Unknown Identities Special Ops: 3-in-1 Collection, page 18
John relayed the highlights of the information Matt had shared. “Bottom line is he never saw his friend during his time in the lab. Hasn’t seen the name on any of the data we have. Still, he gave me a thumb drive, hoping we can find something.”
“Good. What was the man’s name?”
“Daniel Connolly.” John replied. “They called him Irish. He was originally from Chicago.”
“And Matt thinks he’s tangled in the UI web because?”
“Circumstances, I suppose.”
“Then or now?”
“Likely both. I haven’t touched the thumb drive yet and Matt didn’t say it outright, but my guess is someone spotted him or recognized his methods recently.”
“How long ago did he supposedly die?”
“Four years.”
“John.” She scolded him with a tip of her head and the arch of one elegant auburn eyebrow.
“I know the trail is cold, but you have skills and methods he doesn’t.” He went on to list a few more details.
“Hey, are you listening?” He rubbed her shoulders.
“Yes of course.” She leaned into the touch and he half expected her to purr. “Matt and Adam have been amazing support for us. I’m happy to try. I’ll start running things down tomorrow. I can call Daria.”
He knew the former UI doctor Amelia wanted to reach out to. He wanted to warn her to be careful, though it probably wasn’t necessary. But he recognized that vague tone. She was distracted but he couldn’t tell if it was the baby or Matt’s dilemma. “Amelia?”
“Hmm? Daniel is a good, strong name. I like the sound of it.”
“No.” He wasn’t naming his kid after a Marine whose fate might be tied to the experimental agency Messenger operated. “Let’s think on the name thing.” He turned her into his arms for a heated kiss. “We have plenty of time.”
“I think you’re actively avoiding this exercise,” she said, laughing as he nuzzled her neck.
“It’s too soon to decide on names,” he protested.
“It’s not.” Still, she let her head drop back, granting him better access to her throat.
Feeling her tremble, he scooped her into his arms and carried her inside and up to the bedroom. Her sultry laughter surrounded them as she tossed out one ridiculous name option after another.
At least he knew what their son would not be named, he thought, lavishing his amazing wife with love and affection. Once she was satisfied and drowsy, he’d make a few suggestions of his own.
They were having a son and he was determined to bring that new life into a safer world.
Off the Radar
Regan Black
Contents
About Off The Radar
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
About the Author
About Off The Radar
Unknown Identities Special Ops 3
***
He thrived in Special Forces.. Can he survive as a spy?
Danny Connolly fell off the radar, presumed killed in action during a mission with his SEAL team. No one he trusts knows he was rescued by Unknown Identities, a covert agency that literally remade him to fit their specific agenda.
Special Agent Chloe Spencer has been tasked with unraveling an intel leak within a company working on cutting edge technology with civilian and military applications. Unfortunately, every minor lead is a dead end.
Danny’s new skills empowered him to compromise the company undetected, but Chloe's persistence has made her a target. Unable to accept his orders to kill her, he chooses to save her instead, putting them both on the wrong end of a lethal equation.
Chapter 1
“This isn’t a neighborly tea and cookies kind of meeting,” John Noble teased his wife, Amelia. Since they’d settled here on a remote ranch outside of White Springs, Montana, each day was a new discovery of this more domestic side of her. And each day she grew more beautiful as her pregnancy advanced and they planned for the arrival of their first child.
At her last ultrasound, they’d learned the baby was a boy. John still couldn’t fathom what kind of father he might become. His current solace was Amelia’s confidence in him. More than that, he trusted she wouldn’t let him screw up fatherhood. He supposed love did that, even to a man with his background.
Amelia glared at him as she stirred a pitcher of lemonade. “Blame it on nesting,” she said, her lips fighting a losing battle against a grin. Nothing seemed to dim her happy, healthy glow. He counted it as one more bonus of sinking down roots. “And take this tray of cookies into the office.”
“Yes, dear.” He kissed her cheek as he reached around her for the tray. His hands landed instead on the swell of her burgeoning belly and circled gently. “You two feeling all right?”
“We’re perfect,” she assured him, covering his hands with hers. “All three of us.”
His heart swelled. “Would you say life is perfect?”
“Pretty much.” She dropped her head to his shoulder, relaxing into him. “As soon as the nursery is finished I’ll feel ready and perfect.”
