Targeted (Firebrand Book 1) Read online

  She started to protest, but Phillip pulled Max a little closer. “Mom. . .”

  The strangled cry pierced Lainey’s heart, and she cast a quick glance at her son. “It’s all right Max. Just do as Phillip says, and he won’t hurt you.” She looked up at Phillip. “You won’t hurt him, will you?”

  Phillip gritted his teeth and motioned for her to sit on the floor. She did as she was told, and William dropped beside her. Within a few seconds he had her hands secured and the gag in her mouth. Then William rose to his feet.

  “I’ve done as you asked. Now release the boy and leave us alone. You can make your escape while there’s still time.”

  Phillip didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he raised his gun and hit William across the face with it. Blood gushed from his nose, and he fell to the floor unconscious. Lainey tried to cry out, but the gag muffled her words.

  Phillip pulled Max closer and stared down at him. “Now you listen to me, Max. We’re going to go for a leisurely walk toward the gate that opens into the woods behind the Center. If we meet anyone and you make them suspicious in any way, I’ll kill them, then I’ll come back and shoot your mother and her friend here. Do you understand?”

  Max’s eyes bulged, and tears ran down his cheeks. He nodded his head and glanced at her once more before Phillip drug him from the room. Lainey straightened her arms and jerked her arms with all her strength as she tried to break free, but the cable ties held tight. With tears running down her face, she tried to scream her son’s name, but it only echoed in her head.

  After a few minutes she collapsed in a heap on the floor as her body shook with sobs. It was no use. She couldn’t get free, and Phillip had already disappeared with her son.

  <><><>

  Ash stood outside the entrance into the Firebrand Administration Building and waved as Sam drove away. He cast a glance at William’s car still parked in front of the building and wondered what was taking so long for him and Lainey to finish their work. After a moment he shrugged, his thoughts returning to the time he’d spent with Sam.

  He’d been worried that there might be a strain between the two of them this afternoon, and he’d pondered what he could do to return their friendship back to what it had once been. He and Sam had been friends since childhood, and he still counted him as one even though Sam might think differently. But as far as their meeting this afternoon had gone, nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. They’d talked about the training sessions that had been planned for Sam’s officers, and he’d agreed with everything Ash had suggested.

  There had been no mention of Lainey, and Ash was glad. Maybe time would take care of any hard feelings Sam might harbor about him and Lainey getting back together. He hoped so.

  As he strolled into the lobby of the building, he was struck by how quiet it was this afternoon. With everybody busy preparing for the first group to arrive for training, they were scattered at various locations across the facility’s grounds.

  He was about to head upstairs when the front door opened and Reese, Casey, and Colt walked in. He stopped with his foot on the first tread of the staircase and waited for them to join them.

  They came to a halt beside him, and Colt reached up and removed the Australian bush hat he always wore. “How did it go with Sam this afternoon?”

  “Good. He agreed to everything I proposed. I told him we’d expect his officers in two weeks. So it looks like we’re in business.”

  Reese and Colt exchanged glances and grinned at each other. “We?” Reese said. “So you’re really going to join us?”

  Ash felt his face grow warm, and he chuckled. “You guys know I couldn’t let you have all the fun of running this place. You need me to keep an eye on you two.”

  Colt laughed and started to speak, but his eyes grew large as he stared toward the second floor landing. “What in the world. . .?” he began.

  Ash turned around and stared in disbelief at William Mason standing at the top of the stairs swaying back and forth as if his legs wouldn’t support him. Blood covered his face and stained the front of his shirt and jacket. He held out a hand to them.

  “Help us,” he murmured.

  Ash bounded up the stairs two at a time with Reese, Colt, and Casey right behind him. He reached William just as his legs gave away, and he collapsed against Ash. As he eased William to the floor, Ash cast a terrified glance toward the conference room. “Where’s Lainey?” he shouted.

  William pointed toward the conference room. “In there,” he gasped.

