Page 72 of Code Name: Admiral

Another shot rang out as he pulled Alice inside just as the skiff’s bow dipped below the waterline.

When yet another shot rang out, the motor died.

I dove into the frigid lake, forcing my numb limbs to swim the few feet to the plane’s pontoon. Hands grabbed my jacket, dragging me up and in. The door slammed shut behind me.

“Go!” Doc shouted to the pilot. The engines roared as we began picking up speed.

I pulled Alice close, both of us shivering violently as the plane lifted off the lake’s surface. Through the window, I could see muzzle flashes still lighting up the boathouse. Our escape had been covered by a man I’d accused of being an enemy to me and the rest of the agents who served under and above him at the FBI and another I believed was second-in-command of a powerful and deadly crime family.

“Here.” Doc tossed us more blankets. “Merrigan and Bryar are waiting in a secure camp on Caroga Lake. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

I nodded, too cold to speak. Alice pressed closer to me under the blankets, and I held her tighter. We were alive, but this was far from over. The last I saw, Sweeney was still alive. Who knew what kind of firepower he’d really brought with him. But so were Grit and Alessandro, whose timely arrival had saved our lives.

“What now?” Alice whispered, her teeth chattering.

I kissed her temple. “Now, we figure out what the fuck this all means, then finish what Sarah started.”

“It’s over,” said Doc once we were in the air, flying over Kane Mountain. “Here. Tank’s on the line.” He handed me a satphone.

“We’ve got Sweeney,” Tank’s voice crackled through the phone. Despite the poor connection, I detected satisfaction inhis tone. “Grit winged him in the shoulder. He’s not going anywhere.”

“Huxley?” I asked.

“Blackjack got him in the leg. He’s in custody too. Three of their team are dead. The rest raised the white flag as soon as they realized who they were up against.”

I pulled Alice closer under the blankets Doc had given us, both of us still shivering from our frigid escape to the plane. Her teeth had finally stopped chattering, but her hands were like ice when I took them in mine.

“Alessandro’s explaining everything,” Tank continued. “You’re not gonna believe this, boss. He’s been working with the DOJ for years, gathering evidence against Vincent and the corrupt officials in his pocket.”

Actually, I could believe it. The pieces were finally falling into place—Alessandro’s perfectly maintained cover as the ruthless enforcer while systematically documenting the organization’s activities, the way he’d helped Alice trace the corruption, his timely arrival at the boathouse.

“What about our guys?” I asked. “Everyone okay?”

“All accounted for. Grit took a graze to the arm, but he’s refusing treatment until things are secured here.”

Of course he was. I owed that man one hell of an apology. He’d saved our lives tonight, proving his loyalty beyond any doubt.

“Also, can you let Alice know that Alessandro and the DOJ have proof it was Vincent who had Bobby murder Sarah, then ordered the hit on him? He’ll be charged for both. It was the final piece of the puzzle they were waiting for to finally start the indictments against him.”

“I will let her know, and thank you, Tank.”

“You got it, boss.”

“We’re about five minutes out from Caroga Lake,” Doc said from the copilot’s seat. “Merrigan and Bryar are ready and anxiously awaiting our arrival.”

I nodded, too exhausted to try to figure out what that meant. Too exhausted to even speak. The adrenaline crash was hitting hard, made worse by the bone-deep cold from the lake water. But we were alive. We had Sweeney and his crew in custody. Most importantly, I had Alice safe in my arms.

23

ADMIRAL

The plane landed, then taxied close enough to the dock that we could walk from there to the camp. Once inside, Bryar and Merrigan were waiting with hot drinks, more blankets, and dry clothes. The place where they’d taken us to was a modernized version of one of the old Adirondack great camps, its massive stone fireplace already blazing.

After Alice and I had changed, she settled under a blanket while Doc asked me to do a perimeter check with him. It seemed more out of habit than necessity, given the additional K19 operatives he’d brought in had the property locked down tight.

“You know,” he said as we walked. “Grit contacted us a few days ago with an interesting proposal.”

I raised a brow.

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