Lean on Me (58 page)

Alex put her hand on his shoulder. He looked
up at her. She willed her strength into him. He nodded as if he
understood.

“
Detailed engineering plans
for the nano-drones,” Troy said. “And… voila!”

He hit a key and a white screen with small
letters came up.

“
I don’t know what that
is,” Alex said.

“
The code for the virus,”
Troy said.

“
Did you send it to
Xavier?” Alex asked.

“
He did,” Matthew
said.

“
And?” Alex
asked.

“
X couldn’t stop laughing,”
Matthew said. “When he stopped laughing, he said he could tell who
wrote it and what to do. We’ve taken a leap forward.”

“
Hector had every single
fucking thing on this laptop,” Troy said. “It was partitioned off
and cloaked. I didn’t even know it was there until
Larry…”

He cleared his throat.

“
Very sophisticated,”
Matthew said. “According to X. The DCPD picked up Troy’s Daddy
again. DA says with the information from the laptop, they have a
strong case against him. Troy’s mom will be cleared of all charges
on Monday and be in Denver on Tuesday.”

Alex gave a crooked smile.

“
Margaret and Pete are
helping me with some of the coded documents on the computer,” Troy
said. “Vince too.”

“
The rest of us are sitting
around looking pretty,” Trece said.

“
Speak for yourself!” Leena
said.

“
I was,” Trece
said.

“
Great work,” Alex said.
“Everyone. Really. How are the hostage profiles?”

“
Done, sir,” Joseph
said.

“
And medical?” Alex
asked.

“
Done, sir,” MJ
said.

“
I was able to get more
detailed information on the contractors,” Raz said.

“
Wow,” Alex said. “And
gear? Are we ready to leave if we need to?”

“
Sergeant Dusty has been
working with base supply,” Matthew said. “Zack said they are
loading onto a plane now. We’re going to have to go to Buckley to
meet them but otherwise we’re set.”

“
Who’s flying?” Alex
asked.

“
Air Force,” Matthew said.
“They are fueled and waiting for us. Zack’s arranged to pick up a
chopper in Guatemala.”

“
We have family here,” Alex
said. “Let’s start saying our ‘good-byes.’ We’ll find a destination
in the air if we need to.”

“
In partner teams,” Matthew
said. “Carmichael, Hutchins, you’re first.”

In the corner of the room, Patrick began to
laugh. The team turned to look at him.

“
I’ll go,” Alex said. “Max
can you get our gear ready?”

Max nodded and left for his side of the
rooming house.

“
Your gear?” Matthew
asked.

“
I have a feeling this job
is going to require our special skills,” Alex said.

Joseph put his hand on her shoulder. His
eyes scanned her face.

“
What he doesn’t know about
you?” Joseph asked.

Alex nodded.

“
We’ll support you in every
way possible,” Joseph said.

“
Manage the team,” Alex
said. “I’d like not to be shot in the back.”

Joseph smiled. Their CO Charlie O’Brien used
to say “She won’t like it if you shoot her in the back” when they
went on these missions. Their eyes held for a moment. Patrick
laughed again and they looked at him.

“
Going,” Alex
said.

Alex went to her father. His eyes held a
soft focus as he focused his attention on the call. He held up a
finger to her and responded to the person on the phone. Alex turned
away from him.

“
Coffee sir?” Trece
asked.

“
Thanks.” Alex looked up at
him. He poured coffee from a thermos into her mug.

“
How are you?” Alex
asked.

“
I spent the first
Christmas in more than ten years with Luz and the kids,” Trece
said. “I’m…”

Trece shook his head.

“
I didn’t think my son
would bother with us,” Trece said. “Big college man now
but…”

“
He was very welcome,” Alex
said. “So handsome.”

“
Takes after Luz,” Trece
said. “Did you see how he and Frederec hit if off right away? My
kid and a Parisian clothing designer.”

“
They’re talking about
spending the summer together,” Alex said.