  Ash was on his feet and running before William had finished speaking. He skidded into the room and stopped, his stomach clenching at the sight of Lainey tied to the table. He dropped to his knees beside her and pulled the gag from her mouth.

  “What happened?”

  “Phillip Tyler,” she gasped. “He took Max.”

  Ash shook his head and frowned, unable to process what she’d just said. “Tex? Where is he?”

  “Max said Phillip stabbed him.” She began to shake and a wail rose from her throat. “Oh, Ash, what are we going to do?”

  Ash pulled his knife out, cut her free of the cable ties, and pulled her to her feet. He held her against him as he hurried from the room. In the hall his three friends still knelt beside William. “Casey,” Ash yelled, “check on Tex in my room.”

  She jumped to her feet, ran down the hall, and entered Ash’s room. Within seconds she appeared back at the door. “Tex has been stabbed,” she yelled. “Get me a field dressing!”

  Reese didn’t hesitate. He rose from where he knelt next to William and left Colt to give him first aid while he dashed off toward the room where they kept medical supplies.

  Ash stared down at Lainey. “Did he hurt you?”

  She shook her head. “No, but he has Max, Ash.” Her voice rose higher with each word. “What are we going to do?”

  At that moment he heard the chime of a text message coming in, and he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He clicked on the message and gasped as if he’d just been kicked in the stomach. He blinked and read the words for the second time before he raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “What is it?” Lainey demanded. “Is it about Max?”

  “Yes,” he said. “It says Your son has been chosen as a sacrifice for your crimes. If you want to save him, you and Lainey must come alone to the summit of Devil’s Courthouse. Tell no one, or he dies.”

  A wail burst from her mouth, and he tightened his arms around her as she sagged against him. “Our son, Ash. They’re going to kill him.”

  Although he’d never been this scared in his life, he couldn’t let her see his fear. He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. “No, they’re not. I won’t let that happen.”

  She tried to wrench free of his hold, but he gripped her tighter. “Don’t promise me something that’s not true,” she screamed. “We thought we were safe here, but one of the people we trusted most took him from right under our noses.” She grabbed the front of his shirt in her hands. “How could Phillip do that?”

  He’d been asking himself the same question from the moment she told him Phillip was the one who’d betrayed his brothers, and he had no answer. He reached up and stroked her hair then pulled her head against his chest. “I don’t know, Lainey, but we’ll find out. Now I need you to something for me.”

  She turned her face upward and stared at him. “What?”

  He put his hands on her shoulders and eased her away so that he could look right at her. “The text said that you and I are to come alone after Max. If we’re going to save him, we can’t be hysterical. These animals are our enemies, and we have to win this battle. To do it, we have to put our fear on hold and remain calm. Trust me in this, Lainey.”

  Her chin trembled, and she took a deep breath. “I do trust you, Ash.”

  “Good.”

  Reese charged back into the room at that moment and dropped to his knees beside Tex. He handed Casey the field dressing, and she ri
pped open the pouch that contained it. “It looks like this is a sucking wound,” she said. “The wound is sucking air into the space around the lungs instead of it going down the throat. I need some tape to seal off this dressing.”

  Reese ran from the room almost before she had quit speaking. Casey’s lips pulled into a grim line as she pressed the absorbent cloth of the field dressing over the wound and held it there until Reese reappeared with tape. He ripped off pieces from the roll and handed them to her as she bound the top and sides of the pad to the wound.

  When she had it in place, she leaned back on her heels and examined her work. “I left the bottom open like a flap, so he can exhale. Now we need to get him and William to the hospital as quickly as we can.” She glanced at Reese and Colt who had just entered the room. “Can you get them in the Jeep?”

  Colt nodded. “I think William will be able to make it on his own. I’ll help Reese with Tex.”

  Reese nodded and turned to Ash. “What about Max? Do you have any idea where Phillip has taken him?”

  “I do. I just received a text telling us to come to the summit of Devil’s Courthouse. Lainey and I are headed there now.”

