Flashpoint (Book 5): Convergence

by Ellis, Tara

  Touched that he’d been so open about his feelings, Danny offered him an encouraging smile. “It makes total sense. We’ve all been through a lot and it feels wrong not to do it together.” Sticking her foot in the stirrup, she mounted the horse, wishing she didn’t have to get back to the spring.

  Tom put his hat on and then smiled before leaping onto Lilly’s back. “We’re leaving early in the morning, so I need to get back to the farm and try to get some more hay harvested before we go.”

  “Crissy told me about the big hay cutting when I saw her at the clinic yesterday,” Danny said. “Since we’ll be done at the spring soon, would it be okay if I went and stayed out at the farm while you’re gone? I can’t replace you and Bishop, but I can pull my own weight.”

  “Ethan and Sam would really like that,” Tom said, looking relieved. “And it would be good knowing you were there.”

  As Tom turned Lilly to face the other direction, Danny put a hand out to stop him. She waited until their eyes met before smiling playfully. “If it makes you feel any better, my first instinct was to go with you, Tom.”

  Chapter 19

  JAMES

  Master Sergeant, US Marines, 1st Force Reconnaissance

  Somewhere over Idaho

  The helo put down in the small valley amid a whirlwind of dirt and debris, disturbing a small herd of elk in the process. James watched the massive beasts scatter, reminded of the numerous times he’s been in similar landscapes with his father on annual hunting trips.

  The hilly region of southern Idaho was rather desert-like, with lots of brown grass and tumbleweeds. The area around Boise, the capital, was full of plenty of ravines and low mountains that made it easy to find cover. Masking their arrival was still tricky, however, so they remained some distance away from the target. They’d wait until dusk and stay close to the hills to try and distort where the sound was coming from.

  Their mission approach was to drop in from a safe distance and hike for over four klicks to the property of the asset, Governor Alicia Jenson. Her estate was an impressive one hundred acres on top of one of the higher ranges that overlooked the city.

  James had remained stoic while receiving his orders from General Montgomery the day before. Though he was disheartened to find the information they’d been slipped was true, he at least wasn’t surprised by it. James feigned some hesitancy when the general initially handed him the directive, especially when it was followed by strict instructions not to inform his unit of any details until they were on site. It would have been abnormal for him to simply accept it too easily. What General Montgomery didn’t realize was that James had already made the decision to not only disobey his command, but to commit what would likely be considered treason by the military leader. He wasn’t going to bring the governor back to him.

  “Lieutenant Carpenter,” James barked once the engine had wound down, turning to face the pilot.

  “Yes, sir?” the young officer replied hesitantly. Lucas was right that James didn’t address the man very often. He wasn’t sure why, except that the lieutenant hadn’t been a part of their team prior to the flashpoint, so he didn’t automatically include him in their conversations. However, Jeff had been through some hairy situations and never let them down. James was counting on their brief but intense history to sway the guy’s loyalty.

  “You’ve familiarized yourself with the secondary EXFIL?”

  “Sure, Sarge,” Carpenter replied without any hesitation. “Plenty of room in the back field, although I hope we don’t have to use it. We’d all pretty much be sitting ducks.”

  James pulled his headset down around his neck and then rubbed at his jaw. “Change of plans. That’s now our primary INFIL.”

  The lieutenant blinked a couple of times before glancing over at Lucas and the other guys seated around the cabin. “I don’t understand. I thought our orders were to—”

  “Your orders now are to drop us off in that field at dusk, Lieutenant. Will that be a problem for you?” James continued to stare at the other man, his steely gaze unwavering. He knew he was intimidating and he normally didn’t go out of his way to take advantage of it, but their current situation called for extreme measures.

  Lieutenant Carpenter balked, his color notably lightening a few shades. “No, uh…sir, it’s just that—well, you’re all likely to meet some heavy resistance if we announce ourselves like that.”

  “Does the loudspeaker on this bird work?” James asked.

  Carpenter nodded and then glanced again at Lucas.

  “Don’t sweat it, man,” Lucas reassured him. “We’re gonna sweet-talk our way inside. Sarge has a way with words, you know?”

  The lieutenant didn’t look comforted as he turned back to James. “May I ask why we’re choosing such an exposed entry, sir?”

  “The mission parameters have changed,” James said without looking at the rest of the men on his team. He’d already briefed the other three before leaving. He decided to tell them everything, and let them decide on their own if they wanted to be involved or pull out. All five men were seated behind James, and he believed the pilot would agree to his orders since the rest of the 1st Recon Unit were standing in solidarity. At least, he hoped so, or else they were pretty much screwed.

  “We need you to fly this bird so we can make sure the asset is safe,” Jay added, leaning forward. “Our goal here hasn’t changed, except that we’re trying to do it without any casualties.”

  James had debated for a few hours whether to stick to the original mission plan or deviate from it. In the end, it came down to proving to the governor that they were there to help her. Killing off her security, staff, and possibly friends or family wouldn’t be a good way to start the relationship. They’d been given access codes to the house alarm system that had been jury-rigged, but while that might get them in the house undetected, there wouldn’t be any way around leaving a mess in their wake once inside.

