Gabe (In the Company of Snipers, #8)(103)

“Yes, ma’am.” Gabe’s friend took the satellite image to a higher magnification, just enough to make out the words FBI SWAT on the side of a van.

Mark hissed. “Damn. That’s one of those F-150 cargo vans. He’s repainted it. That’s where the bomb is. He’ll be untraceable once he decides to transport the bomb. Any other vans in that lot?”

“I’m not seeing the other two,” Maverick answered. “I’ll keep looking.”

Shelby caught that timid woman out of the corner of her eye again. Lisa didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the agents. Everyone else acted with authority, but she tiptoed around as if she needed permission to speak.

“What?” Mark snapped when he noticed her.

“Ummm, Becker is moving again, sir,” she said softly.

“You need to speak up, Channing.” He stepped past her, snapping his fingers at Gabe. “Sit on Becker. I want to know what he’s doing before he does it.”

“Got it.” Gabe commandeered Lisa’s computer while she sat meekly beside him.

Shelby moved out of Mark’s way and joined Gabe. Irritation shuddered off Mark. He didn’t seem to have patience for Lisa’s inability to speak up anymore.

“Is Fallon moving yet?” Mark called to Maverick.

“No. He’s in the van. Still parked.”

“Is he alone?”

“Yes. In the driver’s seat.”

“Any sign of the Vice President? Anywhere? Anyone?” Mark called out, the aggravation in his voice rising with every question.

“No,” Ember shouted at the same time that Maverick and Taylor responded with the same answer. Apparently, everyone was searching for Winston. It made Shelby’s head spin how these men and women worked in tandem with each other.

“Mark,” David interrupted. “Don’t ask how I know, but the FBI just intercepted a message from a burn phone. Short and sweet. POTUS. WWII. 1900. Go.”

Shelby glanced at the clock on the wall, the same as Mark. What the heck did that mean?

Mark raked a hand through his hair. “Shit. President Adams will be at the World War II Memorial at seven? Tonight? Is that your take?”

David nodded. “It’s a go. Chaos Now intends to kick off their revolution in less than two hours.”

“Damn it. There must be some special program there tonight, then. But where is Winston? If this is supposed to be about him, where the hell is the guy? Team!” Mark bellowed. “Everyone. Front and center. Now!”

Shelby stepped back from the fierce energy radiating off Gabe’s boss. Despite his loud call to order, Mark stood with his head bowed, his shoulders heaving and his back rigid. His fists clenched and unclenched. He seemed locked in indecision.


She held her breath. For a second, she thought maybe he was—praying?

Everyone circled him in silence. Gabe, too. She interlocked her hand with his while the seconds passed.

When Mark lifted his head, sparks flashed from his eyes. He’d changed and his people had changed with him. A veritable current of electricity crackled from agent to agent.

“David, take Conner, Steven, Maverick, Channing and Landon. Intercept Fallon. Shoot him if you have to, just take him down. Call the FBI en route. Advise the situation and demand an immediate assist. Tell them you need EOD on site, that he has the bomb.” Mark turned to the rest of his people. “Rory, Izza, and Taylor, you’re with me. Ember, you’re command central. Call the FBI and tell ’em what we know. Homeland Security, too. Get them the hell out there on the streets with us. Keep us informed. Keep us safe.”

“Yes, Mark.” She settled into her position in front of the bank of computer monitors. Everyone else scrambled for their gear bags and the elevator. The room emptied.

Shelby stood stock still. Holy cow. What just happened?

Eerie silence filled the work bay. Gabe didn’t look too happy being left behind.

“Why aren’t you going with them? You have a city to save,” she asked.

“No, ma’am. I don’t. I’m already on duty.”

“What? Me? Am I your duty?”

He nodded, his eye on the elevator.

“But we can’t just sit here while a crazy guy blows up Washington D.C.”

He took a seat at Ember’s elbow and nodded to the chair at his side. “Yes. We can. And we will.”





Chapter Thirty-One


He said the right words, but damn. Gabe couldn’t sit still. Those were his guys out there. His team. Watching and listening to them in action wasn’t much help for the odd man out who could only twiddle his thumbs while everyone else engaged in what very well could be doomsday.

When Ember turned the squawk box up so Shelby could listen in, Gabe removed his earpiece. No need for an annoying echo in his head when he was already sidelined and pissed. He pulled his chair in beside Ember and hunkered down to watch the game unfold. Shelby took the chair next to him.

Dread pervaded the nearly empty office. Gabe struggled to get a grip, but too much depended on The TEAM, and they were so few. How could they conquer on two fronts and do it without loss of life? Acid pitched into his gut. Plain and simple, they couldn’t. Another one of his friends would die tonight. Maybe all. Once again, all he could do was watch. Shit!