There was the industrious core of the woman he loved. He nuzzled her neck, inhaling the soft scent that seemed to bloom from just under her rich, red hair. He could stand here, just like this all day. Drawing her closer still, he hugged her and the baby she carried. The miracle of Amelia had been overwhelming enough, to have a child with her surpassed his wildest dreams of a normal life he’d long believed were out of his reach.
“You’re always perfect and ready for anything,” he said. “Babies included.”
He remembered the way her smile had lit up the dingy motel room when they’d found out she was pregnant. Beyond the shock of the news, the sheer joy on her face had tipped his world right off its axis. They had to make changes, put an end to their on-the-run life. Unfortunately the covert agency on their tail, Unknown Identities, hadn’t been so willing to let them peacefully ride off into the sunset.
Through a series of lucky and less-than lucky events, they’d found there way here, on a rugged, beautiful, and remote piece of land nestled against the Crazy Mountains. Here they could see any attacks from UI coming and with new, trustworthy friends in town and on neighboring properties, John felt as though they could safely raise a child without undue stress or worry.
Nearing the end of her second trimester, Amelia had arranged for their friends and neighbors, Scott and Jaime, to come over and help them set up the nursery today, right after a teleconference with Matthew Horn, former Marine sniper and rescued Unknown Identity operative.
Matt had been one of their first UI rescues and he’d used his freedom wisely, teaming up with another former UI operative, Adam Maxwell, to consult on security issues. Together they offered discreet assistance primarily to corporate clients from behind the public faces of their expert personnel.
And thanks to ongoing cooperation, the ranch where John and Amelia now lived was one of their top clients. It felt good to know they had the best and most diligent protectors out there keeping watch.
Restless, she turned within the circle of his arms, linking her hands behind his neck. “You’re in a mood.”
He shook his head. “I love you,” he said, laying his lips on hers. He felt her lips curve into a smile as she slowly kissed him back, her fingers playing in his hair.
“I know,” she said, leaning back to catch her breath. Her expression turned dreamy, her eyes sparkled. Taking his hand, she pressed it to her side. The baby moved beneath his palm.
“Did you feel him?” she asked in breathless awe.
John nodded. The miracles kept piling up. A few years ago, John wouldn’t have believed it. With Amelia, he was starting to trust that anything really was possible.
A chime on her phone had Amelia shifting right back into business mode. With a chuckle John moved to the office while she took a few seconds to smooth her fiery hair back from her face.
“You look fabulous,” he murmured, when she walked in. A soft glow on her skin was the only sign that they’d been making out in the kitchen rather than prepping meeting notes.
Of course Matt smirked as soon as he saw them on camera. But John didn’t care that they’d been caught. UI had nearly taken everything from them and none of the survivors begrudged anyone an ounce of happiness when it came along.
“Just you?” John asked. Matt seemed to be alone in his office, though John assumed Adam would be there to hear what they’d found so far on the Marine Matt was concerned about.
According to the official record, Daniel ‘Danny Boy’ Connolly, had been killed in action during a special forces mission years ago. Matt knew all of that. He had in fact given them the report from that action. Officially, Connolly had been shot and subsequently drowned on a mission off the coast of Africa. Recently, Matt had his suspicions that the man had survived and was living in Europe.
Amelia had taken all the intel and background provided and jumped into the search. Both she and John were eager to do anything to help. Matt had been instrumental in assisting them with their new endeavors here in Montana.
Once the three of them were situated, Amelia tapped a few keys to share her computer screen with Matt. “I’ve documented everything I’ve been able to pin down so far,” she began. “I’ll send the files to you when we’re done. Right now, though, take a look at these images. Most of the photos are grainy enough to leave room for doubt, but odds are good this is the man you lost.”
“How sure are you?” Matt asked.
John slipped an arm around her shoulders, encouraging her.
“Ninety to ninety-five percent,” she said. “Fingerprints or DNA would be a stronger confirmation, though I doubt we’d get a match at this point.”
Matt grunted. “True enough.”
If Connolly had been picked up by UI, they would’ve scrubbed or altered the identification records in military and civilian databases. It was always the first step once they had a viable potential operative so they could ensure the super-soldier would eventually operate without any threat of legal consequences.
“I should’ve tried harder to recover his body,” Matt said. “That operation…” His voice trailed off.
