Anything for His Son

He gave a clipped nod, removed his keys and unlocked the door. They rushed inside, and he hurried to check his machine, then cursed. Of course, the blasted thing wasn’t working because of the blackout.

“Let me check the brownstone. Stay put, Rebecca.”

Shaking, she sank onto the living room couch, and twisted her fingers together while he searched the rooms on all three stories. Last night she’d assured Jesse there were no monsters. But today, in broad daylight, one had stolen him.

Ethan returned, shaking his head, but he was already on his cell phone. On the coffee table, she spotted the photo of Ethan with their son at a baseball game, picked it up and traced her finger over Jesse’s smiling face. Disbelief warred with hopelessness, but she fought through it, grappled for strength.

Their baby had to be all right.

She couldn’t survive losing her son.

ETHAN PRAYED SILENTLY AS HE phoned Eclipse teammate Ty Jones, whose day job was as a Secret Service agent. The note had said no cops, and Ethan would comply. But he needed help, and his cohorts from the Eclipse team were the best. He didn’t intend to sit idly by while some maniac stole his son and got away with it.

Fear niggled at the base of his spine. Why hadn’t there been a ransom note or a call yet?

What did the kidnapper want if not money?

Ty sounded winded when he answered the call. “Ethan, I’ve been trying to reach you. Dana phoned me and told me about your son.”

“There was a note warning me not to call the cops,” Ethan said gruffly. “But no ransom. Ty, I don’t understand.”

“Sit tight. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Ethan hung up and moved to the window to study the street, searching the crowd and shadowy corners. He didn’t expect to see Jesse outside, but maybe he’d get a glimpse of someone watching the house. Someone he would chase down and beat into telling him where he had his little boy.

His fingers ached from gripping the cell phone in his hands. He willed it to ring, to be the kidnapper with a message relaying his demands. Where to make the drop.

How to get his son back.

His chest tightened painfully. He had to be strong for Rebecca. For Jesse. Had to hold it together until he found the bastard who’d done this.

Fury raged through his veins like fire ripping through dry kindling. Then he’d kill the maniac with his bare hands, making sure he suffered before he died.

A pounding on the front door jarred him back to motion. He rushed to let Ty in. His friend looked disheveled, rough around the edges as if he hadn’t slept all night.

Ty said hello to Rebecca, then leaned against the fireplace wall with his hands fisted by his sides. “I think I know who kidnapped your son.”

The air froze in Ethan’s lungs. Rebecca started to stand, but Ty gestured for her to remain seated.

“Who?” Ethan asked. “What’s going on, Ty?”

“I tried to reach you earlier, Ethan. To warn you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Ethan’s patience snapped like a thin wire beneath too much pressure. “I want to know who has Jesse, and I want to know now.”

Ty sighed. “I believe Liam Shea is behind Jesse’s disappearance.”

“Liam?” The name caused a cold ball of dread in Ethan’s stomach. “What? Why?”

“Who is Liam Shea?” Rebecca asked.

Ethan scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Ten years ago, a group of us formed a select coterie of Special Forces servicemen in a high-profile rescue mission. Fifty-eight people had been taken hostage in a civil war-torn Middle Eastern nation, most of them American, including the Secretary of State, Geoffrey Rollins.” Ethan paused. “Commander Tom Bradley recruited seven of us to get them out alive. Liam Shea was the electrical expert, Shane Peters the security expert, engine man Chase Vickers, me and Ty, the demolitions man. Vice-President Grant Davis was the tactical specialist then, and Frederic LeBron, a prince from Beau Pays, was the language expert.”

“I don’t understand what any of this has to do with Jesse,” Rebecca cried.

Ethan sat down beside her and took her hands in his. “It’s a long story, Bec. Suffice to say the mission went awry. The timing was off, and the mission blew up in our faces. Cyanide gas was released. By some miracle, we lost only three hostages. Liam was wounded but Grant saved his life. When all was said and done, Grant was hailed a hero.”

“And Liam?” Rebecca asked.

“He was court-martialed, dishonorably discharged and has spent the past ten years in prison.”

“He’s out of jail now,” Ty cut in. “And he wants revenge.”

