picked up from there. “Mrs. Brantley is listed as keynote speaker at the annual fund-raiser the club sponsors for the children’s hospital.”
“I’ve canceled every other engagement I’ve had since my husband’s death,” Mica said. “This was one I couldn’t. The children’s hospital is near and dear to my heart. After losing my baby to leukemia, I realized how much the hospital does for desperately ill children and their families. I’ll be there.”
“Based on the date and coordinates, someone knows you wouldn’t miss the event,” Fontaine said. “We can’t be certain just who will be targeted, but we wanted to make sure you’re safe. Raines and McKenzie will go as your guests. We created identities for them as newly rich recent members of the yacht club.”
“Are we to supplement Mrs. Brantley’s bodyguard support?” Kate asked.
“Yes, and more,” Fontaine said. “I’ll have several of the other SEALs and some of my agents augmenting the waitstaff at the club.”
Geek added, “We can’t be certain who they will target. Because whoever is orchestrating these attacks doesn’t seem to be going after just the politicians and federal agents...” He paused. “They’re taking out the family members, too.”
Mrs. Brantley’s face paled. “Perhaps I should call and cancel my speech at the fund-raiser. I’d hate for a bomb, targeting me, to take out innocent bystanders.”
“That’s why we’ll have the SEALs and SOS team in place,” Fontaine assured her. “I’ll also have bomb-sniffing dogs make a thorough sweep of the entire building before the event commences, and we’ll have security cordon off the area to keep vehicles from getting close.”
Mrs. Brantley chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t want people hurt because of me.”
“We don’t know who they will be after,” Geek said. “And as far as we can tell, nobody knows we have the list of dates and coordinates.”
Fontaine turned to Montana. “Raines, you and McKenzie will be there not only to protect Mrs. Brantley, you are to watch and listen closely to the people she interacts with. If we determine she is a target, you two might have to take Mrs. Brantley’s and Masters’s places in the DC scene as their doubles for a while.”
Montana exchanged glances with Rex Masters. It made sense that he would replace the man. They were similar in build and he could have his hair lightened to match Masters’s dark blond cropped hair. Kate and Mica were the same height and close to the same build. Mrs. Brantley might have a tinier waist and bigger breasts, but Kate, if she was as good as she said she was, could make her face up to look just like Mica’s. Colored contacts would help match Mica’s dark brown irises.
“Why aren’t you using your SOS agents instead of the SEALs?” asked Navy SEAL Jace Hunter, the youngest member of the SBT-22 team.
“I’m short staffed,” Fontaine said. “They’re on critical missions throughout the country and the world. Considering the successful kill rate of that list, we might need all the security and waitstaff we can get. The future dates and locations are in or around the DC area at major events. Geek and I conducted a thorough background check on the six of you SEALs. You all have exemplary records. I’d trust you with my life and that of Mrs. Brantley. Add to it the fact that most of you have already been involved in the attacks, and I think you have a stake in seeing it to a satisfactory conclusion.”
“We usually work in combat environments,” Duff said. “Mingling with the rich and famous might be a bit out of our league.”
“Again,” Fontaine said, “I don’t know who else I could trust. When we took down the assassin after Oscar Melton, we found a mole in the CIA orchestrating some of the assassinations. We don’t know how deep into our nation’s security the problem exists.”
Montana’s fists clenched. They were all supposed to be on the same side. When the organization had bad seeds within it, people lost faith, and the infrastructure of that entity crumbled from within. After all they’d been through in Cancun, and the multiple attempts on his friend Sawyer’s life, he would be happy to see this operation to the bitter end. “I’m in.”
* * *
“WHY ME?” KATE faced Royce. “I’m with the CIA. As far as you know, I could be as rotten as the deputy director you brought down.”
Her friend Becca stepped forward. “I vouched for you. My father and Oscar only had good things to say about your work and your integrity. They trusted you.”
Kate’s cheeks heated. “Even after my demotion?”
Becca nodded. “Especially after. You couldn’t know your partner was a double agent. I’m betting you learned a valuable lesson from the whole affair.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Kate saw Montana’s face jerk toward her.
Well, to hell with him. People made mistakes. Unfortunately, she’d made a double-whammy mistake. Falling for her partner was bad enough. Not doing her homework to learn the man she was sleeping with was actually a Russian double agent was worse. Kate was lucky she hadn’t been kicked out of the CIA. Being demoted from field agent to desk duty had been bad, but not the end of her career.
With a sigh, she pushed the past behind her and glanced at Mica. “I’ll need to get inside your head and know your moves, expressions, likes and dislikes, as well as who your friends are, and known enemies.”
Mica smiled. “I like the way you think.” Her smile faded. “But if I am a target, and you take my place, you’ll become the target.” She shook her head and turned to Royce. “I can’t put Kate in that position.”
“If it helps uncover who’s after you, I’m in,” Kate said. “Hell, if it gets me out of desk duty, I’ll do just about anything.”
Royce glanced at Montana. “What about you, Raines? Are you up for playing dress-up and body-double?”
Montana shrugged. “As I said, I’m in.”
Mica Brantley nodded. “Thank you both. I hope nothing bad comes of the yacht club fund-raiser. It’s supposed to be all about the children and raising money for them.”
“Our aim is to make certain nothing happens,” Royce assured her.
“Then I’ll see you all at the event.” Mica stared around the room. “In some form or fashion. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I was running out of alternatives. I’m hoping with your help to recover my stepdaughter.”
“We’re looking into that. Geek and Lance have been searching the internet and backtracking through all the footage of the marathon.”
Mica’s eyes widened. “Anything new?”
Royce shook his head. “Nothing yet, but we’re not done.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Thank you for all you’ve done thus far.”
With a dip of his head, Royce squeezed her hand. “Until tomorrow.”
After Mica left the room with Rex, Royce returned his attention to the group. “Any questions?”
Her