“Pear-shaped from the start?” John queried.
“Pretty much,” he muttered, his jaw set.
“A man with his skills would be a coveted acquisition for UI,” Amelia said, quietly. “John and I have discussed the possibility that his death wasn’t simply bad luck but that he was targeted from the beginning of the op.”
Matt swore. “I knew they framed folks, but not like that.”
“John’s case was similar to Connolly’s,” Amelia continued. “He did everything by the book to no avail. Messenger twisted things around on him, manipulating facts and options.”
“You know how it is. He showed up at my lowest point with an offer I couldn’t refuse. The recruitment speech varies in the details, but the end result is the same, the man or woman, usually military, is led to believe that UI is the only viable option.”
“Have you found anything that indicates why they targeted Danny?”
“His skill set.” Amelia tapped her fingers lightly on the edge of the table. “I realize that's an obvious answer. Like you he was highly trained and accustomed to a chain of command. Plus, he didn’t have any family,” she said. “That kind of thing is the equivalent of an engraved invitation to Messenger. No one was around to fuss or complain about recovering a body for closure.”
“I sure haven't found any closure in this situation,” Matt grumbled. “He’d been shot, sure, but it shouldn’t have been life-threatening. We’d all had worse.” He rubbed his forehead. “I’ve never stopped seeing him slide under the surf.”
John gave Matt a moment to collect himself before he said more. “Four years with UI is a long time, Matt. I feel confident we can find him… but when we do, what outcome are you hoping for?”
“Bring him here. His brothers are here. We can help him.”
Amelia shifted in her seat. “And if he is not the man you remember?”
“Then we’ll remind him who he is and who is on his side. You saved Adam and me. And look at Ben. Hell, even Last Strike is finally a person again.”
“No guarantee Danny will be the same. What's your intention?” John asked baldly. He needed Matt to understand how serious this was. Danny was a complete unknown. John hadn’t come all this way and taken the risks necessary to create a safe haven, only to have it crash down around his ears before his new family could enjoy that hard-won peace.
Matt stood up and ran a hand through his hair. “He’s solid,” he said. “You don’t find his brand of integrity in everyone.”
“You have a business with a growing reputation,” Amelia reminded him. “Your wife and your employees count on you. All of that, all of us, would be in jeopardy if we find him, bring him here, and he’s beyond redemption.”
“John recovered.” Matt aimed a hard look at him. “He was the poster-child of UI success, remember?”
“Careful,” John warned, moving closer to his wife.
“I’m just saying,” Matt grumbled. “Danny deserves better than to live as a puppet in some black-ops freak show.”
“You saw what happened with Owen and he was a new operative. Messenger is changing things up,” John said.
“Yeah, I did,” Matt snapped. “We brought him in. Now he’s out there somewhere, a free man again. Getting healthier every day.”
“As far as we know,” Amelia interjected.
Matt snorted. “Hope would tell us if something was off.”
“Probably,” John allowed. “Scott checks in regularly.”
Matt planted his hands on his hips. “John, you and Amelia do great work. Ben and Scott are out there in the field, making good progress. I know we can save Danny. I’m sure he’d be an excellent asset once he recovers.”
John pinched the bridge of his nose. It felt as if Matt was deliberately missing the point. Not that he could blame him. It had never been easy for him to leave a man behind, on a military-sanctioned mission or on UI orders. “Or he might follow Owen’s example and go his own way.”
“Better than being shackled to Messenger’s agenda.”
John couldn’t argue with that.
“Danny is special ops,” Matt insisted. “It’s different.”
Of course it was, John thought bitterly. Every team of that caliber thought they were at the top of the pyramid. But special ops personnel were also accustomed to standing apart and working within their secure, elite, closed-circuit system. In some ways UI might’ve felt the same as Matt's former brother-in-arms. The big difference was that the agency Messenger had built, and was apparently rebuilding, was cut off from all other systems. They operated outside the law according to Messenger’s plans, which worked for and against the operatives. There were rules of the world and rules within UI. As an operative under Messenger, John and Matt both knew firsthand the rules within UI trumped all others.
“Four years with that asshat is a long time,” said a voice without a body from the direction of the corner.
“Ben,” Amelia scolded lightly. “We’ve talked about eavesdropping. Be polite.”
