Lethal Echo by Cara Carnes

3

Ram was glad most everyone offered their welcomes and left as Bree and her family headed toward the house. Although it wasn’t as close to Bree’s cottage as he’d wanted, it was the nearest of that size available. He knew the women and their men had worked most of the day getting it ready for their arrival, but he hadn’t expected it to be as filled as it had been.

They’d decked the largest bedroom in royalty worthy decorations. A pale purple curtain divided the room between the princess’s section and the young prince’s. Both children had loved everything included in the room, from the small castle-like dollhouse to the dragons adorning the walls.

“This is perfect,” Bree whispered. “How did they know?”

“You mentioned their playtime once,” Jesse said. “I told Ellie. Everything fell into place after that.”

Lars stood in the middle of the room, where the curtains had been drawn back. Head down, hand at his neck, the man’s internal struggle to maintain his composure was etched into his entire body. Grams sat on the end of the princess bed and stroked the bright purple curtains surrounding the area.

“Thank you.” Bree hugged Ellie.

“It was a group effort,” the woman said. “I think the men took this as a challenge or a dry run for their own kids. Prepare yourself. Your niece and nephew are about to be spoiled rotten.”

Ram chuckled. They’d walked through each room and let Grams inspect everything, from the large kitchen filled with the newest appliances, to the living room filled with gaming consoles and a large television.

Her bedroom and Lars’ both had a private retreat area with a recliner and television, along with whatever they’d each enjoy. Ram suspected Doug had helped with Grams’ since a sewing station filled with material, thread, and all the other supplies was visible in a large cabinet against the far wall.

While Ram was thankful Bree’s family loved the home, his sole concern was the beautiful woman fighting hard to maintain her composure. She drooped against him where they stood just inside the kids’ bedroom.

“Come on, let’s get you something to eat before you crash,” he whispered against her cheek.

“Just a few more minutes,” she argued.

“They’ll have all the time they want to explore later. Let’s go.” He took her hand and turned toward the door.

“Come on, let’s go eat,” Lars said.

“We can have a tea party here,” Luke argued. “I can protect everyone with my sword.” He wielded the toy and pointed it at his dad.

Ram ignored the banter around him as he steered Bree out of the house and toward one of the golf carts. Jesse and Ellie piled in. He took off before the woman beside him could argue. Everyone would follow or eat later.

“How are you doing, Ellie?” Bree asked.

“Great. I’m probably the only pregnant woman who loves morning sickness,” she said. “Each bout is a reminder of how blessed I am.”

Ram couldn’t be happier for Jesse and Ellie. He knew all the operatives around The Arsenal wanted to ask questions about the pregnancy, namely because most thought Jesse couldn’t even have sex. But none of that was anyone’s business, so he was glad Addy had thrown down a gauntlet and warned everyone not to ask either of them anything. No one wanted to piss off the lethal operative, so the moratorium had held. So far.

“Ariana is going to be a great big sister,” Bree said. “And you will be the best parents. Don’t tell anyone I said that, though. I shouldn’t have favorites.”

Jesse chuckled.

Ram parked the cart beside the mess hall’s main entrance and glanced behind him. Another three carts were pulling up. He draped an arm around Bree as they made their way inside. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m a little overwhelmed,” she admitted. “I’m glad to be back, but I…” She paused and glanced back. “I feel so guilty about leaving in the first place.”

Red rose in her cheeks as she looked down. He touched her chin and gently pulled up until he had her full attention. “Don’t ever be embarrassed to tell me whatever you’re feeling. I’m in your corner no matter what. There’s nothing you can’t share. No judgment. Okay?”

She nodded. “There’s so much we need to do. I know this is the best place for my family to be, but I feel terrible because I know I won’t have the time to spend with them.”

“There’ll be a ton of people surrounding them,” Ram said. “They’ll find their own way while you’re finding yours.” He wanted to ask about her parents, but he forced the question from his thoughts.

Midmorning scents assailed them as they entered the dining area. Some opted for a late breakfast while others had prepared lunch instead, if the scents of freshly fried bacon and taco meat were any indication. Tables to the far left held Warrior’s Path participants. An unspoken rule left the entire section to those who wanted very little contact with Arsenal operatives.

Ram admired the brave men and women who’d come here to combat the remnants of service. He’d offered to help with the program however he could, but he knew Nolan and Jesse had brought in the best people around to help.

Momma Mason drew Bree into a hug when they were halfway into the large mess hall. Her expressive gaze studied the woman beside him a moment, then she kissed her cheek and headed toward her family.

Bree turned, as if to assist in introductions. He squeezed her shoulders. “Let them be, sweetheart. They’re safe here. You can’t be their emissary all the time.”

“We just got here. I can’t abandon them.”

“You aren’t,” Ellie said. “They’ll sit with us. Momma Mason has been looking forward to meeting Grams. They’ll be as thick as thieves in minutes.”

Momma Mason hadn’t ever met a stranger. Her open heart and soul-deep love for everyone at the compound had rooted the operatives in familial love. Hell, it was the first time a virtual stranger had treated him like a son. She was more of a mother than he’d ever had.

