Targeted

Chapter 22

FUBAR: Fucked-up Beyond All Recognition.

In the deafeningly silent vehicle, Sophie fought to keep it together. Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them back. It was hard, though, when she knew she was going to die.

Had no doubt about it. Jack didn’t give a shit about her. Only information and his damn job were important to him. Her heart might still be beating in her chest, but it wasn’t working. As a young woman she’d loved Sam, but she loved Jack, the man he’d become, just as much. More, even. Something she could finally admit and it didn’t matter. He not only didn’t feel the same but was just like everyone else.

She was disposable. A means to an end.

Her throat and muscles were so tight from holding back the avalanche of tears pressing at her, she was practically shaking.

As Chadwick tapped his gun against the center console, Sophie forced herself to stay calm. She was terrified that any overt movement would set this maniac off. She had one foot inside death’s door, and time was not on her side.

Every time Chadwick glanced at his watch, the more antsy he got. At least he wasn’t chatty. Since his last call to Jack he’d said a few words to her, but only to give her directions. If he wanted to talk she’d start crying and she’d never stop. God only knew how he’d react to that. Probably knock her out or cut her again.

Her yellow sweater sleeve had turned a crimson red, but the bleeding had stopped. Now the dried material was stiff against her arm. Every time she moved she was afraid she’d open the wound again.

They were parked just off the road, right before a long bridge in a gravelly spot that couldn’t be called an actual parking area. From where they sat she had a good view of the new bridge and the older, crumbling one that ran parallel to it.

The turquoise water glistened under the bright sun and there literally wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It seemed impossible that she was being held at gunpoint on such a beautiful day. Cars zoomed past in sporadic intervals, but traffic was fairly light. Every time she saw a dark vehicle in the rearview mirror, she nearly jumped.

Then she cursed herself for the reaction. She had to stay immobile and not give Chadwick a reason to lash out at her.

When the SUV she was watching started to slow and turned off the road she automatically swiveled around in her seat. Chadwick did the same.

“You’re going to do everything I say or you’re getting a bullet in your back.”

Ice slithered through her veins. Swallowing hard, she nodded. The SUV pulled up next to them on her side, but she didn’t make a move to get out.

Chadwick glanced around nervously, then motioned with his gun. “I’m getting out on this side. Climb over the center console.”

She did as he said and the moment her feet touched the ground, he grabbed her by her injured arm, then shoved his gun into her spine.

Little needles of pain splintered up her arm, but raw fear overtook any agony.

Sophie watched as the passenger-side window of Jack’s SUV rolled down. Miguel Vargas was handcuffed to the side handle and Jack was in the driver’s seat.

“Miguel, did he toss his phone?” Chadwick asked.

“Yes.”

“Were you followed?”

“No.”

“Jack, get out where I can see you.” Chadwick’s voice rose.

Blood rushed in Sophie’s ears, but she kept her focus on Jack. It killed her to even look at his face knowing he cared so little for her, but she knew he’d save her if he could. Even if she wasn’t a priority in this trade-off. The small consolation did little to ease the clawing ache in her chest.

Jack got out but stayed behind the front of the vehicle. “I want what you promised me,” he shouted.

“First come out from behind the SUV. I want to see you.” Chadwick’s voice rang in her ears.

“I’m not putting my weapon down.”

“Fine. I still want to see you.”

Without moving her head, her eyes strayed to Vargas. He sat immobile, looking so calm, as if this were something he did every day.

She was barely keeping it together.

Jack still had his gun drawn as he walked around the vehicle toward them. “Let the girl go, Chadwick. I’ve held up my part of the bargain.”

The girl. God, he didn’t even say her name. She truly meant so little to him.

“First you unlock Miguel.”

Jack’s pale eyes narrowed. “Not until you give me what I came for.”

“Take the minicomputer in the middle seat.”

Gun still pointed in their direction, Jack sidestepped until he opened the door, retrieved it, then transferred it to his vehicle. He then unlocked Vargas with one hand, jerked him from the vehicle, and clasped the man’s hands behind his back and secured the cuffs again. “We exchange at the same time, Chadwick.”

“After the exchange, we leave first,” her captor snapped.

Jack nodded in agreement. “If the information you gave me doesn’t pan out, I’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth. You know that.”

“I haven’t stayed alive this long by being stupid. All I want is to get out of here alive and get my fucking money,” Chadwick snarled. “And if you try anything, I’ll take her down with me.”

Shit, shit, shit. She had no doubt he meant it. Could only imagine what it would feel like to have a bullet ripping into her.

