“We can try to make that happen,” Sean said, looking as disappointed as Mack. “But it’s doubtful they’ll give you such a prestigious assignment for your rookie year.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think they would, but...” He shrugged.
“But it’s your dream and that’s what’s important,” Mack said, looking at Addy. “Follow your dream.”
She nodded. “Look at me. I’m coming back to the RED team and Mack. What could be better?”
“Nothing.” Mack smiled, and the warmth of his gaze curled her toes.
She thought about her mom. Addy would have to arrange for her mom’s relocation to D.C. Normally that might be a tough transition, yet her mother was at the point of needingto go into a dementia care home with special safety protocols. Her life would soon be majorly disrupted anyway, and it didn’t matter if that happened in D.C. or Portland.
“Okay, bitcoin’s on the way.” Kiley stood, and Zamora sat back down. Kiley remained at the table. She’d taken him on as her own personal project and kept her eye on him every minute he was near a computer. Which was a good thing, as they couldn’t give him free rein.
“Okay,” he said. “My guy got his money, and he’s giving me the address. It’s in Atlanta.”
“Atlanta.” Sean turned to Mack. “It’ll take us at least six hours to get there. Way too long. Her kidnappers could get wind of us on their tail and move her. We’ll need local agents to make the bust now. I’ll get the Atlanta office SWAT team out there right away.”
“I always thought we’d be there to rescue the girls, but that’s not gonna happen.” Mack ran a hand over his hair, and Addy knew he was upset. He stood and looked at Zamora. “Still, all that matters right now is that someone raids that house and frees the girls from creeps like you.”
Mack wished he could do something to calm his team, but he was just as jittery as they were. All of them were standing in front of the TV. Too tense to sit. Watching. Waiting for the Atlanta FBI SWAT commander’s video feed to go live on the TV.
Eisenhower had hopped a quick flight to Atlanta and convinced the office’s Special Agent in Charge to let Agent Newkirk wear a camera and microphone to broadcast the home invasion for the team in Oregon, and for Eisenhower, who was waiting in the Atlanta office.
Sean started pacing. “What’s taking them so long?”
“You know it takes time to prep for an op like this,” Kileysaid, but her foot was tapping, and she was madly fluffing a pillow.
Mack was about to say something when the video on the TV went live.
“Go time.” Newkirk’s deep voice boomed over the speaker.
Everyone crowded closer to the screen, and Zamora sat in a club chair where they could keep an eye on him.
Newkirk moved up a sidewalk toward a ranch house located in an older area on the east side of Atlanta. An officer pushed past him and slammed a battering ram into the door.
“Go! Go! Go!” the commander shouted and charged forward.
His camera caught two men sitting on a sofa, going for their guns. The SWAT team fired before the men could take them out and moved deeper into the house. The commander headed down a dark hallway, the light from his assault rifle sweeping side to side. He ducked into a bedroom holding only a double bed with covers tossed into a heap. He checked the closet, then backed out and charged into another room holding a similar bed. The rooms were empty. He shouted “Clear!” and continued down the hall to check one last bedroom and a bathroom with bright aqua tile.
“Where are the girls?” Sean slammed a fist into his palm. “Where?”
Mack spun toward Zamora. “Looks like your friend lied to us.”
“He didn’t say they’d be there today.” Zamora clamped his lips like he was holding back a smirk.
Mack watched and waited, hoping he’d go ahead and smirk. Then Mack would wipe the sneer off the guy’s face, because he was itching for a fight to release his pent-up tension.
“Let’s check for ID on the men in the living room,” Newkirk said and marched back to the room.
His camera captured one of the agents removing walletsfrom the deceased’s pockets. He opened the first one. “This guy’s Bobby Gaines.”
“Bobby Gaines,” Sean said. “Not a name we ever came across.”
“Second guy is Reggie Downs,” the agent said. “Both are from here.”
Mack looked at Sean. “He was never on our radar either.”
“So maybe this isn’t the right house after all,” Kiley said, looking so disappointed, Mack wanted to give her a hug.
