Falcon Falls Security Boxed Set: Books 1-3, page 101
Beckett swallowed, which hurt given someone had almost choked him to death earlier.
“Why’d you really send your sister to my house two years ago?” He wasn’t sure where that’d come from, but he’d blame the drug for his desire to know the truth too.
Cora turned to meet his eyes. “She was telling the truth. I had no new pictures of McKenna. It made me sad every time I looked at my son that he’d never meet his sister. So, I asked Ivy to check on her again. Get photos and try to learn more about her for me.”
He wasn’t sure if he bought that story, but why lie at this point?
Tears filled her eyes, and if she weren’t such a manipulative liar, he’d believe they were real. Now? How could he ever know what was fiction or reality when it came to her? “After the last time you rejected me, I learned about Jorge and his inheritance. I decided it was time to settle down. Try and start a real life somewhere. You’d said to never bother you again, and for some reason, I felt that you were serious that time. More so than the previous warnings you’d given me.”
And he had been serious. Yet, here I am. But it’s meant to be, he reminded himself. “So, was Jorge your original target?”
“No, a man like him would be too cautious. I chose someone close to him that’d been with him for years. I searched for the weakest link on his security team.”
The woman had always been spot on with her research. She’d known everything about Beckett before going after him in LA.
“Did you get pregnant on purpose?”
She nodded. “I was getting tired of moving around. I rarely stayed with a mark for more than a year. My sister was living with some guy in France, and it seemed permanent. I wanted that too.” She paused for a breath. “I thought a pregnancy might buy me more time in one place and in the lifestyle I prefer. The only drawback was not being able to see my sister during all of this. I was worried they might put two and two together somehow. We tend to get in trouble when we’re together.”
Beckett replayed her words. The sickening selfishness of her situation.
“When I was pregnant with McKenna, that wasn’t planned, and I wasn’t ready to settle down then. Plus, you found out the truth about me, and I wasn’t sure what you’d do, so I had to run. You see the difference between her and Miles, right? It’s not that I chose one child over the other.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he rasped, angry on McKenna’s behalf. “I can’t . . . it’s not worth the air in my lungs to explain to you how bad this all sounds.”
She shook her head. “Her life wouldn’t have been better with me in it, and you know it.”
“That’s the one damn thing you’ve said that’s a fact.” He growled at the sharp stabbing pain in his side before adding, “You let your son live in a house with a psychopath so you could have a nice car? Expensive purses?” He scooted himself to the side, needing to get as far away from Cora as possible in the small space. “I hate you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Your apology means absolutely nothing to me.” He was only grateful he’d opted to come after her despite his inner voice telling him she’d only use him again because otherwise, Mya and Camila would be dead, and McKenna’s brother handed over to the cartel. “I really hate you,” he tossed out again with more venom this time.
Cora remained quiet for a moment before saying, “I really did miss out on McKenna’s life. I understood that more as Miles grew up. I still don’t think I’m fit to be a mom, his nanny does most of the work. But McKenna’s my daughter, and if I survive this, I want to get to know her. Visit her, at least.”
Before Beckett had a chance to respond, the door swung open.
“My turn to question you, pendejo.” Miguel stepped inside and gestured to Hector and another man to grab Beckett, and he didn’t bother to resist as they bound his wrists with rope.
“Please don’t hurt him.” Cora’s weak protest went unnoticed.
Hector and the other guy secured Beckett’s arms over his head with the chains. “Payback time.”
“Tell us about your friends,” Miguel began, casually folding his arms over his white dress shirt. “How many people are you with, and what are you here for? This bitch? The drug? Jorge? What’s your deal?”
Beckett hadn’t answered any questions from Jorge’s men between blows on the driveway, so did they really think hanging him by the wrists before swinging at him in that room would make a difference?
Hector strode around Beckett and cocked his head. “You ruined my life.”
Beckett shook his head. “Being a bad guy. Doing bad shit. That ruined your life. Your own choices.”
“Un comico.” Comedian. Hector tsked as he unbuckled his belt and slid it free from the loops.
