Page 45 of Omega’s Oath

Condor gave a motion with his head of assent.

The news he wanted came ten minutes later when Reid’s phone rang.

“Will found her.”

Omega was at his desk and saw information and images pop up on his screen and had no clue how the man had accessed his computer but didn’t give a flying fuck if it meant they found Rose.

“A private security camera picked her up being led into an unoccupied home about ten miles away.”

Condor flew into action, shouting orders to the team.

They could wait for HRT or go in now, and every instinct Omega had said to go now. “You and Reid are both ex-HRT, and Liam is ex-SAS. With the rest of the team being so highly trained, we don’t need to wait.” They should, he knew that, but his gut was screaming at him.

Reid shrugged. “We can handle one man.”

Condor nodded and waved his hand in the air. “Let’s go.”

* * *

The house looked like any other on a quiet street with family-sized cars parked in the drive, kids’ bikes carelessly thrown on the ground, as if, in their innocent haste to get inside, their owners had forgotten everything else. It was midday and only a few hours had passed since he’d discovered Rose missing but it felt like a lifetime.

The house where Harlan was holding Rose and little Jude was surrounded at the back by tall trees and bushes, completely obscuring a view for the team, and with homes on both sides, the front was the only place with obvious access.

The truck he’d picked up on the camera at what he now considered his home, was parked out front but there was no movement inside. They needed to get confirmation Rose was inside.

Lyric touched his shoulder as he watched the house through a scope from the property opposite that had rear access. The team had managed to contact the owner and he’d agreed to let them use the property.

“Hey, see anything?”

Omega shook his head. “Nothing.” He was trying hard to tamp down his anxiety but even he could hear the gruffness of his voice, heavy with worry.

“Condor has sent Reid and Liam in as we planned. He doesn’t know them at all, and an Englishman will throw him.”

“This had better work.”

Lyric squeezed his shoulder. “It will.”

Omega nodded, not sure of anything anymore. His mind kept going to the times he’d held Jude, gently rubbing his back after a feed. He’d catch Rose watching him and feel self-conscious until he saw the look of love in her beautiful eyes. If he lost them there’d be no reason to go on. They were it for him, he loved them so much it almost hurt.

He saw a movement on the ground floor of the house and adjusted the focus. Harlan came into view with Jude in his arms and Omega almost wept to see the baby seemingly unharmed. He could feel his muscles vibrate with the need to rush over there and put his fist through Harlan’s smug face and keep doing it until he’d never be able to hurt anyone again.

He’d never been a violent man, not really. His size and stature, along with the fact that he was quiet, were always enough to keep him out of trouble as he didn’t come across as a threat. He’d joined the FBI because he wanted to do better, to save his country from people who’d try to harm it—be they terrorists or killers or blue-collar criminals.

He’d found his niche and was good at it, he never shied away from guns or violence, but he never actively went after them but today it was all he wanted. The image of Harlan bloody kept the other images of Rose or Jude hurt at bay.

“I have visual on the target. He has the child in his arms.”

Lyric was close beside him, but Omega couldn’t take his eyes away from the scope where he was watching Harlan turn and talk to someone, most likely Rose. His anger was evident and he seemed to calm as he looked at Jude and walked out of sight.

Omega wondered if he’d told Rose what he’d done and hated the thought of having to give her that news. He caught a flicker of movement in the window on the second floor a minute later and knew someone was in one of the bedrooms. He moved down the stairs to speak to Condor.

“Condor, I want to go in. He has her upstairs and that sick fuck isn’t getting his hands on her.”

His boss looked thoughtful and he was right. They had no visual inside, and the best bet would be to get negotiators in but they both knew Harlan wouldn’t give them up. A man who’d stalked and been obsessed with someone for so many years wouldn’t just walk away.

“We should wait.”

Omega shook his head. “No, he won’t give them up. I fucking know it.”