Shattered Lies (Web of Lies #3)(72)

“I thought you’d have my six,” Valeria teased as they stood up and made their way to the back of the small cargo plane. Lizzy and Valeria had made a stand when Dalton and Grant tried to talk them out of going. Surprisingly, it was Janet Salinger who had been the most difficult. She’d wanted to go in first, but finally they all agreed Dalton and Grant had the most experience breaching buildings. Then Lizzy and Valeria, with Janet covering the back. It has been a hard sell, but finally they’d all agreed.

Dalton closed the door to the cargo area once everyone was in then locked it shut. Each person grabbed a parachute and started pulling it on. Valeria tugged her parachute into position and Grant checked it before she checked his. “How are you doing, Salinger? Feeling rusty after sitting behind a desk for so long?”

“Bite me,” she snapped even though she had a grin on her face.

“You all ready?” Dalton asked as he strapped the helmet onto his head. The helmets were not only bulletproof, but they also had night vision cameras attached to them.

“I’ve been ready since before you were in diapers,” Janet called out. Valeria snorted, Lizzy chuckled, and Dalton and Grant shot worried looks at each other. Janet didn’t become the head of the DEA by riding a desk, and she was reminding them of that.

“Okay,” Lizzy called, bringing them all around. Alex and Roxie joined them even though they weren’t jumping. “We jump and rendezvous here,” she said, pointing to a map. “The mountains, right here, are very rocky. Grant and Dalton will be here, near the door. Janet, I want you across the way with the rifle, and more importantly, the camera. Everything needs to be recorded for the courts.”

“You’ve got it,” Janet said, double-checking her rifle straps and holding the gun tight against her body in preparation for the jump.

“Then Val and I will take these points here to be able to lay cover fire if Dalton or Grant become exposed. Any questions?” Lizzy asked, holding out the map to let everyone get one last look.

“I think we’re good,” Alex said seriously, causing Janet to look confused. “And dude, I got the best idea for the ambush.”

“Alex is so smart.” Roxie looked up at Alex with adoration, and he blushed.

“I thought Kirby had this handled,” Lizzy said, not sounding happy.

“But I came up with an even better plan. A boat.”

“A boat?” Dalton asked.

“Yeah, we’ll turn on the phone once it’s on a boat. It’ll look like Dan’s coming into port. It funnels them into one area to get onto the boat and it’ll keep civilians safe. I can do all I need to do from the boat as long as it has a stable internet connection.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment. “Dude, great plan,” Dalton jested, smacking Alex’s back. Lizzy smacked them both and rolled her eyes.

“But it is a good plan. We’ll see you on the other side.” Lizzy grabbed Alex into a brotherly hug before Kirby came over to open the door. The plane had steadily been decreasing its altitude to near thirteen thousand feet. It was time to jump.

“Come on, kids. Let’s let them get to work. Keep in touch, James,” Kirby yelled over the sound of the engine as he pushed Alex and Roxie back toward the seats. He checked the door, wrapped his arm around a cargo net, and pushed the cargo hold button.

Wind raced in as the back of the plane opened. It might have been a warm summer night, but not at thirteen thousand feet. Here the wind had a bite to it as they stepped forward. No longer alone, Lizzy still was depending only on her team. It didn’t matter five FBI agents handpicked by her and Kirby were up front. They weren’t part of the team that got them this far. They weren’t her family. The people she was jumping out of a plane with were. Except Janet. However, if Janet ever wanted to leave the DEA, Lizzy would make a place for her on the team.

“Now!” Kirby yelled.

Grant jumped. His body was yanked from the plane by the rushing air as he disappeared into the night. Dalton grabbed her before Lizzy could jump. “If we get through this, we’re getting married.” He kissed her then as her mouth hung open in surprise. The kiss was hard, fast, and then nothing but the wind dancing along her still moist lips. Dalton had jumped.

“Holy shit, you’re getting married,” Valeria said as she turned her back to the night air. “I better be your maid of honor.” Valeria opened her arms, laughed, and jumped backward into the night.

“Are you crying?” Lizzy asked Janet as they moved to the edge of the cargo ramp.

“That was the most romantic proposal I’ve ever seen. If only someone had been shooting at you right then. You better say yes,” Janet ordered before jumping.

Lizzy shook her head and jumped. The air fought her body, disrupting it as she pulled her arms to her side to speed up her freefall. The bastard had jumped before she could give him her answer. For that she was going to make him wait.





29





Alex leaned over the rail of the boat and threw up for a third time. Whose bright idea was it to get on a boat? Roxie rubbed his back, and his humiliation was complete. He’d wanted to be a hero. He wanted to be Dalton or Grant. Instead, even Humphrey was more macho than he was. What hero got seasick the second they left shore?

“Maybe we should move back onto land?” Roxie suggested.