Their helicopter lost altitude as it fought against the storm’s pitch. Alex’s eye never left the video feed coming from Leena’s camera. Colin took Steve’s IV bag from her.
“Raz, can you get the heat readings for the banquet hall?” Alex asked. Raz started working on his laptop. “Just in case we missed something.”
An SSG officer appeared in front of Leena. He gave her a nod and used a key to open a side door. She and Vince went into the hallway. Leena moved through the hallway and took a quick left into the women’s bathroom. She opened the double-hung window in the last stall. She scooted out of the room.
“Got it,” Max said.
He pointed to the closed-circuit security feed on his computer. Leena left the bathroom and met Vince in the hallway. Vince smiled and held out his arm. They entered the banquet as a lovely American couple attending an awards ceremony. They stopped for a moment at the edge of the banquet floor to gain their bearings. There were hundreds of round tables draped with pristine white table clothes on the floor. Vince whispered in Leena’s ear, and she gave him a blushing smile. They made their way toward the front where the secretary of state was sitting.
Max switched the closed circuit camera feed, and they watched White Boy, Margaret, and Joseph enter the women’s bathroom through the window Leena had opened. The men left the bathroom and went into the hall. Margaret waited a few minutes, before following them.
“Sergeant Dusty?” Raz asked.
“Yes, sir,” Dusty said.
“I see what looks like three, maybe four, people moving toward the building from the west,” Raz said.
There was a pat-pat report of a machine gun.
“That is not them,” Raz said. “They are nearing the building from the west.”
“On it,” MJ said.
“Captain Jan?” Alex asked Raz. He clicked her headset over to Captain Jan’s audio feed and nodded. “Sir, we have what looks like five or six people moving toward the hall on your west side.”
“We are taking gun fire from our north,” Captain Jan said in his London accent.
“Northeast, top of building,” Raz said. “One person. He’s switching to a sniper rifle.”
The SSG leader gave two of his men orders in Arabic.
“MJ?” Alex asked.
“Ugly,” MJ said. “Looks like we have a few more party crashers from the south.”
“Did you hear that?” Alex asked Captain Jan.
“On it,” Captain Jan said.
“You’d better see this,” Max said.
Alex turned to look at the closed circuit feed on Max’s computer. Inside the event, Leena and Vince neared the secretary of state’s table. Leena made a show of realizing the secretary was there. She tugged Vince toward the table.
“Leena?” the secretary of state stood to greet her. They heard her voice over Leena’s video connection. “What are you doing here?”
“We were in the area and wanted to see you receive your award,” Leena said.
Vince rested his hand on the back of the captor-bodyguard seated on the secretary of state’s left. The man slumped forward. Vince tucked the small autoinjector into his pants pocket. Joseph joined them.
“This has been the strangest night,” the secretary of state said in a low tone to Leena. The secretary of state nodded to Joseph.
“Did you see Vince?” Leena asked. “He’s wearing a tux!”
“Captain Hutchins!” the secretary of state turned to greet him. “How is your baby girl?”
“My girls are well,” Vince smiled. He put his hand on the secretary’s forearm. “Would you like to see some photos?”
“Of course!” the secretary of state took a step toward them.
Her remaining captor-bodyguard got up from his seat. Joseph stuck two acupuncture needles just under the back of his scalp. The man weaved and Joseph helped him into his seat.
The secretary looked at the man, and then at Joseph.
“Captain Walters, it’s always a pleasure,” She plastered on a well-practiced smile.
“Pleasure is always mine,” Joseph said.
“Did you bring those photos on your phone?” the secretary asked Vince. She took out her Blackberry. “My phone hasn’t been working.”
She held the phone out to Leena. The words “husband” and “daughter” were typed on her screen.
“I love that picture,” Leena smiled. “It reminds me of when I visited my boss’s parents’ home in Washington.”
The secretary put her hand to her heart and Leena gave her a carefree smile. When they’d learned the secretary of state was in danger, they’d invited her family and a team of Marines to join Rebecca Hargreaves at her home outside of Washington DC.
“You know, I was just about to find a restroom when we noticed you here,” Leena said.
“I could use a break,” the secretary said.