“What do you want to eat?” Ram asked. “Sit, and I’ll get you a plate.”

“Tacos. Lots and lots of tacos,” she whispered. “I missed those the most.”

“I know what she likes. I’ll help,” Ellie offered.

Ram knew exactly how Bree fixed her tacos. He’d learned everything about the beautiful scientist from a distance—a fact he wouldn’t share with her or anyone else because it was likely either pathetic or downright stalkerish. He waited until she’d sat at the largest table to the right before heading into the massive kitchen area. Grabbing a plate and a tray, he got to work making her tacos.

“You know how she likes them,” Ellie said with a smile.

He dolloped sour cream on the three meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato laden creations and grunted. Jesse got to work beside him. The quiet man made no comment as they worked their way toward the desserts.

Ram grabbed two pieces of pecan pie.

“You’re good with her,” Jesse said into the silence. “She’s going to need that strength.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.” Jesse grabbed a piece of chocolate pie. “May I offer you some advice?”

“Please.” He gripped the tray. “I have no clue what I’m doing. I should keep my distance and give her the time she needs, but another part of me wants to…” Hold her close and never let go.

He’d been crazy to keep his distance after Zoey’s shit went down. The attraction between him and Bree was palpable, a living presence that’d taunted him for too long. “I’m not what she needs right now.”

“You are,” Jesse said. “More than you’ll ever know. Trust your gut. Be the sounding board she needs. Listen to whatever she shares. Be her sanctuary.”

He could do that. What had she shared with Jesse? “Thanks. For whatever she was thanking you for.”

“She wasn’t ready to share her dark with her friends. She likely won’t be for a while,” the man whispered. “I’ve been there. I may have been the first guide post, but I suspect you’ll be the one who matters. You are her Ellie.”

Fuck. Ram’s gaze swept to the woman who’d taken on Jesse’s demons in a war only she could wage. Could he do what the amazing woman had done? Yeah.

“To fight her shit, you’ve gotta let go of your own,” Jesse added.

“I’m solid.”

“You haven’t been solid since you arrived. We’ve given you three in the Triple Threat the distance you wanted because you have each other’s backs, but at some point, you’ve got to let someone else in. Especially Bree. It’s a two-way street, man.” Jesse grabbed a bottle of water. “Levi had my six from the moment he dragged me out of that pit, but Ellie broke through because she trusted me to fight alongside her against her demons. You’ve got a choice. You’re either her Levi, or her Ellie.”

He couldn’t give her the dark past he’d barely escaped. Hell, he’d only given Doug and Pierce chunks of it because they’d witnessed more of it than he cared to remember. Bree deserved better than Ram. “Not sure she’s ready for that. No one is.”

“Then start that battle with Sinclair’s help. Doug and Pierce have had your six, but you won’t escape whatever you’re running from until you’re ready to face it.”

“I’m not running from anything.” The lie slid out easily enough. How many times had he told himself that? Too many. “I appreciate the advice, but I’m solid. This is about Bree, not me.”

Jesse studied him a moment. “When you’re ready to stop lying to yourself, I’m here.”

Fuck.

Ram let the man walk away. He took a few deep breaths and willed the unwanted memories away. He’d escaped his past and moved on. That’s all that mattered.

* * *

Happiness filled Bree as she started on her second piece of pecan pie. Revelry surrounded her from all directions as her family and friends got to know one another. This was what she’d been missing the past three weeks.

She was halfway through the massive slice when chimes and beeps sounded around her. Mary, Vi, Zoey, and Jesse dragged out their phones and read the screens. The latter’s lips thinned. “What does this mean?”

“No clue. It’s not something I set up,” Zoey said. “Vi?”

“Don’t look at me.” The woman shrugged and set her cell down.

“It’s an airstrike warning,” Mary said. “I didn’t set it up, but HERA’s warning us that an unknown plane or chopper is within strike range of the compound.”

Uh oh. Bree wiped her mouth and cleared her throat. “So, remember when we chatted about making this area protected airspace?”

All gazes at the table shifted to her. She powered on. “I kind of made that happen. A few people I knew had the power to push it through. Everyone was either in Russia or focused on that mission, so I put everything into place around the established zone so HERA could warn us if it was penetrated.”

Marshall’s jaw twitched as it always did when she shared something she’d done or created. “So this warning is telling us someone is flying in that zone?”

Mary handed her cell over. Bree read the warning. “HERA’s set up to alert us only if the flight pattern would put them directly over The Arsenal. Someone’s intentionally ignoring the protected airspace indicators.”

“Are we sure they had indicators?” Jesse asked.

Bree nodded. “Two people I know high up in the FAA saw to it personally since they owe me more than a few favors. My weaponry alone gave us what we needed to make it happen. We’re armed more than most military bases.”

“We are?” Zoey asked. “How so? We don’t have tanks and those missile thingies that can hit planes.”

