I.N.E.T 5

by Brenda Cothern

  “Address,” Lita requested neutrally and plugged it into his phone after Randy rattled it off.

  Woods didn’t comment, but instead continued north on I-5 until signs of Redding were behind them. They left the interstate at some place called Shasta Lake. Woods followed signs which indicated they were on County Road 151. It wasn’t long before 151 curved to the north and Woods slowed down to look for their turn. However, not before Lita noticed signs for Shasta Dam, though.

  Lita was sure if Woods hadn’t plugged in the new address in his car’s laptop-like system, they would have been totally lost. As it was, they weren’t and Woods expertly drove them across more backwoods gravel roads. They were once more in bum fucked Egypt. The only way Lita knew they were on another gravel road was because he could hear the crunch of stones the tires made under the snow. Trees surrounded them and Lita never caught sight of Coram before Woods took the last turn which turned out to be a driveway of sorts. The small road was more a weed infested path than anything else.

  Several times Woods shot him a glance, but Lita ignored the man’s questioning and concerned looks. He had faith Randy knew where the hell he was taking them. His faith paid off when an overgrown area, because it sure as hell couldn’t be classified as a clearing, opened up before them.

  The headlights of Wood’s cruiser lit up a small house. The structure looked like it had been abandoned some time ago. Lita looked back to his partner. Randy looked beyond exhausted. It was once again clear to Lita that Randy’s eyes were still open by pure determination. Still, he received a nod and confirmation that they had arrived at the correct location. How the hell the Marshals had a safe house, even one as run down as this one appeared, way the hell out here was beyond Lita.

  “Sure the hell is in the middle of nowhere,” Woods commented and looked at Lita. “You boys sure this is where you are going to set up shop?”

  “Yeah,” Randy replied tiredly from the backseat.

  “You got supplies?” Woods glanced in his rearview mirror to look at Randy.

  “We will get by.”

  Lita wasn’t sure he liked Randy’s answer. The small house looked as if it hadn’t been utilized in a long time, years in fact. However, Lita would just have to trust that Randy knew what the hell they were doing. So, he did just that as Woods stopped the cruiser as close to the house as he could get them.

  Lita and Woods stepped out of the car. Woods opened the rear door so Randy could step out. Lita watched his partner. He was sure if he hadn’t been watching Randy so intently, he wouldn’t have noticed the man use the open door to steady himself. Randy was way the hell beyond needing sleep.

  Lita shifted his gaze to look at Burke in the backseat. She was asleep and he was sure she wasn’t faking. Her relaxed body and even breaths were too real. Lita was experienced enough in feigning sleep or knowing when others were to not be able to tell the difference.

  “Can I borrow your flashlight?”

  Randy’s question to Woods pulled Lita’s attention away from Burke. His partner closed the back door of the cruiser with one hand while he accepted the flashlight with the other. Randy nodded his thanks and Lita and Woods followed him toward the front of the house.

  The weeds and minimal brush were thick. Thankfully, the few inches of snow that had fallen not only bent the weeds closer to the ground, but helped to highlight the brush. The steps leading up to the rickety porch groaned enough under Randy’s weight that both he and Woods stopped before adding their additional weight to them.

  They watched as Randy scanned the front of the house with the flashlight before he moved over to one of the front windows. His partner reached up and ran his hand atop the window frame. A moment later, Lita spotted the glint of metal before it disappeared in Randy’s hand.

  Randy moved to the front door. It took several tries wiggling the key in the lock before his partner was able to open the door. It also took a bit of effort for Randy to get the door open. It was more than clear to Lita that it had been a long time since this safe house had been utilized.

  “Grab Burke,” Randy said over his shoulder before he stepped over the threshold.

  “Okay,” Lita replied and tried to keep his tone and expression neutral.

  He was concerned. Concerned for his partner and concerned about their current safe house. He hadn’t seen any power lines to indicate the house had electricity and it looked so run down, chances were it didn’t have running water, either. Not that Lita needed power and water. He’d been in plenty of situations where he’d had neither. He just didn’t think the Marshals would subject someone they were charged with protecting to such conditions. A glance at Woods’ expression told Lita Woods was thinking along the same lines. He didn’t say anything before he started walking back to the police cruiser.

  “It’s not my place,” Woods started when they had covered half the distance to his car. “And I’m not assuming to tell you how to do your job.” Woods placed a hand on his arm and Lita stopped walking. “But are you guys sure this is where you want to set up camp?”

  Lita not only saw Woods’ concern written all over the man’s face, but also heard it in his tone of voice. He’d be concerned too if he were Woods. Especially, as Lita was more than sure Woods’ WITSEC experience was vastly different. All Lita could do was give the sheriff deputy a reassuring smile.

  “We will be fine.”

  The doubt in Woods’ expression was easy to read, so what the man said next came as no surprise. “I can bring you some supplies and you’re going to need a car eventually.”

  They would need a car. Otherwise, they’d be stranded out here. Lita glanced down at his phone and used his fingerprint to unlock it. He wasn’t at all shocked that he had no signal to speak of. The fleeting thought over how he was going to check in with his boss flashed through his mind.

