I.N.E.T 5

by Brenda Cothern

  The set up didn’t give her much room to move and would be uncomfortable while she lay in the bed. She’d have to sleep with her arms slightly suspended over her head. Lita didn’t care. If she became too uncomfortable, she had enough room to stand next to the bed even if she would be forced to bend over.

  “Really?” Burke met his gaze after he stood.

  “Sweet dreams, sweetheart.” Lita grinned and closed the bedroom door behind him.

  Randy was still standing in the middle of the kitchen when Lita exited the hallway. He wasn’t surprised. The man was practically asleep on his feet. Still, Lita knew not to approach or touch the Marine until he could get Randy to refocus on him. The last thing Lita wanted was for Randy to react instinctively with violence.

  “Connor,” Lita called out and thankfully Randy shifted his gaze to him. “Time to rack out.” Lita was tempted to grin, but resisted the temptation.

  Randy gave him a nod and walked toward the couch. It was clear to Lita that the man planned to sleep there. Well, that wasn’t going to happen.

  “Bedroom,” Lita ordered and Randy looked at him again.

  “Right,” Randy replied and dragged a hand over his face.

  Lita followed his partner down the hall to the second bedroom. He didn’t spare a look around the room. Instead, he focused on the exhausted man who plopped his ass down on the bed. It took a moment before Randy removed his coat then loosened his belt enough to remove his holstered weapon. He had just placed it on the bedside table and was about to lay down when Lita stopped him.

  “Boots.” Lita squatted down. He unzipped one boot and pulled it off before doing the same for the other.

  “Thanks,” Randy mumbled and didn’t waste any time lying down.

  Lita was sure Randy was asleep before his head even hit the pillow. He only watched Randy for a few seconds before he crossed the room and grabbed a dusty quilt from the back of the room’s lone chair. He gave thought to shaking out the blanket before he dismissed the idea. There was already plenty of dust floating in the air from Randy disturbing the bed. So, Lita refolded the quilt so the dusty side was trapped in the middle before he covered his partner. The house was cold and with that done, Lita set out to find some heaters and explore the surrounding area.

  ##~~##

  Warmth woke Randy and he was blindsided by a sneeze. He didn’t need to look around to instantly recognize the bedroom. He’d been in this room more times than he could count and pushed each of those memories away before they could take root in his mind. Randy didn’t look at the quilt before he crawled out from beneath. He didn’t look at it afterwards, either. However, his gaze did land on the propane heater next to the bedroom door.

  Randy stood, stretched, and rubbed his hands over his face. He felt one hundred times better, even though he was still tired as hell. Sunlight was coming in through the window, so he assumed it was still the same day. At least, he hoped so or his partner was sure to be even more tired. He needed to locate his partner, but first he put on his boots and returned his gun to his hip.

  Randy hit the bathroom before starting down the hall to the living room. He passed the second bedroom and saw another small propane heater and Burke cuffed to the headboard. She glared at him from where she lay. He ignored her and continued down the hall.

  The first thing Randy saw of his partner was his crossed boots hanging over the end of the couch. The closer Randy approached, the more of Lita’s stretched out form he could see. His eyes traveled from his partners military style boots, up his legs, over his chest, and finally settled on Lita’s face. For some reason, he didn’t expect to be greeted by Lita’s green-eyed gaze. And a grin.

  Lita heard Randy moving around after he awoke. His partner did his business in the bathroom and Lita just waited for him to make an appearance in the entrance to the hall. He watched Randy’s eyes roam over his body from bottom to top and grinned when their gaze connected.

  “Morning, sunshine,” Lita greeted.

  Randy groaned and rubbed a hand over his face again. He really needed to shave since it had been over three days and his face was itchy as hell. However, his hygiene was only a passing thought because his partner’s greeting finally registered in his rebooting brain.

  “Please tell me it isn’t morning.” Randy looked at Lita. His partner didn’t seem tired, so there was a good chance Lita hadn’t let him crash for more than just a few hours.

