CHAPTER TEN

The weight of his words hung in the air. Almost every person rescued by the Fey Special Forces team had a black Vivaldi F tattooed on their right shoulder or wrist. It was a sign that they owed their life to the Fey. The team fell silent.

“Who is it?” Joseph growled.

“No disrespect meant, but that’s not my purview,” MJ said. “Lieutenant Colonel Hargreaves is my purview.”

MJ gave Alex an irritated smiled. She nodded and followed him out of the room. They went down the hall to the bathroom where MJ’s medic kit was set up.

“We talked about heels like this,” MJ said.

“I haven’t been wearing any,” Alex said. “I don’t think I can get away with not wearing them for this.”

“You can take them off and carry them in your hand,” MJ said.

“Point taken,” Alex said.

“I’m going to give you a shot,” MJ said. “But you remember what the doctor said…”

“Only one shot a day,” Alex said. “The steroids interfere with healing… and a bunch of other stuff.”

She lifted her skirt. As she had at least once a day since she’d had her last surgery, Alex bent over and grit her teeth against the pain. MJ injected her hip with a cocktail of steroids and pain medications. She stayed completely still for a moment while the steroids settled.

“I found a doctor who’s treating your very same symptoms.”

“Oh yeah?” Alex asked.

“Works with a lot of vets. I’d like you to meet with him.”

“Where is he?” Alex asked.

“Norfolk,” MJ said.

“Tell Joseph. If I can, it will go on the schedule,” Alex said.

“Yes sir.”

“We’ve got to go,” Zack pounded on the bathroom door.

“Thanks MJ,” Alex said.

“I’ll be in the Winnebago at Walmart,” MJ said.

“See you in an hour or so,” Alex said.

MJ opened the door. Alex gave him her best hooker wave and followed Zack to the door. Against the wall, a very intimidated US Army Master Sergeant stood at attention.

“Hey Darren,” Alex said. “What’s going on?”

“Sir, this creature was going to drive the Jakker to JFCOM so that he could be held hostage,” White Boy said. “He had full knowledge of the plan and still participated.”

Snarling, White Boy took a step toward the Master Sergeant.

“Permission to speak, sir,” the Master Sergeant said.

“Go,” Alex said.

“I was going to tell Captain Jakkman while we were in the car,” the Master Sergeant said. “I have a phone…”

He moved to his pocket and Trece was on him. Trece came up with a disposable phone.

“I bought that last night for Captain Jakkman’s use,” the Master Sergeant said. “I am required to do as I’m assigned or face court-martial. I’m on track for promotion this summer and…”

“I’d quit before I betrayed the Fey,” Matthew said.

“That’s just it,” the Master Sergeant said. “I’m not betraying the Fey. I’m helping. And I figured when it all went down, you could use another weapon.”

The Master Sergeant smiled at his brilliance.

“Do they know you wear an F?” Alex asked.

“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said. “I’m proud and humbled by my safe rescue by the Fey Special Forces Team. My wife and I thank God every day for you and the men.”

“They sent you because Captain Jakkman would trust you,” Alex said. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“Eniac is monitoring all of your communication,” he said. “Even the Map Phone. It’s some computer thing. That’s why no one can call you. One of my team called the Map Phone with a map correction. He was picked up in the middle of the night from his home and taken to Leavenworth, sir. I know it’s selfish, but my wife… my kids… My mom has Alzheimer’s and…”

He swallowed hard.

“I thought I could help!” he protested.

“They were going to kill you,” Trece said. “You wouldn’t have made it past the front doors.”

“Oh God.” The Master Sergeant lowered his head and pinched his nose to keep from weeping.

“If you want to help us,” Joseph said. “You will say you had to drag Captain Jakkman out of bed. He wouldn’t leave without the Lieutenant Colonel. You will refer to the Fey as ‘some hooker’. You will stop at a liquor store and buy whiskey for Captain Jakkman. You will call in a panic and tell them that when you returned to the limo, Captain Jakkman and the hooker were having sex.”

“Yes sir,” he said.

“You will drop us at the entrance,” Alex said.

“Tell them that the limo is in a mess from their ‘activities,’” White Boy said.

“Retreat to the Walmart parking lot where you will find an ancient Winnebago with a blue fairy sticker on the back,” Joseph said.

“Oh, and can you play that ‘Cult of Personality’ song?” Alex asked. “I need to learn the words.”

“Hey!” Zack faked a hurt expression.

“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said.

“What’s your name?” Matthew asked.

“Darren Rossen, Master Sergeant, US Army,” he saluted.

“Sorry we gave you such a hard time,” White Boy said. “We had to be sure.”

“I understand,” Master Sergeant Rossen said. “We need to go. Captain Jakkman is already a day late.”

Trece held the door for the Master Sergeant. The Master Sergeant pointed down the stairs. Joseph gave Zack a bottle of inexpensive John Jameson’s 7-year Irish Whiskey. Zack saluted with the bottle and took the stairs. The Master Sergeant followed Zack. Alex looked at the steps and took her heels off. Joseph gave her a tattered handbag. With a nod at their worried faces, she trotted down the steps to the limo.

“It’s like prom,” she said when she scooted in after Zack.

“I wish you’d gone to prom with me,” Zack said.

“I think things have worked out pretty perfectly,” Alex said.

Zack smiled. He moved across the limo to sit next to her.

“Why do you smell like sex?” Alex asked.

“Didn’t shower,” Zack said. “You?”

“Same,” Alex said.

“Yeah, things worked out perfectly,” Zack said.

“Would you like to stop at the liquor store?” the Master Sergeant asked.

“Can we do both?” Alex asked. “Hit one here and then another when we get there?”

“Liquor stores aren’t open until nine in Washington DC,” the Master Sergeant said. “We would have to wait.”

“Shit,” Alex said. “I didn’t check.”

“I can call in to say you and Captain Jakkman are having sex when we’re on the highway,” Master Sergeant Rossen said.

“Good thinking,” Alex said. “We have this bottle. We can skip the liquor store.”

“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said.

“We’re going to nap,” Alex said. “There’s no way to know what this day is going to turn into.”

“Hey, I thought we were having sex,” Zack said in his most indignant voice. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for…”

His head dropped back in mock sleep.

“Wake us up about ten minutes before we get there,” Alex said.

“Yes sir,” the Master Sergeant said.

“Sleep now or forever hold your peace,” Alex said to Zack.

Zack put his arm around her. He dropped his hat over his eyes and was out. She put her head against his shoulder and fell asleep.

FFF

Monday morning
October 26 – 8:42 a.m. EDT
Joint Forces Command, Suffolk, VA

When Trece had said they would be thorough, Alex hadn’t expected them to be quite as probing. The grumpy guards at the front of JFCOM all but did a full body-cavity search. She was delighted to see Jesse waiting for them near the entrance. He asked her more than once if she needed him to shock them.

“Boys, you have to pay for any more than that,” Alex giggled. “But I should be available later.”

“I want you all day,” Zack said.

“Maybe tomorrow, cutie,” Alex said and stroked the guard’s cheek. “Hey! What are you doing?”

They took her phone and tossed it into a cubby.

“That’s my livelihood,” Alex tried to get her phone from the cubby.

“I’ll be your livelihood,” Zack leered. “What do you mean you need my phone? I’m a superior officer, Sergeant! Who is your supervisor?”

Zack breathed whiskey breath on the guards. They grimaced but didn’t step back.

“It’s JFCOM standard procedure,” the guard growled. “If you look at the cubbies, Captain, you’ll see all the other phones there.”

“It’s a security risk for you to bring your phone into the building,” the other guard said. “As is alcohol. You can’t bring this in.”

The guard waved the flask of whiskey he’d taken from her purse.

“Hey! You can’t have that,” Alex reached over him for the whiskey. “That’s mine! I bought that!”

“I’m sure you’re making enough today to buy another,” the guard used his forearm to push her away from him.

“I’ll buy you anything you’d like,” Zack said.

“I do like you,” Alex said.

Zack began a tongue-probing kiss. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jesse swing the security camera away from them. Noticing the camera, the guard slipped a handheld computer into her bag. The other guard came to break up their pornographic embrace. While they fought to stay together, he slipped weapons into their hands. Jesse let the security camera track back in toward the guards’ direction.

“Sir, you disgust me,” the guard said.

“If I didn’t have to be at this meeting,” Zack said. “I’d have you court-martialed.”

“Yeah, court-martialed,” Alex pointed her index finger in the air and waved it back and forth. “No disrespecting the Captain.”

“Get them out of here,” the guard said to a waiting Sergeant.

“Right this way,” the Sergeant said. “We’re not quite ready for you. We wondered if you would mind waiting.”

“I always wait when I’m here,” Zack exaggerated his drunkenness. “Why do you think I brought entertainment?”

“Your iPod is for entertainment, sir,” the Sergeant said.

“This is more fun,” Zack wiggled his eyebrows.

“Yeah, fun,” Alex said.

Zack put his arm around Alex. His hand drifted down her chest until he grabbed her breast. She gave him a lustful look. The Sergeant couldn’t keep the disgust from his face.

“Listen,” Zack did his best imitation of an angry drunk. “I flew that bitch around all day yesterday. All day. That’s against regs! Take me here, Jakkman. Take me there, Jakkman. I need to unwind.”

“I’m the best kind of unwind!” Alex said.

Zack moved to kiss her again.

“Shall we?” the Sergeant asked.

The Sergeant took Zack’s arm in one hand and Alex’s arm in the other. He hustled them down a long hallway. They turned left, then right, and waited for an elevator. Rather than letting go of them, the Sergeant asked Alex to press the button. They went up a flight and down another hallway. By Alex’s recollection, they were close to the computer facility. The Sergeant opened a door and pushed them into a small room. Before they could say anything, the Sergeant shut the door. They heard a key turn in the lock.

Zack jumped Alex. In a great show of lust, she began taking off his clothing. She took his hat off and tossed it into the corner. The hat flew up into the air. Jesse caught the hat and lifted it up to the room’s surveillance camera. Unsure if there were other cameras, they continued their act.

Zack picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to a low table with a phone on it. She slipped across the table top to the phone. He unzipped his pants.

“Wait!” Alex said. “We need a condom.”

“Would hate for that dragon-hearted woman at home to find out,” Zack said.

He picked up her handbag and carried it to her. With the handbag tight between them, she made a show of going through it until she found a condom.

“Better get two,” Zack said.

“You are so frisky,” Alex said.

Zack started at his girlfriend Bestat’s usual joke about him. Alex gave a drunken giggle. Laughing, he dropped his pants. While he was fumbling around with his underwear, Alex took the handheld computer from her bag and turned it on.

“We need some music for the mood!” Alex said.

Zack gave her a lecherous grin and took the iPod out of his pocket. Working under the cover of his body, she plugged the computer cord in the handheld computer and held it out to him.

“The cult of personality,” Alex sang off key.

“Neon light…” Zack joined in.

He dropped his tidy whities and stepped closer to her. Alex leaned back to use her hands to prop herself up. Zack fell forward as if they had connected. His hands went past hers to set the handheld computer next to the phone. She moaned to cover the sound of Jesse connecting the handheld computer to the phone line.

“Only you can set me freeeeee,” Alex and Zack sang together.

Even though the handheld computer’s sound was turned off, it made a series of clicks. Zack grunted and Alex added some “Oh Gods.” They continued their Adult-Video-News-award-winning performance until Zack gave an exaggerated “Yippee Kai Yea” and collapsed against her. She had to press her mouth against his shoulder to keep from laughing out loud.

Zack glanced at his watch. It had been ten minutes since they had hooked up the handheld computer. Alex lifted a shoulder in a shrug.

“Good thing you brought more condoms!” Zack said.

Alex put her head back and laughed. Her pink curls shook glitter all over the room.

“Here you go, honey.” Alex gave him another condom. “You are a fun date.”

“I want to have fun…”

“WE ARE ANONYMOUS,” a computerized voice came over the loud speaker. The voice echoed through the hallway. “DO NOT PANIC. WE HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF THIS FACILITY.”

“It’s about fucking time,” Zack said. “I already used my best material.”

“STAY AT YOUR STATIONS AND YOU WILL NOT BE HARMED. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE BUILDING. DO NOT TRY. STAY AT YOUR STATIONS.”

They heard general panic outside the door. The lock on their door clicked open.

“Love the outfit, Fey,” the computerized voice said from the phone’s speaker.

“Thanks X,” Alex said.

“You can put on your clothes Jakker,” the X voice said.

Wearing only a white T-shirt, Zack yanked up his underwear. He picked up his pants from near the door and his jacket from a corner, and started to dress.

“He has such a nice butt,” a higher-pitched computerized voice said. “Hey Alex, how big is he?”

“A high-class girl never talks size,” Alex laughed. The higher-pitched computerized voice laughed.

“Funny,” Zack said. “You’re very funny. Have you seen my tie?”

“Heya Y,” Alex said. “I should have known you were there.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” the Y voice said. “Can I have your outfit when you’re done? X wants the wig.”

“Jakker, your tie is in the bin,” the X voice said.

Zack went to the trashcan to find his tie. He noticed a rip in his dress shirt and dropped it in the trashcan.

“You can have my outfit,” Alex said. “It’s the least I can do. You guys know where Ben is?”

“He’s being held down the hall from you,” the X voice said. “It hasn’t occurred to them that you caused any of this. Should we let them know?”

“Let’s get Ben first,” Alex said. “Anyone else here we should know about?”

“Not that we’ve found,” the X voice said. “We’re just finishing the system. You were right, by the way. It’s not quite a virus but more than a monitoring program. That’s why it took so long. We’ll let you know the details when you confirm control of the computer facility.”

“Fey?” the Y voice asked. “Ben is three doors to your left as you exit the room and across the hall. He has one guard with him.”

“Is he saying anything?” Alex asked.

“He’s saying something in some other language,” the Y voice said. “I don’t recognize it and our software won’t translate it. I’ll patch you in.”

“While these final scans run, I’m going to announce this to CNN,” the X voice said. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. But Fey, you acted just in time. This thing was ready to do… I’m not quite sure what, on the entire international intelligence network.”

“Here’s Ben,” the Y voice said.

Ben’s voice came over the phone’s speaker. At first Alex thought he was injured until she realized he wasn’t actually saying anything. In his garbled non-language, he was saying he was there and he believed in her. She smiled at his confidence. Then, she realized what he was actually saying.

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group

CHAPTER NINE

Monday early morning
October 26 – 3:10 a.m. EDT
Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC

Alex stood with her forehead against John’s chest in the open marble and wood-panel-lined entryway of the mansion. Her left arm was around him while he held her right hand next to his heart. With every breath, she knew she was one breath closer to saying good-bye.

“This time, don’t die,” he whispered in her ear.

She jerked back to look at his face. Their eyes sought each other, and for a moment his cobalt-blue eyes held her brown eyes. She gave a nod in response. His surgeon-trained hand put her hand back on his chest.

“Sir, Miss Emily has asked me to tell you that she, Mr. Cian, Mr. Eoin, and Mistress Amelia are waiting for you in the car,” the Butler said.

They stepped back together. Without ever breaking eye contact with John, Alex said, “Thank you.”

Still holding her hand, he picked up his backpack and walked to the open door. On the stoop, Colin was saying good-bye to his beloved Julie. John flipped around to Alex. Letting go of her hand, he held up his left ring-finger hand. She pressed her left hand into his. While their eyes held, they repeated their vows.

“I love you, John Kelly Drayson, today and every other day for the rest of this life and any other I’m blessed with. Now you.”

“I love you, Alexandra Hargreaves Drayson, today and every other day for the rest of this life and every other I’m blessed with.”

He kissed her hard and ran down the stairs after Julie. Colin, Alex, and Vince waved as the limousine took their families back to their busy lives.

“Nice of Julie to come,” Vince said.

“She saw us get out of the helicopter at the marathon and decided to find out what the hell was going on,” Colin said.

“And?” Alex asked.

“I told her,” Colin said.

“Everything?” Vince asked.

“Everything,” Colin said. “Sobriety, new job, bakery, Special Forces, hostage, trust fund – everything I could think of.”

“Wow,” Vince said. “Feel any better?”

Colin shrugged.

“And?” Alex repeated.