  Instead, James was going with a direct approach. Alicia Jenson was a seasoned US governor. A military helicopter coming in nice and slow in to her backyard, announcing its peaceful intentions without any fireworks might just work. At least, James was banking on it. It might be the only way to meet with her and get an opportunity to convince her she was in danger. Any further plans wouldn’t work unless they had her cooperation and that couldn’t happen if she was a hostage.

  According to Lucas, Lieutenant Carpenter was a sharp guy and James could tell the man was putting some of the pieces together. After all, he was the reason they knew about the admiral. Nodding, the pilot shifted in his seat and slapped at a few switches on his control panel. “I’m on board, Sarge. We’ll need to lift off in a few minutes and I’ll bring her in low and hot until the final couple of klicks. The control for the external speaker is over there,” he added, pointing to where the handset was clipped. “She’s a bit touchy so be sure to press that button down nice and tight.”

  Less than half an hour later, the sun was slipping below the horizon to their backs as they hovered over the expansive property of the Jenson estate. Idaho was one of the few states that didn’t have a governor’s mansion and James considered it a great piece of luck. Otherwise, instead of being high in the hills on the outskirts of town, they’d have to penetrate deep into the large city of Boise.

  Sweat trickled down James’s neck as he held the handset to his mouth. He was normally extremely confident when executing missions, and he didn’t like the feeling of unease pressing against his chest. “This is Master Sergeant James Campbell of the US Marines 1st Force Reconnaissance. We are here on a peaceful diplomatic mission and request to meet with Governor Jenson.”

  James leaned his head in Jay’s direction, which was enough to elicit the information he wanted. “I’ve got five tangos in view, Sarge. All hot.”

  “None of ’em are firing yet, so there is that,” Lucas added from his perch near the open door in the cabin. The white-knuckle grip on his M4 Carbine was the only evidence of his nerves.
<
br />   “I’ve got movement!” Corporal Flores shouted. He was staring through his night-vision goggles and dropped to his stomach to get a more solid view with less movement.

  “One more tango at the back door,” Jay confirmed. “And…your charming personality must have done the job, Sarge. They’ve lowered their weapons to a ready position.”

  “Bring us in,” James said stoically. There was a flurry of movement behind him as his men fell into position. He knew he didn’t need to look to make sure they were in the proper formation.

  As the helo touched down, he was the first to step off, and the first to reach who he was assuming was the head of the governor’s security. He was a tall, middle-aged man in a black suit without any insignia and he didn’t look happy.

  “Nathan Hawk,” the man said, extending a hand.

  James was acutely aware of the five other men in view, all armed with automatic rifles. It was difficult to tell in the dark, but their uniforms looked like National Guard. That was good. “Sergeant Campbell,” he replied, taking Nathan’s hand in a solid grip.

  “This is highly unusual,” Nathan admonished, dropping James hand. “So I’m sure you can understand why Governor Jenson isn’t all that eager to grant you an audience.”

  “I understand,” James said, his words sharp. “I’ll be blunt. We were sent here to kill you and take the governor by force. Instead, we’d like to help protect her.”

  Nathan Hawk took a step back and carefully studied each of the four soldiers, then the helicopter, where the other two were perched in the doorway. James suspected the guy was ex-military, so he’d know what the 1st Force Recon team was. He’d also know that meant the five men he had out in the yard wouldn’t be enough, and if he wanted to avoid a bloodbath, Hawk’s only option was to trust him.

  “Come this way,” Hawk finally said as he turned around abruptly and waved a hand.

  James motioned with two fingers, prompting Jay and Lucas to fall in behind him, while Corporal Flores remained at the edge of the lawn.

  While the house wouldn’t necessarily qualify as a mansion, it was certainly impressive. The three floors of living space had to add up to at least five thousand square feet, and it took a couple minutes before they reached a large, inner den on the top floor.

  Seated on a couch in front of a roaring fire was a petite woman dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt. She held what looked like a glass of whiskey and had a perturbed look on her older, yet attractive face. “I assume you have a compelling story to tell me.”

  James stopped just past the threshold of the room, and with a small nod of his head left Lucas at the door, while Jay followed him inside. “I wish you were wrong,” he said in response, which elicited a smile from the governor.

  “My God, you’re a large man,” she said in amazement. “And you don’t look like regular military.”

  “No, Governor Jenson. I’m Master Sergeant Campbell, and I run a special ops team in the Marines called the—”

  “1st Force Reconnaissance,” the governor finished for him. “I was a military brat,” she explained, lifting her glass. “I recognize your patch. Now, let’s skip the rest of the pleasantries, shall we? First of all, I’m a senator now. I made that official a couple of days ago, but I imagine General Montgomery hasn’t gone out of his way to spread the announcement.”

  So the plan was already in motion, James realized. Lucas had been right and it only confirmed he’d made the right decision to abort the original mission. “First of all, you have a mole on your staff,” he said without any more preamble. Stepping forward, he removed a folded sheet of paper from a front pocket on his vest and handed it to her without further comment.

