Page 29 of Ride Forever
Holden squinted, lowering his gun slightly. “Mason? Is that you?”
“Holden. Long time.”
“Long time? It’s been like eight years.”
I looked him over and decided he’d gotten a little fat. Someone had been on the doughnuts.
“We need to talk,” I said.
“Really? Do I need to shoot you? I’d rather not deal with the paperwork. You’ve been out a long time, so you don’t know how much red tape there are these days.”
“I’m back in the game, Holden,” I said. “I’m finishing what I started.”
He straightened up and sighed. After a moment of silent deliberation, he lowered his gun. “Don’t make me fucking regret this. I’ve got a wife and a kid asleep in that house, Mason. I will blow your brains out if you try anything, got it?”
“You’ve got a kid?”
“Don’t sound surprised. Life goes on.”
I nodded toward my car, and we got inside, making sure the interior lights were off.
“So, what’s this about?” Holden asked. “You’ve got five minutes to explain yourself, or I’m calling it in.”
“It’s nice to know that after all these years, I’m still on the FBI’s watch list.”
“Only because you disappeared. I can only imagine the shit you’ve done since you went dark.”
I held my tongue. The way I saw it, the FBI went dark on me. They didn’t care about justice for Madison when they’d left me high and dry. Though it boosted my ego to know all the shit I’d done in the name of Fortitude had gone under the radar. If it hadn’t, Holden would’ve arrested me on the spot. I’d never known a more patriotic guy than him.
“Someone I care about was arrested. I suspect it was with the influence of the Hollow Men.”
“The Hollow Men?” he scoffed. “You think they’ve infiltrated the Bureau? No, I don’t believe it.”
“The things I’ve seen since…” I shook my head. “Their influence has spread like fucking cancer. Give them enough time, and they’ll burrow right into the White House.”
“After all the work we did trying to bring them to justice, I don’t see how they could’ve…”
“Open your fucking eyes. They’reeverywhere. We’re trying to stop them, not just for our sakes but for everyone’s.”
“What’s this about Mason? Getting someone out of holding?”
I nodded. “Suspected of murder.”
“No fucking way.” Holden shook his head. “You want me to help you break out a murder suspect from a field office, for what? Because they’re important to you? It doesn’t work that way, Mason. What you’re asking me to do amounts to treason. Fuck, just meeting with you could get me arrested. I should be taking you in.”
“But you won’t.”
“I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
I curled my lip and looked away. He was right. I was a fool for coming here. They’d screwed me over once, after all. I didn’t know why I was expecting anything different.
“I can’t help you, Mason,” he went on. “It would be unsanctioned. I could lose my head over this. I can’t help you. I’m just a desk jockey pushing papers. Any clout I had at the Bureau is long gone.”
“What happened?”
“I got shot on a case a few years ago. Blew out my kneecap. I’m one step away from cashing on disability.”
“Luckily, I don’t need a fucking action hero,” I drawled. “I need information.”
