Texas Stand-Off: The Omega Team Novella (Kindle Worlds Novella) (13 page)

“Great!” Zachary was all for it. “Let’s do it.”

Dallas made eye contact with Deacon, giving him the idea they were about to have a private conversation. “You can rest assured we’re going to do the best for your boy. If you’ll excuse us, I need to walk these two out and give them a message from their boss.”

Now it was Deacon’s turn to be confused. “You talked to Grey?”

“Ms. Levin, could you join us outside?” The ranger called to Taz, who hugged Melissa Zachary good-bye and came over where Dallas was holding the door open for Deacon and Natasha to walk through.

“What’s going on?” she asked Deacon. “Has something happened at the ranch?”

Deacon placed a hand on the small of her back. He’d found he felt more grounded when he was touching her. “Yea, Dallas has information for us. What did you learn?”

“I represent Kyle Chancellor. He’s not your normal Governor. They called him Thunderbird in the war, as you probably know.”

Deacon nodded. “Yea, I know of him. We didn’t serve together; I did vote for him though.”

“What I’m trying to say is that Kyle is intimately involved. He’s had experience with missions like this, both in the war and with his private team, the Equalizers. As you can probably guess, the Governor wants to send someone in who can convince the crooks they’re a doctor or an EMT, give the child what he needs and get him out safely. His aim is to bring this to a peaceful end. He doesn’t want a shot fired until the child is safely off the ranch.”

“Yes, I know the plan and I agree with you. I just hope that’s possible.” Deacon had to be honest.

Taz wanted to say something so badly she thought she might burst. But she’d rather not have the discussion she knew was coming in front of the Texas Ranger. Instead, she commented, “So, we need to meet with the neighbors pronto.”

“Correct.” Dallas nodded.

“What about the message from my boss that you mentioned earlier?” Deacon had checked his phone but there was no text, call, or email from Grey.

“Ah, yes,” Dallas smiled, “Kyle said Grey Holden is coming here. He should be flying into Wichita Falls in a couple of hours.”

Deacon wasn’t surprised. He’d wondered about Holden’s decision to let Taz be his backup. He and Grey would be able to work together like a well-oiled machine. Taz wouldn’t have to be involved at all. He’d be able to keep her safe. Deacon was relieved.

“Why is he coming?” Taz wondered out loud. “Something must be wrong. Something we don’t know.”

“I’m sure he just needed to get out of town.” Deacon said and Dallas gave him a look. “We’ll call you once we visit the neighbors. Do you have directions for me?”

“I do.” Dallas nodded. “I’ll email you the addresses and all the information I have right away.” The men shook hands and Dallas tipped his hat to Taz. “Ma’am, it was good to meet you.”

They said their goodbyes and Taz followed Deacon out. “I feel so sorry for the mother. She is so scared.” Instinctively, she reached for his hand.

They walked together until they drew nearer and she tried to pull away to move to the passenger side of the vehicle. To her surprise, he came around to her door, opened it and lifted her onto the seat, stealing a kiss. “I heard you talking to her. You know exactly how that little boy feels, don’t you? You were stolen from your family. Alone. Afraid.”

Taz wrapped her arms around his neck. “Hopefully Mickey isn’t being hurt, but he is in danger. We have to do something.”

“We will.” He buckled her seat belt. “I promise.”

They drove north of town, heading toward the Red River. Taz sat with one leg under her, not even trying to hide the fact she was studying Deacon. “Why is Grey coming to Texas?”

“He’s probably coming to visit Kyle and check up on me. With all of the mass shootings and the tension between the government and radical factions lately, this situation has the potential to become incendiary. Like Dallas said, the Governor wants this settled as quickly and peacefully as possible.”

Taz nodded. She hadn’t really thought his arrival was about her. “You two fought together in the Middle East?”

“Yes.” Deacon adjusted his rear-view mirror. “Grey’s been a good friend. We met right after I enlisted.” He smiled, remembering. “The man is crazy. We had some good times and we saw hell too. He stood up with me at my wedding, told me I was making a mistake. I wish I’d listened to him.”

“Your wife was crazy for leaving you.”

Deacon met her gaze. “We hadn’t been married long. I was gone from home more than we were together. I’m not sure our relationship would have lasted, even if I hadn’t lost my leg. We didn’t have a lot in common.”

Taz longed to remind him how much the two of them had in common, but she didn’t. Her feelings for Deacon were so unexpected, yet so powerful, she really didn’t know what to do with them. He was such an enigma at times. She had no idea what the future held, whether he’d allow her to stay and work with the Omega Team or if he’d send her on her way. It was hard for her to imagine they could share one another’s bodies as they’d done last night and not have some lasting connection–but she was too afraid to hope. “Do you have family?”

