Page 83 of Turn the Tide
Chapter 8
Berlin, Germany
Sunday, March 6, 3:35 a.m. CET
Logan sat at the table in the safe house, holding his head in his hands. Struggling to breathe. Aching to put a fist through the wall. He’d failed to protect her, to keep her safe.
Knox held the satellite phone, updating Sanborn. Mike typed on a laptop in front of him, searching for answers, SIGINT chatter, anything to explain who had Ash. Ethan stood at the window, staring at the street as if expecting armed men to come storming in any second.
“I understand the situation,” Sanborn said over the speaker. “There are other forces at work here that you don’t know about. Sit tight. Give me eight hours, and I’ll be in Berlin. We’ll get Ashley back, I swear it. I need to go speak to the D/CIA.”
The call disconnected.
Eight hours? Ash didn’t have eight hours.
“Why does he need to speak to the director of the Agency?” Logan asked. “This is his op! What other forces are at work here?”
“I don’t know.” Knox leapt to his feet, raking a hand over his hair. “We have eleven hours left before the Agency is supposed to take further action.”
“What further action is the Company going to take?” Logan asked.
The question was a little late, but prior to this moment, he hadn’t wanted to know. Part of him still didn’t. The odds were good that body bags would be involved.
Knox shook his head, resolved not to speak on it. “You know as much as I do about what’s happening.” Glancing over his shoulder, he cast a glare that could freeze the room.
Too bad Logan was hot enough to spew molten lava. He kicked his chair back with a screech against the hardwood and stalked up to him. “If there’s something going on in Berlin, the chief of station will have intel. Find out. Or so help me God, I will set this city on fire while waving an American flag, shouting your name and CIA from a bullhorn!”
Heavy silence settled in the room, pulling everyone taut.
“All right,” Knox said finally, his face hard as flint. “Stay here. Figure out what church Ashley stashed the thumb drive in. It’s our only bargaining chip to get her back.” Grabbing a set of car keys, Knox hustled out of the safe house.
There was no way Knox would give up the thumb drive to save Ash. Pretend to, make whoever took her believe that he would, sure, but when push came to shove, he’d let Ash die before handing it over.
She’d gone rouge, betrayed the Agency. Betrayed Sanborn, the greatest sin one could commit. She was expendable.
Logan looked back and forth between Mike and Ethan. He’d not only worked with them on numerous missions, but they’d been his family. So tight that their ties had been interwoven like a web. He was godfather to Mike’s little girl, Lizzie, and had been best man in Ethan’s wedding.
These were once his battle brothers. They weren’t management. No need to play head games and toe the political line like Sanborn and Knox.
They said what they meant and meant what they said. Salt of the earth.
“Now that the babysitter is gone, who is up for helping me get Ash back?” Logan asked, cutting straight to it.
Mike and Ethan exchanged wary glances.
“Sanborn and Knox both think it’s best to wait,” Ethan said.
“What if they had Kimberly?” Logan asked Ethan. “Or Melissa?” He looked at Mike. Both men would move heaven and earth for their wives. “Could you wait eight hours? Ash is one of us. She made a mistake, yeah, but she was ready to fix it. She doesn’t deserve whatever those men are going to do to her. And you both know it.”
“You’re asking us to defy Sanborn,” Ethan said. “Oppose Knox. They’ll rip our balls off if we move without their say-so.”
Logan folded his arms. “Do you still have a pair?” He dismissed Ethan’s scowl and continued. “If we were talking about the woman you loved, I’d be there for you, guarding your six, fighting beside you.” Turning to Mike, he gritted his teeth. “Look at what I’ve given to the Agency.” He waved a hand at his face. “I’m not giving up Ash too.”
Mike rubbed his jaw. Ethan lowered his head, edging toward the table.
This was a huge request, with major repercussions if things went south. For them to even consider it spoke volumes.
“Please,” Logan said. “I’ve never begged anyone for anything in my life. But I’m begging you both: either help me find her, or get the hell out of my way when I do.”