  “Do you need back-up?”

  Ash shook his head. “Our instructions said for us to come alone. If I need help, I’ll let you know.”

  Reese frowned. “Are you sure?”

  “I am.” He turned to Lainey. “You’d better get a sweater. Where we’re going, it will probably be cold.”

  She nodded and ran from the room. Ash waited until she’d left before he turned back to Reese. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to save my son and Lainey. If I don’t make it back and they do, see that they’re taken care of.”

  Reese nodded and squeezed his arm in signal of their brotherhood. Colt stood and did the same thing. Fighting back the thought that this might be the last time he saw his friends, he touched his own arm and ran from the room. Lainey entered the hallway just as he did, and together they hurried to William who sat in the chair that had been placed there earlier for Phillip.

  “Reese and Colt are taking you to the hospital,” Ash called out as they ran past him. “We’ll check on you later.”

  William raised his hand and waved them on. “Just go get your boy back,” he said.

  They hurried down the stairs, and Lainey headed toward the front door, but Ash grabbed her arm and pulled her in the opposite direction. “We need to stop by the weapons room,” he said when they reached the first floor.

  She nodded, and they ran to the room at the end of the hall. Ash pulled out his key, and they burst through the door. It only took him a few seconds to grab the gun and ammunition he wanted. He turned to leave, but as an afterthought he buckled a holster around his ankle and slipped a knife in it.

  “I want a gun,” Lainey said.

  Ash cast a startled glance at her. “I don’t think. . .”

  She gritted her teeth and glared at him. “They have my son, Ash. I want to be prepared for whatever we encounter. Besides Casey has been doing some target practice with me. I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here.”

  “Then here,” he said and as he handed her a Glock 19 and an ankle holster. “This one is good for someone with small hands. Put this on.”

  She nodded and did as he said. “Now a knife.”

  He started to refuse, but the determined look on her face told him he’d be wasting his breath. He pulled a second holster from the shelf, slipped a knife into it, and strapped to her left leg. Then they ran from the room and out the front door. Within seconds they were in one of the Firebrand Jeeps and barreling out of the parking lot. Ash reached over and squeezed her hand before taking hold of the steering wheel again.

  His stomach churned as she glanced at his profile. The muscle in his jaw flexed, and he gritted his teeth. Adrenalin flowed through his body, and he felt the rage he’d had for years every time he prepared for battle begin to emerge in the form of the warrior who lived inside him.

  His years in the army and in Firebrand had molded him into a well-trained killing machine. Duty to his country had led him to turn that rage against enemies who had no regard for the law or human rights, but this was different. Now his wrath was directed at those who had taken their son.

  Beside him Lainey started to say something, but then only nodded and settled back in her seat. Ash realized she’d seen once again into the secret places of his heart, and what she saw she approved. They were united in this mission to bring their son home no matter what they had to do.

  Chapter 17

  Ash pulled the Jeep to a stop at the overlook parking area and gazed at the trail to Devil’s Courthouse. Beside him Lainey stared through the windshield at the bare rock face of the mountain in the distance. Her chin trembled, and she turned to him.

  “They have him up there on that mountain?”

  He reached for her hand. “That’s what the text said. It’s about a twenty minute hike up the trail to the summit. I haven’t been there since I was a teenager, but I remember it’s a strenuous climb. Are you up to this?”

  She took a deep breath and nodded. “I have to be. Max is up there.”

  “I know, and he’s probably very scared. Let’s go see if we can’t do something about that.” A look of fear flashed across her face, and she threw her arms around his neck. “I just want the three of us to have a chance to be a family.”

  He hugged her close for a moment and then released her. “So do I. Let’s go get our son.”

  She nodded, and they climbed from the car. He checked his gun once more and then headed up the trail for the hike to the summit. Lainey fell into step behind him. He glanced at her from time to time to make sure she wasn’t having a problem with the altitude, but she appeared to be doing okay. Neither of them spoke, but Ash knew that both their thoughts were focused on Max.