  It took the senator all of ten seconds to figure out what the numbers were and what it meant. “Nathan,” she snapped. He rushed to look at it for himself, and his face clouded.

  “I updated these codes myself four days ago,” he insisted.

  James idly wondered how they’d managed to get a working system set up. Based on all of the lights burning, they obviously had at least one good generator operating. It was impressive, but he didn’t have time to ask questions about it. They needed to get moving.

  “General Montgomery has targeted you,” James said. That got her attention and she set her glass down on a table abruptly, spilling some of the liquid. “I have reason to believe that Vice Admiral Baker was already assassinated. You’re a threat to him, Senator.”

  “You were sent here to kill me?” she gasped.

  “Not directly,” he explained. “Our mission was to bring you back, based on your name being on the Survivor’s List.”

  “The Survivor’s List?” the senator snorted. “I thought that was a myth.”

  “It’s not,” James said without any humor. “I don’t know if you’re really on it or if it was just an excuse, but for whatever reason, the general wants you alive. We were sent here to get you…at any cost.”

  Senator Jenson stood abruptly, her nostrils flaring. “It’s because he knows I have too many followers. If he kills me outright, it will incite others to take up my cause. But this? Proclaiming me to be some sort of asset and taking me into false protective custody…” Her words trailed off as she began to pace the room, trying to put it together. “I’m sure he’s got a plan to coerce me somehow.”

  “Where’s your family?” James asked, glancing at Hawk. He wasn’t sure of the man but the senator obviously trusted him.

  “Already hidden,” she said quickly, and then paused. “You don’t think…”

  “Come with us.” They were out of time and James didn’t have any other choice than being direct. “We’ll protect you and eventually get you and your family to a safe place, if possible.”

  “Why?” the senator asked. Although clearly terrified, she still stood straight and held her chin high. “Why go against orders and risk everything for something you don’t even understand?”

  “Because this is personal for me.” James took another step closer so the senator would be sure to see his face and hopefully be convinced he was telling her the truth. “My father is on the list. Somehow, Montgomery seemed to know that. Or he at least suspected it, and I believe that was why he chose my recon team to retrieve it, when he learned we were close by after the gamma ray hit. The general thought he could use my father as a way to manipulate me and guarantee my allegiance.”

  Senator Jenson stared at him for a moment before a small smile played at her lips. “Well, that seems to have backfired.”

  “I’m a soldier, Senator. But my loyalty is to the government, not any one man.”

  “If Montgomery’s got a spy here, then we’ll need to make it look like you were taken by force,” Hawk said, surprising James.

  “It might buy us a day or two before he starts actively looking for us,” James offered.

  Senator Alicia Jenson put both hands on top of her head, entwining her fingers in her thick black hair she’d piled up in a messy bun. She looked younger than her years, even vulnerable for a brief moment, until she took an audible breath and gathered herself. “Okay. Give me five minutes,” she said as she headed for a door at the back of the room.

  Ten minutes later, the four of them made their way silently back the way they’d come. As they approached the doors at the rear of the house, James easily picked the small woman up and she pretended to struggle vainly against his thick arms, a muffled scream working its way around his hand that was clamped gently over her mouth. Jay held his Glock to the back of Nathan Hawk’s head and the man walked stiffly outside with his hands out in front of him. Lucas brought up the rear, holding his rifle at the ready on all of them.

  “Drop your weapons!” Nathan shouted to the men surrounding the helicopter. “Do it, or they’ll kill the senator!”

  There was one long, very tense moment as the five National Guard soldiers debated the order given to them by a civilian security guard. “Please do what they want!” the senator shouted as James conveniently moved hi
s hand to the side.

  Flores was joined on the grass by Corporal Lance and Sergeant Lee, and the additional firepower was enough to convince the guardsmen to listen to the senator. Not waiting for a better opportunity, James led the way, running across the open space while cradling the woman he’d promised to protect in his arms. Just as he reached the open door of the helo and set her inside, shots rang out.

  Spinning around, James watched as Nathan went down, throwing Jay off balance and leaving them both vulnerable. His M4 was in his hands before James even completed the thought to reach for the rifle, and he directed a short burst of rounds towards their assailant. His aim was true and the uniformed man jerked several times before crumpling to the ground.

  Lucas and Flores were already dragging the other two men the rest of the way and they were all in the helo by the time the original guardsmen had reacted and retrieved their weapons. Some random shots hit harmlessly off the underside of the bird, but the sharp retorts were enough to point out how close they’d come to complete failure.

  “I’m okay,” Hawk was shouting to the senator, who was urgently trying to get a good look at the bullet wound in the man’s lower leg.

  Flores made quick work of Nathan’s pants and then used their field kit to clean the oozing hole. “He’s right,” he said after only a couple of minutes. “Went through and through. I doubt it impacted the bone. We’ll get him patched up and as good as new.”

  “Who was that?” James demanded, ignoring the injury.

  “He was assigned earlier this week by the Army,” the senator explained.

  “He was supposed to be out at the front gate,” Hawk added. “I already suspected he was the mole, and this pretty much confirms it. He was either trying to prevent you from taking me with the governor, so she’d be alone, or else he saw through our charade.”