Pledging to Die (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 11) (5 page)

Nothing made her happier than slipping into the black Kevlar and riot gear. It reminded her of being out in the field, and that was one hell of an adrenaline rush. Across her back was a tactical shotgun, slung haphazardly around her body. Across both thighs were holsters, holding her trusty Glocks.

She was ready.

In fact, she wanted in there in the worst way. It wasn’t nerves jangling in her gut, but the eager anticipation of showing the newbies how she rolled.

Glancing up at the board, her number was there. She was up soon. Now, she’d be in her element.

All that was missing was one little thing. Putting on her yellow shooting glasses, Elizabeth looked the part of a badass Fed. Now, she had to put her money where her mouth was.

As she waited her turn in the queue, she was surrounded by children. Well, maybe that was an exaggeration, but these agents had yet to be field tested and were as green as grass.

That forced her to think about Agents Seaton and Madden. She’d kept her ear to the grindstone and heard the rumors. Neither was doing well, and as soon as she was back in her office, she was going to fix their shit.

If it were up to her, she never would have let them break up as partners. While Ethan didn't want to lose Johanna Madden over all this, she knew the woman wouldn’t quit. Now Elizabeth was taking over to drive the Cupid bus.

“Hey, Grandma, are those for glaucoma or cataracts?” some male agent asked. “You look like a loser.”

She glanced over. “Yeah, neither, but since we’re talking about losers, I want to tell you that before, when the instructor was kicking your ass, you had a wicked camel toe. That’s awesome in a man. You rarely see it when someone has balls.”

He glared at her.

The women around her snickered at the way she shut the testosterone junkie up.

Elizabeth knew that those with the loudest mouths tended to crash and burn first. She’d seen it happen.

His days were limited. 

“I think I’m still at the top of the leaderboard,” she said, pointing at the giant whiteboard with all their ID numbers on it. “Yeah, that’s little ol’ me at the top. I guess my age isn't slowing me down.”

He smirked. “Not after this round. I’m going to own that top spot.”

She laughed. “Okay, chuckles. Thanks for the laugh. We’ll revisit this when we’re done.”

“When I beat you, then you should retire.”

There were
‘ohhs’
and
‘ahhhs’
, as they waited to see what she’d say back to that.

This was exactly why she trained hard. It was assholes like this, who judged the book by the cover, which pissed her off.

Elizabeth stared at him. “Again, we’ll revisit this conversation. I can bet you won’t forget it, or me.”

“Don’t forget to load your gun, Granny,” he busted.

“You better hope I don’t forget who I am and unload it in your punk ass,” she replied, stepping up to the line. She wasn’t worried or fazed. Newbies talked smack. It was the testosterone and adrenaline rush right before heading into the dark to save the innocent civilians.

“You ready, Elizabeth?” asked the man at the door, offering her a fist bump.

She glanced over at him. He was one more agent she’d worked with, and he was out of the field now too. It was the reality of it all.

Time was a bitch.

“Yep.”

He hit the button, starting the timer. Each year, the pattern varied, but Elizabeth had done this so many times, that she could practically do it with her eyes closed. Heading in with the tactical shotgun, she used the three required rounds against the combatants. With little effort, she blew their heads right off.

She wasn’t messing around.

Swinging the gun around her body, she went for both hand guns. What gave her the edge was being ambidextrous. She could take out two targets relatively fast.

And that’s what she did.

By the time she reached the end of the alley, she was proud of her time. Stepping out into the daylight, her ears stopped ringing from the explosions, sirens, and gunfire that they subjected you too. Despite the earplugs, it was still deafening.

Outside, she headed back to her group, waiting for them to call her out. She was done, and in a few minutes, she’d be getting the hell out of dodge.

“Not bad, Granny,” busted the big newbie. “Did you hit any of the targets with your spiffy glasses in place?”

She laughed. “You’re a douchebag.”

He shrugged, but then something caught his attention. “Heads up. Here come the big dicks,” he stated, pointing toward Gabe and Ethan.

“Congrats,” Gabriel Rothschild stated to the entire group. “The next step is getting you placed with Directors Blackhawk and Blackhawk, or myself. You’ve all filled out your placement forms, and you’ll be notified.”

“Blackhawk,” the instructor shouted.

Instead of Ethan looking over, Elizabeth raised her hand. The looks on the trainees’ faces were priceless when they realized who had been in their midst the entire time. She would have laughed if she wouldn’t have peed her pants at their horror.

“Right here,” she said, grabbing her qualifying paper.

“You aced it as usual, Lyzee. See you next year.”

She took her paper before grinning at the newbies who were talking smack. “Hey, Gabe?”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“I want the big one sent out to FBI West, the blonde that looks like she’s going to puke, and the redhead ready to bolt. Bump them to priority. They’re getting a one way trip to Elizabeth Blackhawk boot camp.”

They all stared.

Elizabeth took her place beside her husband. Immediately, his arm went around her waist, holding her to his side. “If I forgot to make the introductions earlier, you’ll have to excuse me. I’m getting old.”

She directed that right at the big guy. He closed his eyes, knowing he’d screwed himself.

“I’m Elizabeth Whitefox-Blackhawk, and I’m half your boss team. You might know my husband.”

That was addressed to the two female agents who were visualizing getting into her husband’s pants. They didn't look so excited about it now.

Funny.

“You shouldn’t talk smack unless you know who’s around you,” she stated. “I’ll see you out at FBI West.” Pointing at the male, she grinned ferally. “Your old granny boss kicked your ass. When you get out there, I’ll see you in the gym. It’s lesson one in Blackhawk-ville. Put your damn money where your mouth is, and if you jack it up, you bleed in sweat.”