  Lita chuckled and sat up on the couch. “No. It’s going on three. I was actually going to wake you in the next half hour or so.”

  Randy was more relieved by Lita’s response than he expected to be. He was sure his partner desired to get some sleep, so he started toward the kitchen to make some coffee. He reached for the vacuum sealed coffee grounds. Well, the grounds which had been vacuum sealed. The camping coffeepot sat on the end of the small camping stove. Lita had obviously found at least the supplies to make coffee. Randy touched the metal of the pot and found it still warm. So, he poured a cup of coffee before turning back to look at his partner.

  Lita had his back to him and was stretching. The back of Lita’s leather jacket lifted almost high enough for Randy to see the top of his jeans. It was seeing Lita still wearing his jacket that made Randy realize how cold it was in the kitchen and living room. It also made him realize the propane heater in the bedroom where he slept was the one that usually heated the bulk of the house.

  “You should’ve kept the big heater out here,” Randy rebuked as he returned to the living room.

  Lita grinned and shrugged. “You needed it more and I was fine.”

  Lita wasn’t lying on either count. He was aware everyone rested better when they were warm and his jacket kept him plenty warm enough.

  “Well, I’ll grab my jacket and you get some decent shut eye.” Randy started toward the hall.

  “I’m good,” Lita informed on his way to the kitchen. “I got some sleep out here.”

  Randy raised a doubtful brow, but his partner didn’t see it because the man was busy pouring himself a cup coffee.

  “But, I guess moving the heater out here wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Lita said since they would be spending most of their time in this part of the house.

  “Yeah,” Randy agreed before he disappeared back down the hallway.

  He didn’t bother to look in at Burke again before he entered the bedroom where he’d slept. Randy turned off the heater since he couldn’t move it until it cooled down. His coat would work just fine until he could take the heater to the main part of the house. So, he shrugged into his now dry coat and returned to the living room.

  Lita leaned on the small kitchen counter while he waited for Randy to return. His partner hadn’t commented about how he located the heaters or everything he needed to make coffee. Lita hadn’t commented on the amount of supplies he’d found which would give any end of the world prepper a hard on, either.

  To say he was caught off guard and shocked all to hell when he explored the basement was an understatement. There were literally enough supplies to support them for ten years if they needed to stay here for that long. Finding enough lead panels to likely surround the house more than once was also a surprise. Safe houses didn’t have this kind of shit, so Lita could only wonder where the hell his partner had taken them. Lita was curious, but could wait to get his answers if Randy didn’t freely offer the information.

  “Woods will be here around four,” Lita informed when Randy reappeared.

  “What?”

  Randy suddenly recalled the sheriff deputy bringing them to the house. He must’ve been tired as hell to give the deputy the address. That made the man only the third person alive who knew the location of the house including he and Lita. Randy wasn’t sure how he felt about them being here at all. Randy was sure his partner had to have some questions. After finding the heaters and stuff to make coffee, there was no way Lita couldn’t. There was no way the man could’ve missed the stockpile in the basement, but Randy was grateful his par
tner seemed content not to ask him anything yet.

  “Why?” Randy immediately asked because his first question really had no relevance.

  “We need a vehicle if for no other reason than when we eventually head to D.C.,” Lita stated the obvious. “It’s not like we could call in Uber to pick us up out here,” Lita said lightheartedly.

  Randy hadn’t given any thought to their transportation needs. Granted, he wasn’t fully caffeinated yet, but his lack of thought over a vehicle had more to do with if he ever found himself back at this house, he would have driven himself.

  “So, Woods is going to take me back to Redding to rent one,” Lita informed. “Plus, I thought we’d need some supplies, but it seems we will be good on that front for a while.”

  Lita said the last so casually Randy almost laughed. A while was so much of an understatement it was beyond funny. They could last here for easily fifteen to twenty years based on the supplies stored in the basement and the offshoot tunnels.