“She said she had to think about it,” Colin said.

“It didn’t seem like you were doing a lot of thinking last night,” Alex smirked. “You retreated to your room and never came out. Didn’t even answer when we knocked to check on you. Raz said he thought you were…”

Alex wiggled her eyebrows to finish the sentence. Blushing to the edge of his white blonde hair, Colin cleared his throat and nodded toward the inside of the mansion. They trudged up the steps.

“She had a lot to tell me,” Colin said. “She was pregnant last spring and lost the baby. We had a tough time having Paddie, so I’m not surprised. And, you’re right Alex; she’s pregnant again.”

“Aren’t you guys divorced?” Matthew asked from the bottom of the stairwell.

“I asked her about that,” Colin said. “Turns out we’re just divorced by man’s law, not by God’s law or that of the Catholic Church. Just because I’m an asshole doesn’t mean she’s going to take on a mortal sin.”

“Catholics,” Matthew shook his head. “Crazy cult.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Vince patted Matthew’s shoulder and went up the stairwell.

“What are you doing awake?” Alex asked Matthew.

“Grace woke up when you guys did,” Matthew said. “I thought I’d skip all the romantic movie good-byes and come down to figure out the schedule.”

Colin touched Alex’s arm and started up the stairwell.

“Zack will be here at 0500 with the whiskey,” Alex said. “Joseph should be here any moment.”

“Leena and Cliff report at 0500,” Matthew said.

“Where’s Joseph been?” Colin asked.

“Denver,” Alex said. “His little Alex had a big Halloween dance at his school. Joseph didn’t want him to have to go alone. He and Nancy were chaperones.”

“Little Alex took his girlfriend?” Matthew asked.

“He did,” she said. “Very big deal.”

“And?” Matthew asked.

“A good time was had by all,” Alex said. “He’ll be here in a bit with photos and details.”

“I’ll tell you, it was great to have Joseph in Denver,” Mathew said. “He was able to coordinate with Leena on nursing homes.”

“Leena will need our help moving her mother this week,” Alex said. “You’ll have to track that.”

“She’s on my list,” Matthew said. “Fey wives?”

“Since Nancy couldn’t make it, Maria, Jennifer, and their kids are here this week to help Troy,” Alex said. “I think Jen and her kids are going back tomorrow. Jen will help Troy get settled in Denver. She’s already talking to schools and therapists. Maria works for Dad. She and their kids are here until we leave. Did you see Jesse Jr. and Luis with Hermes and Hector James?”

“They are very cute,” Matthew said. “His boys are so… Troy.”

“Little charmers,” Alex said. “I think they’ll adjust. But we’ll have to take it slow.”

“And Troy?”

“Light duty,” Alex said. “We won’t know about custody issues until this evening at the earliest. It depends on how fast the criminal investigation is wrapped up.”

“When’s your pick up?” Matthew asked.

“They are sending a car for Zack at 0600,” Alex said. “He’s due at JFCOM for a 0830 meeting. It’s about a two-hour drive. You guys can catch a few more hours of sleep. I need to put a few balls in play before I get dressed.”

“Team breakfast and briefing at 0515,” Matthew said.

“Good thinking,” Alex said. “Now off to bed. We have a lot of plans in motion, but we have no idea what we’re walking into.”

“You’re going to…?” Matthew asked.

“Work,” Alex said. “Raz is with me this morning until we leave. I have a lot of phone calls to make. I’ll need help getting dressed.”

“And Troy’s stuff?” Matthew asked.

“I need to review the reports,” Alex said. “Eoin and Cian think they found something. Raz and Vince aren’t as sure, and Raz is concerned that Troy will be blamed nonetheless.”

“Why?” Matthew asked.

“Not sure,” Alex said. “See you in a few hours. Can you do reveille?”

“0500?” Matthew asked.

Alex nodded.

“Got it,” he started up the stairwell. “See you in a few.”

Alex smiled and went to her work area. Raz was supposed to meet her but she hadn’t seen him that morning. She pushed open the door and stopped short. Like walking into a wall, the wafting odor of fresh ground coffee hit her. She could only revel in the smell. Raz laughed. Opening her eyes, she saw him walking toward her with a cup of coffee.

“Where did you…?” she started.

“They had an extra machine,” Raz said. “They were willing to get up to make it for you, but I thought that was silly.”

“I may as well get as much coffee as I can in me,” Alex said.

“Before the whiskey?” Raz asked.

“Indeed,” Alex said. “You have my costume together?”

“Trece found the shoes last night,” Raz said. “He left them here.”

“Perfect,” Alex said. “What do we have?”

“Troy? Or this stuff?” Raz asked.

“One second.”

Alex held up a finger, closed her eyes, and drained her coffee cup. She felt more than saw him refill it. Without opening her eyes, she drank another cup and sighed. She pressed the warm cup against her heart.

“Ready?” he chuckled.

“Ready,” she said. “Troy, then work.”

“What were Cian, Eoin, and Jimmy arguing about last night?” Raz asked.

“What did you see?”

“I saw John break them up,” Raz said. “Cian was mad. The second John stepped away, Cian went after Jimmy with fists flying. Eoin held him back. I was just about to get involved when John stepped in again. I saw Jimmy give a real apology, but Cian was angry, angrier than I’ve ever seen him.”

“The IRA is back,” Alex said. “Or so the reports say. There’s talk that the IRA is looking for money. Jimmy’s concerned that Cian and Eoin are funneling money back to Northern Ireland. He’s not the only one. I wouldn’t be surprised if every expat volunteer gets a visit from MI6.”

“Seems like a reasonable question,” Raz said. “Why did that piss Cian off?”

“Oh…” Alex sighed and closed her eyes.

“What?” Raz asked.

“It’s the same old thing,” Alex said. “When they came, Cian and Eoin said all they needed was a chance to have the life they wanted. Cian’s furious that Jimmy doesn’t get that.”

“They’ve worked their asses off,” Raz said. “I didn’t think they’d pull it off.”

“I was skeptical too,” Alex said. “But they’ve done it. They aren’t going to blow it by sending money to the IRA.”

“They’re involved in our other little project,” Raz said.

“Exactly,” Alex said. “They want to help people, not go back to the horror and despair politely called the ‘Troubles.’”

“Seems like something Jimmy would get,” Raz said.

“Jimmy has to be sure. He’s been assigned to secure all the Kellys. He feels like it’s real prejudice. He told John later that he’s concerned for his life.”

“And the life of every Kelly?” Raz asked.

Alex nodded.

“Holy pressure, Batman,” Raz said.

“Batman?” Alex squinted and cocked her head. Raz laughed. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Sami. Why didn’t she come this weekend?”

“Work,” Raz said. “She has to defend the desperate in court today. Plus, Val’s in town.”

Alex nodded. Samantha, her elder sister, was best friend’s with a movie star. The two had been inseparable from the moment they had met at a high school beauty pageant. People who say that gorgeous women can’t be friends have never met Samantha and Val.

“Speaking of which,” Alex said. “Shall we cast aside global politics and love to dive into the intrigue and suspense of intelligence work?”

“Intrigue and suspense?” Raz burst out laughing.

“Computer research and telephone calls sounds so much more boring,” Alex said. “I’m going to…”

She pointed to the coffee pot. He nodded. She filled his cup and made another pot. When she sat down, it was time to work. The next time she looked up, Zack was standing in the doorway in his full dress uniform. He held a bottle of Red Breast Irish Whiskey and two shot glasses.

Time for a different kind of work.

FFF

Monday morning
October 26 – 5:45 a.m. EDT
Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC

“Alex?” Zack held out another shot of whiskey.

Unable to move while Max was tucking her short hair under a nylon wig cap, she held out her hand. Zack put the whiskey in her hand. Max dabbed the whiskey onto the cap.

“Close your eyes,” Trece said.

Alex closed her eyes and he flicked whiskey on her face and put some behind her ears. He set the whiskey down to pick up the bright pink curly nylon wig with straight bangs. Trece dabbed whiskey on the wig. Alex bent over and Max rooted the wig on her head. Margaret appeared with a comb to straighten out her pink bangs which covered half of her eyes. Alex batted inch-long, blue false eyelashes, which matched her cosmetic contact-lens-altered blue eyes.

“Sparkles,” Leena said.

Everyone stepped away and Leena doused her with glitter dust.

“Captain Jakkman?” Leena asked.

Zack hugged Alex and rubbed his face on her neck. While they were hugging, Leena sprinkled glitter dust over them.

“What do you think?” Alex stepped back for the team to take a look.

She flicked her short blue and green pleated schoolgirl shirt to show off the sheer pink thigh-high sheer stockings. She scooched up the pink, padded push-up bra with silicon bra inserts tucked inside to show breast flesh in the neck opening of her white see-through tank top. Trece held out an arm so she could step into five-inch clear plastic heels.

“Can you walk?” Raz asked.

Alex walked to him. The team clapped.

“I don’t think she’s disheveled enough,” Margaret said. “Hookers usually look a little more… used.”

The team turned to look at her.

“What? I used to see them in Farmington,” Margaret said. “They work across from the Walmart.”

“Not unlike JFCOM,” Trece laughed.

The doorbell rang and White Boy went out to greet the driver.

“Dishevel me,” Alex said.

“You too, Captain Jakkman,” Margaret said.

While Zack was being woman handled, Max got his hand wet with whisky and smudged her overdone make-up. Joseph and Colin tugged her here and there. Matthew reached into her bra and shifted her breast so the edge of the nipple showed.

“You must be really good friends,” Leena said.

“Went to SF training together,” Troy said from the doorway. “Confirming that I’m out but available today. The boys and I have to meet with the Social Services this morning and the DA this afternoon.”

“We’ll keep you apprised,” Matthew said.

Nodding, Troy’s entire being seemed to ache to join their action.

“You’re welcome to any resource,” Alex said.

“Thanks,” Troy said. “You look magnificent. I’d take a photo, but you’d probably kill me.”

“Let’s go over this one more time,” Matthew said. “You are breaking into the Joint Forces Command Center.”

“JFCOM,” Alex said.

“The Joint Forces Command is a combatant command center,” Matthew said. “It plays a central role in the US military’s capabilities. All conventional US forces are led through direct contact with JFCOM. The command oversees more than 1.16 million men and women and…”

“Are you reading off the website?” Zack asked.

“He is,” Alex said. “What do we need to know?”

“JFCOM is central to daily operations of the entire US military,” Matthew said. “As such, it is the most heavily guarded of any US installation. There has never been a breach of security there. Not one in its entire history.”

“And?”

“This mission is crazy,” Matthew said. “Absolutely nuts. Even for us.”

“We need to get to the center of the entire military to see if what I think is going on, is going on,” Alex said. “They aren’t going to throw open the doors and say, ‘Come on in and check it out.’”

“How do you know they won’t?” Matthew asked.

“The Admiral already asked,” Alex said.

“If we’re going to do this thing,” Raz looked from Alex to Matthew. “Let’s just get it done.”

“Trece?” Joseph nodded to the big man.

“Two of our team are working the door at JFCOM today,” Trece said. “They give you a thorough going over – body scan and search, x-ray, and hand wand. Before you leave them, make sure you each receive a weapon.”

“You’re trained to automatically check the ammunition,” Joseph said. “Accept the weapon. Do not check it.”

“Do we know how many rounds we’ll get?” Alex asked.

“Six,” Trece said.

“Bullet piercing, government issue, like you’re used to,” Joseph said.

“They will take your cell phones from you,” Raz said. “Complain bitterly. Sergeant Dusty has provided a pocket computer. You will receive that with your weapons. Look for the pocket computer. You have the cord?”

Zack took a battered iPod from his pocket and took out the head phones. He flicked an ear bud off the earphones to show a computer jack.

“They shouldn’t take that from you,” Joseph said. “But you’re going to have to pretend to be listening to music. Did you pick something?”

“Living Colour, ‘Cult of Personality,’” Alex said.

“Our song,” Zack said.

“Your song,” Max said. “Not ours.”

Alex and Max looked at each other and laughed. Raz cleared his throat. As if they were ten years old, they gave him a shameful look and laughed again. He shook his head at them.

“Can we focus on the mission drunk ones?” Raz asked.

They nodded in unison.

“Until you take over, you and Zack are out of pocket,” Raz said.

“We have you on the MI6 x-ray and infrared satellite,” Jimmy said from a computer near the edge of the room. “But we won’t have sound or clear imaging until you’ve acquired the CCTV.”

“We’ll be across the street at the Walmart,” Raz’s eyes spoke his worry. She smiled at her partner. “Vince is already there in the Winnebago monitoring communications.”

“You’ll be on your own from the moment you leave the house,” Joseph said.

“Like Dad’s wilderness training for spies,” Colin said.

“Oh God, I nearly died that weekend,” Zack said.

Alex shook her head at them. The pink wig moved a tiny bit and Max put a hairpin in to secure it.

“Remember,” Matthew said. “You are not wearing body armor. Alex, you’ve worn body armor almost every day for more than a decade. You’ve got to remember you don’t have it on and act accordingly. You too Jakker.”

“Copy that,” Zack said.

“Zack?” Joseph said. “Your cell phone.”

Joseph gave him a Blackberry.

“We tried to mimic your actual phone, so you’d be used to it,” Joseph said. “This phone has a very small explosive device in it. If you need it, it will create a sound for a diversion, but that’s about it. Alex?”

Joseph held out a cheap disposable phone.

“Your hooker phone,” Joseph said. “Both phones will be placed in a cubbyhole near the entrance. We’re planning on getting audio from your phone, Alex. Try not to break it.”

“I don’t intentionally break them,” Alex said.

“That’s what you always say and still you go through four or five a year,” Joseph said. “That’s not counting the pocket computers.”

“How is it my fault…?” Alex started.

“We don’t have time for this,” Matthew said. “Don’t taunt her. She’s been drinking.”

“Both phones are GPS-enabled,” Joseph continued. “They’re on call at the GPS Operations Center. They will help us track you. If you have to get out of there fast, grab the phones. We have no other way to track you.”

“We’ve activated your Trudy account,” Trece held out a driver’s license. “It’s expired, but that’s almost better. If they run your fingerprints, that’s what will come up.”

“How do you have a Trudy account?” Matthew asked.

“I work with Trece sometimes,” Alex said. “I’m pretty good at breaking security.”

“She’s gotten through every single time,” Trece said. “She’s a ringer. You remember Trudy?”

“Trudy is from Ohio,” Alex said. “She’s not married. Her mother’s alive, but an alcoholic. Her father’s deceased. She was a waitress last time. She’s a hooker now?”

“Service personnel on her tax returns,” Trece said. “I need your tags.”

Alex looked surprised. He pointed to her neck. She had worn identification tags for so long that she no longer felt them around her neck. Of course, John wore her Fey Special Forces Team primary dog tag and Alex wore these tags. She gave her tags to Max.

“I need a minute before you go,” MJ said. “Matthew and Joseph, you’re needed in the entryway. White Boy has their driver flat on his stomach begging for his life.”

“Why?” Alex asked.

“He wears an F,” MJ said.

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group

I’m not quite sure why, but a few people didn’t get their newsletters. In case you’re one of those folks, I just found a handy link where you can read the newsletter online. If you’re not a subscriber, please do subscribe at the link in the sidebar. I try to give away something cool in every newsletter to thank you for reading. If there’s something you long to see, feel free to let me know. You can always find me at Twitter or on the Alex the Fey Facebook page.  (I know there’s a longing to see Alex’s tattoos. All I can say is we’re working on that.) Oh yeah, you can also send me an email. I answer my own email.

Sorry for the befuddlement. We’re still learning here.

I do hope you enjoy the story!

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sunday morning
October 25 – 10 a.m. EDT
The Jefferson, Downtown Washington DC

Rebecca had been ready to hammer Elizabeth with the truth. She had all the documents, photographs and reports from Social Services. But Elizabeth didn’t need that kind of intervention. She wept at the first photo of the boys’ bedroom. Even upset, she refused to back down. She wanted to see everything. While Rebecca held her hand, Patrick went through the photographs of the house.

“I never went upstairs,” Elizabeth said through her tears. “I knew the boys were small, but Dahlia was size 0. And I…”

Patrick started on the photos of the boys and Dahlia. Elizabeth clutched each photo and sobbed.