Slowly, the man UI had managed to turn into a chameleon, rendering him invisible whenever he chose to be, came into view. Simply because Amelia asked. Little by little Amelia was bringing Ben closer to the humanity he had nearly lost. Still, Ben’s unique enhancement would always be unsettling.
“Ben’s a prime example,” Matt pointed out. “Danny is redeemable.”
“He’s been a double agent longer than he was in the program exclusively.” John shook his head. Either Matt had forgotten or he was deliberately ignoring the ways a person changed under Messenger’s influence--physically, emotionally, and mentally. Each trapped operative had a slightly different experience. A big part of that could be blamed on the progress UI was making from one experimental super-soldier to the next.
But all cases had one thing in common.
Manipulation was only the beginning. Add in the isolation, brainwashing, possible drug addiction, and sheer hopelessness of fighting an ingrained will to survive and you had big issues on your hands. The bottom line was not everyone could be saved.
Matt’s gaze tracked from John to Amelia to Ben and back again. John saw the reluctant compromise soften the man’s expression. “Fine. But please find him. Evaluate him. If there’s doubt in your mind, promise me you’ll let me see him before you do anything…final.”
“Agreed.” John stood and extended a hand. The men shook hands and Matt hustled out of the house.
“Why’s he still so scared of me?” Ben wondered.
“It’s not you,” Amelia assured him. “He’s afraid for his friend. Though we’d all appreciate it if you would become visible first, then speak.”
“Right.” Ben’s voice was strong, but he was already translucent again. “I’ll work on it.” They were gaining ground with him since settling in Montana, but it seemed somewhere along the line he’d grown more comfortable with his altered state than his original form. “I picked up another quart of rocky road ice cream. It’s in the freezer,” he said.
Amelia’s smile lit up the room. “You’re the best, Ben!” She sobered quickly. “You paid for it, right?”
“I asked the girl at the counter to put it on the account,” Ben replied. “Along with these.”
He revealed a bag of dill-flavored potato chips. Amelia squealed with delight and rushed over to hug him.
John smothered a laugh that she preferred the pickle-flavored chips over the actual pickles. The woman was carrying his son after all. He’d do anything within his power to keep her happy and safe.
“I’ll leave you two to work out the details,” she said. “All my notes are there for you.”
“Good. What was the man’s name?”
“Daniel Connolly.” John replied. “They called him Irish. He was originally from Chicago.”
“And Matt thinks he’s tangled in the UI web because?”
“Circumstances, I suppose.”
“Then or now?”
“Likely both. I haven’t touched the thumb drive yet and Matt didn’t say it outright, but my guess is someone spotted him or recognized his methods recently.”
“How long ago did he supposedly die?”
“Four years.”
“John.” She scolded him with a tip of her head and the arch of one elegant auburn eyebrow.
“I know the trail is cold, but you have skills and methods he doesn’t.” He went on to list a few more details.
“Hey, are you listening?” He rubbed her shoulders.
“Yes of course.” She leaned into the touch and he half expected her to purr. “Matt and Adam have been amazing support for us. I’m happy to try. I’ll start running things down tomorrow. I can call Daria.”
He knew the former UI doctor Amelia wanted to reach out to. He wanted to warn her to be careful, though it probably wasn’t necessary. But he recognized that vague tone. She was distracted but he couldn’t tell if it was the baby or Matt’s dilemma. “Amelia?”
“Hmm? Daniel is a good, strong name. I like the sound of it.”
“No.” He wasn’t naming his kid after a Marine whose fate might be tied to the experimental agency Messenger operated. “Let’s think on the name thing.” He turned her into his arms for a heated kiss. “We have plenty of time.”
“I think you’re actively avoiding this exercise,” she said, laughing as he nuzzled her neck.
“It’s too soon to decide on names,” he protested.
“It’s not.” Still, she let her head drop back, granting him better access to her throat.
Feeling her tremble, he scooped her into his arms and carried her inside and up to the bedroom. Her sultry laughter surrounded them as she tossed out one ridiculous name option after another.
At least he knew what their son would not be named, he thought, lavishing his amazing wife with love and affection. Once she was satisfied and drowsy, he’d make a few suggestions of his own.
They were having a son and he was determined to bring that new life into a safer world.
