Chapter Fifteen

“Good morning, bitches!”

Sung to the old movie greeting of “Good Morning, Vietnam,” plus the unmistakable sound of a shotgun cocking, had Cam jackknifing to a sitting position while shoving Audrey off him.

Brett had found them.

Cam checked for his service weapon. It was by the computer. Damn it! He stared at the intruder dressed in faded camo, while Audrey groaned and sat up. Her hair looked like she’d taken a mixer to it. Hickeys and beard burns dotted her skin as she crossed her arms in front of her breasts and drew her knees up. She couldn’t hide much of her curves, so he shifted to partially block her from their trespasser’s gaze.

Brett stood at ease with a shotgun cradled in his hands. He’d lost his transfer clothes somewhere along the way. The camo was a bit big on his wiry frame, but he looked too comfortable and confident standing there, eyeballing them with a sneer.

“Couldn’t resist taking my seconds, could you, Cam? You always wanted what I had. Still looking mighty fine, Audrey. Too bad you had to tattle on me. We coulda been king and queen in the gig I’ve got going now. Don’t know what you see in him.”

Cam looked over his shoulder at Audrey, gave a tiny shake of his head. Brett fed off peoples’ reactions. Audrey wouldn’t meet his eyes, though. All her attention was on her ex. She opened her mouth, and Cam scrunched his eyes shut.

“He’s everything you’re not. Strong morals, patriotic, and damn phenomenal in bed.” She let out a tiny whistle and fanned her face.

Oh shit. While a part of him wanted to strut his stuff for being rated phenomenal, the rest of him knew it was dangerous to bait Brett. The guy had some serious Napoleon issues. He’d always prided himself on his looks, his abilities in and out of the bedroom, as well as on the job. His need to be noticed was probably how he’d been suckered over to the dark side. He could be their best soldier.

“That’s not saying much. You always were a lousy lay. Get up, both of you.” Brett motioned with the shotgun.

Cam rose, turning to give Audrey a hand. She brought along the rug, wrapping it around her like a towel. Shit, she filled out the stripes in that damn rug mighty fine. He mentally smacked himself. Those kinds of thoughts were going to get them both killed. He needed to focus and figure out how to get them out of this Charlie Foxtrot. He wondered why his ex-buddy hadn’t taken them out yet. What did he need them for, besides revenge? He guessed he’d find out soon enough.

Brett pulled some zip ties from his cargo pants’ pocket and handed them to Audrey, after kicking Cam’s boxers at him.

“Tie up lover boy here.” He shoved the butt of the shotgun into Cam’s chest, sending him sprawling on the sofa. Cam rubbed his chest. His ex-buddy took a little too much joy out of pushing him around.

“Can’t address me by my name, Brett? Too ashamed of what you’ve become?” He pulled on his shorts.

“There isn’t any shame in changing sides, especially if it’s for a greater good. I tried to get you to join me, Audrey.”

She had to drop the rug to loop the first tie around Cam’s wrists, pulling it snug. Cam saw Brett’s gaze drift over her bare ass. A slow anger percolated within. She shouldn’t be subjected to this degradation. They were paying the price for his loss of control last night, bottom line.

He looked into Audrey’s face. She flicked her gaze over him, and he caught a glint of warmth in her eyes. He mouthed the word no, warning her not to antagonize Brett. The guy was on edge, standing on the balls of his feet while shooting quick glances toward the door he’d kicked in. It wouldn’t take much to send him into attack mode.

Cam tugged on his bindings behind his back, but they only locked into place when they were fastened securely, so there wasn’t any slack. Audrey knelt to truss his legs, speaking as she did so.

“I took an oath when I joined the Army, Brett.” Avoiding Cam’s silent message to shut the hell up, she zipped the other tie around his ankles and rose to face her ex with no sign of embarrassment at being stark naked. “I took that promise seriously. What kind of soldier would I have been if I was able to be persuaded to switch sides? Your new bosses should really think that over. You might just flip for the highest bidder. After all, you did it once.”

“Shut up and get dressed.” He kicked her clothes toward her, sparing a look at Zack’s computer desk. Luckily it had gone to sleep, the monitor dark.

Cam watched Audrey pull her thong on, and then her pants, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Brett did, as well, and blurted, “How’d you find us?” Anything to drag the scumbag’s attention off her. It made him sick, even though she handled it well.

Brett met his look only after she pulled her shirt on over her bra. “Your lover left her footprint all over the DW, kinda like you left your marks all over her.” He laughed loudly. Heat rose to Cam’s face. He’d hoped Brett hadn’t noticed Audrey’s skin but no such luck. He tugged on the ties again.

“Didn’t you think I’d be notified whenever someone pinged my screen name? I trained you better than that, Audrey.” He stepped farther into the room, pulled another set of ties from his pants pocket. Before she knew what he was doing, he looped them over her hands and zipped them tight.

“That doesn’t tell us how you got here. I know we didn’t leave a trace.” Cam cocked his head and waited for the answer.