“Hector did all of this?” Elizabeth asked. “Don’t answer that. I know he did. He used to torture flies, mice, alley cats – whatever he could get his hands on. I never allowed the children to have pets because he was so cruel. I knew Dahlia was unhappy, but I thought it was because she chose Hector over Troy. I figured she got what she deserved. But no one deserves…”

Elizabeth held up the photo of the shackles on the wall of Dahlia’s room.

“He locked her in every night,” Rebecca said. “He threatened to kill the boys if she left her shackles.”

“General, Rebecca, what am I going to do? I can’t go home,” Elizabeth said. “I won’t go home. We have no money. Mr. Jasper spent every cent of my inheritance. When the economy crashed, he cashed out my 401K. I… I may not be shackled, but I’m as trapped as poor Dahlia.”

Rebecca held out a disposable phone.

“These people are called ‘For the Friendless,’” Rebecca said. “They help women in situations like yours. The only agreement is that you must repay the money. There’s no interest. But your repayment ensures that another woman can get help.”

“If you’re ready to get help, call the number that’s programmed in the phone and leave a message,” Patrick said. “But don’t call unless you’re ready to be helped.”

“Huh,” Elizabeth took the phone and turned it over. “Dahlia had one of these. At that party, you know, at Red Rocks? Before everything happened, Troy took Dahlia away. When she came back, she had one of these phones and was… different, stronger. I was going to ask her but… She gave me one of these phones a couple months ago. I thought she was an idiot and threw it away.”

“I don’t know anything about that,” Patrick looked at Rebecca. “You?”

Rebecca shook her head. Elizabeth shivered.

“Afraid?” Patrick asked.

“Terrified, General,” Elizabeth said. “What if…?”

“Sometimes, you have to grit your teeth and move forward,” Patrick said.

“Yes sir,” Elizabeth said. “I don’t have anything. Not even a change of clothing. But…”

“Yes dear,” Rebecca said.

“I do have friends,” Elizabeth looked from Patrick to Rebecca. “Thank you. Will Gerald forgive me?”

“I don’t think he has to,” Patrick said. “He always knew what was going on.”

“I’d like to see my grandchildren,” Elizabeth said.

“Troy’s with the police this morning,” Patrick said. “With their mother dead, it’s really up to him as to who sees the boys.”

“Oh God, what will I say to Troy?”

“You’d be surprised how far ‘I’m sorry’ goes,” Rebecca said.

“I’ve rented this room for a week, Elizabeth,” Patrick said. “If you’d like to stay here and get oriented, you’re welcome too.”

“Thank you,” Elizabeth said. “You’re in the city for a while?”

“We’re here until the kids leave,” Rebecca said. “Why don’t I call you later and see how you are?”

“I’d like that,” Elizabeth said.

“Should I leave these?” Patrick asked.

“No,” Elizabeth said. “I won’t ever forget. Ever. Thank you.”

Patrick put the photographs and reports in his briefcase. He and Rebecca hugged Elizabeth good-bye. They were in the elevator when he asked:

“What do you think?”

“She’ll either call Jasper and return to her life or use the disposable phone,” Rebecca said. “She already destroyed one phone. Who knows?”

“I’m sorry, Becky,” Patrick said. “I had to try.”

“That’s what I love about you, Paddie,” Rebecca said.

“She might take the chance,” Patrick said.

“She might.”

Unable to come up with words to soothe her doubt, Patrick gave her a curt nod.

FFFFFF

Sunday morning
October 25 – 10:00 a.m. EDT
Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC

“This is an interesting turn of events,” Eoin McKinney said in Ulster Gaelic. The sound of his rich Irish voice echoed off the marble.

“Can you believe this crap?” Cian Kelly replied in Ulster Gaelic. “They whine and whine and whine about how they work so much while they’re here in Washington DC. And here they are! Living like proddies on a government contract.”

“May I bring you something while you wait for Mr. Rasmussen?” the butler asked.

“I’d love some tea,” Eoin said in Ulster Gaelic.

“Sir?” the butler asked.

“He’d like some tea. I’d like some as well,” Cian said in English. “Preferably an Irish breakfast, a wee bit of cream, and a scone or two if you have them.”

Eoin smiled.

“As you wish,” the butler gave a little bow and retreated to the kitchen.

“Did you see that?” Eoin asked in Ulster Gaelic. “He bowed.”

Cian nodded to Eoin. They shared a look that celebrated their brilliance for taking Alex up on her request for their help.

“Gentlemen?” Raz asked. “Plotting?”

“We just ordered tea and scones,” Eoin said.

“And he went to get it,” Cian said.

“Do you think he’ll really get…?” Eoin started.

The butler appeared with a tray of scones, fresh fruit, a small thermos of coffee and a pot of tea.

“Shall I deliver this to your work area?” the butler asked Raz.

“Please,” Raz said.

Eoin and Cian watched in awe as the butler retreated down the hallway. With a hand on each of their shoulders, Raz pushed the men down the hallway.

“Thanks for coming,” Raz said. “I didn’t expect…”

“Miss Alex asked us to help,” Eoin said. “We’d do anything to help a friend.”

“Plus Eoin’s missus is a little ‘fragile’ right now,” Cian said.

“Fragile?” Raz asked.

“Not to defame her or anything,” Eoin said. “She’s really a lovely person but…”

“She’s a wee bit angry,” Cian said.

“Eight months up the pole and mean.” Eoin gave a dramatic shiver. “Had to get out of town before she castrated me in my sleep.”

“Who’s taking care of the bakery?” Raz asked.

“Colin hired some nice Yanks to help out,” Cian said. “They’re watching the shop for the day.”

“And Maggie?” Raz asked. “Alex will kill you in your sleep if you put her in a kennel.”

“Kennel?” Cian asked. “We’re not barbarians!”

They both looked shocked and misunderstood. They made a show of not looking at Raz while they completed the journey to the room he was working in. Used to their antics, Raz chuckled under his breath.

“Hey, Troy’s going to bring his boys home,” Raz said. “Will that be a problem?”

“We love boys!” Eoin said. “I’m hoping the missus has a boy!”

“So you’re all right with Troy bringing his boys home?” Raz asked.

“Sure,” Cian shrugged. “They can play with Fionn.”

“Fionn?” Raz asked.

“Fionn’s not so much of a boy, Cian,” Eoin said. “He’s seventeen. Passed his O-levels and everything. You forget.”

“Seems like a kid to me,” Cian said.

“Fionn who?” Raz asked.

Seeming to hear Raz for the first time, the men looked up at him and shook their heads in unison.

“No one,” Eoin said.

“Didn’t you have something for us to look at?” Cian smiled and patted Raz’s shoulder.

“Miss Alex said you needed our help,” Eoin puffed his chest out as if with pride.

“John’s sister Rita has a son named Fionn,” Raz said.

“She does?” Cian asked. “I can’t keep track of all the nieces and nephews.”

“Kellys breed like Australian bunnies,” Eoin said.

“Or McKinneys,” Cian said.

The men looked at each other and laughed. Raz glanced from Cian to Eoin. Seasoned IRA volunteers, Cian and Eoin retreated to this inane juvenile act when they didn’t want to be questioned too closely.

“Is there a video or something important you want us to do?” Cian asked.

“Over here,” Raz said. “Troy’s father is saying that Troy set the explosives.”

“Like Troy knows how to set explosives?” Cian laughed. “The boy can barely tie his shoes. He’d have blown his head off.”

“Like your da,” Eoin said in Ulster Gaelic.

Cian and Eoin laughed. Shaking his head to clear it of their nonsense, Raz looked into Cian and Eoin’s bright faces.

“We’re hoping we can find footage of someone setting the bombs,” Raz said. “The footage is…”

“Can we see the explosion first?” Cian asked. “Then we’ll know what we’re looking for.”

“Do you have a diagram of the house?” Eoin asked. “I can draw one up lickety split if you don’t.”

Raz held up a diagram.

“Did our protégé Hutchins take a look?” Cian asked.

“He went out with the FBI,” Raz said.

“Do you have his report?” Cian asked. “He’s very good.”

“Trained by the best,” Eoin said.

“That would be us, in case you wondered,” Cian said.

Not trusting himself to respond, Raz held up the report.

“Good,” Eoin said. “Show me how to work the controls and give us a few minutes. We have to sort what the explosion looked like first. Do you have one of those boards Alex uses?”

“A white board?” Raz asked.

“Right,” Cian said.

“I’ll ask,” Raz said. “Just so I’ve got this straight. You’re saying Rita’s son Fionn came to live with us.”

“I said no such thing,” Cian said.

“I don’t know where you come up with this stuff.” Eoin mimicked Raz’s tone.

“Americans,” Cian shook his head in mock disgust. “You all have such fantastic imaginations.”

“But Fionn is taking care of Alex’s puppy Maggie,” Raz said.

“Maggie would be very offended to hear you call her a puppy,” Cian said. “When do we get the white board?”

“We can’t start without it,” Eoin said.

“Are you supposed to be running…” Cian said.

“Pacing, he’s supposed to pace,” Eoin said. “Just one stage because of his bad back.”

“Yes, pacing my baby brother?” Cian asked. “We rushed all the way here so that you wouldn’t miss it.”

“Our Johnny will be crankier than the missus if you’re not there to help,” Eoin said.

“Just have the white board sent down on your way out,” Cian said.

Raz opened his mouth to say something, shook his head, and chuckled.

“Have fun,” Eoin raised his hand and waved to Raz on his way out of the room.

FFFFFF

Sunday morning
October 25 – 10:20 a.m. EDT
Over the Pentagon, Washington DC

“Alex, I thought you got permission to land at the Pentagon,” Zack said over the intercom.

Flying fast toward the Marine Marathon route, they had already picked up Troy and his lawyers on their way to the marathon. They’d planned a grand entrance. Once again, their plans fell through.

“I did,” Alex said.

“They’re being fussy today,” Zack said. “They said something about a new intern and something else about paperwork.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Alex repeated John’s favorite expression.

“What does Royce say?” Troy asked. “He was on permissions and paperwork duty.”

“Royce is running today,” Zack said.

“I patched him on the line,” Sergeant Dusty cut in on the line. “He’s just behind John, Max, Matthew and Raz at mile twenty-two.”

“Everything was cleared, and every piece of paper was filed, Olivas,” Chief Petty Officer Royce Tubman said. “And I’ve been running for a couple of hours.”

“What’s your point?” Zack laughed.

“All I’m saying is that everything was golden when I started this race,” Royce said. “And I’m not the one gallivanting around the country.”

“That’s a little insubordinate,” Trece growled.

“You’d know,” Royce said.

“You wound me,” Trece sniffed. “I’d have thought you’d be grateful to your fitness trainer that you can walk, let alone run.”

“I worship you like a God, Andy!” Royce said. Trece laughed at him.

“Can we get back on track?” Alex asked. “Zack needs somewhere to land.”

“Who’d you piss off?” Royce asked.

“Piss off?” Alex laughed. “Me? I had breakfast with an old friend.”

Zack, Cliff and Trece laughed.

“Wasn’t me,” Troy said. “This time. I was with the police.”

“The rest of the team is either working on post or waiting for us at the finish,” Royce said. “Olivas was with the police. That leaves you, sir.”

They laughed.

“Alex?” Zack asked. “We’re not going to have time to land.”

“What about the cemetery?”

“The Army’s being cranky,” Zack said.

“The Army?” Alex asked.

“They don’t want to deal with our show boating at Arlington National cemetery,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Plus…”

“They’re squawking about an intern,” Zack said.

“What intern?” Alex asked.

“We have a new intern,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Two really. The Pentagon is playing hardball because they say you’re refusing another intern.”

“Am I?” Alex asked.

“I am,” Sergeant Dusty said. “These interns, sir. They…”

“Are they frat boys like Flagg?” Zack asked.

“No sir,” Sergeant Dusty said.

“Navy?” Alex asked.

“Hey!” Royce laughed.

“No sir, they’re from the 10th Special Forces. I’m to remind you that the Fey Special Forces Team was a part of the 10th,” Sergeant Dusty said. “My home team.”

“Oooh that does sound pissy,” Alex said. “Even for them.”

“They want us to take the interns,” Sergeant Dusty said.

“How bad can they be?” Trece asked.

“What does Joseph say?” Alex asked. “It’s really up to him and Mattie.”

“Major Walters said it’s up to you,” Sergeant Dusty said. “But sir…”

“Why don’t we test him out?” Alex said. “Tell him to meet us at mile twenty-four.”

“Them sir,” Sergeant Dusty said.

“Whatever,” Alex said. “We were ordered to make a grand display. Can’t do it if we can’t get there.”

“Uh oh,” Royce said. “I’m out before I hear whatever is coming next.”

“He’s so sensitive,” Troy laughed.

“What are their names, Sergeant Dusty?” Alex asked.

“Sergeant Pete Beetle and Master Sergeant Bill Bailey,” Sergeant Dusty said. “But sir…”

“Beetle and Bailey?” Trece laughed. “Really?”

“Sir,” Sergeant Dusty said. “I don’t think you’re going to want to…”

“I trust you completely,” Alex said. “But sounds like we don’t have a choice.”

“Again,” Trece said.

“The Army goes rolling along,” Alex began to sing the Army song.

“Oh no,” Trece shook his head. “No, no, no, no, no.”

Troy’s Army JAG lawyer, Captain Tyler, joined Alex’s song: “Proud of all we have done.”

“Fighting till the battle’s won,” Troy joined in.

“And the army goes rolling along,” they sang together.

Over the intercom, Zack blasted the Army Song in a loop while Trece moaned.

“When you’re done, sir,” Sergeant Dusty said.

The song abruptly ended.

“I remind you that you have air clearance,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Slight wind out of the East, otherwise, you shouldn’t have much trouble.”

“What are you doing?” Hawkins Mac Alister asked Alex.

“We’re going down by wire,” Alex said. “We have clearance to fly but no clearance to land.”

“We plan for everything,” Trece said.

“You want to run with us?” Alex asked.

“Sure,” Hawkins Mac Alister said.

“You’ve got to wear the gear,” Alex said.

“You have shoes in there?” Army JAG Captain Tyler said.

“Of course,” Troy said.

Trece threw shorts and the light blue Fey shirts at the lawyers.

“You running?” Trece asked Troy.

“Sure,” Troy said.

“What about your feet?” Alex asked.

“What about them?” Troy asked.

“There’s shit storm coming in our direction,” Alex said. “I’d rather have you healthy.”

Troy gave a nod and continued dressing.

“That’s an order,” she said.

“I’ll meet you at the finish line,” Troy said. “Need my gear.”

Knowing the cost of giving up this run, Alex touched his shoulder. He smiled at her.

“The boys are at the finish line,” Troy said.

“They’re waiting for you, sir,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Captain Blanco, Sergeant Scully and Sergeant Peaches are with them as well as Erin Hargreaves, the General and Mrs. Hargreaves.”

“Sounds like a party,” Alex said. “Everyone ready?”

“What does ‘going down by wire’ mean?” Hawkins Mac Alister asked.

“It’s pretty straight forward, Hawkins,” Captain Tyler said. “If you go first, you just clip in to the wire and get lowered. Remember to wear gloves – the wire’s a killer.”

“I’m going down with the Lieutenant Colonel,” Trece said. “Captain Tyler can go down with you or…”

Much to everyone’s surprise, Hawkins Mac Alister nodded. He got up and changed his clothing.

“You don’t have to do this,” Troy said.

“It sounds like fun,” Hawkins Mac Alister said. “I think you can understand this, Captain Olivas. I’ve never had a chance to do this kind of thing. I’ve always wondered what it would be like.”

“I wanted to do the action and not just plan it,” Troy said.

“Exactly,” Hawkins Mac Alister said. “My kids will be thrilled.”

“We tape from the helicopter,” Alex said. “I’ll send you a copy.”

“And it’s all right if we seem like we’re on the team?” Captain Tyler asked. “It feels kinda arrogant to pretend.”

“No one knows who’s on the Fey team,” Trece said. “It’s part of our gig.”

“Sir,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Sergeant Beetle and Master Sergeant Bailey are waiting for you at mile twenty-four.”