Rebecca gasped and dropped her head into her hands, breathing deeply as if she might pass out. Ethan stroked her back, although his own chest ached and his pulse raced with fear.

“The blackout,” Ty said. “We think Liam is responsible.”

“For the entire blackout?” Rebecca asked.

Ty nodded. “Liam has blown up two BP and L power plants in town.” He turned to Ethan. “He’s just beginning. Last night LeBron’s daughter, Princess Ariana, was in town for the celebration of an international trade agreement. She joined dignitaries from around the world at the John Hancock Tower. President Stack and the vice-president were there, too.”

Ethan’s stomach turned to lead. “Ty works as Secret Service for the vice-president,” he explained to Rebecca.

“I still don’t see what this has to do with Jesse,” she whispered.

“It’s part of Liam’s master plan of revenge,” Ty said. He angled his head toward Ethan. “Shane was there last night, too. He planned to test the security surrounding the Beau Pays sapphire on exhibition from Prince Frederick. The party was in full swing when the blackout occurred. It was a freaking nightmare for all of the Secret Service and guests.” Ty made a disgusted sound. “Shane received a message about that time. It said, ‘Are you afraid of the dark’?”

Ethan gripped his phone with shaking hands. “I received the same message.”

Ty didn’t seem surprised. He continued, “As soon as the lights went out, goggled men swarmed the building and took everyone hostage. They threatened to kill the attendees if the president and vice-president didn’t show themselves.”

“What happened?” Ethan asked.

“Stack and Grant handed themselves over. The men tried to leave with them, but in the confusion, the president escaped. He’s fine now, but Grant is still missing.”

“This crazy man has the vice-president?” Rebecca asked in horror.

“We think so,” Ty confirmed.

“Liam targeted Grant for revenge,” Ethan said, the full picture forming in his mind.

Ty nodded again. “The entire Special Forces team is being targeted, Ethan. Shane and Chase have already been hit.”

Ethan dreaded the answer to his next question. “Are they all right?”

“Shane survived. But not before having to deal with Colin Shea, one of Liam’s sons.”

“His sons are involved?” Ethan asked.

“Up to their eyeballs.” Ty shifted.

“Liam’s sons were close to their father,” Ethan continued, “and blamed the Eclipse team for his arrest. They think we betrayed Liam.”

Ty sighed. “Colin wanted the sapphire. Shane tried to protect the stone, as well as Princess Ariana. Thankfully, Ben Parker, one of the FBI agents Shane has worked with in the past, managed to divert the shooter and Shane escaped.”

“Thank God,” Ethan said. “What about Chase?”

“Liam’s other son, Aidan Shea, climbed into Chase’s limo, pretending to be a dignitary. He pulled a gun, threatened Chase, then escaped.”

Ethan propped his elbows on his knees and leaned into his hands. “Is Chase all right?”

“Yes. But Aidan claimed he’d lose everything that mattered to him.”

Ethan contemplated the threat. For him, it meant Jesse. For Chase? “Lily?”

“I’m afraid so. Chase managed to get to the hospital before Aidan got to her.” Ty grunted. “She was pregnant.”

“Hell, don’t tell me Aidan killed her.”

“No, they went on the run. Finally Chase called Ben Parker for help. Unfortunately Parker was killed. Chase called me to warn me about what was going on, that Liam Shea was involved, and that he suspected Liam had something even bigger planned.”

“And now Jesse is missing.” Ethan released a string of expletives.

Rebecca’s soft cry twisted his heart. “He took our son to get back at you?”

Guilt slammed into Ethan. Rebecca was right. It was his fault their son was missing. That mission ten years ago had brought this horror on them now.

He remembered Liam’s fury at the court-martial hearing. The rage in his eyes when he’d been sentenced to prison. His vow of revenge.

Liam didn’t care whom he hurt, as long as he paid them back for what he saw as their betrayal.

And poor little Jesse was being used as a pawn in his twisted plan.

Ethan shook with the force of his fear. He knew Liam well, had witnessed how irate and focused he could be.

God help them.

He didn’t want to tell Rebecca, but Liam was coldhearted enough to kill Jesse to get back at him.

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