Considering there was still a fight going on and Alexei needed to focus, he might thank her for that decision.
Someday.
Madison came racing their way across the lawn, her power sparking in her left hand while she held her weapon close to her chest with the other. “Apollo!”
The rest of Matthew’s team, those who had survived, swarmed the area to regroup. Alexei watched as Madison came to a stop in front of Jamie, her mouth twisting with pain before she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.
“The White House shield came down, but the perimeter hasn’t been breached. Delta Team is holding the line with the National Guard and Metropolitan police,” Madison reported.
“Destroyed?” Jamie asked flatly, no emotion in his voice.
Hacked,Katie told them.
“Bennett was onsite earlier this evening.”
The director believes it was an inside job. The origination of the virus that overrode the system came from within the White House. As the CIA Deputy Director, Bennett would have had the clearance to get to the restricted areas underground.
“I should have shot him.”
“Shoot Declan first,” Alexei said. “Bastard is closer.”
Jamie wouldn’t look at Alexei when he nodded. “One problem at a time.”
There are still hostiles in the Capitol Building,Katie said.
“We can take care of those and free up Alpha Team,” Matthew confidently replied.
“Do it,” Jamie ordered.
Matthew stepped back to confer with his own team and issue orders before they separated and left. Matthew clapped a hand on Alexei’s shoulder when he passed him by. The opaqueness of Matthew’s tactical goggles disappeared for a second or two. In the streetlights and glare of fading fire, Alexei could see the grief in his old captain’s eyes.
“See you on the other side, Inferno.”
Alexei didn’t respond and Matthew walked away to do his duty. Right now, Alexei’s duty was Jamie, even as a small part of him wished Sean were by his side.
Y’all might want to get over to the south side of the Capitol Building,Annabelle said through the mental links.Looks like the Sons of Bitches brought out the big guns.
You know that missing cruise missile launcher?Donovan added.Yeah, we’ve found it.
Alexei’s fear over Sean’s safety clawed through his mind before dissipating beneath Katie’s control.
You need to focus,she told him.Wraith can take care of himself.
Alexei resettled his weapon against his shoulder and craned his head around to look south. Neither he nor Madison moved until Jamie did.
We’re on our way,Jamie said.
He took the lead, and Alexei remained on his six. Katie stayed with them both and Alexei could feel her like a shadow in his mind. She didn’t interfere with his thoughts beyond training his focus on the mission rather than the loss growing in his mind and heart.
The three of them cut across the Capitol Building’s lawn and pedestrian pathways, racing for the fighting still happening on the National Mall. The aerial fight seemed to have finished; Alexei couldn’t hear the sound of aerial weaponry exploding in the sky anymore. The roar of passing fighter jets echoed through the night sky, but no bombs were dropped on the megacity below. Alexei assumed they were friendly and if they weren’t, the Air Force zoomies had better get their asses in gear.
They passed the smoking remains of a shield anchor platform on their race for the front lines. Alexei’s sharp eyes caught sight of Metropolitan police in scattered defensive pockets covering those attempting to advance toward the cruise missile launcher farther down the street. No one shot their way, but several repositioned to cover their approach. A drone camera hovered in the air near the SWAT vehicle and Alexei thought about shooting it down, but he didn’t know if it was police-issued or a news one.
In the grand scheme of things, they had bigger problems than the news to worry about.
Two figures stood in the street up ahead in familiar-issued combat uniforms, the slighter woman standing with one arm thrust forward. An invisible telekinetic shield stood between them and the neural disrupter cannon Declan’s people had aimed their way.
“Rapier! Blaze!” Jamie hollered. “Coming up on your six!”