Jack, however, didn’t seem to break a sweat, which further embedded that dagger in her chest. “On the count of two. One, two.”

When Chadwick released her, Sophie jerked her arm close to her chest. Without the gun pressing into her back, she no longer felt as if the Grim Reaper was about to claim her. Keeping her steps measured, she resisted the urge to sprint. Everything around her funneled out as she walked toward Jack. This entire time he’d barely made eye contact with her, but even now she knew he was aware of her gaze on him.

Jack was aware of everything—even if he didn’t give a shit about her.

When she and Vargas passed each other, he tossed her a disdainful glance. She picked up her pace.

As soon as she was a foot from Jack he spoke low enough for her to hear. “Get behind the truck.”

She nodded and continued past him, rushing the last few feet to gain cover. A second later Jack joined her. “Stay low. I’m letting them go and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

The sound of the other engine revving, tires squealing, then the loud pop of gunfire sent her diving for cover. Sophie shielded her ears and hit the ground. This sound was becoming all too familiar.

“Damn it!”

She looked up to find Jack pounding on the hood.

“What happened?” Standing, she brushed off her hands on her jeans.

“They shot the engine.” He holstered his weapon in the back of his pants, then rubbed a hand over his face.

She couldn’t find it in her to care. All she felt was betrayal and she just wanted to see that Hannah was truly safe, then go home.

Recovering quickly from his outburst, Jack assessed her from head to toe in such a clinical fashion she felt like a specimen under a microscope. “Is this your only wound?” He gently held her arm and moved the material of her shirt to the side.

Even though what she really wanted to do was strike out at him and hurt him the way he’d hurt her, she just nodded.

“Did that bastard hurt you in any other way?” There was a sharp bite to his question.

Still not trusting herself to speak, she shook her head.

“We’ll take care of your wound later. I hate bringing you with me, but we’ve got to go after them now, Sophie.”

She nodded again. If she started talking, she feared she’d open the floodgates and would never stop crying. And God help her, she refused to let Jack see how much he’d affected her. How he’d basically flayed her insides.

• • •

Sophie was safe and with him. The reality went a long way in letting Jack focus and do his damn job.

His woman was safe.

That was the only thing that mattered. She was quiet and possibly in shock, but she was alive. He kept saying the words over and over, but they did nothing to still the beast raging inside him. That bastard Chadwick would eventually pay.

But first Jack had to catch him. He ran through their options in his head. He needed to upload the information he had to Wesley and he really needed to track Vargas and Chadwick. As a car whizzed past them, he grabbed the small computer case and handed it to Sophie. “Just stay behind me.”

With her injured arm he didn’t like giving her anything to hold, but he needed both hands free. He made his way across the gravelly area until they stood on the edge of the highway. Despite the cooler weather and the ocean breeze, the heat from the black asphalt reflected off the road, warming his entire body.

Glancing in both directions, he said a silent prayer that someone would come along. As if on cue, a green Jeep came barreling across from the other side. No doubt coming from Key West. Jack put one foot out and waved frantically, hoping the driver would slow. As soon as the driver crossed the bridge to their side, he went past them, but slowed and did a U-turn before pulling off a few yards away.

A college-aged guy wearing board shorts and flip-flops got out and walked toward them. “Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah, my wife hurt her arm and our SUV broke down. We’re just trying to get to Marathon.” Jack hated lying to a Good Samaritan, but there was no other choice.

“I’m heading back to the mainland, but I can get you to an auto shop or something.”

Jack withdrew his weapon and pointed it at him. “Step away from the vehicle.”

The man eyed him warily but took a few steps in the opposite direction. “Are you serious, man? You robbing me?”

“You’ll be compensated. Do you have a phone?”

With his eyes on the gun, the guy nodded and reached into his pocket. “Here, man, take whatever you want.” He tossed it to Jack.

Without turning, Jack called out to Sophie. “Soph, get in the vehicle.” He could hear her moving around behind him and when she slid into the passenger seat, he walked the few feet to the driver’s side and got in.

The road was clear in both directions, so he flipped a quick turn and headed in the direction Chadwick had gone. It was odd they were heading toward the Keys instead of the mainland, but he guessed Chadwick and Vargas had already worked something out. Which meant they were leaving either by private plane or boat very soon. Though it was more likely by boat since Jack knew without even asking that Wesley had grounded all flights in the area—if not the entire state. It was protocol.

