Shade: We got something. Serious trouble though.
Thank God, Alicia thought. She had gone to a seedy hotel for a couple of hours sleep while waiting for Cole. Getting off of the streets had seemed like a good idea. It was now afternoon, and he was finally getting back to her.
Frigia: You found the messenger?
Shade: He had been staying in visitors. That's why there wasn't record of a courier being requested. He came from off base.
Frigia: Where?
Shade: Pentagon. Directly.
Frigia: Christ. Who sent him?
Shade: Hepburn
Alicia felt herself go into shock. This was not happening. Not at these levels.
Shade: We have more information.
Frigia: Continue!!
Shade: Remember that Delta Force guy that tried to stab you? He's Hepburn's nephew, and not really DF.
Frigia: How did you find that?
Shade: Courier is his younger brother. Found family information while pulling his DOD record.
It made sense to Alicia. When she had gotten into the fight, four of the men were obviously teammates. They had worked together enough to have an almost telepathic bond. The fifth, the one that took a last swing, he wasn't part of their team. It had seemed strange, but so much was going on, she didn't think to question it.
After the fight, two of the other four had congratulated her. They had been incredibly impressed by her abilities. Not just the genetically enhanced ones, but also her hand-to-hand technique. One had asked her to show him a throw. But neither had apologized for the fifth's behavior. She had thought that odd because a dishonor by one DF member would be a dishonor to them all. It had seemed rude to ask though, so she dropped it.
Frigia: Explains a lot. Current location on Hepburn?
Shade: Seattle.
The better to sell you with my dear, Alicia thought. He knows I'm here. The Reds told him, and he's here to sell me to them personally. How was he going to get her to come to him? He knew her orders well. Maybe he was going to say a fiver needed to be protected? That would be about right.
Shade: You're in Seattle aren't you?
There was a long pause.
Frigia: Affirmative. You are not to come here. THAT'S AN ORDER!! Keep all of the others safe. You're the only one I trust to do that. These guys are worse than what we were led to believe. They cannot have the chance to get to any more of us.
Shade: You need help!
Frigia: I'll do what needs to be done. Don't worry about me. Keep the others safe!
Shade: I'll send Dad.
Frigia: No. I've been working with the two fivers in the city right now.
Cole almost fell out of his chair in shock. She'd been working with what??
Frigia: My orders are to keep them safe from the Reds. I PROMISED them I wouldn't tell Dad anything when I was in LA with one of them so that he would take me to the other one in Seattle so we could make sure that one was safe.
Shade: All for one. Promise will be kept. Be careful Leecee.
She logged off.
Far from Seattle Cole leaned back thinking. Lydecker had gone back to LA that morning. He couldn't ask Dad for permission anyways. When one of them made a promise, they all made a promise. She had given him a direct order. She would go after Hepburn herself.
He made the hardest decision he'd ever made in his life. He grabbed the phone and dialed. "Lon?" he said. "Get Xander and Cray. We're moving out." He grabbed his jacket and went to go get Shawna. Five of them plus Alicia could handle anything. She would be furious at him, but at least she'd be alive to be furious. She'd offered her life up for them so many times without ever asking for anything back; it was time to return the favor.