“That’s it, huh?” Lucas huffed then chuckled. “Revenge, you killed Lee, Francis, and Jefferson to get your revenge because they were on the team that killed Leap’s test subjects. I bet you're just making Dear Old Dad proud exacting revenge in the place where they killed the rest of his cult.”
“It’s more than just revenge," Daniel yelled. He was frothing at the mouth showing a side of himself that Lucas had never seen before. "They killed my family. People that were hired to cleanse the world of Leap's mistake now think he’s a genius. You just had two beautiful boys and not once thought there was something wrong with the man being pregnant. Not once did you thank my father, Doctor Leap, for the ability to carry them.”
“I’m not sure what you want me to say, Daniel.” He shook his head and then winced at the pain. Daniel was right about one thing, he'd never once thought that it was wrong for a man to be able to get pregnant. But even with this revelation, it still didn’t answer the question of how Gianni was involved. “I still don’t get what Leap’s death has to do with me, hell, or Gianni for that matter?”
“Gianni was for fun; besides, he was the reason I was shot in the first place. I was the one that lured him to that warehouse then called the cops telling them where he was.”
“And the hostages?”
“They were incidentals I didn’t count on, but everything turned out all right, didn’t it? Gianni is dead and the hostages went home to their families.”
“So is that what I am, 'incidental,' or did I do something to hurt your feelings?”
Daniel got up, walked over to him and tilted his chin up with his gun. “Truthfully, I need you to get to my real target . . . your father.”
Lucas' eyes widened in shock. “My father? He wasn’t on the mission.”
“Is that what he told you?” Daniel said to him. “Lucas, your father led the mission. Sure, they wore masks back then and only went by code names, but there’s always a paper trail, and your father was there.”
“You’re lying,” Lucas said snapping his head away.
They all had to do things as agents to stay alive, it was a part of their job. A little over forty years ago, when the organization started, their main target was Leap, but they soon realized that the government wanted and needed men like them. Men who were wealthy and could fund their own organization, to help the military and other agencies to take down the terrorists. They were to remain a secret to the population, never to be recognized for their work. Lucas slowly turned his head when the realization hit him again, but he needed to hear it from Daniel.
“What else do you want, Daniel? Because to me, you seem to be going through an awful lot just to get to my father.”
“I want to succeed where my father failed. I want the world to know about all the dirty little secrets that the government is hiding.”
But Lucas and his family were prepared if it came out they were a part of Seekers. They’d laugh it off, of course, but they also made sure that any files containing their names or missions they were part of while working with Seekers had a virus attached that could only be disabled by one of the Hamilton family members. But Lucas knew it wasn’t the same for most agents, and if their affiliation was revealed, it could spell trouble for their families and companies. Lucas tried to remember if he had read the file on the Leaps case and was certain that his father was not a part of the mission. In truth, it wouldn’t have bothered him even if Asher was the one that killed Morgan Leap.
“Was January helping you or Gianni?”
“A bit of both,” Daniel said with a smile.
“He was under Gianni’s thumb, and I found out how far in debt he was and blackmailed him into helping me track down my parents.”
“That’s it, huh?” Daniel grunted but didn't respond. “You know, you’re right about something.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“I never once thought to question how Leap made things happen the way it did, because frankly I didn’t care, and I still don’t. So if you’re waiting for me to say thank you.” He paused and smirked. “You can just forget it. Am I happy that I was able to carry those two beautiful boys, you bet I am. But it wasn’t all because Leap, the effects of the serum wore off years ago. What’s happening now is because of evolution. We change, and so do our chromosomes. I might not know a lot about science, but I know that much.” Lucas saw the look of anger cross Daniel’s face. He wasn’t happy that Lucas wasn’t giving his father the credit he thought he deserved.
“Okay, enough talking.”
He raised his gun and put the barrel on Lucas’ forehead. “Stand . . .” He was distracted when he heard a sound and looked away. Lucas used the opportunity and grabbed his wrist, lifting it in the air then swinging out his leg kicking Daniel in his knee. This move brought him down to the ground on his back with the other man on top of him. He still had a hold on his wrist as they started to struggle. He wrapped his legs around Daniel’s waist hoping to turn them over and get the upper hand.
Daniel punched him in the face intending to throw him off balance, but Lucas didn’t let go. Lucas wrapped his fingers around Daniel’s throat squeezing with all the strength he had, but it wasn’t enough. Daniel went to punch again, but Lucas was ready for him and head-butted him instead. It helped and gave him the advantage he needed to flip them over putting him on the top. He screamed when he was hit in his stomach repeatedly, but it didn’t stop him, he was bleeding but ignored it. He wasn’t going to die, not when he had a family waiting for him. He brought the hand down that was holding Daniel’s gun, forcing it between them.
“You’re not going to get away, Lucas,” Daniel said landing another hit to his stomach. “I was going to let youlive, but now you just pissed me off.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m going to live to see my boys and my little girl grow up.”
Daniel pivoted his hips up sending Lucas forward just as the gun went off between them making Lucas gasp then fall forward.
* * *
Tucker listenedto Tyler with the phone on speaker as he and the rest of his team rushed to the address that was sent to him. They were less than five minutes away, and he prayed he got there in time. Not only was January working for Gianni he was working for Ritter who turned out to be Morgan Leap's son. When he brought up a picture of Daniel Ritter, Brenden told him that he was the guy who shot Gianni accidentally, which they now knew wasn’t an accident. Tucker wondered why Seabrook left it in his report about the extra SWAT team member, knowing he was negligent in his job.
What made things worse was that Ritter had taken Lucas to the warehouse where Leap’s lover, child, and test subjects were killed. He was so anxious to get his husband, he couldn’t sit through the flight from Providence to Washington. He'd spoken to Zoi and Marilyn checking in on his sons before he left. Worry that he was not going to be able to save Lucas in time nagged at him. Tucker could see the pattern form after hearing that the Seeker agents killed a few weeks ago were a part of the very first mission the Seeker organization had ever done.
