Search and Destroy by JT Sawyer (top non fiction books of all time .TXT) 📗

to pounce on you, all the way from the mayor of a small village to the president himself, but no one in your line of work should have to contend with having their life and reputation assaulted like that. You have suffered beyond what I can imagine and endured what no one should have to endure.”

Shepard stepped aside, waving towards the open door of the cockpit. “You can probably think of a better use for all of this cash than seeing it go back to lining the pockets of Roth’s investors here.”

Shepard saw a dusty Ford truck driving up with Viper at the helm. She stopped a few feet from the plane. “The area’s clear, but we should get the hell out of here.”

“Agreed, you and Ernesto here should be on your way. He gets caught here and he’ll be tied up with ICE and miss his election.”

Rimaldi extended his hand, shaking Cal’s hand heartily. “I am indebted to you, amigo. For what it’s worth, my home is yours if you ever find yourself down south.”

“I’ll keep it in mind. Good luck to you.”

Rimaldi grabbed the two suitcases of money, shoving them into the back seat of the F-350.

“Where are you going? You have to get out of here too,” Viper said.

“You two don’t need to be spotted with me on the drive across Texas. I’ll find my own way out.”

“And then what?” she said. “You got a plan?”

“We’ll meet at the rendezvous point we discussed at the end of the week.”

She put the truck into gear. “You better be there. Don’t make me come look for you again.”

Shepard waved, watching them head off towards the main road.

He tucked his pistol back into his beltline then headed towards the supply depot near the barn.

Shepard searched through the keys on the pegboard inside, removing a set for a Toyota truck to the right. He walked to it, opening the door and pausing as he heard the sound of gravel crunching near the entrance.

He reached for his Glock then let his hand hang by his side when he saw it was Carter. She was holding the AR at a low-ready.

“How are your other agents?” he said.

“Alive…thanks to your friend Viper. She saved the day.”

“Yeah, she has a habit of doing that.”

Carter stood a few feet from him, still clutching the rifle. “You’ve saved my life more than a few times now too.”

“And I’d do it all over again if I had to. You’re a fine agent, Carter…and a good woman. The world needs more people like you who stand up for what’s right and decent.”

He looked up briefly, the breeze flitting sand against his face. He was tired on a level he’d never known. The weight of anguish and vengeance had shredded his soul, leaving a chasm in the center of his being. He just wanted it to all be over.

If only I could join Cassie and be free of this twisted world.

“What happens now?” he said, letting his hands relax by his sides as he turned to face her.

There was a pregnant silence in the air, then she lowered her weapon, thrusting her chin out to the estate. “The Colombian cartel that Hunley and Roth got entangled with…they sure made a mess of things in this country with their own private war.”

He looked at the dead mercenaries splayed along the grounds. “Yeah, I reckon so.”

They heard the voices from her other agents in the distance, then Carter glanced out to the main road. “There’ll be a rapid-response team enroute to this site soon, putting up roadblocks.”

“Hate to be on the receiving end of that.”

Carter smirked. “I doubt anything scares you, Shepard.”

“Being alone for the rest of my days, unable to live in the country I fought to defend…how about that for starters.”

She stepped away from the truck. “Sorry, Shepard. I really am.”

“It’s the way it has to be for now, it seems.” He ran his hand through his hair then gave her a long stare before getting into the vehicle. As he pulled away, he paused and rolled the window down.

“Stay safe, Carter.”

She nodded, stepping outside of the building. “You too.”

He drove out along the main road, watching her in the rearview mirror of the truck until she faded into the backdrop of the mountains to the south.

60

Four Days Later

Patterson was sitting in his office, trying to garner enough concentration to continue sorting through his emails and avoiding glancing over at his recently drafted resignation letter to the National Intelligence Director.

I’ll go out on my terms, not on Begley’s. Besides, maybe Foley will have some freelance work for me, even if it’s just teaching shooting skills.

With the blur of events surrounding Cal in recent days and the internal investigations happening within the CIA and NSA with regard to the Perseus project, Patterson felt like he hadn’t slept in a month.

A great field agent’s life ruined, his hope for a family and a real life apart from this madness washed away…and for what? He leaned back in his chair, staring out at a lone cumulus cloud drifting across the cobalt sky. And a good friend that I’ll probably never see again.

He knew that Cal was probably a continent away by now, starting some semblance of a new life under a new identity. He also knew that a man with Cal’s skills would only resurface when he chose to.

If he wants to. God help anyone who causes him to do that.

He looked at the photo on his bookshelf of Cal and himself with their first SAD team near Tora Bora during the early days in Afghanistan.

Be safe, my friend.

A knock on the door plunged him back to his present reality. He saw Vogel walk in, and he wondered if her weary expression mirrored his own.

“Lynn, thanks for coming in on such short notice. I just wanted you to know that this concludes everything I needed from you regarding Cal and Perseus. I know that there’s an internal investigation going on regarding Jessica