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We've been arguing about strategies for a while. I finally let my girls go into another room so Bella can sleep. They’re in the great room off the kitchen. Ana’s doing yoga, she's worried about her figure. She is beautiful, but I know the damage Jonathan did will take a while to change. She says she's too stressed to draw. I wish I could focus on her, but I need to find my mum and the others. I'll kill anyone that has hurt her. For a moment my mind goes back to the last time she was taken from me. At least it's not Nathan this time, but who would do this? It's got to be Mr. Smith, but why? What is his end game? I'm trying to focus, but something on the edge of a memory keeps playing across my mind. I stand up as the thought keeps going and walk out of the office. The team stops talking as I open Ana's studio across the hall. I know what I'm looking for but can't find it, and then I see it peeking out from the corner behind the other drawings. I pull out the drawing of the man that was following Ana in London and look for the other drawing I need. I find it on an easel across the room. Son of a bitch!
The house phone starts ringing with the gate tone, as I'm about to tell the team what I figured out. Maya and Derek are in motion, heading for the sniper’s hide they set up in Ana's attic. They set up their gear earlier, so they bypass me heading up. I rush into my office and pull the book to reveal the large walk-in gun safe behind the book shelves. I arm up and silently thank my girl for this space. We all put in our earpieces, and I reach to answer the phone. Ian walks to where Ana and Bella are.
“Yes, Collin?”
“Joshua, we have a Dr. Parker here at the gate. She’s in an SUV full of people. One of them says she's your mum.” We all hear the growl through our earpieces when Ian hears Jen is among the people in the vehicle.
“Son of a bugger, how did he find us?” Duncan growls.
“Let them in, send them to mine and Ms. Ana’s place, and don't let on that there are any issues, okay, Collin?”
“Yes, Bossman,” he says.
“Everyone stay alert. Mr. Smith has come knocking with Dr. Parker and the others is my guess.”
I know who the mole is now and I'm glad it wasn't anyone closer to us. I turn to see Duncan reaching into the vault as he grabs a second .45 handgun, he puts it into the back of his pants. He already has two under each arm. He pulls off his holsters, puts on a vest, and puts them back on. We all have body armor on over our shirts.
“I'll kill him if he's hurt her, Joshua. How did he know about her?” Ian comes across the ear piece.
“Ian, stay calm, I don't think he'll hurt her. Maya, do you have both of your weapons ready? Greg, you stay here and cover the back in case it’s a trap. James, you stay here too. Ian, protect my girls, I'm going to the door.”
“No!” I hear yelled from the great room, followed by a scream and Bella crying. I turn to see Ian has a hold of my girl and her yelling has woken up Bella.
“Angel, it’s going to be okay. Calm down and listen to Ian. Ana, you need to be calm for Bella before she gets too upset, please. Maya has my back. I swear I will be okay.”
I know the car should be approaching soon. Duncan is at my side, as he always has been. I look back at my girls and make the decision to protect them. I walk right up to Ian, who is holding onto Ana and take her in my arms. “Ian, please follow me with my daughter.” I carry Ana into the spare room and right to the closet. I push the panel next to the closet door and the handprint scanner appears. I press my hand to it. Next, I look into the retinal scanner and the back of the closet opens into the safe room. I kiss Ana with everything in me. “I love you and will protect you both, no matter what.” I leave her in the chair looking confused as Ian gently places Isabella in the crib. I look at the fully stocked safe room, there's even baby supplies and a spare breast pump. I step back and lock her in, as the door is closing, she stands and starts yelling at me. I'm going to hear about that later, but she's my life. I wait for the bolts to lock into place.
“I'd put Maya in there too if she’d let me,” Duncan says from behind me as Maya starts yelling at him through the comm link.
“I'd like to see you try that, Big Guy.” I laugh.
“Ready, mate?” he asks as he ignores her and me.
“Let's do this.” I chamber a round and holster my gun. He chambers his too and checks his others. Timothy comes up behind us with an M4 in his hand, he nods to me and stays in the hall. Ian stays in the hall near the spare bedroom to make sure no one can get to Ana.
I open the door as a large Mercedes SUV pulls into the roundabout driveway.
“Careful, baby, we have a wedding in just under two weeks,” Maya comes across the comm. “We have what appears to be five adult bogeys and two small children in the vehicle approaching. Using the .50 cal is not an option,” she says all clinical and emotionless.
“Damn, where did the second child come from?” Duncan says.
“Male bogey in the front seat is staying with Dr. Parker, and the smallest child is in the middle seat behind the doctor,” Derek says.
“I have two females, a male, and a small child getting out,” Maya says. “The male bogey in the vehicle is in my sights, but I'm worried about taking a shot with the baby in the backseat. It appears to be in a car seat strapped behind Dr. Parker. Male bogey is putting his piece on the floorboard. Through infrared, I can make out a few possible knives, no other guns.”
I step down to meet my mum and Michael with Rebekah and Meghan walking up.
“Sorry, Joshua,” Michael says with his hand protectively on my mum's lower back.
“No problem, Michael. Hello, Mum.” I kiss her cheek and pull her behind me. Rebekah walks up holding Meghan's hand. “Step inside, Rebekah.” She steps past me with a small smile.
Duncan and I walk down the gravel walkway toward the SUV, staying far enough back that Maya can still take her shot. I hear Michael asking Timothy for a gun. He then appears at the doorway. I know Timothy is protecting the others behind us. Duncan and I pull our weapons and point them at Mr. Smith through the window of the vehicle.
“Get out of the vehicle, Mr. Smith, you don't want to hurt the doctor or the child,” I say as he partially rolls down his window so I can hear him speaking.
Will he confirm my fears?
“Well, Joshua, you're right. I don't want to hurt them, they're my family. I need your help. I helped you, now return the favor,” he says.