“How will I know them?” Alex asked. “Switching to satellite phone.”

She took off her headphones. She waited a moment for Sergeant Dusty to call. Once on the line, she waited through a series of clicks until she was connected to Zack’s feed.

“You won’t miss them,” Sergeant Dusty said.

“Who?” Alex asked.

“Sergeant Beetle and Master Sergeant Bailey,” Sergeant Dusty said.

“We’re there,” Zack said.

“Glasses!” Alex said.

Trece tossed a pair of dark Ray-Ban Wayfarer glasses to Hawkins and Captain Tyler. He opened the helicopter door and let out the wire line. He took care to hook Hawkins in while Troy hooked Captain Tyler on the other line. Hawkins Mac Alister looked terrified but never said a word. While the helicopter hovered, the men were lowered to the middle of South Rotary Road. Troy helped Alex hook onto the line. Trece took the other line.

“Ready?” Troy asked. Trece went down the line.

“You sure you can make it?” Troy asked. “The new hip has never been right.”

“It’s not the ball of the hip, it’s the entire joint socket,” Alex said. “The joint is inflamed.”

“Still,” Troy said. “I can go down with you.”

“Nah,” Alex said. “I got this. See you at the finish.”

With Trece holding the bottom of the wire, Alex slid down.

“Do you see them?” Alex asked as she took off her gloves.

“Behind you,” Troy said over the feed.

Alex turned to look and waved to John, Max, Matthew and Raz.

“Why is there a dog on the course?” Alex asked. “Man, if I’d known we could bring dogs, I’d have brought Maggie. I hate that she has to stay home.”

“That’s Master Sergeant Bailey,” Sergeant Dusty said.

“What is?” Alex asked.

“Our new intern is a real dog,” Trece laughed.

“Our new intern is a dog,” Alex said. “They want me to train a dog?”

“Technically, he’s a Belgian Shepherd, sir,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Master Sergeant Bill Bailey is a decorated veteran. Sergeant Beetle is his handler.”

“We’ll straighten this out, right?” Alex asked. “What does Gordon say?”

“He was unaware of the assignment,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Something happened – I’m not sure what, but I’m tracking it down – and Sergeant Beetle was assigned to our team.”

“The dog is coming over,” Alex said. “The Sergeant is saluting the civilian lawyer Hawkins.”

Trece laughed. John, Raz, and Matthew came up behind them.

“That was quite an entrance,” John said as he ran up.

“Create a memory,” Alex said. “That’s me.”

“Yes, my love,” John said. “Shall we?”

Alex began running beside him. Max ran on his other side. The rest of the men fell in around them.

“Who’s the dog?” Matthew asked.

“Our new intern,” Alex said.

“No fucking way,” Matthew said.

“Way,” Trece said. “Better go talk to the boy. He’s saluting the lawyers.”

Matthew jogged to Sergeant Beetle and Master Sergeant Bailey. The Sergeant saluted Matthew. Matthew pointed to the group, and the new interns fell in. The entire group ran as a unit toward the finish. John, Max and Matthew picked up speed in the last half mile and finished fast. Amid wild cheers from men and women who recognized them, Alex and the motley crew followed them through the finish.

Trece and White Boy shuttled Alex and Max through the crowd. Alex took the wire up to the helicopter, followed by Trece and White Boy. Within minutes of crossing the finish line, they were settled into the passenger compartment.

“Where to, my Fey?” Zack asked.

“Sheridan Circle,” Alex said. “We have a party to get started!”

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group

 CHAPTER SEVEN

“Benjamin is with a group of people who want to lure you to him,” he said. “Last I heard, he told them you would kill every one of them.”

“How do you know?”

“He called me,” the man laughed. “The idiots gave him a phone, thinking he’d call you. He left me a voicemail in Gullah. Then he called Claire to chat in French about details of Gerald’s christening. I called him back and we had a lazy conversation in French about the christening. Are you going?”

“To the christening? I hope so. Depends on this mess,” Alex said. “You?”

“If I can make it,” he said. “I’m definitely going to your father’s retirement party in January. That’s going to be a wild weekend.”

“Ben left you a message in Gullah?” Alex asked. “Original or modern?”

“Original. What the hell is ‘modern’ Gullah?” he laughed. “Do they really not know how this game is played?”

“It’s all computer codes, facts – whatever that means at any given moment – and details,” Alex said. “They’re probably working themselves into a lather trying to decode the Gullah right now.”

“They’d have to find some government-friendly old slave,” he looked around. “I don’t think they exist.”

“You heard about our funding issues?”

“Who hasn’t had funding issues?” he asked.

“They tell me the game has changed.” Alex indicated to her lawn chair. “From where I sit, it’s the same old game with a lot of fluffy technology layers on top like a Cool Whip stain on a homemade ice cream sundae.”

“I never had a taste for Cool Whip,” he said. “Nothing beats Mammy’s whipped cream.”

“Or her Gullah,” Alex laughed. “I keep thinking I should introduce her to Cian. That’s a match made in heaven.”

“I doubt the world would survive such a monumental match,” he laughed. “Maybe next time we’re in Denver, we’ll stop by.”

“Is Ben in trouble?” Alex asked.

“Nah,” he said. “I’d have gotten him if he was.”

He set the Bentix down and tossed his cigarette butt into a rusting coffee can in the corner. He began to whistle a nameless tune and bent over the engine. For the next ten minutes the odor of grease combined with the cigarette smoke to create a backdrop for the rhythm of his socket wrench and tune. He lit another cigarette.

“Glad I still have that rolling machine.” He looked at the end of his cigarette and squinted at Alex. “You’ll have to bring some to Ben.”

“He quit,” Alex said.

“Uh huh,” he laughed. Setting the cigarette down again, he leaned over the car engine. “You remember the little twerp that was hocking computers to JFCOM maybe fifteen years ago?”

“Joint Forces Command? Twerp?” Alex blinked her eyes. “Well I’ve never heard of such treasonous blasphemy.”

He laughed.

“Oh come on,” he said. “You’ve got to remember. They asked you to go head-to-head with his fancy computer program. You whooped his ass. He did an ‘upgrade’ to ‘fix his oversight.’ They asked Max to come in; he finished the problem two hours before the computer.”

“Max and I went in together; separate rooms about a year later,” Alex said. “We both beat the computer by more than an hour.”

“Ninety-six minutes,” he laughed. “It’s one of your father’s favorite stories.”

“They went ahead and bought the computer systems, programs, and a fleet of programmers to go with it,” Alex said. “Spent a fortune. Bought everything the little twerp suggested and set him up as the head of their program. I’d have to ask the last time Max went in to test it. I refused to go after that.”

“It’s an entire division now.” He shrugged. “Gives them something to do.”

“I guess,” Alex said.

He lifted the carburetor off the engine and walked to the bench.

“Why are we talking about the twerp?” Alex asked.

“He’s been promoting hostage retrieval using drones…”

“I know, I know,” Alex raised a hand to block the flow of nonsense. “Cheaper and easier, less damage and drama than a entire team, blah, blah, blah. I’ve heard it all.”

“We live in put-up-or-shut-up times,” he said.

Alex gasped. He nodded. He carried the Electroinjector to the vehicle.

“That’s why Larry and Heath and….” Alex pressed her hand against her heart. “Who else?”

“None of my generation or your father’s,” he said. “Wouldn’t do it. Said it was stupid. But yes, he stacked the deck with people you’ve trained.”

“Where are they?” Alex asked.

“No one seems to know,” he said. “Once they went missing, our twerpish friend disappeared with all the information. JFCOM called in their best people, and they can’t figure out what he did.”

“Why didn’t they just call me?” Alex asked. “I’m on the payroll.”

“Would you have called you?” he laughed. “After you’d stopped laughing and taunting them, you’d have told everyone what’d happened.”

Alex smiled, and he laughed.

“Your father would have had a field day,” he said. “And…”

“Okay, okay, I get the picture,” Alex said. “How many teams? How many men?”

“In the US? We think eight US military teams of twelve, with an emphasis on ‘we think.’ There may be more. A few of our allies sent a teams – the UK, Spain, India, Italy, Greece, none from the Far East. In fact, it’s kind of weird how some allies sent teams and others didn’t.”

Focusing on his thought, he looked off in the distance and took a drag on his cigarette.

“Dom’s poker buddies,” Alex said.

The man’s eyes shifted to look at her. Dominic Doucet, her uncle, was the head of French Intelligence. His eyes drilled into her.

“Dom hasn’t said anything to me,” Alex said. “I only know Dom’s in a poker game with the heads of a lot of our allies’ intelligence groups. They play poker online a couple of times a month.”

“Who?”

“Uh, Japan, the Philippines, China, South Korea,” Alex said. “Ben and Dom’s dad worked for intelligence in Asia when they were kids.”

“Australia?”

“Sure,” Alex said. “Turkey and a few others. They use the game to keep tabs on each other. There are others and they rotate. We’d have to ask to get the whole list.”

“That would explain it. Dominic Doucet flat out refused to entertain the conversation. He said it was stupid. He caused a big stink. But he was right, of course. If he was in contact with these other countries, he would have told them not to send people.”

For all the previous moment’s cheer, this man’s voice became angry and dangerous.

“It was to be a grand display of the power of the United States Information Systems. They were all to extract on the same day, same hour. Your boy Flagg and that Marine Walker protested but were overruled by Eniac; that’s what the twerp goes by now. Eniac.”

“Eniac?” Alex asked. “Huh.”

Looking up from the engine, he raised his eyebrows expectantly. Seeing that Alex had retreated into thought, he returned to the engine. After years of researching the Electroinjector, he installed it with ease. He leaned back to admire the beautiful symmetry of the engine, just as it was planned and manufactured.

“Would you like to see?” he asked.

Alex jerked at the sound of his voice. He laughed.

“Eniac was one of the men in the group of Fey-haters that formed last year,” Alex said. “I knew every one of them and even had some sense of why they hated me. I could never figure out who he was. I thought the twerp got Lasik.”

“He did.” He lit another cigarette. “He wears those glasses as a kind of disguise. You know, he’s such a spy.”

He and Alex laughed.

“You wanna help find these guys?”

“I don’t think you’ll need it,” he said. “But you better act soon. JFCOM’s pretty desperate.”

“Desperate enough to pay Eniac to find the teams?”

“Anything he asks. And I mean anything.”

“You mean including my disposal,” Alex said.

He gave a curt nod. Alex grimaced.

“But you have to ask yourself…” He tossed another butt into the can and lit a fresh cigarette. He added a smoke-filled, “Did Eniac lose the teams so he could find them?”

“You mean rather than finding real hostages, he made up a bunch so that he could find them himself?” Alex shook her head. “How?”

“How would you do it?” he asked. “Start there.”

“That’s why they took Ben,” Alex said.

“It’s a way of calling you without having to pick up the phone,” he said.

“Pick your friends…” Alex started.

“And don’t let them pick you,” he finished. “Shall I start her up?”

Alex nodded. He went around to the driver’s seat and turned the engine over. It took a few tries before the engine caught with a roar. He got out, closed the hood, and returned to the driver’s seat. With a wave to Alex, he drove out of the garage. Alex sat in the sunshine for another minute before walking toward to the house.

Zack was in the vegetable garden chatting with the man who had pretended to have a bum leg. He waved to Alex and followed her into the house. Well-fed and well-amused, she found Trece and Cliff waiting for her in the kitchen. Mammy had prepared a sack of food for them to take on their journey home. She’d even stashed some cigarettes for Mr. Benjamin if Alex should happen to see him.

“You tell your poppa, if he runs out of things to do, Mammy has plenty of work for him,” Mammy laughed.

“I’ll tell him,” Alex said.

“I hear you talked some sense into Becky,” Mammy shook her head. “Nice girl your mom, when she’s not so stuffy.”

Alex smiled and took Raz’s gift for Mammy from her backpack. She placed a notebook-sized package wrapped in brown paper into Mammy’s hands. Mammy’s eyes reviewed Alex’s face and then turned over the package. Mammy gave Alex one more glance before using a kitchen knife to cut the tape holding the brown paper together. The paper fell open to reveal a beautifully framed photograph of Mammy’s mother and father. Dressed as if for a ball, her mother was laughing and leaning into her father. Her father’s arm was draped over her mother’s shoulder. His head was forward as if he had just told a joke. After all these years, the love between them was palpable. Mammy looked from the photo to Alex and then back at the photo. Holding her breath to keep from weeping, Mammy nodded to Alex.

“I’ll see myself out,” Alex kissed her cheek and followed the men to the car. She was halfway down the walk when Mammy yelled:

“See you soon!”

Wondering what that meant, Alex gave her a big wave and stepped into the Bronco after Zack. They took off at a fast clip.

“What was that?” Zack whispered to Alex.

“Mammy’s parents worked in intelligence during World War II,” Alex whispered. “They were lost in Russia after the war – no trace – when Mammy was a baby. She never had a photo of them. Raz unearthed a photo and made a copy for her.”

Not knowing what to say, Zack could only nod. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, they were back at the dock. Before she left the Bronco, Alex set a manila envelope with Jesse’s sketch of Dura-Europas on the bench seat. She jogged to the speed boat. They took a quick trip to the Marine Air Base Station. After more than one “You sure we don’t need to report those amazing biscuits?” from their Navy SEAL guards, there was a round of blushing, saluting, and a short drive back to the helicopter. In their absence, the helicopter had been washed and fueled by a group of the Jakker’s fans. With a wave to Zack’s fans, they hopped back into the Pave Hawk. The helicopter was warm and ready to go. Zack and Cliff made quick work of their safety checks and they were airborne.

“Where to, my Fey?” Zack asked over the intercom.

“Troy’s drop off at Dahlia’s,” Alex said.

“Enjoy your nap,” Zack said. “I’ll wake you before we land.”

“Thanks,” Alex said. “Are you going to the reunion?”

She waited a moment for Zack to disconnect the helicopter’s speaker system from recorders and command.

“Go,” he said.

“Are you still going to JFCOM tomorrow morning?” Alex asked.

“Yeah. Why?” Zack asked.

“I’ll go with you,” Alex said.

“Sure,” Zack said. “Like I said, I don’t know what they want. They wanted me to go in today, but I was flying today. All day right?”

“Tomorrow morning is perfect,” Alex said.

“Going online,” Zack said. “I hate those fucking reunions Alex. You know that.”

“Thought you might change your mind,” she said.

“Not a chance,” Zack said. “Now get your nap and stop badgering me about this high school crap.”

“Yes sir,” Alex said.

She closed her eyes and was out.

FFFFFF

Sunday morning

October 25 – 9:20 a.m. EDT

Fredericksburg Police Station, Fredericksburg, PA

“My brother was always a kind of… evil genius,” Troy said. “Even when we were kids, he had this capacity to strike hard at your most sensitive spot in such a way that no one knew it had happened. Even when it happened, you’d wonder if you’d hurt yourself.”

“Can you give us an example?” Army CID Agent Snypes said.

“Well, like marrying Dahlia,” Troy said. “I spent years wondering what I had done wrong and hating myself for taking her back every time. My self-loathing spurred a decade of self-destructive behavior. I thought she had married him because of something that was wrong with me or something I had done. But, it was Hector who made it happen. All that time, all that self doubt, and it turns out that Hector was pulling the strings. He really and truly despised me.”

“Anyone with a television can see that your father shares the sentiment,” Detective Young said. “Any idea why you’re the object of their…”

“Hatred?” Troy filled in the question Detective Young left hanging in the air. “I got away. When I was ten, I started going to adventure camp in the summers. I made a lot of friends, who I spent afternoons and weekends with during the school year. I mean I was under Hector’s thumb every moment of every day until the day I left for camp. When I came back, I just wasn’t around enough for him to exert his will. And then I betrayed them completely by joining the Army.”

“Why marry Dahlia?” Detective Young asked.

“Dahlia said that marrying him was a perfect storm,” Troy said. “She wanted to hurt me. He wanted to hurt me. Once married, he could hurt me through her every day. He told her that he had a number of military contacts. If she didn’t stay with him, he would have me killed. She left him once, and a few days later I was shot; flesh wound in the shoulder – nothing serious. But he told her he had me shot, and if she didn’t return to him, he would have me killed.”

