I need to make sure this meeting goes well, and I can get them to help me with this. I knew my father had enemies, I knew he worked undercover, but even through all that, I never thought I’d be burying him so early in life. As we weave through the streets, I pray to all that’s holy that Jackson and his team can help me. What concerns me is that I don’t want them to go out there looking for Autumn. I want to be on the team that does.
I’m nervous. I don’t know why. Even though Jackson was welcoming on the call earlier this morning, I’m still twisted with anxiety at the thought of them possibly saying no.
I should never have left in the first place. When Dad told me that he wanted me to join the navy, I should’ve refused and stayed home. But then again, who could ever refuse a man like him? Formidable, I spent my life fearful of him.
Images of where Autumn could be race through my mind. My girl is somewhere unknown, and all I can do is focus on getting her back because if I think about whoever has her, hurting her, my blood sizzles with rage.
When we finally pull up to Cole Security, I’m rendered speechless. The building is magnificent. It not only oozes strength, it looks like it’s been kitted out for defense. Excitement races through me. The thought of being around these guys makes me feel good. They’ve done so much in their lives, and I look up to them. When I found out about them, I researched until I was sure I had every tidbit of information about their operation.
My father wanted me to follow in his footsteps, but nothing he ever did made me feel as if he was someone I should look up to. And I didn’t. I think that’s why he was always so hard on me. He wanted something from me I couldn’t offer.
Pushing the door open, I step over the threshold, noticing the modern look to the interior. Gray concrete floors greet me, along with cream and royal blue walls.
There are cubicles in the center of the room, and I take in every square inch I can see from where I’m standing. There are guys milling around, some rushing from one side of the office to the other.
The offices on the left seem to be closed off with dark wooden doors, and I wonder if that’s where the meeting will take place. A few heads turn to regard me, and one of the older guys saunters up.
“Hey, you must be JD?” he asks. “I’m Mark.”
“Good to meet you, Mark. I’ve got a meeting with—”
“Jackson at three,” he finishes with a grin. “I’ll be in the meeting as well. Nice to have you here.”
“Thanks. I’ve been looking forward to speaking with you both for so long. I’m glad to be here. There’s something I need help with, and I wouldn’t trust anyone else with this information.”
“Well, that sounds ominous. Come,” he says, leading me deeper into the building. A few of the guys nod their heads in greeting, but they don’t stop working. Their focus is on the screens in front of them or the folders they’re poring through, and I can’t help but want to be one of them.
He leads me into a meeting room, gesturing for me to take a seat before he joins me, sitting opposite me with a folder on the table.
“So, Jackson will be in here shortly. Tell me about you. What brought you to Cole Security?”
“My dad was in the navy, he had connections everywhere, and when he left the navy, he got a job with the FBI through a friend. One night, I heard them talking about Jackson and the company he started. I’ve always wanted to make a difference, to fight without fighting, and I guess the idea of what you have here appealed to me.”
Mark nods in understanding, flicking through the file I’m sure is mine. I had to send information through to them a couple of years ago when I was looking to join the team. “So, you wanted to join us.”
“Yeah, until my father threw a curveball my way and sent me off to bootcamp. The Naval Academy was his dream for me; it wasn’t mine. As much as he forced me into it, I needed to come back and follow my path. But before I could do that, I got the call that my dad was killed while he was undercover, so I came home. I don’t want to go back; my life is here, and my focus is here.”
He nods again, glancing at my information on the desk before asking, “You’re planning on staying in Virginia, or will you go back to New York?”