  “I can come and grab one of you later today and take you back to Redding to rent a car,” Woods continued.

  Lita weighed Woods’ offer for only a moment. “We don’t want to put you out, but that would be good.”

  “No trouble at all,” Woods assured. “You need help with her?” Woods nodded toward his cruiser as they resumed walking toward his car.

  Lita glanced over his shoulder. He could see the flashlight moving around even though the sun was above the horizon enough that they didn’t even need the cruiser’s headlights to light up the area. He looked through the back window of Woods’ car and saw Burke still slumped in sleep. Lita didn’t need help with her. She would either wake up and walk into the house under her own power or he’d throw her ass over his shoulder again. Either way, he wouldn’t need Woods’ help.

  “Nah, I can get her, but thanks.”

  Woods reached out and touched his arm again as Lita was reaching for the handle of the back door. Lita paused and looked at the sheriff deputy.

  “What time later?”

  Lita knew the man was asking so he didn’t catch him or Randy by surprise by his sudden arrival. If Woods hadn’t been in WITSEC, Lita was sure the cop wouldn’t have even realized why it was important to ask even though a regular good Samaritan may have asked the same question. Lita glanced at his phone to check the time. It was already after 8 AM. Chances were Woods’ shift had just ended or had ended at seven. He was undecided if he should ask Woods to return before his shift started that night or after.

  “I’m off today,” Woods informed. “So, whatever works best for you guys. We are about an hour and half from Redding.”

  Lita did quick math. It would take him three hours minimum just for the round-trip. Likely, three and a half or four just to get the damn rental car. More if he needed to do any shopping for food. Lita frowned at the thought of leaving Burke’s ass alone with Randy for so long without being able to offer his partner backup. Burke may have slept for the last part of the trip to this safe house and by extension not have any idea where they were geographically, but that didn’t mean Lita trusted her not to make another attempt at escape.
>
  “How does four sound?” Lita finally asked after taking into account they all needed to get some sleep and when the rental car place may close.

  “I can do that,” Woods replied before he stepped back far enough for Lita to open the back door.

  “Burke,” Lita called out to the CIA agent. She startled, instantly awake, and Lita expected nothing less. “Let’s go.”

  Burke was apparently awake enough to glare at him. Lita ignored her look and gave her a smirk in return just to piss her off that much more. She had no choice but to slide across the seat and get out of the car. So, Lita just waited. He remained vigilant as she slid toward him. He wouldn’t put it past her to try and kick him again in a bid to escape. She would make an attempt again if she really wanted to escape protective custody, regardless of whether Woods stood behind the open backdoor or not.

  Apparently, she was either too tired or not stupid enough to try Lita’s patience because she slid across the back seat and stepped out of the cruiser without causing a problem. She still glared and Lita still smirked when he took her by the bicep and maneuvered her toward the house.

  “What kind of shit hole is this?” Burke asked incredulously once she noticed the safe house.

  “The kind the cartel won’t find you in or you won’t be able to run away from because in case you haven’t noticed,” Lita paused and took too much pleasure from her shocked expression. “There ain’t shit around so there isn’t a damn place for you to run to.”

  Lita watched Burke’s head swivel to take in her surroundings. He knew what she saw. A rundown house surrounded by snow-covered weeds and brush along with nothing else aside from trees. He also couldn’t help the gratification he felt when Burke realized she had no clue where the hell they were. The grin that spread his lips couldn’t be helped, either.

  “Marshal,” Woods called out.

  Lita looked back over his shoulder and gave Woods a nod. The man understood his meaning not to say anything more and just returned his nod. By the time Lita reached the still open door and pushed Burke through, he heard Woods’ car door shut. The sheriff already started down the driveway that was smothered with weeds by the time Lita closed the door behind them.

  He dismissed thoughts of the sheriff who was still in WITSEC, even after thirty-seven years and had a new life. Instead, Lita took in the inside of the house. Dust floated in the air from where Randy had obviously removed furniture covers. The covers were dumped in a pile at the end of one of the two couches.

  The floating particles that drifted in swirls around the room weren’t the only indication this safe house hadn’t been used in a long, long time. A layer of dust covered every other surface he could see. Lita felt a sneeze coming on, but fought it off. He was grateful he didn’t have any respiratory issues and wasn’t prone to allergies. If he did or was, he had no doubt he’d have problems before they left this safe house regardless of the few windows his partner had cracked to air out the place.

  Thinking about his partner had him realizing the man was nowhere in sight. Lita could easily see the kitchen through the open floor plan. There were three doors off the kitchen. One obviously let out to the back of the house. Another had a slatted door which Lita recognize could only be a pantry. The last, Lita assumed led to a cellar.

  On the other side of the living room from the kitchen was a hallway that most likely led to the bathroom and any bedrooms the small house may have. Lita thought that’s where he’d find his partner, so he maneuvered Burke toward that direction.

  The loud sound of a motor firing up and the flicker of the overhead light in the kitchen made Lita pull Burke to a halt. Lita recognized the sound of a generator and the resulting flicker of light before it turned steady confirmed it.

