Page 7 of The Perfect Stranger

“And what role are you playing in this?” I asked.

“Not that I owe you any form of explanation, but my team investigates the international financials entering the United States that support the independent cells like the one you brought down today.”

“How many are you watching?” Jase asked.

It was a fair question. We had only targeted one, but who knew how many of the smaller cells were out there.

“A few. Yusuf Alamand was trying to establish himself amongst the independents as their leader.”

“But that’s just one cell,” I began. “Yes, it could have killed thousands of people. But make no mistake. These independents are strong and powerful because they go largely undetected.

“I only go for the big fish.” If I wasn’t mistaken, there was a threatening undertone to his statement that made me question his moral obligation to Homeland Security.

“You played us.”

“No,” the Chief answered to me. “I was simply using the resources available. You refuse to follow instructions, and you will be court-marshalled.”

“You just said this was not government issued, so how can we be court-marshalled?”

“It wasn’t. But I have the luxury of selecting where I send my men as long as I’m acting in accordance to Homeland Security. Now as a way of further protecting National Security, I order you to relinquish your weapons and badges until we’re sure the capture and killings have not been led back to us. And you disappear.”

“Disappear?”

“You are now officially on leave anyway, Suárez. Take the time, plus some more, and don’t come back until I get word to you. You are two of our finest men, we aren’t about to lose you.”

His attempt at sincerity only made me question his motive all the more. I turned to Jase who looked exactly how I felt. His arm was now hooked in a sling and I could see, he too, now sensed we had been duped.

Chief Hanson and this… Delacroix, Head of Criminal Fraud, were in this together.

“You’re dismissed.” The Chief stood from the corner of his mahogany desk and sat in his plush leather chair. Slowly Jase and I rose and made our way to the door. He exited first before I was called back.

“And Suárez,”

Turning, my fists clenched, I faced the man I no longer trusted.

“Don’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”

“This is fucking bullshit!” Jase threw his jacket to the back of his locker with frustration. When I continued hooking my shirt through a coat hanger, he turned his tantrum to me. “You’re not going to say anything?”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“I think there’s plenty that needs to be said… starting with a fucking explanation.”

“Whatever they have going on is bigger than us. We’ve done our jobs. Let them handle the rest.”

“We’ve done our jobs which never came with a ‘watch your back’ warning until after the fact.”

Closing the locker door I faced Jase, his brows almost knitted together. “There’s a reason we do what we do, Jase. You know this. You wanna go work for S.W.A.T., then go. Special Forces is a whole different ballgame.”

“How is it then, that our identities are being threatened? They never see our faces, they don’t know our names, so how come suddenly we’re targets? Perhaps someone a little closer to home, ain’t so much working for ‘home’ anymore if you know what I’m saying?”

I edged closer to Jase, my jaw set. “I do know what you’re saying, and it will pay to keep your mouth shut,” I warned through bared teeth. “I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but treat everyone as the enemy from now on. Do you hear? I don’t trust them as much as you, and I really don’t think terrorists are now our major issue.”

“‘Cause we know something they don’t want us to know?” Jase asked.

“Correct.”

Disgruntled by the truth, he slammed his locker closed and hooked his duffle over his shoulder.

---