Sunday, October 22nd The Chase Security International Navigator pulled to the departures curb at the San Diego airport. Zachary “Ice” Wentworth’s eyes twinkled with delight leaning inside the rear passenger door. “Sadie Lady, you take care of Mommy and Julian,” he said to the precocious four-year-old. “Uncle Ice, Julian says I can call him Daddy. You can call him that too.” Sadie Morrison smiled from her car seat. “Okay, Sadie.” He kissed her cheek. “Mommy, take care of Daddy for me.” He winked, holding the door for her to move up front. Then he turned to see Julian holding his bags. “Are you okay, Daddy?” “Yeah,” his colleague and head of the San Diego Office, Julian “Smooth” Dupart, said. “You can stay another day and take the company plane.” “It’s not a hardship to fly first class. Besides, I have an undercover operator class starting tomorrow.” “You alright?” Julian cocked his head. “It hurts, and it will for a while. I should’ve demanded she get out. Hua should have heeded me as mission control. That was the problem that ended our personal relationship. Lesson learned: running an operation with personal ties has legitimate issues.” A glint of sadness flashed through his sapphire blue eyes. “I’m sorry. Guilt eats at you. I’m ready when you want to talk it through.” He knocked his fist against his heart and pointed to Zach. “Safe flight. I’ll talk to you at the division meeting on Thursday.” “Take care of your two ladies and the little dot.” Zach repeated Julian’s gesture. “Martin and his blips, me and my dot.” He smiled and climbed into the driver’s seat. Zach inhaled deeply and watched Julian pull away. *** Saoirse Kennedy stepped from the government-issued Ford. Andre Nolan climbed from the driver’s seat and pulled two large suitcases and a carry-on from the trunk. “Can you manage?” he asked. “I’ve got it.” She stacked her carry-on atop one of the large bags. “Are you gonna miss me?” He approached her, aiming to kiss her on the lips. “You take care of yourself.” She smiled, turning her cheek to meet his lips. “Of course I will. You taught me so much,” she said to her work partner. Once inside, she groaned at the long check-in line for her flight to New York. Despite her federal pre-check clearance, she had to stand in line to check her licensed firearm. “Federal Agent. I need to check a firearm and ammunition,” she said in a low voice to not draw attention to herself. The representative at the desk called out, “I have a gun to be checked.” Her loud voice was cringeworthy. Saoirse dropped her head as everyone in line stared at her. “Can we do this without making any more announcements?” She frowned. “Ma’am, it’s you who chooses to fly with a weapon.” A man in a suit now stood across from her. “I am a Federal Agent who uses a weapon as part of my course of business. Please, my weapon is in a sealed box, unloaded, with my ammunition in another sealed box. I have the only key. It is part of my checked baggage,” her voice strained repeating the regulations. “Step over here please.” The man pointed to the side. *** Zach stood two people behind a statuesque woman with flowing honey hair, who was wearing a wrinkle-free navy pencil skirt, three-inch navy heels and a white silk blouse. Her skin was the color of peaches and cream, and pale freckles dotted her cheeks. Her luscious, full lips were made for kissing. He was lost in his fantasy when he heard the words, I have a gun to be checked. On alert, he watched her situation unfold. The man checking her weapon was looking at her like she was a meal and treated her like she was stupid. He gritted his teeth as they called a female TSA employee over to pat her down. His turn to check in came with the same words: “I have a weapon to check in.” All the senior executive staff of Chase Security International carried Homeland Security credentials, for the purpose of facilitating some of their operations. Another representative approached him, assessed his identification, his weapon and ammunition. Then he x-rayed his baggage and checked him in. “I don’t mean to create an issue, but why is your colleague giving my colleague difficulty checking in?” The representative looked up at Zach. At six-foot-three, with pure white spiked hair and laser-focused blue eyes, he was an intimidating sight. “Excuse me, I will check for you.” Zach watched his representative speak to the other man and point. Moments later, both men were going out of their way to apologize to the woman. She turned to look in Zach’s direction, her now visible aquamarine eyes sparkling as she offered a small smile before looking down toward the ground. His heartrate soared, and his body filled with an awareness he hadn’t felt since his relationship with Hua. Don’t go there. *** “United Flight 395, departing for Newark Liberty Airport, is now boarding Group 1 passengers,” a woman said over the loudspeaker. Zach rose from where he was sitting to head to the boarding gate. Coming toward him from the packed waiting area was the beauty who