Page 51 of Stryker

Nothing had ever felt so wild,complete, and right in John’s life.

***

Stryker

Stryker lay in bed as John slept. Itwas almost dawn, and Stryker had woken up less than twenty minutesbefore. In the calm of the predawn darkness, all felt right in theworld to him, and Stryker wished it could remain thatway.

However, he knew sooner or later, theNoah Group would be making another move. The only question thatremained was when and where. They’d received a report of a NoahGroup facility on the East Coast that appeared to be up andrunning.

Spencer had now identified the driverof the delivery truck that brought the explosive device to theirhome. Sure enough, the man had a dubious criminal background anddeep associations with less-than-reputable organizations in thesame city as the suspected facility. This all proved to them thatthe Noah Group had sent the package and their team had becometargets of the fringe group.

Was it time to take the fight to them?Was there a way to ensure the people who remained in Fire Lake weresafe while raiding the suspected facility?

“What’s got you thinkingso hard?” John murmured sleepily as he stretched out besideStryker.

“Trying to decide if Ishould go along with the team on this mission.”

“To check out that EastCoast facility?” John asked.

“Yeah. Maybe it’s best ifI stay here.”

“I think it would be bestif you went on the mission,” John declared. “The sooner we putthese people out of business, the sooner we can return to a normallife. Besides Elias and all his deputies, Bryan, the ranch staff,Harris and his sister, and Detective Woodley and Gator should bemore than enough people to keep an eye on things around here for afew days.”

“But what if wemiscalculate and the Noah Group shows up here while we’regone?”

“Then we’ll kick theirasses,” John stated without any sign of doubt. “I’m not an easytarget anymore. Have a little faith in me.”

“I do have faith in you,”Stryker said as he pulled John closer.

“Then prove it. Go on thismission, put those assholes out of business so that we can get onwith our lives.”

“Are you sure aboutthis?”

“I’m positive.Everything’s going to be fine here while you’re gone. We’re morethan capable of holding down the fort and protecting ourselves.Besides, we have the entire town of Marshall on our side. I don’tthink anybody could sneak in without someone noticing. Hell,whenever a new customer comes in from out of town, the sheriffknows before they even walk into the shop. We’re safe here.Probably safer than I’ve ever been anywhere.”

“You’re right. Okay, theteam will spend the day preparing and packing for the mission, andthen we should be on our way the following day once all thelogistics are finalized. But promise me you won’t take anyunnecessary risks while I’m out of town.”

John rolled over on top of Stryker andkissed him. “I promise not to take any unnecessary risks. I don’twant you to worry about me when you’re there. Take care of yourselfbecause I expect you back without so much as a scratch on you.Understand?”

Stryker wrapped his arms around Johnand hugged him close.

“Yes, sir.”

***

Stryker

They arrived in Wilmington, NorthCarolina, late in the night and set up a command center in a rentedhouse five miles south of the probable Noah Group location. So far,they hadn’t been able to dig up the location of the four remainingtask force members, but they had feelers out and Spencer said hehoped something would turn up soon.

They’d already run recon on thesuspected building, and Brick was currently meeting with the localauthorities, keeping them apprised of the situation.

The FBI had sent out a few fieldagents to help coordinate, but as far as Stryker could tell, theywere simply suits following orders. The team consisted of himself,Gunner, Conor, Brick, Fletcher, Spencer, Jason, and Shaw. At themoment, Gunner and Shaw were monitoring the location while the restof the team set up.

There hadn’t been a lot of action inand around the building; only a couple of cars came and went,though multiple container trucks had made deliveries. He wascurious to see what was in those containers and planned a fieldtrip to look around the property later that evening.

This was the first time Stryker wasaway on a mission with a partner at home. Now he knew what theother team members felt like. It was an odd position for him,considering he’d never been in a relationship like thisbefore.

He wasn’t some teenage boy head overheels in lust with someone unable to keep his cool or thinkrationally, but it was territory he’d never traversed before.Typically, when he’d been on a mission, all the people he knew andcared about were on that same mission with him. There was no oneever left behind.

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