Page 25 of ELITE Justice
Then she got mad. No. She would stop their families and get the lot of them deported out of this country. She was all for helping peaceful Muslims. During her off-hours in Afghanistan, she assisted with healthcare in dozens of villages. She couldn’t count how many inoculations she’d given, cuts she’d cleaned and bandaged, or surgeries she’d helped with. She knew there were thousands of refugees in the USA fleeing the abuse and starvation from too many years of war, wanting a better life for their children.
Then there were those bent on the destruction of the American way of life. They needed to be identified and removed.
Gwen studied her computer screen. She was going to stop these men.
When the boys left ten minutes later, she never saw the Guardian men follow them. They were good. Really good.
Jonathan sat down on one side of her and Griffin on the other, saying nothing. She moved her screen so they could see.
“Holy, fuck,” Griffin whispered as she slowly scrolled through her notes.
A few clicks later, she handed Jonathan a flash drive. “At least we have a name.”
“And soon we’ll have five addresses.” Jonathan smiled at her. “Two are already being processed.”
“They live that close?” It had only been a few minutes. The possibilities of what they could do to the girls who worked for her made her shudder. She immediately instituted a new policy. No one walked out alone, no one went home alone. Hell, if she had to, she’d tap all the cops who ate there regularly to escort her employees home. This could get really ugly.
Jonathan must have heard the distress in her voice. He slid his arm over her back and pulled her toward him. He smelled like spice and man. Memories of the two of them together in bed, the way he’d wanted her, made her feel, pushed out the fear that had been building inside.
“We’re handling the situation,” he assured her.
She dropped her head on his shoulder.
A faint voice announced, “Operations to all assets, report to base.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He removed his arm and she noticed Griffin was already standing. “I have to go.”
Gwen stood, too.
He stared at her for several seconds. “I’ll call you later. Maybe we can get in a late supper?”
“We’ll see. I’m thinking you’ll be busy.” Then she added, “If you’re available tomorrow afternoon, how about a bike ride at White Rock Lake Park?”
His smile filled every corner of doubt. “Let me see if I can make that happen.”
* * *
Jonathan satdown at the small conference table with Quin, Griffin, and Stan, one of the other two assistant managers of the Dallas Center.
Alex came onto the flat screen, life-size. “Jonathan, the information you provided dovetails with what Homeland Security has. Good work.”
He should have felt proud. He was anything but. He’d used Gwen.
“Homeland has identified several possible targets and has employed Guardian to spearhead stopping the threat,” Alex announced. “Griffin, you’re in charge of training the men we discussed. I want them on the range practicing the way Katlin showed you.”
Jonathan mentally hi-fived the managing partner. Their other corporate owner, Katlin Callahan, was the Ladies of Black Swan team leader who had taught the men at Miami Guardian Center several shooting games that honed not only their gun skills, but decision making. This was going to be fun.
Alex continued, “Get them into the gym with hand-to-hand and knife skills.”
“Yes, sir,” Griffin replied.
“I’ve discussed Miss Shaw at length with the commanding general at SOCOM and he agrees that she might become a target of retribution. I want Guardian to become her shadow. Jonathan, since you seem to have established a relationship with her, you are point on that part of this mission.”
Jonathan’s heart dropped with a sickening thud into his stomach. Gwen could be in danger. “Sir, do they have credible threats against Gwen?”
“No, not by name,” Alex reassured, then dropped the other foot. “But the diner has been mentioned more than once as a place frequented by first responders…and their children. Homeland believes they are more concerned for the children, especially since police frequent this restaurant often.”
“I’ll bet that’s why the kids haven’t been there in days,” Jonathan commented. “Gwen noticed they hadn’t been around. The parents probably haven’t allowed them to stop here on their way home.”