also carried a gun. Chill, you’re forty-two, he warned himself. He continued down the ramp to his seat in first class. Working for CSI had its perks. He placed his carry-on in the overhead bin, then turned to his row, finding her standing in the aisle waiting. “I’m sorry.” He stepped into his row to let her pass. “It’s me who is sorry; I have the window seat,” the woman said. He stepped out, and she lifted the heavy case to slide into the overhead bin. “May I help?” he offered. “You seem to be helping me a lot since I got to the airport. Yes, thank you. Hi, I’m Saoirse Kennedy.” He popped her bag into the bin and let her reach her seat. “Zach Wentworth.” “Shove me if I snore. I’ve been awake for the last two days packing up my office. And yesterday, I missed my planned flight because the people subletting my place in San Diego were delayed. I’m starting a new position in New York. This was the last possible flight to be on time for work at 0800. God. I’m babbling.” She lowered her eyes again. He found her intriguing. “I’ve been staying with a friend whose four-year-old thinks 0500 is late. I might beat you to it.” “Aye, two sleep-deprived gun slingers. I swear that man wanted to break my…well…you know…because I’m a woman.” She leaned toward him conspiratorially. “It’s a good thing my gun was locked and unloaded. It was tempting to put one between his beady eyes. But then there’s…” “Paperwork,” he said. “Where in Ireland?” “You have a good ear, Mr. Wentworth. My mother was born in Dublin.” She looked down and away. Zach let it go. She was a stranger, and whatever it was about her mother, she was not ready to share it. “Not so much the ear, but Saoirse is a name not often heard in the US. My father has British roots, but my mother’s side, the Keanes, are from Waterford. I have two aunts on my dad’s side and seven aunts and eight uncles on my mom’s. Makes for interesting get togethers. You know the adage: put a group of people who have issues with each other in the same room, add alcohol, and boom.” “I’ll ask the uncouth question: which agency do you carry for?” She sucked in her bottom lip. Zach wanted to be the one chewing her lip. He mentally kicked himself. “Ah, if you weren’t in the same predicament—you know, if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you—but since you’re on one of the boat’s decks…I carry for Homeland.” “US Attorney’s Office.” The seatbelt lecture began, followed by the safety portion. Moments later they were airborne. “Newark, here we come,” he teased. She checked her watch. “Do you think I’ll have a chance to grab my bags, call an Uber and get to Lexington Avenue by eight?” “You’re going to think I’m a stalker, but I’m heading that way. I have a car meeting me. I’d be happy to offer you a ride.” “I do have a self-preservation gene, but given what I know about you, I think I’ll be safe. Thank you.” Zach settled back in his seat. Saoirse drank some cranberry juice with club soda during her meal. He chose seltzer with a lime twist to accompany the first-class meal of appetizer, salad, main course and an ice cream sundae. He imagined spoon-feeding Saoirse the cool dessert. An image of swirling the fudge over what he thought would be a pinkish brown nipple and her writhing beneath him filled his mind. Adjusting his position to hide his arousal, he smiled. “Best part of the meal.” Secure Decision One decision can lead to love or tragedy. Choose wisely. Italic and larger Adjust spacing in description Excerpt incorrect Correct excerpt Monday March 19th Wes Crockett settled behind his desk. Inhaling and exhaling, he tried to relax. Even the four-mile run followed by a two-mile swim did nothing for his rumbling gut. Today, the Chase Center for Training was expanding its programs with the addition of new staff he knew only by resumé and interview notes. His fingers held the message handed him by his secretary. It was only seven in the morning. He took a sip of coffee, ate some of his egg-white omelet, and dialed Mike Johnson’s number. The Deputy CEO of Chase Security International was doing double duty while the CEO, Martin Bailey, was on paternity leave. Why was he calling so early? “Good morning?” Wes asked tentatively when Mike answered. “Morning,” Mike’s voice was light. Too light. Wes cringed. “What’s going on?” “Are you alone?” “Yeah, hold on, I’ll close my door. Okay, we’re private.” His stomach tightened around his breakfast. “I need to discuss something with you.” “Discuss,” Wes sighed, stood and began to pace. “Pat Hedges called me. Troy is plateauing in his treatment. His February surgery is paying dividends, and he’s gaining movement and strength in his legs.” Troy Bremen, former co-leader of the rapid response Bravo team and current Assistant Executive Director of the flagship San Diego branch was gravely injured during an undercover operation in August. “That’s great. Why didn’t he tell any of us?” His lips turned up into a brilliant smile. “It is. He wanted to be sure the improvements were