“Wait.” Miguel held up his hand. “Let’s give our new friend a go at him. See if he’s really cut out to join us.”
Beckett tugged against the binds at his wrists as he shifted his focus toward the door.
Jesse entered the room and walked up to Beckett, and when their eyes met, Beckett knew Jesse had no other choice but to follow orders.
“Go ahead.” Miguel leaned back against the wall next to Cora and motioned for the other man to stand back.
Jesse moved in fast, grabbed the back of Beckett’s head, and leaned in close as he punched him hard in the abdomen. “Please don’t make me do this,” he whispered, then struck him again. Beckett groaned loud enough to cover Jesse’s words. “For the love of God, don’t make me,” he added the moment his fist connected again, and Beckett growled in pain.
“Fuck you,” Beckett barked out, making it clear Jesse had better throw everything into this act. “That all you got?”
Jesse released Beckett’s head with a shove and stepped back, then began rolling up his sleeves.
Beckett knew what his brother-in-law was capable of, and Jesse couldn’t pull his punches without tipping off Miguel.
Beckett caught his breath before saying, “Just do it.” He shut his eyes, knowing it’d be too hard for Jesse to look at him while he punched. “Do it,” he repeated, urging Jesse not to try and play hero right now. It wasn’t the time. He felt that in his bones. “I ain’t talking, so, show me what ya got.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
“We left him there. I’m just . . .” Sydney paced the living room of the safe house, unable to erase the image of Beckett on his knees with a gun to his head.
“We didn’t have a choice. We didn’t anticipate Hector would change plans and come to Chile. And you weren’t answering your phones for obvious reasons when we tried to warn you.” Carter blocked her path and set his hands on her shoulders. “Griffin and I followed you all from the hotel to Jorge’s, but—”
“No way could you go into his estate without a plan. You were heavily outnumbered. You’d suffer casualties.” Her shoulders slumped. “But damn it, it’s killing me we left him behind.”
“I’m sorry.” Elaina’s voice redirected everyone’s attention her way. “I didn’t know more. Just the roses.”
“This isn’t your fault,” Liam told her, dropping to one knee while clasping her hands in his.
Tears rolled down Elaina’s cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut, and Liam held his daughter in a tight embrace. “I wish I could have done more.”
“Your warning about the roses helped us,” Gray said. “As soon as Beckett saw the roses, he was able to pull himself together. See, you saved us.”
That’s what happened? Sydney was still disoriented from the effects of that drug, but the entire ordeal had done a number on her—their SUV racing away in a flurry of gunfire moments before Carter blew up the guard towers was little more than a blur. But leaving Beckett behind to face God-knew-what stood out crystal clear and was the most disturbing memory.
Elaina pulled free from her dad’s embrace and peered at her mom standing beside her. “Something’s wrong. I—I think. Maybe I made a mistake.” She set a palm to her head and squeezed her eyes closed. “There’s so much pain.” Elaina began crying, and Emily sheltered her in her arms this time while Liam stood tall, appearing torn between operator and dad mode.
“Your head?” Emily asked. “Liam, get her some medicine.”
“No.” Elaina pulled away. “It’s Beckett. I think I’m feeling his pain.” She looked at Sydney and began sobbing.
Elaina’s gut-wrenching news hit Sydney hard, and she felt as though her world had been pulled out from under her. Like a vital piece of her had suddenly gone missing. And then Levi’s voice appeared in her head. You’re a warrior, Mom. Her son was right. She had to stay strong and hold it together for Beckett.
“He’ll be okay.” Mya stepped forward, and she looked like she’d been through the wringer too. The drug was still in her system, and Sydney wasn’t sure if her friend remembered anything from last night. But Oliver had apologized about kissing her, so he’d recalled some of it. “Beckett will be okay, right?”
“This is too much for her.” Emily shook her head. “Too much stress.”
“It’s not that, Mom.” Elaina frowned, tears still falling down her cheeks. “I’m upset because I can’t see what will happen to Beckett. I only know Dad saves the boy.” She turned and ran from the room.