  “Okay,” Randy replied with a nod. “Do I have time for a shower before he gets here?”

  Randy mentioning his shower was the last thing Lita expected the man to say. It also caused him to involuntarily shiver. He’d rather forgo a shower forever before stepping under what was sure to be icy water to get clean. Plus, he was sure he saw a few cases of baby wipes down in the basement.

  “Are you tempting pneumonia?” Lita couldn’t help asking.

  Randy saw Lita shiver and the incredulous expression on his partner’s face made him laugh. “We’ve got some hot water,” Randy informed. “If the solar panel doesn’t provide enough, there’s another generator.”

  Randy didn’t mention where that generator was located. He just saw no need to mention the tunnels which branched away from the basement in several directions. It wasn’t like they were going to use them, after all.

  “Okay.” Lita was somewhat relieved to hear they had hot water. Surprised, for sure, but relieved.

  Randy gave him what seemed like a nervous smile before he turned and walked back down the hall. Lita really wished he had cell service. It was more than apparent he needed additional information on US Marshal Randy Connor. Maybe not the man specifically, but definitely his parents and associates. Randy hadn’t struck him as a doomsday prepper type. He still didn’t. In fact, Randy seemed uncomfortable about them even being here.

  Lita would be back to civilization soon enough. He’d shoot Hunt his request after he checked in with Fish. He was sure Hunt could find him some information before he returned. Plus, this house may be way the hell off the grid, but it wasn’t like Lita couldn’t be located. There might not be cell service, but satellites didn’t need cell service for INET to keep track of his location.

  INET’s protocol didn’t involve activating an agent’s tracking chip unless a mission went way past sideways. Still, even though his current assignment didn’t fall in that category, Lita would bet his Harley, Fish would have Hunt tracking his location once he informed his boss they were off the grid. His INET tracking implant was a security blanket Lita never had to utilize. Chances were he wouldn’t need it this time, either, but it was still reassuring it was there.

  Randy found Lita sitting on the couch when he returned to the living room. His partner turned to look at him as he finished rubbing his head with a towel. Lita gave him a smile and Randy couldn’t help but smile in return. He was just about to speak when the quiet sound of gravel crunching under tires reached their ears. Lita stood, drew his weapon, and walked toward the front window before Randy could say anything.

  Lita barely moved the curtain. Just enough to glance outside. He wanted to be sure it was Woods who approached the house, but wasn’t about to take any chances. Regardless of if they were in the middle of nowhere, Lita wasn’t about to blindly trust it was Woods even though it was ten to four.

  An older red F150 stopped almost exactly where Woods had stopped his cruiser that morning. Still, Lita just watched. They heard the engine cut off and Lita observed the truck door open slowly. Just as slowly, Woods stepped out with his hands in the air. He moved away from his truck and just waited.

  Randy had joined Lita at the window. He’d drawn his weapon, as well. However, his partner was too damn tall for him to look over his shoulder, so Randy stood across from him and barely moved the curtain enough to look out. He was surprised over Woods’ cautious behavior and couldn’t help but wonder what he’d missed between his partner and the deputy while he rode in the backseat of the cruiser in his exhausted stupor.

  “You tell him?” Randy asked and doubted he had to elaborate on his inquiry.

  “He guessed,” Lita replied and stepped back from the window before he holstered his weapon.

  “Makes sense,” Randy admitted because as tired as he’d been when the sheriff came upon them on the county road, he remembered mentioning they were protecting Burke. That and they were Marshals would have made it easy for the deputy to deduce she was in WITSEC.

  “He’s been in the program for thirty-seven years,” Lita told his partner and smiled at Randy’s surprised expression. “So, he knows the deal.”

  Randy was sure the older man did. Once someone was placed into WITSEC it was for life. However, he’d never been an agent to monitor anyone after he turned them over before trial. It was almost weird to encounter someone established in the program let alone someone who’d been in it for so long.

