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She jumped out of bed and got dressed as quickly as she could, and before even ten minutes had passed, they were in her ute on the way to Jody and her kids.
After picking David Larkin’s family up, they raced to the base. MPs were already waiting for them and waved them through. Kodiak drove the ute until they got to a deserted part of the base. David Larkin was sitting against the fence, his head in his hands, a suicide vest strapped to his body.
As soon as Jody saw her husband, she let out a soft cry.
“Mom?” Taylor said from the back seat.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” she said, her voice watery. “Stay here.”
The ute had barely stopped moving before she was out. She called to her husband, “David!” and tried to run toward him, but the MPs stopped her. The team was here along with Dodger and Anna. Kodiak got out of the vehicle, leaving the door ajar, but Kaiya stayed with the terrified kids. She slipped her arms around them, staring at the scene unfolding through the windshield.
“Jody!” David said, getting to his feet, but keeping his distance. His face was contorted with heavy emotions. He must have been going through hell. “The kids!”
“They’re safe. We’re all safe. You don’t have to do this!” Jody tried to get to him again, but they held her firmly. She sobbed softly. “Let me go.”
He hung his head, his face awash in despair. “No, Jody, stay where you are. Those bastards are making me. I have no choice. I thought they had you and the kids, but I realized they weren’t going to spare you. I couldn’t kill anyone.”
“You did the right thing, David. Just take it off,” she pleaded.
His face contorted again, and tears slipped down his cheeks. Kaiya’s stomach dropped, and she tightened her hold on the children. Hanna started to cry softly. Her father took a hard breath. “They lied to me. I can’t remove it.”
“Fuck,” Kodiak said. “Anna? What is going on?”
She walked briskly over to him. “They are calling in some of the best EOD techs in the Navy, and the AFP are also sending their guys over.”
“How much time does he have?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“I can do it,” Boomer said. “I just need some tools.” Kaiya set her watch for twenty minutes.
Anna looked at him. “Are you sure?”
Skull huffed a laugh. “Are you kidding? Boom Boom is our lead breacher and EOD. He knows everything about bombs and how to blow shit up.”
“Well, we don't want to blow any shit up here,” Anna said, “But if you can diffuse it. Do it. We’re running out of time.”
Kaiya knew that if things didn’t go to plan, these kids were going to lose their father and Kodiak was going to lose a team member. She looked down into each of their faces. “It’s too dangerous for you to get out of the car. We’ll stay here until it’s safe.” Both of them nodded emphatically.
David Larkin clenched his jaw and released the tension in his body as Boomer, dressed in combat gear, with a tool pouch in his hand, started for Larkin.
Boomer reached him, and he said, “Don’t move a muscle.”
He nodded, hope and fear mingling in his eyes. “Should I be concerned that your name is Boomer?” David asked.
Boomer smiled wide as if this was a walk in the park. “Nah, man. The only easy day was yesterday. I got you.”
Boomer walked around the guy, studying the vest as time ticked by. Kaiya was so tense. She felt a headache coming on. Kaiya hugged both children close to her. Hanna reached out and slipped her hand into Kaiya’s, and she squeezed her small fingers. “Boomer’s the best,” she whispered.
“No motion sensors,” Boomer said almost to himself. “But the locking mechanism is tied into the bomb. If we fidget with it, it will go off. I’ll have to diffuse the bomb before we can remove the vest.” He stepped in front of David, then started separating wires, his fierce eyes analyzing and fixed.
Kaiya looked at her watch. Five minutes left.
“Boomer!” Anna called. “If you can’t do this, you need to move away.”
“I got it,” he said through clenched teeth. “Relax, boss lady.”
Suddenly the clicking of a locking mechanism was loud in the hushed silence and there was a collective release of breath as the AFP bomb squad drove up in a containment unit. They stopped inches from Boomer, who gingerly started for the open door. “Go, Larkin. Get out of here and back to your family.”