Off the Radar
Regan Black
Contents
About Off The Radar
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
About the Author
About Off The Radar
Unknown Identities Special Ops 3
***
He thrived in Special Forces.. Can he survive as a spy?
Danny Connolly fell off the radar, presumed killed in action during a mission with his SEAL team. No one he trusts knows he was rescued by Unknown Identities, a covert agency that literally remade him to fit their specific agenda.
Special Agent Chloe Spencer has been tasked with unraveling an intel leak within a company working on cutting edge technology with civilian and military applications. Unfortunately, every minor lead is a dead end.
Danny’s new skills empowered him to compromise the company undetected, but Chloe's persistence has made her a target. Unable to accept his orders to kill her, he chooses to save her instead, putting them both on the wrong end of a lethal equation.
Chapter 1
“This isn’t a neighborly tea and cookies kind of meeting,” John Noble teased his wife, Amelia. Since they’d settled here on a remote ranch outside of White Springs, Montana, each day was a new discovery of this more domestic side of her. And each day she grew more beautiful as her pregnancy advanced and they planned for the arrival of their first child.
At her last ultrasound, they’d learned the baby was a boy. John still couldn’t fathom what kind of father he might become. His current solace was Amelia’s confidence in him. More than that, he trusted she wouldn’t let him screw up fatherhood. He supposed love did that, even to a man with his background.
Amelia glared at him as she stirred a pitcher of lemonade. “Blame it on nesting,” she said, her lips fighting a losing battle against a grin. Nothing seemed to dim her happy, healthy glow. He counted it as one more bonus of sinking down roots. “And take this tray of cookies into the office.”
“Yes, dear.” He kissed her cheek as he reached around her for the tray. His hands landed instead on the swell of her burgeoning belly and circled gently. “You two feeling all right?”
“We’re perfect,” she assured him, covering his hands with hers. “All three of us.”
His heart swelled. “Would you say life is perfect?”
“Pretty much.” She dropped her head to his shoulder, relaxing into him. “As soon as the nursery is finished I’ll feel ready and perfect.”
There was the industrious core of the woman he loved. He nuzzled her neck, inhaling the soft scent that seemed to bloom from just under her rich, red hair. He could stand here, just like this all day. Drawing her closer still, he hugged her and the baby she carried. The miracle of Amelia had been overwhelming enough, to have a child with her surpassed his wildest dreams of a normal life he’d long believed were out of his reach.
“You’re always perfect and ready for anything,” he said. “Babies included.”
He remembered the way her smile had lit up the dingy motel room when they’d found out she was pregnant. Beyond the shock of the news, the sheer joy on her face had tipped his world right off its axis. They had to make changes, put an end to their on-the-run life. Unfortunately the covert agency on their tail, Unknown Identities, hadn’t been so willing to let them peacefully ride off into the sunset.
Through a series of lucky and less-than lucky events, they’d found there way here, on a rugged, beautiful, and remote piece of land nestled against the Crazy Mountains. Here they could see any attacks from UI coming and with new, trustworthy friends in town and on neighboring properties, John felt as though they could safely raise a child without undue stress or worry.
Nearing the end of her second trimester, Amelia had arranged for their friends and neighbors, Scott and Jaime, to come over and help them set up the nursery today, right after a teleconference with Matthew Horn, former Marine sniper and rescued Unknown Identity operative.
Matt had been one of their first UI rescues and he’d used his freedom wisely, teaming up with another former UI operative, Adam Maxwell, to consult on security issues. Together they offered discreet assistance primarily to corporate clients from behind the public faces of their expert personnel.
And thanks to ongoing cooperation, the ranch where John and Amelia now lived was one of their top clients. It felt good to know they had the best and most diligent protectors out there keeping watch.
Restless, she turned within the circle of his arms, linking her hands behind his neck. “You’re in a mood.”
He shook his head. “I love you,” he said, laying his lips on hers. He felt her lips curve into a smile as she slowly kissed him back, her fingers playing in his hair.
“I know,” she said, leaning back to catch her breath. Her expression turned dreamy, her eyes sparkled. Taking his hand, she pressed it to her side. The baby moved beneath his palm.
“Did you feel him?” she asked in breathless awe.
John nodded. The miracles kept piling up. A few years ago, John wouldn’t have believed it. With Amelia, he was starting to trust that anything really was possible.