After Emily and Liam followed Elaina from the room, Sydney gave in and fell to her knees.
“We need a new plan,” Carter spoke up. “Making our move at Jorge’s birthday party, even if it’s still scheduled to happen, is out. We need to move in sooner.”
“Beckett and Jesse may be on the inside, but they can’t take down everyone,” Griffin pointed out. “We’re going to need an army, but do we have the time to assemble one?”
“We already have an army,” Mya said, still appearing pale and shaky. “We have Marines in Mexico. Martín and his men.” Mya scanned the room, her gaze falling on Camila last. “And we have you.”
“Me?” Camila set a hand to her chest.
“Elaina can’t see what will happen, but . . .” Sydney rose from her knees. “Elaina’s never been wrong, so was she right about you?” she asked, guessing Mya may have been grasping at straws, but they’d take all the luck, fate, whatever it was called they could get. “Can you see things like Elaina does?” She swallowed as their eyes connected. “Can you help us? Help Beckett?”
Camila turned her back to the room. “The last time I tried helping,” she began, “people died anyway. Seeing things, as you put it, has only ever been a curse for me.”
“Camila.” The normally stoic and composed Carter sounded shocked, but he quickly recovered and calmly walked her way while the rest of the room fell back to give them space.
Sydney remained rooted in place. They needed help. And she needed Beckett alive.
The universe hadn’t put her on this path with Beckett only to steal him away now, damn it.
“Camila, if you can help,” Sydney said, unable to rein in her emotions, “I’m begging you.”
Camila turned her way. “I don’t have visions like Elaina. I have dreams. And they’re messy and hard to interpret.” She closed her eyes. “More like nightmares.”
“But did you have a dream about this trip? About Beckett?” Sydney crossed the space between them, her heart racing.
“I accepted the murder case because of one, yes,” Camila confessed. “I’d have to try to remember the details. Maybe sketch what I saw in the nightmare to make sense of it.” She paused and released a shaky breath. “What if I misinterpret it and make things worse? What if it changes the outcome and someone who should’ve lived dies?”
“We need all the help we can get right now,” Sydney pleaded.
“The party planners and band will be setting up at Jorge’s tomorrow,” Carter said. “Too many civilians. Plus, unlike our original plans, they’ll see us coming.”
“Right.” Sydney worked through the problem in her head. “But do we have time to get Martín’s people here and map out an infil plan to strike tonight?”
“Not tonight.” Camila looked up, rubbing her forehead the way Elaina had done as she tried to remember the nightmare. “We must go now. Beckett doesn’t have time.” She squeezed her eyes closed and drew a hand over her heart. “The details aren’t very clear, but I can see your friend Jesse, the one from the club last night. He’ll try to stop them from killing Beckett today.” She gave Sydney a grave look. “But they both die.”
“Well, that ain’t gonna happen, I can promise you that.” Sydney recognized that deep voice and Southern accent and turned just as A.J. dropped his duffle bag in the doorway.
“What are you doing here?” Carter asked.
“Caught a flight yesterday. I couldn’t let my brother do this without me.” A.J. removed his ball cap and ran his fingers through his close-cropped hair as Liam joined them. “The terrorists aren’t going anywhere. They can wait,” A.J. gritted out. “But from the sounds of it, Beckett and Jesse can’t.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
“This will work. It has to.” Sydney looked up from the map displayed on the iPad screen, meeting Carter’s eyes across the table.
“It’s the only plan that makes sense, and they won’t expect a daylight rescue. We draw as many men away from the estate as possible.” He pointed to the road on the screen where some of the team planned to position themselves on high ground several klicks away from Jorge’s estate. “Our bait vehicle will fake an attack, then retreat. Jorge will send a team to pursue. Our guys will wait to take them out as soon as they get”—he zoomed in on the road on screen, repeating the plan they’d already agreed upon—“here.”
“They’ll send another team of men out when their boys don’t answer their calls.” Hopefully.
“And then we’ll light up the next team,” Carter finished for her.
