Page 1 of Operation: Chosen

Prologue

An argument with Lacy was coming. Connor knew it as innately as he knew the sun would come up in the east. Lacy believed in the Wayside Ranch mission. Possibly even more firmly than he did, and she would see his judgement as poor. But he’d had to make the call.

While Connor was giving his men—his friends—a chance to heal from their pasts, he couldn’t risk the safety and mental health of the victims who looked to him for a place of refuge. Wayside couldn’t offer that if strangers came to stay on the ranch as visitors. Connor had originally thought having the visitors around would actually help the human trafficking victims move closer to a normal life by interacting with people outside of those on the ranch. Unfortunately, having them around also introduced security issues.

Connor’s phone rang—his landline which had been silent for a week after they’d found placements for their last two guests. “Hello,” he said simply. He wasn’t one for chatting, and the call felt like an interruption to his preparation for talking to Lacy.

“Connor, this is Micha Roberts with the California Board of Corrections. I heard about your situation from one of my associates. I know your ranch is currently empty, and I may have a way to keep your funding going while you’re renovating. I’ve been given a grant and an opportunity to test a treatment method. Are you interested in helping me?”

“Renovation” had been the reason they’d given the government for Wayside’s lack of space to house their usual guests. No one had wanted to invite the government onto Wayside to help with security.

Lacy stopped in his doorway. Her gaze locked on to the phone in his hand, and she immediately headed for the seat on the opposite side of his desk. Talking on that phone usually meant a new guest would be coming, and his conscience pricked. He wanted her to be happy here. If she wasn’t, she might leave. If she left, he’d lose a piece of himself. At least if she were at his side, helping him with the ranch, he could act like things were normal.

“I’m listening,” he answered Micha.

“Good. I have three boys here who were all recently arrested for gang activity. These were non-violent crimes. We know that gang activity usually escalates. We hope to test if taking them out of this environment, getting them somewhere far away, completely different from what and who they know, will help them move in another direction before it’s too late. I know you normally deal with victims, not criminals. In a way though, these boys are both.”

Connor stared across his desk, thankful for the opportunity to give Lacy something that she could pour herself into. She was a vessel, needing someone to heal. She would’ve made an amazing mother if he hadn’t lost his mind and his heart and pushed her away. After all he’d been through, he didn’t want her light anywhere near his darkness. His wounds would smother her. Ten years ago, his father had had other ideas and convinced her to stay, even after their divorce. Connor was thankful now, but at the time he’d thought his father was choosing Lacy over him.

Which was why he couldn’t take on the same challenge he’d given to his men.

He turned his focus back to the phone. While he wanted to give Lacy what she hoped for, there were red flags with a few things Micha had said. Even if the crimes were nonviolent, rarely did gang-related crime stay that way. These boys could be dangerous.

“You’re hoping to send these boys here to see what life has to offer outside the city?” Connor replied. “What sort of protections do we have? Will their parents be aware of where they are? Do we have to increase some of our security to make sure parents can come in but no one else can? We have fences, but this isn’t a prison and was never meant to be.” These weren’t precautions they had to take under normal circumstances since Wayside rarely took children as clients.

“Yes, you’ll have to find a way to allow their parents, but you’ll need to be careful. We don’t know all the members of these gangs, and we certainly don’t know what kind of resources they have. At least one of these boys was a prime recruit. That makes things potentially dangerous for you.”

Connor didn’t know the first thing about gangs, but he knew about crime. Could gangs be similar in form to how trafficking syndicates operated? If so, by inviting these boys to stay, even for a short time, he could be putting everyone in a lot of danger.

“I have friends on the police force right now. At least we could have help quickly if we need it,” Connor said.

Silence from the other end ate at Connor’s gut. It dragged on a few seconds too long. “I’m really sorry. We have to cover our own butts,” Micha said. “This is an off-the-book exchange. If these boys act out in any dangerous way and you have to call in the police, the test would be done. They’d have to come back home and serve out the remainder of their sentences. Zero tolerance. This isn’t a vacation, it’s their last chance to see if they can choose to take advantage of the right offering.”

Connor glanced at Lacy. Though she couldn’t know what he was talking about nor whom he was talking to, she gave him a slight nod of encouragement. He had to choose between either having an empty ranch until his men all had their month to heal their pasts…or he could help three boys in desperate need of their only chance.

“You’ve got my email. I’ll be interested in hearing all the details before I agree to anything,” Connor said. “When could they come if I approve this?”

Micha laughed. “I could have them there in three days. The bus is already ready.”

He finished the call with Micha, then waited for Lacy to speak. He loved her intuition and drive. She was made for a ranch like this, which was why his dad had insisted she stay. “I suppose you want to know what’s going on?”

She shrugged one slender shoulder, then smirked at him. “You’re going to tell me anyway. Might as well get it out of the way.”

True. She knew him.

“I know you were the only person who didn’t agree that we should stop taking guests while the guys are performing their second chance missions,” Connor said. After all, she didn’t understand how important this kind of thing was to the guys. She probably hadn’t ever had anyone who’d gotten away. She and Connor still had each other, even if they weren’t married anymore and she’d told him, plain as day, that she would never be romantic with him again.

Case closed.

“Wayside is a place for healing. I think there has to be a way to do what we’re called to do, safely. God doesn’t call us to do what’s easy.” She crossed her arms and waited for him to continue.

He held up his hands to let her know he wasn’t denying what she said. “I know you’re right, but I have to listen to my guys and my gut. We need to stay under the radar for a while. I still want to catch Viceroy and stop him and his cartel, but the safety of my ranch must come first. There’s no safety net for us. Without breaking the law and shooting at people, we can’t protect anyone from Viceroy.”

Lacy glanced away, her jaw hard with determination. “I know you’re right, but it feels like giving up. I don’t give up.”

Except when forced to. He’d forced her to give up on him. “What if we used this time to help three boys escape the grip of a gang?”

She raised one arched brow. “And how is thatanythinglike helping victims?”

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