He risked a glance at Sophie, who’d been quiet. She was safe. It was pathetic but he kept looking at her, needing to reassure himself of it. “Sophie, honey, check the back and see if there’s a first aid kit.”

“I’m fine,” she croaked out.

Frowning, he looked at her again, but she turned her face away from him to stare out the window. “Sophie, you can tell me if he hurt you in some other way. . . .” His gut twisted as scenarios ran through his head. He’d gut Chadwick if he’d touched Sophie. The guy would never see the inside of a prison cell.

A light sheen of tears glistened in her eyes when she looked back, but she shook her head. “He just cut my arm. I’m fine.” Her voice was tight.

He wanted to pull over and comfort her. Pull her into his arms and make sure she understood she’d never be in danger again as long he was alive. “This nightmare is almost over, Soph. Soon you’ll be able to go back to your life.” When she didn’t respond, he frowned but decided to let it go. She’d been handed a lot of shit the past couple of days. If she needed to decompress in silence, he’d let her. “Can you turn on the computer?”

When she nodded he reached into his pocket and handed her a wireless USB connector. “Once it’s on, connect to the Internet.”

As she started pulling out the computer, he punched Wesley’s number into the stolen phone.

“Yeah?” Wesley barked into the phone.

“It’s me.”

“Where the hell are you and what the hell is going on? All of our GPS trackers have been disabled.”

“Did you get my text?”

“Yeah, Chadwick’s the mole and you’ve put a tracking device on Vargas. Does that about cover it?”

“More or less. Did you figure out which tracker I used?”

His boss snorted. “Yeah, we’re following him now.”

“Where’s he headed?”

“Straight down U.S. 1. Looks like he’s moving through Islamorada now.”

“Have you got him on satellite?”

“No, there’s a problem with the signal. For all we know, Chadwick did something to our system.”

It was highly possible. “I’m going after them. Have you sent another team?”

“They’re preparing to fly out as we speak. . . . How’s Sophie?”

“Shaken up, but she’ll be okay.” She had to be. If she decided that everything that had happened was too much to handle and she wanted nothing to do with him—hell no. Jack wouldn’t think like that.

“Was breaking Vargas out worth your career?”

He glanced at Sophie, who was staring intently at the computer screen. “Yes.”

“You might get jail time.”

“I know.”

Wesley swore loudly. “I can’t believe you did this, Jack. What the hell were you thinking?”

He was thinking Sophie was the only damn thing that mattered to him. That if he lost her he might as well put a fucking bullet in his head. He’d seen and waded through so much shit the past few years, and while some of it was hard to deal with, losing Sophie—he simply couldn’t do it again. It would be like ripping his own heart out of his chest. As they crossed one of the minibridges, Jack slowed down and pulled into a local gas station. “Hold on, Wesley.” He turned his attention to Sophie. “Can you drive?”

Again she nodded. He wanted to ask her what else was going on, but couldn’t afford to waste the time. If Vargas got away, it was more than likely Jack would go to jail. He knew Wesley would try to pull some strings, but Jack had understood the risk when he made the choice. Even so, he wanted a shot at a life with her.

They quickly switched seats. While Sophie drove, Jack pulled up the files from Chadwick and started e-mailing them to his boss. “Wesley, I’m sending you everything on the computer he gave me. From the looks of it, if these dates and names are real, we’ve got a jump on a few big hits.”

“You better pray this information is good.”

“Believe me, I am—”

“Wait, looks like they’re turning onto Coco Plum Drive. . . . Okay, we’ve got the satellite up. Hold on.”

Jack moved the phone away from his mouth. “Once we cross into Marathon, look for Coco Plum Drive. It’ll be on your left.”

“I know where it is. It leads to the city beach,” Sophie said without looking at him.

Her flat, almost monotone voice sent off alarm bells.

“You there, Jack?” Wesley’s voice came over the line.

“I’m here.”

“We’ve got a team headed your way. One chopper and we’ve notified the Coast Guard.”

“Can you link the satellite image to this computer?”

“I’ve already got someone working on that. . . . One more sec. . . . Okay, should be streaming in.”

“Got it. I’ll stay behind them. See if you can cross-reference any of those names with—”

“Jack, focus on catching Vargas. I’ll delegate this information later.”

“I’ll call you if we have any problems, but I had to steal a Jeep. Left the guy standing near the Channel Five Bridge. Can you contact the locals?” The last thing he needed was to get pulled over by a local cop.

“Done.”