“Did he have you shot?” Army CID Agent Snypes asked.

“I don’t know,” Troy said. “My CO doesn’t think so, but Dahlia believed him.”

“Why not hurt you more directly?” Detective Young asked.

“You mean rather than rip the heart out of me and launch a decade of self-torture?” Troy asked. “Why bother doing the work yourself when he could get me to do it for him? That’s what I mean by evil genius. Even as a kid, Hector thought in terms of maximum damage, minimal effort, and zero culpability.”

“Why wasn’t Hector Jasper charged with, at the minimum, child abuse?” Detective Young asked.

“Dahlia and the boys were terrified of him,” Troy said. “She felt lucky to get away. The boys were in terrible condition – undernourished, ill, and…”

Unable to continue, Troy clamped his mouth shut and shook his head.

“If you were unable to obtain them, Detective, we have the Social Security reports,” Hawkins Mac Alister said.

“We have them,” Army CID Captain Snypes said. “Captain Olivas, you were telling us why Mrs. Jasper blocked criminal proceedings against Hector Jasper.”

“I’m not sure who advised her,” Troy said. “Probably her therapist. But Dahlia wanted to get away, divorce Hector, terminate his parental rights, and then wait until the she was officially divorced. She had that in motion before we reconnected in April.”

“Did you argue with her?” Detective Young asked.

“Argue?” Troy asked. “I mentioned it to her. It was a miracle that she and the boys were able to get away from Hector. He had them locked up tight. It took her six months to come up with a plan to get out of the house; let alone off the grounds. Then the boys were sick. Hermes almost died. The boys were in a private hospital for almost a month while she filed for divorce and termination of his parental rights.”

“We can’t find any record that he fought her in the courts,” Detective Young said.

“Dahlia planned it perfectly,” Troy said. “She did everything the day after Hector started a six-month, seventy-stop international press tour for his latest book about Drones. She and the children were removed under an emergency order. A judge terminated his parental rights in an emergency hearing the day he was speaking at a three-day conference to launch the tour. He was in front of cameras or on the radio for the next six months. He couldn’t afford to protest when he was on such a big press junket. His love for control and cruelty is second only to his love for public attention.”

“How did she get out of going on the tour?” Detective Young asked. “From what we’ve been led to believe, she was a fixture at those things.”

“She picked a fight with him the night before he left. He started in on the boys and she…,” Troy gulped. “They were too bruised to go to the conference with him. The police arrived an hour after his plane took off. He didn’t know it was happening until he returned home to pick her up for the next leg of the tour.”

“And criminal proceedings?” FBI Agent Platt asked.

“The boys were too weak to survive any criminal proceedings,” Troy said. “The DA was going to file tomorrow after the divorce was final. It’s one of the reasons we were in town today. But…”

“Which DA?” Detective Young asked.

“We have that information for you here,” Hawkins Mac Alister said. “We’ve contacted the DA at home. You must understand, with all the press attention, there’s a quite a bit of CYA going on. As horrible as it is that Dahlia’s no longer living, the DA is confident that his actions saved the boys’ lives.”

“We set up satellite monitoring and video feeds from inside the house,” Troy said. “Dahlia and the boys studied and practiced defensive fighting techniques. They knew where the panic buttons and hiding places were. They were tough and ready.”

“If they were so ready, what happened?” FBI Agent Pratt asked.

“Dahlia sacrificed herself for me and the boys,” Troy said. “You should have seen them together. Just a month ago or yesterday morning. They were so happy together, like peas in a pod. She loved them… and… She never forgave herself for what happened to the them.”

“Captain Olivas, why didn’t you save your sons? Dahlia?” Detective Young asked.

“I met the boys the first time in April,” Troy said. “Dahlia and I… For years, I begged her to stay with me. I begged her to leave him. I’m ashamed to admit, I told her she could leave the boys with him and come away with me. She refused every time. I always believed she chose him over me.”

Overcome with emotion, Troy dropped his head into his hands and took a number of deep breaths. Hawkins Mac Alister put his hand on Troy’s shoulder.

“We need to terminate this interview,” Hawkins Mac Alister said.

“No,” Troy said. “I’d rather get through this and get back to my boys. They will be worried about me. Worry is the worst thing for them.”

“We’re almost done,” Detective Young said. “We have a few more questions, then we’d like you to walk us through the scene. It would be a big help to us.”

“Sure.”

“Why did you return in April?” Detective Young asked.

“I needed to know once and for all if we were on or off,” Troy said. “Dahlia met me in the city and told me everything. I cried. We fought. But by the end of the day, she allowed me to meet the boys and… That was kind of it. She was the love of my life, the very center of it, and had been for most of my life. Once I accepted this simple fact, everything else was just details.”

“Who paid for everything? Dahlia started fairly intensive therapy last year,” Army CID Agent Snypes said. “And the boys’ therapist and the house and the lawyers… We can’t check your finances.”

“Dahlia got hooked up with an organization she called ‘For the Friendless,’” Troy said. “They paid for everything, found the house, the lawyers, the therapists, everything. Her agreement with them was that she would pay them back when she was done and continue their work. She had already recruited another woman who she thought needed their help.”

“You don’t know anything about them?” Detective Young asked.

“No,” Troy said. “When Dahlia and I got together, I paid off most of her loan. I hadn’t been paying rent for more than a year and sold a house before being assigned in Denver. I had a decent sum of money. After our family was together, everything came out of my salary. Dahlia kept an active account with them to keep her options open. She was talking to them about opening her own business. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, but she liked the idea of working and owning her own clothing shop or café.”

“Talking to them?” FBI Agent Pratt asked.

“She had a burner phone with one number programmed in it,” Troy said. “She said someone slipped it to her at a party and told her that if she wanted help to call the number. When she wanted or needed something, she would leave a message on the phone. The phone number is a Google phone number that links to another dummy phone.”

“It’s untraceable?” FBI Agent Pratt asked.

“Let me say this,” Troy said. “I’m in Military Intelligence and I couldn’t track it down.”

“If Dahlia needed something?” Detective Young asked.

“She called the number and left a message asking for what she needed,” Troy said. “Whatever help she’d requested – doctor, therapist, lawyer, rental agent – would call her on that phone.”

“Do you have the phone?” Detective Young asked.

“No,” Troy said. “She either had it on her body or she hid it. I never knew where it was. A couple times, she destroyed it and received another. I would guess that if you find it, it will be disconnected.”

“So that’s how she got out of Hector’s house?” Army CID senior agent Snypes asked. “She used this service to finance her recovery and help her plan. God, I wish I had one of those for my little sister.”

“I wish I could tell you who was behind it,” Troy said. “I have no idea.”

“For the Friendless, huh?” Detective Young shook his head.

“Dahlia used to say, ‘Friendless people need friends.’” In that moment, Dahlia’s beautiful face came to his mind. His entire body wrenched with the loss of her. He looked down at his hands to keep from weeping. “I need a break.”

“If you don’t mind,” Detective Young said. “We’d like you to walk us through the scene.”

“We don’t have a vehicle,” Hawkins Mac Alister said.

“Lucky you’re not friendless,” Detective Young smiled.

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group

CHAPTER SIX 

Sunday morning
October 25 – 7:45 a.m. EDT
Harkers Island, North Carolina 

“I think you’re skinnier than you were the last time I saw you,” Mammy said. Her deep voice came out in High Tide Brogue.

Alex could only smile. This life-toughened woman radiated love. Mammy held out her arms and Alex was all but engulfed in her soft folds. Mammy kissed her forehead.

“How is your handsome husband?” Mammy asked.

“Handsome,” Alex smiled. “He and Max are running the marathon today.”

“You like the crazy ones?” Mammy peered into Alex’s face and leaned back to laugh. “I do too.”

Alex laughed.

“Now introduce me to your friends.” Threading her arm thought Alex’s elbow, Mammy leaned forward to see them better. “Zackary! I hear you had a new baby girl.”

As if he was fifteen, Zack blushed. He gave her a goofy smile.

“Did you bring Mammy some pictures?” she asked.

“Yes ma’am,” Zack said.

“Is she a dragon?” Mammy whispered.

“No ma’am,” Zack said.

“You’re going to have to explain that to Mammy,” she said. “The Mister tried a few times, but it’s confusing to an old island gal like me.”

Alex covered a burst of laughter with a cough. Amused by her own joke, Mammy patted Alex’s back. Mammy was one of the world’s most accomplished and deadly assassins. She could still kill a man with her bare hands and not leave a mark, forensic evidence, or even a whisper that she’d been there.

“And you must be Trece,” Mammy said. “Mr. Pershing talks about you.”

Trece held out his hand for her to shake. She pulled him in for a hug.

“Will you show Mammy your back?” The woman’s sharp eyes were kind with a touch of sadness.

“Body armor,” Trece said.

“Later then,” Mammy said. “When we’re better friends. You don’t want to go stripping in front of any old Mammy. That’s smart, very smart.”

“Yes, ma’am.” As if he was being knighted by some foreign Queen, Trece blushed bright red.

“I’ve heard you can spin a story,” Mammy said.

“Yes ma’am,” Trece said. “I have a new baby girl too.”

“Did you bring Mammy pictures?” Mammy asked.

“Yes ma’am,” Trece said.

“I knew we’d be good friends,” Mammy beamed at him. “And you young man? Who are you?”

“Sergeant Clifford Mauer, US Air Force, ma’am,” Clifford popped to attention.

“Well Clifford Mauer,” Mammy said. “What’s your story?”

“Story ma’am?” Confused, Cliff looked at Zack then at Alex.

“Now Mammy, he’s just young,” the bearded man who’d had a bent back said. “He’s here for us to make something of.”

Mammy and the bearded man looked like they were going to eat Cliff whole. Cliff swallowed hard.

“None of that,” Mammy said. “I have good coffee brewing and biscuits in the oven. The Mister made some of his blackberry jam last night specially for your visit. I bet you haven’t eaten. Anyone want some eggs?”

Alex, Zack, and Trece nodded.

“Better see if our ladies have twelve,” Mammy said to the man with a beard. He left the kitchen.

“Where did he go?” Cliff whispered.

“Chickens in the back,” Alex said. “They’re self-sufficient here. Did you grow the coffee, Mammy?”

“Now Miss Alex, you know our coffee ain’t no good,” Mammy said. “The General mails Mammy coffee beans straight from Columbia. I roast it out back.”

“The General?” Cliff whispered.

“My dad,” Alex said.

“General Hargreaves,” Mammy said. “I heard he’s not running for Senate again.”

“He says he’s retiring,” Alex said.

Mammy laughed and Alex smiled.

“Why is that funny?” Cliff whispered.

“You’d have to know the man,” Mammy said. “Now stop your whispering or I’ll make you go milk the cow.”

“I grew up on a dairy farm, ma’am,” Cliff said. “How did you know?”

“You just had that look,” Mammy said.

“Oh come on, Mammy,” the man who’d pretended to have a trick knee said as he walked in the door. “No parlor tricks.”

Mammy smiled.

“She pulled our files when we reached the inner gate,” Alex said. “Relax. My guess is the cows have already been milked.”

“We can’t pass up a fresh young farm boy, Miss Alex,” Mammy said. “There’s a lot of work to do here.”

“I saw your son at the gate,” Alex said. “He’s handsome and strong.”

“Our youngest? He’s a chip off the old block,” Mammy flushed with pride at the mention of the boy. “His brothers went down to the dock to entertain your friends there. Even brought them some biscuits.”

Shaking her head, Alex smiled at the woman.

“I’m happy to help,” Cliff beamed.

“Go wash up,” Mammy said. “We’ll have a proper breakfast. You remember where the washroom is, Miss Alex?”

“Yes ma’am,” Alex said.

She waved to Trece, Zack and Cliff. The men followed her down the hallway to a small bathroom. Alex used the bathroom and scrubbed her hands.

“Better really wash up,” Alex said when she came out. “She will check your hands.”

Zack went into the bathroom.

“What are we doing?” Trece asked.

“We’re having breakfast,” Alex said. “And waiting. He’s probably not here. We’ll find out after breakfast.”

“But…?” Trece started.

“Can’t rush southern living,” Alex said. “We have to adapt.”

“Are they trying to get us off guard?” Trece asked.

“No,” Alex said. “After a lifetime in this game of death and politics, the pleasantries of life, such as a good meal, interesting conversation, pictures of babies, time with family, or working the farm becomes the only thing that really matters. Relax. Have breakfast. Enjoy them. If you’re lucky, they’ll teach you more than you will ever learn anywhere else.”

“Why do I have the sense that they are dangerous?” Trece asked.

“Oh, they’re deadly,” Alex said. “But don’t worry. If they wanted us dead, we’d be dead.”

Smiling, she patted his back and he went into the bathroom. When he was done, they went back to the kitchen. As predicted, Mammy checked their hands for cleanliness. For no reason other than the fact that she could, she sent Cliff back to wash his hands again. When he returned, she escorted them to a sunny table near the kitchen. The two men who’d met them at the dock were drinking coffee at one end. Mammy told each of them where to sit, leaving Alex on the end. Mammy disappeared into the kitchen and returned with platters of food.

“You do this at your house,” Zack said to Alex.

“Imitating the best,” Alex said. “I’d love your biscuit recipe.”

“Now Miss Alex,” Mammy sat down next to her. “It ain’t nothing but a little flour and butter.”

“No recipe?” Alex asked.

“Not that I’m going to give you, child,” Mammy laughed. “You can’t cook worth a damn. Where’s that handsome caramel-colored man? He used to visit Mammy at least once a month. I’d give that man almost anything if he asked.”

Mammy blinked her eyes dramatically and Alex laughed. Raz and Mammy had an instant and abiding love for each other.

“Raz gave me a present for you,” Alex said. “It’s in my backpack.”

“He loves Mammy,” Mammy sighed.

Alex laughed.

“Who’s going to thank the Lord for this meal?” Mammy asked. “Young Clifford?”

“Yes ma’am,” Cliff said.

“She wants you to say the Hamotzi over the bread,” Alex said.

“Yes sir,” Cliff said to Alex. “Blessed are you, Lord…”

“You can say it in Hebrew, son,” the man with the beard said.

“The Hamotzi is beautiful in Hebrew,” Mammy said. “We speak it.”

“Yes ma’am,” Cliff began again in Hebrew.

FFFFFF

Sunday morning
October 25 – 8:05 a.m. EDT
The Greenhouse at The Jefferson Hotel, Capitol Hill

“Elizabeth!” Rebecca Hargreaves said.

She waved Troy’s mother, Elizabeth Jasper, over to her table. Perfectly coiffed and wearing a linen dress suit, Rebecca looked every bit the heiress and Senator’s wife. The maitre d’ had seated her along the row of windows under the arched glass ceiling. Elizabeth wore the same elegant dress, but when Rebecca hugged her old friend, she felt Elizabeth’s body shake. Rebecca gestured to the chair across from her.

“How are you dear?” Rebecca’s eyes took in Elizabeth’s haggard face.

A controlled woman, Elizabeth gave a small shake of her head. Rebecca reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Rebecca and Elizabeth had been friends since they were young mothers just starting out in life. Rather than press the issue, Rebecca changed the subject.

“Did you have any trouble parking?” Rebecca asked.

“It’s always crazy downtown,” Elizabeth said.

“My kids are in town for the marathon,” Rebecca said. “Whatever possesses them to run twenty-six miles? I cannot imagine running five miles let alone twenty-six.”

Rebecca gave Elizabeth an infectious smile. Elizabeth smiled in return. The waiter brought coffee, water, and menus.

“Still, it’s fun to have them in town,” Rebecca said. She looked up and caught Elizabeth’s eye. “They’re staying at Gerry’s house.”

“Lamberton?” said Elizabeth, startled.

“I know,” Rebecca said. “But you know how children are. They refuse to stay with me.”

Rebecca put cream in her coffee and took a long drink.

“I always tell myself I’m going to stop drinking coffee,” Rebecca said. “I can hear my mother in my head. ‘Stains your teeth, Rebecca. It’s poor people’s cocaine, Rebecca.’ And on and on. I guess I feel a little rebellious with every sip. My Alex is absolutely addicted. Do not get between that girl and her coffee.”