  The thought that this safe house was so rustic it needed a generator struck Lita as odd. He knew enough about the Marshals and WITSEC to recognize this safe house was out of the norm. Still, he trusted Randy enough not to question why the man brought them to this particular safe house instead of one which was more modern and in a city.

  Randy came through the door Lita assumed led outside to the back of the house. The man looked worse than shit. It was clear to Lita that his partner was still operating on autopilot. He had been concerned for Randy before, but Lita’s concerned ratcheted up a notch. His desire to take care of the man was instinctive and had nothing to do with his attraction toward the Marshal or the lip lock they shared. No, his concern was for a partner who obviously wasn’t running on all pistons. Randy needed rest, needed the crash, because Lita was more than sure he was barely coherent. In fact, Randy proved his assumption when his partner startled at seeing him and Burke standing in the middle of the living room.

  “Where can I put her?” Lita asked because he couldn’t make sure Randy crashed until he secured Burke. He had a feeling that no matter how exhausted Randy was, his partner wouldn’t sleep until their charge was secure.

  “There’s a bedroom down the hall,” Randy replied. “On the left across from the bathroom.”

  His partner looked like he was in a daze and only replying by rote. So, Lita didn’t bother to reply before he led Burke in the direction of the hallway. Once he secured her, he would take care of his partner and make sure the man got the sleep he desperately needed.

  ##~~##

  Chapter Eight

  Randy could barely keep his eyes open. They were so dry they were painful. He hadn’t felt such vision pain since he’d been in Iraq. He could not remember how long it had been since he last slept. All he knew was that it had been too fucking long ago and he wasn’t about to last much longer.

  He didn’t remember arriving at the house. He didn’t remember unlocking the front door or the back door. He didn’t remember going to the shed and cranking up the generator before he returned to the house. It was all muscle memory. Not remembering anything that happened after he sat in the warmth of the sheriff’s car should have concerned him. He was too far beyond tired to be concerned about anything and that was why he startled so badly at seeing a huge man and a petite woman standing in the living room. Thankfully, the jolt of adrenaline at seeing them quickly jogged his memory.

  Randy was on a protection detail. The sexy Goliath was his new partner and the small woman was who they were tasked with protecting. Remembering that almost made him sigh in relief because otherwise he had no idea why he would be standing in the kitchen of this house. His partner’s question thankfully pulled his attention away from how, or why, they ended up here and back to his job. However, thinking, shit being reminded, about his job didn’t spur him to move from where he seemed to be rooted in the middle of the kitchen.

  ##~~##

  Lita walked Burke in front of him down the small hall. The hall dead ended with a door, so it wasn’t difficult for him to determine the remaining two doors belong to the bathroom and other bedroom. Based on the size of the house and what he could deduce of the layout, Lita opened the door on the left that he assumed was a bedroom.

  Randy may have told him the bedroom was on the left, but Lita wasn’t sure his partner was cognizant enough to know his left from his right. Still, he was relieved Randy and his own assumption was correct.

  Sun was shining through the dirty window, but still provided enough light for Lita to see without having to turn on the hurricane lamp next to the single bed. He didn’t give the room more than a cursory glance before he led Burke to the bed. He sat her down and frowned.

  “I’m going to take those off you so you can remove your jacket.”

  “How gallant of you,” Burke said with less heat than Lita thought she intended.

  He gave her smirk. The woman was tired, regardless of the sleep she obtained in the cruiser on their way here. Lita easily read her body language and was confident she wasn’t faking her fatigue. He was equally confident she wouldn’t do anything stupid once he un-cuffed one of her hands. Still, that didn’t stop him from threatening her again.

  “Remember,” Lita st
arted and waited for her baby blues to meet his gaze. “You try anything and I’ll put a bullet in your knee with a smile on my face.” Lita gave her a taste of the smile which would spread his lips if he had the opportunity to follow through with his threat.

  “Like I’d get far if I did,” Burke grumbled, but Lita didn’t believe for a minute her sudden compliance to cooperate with the protection they were tasked with providing her.

  “Good.”

  Lita removed one half of her cuffs, but didn’t help her shrug out of her jacket. He didn’t take it when she held it out to him, either. He was still smiling down at her when she dropped it on the floor. She held out her un-cuffed wrist and Lita suspected her action was just a ploy to make him think she was being compliant.

  “Nuh Ah. Lay down,” Lita ordered and laughed when she raised a brow. “Told you, sweetheart, you’re not my type. So, get comfortable.”

  Lita had planned for Burke laying down when he decided which wrist to un-cuff. Once she was situated on the bed, he took her wrist and moved it up to the headboard. The headboard was older and made of solid wood. However, there was a cut out design of crossed baseball bats in the middle of it above Burke’s head.

  The space between the design cut out and the top of the headboard was too great for him to close the cuffs around. So, he pulled his own set of handcuffs from the inside pocket of his jacket and looped them through the distance. He cuffed one into the center chain of the cuffs Burke wore to effectively create a noose. The dangling cuff, he cinched as close as possible before it slid through the locking mechanism to reset. Through that, he secured Burke’s loose cuff to her free wrist.