Page 45 of Harris

“Problem?” Stryker said.

Great, here we go again. Apollo needs to get his people under control.

“No problem, you misunderstand,” Hendrix said with a deep Southern drawl that reminded Woodley of people he’d met in Louisiana. “I see y’all’s family ties.”

“Family ties?” Brick asked.

“Hendrix is the resident genealogist without the DNA test, among other things,” Apollo explained. “He can see your family lines.”

“Yeah, we know we’re distant cousins or some shit,” Stryker said.

“No, man, first cousins, maybe second,” Hendrix said.

“First cousins? Doesn’t that mean one of each of our parents were siblings or first cousins?” Brick asked.

“Yeah, hold on,” Hendrix said before grabbing a piece of paper and pen from the table and quickly scribbling something on it.

Woodley couldn’t help but be curious, so he moved closer. The detective in him wanted answers.

Hendrix came back and handed the paper to Brick. “This here’s the line.”

Woodley couldn’t see what was on the paper, but it had to be shocking because Brick stared at it and looked up at Stryker, who looked just as shocked, before shoving it in his pocket.

“Thank you, Hendrix,” Brick said before he and Stryker walked away, heading straight for the temporary office set up in one of the bedrooms and shut the door.

Interesting.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Harris

As the day approached, the anticipation of the team was almost palpable. After spending long days and nights tracking this division of the Noah Group’s every move, the sense of urgency rose. The group was planning something, but they couldn’t determine what that was. There’d been arms deals going down, along with various drug dealers coming and going regularly.I guess that’s how they’re financing the operation.

It almost felt like the group was recruiting, and new faces started popping up in the background. That was never a good sign. So far, three new individuals had been appearing in the bar over the last week, and Spencer had been busy trying to identify them. If the Group felt comfortable expanding their forces, it was time to take them down before they went any further.

To that end, Gator had arrived on site. Their demolition and bomb specialist would be responsible for setting charges in the bar to destroy the Noah Group property but not the surrounding buildings. Harris had no idea how Gator would accomplish that, but he wasn’t an explosives specialist like Gator. If he said there was a way, then there was a way.

The team hoped that once they got a look inside, they could determine exactly what the group had planned before blowing it to bits. Brick had been in contact with his associates in the Navy, the same ones who took charge of the criminals from the cult, and they had plenty of room in their cells for the new arrivals. They just had to capture the fuckers.

What was more difficult to believe was that Soloman received another delivery of tequila. Harris couldn’t understand how thedude still had a functioning liver. His decision-making processes had to be skewed due to the effects of near-constant drinking. The guy was on his last legs. Perhaps that’s why the group had an elevated sense of urgency.

One bonus: Conor and Apollo got a good read on the guy living with Soloman when he came out to carry the delivery inside. It was true he was a test subject and working for the enemy, but the two had a familial relationship. Conor thought it was father and son but wasn’t entirely sure, and Hendrix hadn’t been on site to confirm it.

As for the unknown man’s ability, Apollo stated that it had something to do with energy, but that was as much as he could get from a distance. With any luck, they’d have another crack at the guy. One thing that always stood out and seemed odd was the man always wore a shirt or jacket with a high collar buttoned to the top, even in the hot New Orleans weather.

Perhaps this energy mutation messed with the guy’s ability to maintain a normal body temperature. Either way, he had much to answer for being Soloman’s lackey against people like himself who had been victimized. Then a thought occurred to him. Maybe the guy wasn’t a victim but a volunteer and wanted to be supercharged with freaky abilities? Maybe that was it.

“What’s got you thinking so hard?” Woodley asked as he entered their bedroom.

His man had only been wearing a towel since he came from the shower. Tanned skin covered hard muscles as water beads dripped from his wet hair and down his pecs.Hell, do we have time for a quickie before the final meeting to prepare to take the bar?

“Don’t get any ideas. I saw Brick heading for the kitchen. There isn’t time,” Woodley warned with a grin.

“Damn. Put some clothes on then, or I can’t be held accountable for my actions.”

“Smart-ass. So what's got you thinking?” Woodley asked as he reached for his boxer briefs.

“I was wondering about that guy with Soloman.”

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