A chime on her phone had Amelia shifting right back into business mode. With a chuckle John moved to the office while she took a few seconds to smooth her fiery hair back from her face.
“You look fabulous,” he murmured, when she walked in. A soft glow on her skin was the only sign that they’d been making out in the kitchen rather than prepping meeting notes.
Of course Matt smirked as soon as he saw them on camera. But John didn’t care that they’d been caught. UI had nearly taken everything from them and none of the survivors begrudged anyone an ounce of happiness when it came along.
“Just you?” John asked. Matt seemed to be alone in his office, though John assumed Adam would be there to hear what they’d found so far on the Marine Matt was concerned about.
According to the official record, Daniel ‘Danny Boy’ Connolly, had been killed in action during a special forces mission years ago. Matt knew all of that. He had in fact given them the report from that action. Officially, Connolly had been shot and subsequently drowned on a mission off the coast of Africa. Recently, Matt had his suspicions that the man had survived and was living in Europe.
Amelia had taken all the intel and background provided and jumped into the search. Both she and John were eager to do anything to help. Matt had been instrumental in assisting them with their new endeavors here in Montana.
Once the three of them were situated, Amelia tapped a few keys to share her computer screen with Matt. “I’ve documented everything I’ve been able to pin down so far,” she began. “I’ll send the files to you when we’re done. Right now, though, take a look at these images. Most of the photos are grainy enough to leave room for doubt, but odds are good this is the man you lost.”
“How sure are you?” Matt asked.
John slipped an arm around her shoulders, encouraging her.
“Ninety to ninety-five percent,” she said. “Fingerprints or DNA would be a stronger confirmation, though I doubt we’d get a match at this point.”
Matt grunted. “True enough.”
If Connolly had been picked up by UI, they would’ve scrubbed or altered the identification records in military and civilian databases. It was always the first step once they had a viable potential operative so they could ensure the super-soldier would eventually operate without any threat of legal consequences.
“I should’ve tried harder to recover his body,” Matt said. “That operation…” His voice trailed off.
“Pear-shaped from the start?” John queried.
“Pretty much,” he muttered, his jaw set.
“A man with his skills would be a coveted acquisition for UI,” Amelia said, quietly. “John and I have discussed the possibility that his death wasn’t simply bad luck but that he was targeted from the beginning of the op.”
Matt swore. “I knew they framed folks, but not like that.”
“John’s case was similar to Connolly’s,” Amelia continued. “He did everything by the book to no avail. Messenger twisted things around on him, manipulating facts and options.”
“You know how it is. He showed up at my lowest point with an offer I couldn’t refuse. The recruitment speech varies in the details, but the end result is the same, the man or woman, usually military, is led to believe that UI is the only viable option.”
“Have you found anything that indicates why they targeted Danny?”
“His skill set.” Amelia tapped her fingers lightly on the edge of the table. “I realize that's an obvious answer. Like you he was highly trained and accustomed to a chain of command. Plus, he didn’t have any family,” she said. “That kind of thing is the equivalent of an engraved invitation to Messenger. No one was around to fuss or complain about recovering a body for closure.”
“I sure haven't found any closure in this situation,” Matt grumbled. “He’d been shot, sure, but it shouldn’t have been life-threatening. We’d all had worse.” He rubbed his forehead. “I’ve never stopped seeing him slide under the surf.”
John gave Matt a moment to collect himself before he said more. “Four years with UI is a long time, Matt. I feel confident we can find him… but when we do, what outcome are you hoping for?”
“Bring him here. His brothers are here. We can help him.”
Amelia shifted in her seat. “And if he is not the man you remember?”
“Then we’ll remind him who he is and who is on his side. You saved Adam and me. And look at Ben. Hell, even Last Strike is finally a person again.”
“No guarantee Danny will be the same. What's your intention?” John asked baldly. He needed Matt to understand how serious this was. Danny was a complete unknown. John hadn’t come all this way and taken the risks necessary to create a safe haven, only to have it crash down around his ears before his new family could enjoy that hard-won peace.
Matt stood up and ran a hand through his hair. “He’s solid,” he said. “You don’t find his brand of integrity in everyone.”
“You have a business with a growing reputation,” Amelia reminded him. “Your wife and your employees count on you. All of that, all of us, would be in jeopardy if we find him, bring him here, and he’s beyond redemption.”