  “You gonna be good?” Lita asked even though he was sure he didn’t need to.

  “Yeah.” Randy nodded. “What time should I expect you back?”

  “7-730ish. 8 at the latest.”

  “Alright.” Randy walked his partner to the door.

  Woods lowered his arms and relaxed when Lita stepped out onto the rickety porch. Randy studied the older man. He was dressed in jeans, hiking boots, and Randy detected a red flannel peeking out at the neck of the man’s heavy winter coat. Woods looked nothing like the sheriff deputy they’d met at the ass crack of dawn. He didn’t look like someone who’d need WITSEC services, either. Not that Randy thought there was a look for someone in WITSEC. No, the man just looked like any other person seen on any street in rural America.

  Randy continued to watch as Lita climbed in the truck and Woods gave him a slight wave before following suit. He kept watching until the F150 disappeared down the snow covered, weed infested driveway

  ##~~##

  Woods made small talk on their drive back to Redding. Every topic was neutral and Lita wasn’t surprised the man didn’t pry into the specifics of their current protection detail. They made good time and arrived in Redding in slightly over an hour.

  Lita had sent his check-in to Fish as soon as he regained cell service. His boss was less than happy to be informed they would be off the grid and Lita would have no way of checking in. Lita reminded him that they only had to sit tight for another two weeks then they would be in D.C. Fish, in return, reminded him that two weeks was more than enough time for the cartel to track them down.

  Lita seriously doubted the cartel would find them at Randy’s doomsday house, but he didn’t say as much to his boss. Instead, he just reassured Fish they’d be fine. Lita could almost hear his boss grunt even though Fish didn’t reply. He was sure his boss was likely frowning at his phone, as well, and the mental visual made Lita smile. Once he finished his text exchange with Fish, Lita started typing his request to Hunt.

  I need whatever you can find me on Conner’s associates or family.

  You suspect he’s dirty? Hunt instantly responded and Lita could imagine his teammate’s frown just as easily as he imagined Fish’s.

  Not at all. Lita assured Hunt. Hunt knew him well enough that had Lita suspected Connor was a dirty agent, he wouldn’t have hesitated to say so.

  Anything particular I am looking for?

  The current safe house he’s taken us to do is off the grid. No signal, no power, well water. And stocked to the gills with survival gear and supplies. It’s definitely not one
belonging to the Marshals.

  Hunt didn’t immediately reply. Lita could almost see his teammate’s frown deepening. He had an idea exactly what Hunt was doing, so he just waited for his techie teammate to reply.

  You’re in Redding. Hunt stated and Lita grinned. He’d pinged Lita’s tracker and Lita was perfectly fine with Hunt locating him that way.

  The house is near Coram, Lita informed to help narrow down Hunt’s search for information.

  Okay. How long will you have cell service?

  Lita understood why Hunt asked. Hunt’s Intel wouldn’t do him a damn bit of good if he had no cell signal to receive an email.

  “How far to the rental place?” Lita asked Woods who’d been quiet and respected his need to check-in.

  “About ten minutes,” Woods replied.

  Lita nodded and was sure Woods saw it from the corner of his eye. Chances were it wouldn’t take more than twenty minutes to get a rental car. Lita had no idea where he would lose cell service once he started driving back to the safe house. Still, he felt he’d have at least an hour or so.

  Hour and half. Two at most, Lita told Hunt.

  Should be plenty of time for me to get you something.

  Lita had no doubt it would be. Hunt was a fucking genius when it came to anything computer related. The team would be lost without his skills, because of all of them; Hunt surpassed them when it came to gathering Intel.

  Sounds good, Lita replied and put his phone back into the inside pocket of his jacket.

  “Here we are,” Woods informed less than three minutes later as they pulled into an Enterprise lot.

  “Thanks, Woods.” Lita gave the older man a nod.

  “Greg,” Woods offered his first name.

  “Well, thanks Greg. I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”