“
Couldn’t have happened if
you hadn’t invited us to be on the team. Thanks,” Trece said. “I
think everyone feels the same. The women, kids, our families are so
happy. It’s… good, really good.”

“
I’m glad you’re here,”
Alex said.

“
Alex?” Patrick
asked.

Alex crossed her eyes to Trece and he
chuckled. She walked over to her father. She smiled at the happy
look on her father’s face. He seemed happier than he’d been in
years. Restarting his team was good for him.

“
You remember the Mexican
war in Chiapas?” Patrick asked.

“
I didn’t think it had been
resolved,” Alex said.

“
Technically, it hasn’t,”
Patrick said. “But there hasn’t been bloodshed in a
while.”

“
That’s a good thing,” Alex
said.

“
Yes, and something you’ve
worked for,” Patrick said. “Do you remember why there was a
war?”

“
No one’s quite sure,” Alex
said. “A lot of people say it was about oil. Others say it was
about indigenous rights. Sometimes I think people go to war to vent
their innate crankiness.”

Alex shrugged.

“
Crankiness leads to war,”
Patrick smiled. “I’ll remember that the next time I’m in the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations.”

Alex nodded. She was about to walk away when
he took her hand.

“
Sorry Dad,” Alex said.
“Twenty-three men are waiting for me. Heath is dead. How’s Mom
holding up?”

“
She’s furious,” Patrick
said. “I think she finally understands what you do.”

“
We need to get this done,”
Alex nodded.

“
Yes,” Patrick said. “Down
to business. For reasons we don’t have time for, the Mexican
government is allowing private contractors to develop the oil
fields in the Chiapas region. One of the biggest players early on
was your old friends at…”

“
Pecos Oil,” Alex said.
“Crap.”

“
Crap is right,” Patrick
said. “They own a lot of leases in the region and quite a bit of
land.”

“
Cee Cee Joiner,” Alex spit
out the name of the man who wanted her dead.

“
Actually, it was his
father, Cecil Joiner,” Patrick said. “Bought most of it on spec.
Cee Cee had crews working in the region but most of their land and
leases have been waiting for Pecos Oil to reform.”

“
So there’s not a lot of
Pecos activity in the region?” Alex asked.

“
Wasn’t,” Patrick said. “A
few months ago…”

“
You found the hostages,”
Alex said.

“
Possibly,” Patrick said.
“But you’ll need a good guide and help from Pecos to get
there.”

“
Why do I need Pecos’s
help?”

“
I didn’t work too hard to
understand it because I knew you were close with Cecil and his
team.”

Alex gave a curt nod.

“
You and your brother will
have to go in,” Patrick said.

Alex nodded.

“
We’ll be here when you get
home,” Patrick said.

“
Thanks Dad,” Alex nodded.
She turned around to find everyone in the room looking at her.
“Time to go.”

“
You heard the Fey,”
Matthew said. “We will leave in five minutes.”

“
Fifteen,” Alex said. “Say
‘good-bye’. Please. This is not going to be nice and we don’t know
how long we’ll be gone.”

She nodded to the team and went to find
John.

F

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Two hours later

Saturday afternoon

December 26 – 2:55 p.m. CST

Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas

“
You have thirty minutes if
you need them,” Matthew said as the Hercules lowered to the tarmac.
“If anyone needs any longer, let me know. Our goal is to be in
Mexico by dark.”

“
We want to bring these men
and women home tonight,” Joseph said.

“
Yes sir,” the team
called.

They began filing out of the plane. Max gave
Alex a little wave and she nodded. He was off to find them some
decent coffee.

“
We have company,” Matthew
said.

“
Sue Ann and Bobby?” Alex
asked.

“
Crowd of men and women,”
Matthew said. “They want to see the Fey. You’ve seen the shot from
the
Nimitz
?”

“
Arranged to have the
picture made,” Alex said. “I wanted to get everyone in the
shot.”

“
I think every person in
intelligence is waiting for you, plus the regular crowd of
groupies. You too, Jakker.”

“
It’s nice to be popular,”
Zack said.

