“Okay, where does he live?” asked Mitchell.
“I-I don’t know. I’ve never had to meet with him face-to-face. We only communicated via video calls.”
“Fuck me,” growled Brooks.
“Hey! I get that this isn’t ideal but it seems like we’re both in the same boat. The only problem for me, is that you guys know how to build and row the boat. I’m just over here like a sitting duck. I don’t know who to call or where to go. I’m exhausted, I’m scared, and I’m hungry. I’m really, really hungry.”
Mitchell gave his brother a grin.
“We can fix a few of those things,” he grinned. “I’m going to order food.”
“No! If they know where you live they’ll be looking for that,” she protested.
“We actually gave up our apartment three days ago. This is a house that our family owns. No one knows it belongs to us. And as for tracing our credit cards, we have ways around that.”
“I don’t understand,” she said quietly, shaking her head. “Who are you guys? You’re not like any SEALs I’ve ever encountered.”
“Probably not,” said Brooks. “But I assure you, we’re SEALs. In fact, our entire family are former Special Forces. We now own a private security and investigation firm. The best in the nation. That’s why Bora doesn’t want me to know anything. He knows we’d come for him and unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
“You’re crazy,” she said shaking her head. “I saw him shoot that young Navy officer in the forehead. He said he was going to dump him in the pacific.”
“What was his name?” frowned Mitchell.
“I don’t know. He said that he worked in command and that he ‘hears everything’. I don’t know what that means.”
“Dunbar,” they said in unison.
“Call command,” said Brooks to his brother. He nodded at him, then looked at Lennon.
“You’re safe here, Lennon. We promise you. Food is on the way.”
She watched him walk away, thinking how handsome he was. Yet when she looked at the brother, Brooks, it felt as though the entire world tilted and her feet and hands were on fire. Her heart sped up, her face felt hot, and all she could do was stare at his handsome features.
“You okay?” he asked staring at her.
“Hmm? Oh. Yes. Sorry, I was just thinking how much you and your brother are alike, but not.”
“Really? No one seems to be able to tell us apart.”
“I can,” she said nodding at him with embarrassment. He continued to stare at her as she fidgeted in her seat. Finally, he spoke.
“I guess that’s the reporter’s eye in you.” She nodded nervously and he grinned. “You have an unusual name. Your parents were fans of the Beatles, I assume.”
“Well, sort of. One liked Lennon, the other liked McCartney and fortunately for me, my father’s last name was McCartney. My name was a compromise. I was a late in life, oops baby.”
“I see. Are your parents still living?” he asked.
“They are but they’re in their eighties now, living in an assisted living facility. They’re both doing well but I’m seeing signs of them slowing down and struggling.”
“That must be hard,” he said frowning. “Our parents look like they could be our siblings. Mitch and I have a triplet sister, Marilisa and we have younger triplet brothers.”
“Holy hell,” she muttered. “Don’t drink the water at your house.”
“You have no idea,” he laughed. Mitchell walked in the room smiling.
“What did I miss?”
“Nothing. Everything good?” asked Brooks.