Jack kept his eye on the screen. Coco Plum Drive was a few miles long. It shot south toward the Atlantic, then sharply curved back up northeast. Along the first stretch there were a few homes on the right and a thick cluster of trees on the left. After the turn, the city beach and one or two multimillion-dollar homes were the only things along the water.

A makeshift shack proclaiming to sell lobsters and shrimp was up on the left near their turn.

“This is it, right?” Sophie asked.

“Yes. . . . Shit,” he muttered as he watched the satellite image on-screen. What looked like a cigarette racing boat was moving fast toward the city beach. Exactly where Vargas and Chadwick were headed. He couldn’t allow them to get on that boat, especially since that particular type was known for being able to outrun the Coast Guard. “Speed up, Soph.”

“Don’t call me Soph anymore!” she snapped, her voice sharp as she pressed harder on the gas.

“What’s going on? And don’t say you’re fine because you’re obviously not. You can’t shut me out like this.”

She snorted.

“I’m not a mind reader. . . . Wait, follow where the road curves.” He looked back at the screen and ran through scenarios. “When we near the entrance to the city beach parking area, speed up until we pass it, then pull off about thirty yards down.” As he watched, the vehicle Vargas was in slowed and turned into the city beach parking lot. Well, parking lot was a bit of a stretch. There were about ten spaces drawn out in a badly paved area. He couldn’t see that much from the satellite view, but he’d been there before. After most of his undercover operations, he usually spent his downtime fishing and vacationing in the Keys.

With the exception of a house half a mile down the road and another house a mile down from that on the point, mangrove and palm trees surrounded the area. He’d have plenty of cover.

Though he wanted nothing more than to grill Sophie until she told him what the hell was going on in her head, he called Wesley. If he didn’t stop Vargas, he’d never get to talk to Sophie again. Or it would be from behind bars.

“Are you seeing this?” Jack asked the second his boss answered.

“Yeah. That boat is tearing through the water. Do not let them get on.”

“Am I authorized to use deadly force if necessary?”

“If you can’t bring them in alive, you have to take them out. We can’t risk either of them escaping.”

“Understood. . . . Park here.” Jack pointed to a stretch of grassy area but kept his eyes trained on the computer.

The vehicle had parked, but only one person got out. The images weren’t crystal clear, but he could see one of the men walk around to the passenger seat and pull a body from the vehicle. One man dragged the other toward a cluster of trees—with difficulty—then only one individual emerged. Jack couldn’t be sure, but his money was on Vargas being the one still alive. Chadwick had nothing to gain by killing Vargas.

Jack moved the computer to the backseat, then turned to face Sophie. “I’ve gotta go. Stay here and wait for me. If anyone comes up to the vehicle, drive away and don’t look back.”

She opened her mouth as if to argue, then snapped it shut and nodded.

Jack pulled out his SIG and after a brief scan of the area got out of the Jeep.

“Be careful.” Sophie’s soft words cut through the air as he shut the door. He paused for a brief second but didn’t turn back before rushing into the underbrush.

That speedboat was either very close or already on the shoreline. He dashed through the mangrove trees at full speed, ignoring the snapping branches and leaves hitting him in the face. When he neared a clearing on the beach, he stayed hidden in the shadows and bushes. The boat he’d seen on the satellite was cruising full speed toward the shore, ready to beach on the white sand.

Jack guessed Vargas was hiding under some sort of cover until the last moment possible. At least that’s what he’d do if he was in the man’s position. Jack glanced down the stretch of beach, thankful it was deserted. The few times he’d visited, there had usually been one or two kite surfers, but there was no wind today so the place was dead. Using the trees as cover, he inched his way closer to where the parking area joined with the beach.

As soon as the boat hit the sand, Vargas appeared from a cluster of mangroves. Jack hated revealing his position, but there was no other choice. He couldn’t wait for backup to arrive.

Weapon drawn, he rushed from the trees. “Stop where you are!” Moving across the sand was difficult in shoes, but Vargas was having the same problem.

He stopped midstride to look at Jack, then looked back toward his escape. He had twenty feet to go.

The two men with the dark sunglasses in the boat shifted slightly, so he continued shouting. “A chopper and the Coast Guard are on their way. Leave now and we have no problem.”

The men hadn’t made any sudden movements, so he’d bet his life savings they had guns in their hands. Only their heads and shoulders were visible above the dash. As they glanced at each other, the faint sound of a helicopter rent the air. They spoke for a few seconds, then reversed as if they were in a Super Boat race. The twin-engine speedboat was gone in milliseconds, leaving a raging wake in its path. Water and foam lapped against the shore.

