Walker laughed as Mark’s jaw dropped. He was gonna have to get used to Walker’s family. “Leave him alone, Uncle Chip. He’s had a bad day.”
“Where’s that girl?” Chip grumbled.
“Do you want me to help her find it?” Walker asked. He’d take Mark with him of course.
“She knows where it is. Jamie was the one who bought it. She said we had to check our cars.”
Of course she had. And that was why Jamie was in business with her father.
“I’ll go find her,” Walker said. He looked at Mark. “Come with me.”
He tried to phrase it as more of a question than an order, but he could see by the way Mark’s eyes narrowed that he got the message. Walker had screwed up by leaving him alone, but that was the second time Mark had not been where he expected him to be, the first being in the diner that morning. Before Walker could make a move, though, he heard Jamie’s voice behind him.
“Joey.”
The blood in Walker’s veins froze. Even without turning he could hear the fear in her voice. He turned around slowly so as not to startle anyone and saw the frightened eyes of Jamie in the arms of the man with an agency-issued Glock jammed under her chin.
Chapter 15
Walker took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Are you all right, Jamie?”
“I’m fine,” she said, clearly lying.
He looked at the bald-headed man holding his cousin in a vice-like grip. “Why don’t you let her go, Rees?”
Rees shook his head. “She’s fine where she is, Walker.”
“She’s got nothing to do with this.”
“You’re right, but she’s got a lot to do with this little set-up, hasn’t she?” Rees whistled. “Does the agency know about this? You supplying vehicles to lowlife scumbags across the country?”
Walker knew at that moment whatever happened next, his career in the agency was over. If by some miracle they survived this encounter, he wouldn’t survive the investigation by the agency. They couldn’t afford to be associated with businesses like Walker’s family operated. Walker was strangely at peace with the idea. If he and Mark survived, he wanted to stay near Mark and maybe have a home, a proper home for the first time in his adult life. He could open up an auto repair shop; it wasn’t like he didn’t have the skills. Or maybe he could go into the family business if his family was still speaking to him after today. All this raced through his head while he faced Rees and Jamie.
He flicked a glance Mark’s way and saw the utter betrayal on his face. An agency man was behind this, which meant an agency man killed Mark’s former partner. Had they sanctioned this mission? And if so where did the order come from.
“What’s this about?” he asked.
“It’s on a need-to-know basis, and a rookie doesn’t need to know, especially one of the Valentine team,” Rees sneered.
“Valentine team?” his uncle rasped. “What kind of pansy name is that?”
“Did you tell your family all about your bunch of losers?” Rees said.
“Are you here to laugh at my team or are you gonna tell us why you’re really here?” Walker demanded.
Jamie whimpered, and Rees jammed the butt further under her neck. Flames exploded in Walker’s head, and he was ready to rush Rees but then he felt Mark’s hand on his back, and it grounded him. He leaned into the touch, not caring that his uncle could see. It wasn’t as if it was going to be a secret for much longer.
“You have to kill me,” Mark snapped.
Rees inclined his head.
“Why now? Why kill me and Bridgeman now? It’s been ten years.”
Rees shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not like I care. I get the intel, and I execute the mark. It’s the way it’s always been.”
“Who gave you the command?”
“I don’t know. I received a message. I’ve never met the person giving the orders.”
Walker narrowed his eyes. “You’re executing people on the basis of a message?”
“It’s no different from receiving the orders before assignments.”
“You’re killing your own brothers.”
“Former brothers,” Rees corrected.
“How much is my death worth to you?” Mark asked harshly.
Rees smiled thinly. “You’ll clear my gambling debt.”
“You’re doing this for money?” Walker gaped at him.
“I ain’t doing it for love, noob.”
“Where’s your partner?” Walker demanded.
“Here.” The lean guy emerged from the shadows, his weapon trained on Mark.
“Are you getting paid too?”
“Course.” Like it was commonplace to hold guns on your own brothers.
“What’s your name?” Walker asked.
“Why?”
“I want to know who’s killing me,” Walker said.
“Wright.” He looked uncomfortable at giving his name. Good.
“So how are you going to play this?” Walker asked. “Who are you going to blame?”
“You and the Russians. You let your package die at the hands of the commies and in the shootout you all die.”
“Commies? Seriously.” Did people really talk like that now? He felt Mark’s hand on his back, the pressure warning him to shut up.
“It’s a pity you and your fuckbuddy have to die but orders is orders.”
“Fuckbuddy?” Uncle Chip snapped.
Rees barked out a laugh. “You mean your family don’t know you’re a faggot?”
“They do now,” Walker murmured, knowing if they survived Chip would tell his parents.
“And what if he is?” Jamie said, but she cut off with a squeal when Rees yanked her hair back.
“Take it easy,” Wright said, glowering at his partner.
Walker caught the scowl Rees sent Wright’s way. Interesting; all was not fun and games in sniper paradise.
“Look—”
Rees cut him off. “Whatever you’re gonna say, can it. There’s nothing you can offer me that’ll change the outcome. You’re all gonna die, and no one’s going to know it was us.”
“How many of our agency have you killed?”
“A few.”
“You going after Lukas next?”
Rees shook his head and Walker heard Mark’s relieved sigh. He was never going to have a chance to fill the hole in Mark’s heart by healing it with his love. He regretted that more than anything.
“Lukas is too well-guarded. There’s a specialized team going after him.”
Walker saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Mark bellowed and launched himself at Rees.
Rees stumbled back, letting go of Jamie for the instant it took for her to elbow him in the gut. He doubled over long enough for Mark to kick his kneecap, and he hit the ground with a thud. Mark landed on top of him.
Walker saw Wright take aim at Mark and shot him in the head. The man stared at him as his legs collapsed underneath him. Walker rushed over and took his weapon. Jamie grabbed Rees’s and then kicked him in the head. Rees groaned, blood pouring from his nose.