He returned to the living area and sat down across from Jared and Jacob. Gabriel leaned his forearms on his knees and appeared to consider his words carefully before he spoke. “This job is just that. A job. Jason is missing. Joseph is in so deep we question his existence at times. Jacob, you lead Alpha team on extremely dangerous missions and you, Jared, have not taken more than a day or two off in over four years. You both wear far too many hats. Your sisters are just as committed and driven.”
The men waited for their boss to make his point. “After this mission, Jacob, you are standing down as Alpha team leader. Immediately. Pick your replacement. Your expertise in mission planning and execution will be invaluable as my Chief Operating Officer for International Affairs. You will direct the black ops but no fieldwork. When Jason gets back, both of you,” he indicated Jared, “and he will take a directed break. Jason will be placed on mandatory leave first. No work, period. When he comes back, you, Jared, will be on vacation. No excuses and no exceptions. I’ll deal with Jewel’s insane schedule. Jasmine and Jade work for you, Jared. Make them stand down. And Joseph? When he is ready to stop, I doubt we’ll hear from him. He’ll probably just walk away.”
Gabriel swirled the wine again looking at the shell-shocked expressions on his men’s faces. “Look, believe it or not, this is not punishment. I have my wife and children, but each of you is also like family to me. I take care of my family when they refuse to take care of themselves. There will be four King brothers in harm’s way tomorrow and it’s because I’ve allowed you to become so damn important to this organization that I can’t find a way out of it. This situation will never happen again. I couldn’t live with the consequences if any of you boys were killed because of my negligence. It would destroy me.”
Gabriel stood and walked into the kitchen. The silence in the room stretched on as Jacob and Jared listened to the lively conversation in the kitchen. Jacob leaned forward and threw a quizzical look at Jared. “Cold red wine, huh?”
Jared chuckled. Of all the information just dumped on them, his brother focused on that. “Strange indeed.”
Chapter Eighteen
Tori’s eyes kept dropping to the two-carat square diamond outlined with sapphire baguettes. A silver band flowed around the stones in a contemporary bevel that complemented and enhanced the setting. She had surprised Jacob by giving him a thick silver wedding band that had belonged to her grandfather. When they were alone in his office later that morning she took his hand in hers and touched the ring lovingly. “I know you can’t wear a band when you’re on missions, but when you’re home would you wear it?” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. “Baby, I won’t take it off once I come home. Gabriel grounded me permanently after this mission. I’m riding a desk from now on.” He watched a myriad of emotions cross her face before she frowned.
“Can he do that? Can he stop you?” Her aggravation at his boss’s edict was something she couldn’t hide.
“I think I was going to stop anyway. I realized that the minute Gabriel grounded me. In reality, I was relieved that I didn’t have to be the one to make the decision. I don’t want to be the one going anymore. I’ll still run the international operations and missions. The training and the teams will still be my responsibility, but men who want to be overseas will go. You and I’ll work as a team to ensure they have the best support possible.”
Tori scrunched her nose at him and gazed at his handsome face through her lashes. “So no regrets?”
“No. None. Once we get everyone home there will be absolutely no regrets on the work front.” He pulled her into him and rotated his hips suggestively. “As far as our honeymoon, I regret I can’t take you away for a month on a tropical island. I’ll make it up to you, gorgeous. I’ll take you anywhere in the world you want to go and spend each minute of every day making love to you.”
“Deal, cowboy. But would you be upset if we didn’t go anywhere? Couldn’t we just curl up at the ranch or at the Georgetown house and pretend the world doesn’t exist.” Her eyes focused on his lips as she whispered. “Please.”
Jacob’s animalistic growl was her response. Lowering his lips to hers, he brushed them softly before he assaulted her bottom lip with his tongue and teeth.
The door to Jacob’s office opened and Jared walked in. “Sorry to interrupt, but Tori, we have everything online for you.”
He nodded towards the door to the left of Jacob’s desk. “We retrofitted the conference room per your requirements. The room is a secure facility. Jewel just finished the networking a couple days ago. All the lines are shielded, encrypted with rotating, keyed, tactical, online devices. It is covered by Jewel’s security net. You’re online and your access has been vetted at level nine. That’s higher than Jason and I, the same level as Jacob and Joseph. The only one with higher clearance is Gabriel. The boss said if you needed more he would grant it on a case-by-case basis.”
The door looked normal. No visible security system drew attention it. Walking towards the door she finally saw a small button to the side of the entrance. At the push of a button, a panel could be accessed. The digital keypad on top required an insertion of a key card and fingerprint verification. Tori looked at Jared expectantly.
“The keypad number needs to be set,” Jared said. “Any six to ten digit combination that you want. Push pound twice after you enter it to lock it in. After the number, insert your company ID and reenter the number. If you are under duress enter any four digit number. Access will be granted, all systems will appear to work but the silent alarm will be tripped and the system will misdirect all inquiries resulting in fraudulent information.”
Tori lifted an eyebrow. “After the reentry of the code, I verify my fingerprint?”
Jared nodded. “Each terminal inside requires an independent log on to access the secure - information processing systems. It’s ready.”
“Okay.” Tori walked over to Jacob. Putting her arms around his neck, she stood on her toes and kissed him. “I won’t be out until I find your men. I love you.”
Jacob’s hand lifted to her face, the love he had for her held in his eyes. “I love you, Mrs. King. They’re your men, too. Go find them, baby.”
Tori located the panel and went through the entry process. She waited until the door shut then walked to the internal panel and engaged the locks and alarm system. She punched the access code into the electronic shield, activated the secure protocols and linked her system to the top secret darknet that established her feed to all existing “friendly” black ops information systems. She entered her new user ID and set up a secure - link to the Department of Defense satellite array. The satellite focused on the last known location of Jason’s team.
Drawing on all her skills and experience, she continued through the morning and early afternoon searching for any indication of the team’s location. She piggybacked information from the drones to infrared satellites cross referencing last known campsites and intelligence data with other secure - information and then linked to the Department of Defense satellites and filtered the information through Guardian’s database of known hostiles and secondary encampments.
The primaries the company had been hired to extract were being held in Kabul, but there was no indication of Guardian’s team at that location. Her gut instinct told her the primary and his family were going to be made into an example. They would be killed by ISIS to enhance and maintain the tenuous control they exerted over the country’s ravaged population.
She found Jason’s team in the middle of the foothills to the south and east of where the transport plane had crashed. The satellite heat signatures corresponded with the drone intelligence and locked down the location. Bravo team was initially comprised of six men. Four remained. Jacob had told her of one known dead. Who was the other? Dear God, please don’t let it be Jason. The four’s physical location at a known ISIS training camp spiraled a chill of quickly suppressed horror through her. If Bravo team were captives, ISIS would torture them. Time was of the essence. She moved to the door and unlocked it. Jacob and Jared stood in the center of the office looking at a map on the table. Both turned to her as she opened the door.
“Come in, please.” She waited until they entered her office and activated the secure - protocols. She retrieved the information and laid it in front of them, detailing the process she used and the redundant verification provided by multiple systems.
Jacob looked at her. “How sure are you of this information?”
She returned his gaze. “I’m sure enough to send you.”
Jacob walked around the desk and tried to pull her into his arms. She moved out of his reach. She needed a moment. If he touched her, she’d break down in tears...and tears weren’t in his contract. Oh, dear God. She straightened, held her shoulders back and shook her finger at him. “If you don’t come back, I’ll come over there and personally kick your ass.”
He gave an incoherent chuff and pulled her against him, holding her tightly. “I know you would, baby.”