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“Lead the way,” he said, determination flaring within him. He seemed to be living at either Jac’s office or IT when he wasn’t in his own office. He slept wherever he landed.
Ryker stood in Sharlee’s IT department office, tugging at the knot of his tie, feeling the tightness of it closing around his throat. Jac and Garrett appeared in the large room filled with electronics. Ryker clenched his jaw, and the vein throbbed beneath the closely cropped beard that he had recently begun to grow. It was rebellious, but it said he still controlled some things.
Charlotte waved the men out of her room, directing them to the conference room.
Garrett looked around. “I guess we better hit the conference room. Charlotte gets upset when we get too close to her metal boxes.”
Sharlee agreed. “I don’t like extra heat in here. It could melt my precious equipment.”
Garrett laughed. “I figured you had a reason besides being bossy and territorial.”
She grunted in a close imitation of her husband’s sound of disgruntled agreement.
As they strode down the hallway, Jac’s people started toward the conference room. The long table was filling with their former military cohorts, and current Alpha members–Jac, Sharlee, Levi, Monroe, Carter, Callie, Garrett, Mark, and Kaden were all there. Each an expert in their respective fields, they were all prepared to go as far as they needed to; laws weren’t boundaries when family was at stake. They would save Oakley. Ryker sat next to Monroe and jiggled his leg in anxious anticipation.
“Alright, team,” said Jac, tapping his foot impatiently. “Let’s get to work. Charlotte, I need you to share the information you have about Oakley’s last known interactions and her clients.”
“Got it,” Sharlee responded, her fingers tapping furiously on her keyboard. Her green eyes locked onto the screen, the furrow in her brow deepening as she delved into the digital world in a new direction.
“Levi, Kaden, I want you two to follow any leads that come up. Carter, Mark, you’re on your own jobs but keep in touch. Callie, when Sharlee gets the number, and you are tied in, I want you to monitor the phone lines of this Audra or Amy or whoever we find. Monroe, we’ll need your expertise in strategizing as we get more info, so continue running the ops scenarios while we wait,” Jac instructed, his voice steady and commanding. “Garrett, you have the ops until we need you.
Meanwhile, Mark approached the video screen that Jessie, Ivy, and Mallory had appeared on, his expression serious. “Ladies, I need you all to be extra careful right now. No one goes out alone, and if you can avoid going out at all, even better. Work from home until we find Oakley.”
The women exchanged glances, clearly unhappy with the restrictions. Jessie spoke up first, her voice tinged with frustration. “We’ve been through this before, Mark. We know how to handle ourselves. Besides, I’ve been cleared to return to work. I was going to bring Anora with me. We discussed this.”
“Of course you do,” he replied softly, his eyes filled with concern. Jessie and his newborn had changed the hard, dark Mark to someone who smiled at his wife and cajoled instead of demanded. “But we can’t afford to take any chances right now. We must focus on finding Oakley and ensuring everyone stays safe.”
In the conference room, Callie folded her arms across her chest, her blue eyes narrowing. “I’m part of this team and intend to be out there helping.”
“Callie, we know you’re more than capable,” Garrett interjected, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “But right now, we need you in the supportive, onsite role. It’s just as important as being in the field.”
She sighed but nodded reluctantly, understanding the importance of her role and her man’s need to keep her safe.
“Becky,” said Carter, “You have to stay in the office, like Callie, and lunch will be delivered, or you need to bring your own. I’ll drop you off and bring you home, or you will go with Jac and Sharlee if I’m out.”
Becky sighed, screwed up her face but nodded. As the women agreed to the restrictions, they turned their attention back to the mission at hand, knowing that the sooner they found Oakley, the sooner they could return to normalcy.
Ryker surveyed the room, his heart swelling with gratitude for the unwavering support of his friends and teammates. Together, they would find Oakley and bring her home–and they would do it without leaving anyone behind.
Jac turned to Ryker. “I’m putting Mark in charge of the tactical. You’re support.”
“Jac, I don’t mind running the leads and all the support you need, but I have to be there when we find Oakley.”
“Fine, but until then, you’re with Carter or one of the guys.”
“I can live with that.”
“Good,” said Jac, “Because I wasn’t asking.”
“Guys,” Sharlee announced, her voice laced with urgency. “I found something.”
All eyes turned to her as she pulled up a file on her laptop. “Oakley was working with a patient who has PTSD and bipolar disorder. His sister blames Oakley for his condition.”
“I believe we know who that is but is that her real name?” Ryker asked, leaning over Sharlee’s shoulder to get a better look at the screen.
“Her name is Audra,” Sharlee replied, scrolling through the information she had found. “She cared for her brother for years, ever since their mother left after their father died. She was completely dependent on him emotionally and financially. They were inseparable.”
“Audra’s life wasn’t easy,” Sharlee continued, her brow furrowing in concentration. “She had a failed marriage before her brother’s diagnosis. Her husband was abusive, and her brother saved her from that nightmare. “
