Page 89 of The Flame of Carson
“In middle school, he beat up a fellow seventh grader because the kid made the track team and Anderson didn’t.He was suspended for the rest of the year.His parents sent him to a military school after that.I found all kinds of citations from his teachers there too.They saw he had temper issues, but nothing was really done to correct it.”Tony explained.
“How the hell did he pass the psych eval to even get in the Marines?”Eli questioned, finally pushing away from the desk.
Tony swiveled his chair, so he was facing Eli.“That’s what I can’t figure out.All I can think of is Anderson knows how to blend well enough to tell the testers what they wanted to know without them realizing it.That makes him a smart son-of-a-bitch.”
“And a dangerous one too, Tony.Let’s take a break and let the program do its work.With the information you brought me from Ethan, it should really help us narrow down some kind of profile.At least, a starting point.”
Tony nodded and the two stood and stretched.They had been working non-stop since Tony brought the files over.The two walked out of Eli’s office and headed for the elevators.The two friends said nothing, but they didn’t have to.Both were thinking the same thing.If they didn’t find some clue soon, Gage and Stacey were going to pay the price.
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Lance slammed the doorand threw his bag at the floor.Tugging his hair, he headed for the kitchen and found Alora standing at the stove working on dinner and giving him an inquisitive look.“Lance, please try not to break the door.”
Lance grunted, walked to the fridge, and pulled out a beer.Twisting off the top, he leaned against the counter.“Sorry Alora.Today was just a cluster fuck.”
Alora stood at the stove stirring the sauce for the spaghetti and listened as Lance filled her in on what happened.She gasped at hearing about Stacey’s wreck but said nothing more.She knew Lance needed to vent and she would let him.After all, had he not done the same for her over the last year or so?When he finally fell silent, she moved the pot to the warming unit and gave the pasta a quick stir.Alora turned then, moved to her fiancée, and slipped her arms around his waist.He sighed, sat his beer down and held her.
“It’s going to be all right Lance.”
“I want to believe that baby.Gage is my brother; I can’t let him down.”
Alora looked up and placed a hand on his cheek, “You won’t.You and the others will do your jobs and keep Stacey and Gage safe.You all will also put this asshole behind bars where he belongs.”
Lance looked down in awe at her.“How can you have such faith in me?”
“Because I love you, Lance Archer.And you and your brothers have proved that you come through.You did for Krista and for me.You all will come through for Stacey and Gage as well.That’s how I can have that kind of faith in you.”
Lance just pulled her tighter to him and held her.This case with Stacey and Gage had been dredging up memories of Alora’s case.How she stood her ground and never backed down, not even from him.“I love you, Alora.I know I don’t tell you enough but, I love you more than anything Tigress.You’re my very soul.”
“And I love you too Lance.”Alora sighed, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.
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Gage looked down andsmiled.Stacey was curled in his arms on the sofa sound asleep.After their nap, she had gone to her office and did a little work.Gage had handed over his responsibilities on the political front over to Morton’s second in command on the Bravo team, Helix.On Krista’s case, Helix had been on the Charlie team but had since moved to Bravo.Gage had also emailed Nick and filled him in on the change in his situation.Nick simply replied saying to take care of himself and Stacey.After they both handled work, they ordered take-out, while Gage checked in with the watchers outside.Danny and Grant had now been replaced by the first set of Charlie team.As Lance promised, he had hand-picked the men who would be watching Stacey’s house and texted that list to both him and Stacey.They then curled up on the couch to watch a movie.She fell asleep ten minutes in.
Gage was pulled out of his thoughts by his phone vibrating on the coffee table.He carefully moved from under Stacey, so he didn’t wake her, picked up the phone and headed for the kitchen.“Carson.”
“Just checking in buddy.How’s everything?”Tony said.
“All is quiet here.Danny and Grant were relieved about noon and the second rotation is here now.Lance picked men from Bravo, Charlie, and Delta.I will say, he picked good.I would have picked them myself.”Gage chuckled.
“Good.I think Eli and I made some progress.Of course, we won’t know for sure until tomorrow at the earliest.I know I don’t have to tell you and Stacey to watch your six, brother.Make sure you have an escape plan in case Anderson tries something there.”
“Already did.When I first moved in here after my house blew, that was the first thing she and I worked out.Actually, Stacey gave me new ideas.”Gage chuckled.
Tony laughed,“That doesn’t surprise me one bit.If we get a hit, you’re my second call after Ethan.I know you’re now back in the loop to a point but...”
“I hear you.Unless it’s immediate, relay to Ethan first and then me, but only if Stacey or I need to know.”Gage instructed.“Stacey and I have to play the parts convincingly or Anderson will pick up on it and will adapt.If we want to smoke his ass out, we have to at least appear to be off our game.Same with the rest of you.”
“That’s what Ethan told us.Grant asked about our guys watching the house, but Ethan says Anderson would expect that.”Tony said.
“Yes, he would.He would see it as he’s gaining the upper hand.Me and Stacey sequestered in her home, under watch by my own.Yeah, he would see it as a victory.Well, I’ll talk to you later Tony.Good night.”
“Night Gage.Tell Stacey I said hi.”
