Page 31 of Protecting Addison
“What?” MacGyver barked, his blood running cold.
“They have been picked up from their schools and are being interviewed as we speak.”
“You can’t do that. Are they okay? What have you told them?”
“They’re fine, sir.”
“When will you be done? When can I come and get them?”
“They’ll be placed with a foster home until this matter can be investigated thoroughly.”
“Are you fucking kidding? Wearetheir foster home. My wife and I. You can’t just take them away from us.”
“Actually, we can, Mr. Douglas,” Samantha told him. “We need to make sure they’re in the best possible place for them. And it doesn’t look good when soldiers take three kids from a war-torn country without permission, and without even trying to place them with a family from theirowncountry first.”
“Sailors,” MacGyver corrected automatically. His heart was breaking. The kids had to be so confused and scared.
“What’s happening?” Kevlar asked, hurrying over to his side, obviously hearing MacGyver’s distress. The rest of his team hovered nearby.
“Can I see them?”
“Unfortunately, no. Not right now. Maybe after initial interviews have taken place and recommendations have been made. We’re working as fast as we can on this, sir. I know it’s distressing, but we want what’s best for the children.”
“No, you don’t,” MacGyver said between clenched teeth. “You have no idea what those kids have been through. What they’ve seen and done. You know who does? Me. Because I was there. They’re in a good home, with a mom and dad who love them, with a sister who would do anything for them. They’re getting food and water without having to scrounge for it. They’re in school. I have no idea whatirregularitiesyou’re talking about, but no one will love those kids as much as my wife and I do. What’s best for those kids is for them to be brought home. Totheirhome.”
“As I said, we’re looking into things and will be in touch soon. They’re in good hands, Mr. Douglas. Don’t worry.”
Then she hung up.
She fuckinghung upon him! MacGyver was furious. And terrified.
“What? What’s happening?”
“They took Artem, Borysko, and Yana. They’re interrogating them and putting them in another foster home! I don’t understand.”
“Did someone call about them?” Safe asked.
“No clue. She just said they’re backlogged and just now getting around to our case, and some ‘irregularities’ came up and they’re investigating. Yana is probably terrified. What if they don’t let her see her brothers? If they put her in a different home than them? Shit!” MacGyver closed his eyes. He could feel his blood pressure rising. Then his eyes popped open. “Fuck. How am I going to tell Addison? She’s going to be devastated.”
“Come on,” Kevlar said, grabbing MacGyver’s arm. “I’m driving. Flash, call Tex. Get him on this. Blink, notify the commander. Safe, can you and Preacher pack up the rest of this stuff?”
“On it.”
“I’ll call the commander right now.”
“Of course.”
MacGyver let his friend lead him to his Subaru, feeling sick as they pulled out of the school’s parking lot. He heard Kevlar talking to someone as they drove, but he couldn’t concentrate. All he could think about was how scared his kids had to be. It wasn’t until they pulled into his driveway, Safe’s Jeep Wrangler pulling up behind them, that he even realized where they were.
Wren and Remi got out of the Jeep and hurried over to Kevlar’s car. He was glad for the reinforcements, but at the moment, all he wanted was to see Addison.
He hurried to the door and unlocked it, stepping inside, followed by his friends. The smell of chocolate was almost overwhelming. Addison had been busy baking gluten-free brownies for a unique brownie cake for a customer. He’d heard all about it this morning.
“Ricky?” she called out from the kitchen.
All of a sudden, MacGyver didn’t want to be there. Didn’t want his wife’s day to be ruined, the way his had been. But it was too late to back out now. She came into view from the kitchen/dining area—and stopped when she saw him and the others standing in the foyer.
The smile on her face disappeared as she asked, “What’s wrong? Is it Ellory? The kids?”