Rebecca laughed. Her eyes traced the exhaustion and worry on Elizabeth’s face.

“Does Hector Senior know you’re here?” Rebecca asked.

“Having breakfast with the enemy?” Elizabeth shook her head. “Not a chance.”

She took a sip of her coffee and set it down.

“I remember you used to drink your coffee with cream,” Rebecca held out the cream to Elizabeth.

“Mr. Jasper says the cream makes me fat,” Elizabeth said.

“Mr. Jasper?” Surprised, Rebecca’s eyebrows shot up. “When did that start?”

“Wedding night?” Elizabeth gave a soft sigh.

“Well, my dear, he’s not here,” Rebecca offered her the cream again. Smiling, Elizabeth poured some in her coffee. She drank the entire cup. Rebecca wiggled a finger and the waiter filled their cups.

“He wasn’t this bad,” Elizabeth said. “When we were young and the kids were young. At least that’s what I tell myself. I was going to cancel today but…”

The waiter asked about their orders. Before Elizabeth could speak, Rebecca ordered Lobster Eggs Benedict and the Lemon Ricotta Maple Pancakes for them to share.

“After all, someone has to make up all the calories my children are burning at the marathon,” Rebecca laughed.

Rebecca’s eyes followed the young man when Elizabeth grabbed both of Rebecca’s hands.

“I came today because I know you’ll tell me the truth,” Elizabeth said.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve wanted to hear the truth, dear,” Rebecca said.

“My son is dead,” Elizabeth said. “Everyone around me is screaming lies at the top of their lungs. Every time I turn around, there’s another closed door and another secret meeting. Lawyers… scary looking bodyguards… I don’t have any idea where my only grandsons are. My daughter stomps around saying crazy things. I want to… No, I need the unvarnished truth. Will you give that to me?”

“Of course,” Rebecca said.

“And all the reports?” Elizabeth asked. “Photographs?”

“I have them with me,” Rebecca said.

Elizabeth let out a breath and leaned back. She looked as if an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

“Why are we meeting today?” Elizabeth asked.

“I originally invited you because Troy and Dahlia were engaged yesterday,” Rebecca said. “I was going to throw them an engagement party tonight. I thought you’d like to know everything.”

“And why did you keep this appointment after…” Elizabeth swallowed hard. “…everything?”

“I thought you’d like to see a familiar face,” Rebecca said.

“Is the General here?” Elizabeth asked.

“He’s waiting for us in the lobby,” Rebecca said. “Would you like him here?”

“Can we go somewhere more private?” Elizabeth asked.

“He hoped you would say that,” Rebecca said. “Are you ready?”

“What about breakfast?” Elizabeth asked.

“I’ll ask them to deliver to the room,” Rebecca said. “If not, there’s always some young man or woman who’d like to make a generous tip.”

Elizabeth stood from her seat. She was about to leave the table when she picked up the cream pitcher.

“I think I’ll need this,” Elizabeth said.

Smiling, Rebecca escorted Elizabeth to where Patrick waited for them.

FFFFFF

Sunday morning
October 25 – 8:45 a.m. EDT
Harkers Island, North Carolina

Alex’s attention was so focused on her excellent coffee that she didn’t notice Mammy’s youngest son until he was standing next to her. He smiled and nodded. She got up from the table and he took her place. Mammy set a clean plate and cup in front of him. Alex grabbed her back pack and picked up her plate and cup. When Trece tried to follow, Mammy said:

“Settle down, boy. We’re just getting acquainted.”

“But…” Trece started.

Mammy passed her son a plate of biscuits.

“She’s in good hands,” Steve Pershing appeared from the kitchen. “Sorry I’m late.”

He bent to kiss Mammy’s cheek.

“Did you bring them?” Mammy asked.

“French cream from the store in Léon,” Steve said. “Fresh crumpets from San Francisco. Baked this morning.”

“Oh, Mr. Steve,” Mammy smiled a bright toothy smile. “You spoil Mammy. I bet my new friend, Clifford, will cream Mammy some fresh butter.”

“Yes ma’am,” Cliff said. “It would be my pleasure.”

“Nice boy,” Mammy said. “Now move over and make room for Mr. Pershing’s skinny ass. He don’t take up but an inch or two.”

Laughing, Steve sat next to Mammy’s youngest son. With a nod to Mammy, Alex went into the kitchen. She waited another moment before he arrived.

The man was at least fifty years old and about her height. He wore his white-grey hair in a tight crew cut. His body was rock solid under his gray T-shirt and worn jeans. His eyes were not quite blue and not quite green. His skin was more white than not. He nodded to Alex and she followed him through the house to the back porch. Stepping out the door, he lit a cigarette.

“I thought you gave those up,” Alex said.

“Poor henpecked Benjamin gave them up,” he said. “Not me.”

“Henpecked?” Alex smiled. “Ben told me you talked him into it.”

“Always the detective,” he laughed. “You’re right. I don’t smoke out in the world. Too inconvenient. But at home? I can smoke anywhere but in Mammy’s house. Mammy’s nephew grows the tobacco on the mainland. I’d hate to disappoint her. Would you like a bushel of tobacco or maybe seven?”

“Never had the taste for it,” Alex said.

“All that clean Colorado living,” he said.

“Military,” Alex said. “You can’t advance and smoke or chew.”

The man laughed as if he’d just heard the funniest joke. They started across the small grass yard toward a garage.

“Is that sparkling around you Jesse?” he asked.

“If it is?” Alex said.

“You told Cap he didn’t make it,” he said.

In the way of practiced smokers, he let the cigarette dangle from his mouth. He dug an ancient key out of his pocket and opened the wooden accordion doors to the garage. The doors and the garage were original to the property. For all their obvious disrepair, the hinges swung with silent ease. Alex stepped from the warm sun into the cool, dark garage to find a cherry red 1958 Chrysler 300D convertible.

“You fixed the body,” Alex said. “Nice.”

“Did you bring it?”

“Yes sir,” Alex said.

“Kill anyone to get it?” he asked.

“Not that I’d care to mention,” Alex said.

He laughed.

“I hear your father and Stevie talk about Jesse,” he said. “Benjamin says he heard him in the Paris tunnels. But I don’t believe in ghosts.”

She shook her head at him. Every time they ran into him, the Mister egged Jesse into doing something he didn’t want to do.

“Come on Abreu,” he said. “If you exist, show yourself.”

There was a sound near the 300D and he glanced over his shoulder. When he turned back, Jesse was standing next to Alex. The man’s face broke into a broad smile. His eyes welled with tears.

“Good Lord, it’s good to see you,” he said. “Will you send me a…”

Jesse tossed a tiny electric ball at him. He crumpled over with pain.

“My God that hurts,” he said.

“It’s hard for Jesse to hold this form,” Alex said. “Is it all right if he…?”

“Your dad called, you know, when you were in that room,” he said. “The General said to me, ‘Alex sees Abreu.’ I said, ‘Of course she does. They have a soul connection. He’d stay for her.’ ‘So you think it’s real,’ he said. I told your dad he was an idiot if he didn’t.”

He laughed.

“The General can be such a dick. Thanks Jesse. You can fade.” Without missing a beat, he said, “So, where is it?”

His face held all the longing and lust an alcoholic feels seeing his first drink after a long dry spell. She unzipped her backpack to pull out a heavy metal object wrapped in a red cotton cloth. He took a pull on the cigarette and held out his hand. She placed the package into it. With his eyes on Alex, his cigarette hand opened the cloth. He looked down and gasped.

He held a Bentix “Electroinjector.” Originally installed on the Chrysler 300D, the Bentix “Electroinjector” malfunctioned. The majority were replaced within a year of manufacture. Only fifteen Bentix “Electroinjectors” were known to have survived. This was number sixteen.

“Be still my trembling heart,” he said. “Does it work?”

“She spent a year with a mechanic friend who cleaned and repaired her,” Alex said.

“She?” he asked.

“Something so rare and beautiful can only be a she,” Alex said.

Nodding, his eyes filled with unadulterated love.

“You mind?” He nodded to the vehicle. “We can talk while I put this in.”

“I don’t mind,” Alex said.

She found a lawn chair leaning against the garage. Finding a sunbeam, she opened the chair and took a seat. In almost every major city around the world, this man had a secret compound with an Oldsmobile Delta 88 in the garage. The Delta 88 engine parts were easy to come by, and cheap. He spent his downtime assembling new engines with new parts to the factory specifications. He unraveled the world’s most complex and difficult problems while rebuilding these engines.

On rare occasions, he’d work on other vehicles. Alex’s CJ held one of his engines. Ben had an ancient Oldsmobile with one of his engines in it. But mostly, he worked on one Delta 88 after another. He’d sell them on Craig’s List for the cost of parts when he was done. The next day, he’d buy a new junker and start over.

This Chrysler 300D was a work of love. One night, after too much whiskey and death, he’d told her that his father bought the car on the mainland after winning big at the track. His father loved the car more than his children. The Mister had only taken it to impress a girl in town. But at sixteen, he couldn’t handle the power. He’d wrecked it on the way to town. His father never said a word, but had the tow truck deposit it in this garage and then locked the door. The Mister started restoring the vehicle the day after his father was lost at sea.

“You heard anything from the IRA?” the man’s voice came from under the vehicle.

“No,” Alex said. “Seems like my old friends are politicians or business men now.”

“Since the economy tanked, there is a new surge of interest in the old ways,” he said. “I’ve heard they’re looking for funding like everyone else.”

“My brother-in-law Cian’s been particularly pissy lately,” Alex said. “But he’s often like that in the fall. Some kind of PTSD about the light.”

“Dark in Belfast almost twenty-four hours in the winter. Lots of crazy shit goes down in the dark.” The man’s head popped out from under the car. He lit another cigarette and looked up at her. “You have people on the ground in Shankill.”

“Most of John’s family is still in Belfast proper,” Alex said. “You?”

“Bankers and politicians,” he said. “You’ll let me know?”

“Sure,” Alex said.

He slipped out from under the car and took a pull on his cigarette. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else. Instead, he got up and put the cigarette on the radiator of the car with the burning side pointed toward the bumper. He went to the bench where he’d set the Electroinjector. Peering at the part, he sighed with joy.

“Where did you get this?” the man asked.

“Disabled vet; friendly fire.” Alex said. “Used his settlement money to buy an old junkyard. He and his kids make a killing by parting out the rusters on eBay. Every time I talk to him, his ten-year-old has found something cool. The lot had more than a few rusting 300Ds in various conditions. He knew I was in the market for an Electroinjector and owed me a favor.”

“Who doesn’t?” He lit another cigarette and leaned against the bench. “I owe you big for this.”

“Where’s Ben?” Alex asked.

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group

CHAPTER FIVE 

Sunday morning
October 25 – 5:52 a.m. EDT
Marine Marathon start, Arlington Boulevard, Washington DC

Alex threw open the helicopter door and Matthew jumped out onto Arlington Boulevard. Vince got out and helped Amelia out. Jimmy stepped out. Colin followed right behind him. They wore light blue exercise shirts with a black Vivaldi F on the back and dark Ray-Ban Wayfarer glasses. At her old teammate Jax’s insistence, the Fey Special Forces Team had run the big marathons together. The shirts and glasses had been part of their image.

Alex hadn’t planned on continuing the tradition, but Joseph wanted to honor the memory of their amazing medic, Jax. The shirts, the glasses, and marathon running helped solidify the Fey Team image as ready and capable. This Marine Marathon was their first outing as the Fey Team. She smiled at the group of blue shirted runners. She hugged John.

“Good luck,” With her hands around his face, Alex kissed John. “I’ll see you at the finish.”

“Love you,” John’s finger stroked her cheek. “I have my phone. Keep me in the loop.”

“You too,” Alex kissed him again.

“Sorry,” Troy’s Army JAG lawyer, Captain Tyler said. “We’ve got to go.”

“We’ll set the wrong impression if we’re late,” Troy’s expensive civilian criminal lawyer, Hawkins Mac Alister said.

John nodded. He raised a hand in good luck to Troy and jumped out of the helicopter. The helicopter rose slowly, hovered for a moment, and took off toward Fredericksburg. Alex sat down next to Troy.

“How are you?” Alex asked.

“Okay,” Troy said. “Back to numb, I guess. You’re sure the boys are all right?”

“They’re with Margaret and MJ,” Alex said. “What could happen?”

Trece laughed. Alex and Troy looked over at him.

“When we left, they were just learning how to play Cowboys and Indians,” Trece said. “ Jesse Jr. was going to play with them.”

“See,” Alex said. “Cowboys and Indians. You can’t get more normal than that.”

Trece struggled to keep from laughing.

“What?” Troy asked.

“Margaret’s teaching them?” Trece asked. Alex laughed.

“So?” Troy asked.

“The Indians are the good guys and the Cowboys are the bad guys?” Trece laughed.

Everyone laughed.

“Five minutes,” Zack called over the intercom. As if he’d turned off the lights, the mood in the passenger compartment darkened. They fell silent.

“I’ve spent so much of my life missing her,” Troy said. “Why would I kill her?”

“Why does your father say anything?” Alex shook her head.

“You’re going in for questioning,” Hawkins Mac Alister said. “That’s all. No charges have been filed. We’ll answer a few questions and be home for lunch.”

Troy looked at the man. He was smart, articulate and wearing a very expensive suit. He had been the lead persecutor for the District of Columbia. He became a criminal defense lawyer after one of his death-row convictions was overturned due to DNA evidence. He couldn’t live with the uncertainty. He’d made his career on clearing innocent men wrongly accused. Zack began his descent into the street in front of Fredericksburg.

Troy noticed that his Army JAG lawyer, Captain Tyler, was staring at Alex. He didn’t know how Alex was able to get this man, but he was grateful to have him. The JAG lawyer was fit, even a little over muscular, with the look of a scrappy fighter. On their first meeting, he told Troy he’d gone to the same adventurecamp Troy had grown up in. Troy knew that no matter what happened, this lawyer would fight for him.

“I just jump out?” Hawkins Mac Alister said.

“Don’t lower your head,” Troy said. “Makes you look like an amateur.”

“My Captain at Airborne training said to pretend you’re a rock star,” Captain Tyler said. “It sounds dumb but you’d be surprised just how far a little pretense gets you.”

Nodding, the criminal lawyer buttoned his coat jacket.

“Call me, and we’ll come to get you,” Alex said. “We won’t be far.”

Troy nodded. Alex opened the helicopter door, and Troy’s Army JAG lawyer hopped out. Troy followed him.

“Like a rock star?” the criminal lawyer glanced at Alex.

“Don’t duck,” Alex said.

With his head up, he got out of the helicopter. Zack waited until they were on the sidewalk before he took off. Alex sat down, strapped in, and put on her headset. Trece did the same.

“He knows were coming?” Zack asked.

“He knows,” Alex said. “We’re going to nap.”

“I’ll wake you when we’re close,” Zack said.

FFF

Sunday morning
October 25 – 6:45 a.m. EDT
Marine Corp Air Station, Havelock, NC

“What’s it say?” Trece asked.

Alex was peering into the Magic 8 Ball. Seeing only the dark cloud, she shook the ball and turned it over. Same thing.

“Nothing,” Alex said.

“Nothing?” Trece asked.

Alex threw the ball to him. He turned it over and saw the same layer of blue particles blocking the die.

“That’s weird,” Trece said. “It’s like those blackish particles in the water are baked onto the plastic.”

“What’s weird?” Zack said over the intercom.

“Nothing.” Alex stuffed the Magic 8 Ball into her backpack.

“Broke your Magic 8 Ball again?” Zack asked.

“Again?” Alex asked.

“Again,” Zack said. “Listen, I don’t like this – too many extra people, too many extra eyes.”

“Did it work the last time we were here?” Alex asked.

“Sure,” Zack said. “But I can get us onto the island.”

“Of course you can get us onto the island,” Alex said. “Hell, you can land on a sliver of a sandbar. This isn’t about you; it’s about arriving undetected. A helicopter on a small island is big news. This is his home. We’d never get within a mile of him.”

Zack landed the helicopter on the tarmac of the Marine Air Station. Rather than their usual crowd of admirers, a line of five men stood at attention outside the helicopter. Trece got out of the helicopter first to check the men’s fingerprints on his handheld computer. Zack and his co-pilot US Air Force Sergeant Clifford Mauer came from the cockpit.

