“Is the sheriff involved?” Fargo asked.
Deke looked up from the notes in front of him. “Not exactly.”
Fuse leaned forward, brows knit together. “Explain.”
Deke’s mouth twisted into a grin. “We’ve been able to secure a few used cruisers. WES men will be inside wearing full tactical gear. They plan to approach from four directions starting a minute after the sirens and lights are triggered. They’ll get close enough for the tangos to see their lights, but far enough away not to be a target. Unless they’re complete idiots, the gangs will abandon the raid.”
Chaos, the newest member of the Brethren, absentmindedly drew circles on a pad of paper. “We don’t want to underestimate Viktor or Grizzly. They may retreat, but they’ll regroup, using all their resources to find out where Ms. Blackmore is being held.”
Mitch’s eyes narrowed on Chaos. “Do you know these men?”
“My oldest brother, Dal, went to school with Grizz. Both were prospects for the Devils. The MC was fairly new and needed members. It wasn’t long before they received their patches. I heard a lot about Grizz from my brother. The two never got along. Dal never trusted him. Said the man was a sociopath and ruthless inside and outside the MC. A few years in, Dal disappeared while on a run with Grizz. His body was never found. By then, I was a SEAL. A friend of mine had just patched-in. He told me not to dig into it or I’d end up buried with Dal. A month later, both my friend and Grizz’s old lady disappeared, too. The man is vicious and unremorseful.” Chaos drummed his fingers on the table. “In case you’re curious, Wrath knows all about this.”
“And Viktor?” Deke asked.
“Only through reading classified documents on the Butovo Bratva. He and Vulture, Grizz’s mentor, could be brothers. Their tactics are more heinous than those used by the Angels, Mongols, and other one percenters, and that’s saying something.”
The room fell silent as the men, and Brittany, absorbed his words. Without thought, she reached over, grasping Fuse’s hand for a few seconds before letting go.
Deke was the first to speak. “We now have a little more detail about our adversaries. Wrath claims this house is buried so deep, no one, not even the FBI, could track it back to anyone at WES or the Brethren.”
Fuse clasped his hands on the desk. “We can’t take chances. If the plan at my house works, Viktor and the Devils will renew their search. No matter how deep, nothing is truly secure.”
“That’s why we have permission to add more security to this house,” Deke said.
Clearing her throat, Brittany glanced around the table. “How will this end? I’m being protected from whoever is coercing my father into voting for bills beneficial to Russia. Removing Viktor and the Devils isn’t going to stop those behind this.”
A small grin appeared on Deke’s face. “Very astute, Ms. Blackmore.”
“Please, call me Brittany.”
“All right, Brittany. Although your father is adamant about not including them, the FBI is protecting the other two senators and their families. They’ve been gathering their own Intel and brought in other agencies. The CIA, which is incredible since the two don’t play well together. Regardless, they’ve been digging into the Russian connection.”
“Have they made any progress, Mr. Caldwell?” Brittany asked.
Chuckling, Deke smiled. “The name’s Deke.”
“Deke, then.”
“To answer your question, yes, they’ve made progress. Probably due to the fact the CIA has an agent embedded close to the main target. That’s not official, but nothing else makes sense. The target is the head of Butovo Bratva in Russia. He has a great deal to gain if the legislation in the senate goes his way. Viktor reports to him. The tricky part is even though the Russian Federal Assembly talks about eliminating the gangs, there are those who believe there are still strong connections between the two. What that means is some of those Russian legislators are poised to also benefit from the vote.”
Brittany lifted a brow. “Don’t those who are voting know about this?”
Deke exchanged glances with the other men. “They should, but oftentimes, the senators read summaries prepared by their staff. These people are dedicated, but may not understand nuances buried inside the various legislation. My guess is the benefit to the Butovo Bratva has been hidden within carefully crafted wording. Fortunately, there are others in the government well-versed in the wording of bills. They will make certain it is highlighted for the senator’s consideration.”
Brittany’s gaze locked on Deke’s. “And those who prepared the bill? I’d assume they have some connection to the Russian underworld. Will they be investigated?”
Deke’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “I’m afraid that’s above all of our pay grades.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Fuse chomped down on one of the sandwiches Bas and Fargo had prepared for the group, glaring across the room at Deke. The damn operator sat next to Brittany, using his charm to reel her in.
He knew Deke from his short time with the Brethren. When the undercover MC started, the SEALs had been joined by about a dozen Special Forces members. Deke had been Delta. A popular guy with a background as impressive as those from DEVGRU.
After about a year, he’d left to join Sully Sullivan at White Eagle Training Center, becoming their lead instructor. He was a good man, honest and dependable. Deke was also a player, going through women faster than Fuse had ever seen. Now his sights were set on Brittany.
“Not happening,” he growled under his breath.
“Talking to yourself?” Gunner came up next to him, following his friend’s gaze to Deke and Brittany. “Ah. Our very own Casanova is honing in on your woman. Do you want me to take him out?”
Choking on the sandwich, Fuse grabbed a bottle of water, washing it down. “Hell no. If anyone sets him straight, it’ll be me.”
Gunner finished a bag of chips, crumpling it into a ball. “Brittany’s not going to be taken in by Deke. She’s just having a good time. After all, you two argue more often than not. Plus, I may have clued him in on your background.”
“You what?”
“Look, Deke has taken over lead from you and Mitch, so that’s what he has to go with. The good news is Wrath gave him a heads-up that you make all final decisions on Brit, and that you two have a history. No details, just that Deke was to concentrate on strategy and deploying the men. He’s not to focus on our high-value asset.”
“I can see Deke listened to Wrath,” Fuse ground out.
“The guy can’t help himself. I think he’s just trying to get her comfortable around him. Nothing nefarious.”
Fuse grunted, not believing Gunner’s excuse. Deke wasn’t a one-and-done man like other Brethren. He dated the same woman for a few weeks, then moved on. Not that it mattered. Fuse didn’t intend to let him make a move on Brittany.
Heading toward the couple, he stopped before them, careful to keep his expression neutral. “Do you feel like a walk, Brit?”
She set her plate aside, jumping up. “I’d love to get outside. Thanks for the conversation, Deke.”