Bree shifted in her seat. “We technically do have those. Or, more advanced versions. We also have biochemical compounds and seriously advanced drones. We’re a veritable silo.” She shrugged.

“What do you mean more advanced versions?” Dallas asked.

“I think she’s talking about Bertha,” Jud said. His brow furrowed. “That’s what you called her, right?”

Bree couldn’t believe the former assassin remembered the cannon’s name. It’d been a brief conversation moments before the nightmarish battle where he’d singlehandedly laid waste to an entire squad of hitmen sent to kill one of her best friends.

She grinned. “Yeah, she and her two little sisters. Martha and Matilda.”

“You’re talking about the laser cannon,” Marshall said. “I didn’t realize it was still operational.”

Bree shoved her fork into the pecan pie. “I may have installed her atop the hangar while a lot of you were in Russia. I started thinking about how we’d defend the compound from an airstrike. So, I talked a few commandos into helping me get her up there. Then I put Martha and Matilda in other locations to have a protective triangle around the area. You know, just in case.”

Zoey laughed. Mary and Vi both shook their heads and chuckled. Rhea reached across the table. “Why didn’t you tell us? We weren’t in Russia. We were here and could have helped you.”

“You were all busy with the mission. There was so much going on it slipped my mind,” Bree admitted. “Then I had the freak out to end all freak outs.”

“So…” Cord dragged the word out as he looked at his phone. “What are we supposed to do with this warning?”

“Great question,” Mary said. “Bree?”

“I programmed a few options into HERA. It’s in her testing area, along with those new EMF drones and a few other things I might be working on. I’m not a programmer like you all, but I did my best.” She set her fork down. “HERA will send warnings to whomever the pilot is if you green light it.”

Vi opened a laptop and started typing. It took less than two minutes for her to lean back in her chair and whistle. “Damn, Bree. This is good. Are those warnings legit? Like, is this really protected airspace now?”

“Yep, six months for now. Permanent is pretty much impossible to obtain, but there are a few different types of airspace, as you all know. We have options,” Bree said. “And no one can countermand them.”

“Not even Bob,” Zoey said with an evil grin. “You, girlfriend, are brilliant. Okay, what do we do to warn whoever this is?”

“I’ve already green lit it,” Vi said. “Though, I don’t think we should use Bertha to shoot them down. Let’s move her down to step five instead of three.”

“Sure. Whatever you think,” Bree said. At least they weren’t telling her it was a stupid idea or lecturing her on going rogue. While she was the first to admit she thought too outside the box at times, she hated when those around her looked at her as though she’d lost her mind whenever she mentioned something she’d created.

“You okay?” Ram asked.

“Yeah.” She looked over at her brother, who wore a concerned expression. “I’m thinking I’ll have to explain what I do to my family, though.”

“They don’t know?”

She shook her head. “It’s never come up.” Because she’d avoided any conversations about her work. That wasn’t something she’d wanted them to worry about.

Vi put on a headset and clicked a few buttons on the laptop. HERA’s computerized voice filled the mess hall. “You have entered restricted airspace and must adjust your flight pattern immediately. Refusal to do so will result in immediate action.”

“Get Lexi up,” Marshall ordered as he stood. “Get teams in position throughout the compound.”

“Huh,” Vi said. She glanced over at Bree. “You put up drones to cover all potential flight patterns through the area. How did I miss you doing that?”

“You were really busy,” Bree commented. Everyone had been very focused on the Russia mission.

“I figured we’d want eyes on whoever it was so HERA could identify them,” Bree said. “Again, I’m not you, but I did what I could. Sorry I forgot to mention it.”

“That’s okay. This is smart,” Mary said. “Very smart. We should’ve made this a priority a while ago. Thank you for picking up that slack.”

“Whitehall chopper, this is The Arsenal,” Vi said. “You have entered restricted airspace. State your intentions or adjust your flight pattern immediately.”

“Not happening,” a man said. “I’ve been hired to deliver someone to you, and I’m doing that. There’s no way you’re restricted airspace.”

“Asshole,” Zoey muttered. “Are you sure we can’t use Bertha?”

“Whitehall is a small, privately run chopper service out of Dallas,” Mary said. “Former military run it. That’s all HERA has until we get facial recognition going.”

“Let them land,” Marshall ordered. “We’ll secure them.” He paused two steps from the table and looked at Bree. “Good work.”

Warmth filled her chest as the first compliment the man had ever given her settled within the room. She nodded and shoved her unfinished pie aside. “We should probably get to the hangar. Grams, Lars…I’ll catch up with you later?”

“Certainly.” Her Grams patted Momma Mason’s hand. “The kids and I were going to go meet all her grandbabies. You do whatever you must.”

“I think I’ll join you,” Lars said.

“Next time,” Jud said. “Why don’t I give you a private tour of the compound and fill you in on a few things?”

Bree held her breath as her stubborn brother glared at her from the other side of the table. Please go with Jud. She chanted the plea in her brain.

“Sure.” Lars stood. “You and me are having a long conversation later, sis.”