“We’re coming with you,” Zack said.

“Last time I checked,” Cliff said. “We were soldiers too. We’re on the Fey team and…”

“It will be nice to have you,” Alex said.

Beaming, Cliff looked at Zack who winked at Alex.

“Here are some rules,” Alex said. “This man is very skittish. Don’t say anything to him or look at him. If you breathe a word about anything that happens when we exit this helicopter to anyone, even your own mother, you will die in your bed.”

“Is she serious?” Cliff asked Zack.

Zack nodded.

“Yes sir,” Cliff said.

“Are you armed?” Alex asked. Zack and Cliff displayed their handguns and ammunition. “Body armor?”

Zack and Cliff nodded.

“Jackets?” Alex asked. They put on their camouflage Fey jackets.

“All clear,” Trece said from the tarmac.

Alex put on her dark Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. Zack and Cliff followed suit. Without saying another word, Alex stepped out of the helicopter. Zack and Cliff followed. She returned the salute from Marine escort. They followed the men to a waiting jeep. They sped across the Marine Air Base to the small watercraft dock. Two Marines jumped out of the jeep and ran down the dock. They whistled to indicate that the dock was secure.

Trece, Alex, Zack and Cliff ran down the dock. Trece stepped into a speed boat to check the two Navy SEALs waiting for them. When Trece nodded, Alex, Zack and Cliff stepped into the speed boat. The speed boat took off into Pamlico Sound. They passed  West Bay, rounded the islands at Black Bay and sped into Core Sound. Within fifteen minutes of landing at the Marine Air Base, they were docking at the Cape Pointe Marina on Harkers Island.

“What happens now?” Trece asked.

“We wait,” Alex said. “If he wants to talk to us, he’ll send a couple men. If not, we go home.”

“How long do we…”

Two men ambled down the dock. From a distance, they looked like salty rejects from the local bar. One man walked as if his right knee was locked. The other man walked with a slight bend in his back. His long yellowing gray beard hung down to his belt buckle.

“Sir, they are armed,” a Navy SEAL said.

“Stand down,” Alex said. “Do not approach. They will kill you sooner than you can say hello.”

Recognizing one of the men, Trece stiffened as they got closer. Alex put her hand on his shoulder to steady him.

“Gots permission for three,” the man with the stiff knee said in an almost English accent. “Where’s Abreu?”

“He didn’t make it,” Alex said.

“Too bad,” the man said. “He was going to bring me a sketch of Dura-Europas. Did you hear they found an even older church in Jordan?”

“I didn’t,” Alex said. “But I have the sketch he made for you. May we get out?”

“Only three,” the other man said in the not quite English, not quite Irish accent of High Tide Brogue.

“Captain Ramirez is with me,” Alex said. “Trece? Can you pick another?”

“Is one of these Air Force boys the Jakker?” the man with the bad knee asked.

As if he was in elementary school, Zack raised his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” the man said. “I used to fly a plane or two in my day. This your co-pilot?”

Zack nodded toward Cliff.

“Bring ‘em both,” the other man said. “They’ll keep us entertained while we wait.”

“Sir?” the senior Navy SEAL asked Alex.

“Their rules,” Alex shrugged. Leaning over to get her backpack, she added, “Stay with the boat. If you don’t hear anything or see one of us in an hour, make the call.”

“Yes sir,” the senior Navy SEAL said.

“Come on now,” the bent man with the beard said.

He held out a hand to Alex and helped her onto the dock. For all his bent over act, his grip was firm and steady. He gave her a big smile and patted her back.

“Always nice to see you, Alexandra,” he said. “How’s Max?”

“Feisty as ever,” Alex smiled.

Trece, Zack and Cliff left the speed boat and followed them down the dock.

“Good to hear,” the bearded bent-over man said. With Trece ahead, he walked by her side. “Heard he’s working with Pershing.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Alex said.

The man laughed at what was clearly a joke. She smiled.

“The beard is inspiring,” Alex said.

“I knew you’d like it,” the man flushed a little. “Combed it this morning just for you.”

“Stop flirting,” the man with the locked knee said. “We’ve got to get going. Do you have what he wants?”

Alex nodded.

“Really?” the man with the locked knee said.

Alex nodded. He held out his hand and the bent over man gave him a hundred dollar bill. They approached an old, rusted Ford Bronco.

“New car?” Alex asked.

“My car,” the man with the locked knee said. “Did it myself, thank you.”

Alex smiled.

“In the back,” the bearded bent man said to Zack, Trece and Cliff. “You too Hargreaves.”

Trece and Cliff went to the back, leaving Zack and Alex in the middle seat. There was a piece of bullet resistant Lexan behind the front seat. Trece took a breath to start one of his stories.

“You’d better not,” Alex said. “We don’t really know what’s going to happen.”

He nodded. They drove in silence through the island until they reached the end ofMullins Drive. The Bronco stopped at a locked gate. The man with the locked knee hopped out of the car and made an easy jog to the gate.

“Hey, I thought his knee was bad?” Cliff asked.

“Nothing is how it seems,” Alex said. “Hang on!”

He unlocked the gate and they drove through, leaving the man behind. They continued forward on a rutted sand road. They drove to the right and then abruptly to the left. The bouncing Bronco flew across the sand. They passed over bridged ocean tributaries and splashed through small breaks in the sand bar until they were under the deep trees. They pulled up to another locked gate. A deep-colored young man came around the Bronco. He took pictures of everyone in the back of the Bronco with a smart phone and retreated into a small house by the sand path. They waited another few minutes before he returned. He and the driver spoke for a few minutes in the nearly unintelligible dialect of Gullah. The young man nodded and went to open the gate.

“What’s going on?” Trece whispered.

“He checked our identities through a facial recognition app. He’ll send the request for our visit to the house,” Alex repeated what she read on the young man’s lips. “We’re approved but he will only see me. The driver is going to take you to the kitchen. I’m going to see him.”

“Chicken and pie?” Zack asked.

“She does make the best pie,” Alex said.

“And fried chicken,” Zack licked his lips.

“Who?” Trece shifted uncomfortably.

“There are no names here. They call her “Mammy” like something out of Gone with the Wind,” Alex said. “I’ve heard they are all descendents of the Harkers and their slaves. Their accent is actually a dialect called High Tide Brogue.”

“It sounds almost Irish or English,” Zack said. “Takes a while to get the hang of.”

“And the language the boy was speaking?” Trece asked.

“Gullah,” Alex said. “It’s a language South Carolina slaves developed. Almost no one speaks old Gullah anymore.”

The Bronco made a sharp right into a long groomed driveway. A two-story home appeared ahead.

“We’re approaching the home of a man you might recognize,” Alex said. “He has residences all over the world. This is his true home and his true family. I will tell you that only three other outsiders have been to this home – Ben, Steve Pershing, and the General. Consider yourself lucky and be a little afraid. The fact that he’s allowing us here means something terrible is going on.”

The Bronco pulled to a stop at the house.

“I’ve only been here twice,” Alex said.

“That’s what I don’t get,” Zack said. “Why are you desperate enough to come here?”

“At least eight experienced field teams have disappeared,” Alex said. “There is no trace of what mission they were on, what they were supposed to do, or where they might be. For all intents and purposes, they’ve vanished.”

“Including G.I. Joe,” Trece nodded.

“Sergeant Larry Flagg and Marine Captain Heath Walker,” Alex said. “We need to find out what’s going on.”

A large-cheeked, round-bodied woman came to the front door and waved. The driver of the Bronco let them out of the vehicle. They walked down a brick path past an ancient rose garden and plush green lawn to the house. The smell of the roses caught the warm wind and Alex felt as if she was walking on a carpet of their perfume.

“Here we go,” Alex stepped into the house.

FFFFFF

Sunday morning
October 25 – 7:30 a.m. EDT
Fredericksburg Police Station, Fredericksburg, PA

After waiting for more than an hour, three men came into the small interrogation room. Troy, the Army JAG, and the criminal defense lawyer stood up.

“Please sit,” the Fredericksburg detective said. “As you know, I’m Detective Young. This is Agent Platt of the FBI and Senior Field Agent Snypes of Army CID.”

“Hawkins Mac Alister,” the criminal defense lawyer shook the men’s extended hands.

“Captain Tyler,” the Army JAG lawyer said. “Nice to see you again Senior Agent Snypes.”

“We’ve worked together on a number of cases,” Senior Field Agent Snypes said. “On both sides of the table.”

The more the men smiled and shook each other’s hands, the more nervous Troy became. The detective glanced at him. Troy let out a breath. At least they weren’t all on the same team.

“There are more agencies and agents behind the glass,” Detective Young said. “Captain Olivas, I believe you’ve been read your Miranda rights.”

“That’s correct.” Hawkins Mac Alister took his position as lead attorney.

“I want to say something right off the bat,” Troy said. “I don’t have anything to hide.”

“Why do you have your lawyers here?” Senior Field Agent Snypes asked.

“My CO told me to bring them,” Troy said.

“And you always do what your CO tells you to do?” FBI Agent Platt asked.

“Yes,” Troy said. “Don’t you?”

“If you don’t have anything to hide, Captain,” Detective Young said. “Why can’t we get a bio on you?”

“Oh right,” Troy gave an impish smile. “I can’t talk about my work, either past or present.”

“I have brought copies of a synopsis of Captain Olivas’s biography,” Army JAG Captain Tyler said.

“Sanitized,” the FBI agent said, after looking at the document.

“You can’t get his bio either?” Senior Field Agent Snypes asked.

The FBI agent shook his head.

“Captain Olivas works on a classified military team,” Army JAG Captain Tyler said. “We don’t believe Captain Olivas’s work has anything to do with your investigation. If there is information from his work that overlaps this case, I’ll be happy to make the appropriate phone calls for any information you request in writing.”

“Just curious,” Detective Young said. “You’re a hard man to get a handle on. Your father claims you’re a foot soldier assigned to Iraq. He’s told more than one news outlet that you’re his brilliant ne’er-do-well son with serious mental health issues. But Senior Field Agent Snypes can get full backgrounds on foot soldiers with mental health issues. Hell, I can.”

“I’ve brought copies of Captain Olivas’s last evaluations,” Army JAG Captain Tyler said. “He must take these tests every six months in order to maintain his current position.”

“Wow,” Detective Young said. “Is your IQ really 187?”

“If it says so,” Troy said. “It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Profilers say that people who are that smart are crazy psychopaths,” FBI Agent Platt said.

“I’m a Green Beret, sir,” Troy said. “Psychopaths either test out or get recruited for other services. You can see on the bio he gave you that I’ve spent most of my career in South and Central America. I have only been to Iraq once, and that was in the last year. I was in Afghanistan and Pakistan for the first time last month.”

Detective Young set the papers down on the table and looked at him. Troy felt the man assess his very soul. Detective Young shrugged.

“Have some trouble with your father?” Detective Young asked.

“Yes, sir,” Troy said.

“Me too,” Detective Young said. “How about you Platt?”

The FBI agent gave Detective Young a steely look.

“You don’t have to ask me,” Army CID Special Agent Snypes laughed. “The entire western United States is too small for my father and me. And I know you and your pops hate each other Tyler.”

“My father’s dead,” Hawkins Mac Alister said. The men turned to look at him. Smiling, he said, “Thank God.”

Troy looked from face to laughing face. He wasn’t sure what was going on but he didn’t think it was something bad.

“Your father?” Detective Young’s face went from laughing to dead serious. “He’s a serious prick among pricks.”

The other men nodded.

“We have stacks of paper on you, Olivas. And now more paper,” Detective Young said. “Help us fill in the blanks. We’ll ask questions when we need to.”

“The blanks?” Troy asked. “You mean like I met Dahlia in Sophomore Geometry class? She wasn’t very good at math but she was very pretty. She had this tiny piece of blonde hair that curled right at the nape of her neck when her hair was up. I was forced to rescue her…”

“While that’s very interesting,” Army CID Special Agent Snypes said. “We agreed to start at April of this year.”

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group

CHAPTER FOUR 

Saturday evening
October 24 – 6:15 p.m. EDT
Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC 

“Then we met a nice older boy named Jesse Jr.” Hector James flopped his hands in the warm bubble bath water. Bubbles flew up and Hermes laughed. “He’s named after his dad too. He said his dad was a great man.”

“His dad was a great man,” Troy said. “He was my friend for a long time, a better friend than I deserved.”

After sobbing into Alex’s lap for at least an hour, she got him showered, dressed, and mentally ready to be a dad. Emily had cleaned up and stitched his feet and legs. He was in pain, but he could walk with heavy boots on. The boys aced their medical review and then spent the day playing with Trece and White Boy. Maria arrived around three with her children, and his boys made their first friend.

Troy soaped up a washcloth to scrub off Hermes’s boy muck, including dirt, sweat and more grease than should be produced by a boy. He was working on Hermes’s forearm when he saw berry stains between the boy’s fingers.

“Are these from this morning?” Troy asked.

“They have berries inside the refrigerator here,” Hermes beamed. “We can have as many as we want and we didn’t even have to pick them!”

He laughed as if he had cheated the system in some way.

“Jesse Jr. goes by JJ most of the time. You know J from Jesse and J from Jr.,” Hector James said. “He’s going to high school next year, so he’s thinking about going by Jesse. What do you think?”

“I think Jesse Jr. can go by whatever name he wants to,” Troy smiled.

“Could I go by whatever name I want to?” Hector James asked.

Hector James had been talking about people’s names for the last fifteen minutes. Trece was named Andy or Andrew but also Trece, which meant thirteen. Troy went by Daddy or Troy but was once called Homer. The Jakker was actually named Zack or Mr. Zack. Auntie Alex was sometimes called the Fey or Alexandra. MJ was Michael Junior, but never Mike. White Boy was called White Boy because he was really, really, really white but his name was Chris. Troy had wondered what Hector James was working up to.

“Just ask,” Hermes said.

“I just did!” Hector James said.

“What name would you like to go by?” Troy asked.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Hector James said.

“He doesn’t want to be Hector anymore,” Hermes said.

“Ah,” Troy scrubbed Hermes’s ears and gave him the washcloth. Like they had practiced, Hermes cleaned his own private parts. Hermes gave the washcloth back to Troy. Troy rinsed the cloth in the warm water and soaped it up again.

“You could go by Bubba,” Hermes said. “That’s brother in Texan.”

“Who told you that?” Troy laughed.

“I don’t remember her name,” Hermes said.

“She said she was an Ind’n,” Hector James said. “What’s an Ind’n?”

“Ms. Margaret,” Troy said. “She is a Native American of the Diné.”

“That’s what she said,” Hermes said.

“Diné is a name for Navajo,” Hector James said.

“Sounds like you had a fun day,” Troy said.

“I miss Mommy,” Hermes said.

“Me too,” Hector James said. “You’re sure she’s not going to meet us here? She was really, really excited to come to town and meet everybody. She bought a fancy dress and some pretty shoes and…”

Hector James began to weep. Hermes sniffled. Troy made quick work of the remainder of Hector James’s bath and gave him the washcloth. Even crying, the boy did what was asked of him. When he was done, Troy plucked the boys out of the bath. Wrapping them like sausages in the fluffy towels, he carried his boys to his bed. He rocked them on his lap while they cried.

“Hector killed my mommy,” Hector James said. “I hate having his name. I hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him…”

Hermes joined the “hate him.” The boys sobbed and repeated “hate him” over and over again. Troy rocked them.

“He is not a good man,” Hector James said. “He hurt me really bad.”

“Me too,” Hermes said. “Trece said no one should ever hurt any boy like that. Never ever ever ever. That’s what he said. He was really mad.”

“White Boy too,” Hector James said. “He’s a liar too! Jesse Jr. told me that I didn’t have to touch boys’ penises for them to like me.”

“Some boys touch other boys’ penises,” Hermes said.

“Because they want to,” Hector James said. “Not because they have to.”

“I don’t want to,” Hermes said.