real. Now, he’s begging to come back to work. His vision has improved to 20/30; his upper body strength is growing, and with the improvement from the surgery, he is able to drive.” “God help us. He couldn’t drive before.” Wes teased. “Can we get him a Humvee?” Mike laughed and turned serious. “Hedges is worried about him emotionally. He and the company leadership, plus Julian, discussed the situation. We were thinking with your new program, we could send him to you. We figure you could let him help you here and there.” Julian was the chief executive at the San Diego branch. Wes’s shoulders rose. “Absolutely not. If you send him to me, he comes on as a full assist, an equal. As far as the program goes, if Hedges thinks it’s the right thing for him, we offer it to him. I won’t play games with Troy and jeopardize our friendship and his recovery,” Wes advised, his blood rustling through his ears.   “Jule knew you’d say that. What if he encounters difficulty?” Mike sighed. “Same thing we do for any of us. We work through it. Period, end of sentence.” His muscles tensed. Mike chuckled, “I’m signing off on Troy’s new assignment now. I’ll have his file sent to your new medical director.” “Good. I promise I’ll take care of him. You won’t regret this decision.” Wes smiled. “Good luck with the orientation today. Are you ready?” “And if I said no, what would you say?” Wes asked flatly. “I’d tell you to suck it up, buttercup. Call me if you need anything.” “Thanks, Crockett out.” Wes opened his desk drawer and popped two antacids, then tossed his coffee into the trash and opened up his schedule on his computer. At 0900, new staff would begin arriving to usher in a new beginning for the training center with the addition of three new programs and a satellite medical clinic. He ticked off his day’s agenda. “Staff meeting. Trip to building department to drop off underwriter’s certificates, individual division head meetings, check on arrival of new animals for equine-assisted therapy, canine program and children’s programming.” Yvonne, his secretary, knocked on his door. “Hey, Wes. Can I come in?” she asked with a teasing yet maternal tone. At Wes’s direction, she walked inside. “TJ and Kenny called; they’re running late, stuck in traffic. Are you ready for the big day?” “If I’m not, I’m destined to be a gate guard.” He chuckled a little too long, then looked over at two files. At least he knew them. TJ “Cuda” Poole and Kenny “Jockey” Clarke would be joining his staff as his new first deputy directors. Both from the Eagle’s Talon Bravo team, they had recently completed leadership training at George Washington University. “Knock, knock.” Christian Paulsen, his executive officer, joined him, sipping a green concoction from a clear plastic cup. “Blech, I draw the line there.” Wes’s face contorted when he saw the drink. “Morning.” “Morning. Well, how was the ceremony?” Christian asked. Wes smiled. Zach Wentworth, head of the domestic law enforcement training division, and a dominant, surprised Saoirse Kennedy, head of New York’s legal department and his submissive, with a commitment ceremony. “It was beautiful, and he surprised us all by proposing to her. I got in late last night. Anything I need to know about?” Christian looked down. “Friday, Cabe Baldwin came to speak with me.” “About?” Wes crossed his arms. “I asked him to wait to speak with you. His daughter’s best friend was found murdered last week. She was identified Thursday night. He left this for you.” Christian passed him a file. “Yvonne?” Wes called. “You do have an intercom. What do you need?” Yvonne walked in. “Call Cabe Baldwin and fit him into my schedule.” “Sure. “ Wes turned back to Christian. “I gotta tell you, I’m nervous. I’ve been back and forth to New York so many times in the last two months, I can’t keep track of my days.” Wes tapped a pencil on his keyboard. “It’s Monday,” Christian deadpanned. “You’re no help. No offense, but with the exception of Kenny and TJ, I only know the new hires by their resumés and the interview notes.” Wes chewed his lip. “Look, everybody is a temp for thirty days. You have time to make final decisions.” Christian shrugged. “The person I am most concerned about is Eleanor West, our new head of equine-assisted therapy and hippotherapy programs. She’s younger than most of the other therapists. Tell me about her.” “Eleanor West prefers to be called Ellie. She has glowing recommendations. Her vision for the program is to start small and grow it with time, her therapy staff’s and client’s experiences. She wants to make sure every participant receives the best care to reach their goals. What I really liked about her is her belief in an intense body-mind connection. Besides her degrees in equine therapy and counseling, she also is a certified physical therapy assistant. She wants to develop a good working relationship with our medical team too. All of that combined overrode Kieran’s concerns.” Kieran was the younger Chase brother and co-owner of the company. “What