“John recovered.” Matt aimed a hard look at him. “He was the poster-child of UI success, remember?”
“Careful,” John warned, moving closer to his wife.
“I’m just saying,” Matt grumbled. “Danny deserves better than to live as a puppet in some black-ops freak show.”
“You saw what happened with Owen and he was a new operative. Messenger is changing things up,” John said.
“Yeah, I did,” Matt snapped. “We brought him in. Now he’s out there somewhere, a free man again. Getting healthier every day.”
“As far as we know,” Amelia interjected.
Matt snorted. “Hope would tell us if something was off.”
“Probably,” John allowed. “Scott checks in regularly.”
Matt planted his hands on his hips. “John, you and Amelia do great work. Ben and Scott are out there in the field, making good progress. I know we can save Danny. I’m sure he’d be an excellent asset once he recovers.”
John pinched the bridge of his nose. It felt as if Matt was deliberately missing the point. Not that he could blame him. It had never been easy for him to leave a man behind, on a military-sanctioned mission or on UI orders. “Or he might follow Owen’s example and go his own way.”
“Better than being shackled to Messenger’s agenda.”
John couldn’t argue with that.
“Danny is special ops,” Matt insisted. “It’s different.”
Of course it was, John thought bitterly. Every team of that caliber thought they were at the top of the pyramid. But special ops personnel were also accustomed to standing apart and working within their secure, elite, closed-circuit system. In some ways UI might’ve felt the same as Matt's former brother-in-arms. The big difference was that the agency Messenger had built, and was apparently rebuilding, was cut off from all other systems. They operated outside the law according to Messenger’s plans, which worked for and against the operatives. There were rules of the world and rules within UI. As an operative under Messenger, John and Matt both knew firsthand the rules within UI trumped all others.
“Four years with that asshat is a long time,” said a voice without a body from the direction of the corner.
“Ben,” Amelia scolded lightly. “We’ve talked about eavesdropping. Be polite.”
Slowly, the man UI had managed to turn into a chameleon, rendering him invisible whenever he chose to be, came into view. Simply because Amelia asked. Little by little Amelia was bringing Ben closer to the humanity he had nearly lost. Still, Ben’s unique enhancement would always be unsettling.
“Ben’s a prime example,” Matt pointed out. “Danny is redeemable.”
“He’s been a double agent longer than he was in the program exclusively.” John shook his head. Either Matt had forgotten or he was deliberately ignoring the ways a person changed under Messenger’s influence--physically, emotionally, and mentally. Each trapped operative had a slightly different experience. A big part of that could be blamed on the progress UI was making from one experimental super-soldier to the next.
But all cases had one thing in common.
Manipulation was only the beginning. Add in the isolation, brainwashing, possible drug addiction, and sheer hopelessness of fighting an ingrained will to survive and you had big issues on your hands. The bottom line was not everyone could be saved.
Matt’s gaze tracked from John to Amelia to Ben and back again. John saw the reluctant compromise soften the man’s expression. “Fine. But please find him. Evaluate him. If there’s doubt in your mind, promise me you’ll let me see him before you do anything…final.”
“Agreed.” John stood and extended a hand. The men shook hands and Matt hustled out of the house.
“Why’s he still so scared of me?” Ben wondered.
“It’s not you,” Amelia assured him. “He’s afraid for his friend. Though we’d all appreciate it if you would become visible first, then speak.”
“Right.” Ben’s voice was strong, but he was already translucent again. “I’ll work on it.” They were gaining ground with him since settling in Montana, but it seemed somewhere along the line he’d grown more comfortable with his altered state than his original form. “I picked up another quart of rocky road ice cream. It’s in the freezer,” he said.
Amelia’s smile lit up the room. “You’re the best, Ben!” She sobered quickly. “You paid for it, right?”
“I asked the girl at the counter to put it on the account,” Ben replied. “Along with these.”
He revealed a bag of dill-flavored potato chips. Amelia squealed with delight and rushed over to hug him.
John smothered a laugh that she preferred the pickle-flavored chips over the actual pickles. The woman was carrying his son after all. He’d do anything within his power to keep her happy and safe.
“I’ll leave you two to work out the details,” she said. “All my notes are there for you.”