  About halfway up he stopped and faced her. “Are you making it all right?”

  “Yes. Have you forgotten I was on the track team in high school? I still run every day. Of course I haven’t been able to do that since you’ve been home. But I’ll be fine.” She pointed toward the summit. “Let’s go.”

  He didn’t need prodding any further, and he continued to lead the way. They hiked in silence for a few more minutes, and then the summit came into view. He pulled his gun out and motioned for Lainey to stay behind him as they approached the end of the trail.

  As they eased up to the top of the mountain, Ash studied the area in front of him. A waist-high stone wall separated the trail from the craggy rocks that jutted out from the summit, but there was no sign of Max or his captors anywhere.

  “Max!” Ash called out.

  “Dad?” The scared cry made the hair on the back of Ash’s neck tingle.

  “Max, where are you?” Ash yelled.

  “He’s here, Ash.” He closed his eyes and groaned at the sultry voice that drifted up from the other side of the wall. He’d heard it the first time in a Colorado diner.

  He eased up to the wall and stared out to the rocks beyond. Max stood on the jagged cliff that hung out over the valley 5,000 feet below, but he wasn’t alone. Eve stood on one side and a man Ash had never seen stood on the other. Both had guns trained on Max.

  Ash raised his gun and pointed it at Eve. “Let my son go, Eve, or I’ll shoot.”

  She laughed, grabbed Max by the arm, and shoved him closer to the edge of the cliff. “I don’t think so. Not unless you want him to go over the side.”

  Behind him Lainey gasped and pushed forward to stand beside Ash. “Please, he’s just a little boy. Don’t hurt him.” Her last words ended with a sob.

  The man standing on the rocks beside Max chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t worry. He won’t feel a thing.” A sneer pulled at his mouth, and he let his gaze rake over Ash. “So this is the famous Ash DeHan. I’ve heard a lot about you from a man who wants to see you dead.”

  Ash tightened his grip on his gun and trained it on the man. “Yeah, you look li
ke somebody Eduardo Diaz would hire to do his dirty work, but I don’t know who you are. I think if I’m going to kill you, I should know your name.”

  The man threw back his head and laughed. “You have a sense of humor, so I’ll give you this last request. My name is Victor.” He inclined his head in Eve’s direction. “And this is Sophia, or better known as Eve to you. That’s all you need to know.”

  Ash took a deep breath. “Okay, Victor and Sophia, I’m giving you one last chance to let my son go.”

  “Or what?” Victor said.

  “Or you’ll be the ones who won’t feel any pain.”

  “I don’t think so, Ash.” The voice came from behind him. He and Lainey whirled at the same time and stared at the gun in Phillip Tyler’s hand. “So there you are,” Ash said. “ I wondered when you’d show your face. How does it feel to be the first Firebrand member to stab his brothers in the back?”

  “It’ll feel good when I get paid for what I did. I sure wasn’t getting rich playing army with you guys.” He pointed his gun at Lainey. “Ash, give me your gun, or so help me, I’ll shoot her where she stands.” When Ash didn’t respond, Phillip’s face contorted into a mask of pure rage. “Do it before I kill her!” he yelled.

  Ash dropped his gun to the ground and held up his hands. “Okay, I’ve done it.”

  He shook his head in disbelief at the hatred in Phillip’s eyes. “I don’t understand. We trusted you like a brother. Think about all the missions we’ve shared, all the moments unwinding and helping each other cope with what we experienced. Is money really worth what you’re doing to the best friends you’ve ever had?”

  “Best friends I’ve ever had?” he scoffed. “You and Colt and Reese don’t care about anybody except each other. And I’m tired of being your hired help. I want to live a quiet life in luxury on some island, and Eduardo Diaz is giving me the chance to do just that.”

  Lainey’s lips curled down in disgust. “And you think you’ll be content knowing that you help kill a little boy and his parents?”