Deacon ran his hand under his right knee, massaging the muscle that fit into the prosthetic cup. “I have a brother. I don’t see him often, but we get together every summer in Colorado. Our parents were older, my mom passed while I was in college and my dad died right after I married Sylvia. I had a good childhood, nothing like what you went through.” As he slowed down at a light, he placed his hand on her knee. “You do realize I admire the hell out of you, don’t you? I know no one else who could’ve endured what you did and come out so strong. And you’re such a little bit of a thing…” He jerked his head back to watch the road when a car horn blew.

“I couldn’t quit. I have to go try to become someone.” She didn’t want to talk this way; she didn’t want to cry. “Who are we meeting?”

“You are someone, Natasha Levin.” He handed her his phone. “A very sweet someone. Read the last email from Ranger McClain.” 

She dashed a drop of wetness from her cheek and read the name and address. “We’re meeting a Mr. and Mrs. Baxter.”

“Yea, they might not tell us anything we don’t already know, but we have to try.”

“Do you really think this will be over soon?”

“There’s a lot going on we don’t see. Dallas told me in his email that they’ve set up a headquarters of sorts at the Baxter Ranch. They share a property line with the Ainsley’s and everyone can confer there and monitor the situation.”

“Will I be able to help or will Grey’s arrival mean I’m not needed?”

Deacon could hear the disappointment in her voice, but he wouldn’t lie. “You’ve already been helpful. You’ll watch the mission unfold with everyone else at headquarters. There was never a way I was going to allow you any nearer to the danger than that anyway, no matter what Grey might’ve said. This is one principle of mine that I cannot abandon. Women don’t belong in combat situations. Period.”

There was no need to say more. She was tired of pushing, of hoping. He’d made his position abundantly clear. He’d never know she wanted to stay for him, being a part of the team was important, but secondary to Deacon. Looking out the window as if she found the passing scenery captivating, Taz admitted to herself it was time to say goodbye.

“Look over there,” Rob Baxter pointed to a sign that read, ‘State Line’. They were standing on a grassy bluff south of the lone bridge that crossed the Red River. “Since the south bank of the Red is supposed to be the border between Texas and Oklahoma, you’d think we’d be looking at muddy water and sandbars. Hell, no. Thanks to lawsuits, judges, and acts of God, the line is now about half a mile south, located in our pastures.”

“I can see how disturbing this must be.” Deacon commiserated with the rancher.

“Have you ever seen the Duke in Red River, where he steps out of the river, and announces he’s in Texas?”

“Yes, I love John Wayne.” Taz said.

Deacon hid a smile. Taz and her movies.

“Well, he wouldn’t be in standing in Texas now. Those days are gone.”

While Deacon listened to Mr. Baxter’s laments, Taz pulled the drawing from her pocket. She’d sat down with Lois Baxter and drew a rough sketch of the Ainsley house based on her description. She noted every exit, every window, including the basement which contained a storm cellar with an opening to the outside shielded by double doors which were protected–as best as Mrs. Baxter could remember–by a simple hook latch. Taz had asked every question she could think of and now she and Deacon had a pretty good idea of what anyone admitted to the Ainsley ranch could expect. Lois Baxter explained how Ainsley’s wife was on a walker, rehabilitating from hip surgery. The home was big, and since the rancher and his wife were getting up in years, their son, Clive, and his wife Lisa lived with them. They had a child, a girl, who was twelve years old. Lois didn’t know the three outsiders, but she agreed with the others. The Ainsley’s weren’t the sort to endanger a child’s life–theirs or anyone else’s.

“This situation just got out of hand,” Lois had whispered. “If that child dies, Margaret Ainsley will never forgive herself.” She’d grabbed Taz’s hand. “Tell me, they aren’t going to be held responsible for this mess.” Tax explained she wasn’t sure, but from what she’d heard of Governor Chancellor, he was a fair man.

“Let’s get back,” Deacon motioned to Taz. “Dallas just called and we’ve got company.”

They returned to the Baxter’s home which was now running rife with Rangers, technicians, and members of the local police force. “There’s enough people here to fight a small war,” Deacon announced quietly. “I’ll be glad for Grey to get here. The man commands respect like nobody’s business.”

“I’m sure he does.” Her time with Athena had been before her friend met Grey. But she and Athena kept up with one another, and when Grey and Athena decided to form the Omega Team, Athena called her. After weeks of discussion, Grey asked her to come see Deacon. And the rest, as they said so often in the movies, was history.

“How far are we from the Ainsley’s ranch house?” Deacon asked Dallas who’d met them near the Baxter’s garage.

“About five miles as the crow flies, eight if you drive around by way of the road.”

