After the Storm (KGI #8)(112)

Some things were done off the books. It was a reality of what they did. They were neither right or wrong, but some f**ked-up place in between. But at the end of the day, they lived with their choices and they continued to do the job.

To save his precious family from a monster like Walt Breckenridge? He’d play dirty. He’d fight dirty. And he’d take him down by any means necessary and he’d lie, cheat and steal to get back the family he’d claimed as his own.

CHAPTER 38

“THIS situation gets more f**ked by the minute,” Sean said.

“What now?” Donovan demanded.

They were in down and ready mode, plotting their plan of action, and it frustrated the hell out of Donovan that they were so damn slow getting the information they desperately needed. Even his computer geek skills weren’t helping at the moment, but then this wasn’t a regular mission. He knew he didn’t have his head on straight and he was shaking like a leaf as he went through the motions.

Nathan and Joe’s team were on standby and waiting for the go command. Donovan and his brothers, after ensuring that the family was well taken care of by Steele and his team, were in load-and-go mode. But they couldn’t very well act without accurate intel.

So far Sean had been a far greater source of information. Information they badly needed.

They were in the war room, where their command center and enough technology to rival a government agency was set up and going through Walt Breckenridge’s entire life. His financials, residences, anything that would lead them to where he’d go now that he had Eve.

“Breckenridge flew out an hour ago from Camden on his Learjet, which means he has one hell of a jump on us, even with us using the KGI jets.”

“Fuck!” Donovan exploded. “Flight plans? Destination?”

“There’s more,” Sean said grimly, and Donovan did not like what he saw in the deputy’s eyes.

“Jesus,” Sam muttered

“I just got this in from Henry County PD. I’d put out the BOLO on both Eve and Travis. Travis hijacked a plane from Henry County. We could beat him there if we hop one of the Kelly jets; however, here’s the interesting part.”

“Get the f**k to it,” Donovan seethed. “We’ve wasted enough goddamn time as it is!”

“The pilot filed flight plans to Oregon.”

Donovan’s brow furrowed. God, but his head hurt like a son of a bitch. Oregon? What the f**k was in Oregon? Unless . . .

“He knows something we don’t,” Donovan said. “One of Walt’s hidey-holes. Walt may have filed flight plans for California, but he would have known we’d trace that. Ten to one says the f**ker is going to Oregon and that Travis knows or at least has a damn good idea of where he’ll go now that he has Eve.”

“Do you know where in Oregon?” Garrett asked. “Or are we flying blind here?”

Sean grimaced. “A little of both. All I know is they were flying to Wasco, Oregon. There are several small airstrips and we don’t know which one, not to mention we can’t fly a jet the size of the Kelly jet into one of them. It’s not far out of Portland. You can get there, but from there you’d have to do the legwork, split up and cover as much territory as possible.”

“Our best bet is to get in the air and figure out where the f**k Breckenridge has a place there,” Donovan bit out. “We’re wasting time, time that Eve doesn’t have, by sitting here with our thumbs up our asses speculating. We’ll do our search in the air. And goddamn it, I’m going to have to call in a favor to Resnick. I need a full background on Breckenridge. Resnick has better access to information than we do.”

“I agree,” Sam said firmly. “Let’s get the f**k out of here. Nathan, you flying?”

Nathan shot him a look that suggested it was a dumbass question.

“Then let’s get the f**k in the air,” Donovan said. “We’ll figure it out on the fly. The longer Eve is in that bastard’s hands, the worse she’ll be. I can only pray the son of a bitch hasn’t hurt—or killed—her before we get to her.”

“Put it away, man,” Ethan said quietly. “It doesn’t do you or her any good to torture yourself with the possibilities. Focus on getting her back where she belongs. If you start entertaining worst-case scenarios, you’ll lose your sanity, and what she needs is for you to have a clear, level head. Those kids need you. Eve needs you. Now pull it together and let’s get the f**k in the air.”

“There’s one more thing you should know,” Sean added quietly. “One of Frank’s guns is missing from his gun case. Travis must have taken it and used it to hijack the plane. How else would he have gotten the pilot to agree to take him where he’s going? If and when this is all resolved, there’s a shit-ton of legal issues to be resolved. Eve will go down for armed robbery, and Travis will go down for kidnapping plus a whole host of other federal charges. You’ve got yourself one giant clusterf*ck.”

Donovan closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead wearily. Desperation. All acts of desperation. He could only assume that like Eve, Travis had overheard parts of a conversation. Hell, Rusty hadn’t exactly been quiet when she’d jumped down Donovan’s throat. He could well believe, as Eve did, that Donovan had betrayed her. Or perhaps he’d learned that his father had Eve and he’d do anything to save her. Who knew more than Travis just what his father was capable of?