Jack guessed it was the mention of the Coast Guard that changed their mind.

Vargas still hadn’t moved, though Jack was sure he had a gun tucked in his pants. The movement wasn’t overt, but Jack saw his hand twitch. He was almost a hundred percent sure Chadwick was dead, but he paid close attention to the parking area using his peripheral vision. “Don’t even think about it, Vargas. You’re coming back with me.”

A large vehicle out of the corner of his eye momentarily distracted him. For a split second Jack thought it was the Jeep he’d stolen. Before he could react, Vargas reached for his weapon.

Vargas swung his arm up, gun in hand, and Jack fired twice. The loud pops thundered, echoing loudly along the coast. The weapon dropped from Vargas’s hand as crimson liquid spread out like a river across his chest, lapping and twisting as it covered his entire shirt. The man hit the ground knees first, then fell onto his face.

The sound of squealing tires pulled him out of the funnel. He turned to see a Jeep—thankfully not the one Sophie was in—tearing out of the lot. No doubt whoever that was had already called the police. Even though he was sure Vargas was dead, he checked his pulse and retrieved the man’s weapon.

He’d left Sophie alone far too long. Once he was sure Vargas wasn’t breathing, Jack sprinted across the pavement, only pausing at the entrance to scan the road in both directions. His heart rate tripled when he saw the dark green Jeep still parked about thirty yards north.

When he was a foot from the driver’s-side door, she opened it and jumped out. “You’re okay?” The words came out hoarse and scratchy and her eyes were red and glassy.

“I’m fine. It’s all over.” He wanted to take her in his arms and bury his face in her neck, but he kept a little distance.

She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back against the seat. “Will I be able to see Hannah soon?”

“Of course. She’s probably still being debriefed.”

“Good.” She stared at him for a long moment, then looked down at her feet.

He could hear a chopper in the distance and knew he should call Wesley, but before she was debriefed—and he was possibly arrested—they needed to talk. “Will you please tell me what’s going on?”

Her shoulders lifted noncommittally, but at least she looked at him. “Thank you for saving my life, Jack.”

“I don’t want your fucking thanks! I want you, forever. Fuck, Sophie. I’m sorry for lying to you, but—”

“It’s not about that.” Her pretty lips pursed into a thin line as she watched him. “I just realized we feel differently about each other.”

“What?” He fucking loved her and while she might not feel the same, he knew she cared for him. She could grow to love him. Even if she didn’t, he still wanted a life with her. Wanted to see her face every morning when he woke up.

The chopper was getting louder now. Since they couldn’t land on the beach, they’d probably land in one of the empty lots across the street.

She took a step closer and placed a gentle hand on his chest. “I understand you had a difficult choice to make, and in my head, I get that you had to choose catching Vargas over saving me.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

All pretense of gentleness gone, she shoved his chest, but he refused to budge. “Chadwick had you on speaker. I know you weren’t going to trade me for Vargas until he sweetened the deal.” The pain that flashed in her eyes clawed at him, but it also pissed him off that she didn’t realize what he’d gone through.

“Are you out of your mind? I always planned to make the trade.”

She let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “Right. I owe you my life, Jack, but don’t patronize me. I heard you. I heard every word.”

He started to respond, but the familiar whop-whop of the helicopter blades was increasing in decibel and drowning everything else out. The chopper zoomed over them, then hovered across the road before landing in an empty lot.

When the engines shut off the silence was almost deafening. “Sophie, I swear, I never would have let Chadwick take you. I would cut off my own fucking nuts before I let that happen.”

She shoved her hands in her pockets but didn’t respond. Her expression made it clear she didn’t believe him.

He looked at the men emptying out of the chopper. Wesley was one of them. Though his boss was about half a football field away, Jack could tell by the set of his boss’s jaw that he was going to be taken in. Jack might not be arrested in the end, but Wesley would have to take him in, at least in front of the other men.

“Wait here a sec, okay?”

When she nodded he jogged toward his boss.

“I’ve got to take you in,” were the first words out of Wesley’s mouth.

“I know. Can you keep this from Sophie?”

Wesley’s gaze strayed past him. “Yeah, I’ll have one of the men bring her in for debriefing. You’ve got to come with me now, though.” He took Jack’s arm and led him toward the helicopter.

Jack resisted the urge to turn around. Things weren’t over between them. Not by a long shot. But if he was going to jail, he wasn’t going to bother explaining anything further to her. Until he knew the outcome of his situation, he couldn’t drag her through any more of this bullshit.