Page 26 of Falcon
“You think I didn’t try?” Scout spat blood and brushed at his nose again. The blood still leaked in a steady drip, but was slowing. “I tried to get them to stop the raid when she called it in. Children in the compound we hadn’t planned on being there should have been enough to at least delay the start.”
“Why didn’t they?”
“Because whatever their ultimate goal, they deemed it more important. And no, I don’t know what the goal is, but staging this scale of an exercise tells me it’s not something I want to even contemplate where anyone can hear me.”
“And when everyone realized the place was on alert?”
“Again, I tried. I went so far as to disobey direct orders and got myself physically restrained. Then, after, Joilyn went dark. I got reassigned. Only, I kept an eye on the compound and established Joilyn was still there.”
“And you didn’t tell anyone? That she was alive?” I could tell Rattler was still pissed and I wasn’t sure if Scout’s explanation was helping or hurting.
“No. I had no idea what they’d do, but I knew they wouldn’t want to take a chance she’d blow the whistle on a covert CIA operation in fucking Oklahoma.”
“So you just waited. Hoping she’d contact you.”
“No, Rattler. I didn’t just wait. I contacted her. I let her know I wasn’t working through official CIA channels and that our connection was secure if she decided to trust me. It was weeks before she even acknowledged the message. When she did, she only said, ‘Acknowledged.’ All I could do was wait.”
“Christ.” Rattler scrubbed a hand over his face. I knew the feeling.
“This is way the fuck above my paygrade.” I pointed at Scout. “And fuck you anyway. You’re good in a fight, Scout. Why you workin’ for the spooks?”
“I have my reasons. But mostly it’s to find the agents they left behind. Those men and women belong at Grim Road, Falcon. Joilyn does too.”
“Not until I can be certain she’s on the up and up.” I shook my head. “Who’s to say one of those cascading agendas didn’t include you bringing her here? You may not even know it.”
“Fuck!” Scout gave a rare display of temper. I’d only met the guy a couple of times, but I knew him by reputation. Word was he was always cool under fire, so for him to have this explosion of temper, no matter how mild, told me he hadn’t thought of this. “Have I been leading them straight to former agents trying to hide?”
“We need to talk to Thorn here at Bane and Rocket at Grim.” I pulled Rattler farther away from Scout, using the distraction to diffuse the situation as much as I could. “Joilyn has to have someplace to go until she figures out what she wants. It can’t be Grim and I don’t think Thorn’ll want her here.”
“I can find my own place to stay.” The three of us turned to see Joilyn standing next to a palm tree in the yard. She was smoking a cigarette like she hadn’t a care in the world.
“Joilyn, we’ll figure it out.” Rattler stepped toward her, but she flipped her cigarette aside and turned to leave. “Joilyn!”
“I don’t need your help, Ruben,” she called over her shoulder. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Stop, Joilyn.” Rattler followed his sister. “Just come back and let’s talk.”
“Nothing to talk about. I have my life and you guys have yours.”
“There’s no reason we can’t all still be a family. I can help protect you, but you’ve gotta give me something.”
“I don’t have to give you anything, Ruben.” Joilyn’s voice was cold. Not at all like the woman I used to know. For the first time since she’d come back from the dead, I could see the real woman. The woman she’d become. “I had a job to do and I did it. Getting inside Grim Road was a pipe dream, but I was game to try.” She threw us a grin over her shoulder. “So long, guys.”
“Come on, Joi,” Rattler yelled. “Come home. We’ll figure it out.”
“Iamgoing home, Ruben.” She glanced at me and I caught a glimpse of the woman I’d left behind when I went into the Marines. Then her expression morphed into one of complete indifference.
She took off at a jog away from the clubhouse and through the gate. No one stopped her leaving. Rattler looked torn, but also resigned.
“I can’t just let my sister walk away, Falcon.”
“You can’t keep her if she don’t want to stay, man.”
“Christ,” Rattler swore and took off after Joilyn.
She was safe. At least, as long as the agency didn’t decide she was a loose end they needed to tie up. I pulled out my phone and shot off a text to Rattler. I’d support him with whatever he needed, but I couldn’t follow Joilyn. She wasn’t my problem and I had my own woman to worry about.
Chapter Thirteen