Page 146 of The Deadly Shallows

Noah pinched the bridge of his nose. These guys were completely unhinged, though that had been clear since the mass shooting.

“I’ll give ATF and the local FBI field office a call,” Caleb said.

“Ask for Bill Todd over at ATF. He’s a good man—a great agent.”

“Will do.”

“I worry with Lieutenant Caldwell’s death and her expertise on the laser weapon that . . .”

Caleb sat back, his face paling on the screen. “That she finished it.”

“So are we looking at an impending act of domestic terrorism, or is he selling it to one of our nation’s enemies on the black market?” Noah asked, thinking out loud. “Either way, we need to pray you guys find it first.”

SIXTY-EIGHT

Caleb knelt, his knee sinking into the cold earth, the predawn moisture seeping through his pants.

ATF agents, FBI special agents, and his teammates, save Noah and Emmy, were present. Em was on logistics, and Noah and Brooke would soon be flying to see Scott Mirch.

Caleb scanned the compound through his night-vision binoculars. If Frank Mirch was running this, he certainly had a well-trained team. Most former military, if Caleb was reading the men right. And he wouldn’t be surprised if there was an extensive weapons cache on-site.

He made a visual check with ATF’s Bill Todd and beyond him with Federal Agent Axel Murphy, the three of them running their coordinated teams.

Adrenaline coursed through his limbs, and Caleb forced himself to remain still. He was itching to move in, to get this guy behind bars and end this, but they were in a hold pattern until the FBI snipers were in place and they received the go order.

He turned his attention back to the gated compound, watching the two men armed with modified AK-47s along the northeast perimeter. As he’d suspected, recon revealed two men patrolling each fenced property line. Just before dawn was usually the perfect time for a raid. Just enough light not to go in blind, but with most of the men asleep or easily caught off guard. But Mirch’s team clearly maintained around-the-clock watch, which meant this could turn ugly fast.

Father, please protect everyone here. We have an idea, but definitely don’t know the extent of what we’re walking into or the skill of those we’re raiding.

He took a steeling breath and prepared for whatever lay ahead, knowing God went before them.

“Snipers are in place,” Agent Murphy said. Caleb was point on the raid. However, given the situation and Noah’s direction, they were passing the remainder of the investigation of the compound to Axel and the FBI.

CGIS was here for Dwayne and, hopefully, Frank Mirch.

“Holding on snipers,” Axel said over the comms. “We count ten guards, armed and moving.”

Caleb lay on the ground beside Bill Todd, binoculars in hand, his weight propped up on his elbows. “My concern is how many we aren’t seeing.”

“Agreed,” Bill Todd said. “And based on what I am seeing, I also agree with your assumption of a weapons cache. We’ll need to move swiftly.”

Caleb gave a nod.

“Thanks for the call,” Bill said.

“Snipers are reporting back,” Axel said over comms. “They’re seeing movement in the bunkhouses and believe there could be hidden sectors.”

Caleb’s chest compressed. Just as they feared. He took a resolute inhale, knowing whatever they faced, God was watching over them and would go before them.

SIXTY-NINE

Plumes of smoke rose in in the dawn air, mixing with clouds of white from their breath. His heart thwapping in his ears, Caleb ran low, gun in hand. The underground charges spaced around the perimeter had been unexpected, but the gunfire once they’d rammed their way into the compound had not.

Bullets ripped over his head as he dove behind a military-green Jeep.

The metal pinged as the bullets encased in the vehicle’s siding mere inches from his head. Rolling onto his stomach, he aimed at the shooter’s feet, visible from under the Jeep’s wheel well. He held his breath, then slowly exhaled as he squeezed the trigger.

The man cursed and hobbled away, blood trailing behind him. Impressive he hadn’t dropped, but futile—Caleb had him.