“I’ve got my ways. Come on, sweetheart. We’ve got business in the back room.” He grabbed her elbow, yanked her close. She stiffened like a kid being hugged by an aging aunt. Then he spoke to Cam. “Sorry, bro. I told you back at the gas station I’d cut you some slack because we were friends, but extra info? Not a chance. Especially not after you slept with my ex.”

Letting go of Audrey, he pocketed Cam’s phone off the desk, took one stride toward him, and raised the shotgun.

“No!” Audrey screamed, before he felt a sharp pain, and then darkness.

…

“You didn’t have to hit him so hard. I’m going with you.” Audrey dragged on her wrists as Brett pulled her down the hallway, peeking into rooms until he found the one he was looking for: hers. He shoved her toward the bed.

“Ha! I knew you’d bring it.” Ignoring her words, he marched to her open duffel bag on the floor, riffling through it until he reached the bottom. As he felt around inside it, he winked at her. She held her face stiff, expressionless, while inside she wondered what the hell he thought he’d find in there.

Even more confusing, what had happened to him? Winking? Playing Rambo? Brett didn’t do those things. Brett was all business. Had becoming a traitor changed him this much? Or did it go deeper, a fatal flaw that finally rose to the surface?

Her attention came back to him. He’d stopped pawing through her things. The concentrated frown on his face gave way to a smile as he pulled his hand from the bag, brandishing a…flash drive?

Had she had the evidence of his terrorism with her all this time? Seriously? Cam had been right all this time, and she hadn’t listened to him. Her heart sank. She never was thorough with her unpacking, just grabbed the main stuff out and zipped up the bag after each use. He had to have remembered that about her and used it against her. Damn.

“I wouldn’t have had to follow you out here and interrupt your romantic getaway if Cameron hadn’t caught my…friend the other night. He can’t seem to stay gone. But now I’ve got it. I knew you didn’t go anywhere without this piece of shit bag. Thank you for keeping my list of…chores…safe. I had to hide it in a hurry when you turned on me.” He frowned and leaned forward.

She reared back, thinking he might smack her, asking a question to derail his anger. “What’s on it?”

His thundercloud dark face cleared. He waved it before pocketing it. “Our plans. Everything for the future is on this baby. When my coworker failed the other night, it pissed me off, I’m not gonna lie.”

“That’s when you burned my shop!” She spat the words.

He crowded her personal space, caressing her face with his index finger. She made herself sit still, rather than back away in distaste.

“You were entertaining Harris. Once again, he was in my way.”

“But he was your friend. You and I were planning a future together. At least, I thought we were. How could you do all this? How could you betray the very job you’ve been trained to do?”

“Don’t judge me, Audrey. This has been a long time coming. You knew I wasn’t happy.”

“How could I know? You didn’t talk to me. You got distant. For hell’s sake, Brett, I thought you were having an affair!” What else had she been supposed to think, that he was becoming a terrorist? She never would have guessed that.

He stared at her like she’d grown two heads. “That’s why you were eavesdropping?”

“Of course. How could I have known you’d become a terrorist?”

His face purpled with anger. A stab of fear shot through her. If he could kill four soldiers, he wouldn’t hesitate to take her out. She needed to keep her mouth shut. No need to bait the bear when she was in his clutches.

The thought that he was suffering from some belated form of PTSD crossed her mind. Cam had certainly thought it possible. That, or greed. Whatever the cause, she refused to call him a victim of terrorist indoctrination. He’d made a conscious move to contact these terrorists, whoever they were, and it was up to her, and Cam, to take him, and his cronies, out, with whatever means necessary.

“It’s not terrorism. It’s fighting for what’s right. Soldiers should know what they’re dying for. Can’t you see that, Audrey? Instead, we’re sent out to police areas that don’t want us, to fight for countries that resent us. Our comrades die for nothing, in faraway places in undignified ways. It all makes me sick.”

“And killing soldiers on a training base here at home is better? I’m sorry, Brett. I don’t believe in terrorism, not even if the end justifies the means. Especially because of the means.”

“I knew you wouldn’t understand. You never could. That’s why we couldn’t make a go of it. Of us. You’ve got blinders on to anything but what you’ve been spoon fed for years. I can’t save you if you’re unwilling to see the truth. It’s probably better this way. Lay down on the bed.”

He towered over her. His momentary chattiness disappeared. And she was still just as confused. Her pulse tripled. Her stomach tightened. Sweat beaded on her skin. Was he going to rape her, since she hadn’t agreed with his reasoning?

He pulled some more zip ties out of his pants’ pocket. All her muscles clenched. She started yanking on her bound hands, forming her fingers into claws. Like hell she’d give in without a fight. Near the end of their relationship, he hadn’t taken what she’d freely offered, so why now? To get back at Cam? Or her?

He must have sensed her agitation, for he looked at her over the ties he held. “Don’t flatter yourself. Cam may take my seconds, but I won’t do the same.”

