“This weapon that you’re after.” He took a deep breath and admitted, “It is being protected by retired Admiral Davidson Delta and his family.”
“What?”
Braden nodded. Of course his old friend knew Admiral Delta. He was a legend in the Navy. “I don’t have all the details, but from what I understand, Admiral Delta was tasked to protect it years ago by whoever created it because they knew if its existence got out, men would kill and betray each other to have it. King Frederick wants that weapon, and once he gets it, he’s vowed to rain nukes on America.”
“No.” Zander shook his head, but his response was more horror, not that he didn’t believe Braden.
“Don’t go after that weapon,” Braden begged. “Find a way to stop this and figure out who sent you so we can let Admiral Delta know and stop them.”
They could just keep sending special ops teams. They had to stop whoever was issuing the commands.
“You think I have that much pull? If this team and I don’t go after that weapon, I’ll get court martialed. I have my orders.” Zander’s jaw tightened, and then he nodded. “You’re seeing this all wrong, buddy. We’ll get that weapon, whatever it is, and be able to protect it better than the admiral and his family. It needs to be in the hands of the Navy, and I trust these men more than anyone else in the world to bring it safely in.”
Braden’s neck burned and he tasted bile. “No, Zander. I promise you, whoever is sending you after the Delta weapon is in league with Frederick. The only people we can trust are Admiral Delta and his family. They have been assigned to protect that weapon and have trained for that purpose all their lives. You have to leave it alone and trust they are the only ones who will keep it safe from Frederick.”
Zander’s jaw worked as he listened and processed. Braden prayed desperately that his friend would listen to him, but the look in his eyes terrified Braden. He trusted his team and his higher-ups, not the Deltas. Everything Braden said hadn’t convinced him.
Braden had to contact the Deltas, quick. Where was Maddie’s cousin’s SEAL team at? He prayed California and not deployed. That was the only way they could get them there fast enough to help fight Zander’s team.
Zander started walking again and Braden fell into step with him. Neither of them said anything. Braden wanted to beg him or somehow detain him, but he didn’t know that either would work.
He could see the lights of the Blackhawk up ahead and hear the rotors beating the air.
“Please, Zander,” he tried one more time. “This is bigger than our careers. This is hundreds of millions of Americans dead if you’re wrong and Frederick gets that weapon.”
Zander shoved his hands in his pockets, stopped, and studied him. They were in a stare down and Braden didn’t know how to convey his message any stronger. Zander’s eyes flashed with regret and Braden’s stomach turned.
“I’m sorry, man,” he muttered.
Over the rotor’s blades, Braden heard pounding footsteps. He whirled as the first man came at him. Braden roundhouse kicked him into the man coming up behind him. They both flew back, but more were coming. Zander wrapped him up from behind with a chokehold around his neck that would have him out in six seconds.
“I … know … you …” Braden squeaked out as Zander’s team gathered round to stare hard at him. They were all determined to do the right thing, but they didn’t know what the right thing truly was.
The world went gray and then black.
ChapterFifteen
Maddie awoke to the grayish light of dawn, a night of sleep without the nightmares coming back, and missing Braden fiercely. She slipped onto her knees and cautiously prayed again, thanking Him for peace and the nightmare going away.
She asked to be forgiven and to find a path where she could help and protect without having to kill. She’d read an autobiography of an elite Navy SEAL who said he felt no remorse for all the men he’d killed. They were evil men and killing them protected many innocents. Maddie knew the same could be said of the people she’d killed, but she’d always felt heaps of remorse. Maybe it was being raised and surrounded by faith all her life, but the killing had tarnished her soul and she wanted to avoid it if possible.
Praying for guidance to know how to go forward, she hoped to receive some inspiration, but nothing huge came. She did feel settled, at peace, and accepted. It was enough. It was more than enough, more than she’d ever dared hope for.
She prayed for Braden. She could never discount all he had done for her. Though their time together had been short, it had been substantial and she felt very strongly about him. Maybe it could be love or could develop into love.
As she was winding down her prayer, and thinking about Braden far too much, she heard a phone ringing in the silent house, her father’s voice, and footsteps moving quickly. Hers and Jessie’s phones buzzed simultaneously on the nightstand. An alarm.
Maddie instantly recognized the Delta Protection alarm. It wasn’t usually active on her phone, as she usually wasn’t close enough to be any help. Her being here had triggered it and though it was terrifying to know something was coming at them and after the secret, it felt like she was accepted and needed to be included in the alert.
She jumped to her feet and heard running footsteps in her parents’ house.
Jessie sat up and asked, “What’s happening?”
Maddie hurried over and lifted her phone. The alert simply saidInvasion Imminent. Her heart threatened to jump out of her chest as she shoved the phone at Jessie. Who was coming? How many?
Her sister’s eyes grew round as she scrambled out of bed.
The unmistakable sound of chopper blades filled the air.