“
Can you help Sue Ann on?”
Alex asked. “She’s not used to this kind of drama.”

“
I’ll get her,” Vince
said.

For a moment, their eyes caught. Alex saw
that Vince remembered the first time they’d met Sue Ann Joiner.
After her sons were killed by their father, Cee Cee Joiner, Sue Ann
was more dead than alive. In the last year or so, she’d battled her
way back to life with the help of Krystal Joiner, her boys, and
their housekeeper, Luana. Sue Ann was such an integral part of
Krystal’s life that even Krystal’s boys had complained when Alex
asked for her help. Sticking her head out the door, Alex saw Sue
Ann standing next to Bobby Lopez. Not a tall woman, she was fit
from the hours of personal training required to fight her way back
to life.

Alex had met Bobby Lopez when Cee Cee
Joiner’s boys were kidnapped and killed. Once she’d freed Cecil
Joiner, Sr., Bobby Lopez had been reinstated as the head of
oil-field acquisition. A hands-on department head, Bobby knew the
who, what, where and when of every field. He’d insisted on coming.
Cecil was working his connections to get them information from the
local Chiapas authorities.

When Sue Ann saw Alex, she took off running
toward the ramp. She ran around Vince and was stopped at the ramp
by Fort Hood MPs. Bobby and Vince caught up to Sue Ann and escorted
her on board.

“
Alex!” Sue Ann
screamed.

“
Sue Ann!” Alex hugged her.
“Your hair!”

“
Who needs that mop of
blonde mess?” Sue Ann pointed to her sassy short dark hair. “It
gets in the way of adventure. Did you see I wore sensible
shoes?”

Alex looked down to see Sue Ann’s manicured
toes peeking out of four-inch-high espadrille sandals.

“
I thought you’d be so
proud,” Sue Ann leaned in. “Krystal reminded me I’d be around all
these hot men. She helped me get dressed.”

“
Are you ready to think
about hot men?” Alex’s worried eyes scanned her face.

“
My Davey and Danny
wouldn’t want me to be alone,” Sue Ann put her hand to the locket
she wore with her boys’ pictures in them. “That’s what Luana tells
me every day. Krystal too.”

Sue Ann gave Alex a brave smile and Alex
smiled.

“
Did you bring your running
shoes?” Alex asked.

“
Those are for running,”
Sue Ann said. “Not for hanging out with hot men.”

Sue Ann gave Matthew a sweet smile. He
nodded his hello and left the plane.

“
Did you bring them?” Alex
asked.

“
Yes, Miss Alex,” Sue Ann
said. “I brought my sensible hiking boots for stomping all over
here and back. They are in my backpack with my water and some of
Luana’s spicy brownies. It is Christmas after all.”

Alex smiled at Sue Ann. She gave Alex a big
smile.

“
Where’s your smoking-hot
partner?” Sue Ann asked.

“
He’s getting me something
to eat,” Alex said.

“
Oooh, what are we having?”
Sue Ann asked.

“
I’m having an Ensure
shake,” Alex said.

Sue Ann laughed. Sitting at Alex’s side, Sue
Ann ogled at all the men who came in. Margaret stopped by to say
hello. She and Leena were assigned to help Sue Ann with anything
she needed.

“
Oh look Alex. A dog.” Sue
Ann leaned down. “Hello puppy.”

Master Sergeant Bill Bailey stopped in front
of Sue Ann. He sniffed at her. Sue Ann held her hand out and he let
her pet him.

“
He’s really cute,” Sue Ann
said.

“
And deadly,” Alex said.
“He usually doesn’t let strangers pet him.”

Sue Ann looked up to see Pete. She smiled at
him and went back to petting Bill. Pete opened his mouth as if to
say something and then closed it. He shook his head slightly as if
to clear it. His face was bright red.

“
Pete?” Alex asked. “This
is Sue Ann Joiner. She’s here acting as head of Pecos Oil tonight.
I wondered if you could sit with her while I take care of a few
things.”