“Honey, do you mind if I help Madam Secretary?” Leena turned to Vince.
“I’ll walk you,” Vince smiled. He held out his elbow and the secretary took it.
“How old is your girl now?” the secretary asked.
They walked past Margaret and she detained the man who was following them. A US Marine dressed as a server stepped in behind the secretary.
“Amelia?” Vince smiled. “She’s sixteen, can you believe it?”
“I saw her with her granddad Gerry in Las Vegas for her sweet sixteen,” the secretary said.
Leena’s video recorder picked up a grunt coming from behind them. The secretary looked worried. The closed-circuit cameras showed White Boy easily dispatch a man who had moved to stop them.
“I didn’t realize you were there,” Vince said.
“I dropped in late,” the secretary said. “I had to meet the French boyfriend with the storied parentage.”
Vince shook his head.
“They grow up fast,” the secretary said. “I’ve seen photos of baby Zoe. How is Emily holding up?”
“Emmy?” Vince smiled. “She’s as beautiful as she was the day I met her.”
The secretary smiled.
“And don’t think I’ve forgotten you, Leena,” the secretary said. “How is your lovely girl?”
“Fabulous,” Leena pushed open the bathroom door. “We had such a nice time with your family in Vail. Thank you for inviting us.”
“Of course,” the secretary said.
“I’ll leave you here,” Vince said.
The secretary squeezed his arm and followed Leena into the bathroom.
“Leena!” Alex screamed as a man jumped out from a stall.
Leena pushed the secretary behind her and crouched to fight. From the position of her video camera, they could only see the man swing and react to Leena. He swung wide, and then weaved in response to Leena’s flurry of punches. He hit the wall and Leena landed a beautiful kick. When he fell to the ground, Leena grabbed the secretary’s hand. They ran to the last stall. Sergeant Dusty helped them through the window.
“Awaiting orders, sir,” Leena said.
Alex looked across the helicopter at Matthew. He was giving the order for the rest of the team to evacuate. MJ entered Leena’s video feed from around the corner. He tossed a handgun at Leena. She caught the weapon mid-air and chambered a round.
“Can you turn the phoenix over to the SSG?” Alex asked.
“Negative, sir,” MJ said. “Party crashers are taking most of the SSG’s time.”
Alex glanced at Raz.
“It looks intentional,” Raz said. “A distraction.”
“You’ve just solved the problem of how to get the secretary out of Pakistan,” Max said.
“On guard,” Alex said. “You’re going to have to fight your way out of there.”
“Yes, sir,” Leena, MJ, and Dusty said.
“Zack?” Alex turned to Raz. “Can he hear me?”
“Yes, my Fey,” Zack said.
“Get them out of there,” Alex said.
“Your wish is my . . . ,” Zack said. “Holy crap!”
“Should we call in the grunts?” Raz asked whether they should call in a unit of Marines, who were waiting for their command across the border in Afghanistan.
“Wait,” Alex said. “Feed, Zack?”
Alex’s laptop flickered and a small box opened with the video feed from the helicopter. From Zack’s position above and to the south of the hall, they could see a battle erupt around the awards hall. The SSG were actively engaged in a firefight on the west side of the building. Two open bed trucks filled with angry young men carrying machine guns squealed into the banquet hall’s parking lot near the Fey Team.
White Boy joined Leena, MJ, and Sergeant Dusty. He took a machine gun from under his jacket. He shot out the tires of the trucks. The trucks skid to a halt about a hundred feet from the hall. The men fired from the bed of the truck. Two men took cover behind the truck doors and fired through the open windows. Four US Marines dressed as servers joined the firefight. Leena and Sergeant Dusty kept the secretary of state pressed against the building while White Boy fired on the men in the truck.
“Joseph?” Alex asked.
“A little busy,” Joseph yelled.
Max pointed to the closed-circuit security feed. The dining room had erupted in hand-to-hand combat. Couples hid under tables while the US Marines dressed as servers fought with the men who had come for the secretary of state. Max tapped the screen. Crouched under one of the tables was Hank Zutterberg. After graduated with Alex from Special Forces training, Zutterberg left the Army on a medical discharge only to start a unit with a military contractor. Alex shook her head. She caught Matthew’s eye.
