Read Online Operation Zulu Redemption: Hazardous Duty - Part 3 by Ronie Kendig - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ronie Kendig
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her shoulders. Let out a long breath. “The Turk.”
“You
saw The Turk
and didn’t tell me?”
“I shot him.” She said it so plainly as if she were telling him about a doughnut she ate. “It was a mistake. He was going to die, so—”
“You should’ve let him!”
Téya’s eyes flashed. “I wanted answers.”
“You only needed one—that he was dead!”
Trace’s phone buzzed. “We’ll sort this out in Virginia.” He pivoted to Houston, who sat with his head down, hand over his mouth. “Get us back there, Houston. ASAP.”
The geek nodded and went to work.
Livid and boiling, Trace moved to the private suite. His phone buzzed again and he lifted it, checked the caller ID, and answered. “General, how are you?”
“Trace, sit down.”
Stilled by those words, Trace felt as he had the night of the warehouse disaster. “What’s wrong?”
“Know I’d rather spit on this than tell you, but—”
“Just say it,” Trace bit out.
“You are being ordered back to DC. General Leland Marlowe has given orders for you to stand down all operations and return to DC at once to stand before a full congressional hearing regarding Misrata.”
The world
whooshed
out from under Trace’s feet
.
“They can’t do this. I was already cleared.”
“Separate charge, Trace. They can and they are. You are temporarily relieved of duty until this matter is settled.”
IX
Boone
Approximately 34,000 Feet over the Atlantic Ocean
3 June – 0730 Hours
The mood had shifted among the team, weighted by exhaustion. Dim lights provided a serene atmosphere in the cabin of a hired private jet ferrying them back to Virginia. The Lorings were tucked away at the back, resting. Trace had opted for the quicker route rather than the predictable one. He wanted the Lorings on U.S. soil as soon as possible. Boone couldn’t blame him, especially now that there was a chance Misrata could get laid to rest with a healthy dose of truth.
Across and one group up from the Squid the girls sat, mostly quiet. On second thought—Téya and Noodle were in animated conversation. Annie sat with her hands in her lap, looking down. Boone could see from his seat that every now and then her gaze slid toward the Squid. Now. Wasn’t that interesting that she wasn’t sitting
with
him. Wasn’t talking
to
him. She’d given them grief over not being able to talk to the guy and now that he was here, she wouldn’t give him the time of day.
Renewed focus surrounded Zulu and propelled them to action. Along with that came a new level of tension and agitation, partially laid at the feet of Téya Reiker for her unwilling connection to The Turk. Having that type of breathing down your neck was the equivalent of a nuke’s skin-melting fire. Especially with the fury rolling off Trace.
Trace dropped into the chair across from Boone and ran his hand along his closely shorn hair with a heavy sigh.
“Things a’right?” Boone asked as the plane seemed to level off to make its trek back to the States.
Shaking his head, Trace leaned back against the headrest. “Couldn’t be worse.”
Boone adjusted in the chair. Concern knotted his shoulder muscles. He knew things had gone a bit crazy with Téya making contact again with The Turk. And with the addition of the Squid. But Trace. . .he’d been a storm brewing since they started packing up. “Something I don’t know about?”
After another long sigh, Trace leaned closer, his elbow resting on the arm of the seat and his hand hovering near his mouth. “They’re launching another hearing about Misrata.”
“What?” Boone angled toward Trace and kept his voice down, so the others didn’t hear them. “Why would they open that thing up again? There’s nothing to prove.”
Trace shrugged. “I’ve been ordered to stand down. Cease all operations.”
Boone went still and eyed the man he considered both a friend and a confidant. Shutting down Zulu now. . . “We must be getting close.”
Jaw out,
“You
saw The Turk
and didn’t tell me?”
“I shot him.” She said it so plainly as if she were telling him about a doughnut she ate. “It was a mistake. He was going to die, so—”
“You should’ve let him!”
Téya’s eyes flashed. “I wanted answers.”
“You only needed one—that he was dead!”
Trace’s phone buzzed. “We’ll sort this out in Virginia.” He pivoted to Houston, who sat with his head down, hand over his mouth. “Get us back there, Houston. ASAP.”
The geek nodded and went to work.
Livid and boiling, Trace moved to the private suite. His phone buzzed again and he lifted it, checked the caller ID, and answered. “General, how are you?”
“Trace, sit down.”
Stilled by those words, Trace felt as he had the night of the warehouse disaster. “What’s wrong?”
“Know I’d rather spit on this than tell you, but—”
“Just say it,” Trace bit out.
“You are being ordered back to DC. General Leland Marlowe has given orders for you to stand down all operations and return to DC at once to stand before a full congressional hearing regarding Misrata.”
The world
whooshed
out from under Trace’s feet
.
“They can’t do this. I was already cleared.”
“Separate charge, Trace. They can and they are. You are temporarily relieved of duty until this matter is settled.”
IX
Boone
Approximately 34,000 Feet over the Atlantic Ocean
3 June – 0730 Hours
The mood had shifted among the team, weighted by exhaustion. Dim lights provided a serene atmosphere in the cabin of a hired private jet ferrying them back to Virginia. The Lorings were tucked away at the back, resting. Trace had opted for the quicker route rather than the predictable one. He wanted the Lorings on U.S. soil as soon as possible. Boone couldn’t blame him, especially now that there was a chance Misrata could get laid to rest with a healthy dose of truth.
Across and one group up from the Squid the girls sat, mostly quiet. On second thought—Téya and Noodle were in animated conversation. Annie sat with her hands in her lap, looking down. Boone could see from his seat that every now and then her gaze slid toward the Squid. Now. Wasn’t that interesting that she wasn’t sitting
with
him. Wasn’t talking
to
him. She’d given them grief over not being able to talk to the guy and now that he was here, she wouldn’t give him the time of day.
Renewed focus surrounded Zulu and propelled them to action. Along with that came a new level of tension and agitation, partially laid at the feet of Téya Reiker for her unwilling connection to The Turk. Having that type of breathing down your neck was the equivalent of a nuke’s skin-melting fire. Especially with the fury rolling off Trace.
Trace dropped into the chair across from Boone and ran his hand along his closely shorn hair with a heavy sigh.
“Things a’right?” Boone asked as the plane seemed to level off to make its trek back to the States.
Shaking his head, Trace leaned back against the headrest. “Couldn’t be worse.”
Boone adjusted in the chair. Concern knotted his shoulder muscles. He knew things had gone a bit crazy with Téya making contact again with The Turk. And with the addition of the Squid. But Trace. . .he’d been a storm brewing since they started packing up. “Something I don’t know about?”
After another long sigh, Trace leaned closer, his elbow resting on the arm of the seat and his hand hovering near his mouth. “They’re launching another hearing about Misrata.”
“What?” Boone angled toward Trace and kept his voice down, so the others didn’t hear them. “Why would they open that thing up again? There’s nothing to prove.”
Trace shrugged. “I’ve been ordered to stand down. Cease all operations.”
Boone went still and eyed the man he considered both a friend and a confidant. Shutting down Zulu now. . . “We must be getting close.”
Jaw out,
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