Troy held his boys close while they cried into his chest. He said a silent prayer of gratitude for Jesse Jr. Before getting the boys, Maria told Troy that Luis, Jesse Sr.’s four-year-old brother, had been sexually abused in foster care before coming to live with them. Jesse Jr. had made it a mission to help boys like Luis. He had been just what Hector James and Hermes needed. Jesse Jr. had answered every question and even taught them their first boy game – Battleships.

Troy continued rocking until the storm passed. The boys stared straight ahead in the numb, shocked way of deep loss.

“Let’s get dressed in our PJs,” Troy said. “Everyone wants to say goodnight.”

“I don’t want everyone in our room!” Hermes said.

“We’ll go to them,” Troy smiled. “Come on. Auntie Alex’s mom bought you some super snuggly pajamas.”

“What about you?” Hector James asked.

“I’ll shower when we get back,” Troy said.

“We’re big boys, Daddy,” Hermes said. “We can put on our pajamas while you shower.”

“We’ll be right here,” Hector James said.

Troy knew the best thing for the boys was to let them dress themselves. He knew his doting would destroy their new and growing sense of independence. They both looked so much like Dahlia that he hated to have them out of his sight. He gave the boys a nod.

“I’ll be right in there,” Troy said.

He made sure their door was locked, undressed, slipped his gauze-wrapped feet into plastic bags, and took a fast shower. His boys were waiting for him in the bedroom when he got out. He went around the twin cots to grab a pair of pajamas and underwear.

Rebecca Hargreaves had purchased these pajamas. Hermes’s pajamas were covered in Winnie-the-Pooh bears. Hector James’s pajamas had Tigger on them, and Troy’s pajamas had Owl. Because his boys had never heard the stories, she’d also bought the books. He pulled boots on over his gauze wrapped feet.

“Are we ready to say good-night to everyone?” Troy asked.

“Ready!” Hermes held up his arms and Troy picked him up.

“Ready!” Hector James picked him up.

Troy carried the boys into the dining room where the team and their families had assembled for their pre-marathon dinner. They cheered at the sight of his boys. He stepped into the door and Trece and White Boy took the boys from him. Trece and White Boy carried the boys as if they were Superman flying over the table. The team raised their hands. The boys held their hands out flat and patted the team’s hands as they flew by. Alex hugged Troy tight.

“I’ll be in to check on you tonight,” John said.

“You need your rest for the run tomorrow,” Troy said. “Plus, the boys want the door locked.”

“You’ll ring me if your pain is too much?” John asked.

Troy nodded. John hugged him.

“We’re on the support crew,” Troy said. “We’ll see you in the morning. You’re not running alone. Are you?”

“Mattie is running with me. I’d run with Colin but he’s too fast,” John said. “Plus Max and Raz are pacing.”

“No Jimmy?” Troy asked.

“Not yet,” John said.

“Sorry I won’t be there,” Troy said.

“Next month.” John smiled at his running partner. “We’ve plenty scheduled this fall.”

“Listen, I don’t have a place to stay.” Troy’s worried eyes reviewed John’s face. “We thought we’d rent a house in Denver this month but…”

“We haven’t rented out your space yet,” John laughed. “But you never know what random relative will show up.”

“You don’t have kids at the house,” Troy said. “My boys…”

“Our contractor is moving the door to your suite as we speak,” John said. “The boys will have their own rooms and a bathroom. There’s plenty of room. You’re welcome there as long as you need the space.”

Feeling movement near him, Troy turned to see Alex’s parents. Rebecca Hargreaves hugged him and Patrick shook his hand. Emily Lamberton stood from her seat and asked about his feet. She ended their conversation with a hug. Before another person arrived for a hug and a chat, his boys returned to his arms.

“Time for bed!” Troy said. “Boys?”

“GOODNIGHT!” Hermes and Hector James yelled. The crowded dining room cheered for the boys.

Troy carried them up to bed. Only a year ago, he would have resented not being able to run the marathon. This would be the first month in almost twenty-four that he hadn’t run a marathon.

“Daddy?” Hermes asked.

“Yes baby,” Troy said.

“Will Mommy be mad if I go to sleep without kissing her goodnight?” the little boy asked. “I’ve never gone to sleep without kissing Mommy goodnight.”

“Let’s kiss her goodnight when we get to the room,” Troy said.

Tonight, he was grateful that his children had survived their executioner. He opened the door and set the boys on their beds. They read the Winnie-the-Pooh story book that Rebecca had left for them. By the time they were through a few pages, the boys’ eyes were heavy.

“Let’s kiss her goodnight in our minds and tell her we love her,” Troy said.

“Like we do for you when you’re not home?” Hermes asked.

“Exactly,” Troy said.

“Love you Mommy,” the boys said almost in unison. “Goodnight.”

Troy switched off the overhead light and watched the boys fall asleep. For the first time in his adult life, the queen bed seemed impossibly large without Dahlia in it. He tried sleeping on the left side where she had slept. No luck. He tried his usual side. Nothing. Sighing, he grabbed a blanket and a pillow and made a spot on the floor next to the boys’ cots.

“Goodnight, sweet Dahlia,” Troy whispered. “I will miss you all the rest of my life.”

With tears seeping from his eyes, he forced himself to sleep.

FFFFFF

Sunday early morning
October 25 – 4:15 a.m. EDT
Sheridan Circle Mansion, Washington DC

“This place is a fortress,” James Kelly said. “I’ve been standing on the stoop like a street urchin for hours.”

Alex raised her eyebrows.

“Five minutes,” he said.

“Yes, you’re right,” Alex laughed. She stepped aside to let him in. “I can’t teleport down the stairs to get you.”

“That’s not a Fey gift?” James smiled. “I thought it was.”

“Very funny,” Alex said. “Are you ready to run?”

“I need to change my clothes,” James looked up at the mansion surrounding him. “This is a lovely fortress.”

“Amazing,” Alex said. “The butler won’t be here until six. He usually arrives at eight, but he’s on special duty for the marathon.”

She tapped the tip of her nose as if it was very posh. James laughed. He held out his arms and they hugged. He kissed her cheek.

“I’ll take you up to your room,” Alex started up the wide marble stairwell. “Did you find anything interesting?”

“I brought what Interpol has,” James said. “But it’s not much. Our satellites picked up what you have. The cover of trees makes it impossible to see Captain Olivas. Heat imaging shows something moving fast through the forest. Once the house explodes, everything is hot. You probably have the same thing.”

Alex nodded. They turned at the landing and continued up the next flight of stairs.

“And the house?” Alex asked.

“Nothing,” James said.

“Shit. I thought there would be something on the night-vision,” Alex said.

“He must have set up the explosives some other time,” James said. “Have you gone back in time?”

“Just a couple of days. That’s a good idea,” Alex said.

“He could have set the explosives a week or more before,” James said. “I watched a few days of video. They kept a very regular schedule. It wouldn’t have been hard to set everything up in advance. You know, you should ask my brother Cian. He might be able to see something we haven’t.”

Alex opened the door to a bedroom. The gorgeously appointed room had a Queen-sized bed, its own bathroom and balcony.

“This is lovely,” James said. “The nicest place I may have ever stayed in.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Alex said. “We’re having breakfast in a half-hour or so. Why don’t you get cleaned up? I’ll go wake the runners.”

“The police are coming for Olivas in an hour or two,” James said. “Early. They want to throw him off guard.”

“Thanks,” Alex said.

“He’s lucky you put Dahlia’s house on the watch list,” James said. “I had the entire month put in your account. If you need more, I just have to call. We wouldn’t have anything if you hadn’t flagged the house.”

“That’s cold comfort to his boys,” Alex said.

“Johnny and I were orphans a lot younger than these boys,” James said. “Look at how we turned out.”

Alex raised her eyebrows and gave him a “that’s what I mean” look. He laughed. With a nod, she turned to leave.

“One more thing,” James said.

Alex stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

“We’re missing an entire team,” James said. “Very hush-hush. They were on loan to NATO. September 22, they’re tracked by GPS and satellite; September 23, they vanish.”

“That’s why you were in the Falklands?” Alex asked.

“I went to where they were last seen,” Jimmy nodded. “And when I say vanished, I mean there was not one bit of evidence they’d ever been there.”

“Not even physical evidence?” Alex asked.

“Nothing. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle or an alien abduction.”

“Can you leave the details for me?” Alex asked. “I’ll check into it.”

“I sent the folder to your Intelligence account,” James said.

“See you in an hour,” Alex said.

She pulled the door closed and wandered down the hall. She knew John was already moving through his pre-race routine. She tapped on Vince’s door and was greeted by Amelia. She was wearing pajama bottoms and one of her dad’s big Navy shirts.

“I’m running too!” Vince and Emily’s daughter said. “Dad, Leena, and I have been practicing!”

“I wondered when I saw your grandmother,” Alex said. “She loves to watch you being so liberated.”

Amelia beamed a mouthful of braces. She was a stunning cross between her delicately made mother and Vince’s rugged power. At fourteen, she was both strong and beautiful.

“Mom and Dad are next door,” Amelia said. “He’s already hogging the bathroom. Hey, how come Leena isn’t here? I thought she was running with us. Plus, she’s Dad’s partner. She’s supposed to go where he goes.”

“She wanted to see her mom while she was in Washington,” Alex said. “Turns out her mom is pretty sick. She’s looking into putting her into a nursing home.”

“That’s awful,” Amelia said.

“I know,” Alex said. “I think Leena’s hoping to move her mom to Denver so she can keep an eye on her.”

“I’ll go visit her mom too,” Amelia smiled. “I go to nursing homes with my Girl Scout troop.”

“I bet Leena will ask your advice about a good nursing home,” Alex said.

Amelia smiled and stood a little taller. Her father’s beautiful Navy mineman partner had become Amelia’s not-quite-a-parent, fun adult friend. Alex smiled.

“Is that Alex?” Vince’s voice came from behind Amelia’s door. Amelia was startled. “Sorry, Am. I didn’t mean to surprise you. I need to talk to Alex.”

“The rooms adjoin through the bathroom,” Amelia rolled her eyes.

Vince put his hands on Amelia’s shoulders and kissed the back of her head. Alex had been in a medically induced coma when Erin had seen her high school friend Vince Hutchins’s name on the board at Walter Reed Hospital. Knowing he didn’t have a family, Erin talked their father into having him moved in with Alex. Of course, Erin didn’t know Alex had rescued Vince from a hole in Iraq just six months before. Through mutual pain, multiple surgeries, and the playful torture of their Navy and Army guards, Vince and Alex became fast friends.

“I’ll get dressed,” Amelia waved and retreated to the bathroom.

“Hey!” Vince said. “Don’t be in there long!”

With one more roll of her eyes, Amelia closed the bathroom door.

“She’s a real bathroom hog,” Vince said.

Alex struggled to keep from laughing.

“What’s up?” Alex asked.

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since going to Troy’s place,” Vince said. “Then it was paperwork and reports and…”

“James thinks he may have set the explosives ahead of time,” Alex said. “We don’t see anything on the satellite but we haven’t looked past yesterday.”

“He’s probably right,” Vince said. “I’ll check it out after the marathon. It would be nice to catch the bastard red-handed.”

“We should match the dates with Troy’s schedule. I bet he set them on a date he knew Troy would be there,” Alex said. “That way it would link back to the whole PTSD soldier crap that Asshole Jasper is spewing.”

Vince nodded.

“Anyway, good luck today,” Alex turned to leave.

“Wait,” Vince said. She spun around. “I got a call right after we landed last night. My old Commander…”

Alex nodded.

“He couldn’t talk,” Vince said. “He said he’s missing a crew. He knew I was working for you and wondered if I could look into it. He sent the details to Emmy’s work email from a bogus civilian account and I forwarded it to you.”

“Why couldn’t he talk?” Alex asked.

“He asked about them a few times and has been told to leave it alone. The last warning came with a detailed safety review of the destroyer.”

“Clean?”

“Of course, they were clean. It’s just a pain in the ass,” Vince said. “The team in question has been gone a few months. He’s been waking up in the middle of the night with the feeling they’re begging for help. He waited until the ship was in port and used a burner phone to call me. He’s scared – for them and for himself.”

“That’s not good,” Alex said.

“He said he didn’t want to be in a Navy that would let its men and women just disappear,” Vince said. “Alex, I’ve known this guy for a long, long time. I’ve never known him to be scared.”

“I’ll look into it,” Alex nodded.

“But you’re not surprised,” Vince said.

“This is maybe the eighth time I’ve heard the same story,” Alex said. “At dinner last night, Mom said Heath was missing. I was like, ‘Hookers and beer?’, but she was dead serious. I think something actually happened to him.”

“When did you first hear?” Vince asked.

“Three weeks? Maybe four?” Alex shook her head. “Sergeant Dusty had an Army Ranger friend disappear. He thought it was weird because the guy was about to have a baby.”

“The timeline fits,” Vince said.

“Anyway, I’m on it. These things take a lot more time to set up than you ever think they should.”

Vince turned to see the door to the bathroom was still closed. He grimaced.

“Can I use yours?” Vince asked.

“Sure,” Alex said. “I have to go wake Mattie.”

“No you don’t,” Matthew said as he walked down the hall toward them. Vince scooted out of the room to use Alex and John’s bathroom. Alex turned to Matthew. “Grace has a four o’clock feeding.”

Alex hugged Matthew. In Special Forces training, he’d gone from being her enemy to being her friend. She’d rescued him twice and won countless mixed martial arts championships as his partner. When it was time to build a team, he was the first person she hired. He kissed her cheek.

“You ready, Poppa?” Alex asked.

“Excited,” Matthew said. “I feel like I’m getting back to myself. I’m not healing from a gunshot, working off an injury, taking meds for parasites…”

Alex laughed as he listed his most recent maladies.

“I love seeing you so happy,” Alex said.

“Me too,” Matthew said. “I was going to help Troy with the boys.”

“Good idea,” Alex said. “We eat in about a half-hour.”

Matthew raised his hand to Alex. She retreated down the stairs.

“And?” Raz asked when she reached her workroom on the main floor.

“Missing Navy team, probably SEALs. Missing British team,” Alex said.

“The British satellite data is interesting,” Colin looked up from his computer.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to run?” Alex asked.

“Did that,” Colin said. “We only have a few more hours before the police come for Troy. I wanted to see if I can find anything.”

“James suggested he set it up beforehand,” Alex said.

“Do you have Troy’s schedule?” Raz asked.

“Not when he was at the house,” Alex said. “I think Mattie or Joseph kept his schedule. I’ll ask. That’s good thinking.”

“If this was as well planned as it seems?” Raz shook his head. “We’ll need a healthy dose of luck to figure it out.”

“We haven’t had it so far,” Colin said.

“Keep looking,” Alex said. “Remember. We’re the pros. Hector was not a pro.”

“Could he have hired one?” Colin asked.

“Sure but no one’s claimed credit,” Alex said.

“That gives me an idea,” Raz said.

“James suggested we call Cian,” Alex said.

“That’s another good idea,” Raz said. “I’ll do that now. Is he at the bakery?”

“Should be,” Colin said.

John’s elder brother, Cian Kelly, appeared in the middle of an awful year a few years ago and was now a member of the family. He and his best friend, Eoin, went from being IRA thugs to owning a popular bakery with Colin.

“Have the number?” Raz asked. “He won’t answer the bakery phone while he’s working.”

“I can reach him,” Colin said. “Should I call?”

Raz nodded.

“I’m going to the map room to think,” Alex said.

Raz watched her leave the room and Colin waved. Smiling at them, she took the stairs down a level to the room she’d used most of the beginning of the year. Her identical twin, Max was sitting on a couch. She sat down nearly on top of him. He gave her a macchiato. As if to combine their brain power, the twins leaned their identical heads against each other.

“What do you think is going on?” Alex asked.

“Missing soldiers? Or Troy?”

Alex shrugged.

“You’re right,” Max said.

“They feel like the same problem,” Alex said.

Max nodded.

F

Lean on Me is the fourth novel in the fast paced Alex the Fey thriller series
by Claudia Hall Christian.

The novel is available in paperback and electronic books at Cook Street Store.
It will be available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local book seller after 2/29/12
Lean on Me, and all the Alex the Fey thrillers are available in eBooks.
Entire chapters are be published on Fridays beginning March 2, 2012 at
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.

For discounts, give aways, special fiction, and other fun
join the Alex the Fey Facebook Group