He groaned. “Director, I’m sorry.”

Ethan cut him off. “I know he didn't call my wife and partner old, because I’m older. When you’re done with him, I’ll be meeting him in the training room too.”

He was officially screwed.

Elizabeth pointed at the women. “Keep your fantasies to yourself. Trust me when I say that he won’t be dipping his stick in any other pool, and now that you’re on my radar, I’ll make your life hell if I see drool.”

With that, they turned to head out of there. Ethan grinned down at his wife before tucking his hand in her back pocket. “I love when you screw with the newbies. It turns me right on.”

“Do you really want them?” Gabe asked.

“Hell no. I just figured we’d make them sweat it. Maybe you can hold up their papers a few days, and they’ll be so stressed that they’ll quit, or cry. I’m good with either.” With that, she glanced over her shoulder before patting her husband on the ass.

He laughed. “God, you’re wicked. That’s so hot.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Okay, we have to talk. Meet me in my office in ten.”

With that, he strolled away.

“He’s edgy,” Ethan stated, as they headed to the break room to grab a cup of coffee.

“Is it because of the Oracle mess, and how his damn secretary sold us out? Possibly could it be that he screwed up and didn't even suspect someone right under his damn nose?”

Maybe that was it.

“I don’t know,” he stated. “All I know is the Dragon Slayer seems beat down.”

Elizabeth was worried. Despite being angry with him, she hated to see Gabe suffer. They went way back. “That’s not like him.”

“I know it’s not. We need to get to the bottom of this, and fast.”

Then that’s what they’d do.

They found him behind his desk in his office. The look on his face said it all. Gabe was worried.

“Still no new secretary?” she asked.

Gabe shook his head. “Not since Avalon Miller’s death. I can’t trust anyone. Maggie was my secretary for over ten years. She was the last person I thought would betray me. It cost the president his favorite weapon.”

She shrugged. Oh, if Gabe only knew the truth. Oracle was alive and well, no thanks to him and some basic screw-ups. The fewer people who knew the truth the better.

“Well, then what’s up?” Elizabeth asked as Ethan closed the door behind them.

“I need a favor.”

They sat.

“What? Are we talking a favor like you once asked me, or just a run of the mill kind of deal?”

“The latter, thank you very much. I don’t need anyone offed,” he stated, trying to find humor in anything at this point. What he needed was a vacation, and soon.

Ethan dropped his arm over Elizabeth’s shoulders as they sat side by side. “What is it?”

“You know that case that your vice squad is dealing with at that college?”

“Yeah, what about it?” Elizabeth asked.

“They found a body.”

She sat forward. “Who did?”

“Agent Madden. She was on her way back from the undercover assignment at the campus party, and the girl she was dogging turned up mutilated.”

“Why didn't I hear about this?” Ethan asked, taking the crime scene photos off his boss’s desk. “Johanna reports to us, not you.”

“I went over your head.”

Neither of them liked that. In fact, from the looks on their faces, they could tell Gabe got that.

“You’re a dick,” Elizabeth stated. “Your office ran my team through the ringer with Oracle. I was trapped with her for two months, and then Nathaniel Carter nearly died when she went down. What the hell, Gabe?”

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I know, Elizabeth, and I’m sorry about that. How was I supposed to know that Maggie was related and feeding Avalon’s father the details? I never suspected her. I trusted her for many years.”

“Still, why did you pull rank and get our agent to go above our heads? Johanna Madden knows better.”

“Cool the lynching. She didn't run to me. Her partner did. Agent Jason Blaise answers to me. He’s one of mine.”

Blackhawk leaned forward. “I sincerely hope you’re not telling us that you have a plant in our house. If you are, well, you can go fuck yourself, Gabe.”

The Dragon Slayer steepled his fingers as he chose his words wisely. There was bad blood between them, and he hated it. “I’m your boss, or have you both forgotten that?”

She put down her coffee and stood. “Okay, we’ll play it that way. You be the boss, we’ll be the drones. Oh, and by the way, we’re taking a vacation. You can deal with both houses.”

“Sit.”

She ignored him.

“Damn it, Elizabeth! I’m not asking as your boss. I’m asking as someone you used to respect. Don’t think I don’t know you’re pissed off that my office had a leak. I get it. The President of the United States wants to use my ass as a hockey puck. I need a favor, and I’m coming to you as a friend.”

He sounded tired.

“I’m coming to you because I have no one else to go to, and I’m hoping that you’ll find it in your heart to just hear me out. Please.”

She was pissed at him, but she didn't hate him.

“Are Livy and the kids okay?” she asked.

He nodded. “It’s a work related favor.”

Blackhawk waited for it. While Gabe was their family, there was tension now where respect had once been. How could there not be? They’d been boned by the man they trusted.

“The reason I have Agent Blaise working for me has nothing to do with you. The man in charge of the university is an acquaintance. We went to college together, and he’s now the president where this mess is going down. When these women started disappearing, he reached out to me. He’s afraid that in light of other scandals, he’s going to be tossed to the wolves.”

They listened.

“The board of trustees has demanded that someone do something before they lose all their funding. So, I offered to send in a couple of agents undercover. I suggested Jason Blaise, because he’s one of mine, but you picked Johanna Madden to lead it.”

“We get that, Gabe, but why did you go over our head? You didn't have our agents report to us. We’re out of the loop.”

He shook his head. “No, you’re not. I needed you to be out of the loop for one simple reason.”

Blackhawk couldn’t wait for this. “And that would be what?”