Taz went to stand by Deacon. Even if their time was short, she couldn’t pretend she didn’t care about him. “Do we have any idea what kind of weapons they have over there?”

Deacon didn’t get a chance to answer. Dallas interjected, stepping close to them. “We flew a helicopter over there to take photographs, but they shot at us. We know the Ainsley’s themselves have a collection of deer rifles and a pistol or two. The other three, we expect they brought an arsenal. There’s no telling what you’ll find. Burgess has been known to carry an automatic weapon.”

Taz shivered, not for herself but for Deacon. “Do they have bulletproof vests for you to wear?”

“Grey will bring them, I’m sure.” Deacon assured her, pushing a long lock of her auburn hair off her shoulder.

“We have extras.” Dallas said before speaking into a radio. “All right. Very good. Grey’s bird is about to land.”

Taz looked to the sky in time to see a helicopter appear over the trees. Yes, it did remind her of a big bird, maybe a prehistoric one. In a few moments, a tall man with short dark hair, wearing sunglasses and a black leather bomber jacket stepped out. “Is that Grey?”

“Yes, it is.” Deacon stepped forward and they shook hands before Grey pulled him close for a manly hug.

They exchanged a few words before returning to where she and Dallas stood waiting. “I don’t have to ask who this is. Those selfies you sent Athena are now in a frame on our mantel. Natasha, it’s nice to finally meet you in person.”

“You too, Sir. Thank you for everything.”

“No thanks necessary, if you’re as good as Athena and Deacon say you are, I’m prepared to be impressed.”

Deacon looked as surprised at Grey’s answer as Taz felt.

“McClain, I presume?” Grey turned his attention to the Ranger. “Do you have the little Taylor boy’s medicine ready?”

“We do.”

“I presume you have an EMT unit on stand-by.” Not waiting for an answer, he went on. “Bring it on in. I want it to take my team member to the gate when it’s time. We’ve got to make this thing look real. No room for mistakes.”

“You got it, Mr. Holden.” McClain moved away to ensure all of his bases were covered.

“You two come with me, we don’t have much time.” He strode off leaving Deacon and Taz to follow along behind. She glanced at Deacon, unsure if she was welcome. He didn’t make eye contact with her at all. A uniformed cop opened the door for them, showing Grey to a small study the Baxter’s had welcomed them to use. When they were all inside the door, Grey closed it, motioning for them both to sit down. “I suspect you were surprised to find out I was coming.”

Taz didn’t reply, but Deacon did. “This is important. I’m not surprised you wanted in on it. Like you said, we don’t want another Waco or Ruby Ridge. I’m ready to do what needs to be done. You can count on me.”

Grey leaned back and let out a long breath. “I have no doubt about that, Deacon. But this time you’re going to have to stand down. Natasha will be going in.”

Taz didn’t believe her ears and looking at Deacon, she didn’t believe her eyes. He blanched white.

“Grey, I’d like to talk to you–now.”

Grey winked at Taz and followed his friend out. Taz just sat there dumbfounded. She could do it; she knew she could. While they were gone, she took out the drawing of the house and grounds and began to memorize them.

Outside, Deacon exploded. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? What are you thinking? What possible…?”

“Stand down, Jones. I’m your friend, but I was your Superior Officer and now I’m your boss. You can always assume I have thought things through.”

Deacon took a breath. “With due respect, Sir,” he emphasized the last word, “I request that you send me in instead of Natasha. She’s–”

“As good as you, I believe you said.” Grey saw the look of unspoken agreement in Deacon’s eyes even as anguish played over his features. “Look, I have my reasons if you’re willing to listen.”

“Go ahead.” Deacon muttered, his innate trust of Grey warring with his worry for Taz.

Grey placed a hand on Deacon’s shoulder and led him into a vacant room with chairs flanking a fireplace. “Let’s sit.” They did, and Grey leaned toward Deacon with his forearms resting on his knees. “First, the initial picture Natasha presents is one of weakness. Their guard will not be up at the first sight of her. She can do more, say more, observe with greater ease than you or I could.”

Deacon started to argue, but Grey held up his hand. “I’m not through. I knew from the moment we spoke that you’d go in–no matter what I asked you to do.” When Deacon would’ve protested, Grey smiled. “I’m no fool, Jones. I can read the signs. I’ve been where you are. I would protect Athena with my life, but I had to learn to trust her. What you don’t know, and what I’ve come to tell you is that neither you nor I should go into that situation because Ainsley’s son’s wife is Sylvia’s friend, the former Lisa Foster. She was at your wedding. She would recognize either one of us and she knows our background. Lisa knows we aren’t doctors or EMT’s, she could very well give us away. We cannot take that risk.” He pinned Deacon with a stare. “You know as well as I do, other than you and I…” he pointed around, as if to indicate all of the Rangers and police personnel surrounding them, “there is no one more qualified or capable than she is. She was expertly trained by a man who had a vested interest in making her a beautiful, but deadly killing machine.”

