Page 89 of Aussie
The words hit Aussie like a punch to the gut. His body was already moving on instinct. His chair scraped against the floor as he stood. “What kind of danger?” he demanded.
“Not sure about all the details yet,” Derek said, motioning for the team to move. “But we’re not waiting around to find out. Let’s go. I’ll explain more on the way. Agent Jefferson is already en route, and the police have been notified.”
The team began rushing out of the room, grabbing their gear as they went. The instructor, clearly flustered by the sudden interruption, huffed and puffed, clutching her clipboard to her chest. “Excuse me, Commander, but this is an important—”
Derek cut her off with a sharp, sarcastic smile. “Oh, I’m sure your lecture on the dangers of wine coolers has been riveting, ma’am. But we’ve got lives to save. You’ll survive without us.”
A few snickers filtered through the room as the team filed out, leaving the instructor sputtering behind them. Aussie followed Derek into the hallway. His heart was pounding as he ran through worst-case scenarios in his head. He didn’t say a word as he climbed into Derek’s SUV.
Derek slid into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut before starting the engine. He glanced at Aussie, his expressionhard but laced with a hint of disbelief. “You’re not gonna believe who’s tied up in all of this.”
Aussie’s jaw clenched, his grip tightening on the dashboard as they sped out of the parking lot. “Try me.”
Derek let out a sharp exhale, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. “Clint Meyers, Ava’s boss.”
Aussie’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you fucking kidding me? That guy is involved?”
“Apparently so. And if what Agent Jefferson said is true, the guy is planning on being at Ava’s hearing.” Derek muttered as he sped down the road.
Aussie’s stomach sank further as Derek’s words hung heavy in the air. This was bigger than any of them had imagined. And Ava and Christian were right in the crosshairs.
“I need to warn Ava.”
“Call her.”
Aussie pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Ava’s number. As the phone rang, Aussie prayed to God that she wasn’t in danger.
???
Ava sat on the wooden bench outside Judge Holten’s chambers. Her foot tapped nervously against the polished floor. The courthouse was busy with the usual sounds of shuffling papers, murmured conversations, and the occasional clatter of footsteps echoing down the marble halls. But Ava barely noticed. Her focus was entirely on Christian, who sat beside her, scrolling through something on his phone. He looked calm, but Ava could tell he was as uneasy as she was.
She wrung her hands in her lap, her thoughts swirling.What’s going to happen in there?The possibility of losing Christian clawed at her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Ava’s mind drifted back over the past few weeks. She thought about Christian’s laughter echoing through the house, their late-night conversations, and how he always helped her in the kitchen, even when he complained about chopping onions. He wasn’t just a kid in her care anymore. He was like a son to her in every way that mattered. The thought of that being ripped away was unbearable.
And then there was Aussie. She bit her lip, glancing at her phone.Where is he?She hadn’t heard from him since early that morning, but she knew he’d had a meeting with his Commander about a potential deployment. After that, he mentioned some mandatory class he and the team had to sit through. She hoped he’d make it in time. She needed him here. She needed his calm presence to ground her.
The sudden blare of fire alarms jolted Ava out of her thoughts. Christian looked up, his brows furrowed in concern. “What’s going on?” he asked, pocketing his phone.
“I don’t know,” Ava said, standing and scanning the hallway. People were already moving toward the exits.
“Do we need to go outside?” Christian asked.
“I think we should,” Ava said, grabbing his arm gently. “Let’s follow everyone else.”
They joined the flow of people heading toward the exits, the sound of the alarms grating against her ears. “I don’t smell smoke,” Christian said, his voice tinged with suspicion.
“Neither do I,” Ava admitted, glancing around. She didn’t see any signs of fire, but the courthouse staff were ushering people toward the doors, so she decided it was better to be safe.
Once outside, the chilly air hit her face, and she breathed deeply, trying to calm her nerves. People milled around the courthouse steps and the nearby sidewalks, talking in hushed tones. Ava and Christian moved toward the parking lot, thinking it would be quieter there.
As they descended the wide stone steps, a familiar voice called out, stopping Ava in her tracks. “Ava!”
She turned, startled to see Clint, her boss, hurrying toward them. “Clint?” she asked, frowning. “What are you doing here? I thought you were off until after the New Year.”
Clint gave her a tight smile, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his coat. “I was,” he said, glancing around nervously. “But I heard Judge Holten wanted to meet about Christian, so I decided to come by.”
“Oh,” Ava said slowly, her unease growing. She didn’t like how jumpy Clint seemed. His eyes darted around, and his posture was stiff, almost defensive.