“Zutterberg,” Alex said.
“Hiding like a baby,” Matthew said. “I saw him.”
“Wouldn’t want to hurt his baby toe,” Tory said.
“We could use some help here,” Joseph said over the feed.
Max switched the closed-circuit feed to show Joseph and Margaret were locked in combat in the hall.
“MJ!” Alex said. “Hallway.”
MJ jumped through the window and whipped into the hallway. He wasn’t a precise fighter. Like his father, MJ was a crazy whirl in a fight. He grabbed one man and kicked an automatic weapon from the hands of another. He threw the man he was holding into the man Margaret was fighting. Tangled in each other, the men fell to the ground.
“Come on,” MJ said to Margaret and Joseph.
They ran out to the parking lot. A Pave Hawk came into view.
“Fey Team down,” Alex yelled.
Leena and Sergeant Dusty used their bodies to cover the secretary of state while MJ, Joseph, Vince, Margaret, and White Boy dropped to the ground. Zack shot at the men in the trucks. They scattered. The team regrouped around the secretary of state.
Zack shot a missile at the vehicle the remaining men were using for cover. The truck blew into pieces, showering everyone with shards of metal. Zack landed the Pave Hawk in front of Leena and Dusty to shield the secretary of state from the truck fire.
“Go,” Alex said. “Now.”
Leena and Dusty ran to the Pave Hawk with the secretary of state. Vince and White Boy helped the secretary of state into the helicopter. Margaret guide the secretary of state to a seat and Leena buckled her into her seat. MJ and Joseph were the last inside.
The helicopter rose off the parking lot with the doors open. MJ grabbed a machine gun and tossed it to Dusty. They fired on the men the SSG were fighting. White Boy dropped down into the seat next to the secretary to protect her. Vince grabbed a rifle and moved behind Dusty. Margaret fired her rifle from her position behind MJ. Flying directly above the banquet hall, they were able to turn the tide for the SSG.
“Whoo hooo!” Zack yelled. “Curry is on you, Ahmed.”
“That’s Captain to you, you crazy fucker,” Captain Jan said.
“You’re still buying,” Zack laughed.
From Leena’s feed, they saw Vince and Dusty close the Pave Hawk door.
“Zack?” Alex yelled to get his attention.
“Yes, sir,” Zack said.
“Drive safely,” Alex said.
“Be home for supper,” Zack said. “Out.”
“Joseph?” Alex asked.
“The phoenix is aboard; we are away,” Joseph said.
In the background, Alex heard the beginning chords to “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros play in Zack’s Pave Hawk. The Fey Team whistled along with the beginning bars.
“Well done, Fey Team!” Alex said. “Out.”
Max closed his computer. Alex checked Raz’s scans before closing her computer and looking up. She leaned back in her seat.
“Is it just me, or is it freezing in here?” Alex asked.
“Freezing,” Colin said.
“Kid?” Alex asked. “How ‘bout some heat?”
“Sorry,” Cliff said. “I forgot.”
Cliff turned on the heat and the music. The playlist began with “Marching on” by One Republic. Alex grabbed blankets from behind her seat and passed them around.
“We have another hour to the Vinson,” Cliff said.
“Thank you,” Alex said. To her team in the compartment, “What did you get?”
“Video,” Matthew said. “Lots of video. I’m uploading it to the server. Troy hacked the mainframe.”
“Raz got me started,” Troy said. “I did the location work.”
He held up a USB flash drive.
“I got most of it,” Troy said.
“Most of what?” Alex asked.
“Plans for nuclear rockets,” Raz said.
“Wow,” Alex said.
“Royce took some interesting photos both from the chopper and on the ground,” Matthew said. “We’ll have to go through them when we get back.”
“Interesting how?” Alex asked.
“It looks like the Korean People’s Army have been there,” Royce said. “I saw the tire tracks in the mud from the chopper. I took an ATV to the site to be sure. Their heavy artillery was here at this mine a few days ago with maybe fifty men.”
“Huh,” Alex said.