The information Grey gave Deacon sank in. “I don’t like it, but I understand.” He felt an icy chill seep into his bones. “Let’s get ready.”

Over the next couple of hours, Taz prepared. She spent time being coached by the EMT on what to look for with Mickey and the best way to help him. She also listened and asked questions as Deacon and Grey went over every possible scenario with her. “You’ll be wearing a one-way transmitter,” Grey said. He gave her a small ornate clip for her hair. “We’ll be able to hear what’s going on. Let us know what you can in as natural a way as possible. Talk to the little boy. We want to know his condition. Describe it. We’ll have a real EMT listening so we’ll know what to expect when he gets out. You’ll have to do some negotiating yourself, try to convince them to let you leave with the child. If that isn’t possible, you’re going to have to evaluate the situation. Can you escape? You’ll have to assess where they are, their moods, if there’s any give in their demands, what kind of firepower they have.”

Deacon shut his eyes. Fear he’d never known made him physically ill. There were so many things that could go wrong. If it was him walking into this unknown landmine of danger, he was better prepared to think on his feet. Taz, while highly skilled, had no practical experience. “What weapons are you planning for Taz to have on her?”

Taz started to speak, but Grey jumped in first. “I’m glad you asked.” He rose to leave. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back with something to show you.”

Once he was gone, Taz didn’t know where to look. Seeing the disapproval and distrust on Deacon’s face was counterproductive to her mission. But she had to say something… “I know your opinion of me is not very high. I will do this, Deacon. I will not let you or the team down.”

“You’re not part of the damn team,” he grated the words out between his teeth. “This is not a job you should be doing at all. Tell Grey you don’t want to do this. You don’t have to do this.”

His lack of faith in her almost caused Taz to wilt. “You won’t be ashamed of me, I promise.”

Deacon lost it. He stood, grabbed her by the shoulders and hauled Taz to her feet. “I’m not worried about being ashamed or disappointed. Don’t you understand? I’m scared for your safety!”

His admission surprised Taz. “There’s no need.”

“There’s every need.” Unable to resist, he pulled her to him and kissed her hard, uncaring of who might see.

Shocked, Taz raised a hand to touch his shoulder, then let it drop. She didn’t get a chance to kiss him back, it was done and over before she could respond. “Deacon…”

“Not the time,” Grey announced as he returned with what looked to be a small EMT bag. “Stocked inside of this should be everything you’ll need, but there’s also some extras.” He showed her two secret pockets sewn into the lining, yet camouflaged with leather flaps that contained syringes, scissors, gauze, anything she would need. “Behind these areas we have a knife and a gun. Two of these syringes are loaded with a powerful sedative, if you find an opportunity to use them.”

Deacon groaned. “Thank you, Q. Jane Bond is prepared for every eventuality.”

“I believe she is, Jones.” He smiled at Taz. “From Deacon’s reports, you didn’t tell him the full extent of the training your father put you through.”

“No.” Taz shook her head. “I didn’t really get a chance to, not that it would’ve made a difference.”

Deacon ignored her polite jab. “I know Mikael worked with her. She’s an expert marksman, her knife throwing is spot-on, she can hold her own in hand-to-hand and her endurance is amazing. She just hasn’t had the experience.”

Grey put his arm around Deacon’s shoulders. “What she failed to tell you is that she went through the same strenuous training as the new FBI recruits. They are faced with multiple scenarios, trained to make split-second decisions and strategize themselves out of dangerous situations. She passed with flying colors.”

“How?”

“Her father was on faculty; I believe she told you that.”

Taz smiled at the memory. “Yes, my favorite part was the Yellow Brick Road.”

Despite his worry, he couldn’t resist, Deacon smiled back. “I can’t say I’m surprised, Dorothy.” He knew she was referring to the legendary, grueling, six-mile fitness challenge over a hilly, wooded trail built by Marines. The participants have to scale rock walls, crawl under barbed wire, ford creeks and run up and down steep grades. “Did you win your Yellow Brick?” The practice of marking the path with yellow bricks led to the name and the practice of awarding them to the ones able to complete the course.

“Several times, but I was doing it for fun, so I didn’t get to keep it.” So far, that was the story of her life. She’d had a mother who betrayed her, a father who died, a home she’d had to leave–and now Deacon. There was no use getting attached to anything or anyone, she didn’t get to keep them.

“All right, enough of this. We need to get this ball rolling.” Grey started for the door. “I’m going to get everyone else ready. Taz do what you need to do and put on your vest–it’s time.”