AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He takes another big gulp of his beer and sinks farther back on the couch.
“I wasn’t the first picked to go. They sent me to be a filler and round up the back to provide cover if needed.”
I stare at him, confused. When I stalked him for the few weeks before I grabbed him, you could see how haunted he was. I never got the feeling that he was a frontline soldier. He was the happy-with-paperwork kind of soldier.
“I’m not a marksman. I joined the military to pay for Reese’s college and to make sure I looked after her. Greg approached me with a deal when I got out. Good salary with a bonus. I just had to work out engineering plans for the water filtration system and how to save money… all that jazz. When the original team fell apart, Greg approached me to round up another team.”
He stands and paces the room. Trying to find the right words to match his inner hostility.
“Terrorists. That’s what Greg said. It needed to happen off the books so that it would take out a top terrorist group. It would also prevent more war between the two countries and would keep the United Nations agreement in place. Two birds, one stone.”
He slaps his hands together before he runs them through his hair.
“I followed Greg’s orders. It wasn’t until we got there and the first shot rang in the air that I saw the kids and women running in all directions.”
“Did you not do surveillance before you shot?!” I scream at him.
“The intel they gave us was all we needed!” he screams back. “I swear, I trusted my commander’s word. That’s what you do, like a good soldier! Follow the damn orders!”
“You were a mercenary! Not a soldier!” I stand and throw my fist to his face. Still recovering from my torture, he lets off a painful moan.
He drops to his ass as he fights to scrape his nails down his face. “I know.”
I shake my head as I refrain from strangling him. My nerves twitch with a need to satisfy that craving.
“I dropped my gun as the others fired their shots and threw grenades. I stood still and saw the fear on their faces. This was not a town of terrorists; this was a town of innocent people. The screams, Adam, the fucking screams never stop!” He sits and sobs. He screams in the air as he grabs his beer, throwing it against the wall, shattering glass everywhere.
“I knew those people! They were trustworthy people!” I grab the photo album and throw it at him. “Look at them!”
He holds the album gently. Tears fall down his tortured face.
“Khalil was ten! Loved to kick the ball and for his father to scare him. His father would yell, then hug him, laughing! His younger sister, Daya, was eight! She was eight! Learning how to cook! Look at them!”
Kevin looks at me with such guilt. Snot dripping from his nose. “I am sorry.”
I nod, accepting his apology. “I know, but it doesn’t bring them back. You saw and heard innocent lives dying. I watched my friends fall, brothers and sisters stepping in front of the initial bullets to save those people. It wasn’t enough! I woke up, not knowing how many days or weeks later in a German hospital. Alone!”
“Adam…”
“You had no emotional ties to that village!” I yell.
“We were trying to help reduce the number of terrorists!” he snaps back.
“You were part of the executioners!”
We both stare at each other, panting.
“Adam, I can’t take it back. I came home wanting to fix my mistakes. I tried to leave, but fucking Greg was there, reminding me of my contract. He did what you did, holding pictures of Reese and dangling her before me. I kept my mouth shut to continue to keep her safe!”
I nod my head, understanding where he is coming from. He’s protecting the last bit of good in his life.
“Greg has a hold on her. When she gave her money, she unknowingly attached herself to this chaos. I had done everything I could to keep her far from it. Greg helped get her the job with DuPont, then conned her out of her savings, and pulled her into our world. God, if I can get my hands on him!”
“Greg is no longer an issue. I have dealt with him.” I hold my head up high.
“What do you mean?!” Kevin sounds panicked. “No! What did you do?! Adam, the repercussions from taking him out…”
“Is being dealt with. Greg is dead, Chase Masters is dead, Senator Townes is out, DuPont is now scrambling to keep his company in good standing.”