Relief flooded through her, but still she hesitated. Only when he pulled the knife from his leg scabbard did she conform, and even then, reluctantly. Before she was completely prone, he dropped the knife on the bed and grabbed her right hand, secured it to the bed post with one of the ties. He started around the bed to the other side.

Audrey began struggling, clawing at the binding with her now released left hand, stretching to reach the knife he’d dropped. She arched her back, trying to flip to her side, but her fight was short-lived. Brett grabbed her free hand and strapped it to the post.

“What the hell are you doing, Brett? I don’t even recognize you anymore!” Her raised voice trembled slightly. He moved to her feet in silence, binding them in the same way. At last he looked at her, fisting his hands on his hips.

“I’m making sure you can’t escape.” He leaned a shoulder on the spiral four-poster, as if this was a casual conversation instead of talk between captor and captive. He picked up the knife, concentrated on its blade, turning it back and forth in intense fascination. “Did you really think I wouldn’t pay you back for what you did to me, Audrey? You ruined my life. You could’ve turned a blind eye, but no, you ratted on me. Now my timeline is rushed. You and Harris have created one shit-show after another for me. Since you’re both secured, so to speak, I can get on with my plans. Maybe it’s not too late after all.”

Rousing from his comfortable perch, he holstered the knife and tugged on the ties around her feet experimentally, and then touched the bandage on her arm from the attempted home invasion. She expected him to ask about it, but he remained silent. At least she knew why her place had been broken into. Too bad she hadn’t figured out where the item had been hidden. She could kick herself.

Seemingly pleased with the lack of give in her bindings, he moved to the doorway. He turned around, saluted.

“Every soldier deserves a proper send-off. Don’t worry. I’m giving you a break. You’ll die from smoke inhalation long before the fire gets to you. Cam won’t be so lucky.”

“Why do you hate him so much, Brett? You saved his life once.”

A pained look crossed his face. “That was a different me. He was different, too. We had a cause we believed in back then. A common goal. And then Jimenez was killed, and Ross might as well be dead. I realized after that deployment that war doesn’t bring peace. It just brings more war. Heartache.

“I got enlightened. Cam didn’t. He isn’t the type to lose a few people for the greater good.” He met her gaze. His eyes became hardened chips of glass. “He’s a grandstander, always doing something better than the other guy to get noticed. Always receiving the accolades that should go to someone else. He’s an eclipse, keeping everyone around him in his shadow.

“He wanted me to adhere to the old ways. Take my punishment. I can’t. Now I’m the one receiving all the notice. I’ll be the one whose actions will be remembered. Cam didn’t see the bigger picture.” He shrugged. “Plus, he hooked up with you.”

“But you’re killing us! How can you do that?”

One more lift of a shoulder. “You had the same opportunities to change sides as I did. Lots of them. Since you haven’t, I have to neutralize the two of you. My job must be finished in order for the roll out of the next phase,” he finished cryptically. Without another word, he disappeared down the hall the way they’d come.

Audrey began screaming. “Come back, Brett! Don’t do this! Set us free! We won’t stop you. We’ll say we couldn’t find you. Please!” The lies tumbled from her mouth, anything to halt this nightmare. But all she heard was his dying footsteps, followed by the slam of the front door. She screamed obscenities after him, letting loose with a barrage of words she hadn’t known she knew.

She paused in her struggles, listened to the silence within the cabin, and pondered the fact that she’d carried the proof they needed in the bottom of her duffel, not just now, but whenever she had traveled since he’d planted it. Packing, unpacking, and she’d never seen it.

Hidden in plain sight. Cam had been right. She’d fought his suggestion, endangered them both because she couldn’t imagine she’d be that clueless. But she had been, and now she and Cam were going to die. Her arrogance had cost them. Big time.

Tears leaked out from the corners of her eyes. For once, she didn’t fight them. What was the point? Cam was the first guy who understood her, treated her like an equal, and melted her with a look, a touch. She was going to die here, just steps from the man who had changed her outlook on everything. She deserved a last, good, pity party.

He’d come to her for help, shared his information with her, and showed nothing but respect for her knowledge and training. What had she done in return? Fought him every step of the way. Stupid, stupid, stupid. That’s what she was. She’d let down herself and her country because of her indecision. She couldn’t read the suicide bomber in Kandahar, and she sure as shit hadn’t seen Brett as a terror cell operative. She was worthless and had been right to retire when she did.

The one bright side to all of this was at least she hadn’t fought the attraction she’d begun to feel for Cam. She didn’t have to count herself as a total idiot. Except, now that she’d fallen under his spell, she was about to lose him. It all came back to her lack of initiative.

She tugged on her bindings with more force, the ties tearing her flesh. Like hell if she was going to go down without a fight. Exploring their new relationship, if she could call it that, was worthy of an escape. Cam was worth her finding the decisive person she’d been before that last tour of duty.

Last night in his arms had shown her she could be strong and feminine, tough and alluring, to the right man, and not be intimidating. Perhaps her problems with men had never been with her, but with the men themselves. It warranted exploring. With Cam.

Before her thoughts could travel further down that road of enlightenment, the smell of smoke reached her.