car a short time after they left. A simple traffic violation.” He shrugged. “One of the men talked, told them everything that happened to Ben. He said he was going to jail as a martyr for his cause.”
“Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,” Willow murmured.
Michael held Phoebe’s hand a little tighter. “Guys, I haven’t worked in this field for over five years. I’ve been out of the loop for too long.”
“You could come home with us. We have a compound down in Sabine Pass, Texas,” Stone offered. Motioning toward Shay, he explained, “We’re setting up a network with Shay to monitor in case shit like this comes up. We could sure use your talents.”
Michael glanced at Phoebe then looked at everyone else. He didn’t really know what he wanted to do. Looking back at Phoebe, he thought about Melissa and Kelly. The rage he’d felt all these years was finally gone. He thought about Gage’s words a few days ago about being able to accept what happened so the healing could begin and realized he had accepted it. By finding the men responsible for their deaths and putting them behind bars, his rage was finally gone and he felt ready to move on. He knew Melissa would want him to find love again. He gazed at Phoebe. “Could you live in Texas?” he asked her.
She cocked her head to one side and asked, “Why?”
Michael smiled. “I don’t know where we’re going but I’d like the chance to find out.”
“Why?”
He rolled his eyes at her. “You aren’t going to make this easy are you?” He chuckled. “Because you’re beginning to matter to me.” He leaned toward her and his lips met hers. A spark arced between them and they both felt its tingle.
Phoebe moaned and pulled away. Tears began to well in her eyes. “You’re beginning to matter to me too,” she whispered then nodded. “I have a feeling Willow will be there and we’ve never been very far from the other. Kinda makes sense that’s where I’ll end up anyway. Besides, who else could teach Michael Severns some manners?” she quipped.
Kenn, Judson, Gage, Willow and Harper all laughed.
Michael kept grinning as he shook his head.
“Looks like you might need a vest 24/7, Michael,” Kenn teased.
The laughter in the room got louder.
“Alright, alright, everyone settle down,” Michael
warned, as he placed a serious expression on his face. He looked over at Stone. “Then, I’ll come down. I’d like to find out what sort of network you have going and if you think I can help, I will.” Shrugging, he went on, “Besides, if it doesn’t work out, I can always open another bar. I’m good either way.” He pulled Phoebe tighter against his side.
Gage and Judson looked at each other, both of them nodding as if they understood that Michael was finally there. Finally ready to get on with living and maybe he could find happiness again.
K.J. Dahlen
I live in a small town (population495) in Wisconsin. From my deck, I can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. I live with my husband Dave and dog Buddy. My two children are grown and I have two grandchildren. I love to watch people and that has helped me with my writing. I often use people I watch as characters in my books and I always try to give my characters some of my own values and habits.
I love to create characters and put them in a troubling situation then sit back and let them do all the work. My characters surprise even me at times. At some point in the book, they take on a life of their own and the twists and turns they create becomes the story. Of all the stories, I could write I found I like mystery/thrillers the best. I like to keep my readers guessing until the very end of the book.
MY PREVIOUS BOOKS ARE:
SATAN’S SPAWN MC SERIES:
Spawn &Spitfire, Revenge And Retribution, Babies And Bastards.
The SIN’S BASTARDS SERIES: Silk & Bones, Karma’s Bitch, No Regrets, Hell’s Fury, Lies And Liars, Stone Cold.
HELL’S FIRE RIDERS MC SERIES;
Pappy’s Shadow BOOK ONE,
Betrayed BOOK TWO,
Trigger The Storm BOOK THREE:
Cold Vengeance BOOK FOUR
Bones, The Darkness Within, Meghan’s Legacy, Shadow Chaser, Witness, Secrets and Lies, Legacy of Murder, The Unknown Son, The Prophet, No One to Hear You
Scream, Bradbury Inn, Murderous Intent,
Wrong Number, Fall from Grace, The
House on Berkley Street, Cards Of Sin, Blood Memories, From Beyond Death and Words To Die For.
My next book coming out is:
Phoenix Rising, A Murder in her Past, Words To Die For and From Beyond Death.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
AMAZON PAGE
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://smarturl.it/KJDahlen
I am on Facebook and twitter as kjdahlen
My blog is on Facebook at K.J.’s blog My publishers are:
www.roguephoenixpress.com www.indigoseapress