“I also found this,” Royce held up a filthy baseball cap with the name of Zutterberg’s military contracting company. “I had to dig it out from a tire track. You think it was planted or do you think they did this?”
Royce gestured to Steve.
“No idea,” Alex said. “Anything else?”
“I had an interesting conversation with Ji’s medic,” Colin said. “Seems like they weren’t all that surprised by this action. I’m not sure, but I got the impression the timeline was pushed by China.”
“By Ji?” Alex asked.
“No,” Colin said. “Someone other than their team.”
“So China pushed the North Koreans into acting exactly at the time the secretary of state was taken,” Alex said.
“Just an impression,” Colin said.
“Good work,” Alex said. “Thank you. Rest now. We’ll have meetings in Washington on our way home, and a two-headed debrief. We have too much cleanup to do to take leave. But we’ll have the weekend.”
“Paris?” Raz asked.
“Next week,” Alex said to him. “We’ve been invited to a few meetings.”
Raz groaned.
“We’ll take leave this weekend,” Alex said to the team. “Agent Rasmussen and I are due at meetings early next week in Paris. You’re welcome to join us, but it won’t change your assignment. We’re still in the middle of this thing.”
“Yes, sir,” the men said.
She turned to Raz and Max.
“Anything I need to know before I report?” Alex asked.
Max shook his head. Raz set his laptop on her lap. He pointed to the Chinese Intelligence file on Steve Pershing’s capture. She skimmed through the report.
“Can you get me a secure line to the Admiral?” Alex asked Cliff.
“Yes, sir,” Cliff said.
“Thank you,” Alex said.
She spent the next half hour updating the Admiral on the status of both operations. He was nice, as usual, and complimentary, as usual, but she sensed an unease behind his questions.
“Any ideas about . . . ,” he said.
“I wish I knew, sir,” Alex cut him off. “Something is in play. I think we’ve mitigated the worst of the losses. The rest, I’m sorry to say, has to play out.”
“My office,” he said. “First thing. When you’re stateside.”
“Yes, sir,” Alex said and ended the call.
When she looked up, the passenger compartment was lit with the blue light that came from love, satellite Internet, and video conferencing. Matthew was having a serious talk with Erin. Troy goofed with his boys. Royce was helping his son with his homework. Colin was discussing why it was better to be a knight than a prince with his son, Paddie. Raz was IMing with Samantha. Max was talking to Wyatt.
She felt an unfamiliar pang of loneliness. Her father had always said that leadership was lonely. She’d just have to get used to it.
Shaking her head at herself, she was about to dive into the SSG video report on the rescue of the secretary of state when Max put his hand in hers. She turned to look at him. He leaned his head forward. She pressed her forehead against his. With her head against his, she knew exactly who she was.
“John said hi,” Max said. “He was on his way to the hospital. Awful pile up on I-25.”
Alex nodded. He threaded under her elbow and leaned his head on her shoulder. Max fell asleep. Raz put his arm around her. She looked at him.
He opened his mouth to say something, paused for a moment, and then simply smiled.
“How was today?” Raz asked.
“I’m beginning to wonder if I’m too old for this crap,” Alex said.
Raz laughed. Alex watched him laugh for a moment, before smiling. He kissed her cheek.
“We have a long night ahead of us,” Raz said. “Will you sleep?”
“I will if you will,” Alex said.
He pulled a blanket up to her neck and tucked it around her. She smiled.
“I can’t thank you . . . ,” she started.
“It’s just a blanket,” he said.
“Another blessing,” she said.
He smiled. She leaned her head against him and he rested against her. They fell into a sound sleep. Cliff woke them before they landed on the USS Vinson. They got off the helicopter to allow a US Navy medical team to assess Steve’s condition. Wearing her dark, blood soaked clothes, Alex went to a debriefing while the rest of the team showered and changed. When asked if the team would like a more comfortable ride to Japan, Alex refused.
The Navy medics agreed with Colin that Steve should not be moved. He would remain on the Pave Hawk, and so would they. The Fey Team would see Steve Pershing to the United States Naval Hospital at Yokosuka, Japan. They piled back into the helicopter and took off over the Sea of Japan.
F