Page 88 of Aussie
“Agent Jefferson!” a voice called sharply, breaking his triumphant reverie.
Jefferson turned to see Agent Reed standing near a desk in the corner of the room. He had a look of unease on his face. “You need to see this,” Reed said, gesturing to a computer screen.
Jefferson frowned and made his way over, weaving through the swarm of agents cataloging evidence. “What is it?” he asked, leaning down to look at the screen.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
The monitor displayed an email from Judge Jarod Brown that was timestamped less than an hour ago, stating that Ava Morgan and the boy, Christian, who she was caring for, werescheduled to be at the courthouse at three o’clock for a hearing with Judge Holten.
Jefferson froze, his brain scrambling to process what he was reading. His pulse thundered in his ears as the gravity of the situation sank in.Fuck! Ava and Chrisitan were walking into a death trap.
“Somebody get VBPD on the line and have them get the courthouse,” Jefferson barked, his usual calm demeanor slipping into urgency.
He pulled out his phone and immediately dialed Derek Connors, the SEAL team commander who was working closely with their task force.
Derek answered on the second ring, his voice steady. “Agent Jefferson, what’s up?”
Jefferson didn’t waste time with any pleasantries. “We’ve got a problem. Do you know where Ava and Christian are?”
“From my understanding, they’re at the courthouse,” Derek replied. “Why? What’s going on?”
Jefferson pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting to keep his voice steady. “Get to the courthouse now. Ava is in danger. I’ve already called for backup.”
“What kind of danger?” Derek’s tone sharpened.
Agent Jefferson quickly went over the situation with the arrests of Ezekiel and Judge Brown before explaining the email that they just found on Ezekiel’s computer.
“Fuck!” Derek swore. “My team and I are on our way. We’ll also try to reach Ava.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
Jefferson disconnected the call and turned to the room full of agents.
“Everyone, listen up!” he barked. “We’ve got an active threat at the courthouse. I need all available agents there immediately. Let’s move!”
As the agents sprang into action, Jefferson grabbed his gear as his mind raced. His earlier elation was gone, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread. If they didn’t get there in time, the consequences could be catastrophic.
He pushed through the crowd, his jaw clenched as he headed for the door.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Aussie sat at the back of the classroom, staring blankly at the PowerPoint slides projected on the wall. The annual Navy-mandated substance abuse training was the same every year. It was long, boring, and delivered in the most monotone voice possible.
The instructor, a gray-haired civilian contracted by the Navy, droned on about the dangers of alcohol abuse, sounding like she’d rather be anywhere else. Aussie was right there with her.
He stifled a yawn, propping his chin on his hand. His leg bounced under the table as his mind began to wander.Ava.He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since they’d left her house that morning. The court hearing weighed on him. They still didn’t know the full details, but the fact that it involved Christian’s case was enough to keep a knot of worry in his gut.
He checked the clock on the wall, willing it to move faster.Come on, let’s wrap this up already.He hated being stuck here when all he wanted was to be by Ava’s side, supporting her and Christian through whatever the judge had to say.
Originally, they were just supposed to be briefed in the morning on a potential situation that was flaring up in the Middle East. As soon as the briefing ended, Aussie was planning to head to the courthouse to attend the hearing with Ava. But that plan was shot to hell when they were informed that they had to attend the stupid required class.
Just as his patience was about to snap, the classroom door burst open with a bang, startling everyone inside. Derek strode in, his face set in a grim mask. “Class is over, gentlemen,” he announced, his voice cutting through the monotony like a knife.
Aussie’s head snapped up, his stomach twisting. Obviously, something had gone down.
“What’s going on?” Bear asked as he was already halfway out of his seat.
Derek scanned the room, locking eyes with Aussie. “I just got a call from Agent Jefferson. That cell phone they found near Barrett and Chase’s bodies had some incriminating texts on it. The FBI just raided both Ezekiel Moore and Judge Jarod Brown's offices. Both are in police custody. One of the agents found some evidence in Mr. Moore’s office that shows that Ava and Christian could be in immediate danger.”