“The second y’all blow those fuckers sky high,” A.J. joined the conversation, heading toward the table, “we quietly breach the estate. Once we free Beckett and Jesse realizes he can switch to Team Good Guys, there should be enough of us to handle the stragglers left inside Jorge’s home.”
“After you let us know Miles, Jesse, and Beckett are safe, the rest of us will converge on the property and join the party,” Jack tossed out. “Plus, we have the world’s best sniper here,” he added while looking at Liam. “And Griffin ain’t half bad.”
Griffin rolled his eyes. He and the rest of the guys were checking their weapons and prepping for the op. Everyone except Oliver, who would be staying back to keep an eye on Elaina, Emily, and Mya at the safe house.
“Luckily, we did recon on Jorge’s place this week with the drone. Thermal imaging showed twenty people on-site any given day. Some of those are more than likely staff. So, heads on a swivel for innocents,” Carter noted, probably for A.J.’s sake since he hadn’t been clued in on the details. “We also now have Miguel, Hector, and the scientist at Jorge’s too.”
“My guy watching the place right now just texted that four more heavily armed men rolled up, which we anticipated after this morning,” Camila shared.
Carter nodded. “Let’s run through this one more time before we roll out.” He pointed to Jack. “You’re driving the bait vehicle. Griffin and one of Camila’s guys are handling the first pursuit team. If another pursuit team is dispatched, I’ll handle that with Camila.” He looked to Sydney. “And you said the boy was in the room over the garage?”
Sydney thought back to that morning when she’d followed Beckett’s gaze as he’d stood on the driveway. “Yeah, I think it’s safe to assume that’s where Miles is living right now.”
“Then he’s your target,” Carter told Liam. “Get Miles out of there. Don’t worry about anything else.”
“Roger that,” Liam confirmed.
“Sydney will disable the security cameras. Then, Sydney, A.J., and Gray will infil the home. First mission is to find Beckett and Jesse.” Carter let go of a deep breath, seeming reluctant to say the next part. “Save Cora and Ivy too.”
The ones who got them into this mess. But yeah, Sydney would do what she could. “Once Beckett and Jesse are safe, we’ll alert you to advance.”
“We should get going,” Camila abruptly announced. “They’re running out of time.”
“And don’t go down the tunnel when you’re inside,” Elaina yelled out, startling Sydney.
Liam turned toward his daughter in the doorway. “What tunnel?”
“That bad man has a tunnel. Just don’t go in,” Elaina said in a steady voice, her eyes wide as if she were seeing events unfold in real time. It was so beyond Sydney’s comprehension, but she was grateful for anything that’d help rescue Beckett and Jesse.
“A billionaire obsessed with Al Capone having tunnels is not surprising,” Mya joined the conversation. “Capone had a bootleg tunnel he used at his home in Chicago. I did my research on him this week.”
“Just don’t go in,” Elaina whispered.
“Okay,” Sydney responded with a firm nod, letting her know she understood.
“Dad.” Elaina turned to Liam and launched herself into his arms.
Liam stroked her back. “I’ll be okay.”
“I know.” Elaina pulled away. “That’s my thank you for saving my best friend’s brother.” She chewed on her lip. “I know it hasn’t happened yet, but it will.”
Sydney adjusted the wireless comm in her ear and waited for Carter’s green light, her heart beating faster than during previous ops. Out of range of Jorge’s perimeter security cameras, she prepped her urban assault CarbonLite ladder kit, designed for special operations to aid in combat situations.
Once she had the go-ahead, she’d use the app on her phone, which was highly advanced software her family’s company had created and had yet to sell to the U.S. government, to scramble Jorge’s security cameras. At that point, she’d head to the twelve-foot security wall and scale it with her assault ladder as planned.
“This is Alpha Four,” Jack announced over the radio. He was too far away to be on comms with her and the rest of Bravo Team, which also consisted of A.J., Liam, and Gray. The others would join the line once they arrived on-site. Sydney dialed down the radio to keep Jack’s voice low as he added, “They’re hot on my tail. The bait worked. Two vehicles en route to Alpha Three’s position.”