concerns?” Wes searched his drawer and pulled out her file. “She was very uncomfortable talking about herself. Kieran noted her accomplishments, and she seemed embarrassed by the praise. She also seemed uncomfortable with us when we discussed anything other than the program. I dismissed it as anxiety. Kieran asked Yvonne to sit in. With her there she was more relaxed.” “You sure she’s the best candidate?” Wes asked. “Her behavior seemed incongruous to her resumé. I watched her do a lesson at Coventry School. She is perfect for the program. Kieran called me the next morning. He signed off on the hire.” They discussed a few other issues, and Christian headed out. Yvonne returned with a fresh cup of coffee and a roll. “This will take the edge off the sour stomach. Cabe is still on the grounds. He will be here in fifteen minutes.” “Thanks, Yvonne, for everything.” Wes took a sip of coffee and nibbled some of his roll. *** Wes took a minute to read through the file Cabe Baldwin left. “Shit.” The file was filled with news clippings and copies of public police records of missing young women from the Leesburg area going back one year. His daughter’s friend disappeared a month earlier. Her body was found partially incinerated one week ago on the grounds of an old church. “Mr. Crockett, no one was outside?” Cabe Baldwin knocked on the door jamb and approached. “Cabe, close the door and come sit. Christian gave me the file you left. Tell me what’s going on.” “I spoke with Mr. Paulsen on Friday, but more has happened since. The other supervisors and I had dinner together Sunday. We have some concerns about the level of security for the center.” He fidgeted. “How so?” Wes felt his throat go dry. “The new hires. Sunday, Mr. Cooper brought them in for the final license verifications and asked us to show them around. There was a lot of fooling around and not listening. The group I saw was all level-twos. I’m concerned if something does happen, especially with the expansion and more personnel…” He adjusted his jacket. “Hmm. What does this have to do with your daughter’s missing friend?” The hair stood up on the back of Wes’s neck. “Thursday, Sheriff Jeffries confirmed the partially burned body of a woman found near Graydon Manor Church last week was my daughter’s friend. Headley Sanders went missing a month ago. At the time, the Sheriff classified her as a runaway. This girl spent time in my home. I know her folks. She wasn’t a runaway. Now the family is waiting for the autopsy result.” “I’m sorry. But again, what about her death has you rattled for our facility’s safety?” “As you can see, I started to dig. In Leesburg and the surrounding counties, I found listings of fourteen missing women and five others dead, all between ages seventeen and twenty-five. From the newspaper accounts, three were found in the same condition as Headley. The other two were burned to ash. We are adding thirty-eight women, non-security personnel, to our staff, ranging from ages twenty-three to thirty-five.” There went the roll he’d eaten. Wes nodded as his stomach loudly gurgled. “I’m going to make a couple of calls. I wish your instincts weren’t right on, but they are. If you hear anything else about Headley, let me know. I’ll look into it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Cabe.” The older man stood. “Thank you, sir.” “As far as our new security staffing, I’ll investigate your concerns. I might need to adjust some attitudes.” “Have a good rest of your day, Mr. Crockett.” “Thanks, Cabe.” *** The conference room was filled with the current training staff supervisors. “I’ve heard about our new security hires being a little…” “Gen Z,” one of the trainers filled in. “If that means loose about some rules or not committed, then yes. Companywide, we are adding a yearly qualification exam for all level-one and -two security personnel, and for those on staff here, I’d like to add a fitness program for them.” After some groans, Wes went on with the plan. As they hashed out things, TJ and Kenny joined the group. “Sorry, Boss, we got caught behind a trailer convoy. We finally managed to get around them two clicks back,” Kenny said. “They’re likely ours. Welcome.” Wes introduced his two deputy directors. After the meeting concluded, he escorted TJ and Kenny into his office. “Guys, Christian will set you up in your new space. We configured two separate offices with a common center sliding door. If you need privacy, just close it. The space has noise reduction too. I know your desks were stocked, and there are new laptops and phones waiting. If you need anything, ask Yvonne. I put in a company-wide job announcement for two executive secretaries a week ago. The posting closes today. We will take a look and hire. “I need to head to town to drop off documents to close out the permits so we can let arriving staff into their new living space. If I have a problem, we will need to take over one hundred hotel rooms in the area. I’ll be back.” Wes grabbed his jacket and left.