Page 58 of So Deadly
Shouts came from the other side of the building, followed by barking and screams.Turk looked at Faith, wanting to know if he should lead the other dogs to assist.Faith shook her head.“Jessica’s got it.”She turned to the head of her SWAT team.“Forrest, take the others into the facility.Take whatever evidence these cowards haven’t wiped.Take the shredded documents too.We can put them together if the courts feel like having more than the digital data.”
Forrest nodded and led the team into the building.Faith gestured with her head for Turk to follow, and he led the dogs and their handlers inside.
Over the radio, Jessica said.“I have ten in custody.”
“Perfect.I have the big boss.Well done everyone.No casualties.Just like we hoped.”
“You won’t get away with this,” Chastain promised.“This is a sanctioned government operation.We’re not some illegal corporate vanity project.We wereorderedto conduct these tests.”
Faith’s radio chirped again.“Got the dogs,” Michael said.
“Good news.Thanks, Michael.”
To Chastain, she said, “We have the dogs and the whistleblower you illegally tortured.So, Ireallyhope your orders were specific.Either way, please tell the investigators everything.If this goes higher than you, we want to take that trash out too.”
Chastain’s left eye twitched for several seconds before he replied, “This is bullshit.This is… Damn it, we’re trying to secure the future of our national defense.Why is everyone so goddamned naïve?”
His voice was rough now, almost gravelly.Apparently, the stentorian tone was an affectation.
Faith called for vehicles for transport and turned him around.As she marched him past the charred section of fence, he said, “I should have killed your husband when I had the chance.I just…” He laughed, the reality of his failure driving him manic or maybe just stripping away the façade in front of his sanity.“I just can’t believe this.We were going to secure the safety of our nation for decades.Centuries.”
“Yeah, I doubt that,” Faith said, “but believe whatever you need to believe.”
“Overdogs?”he spat.“Seriously?They’re animals!They’re tools!Why are you treating us like we were torturing people?”
“First of all,” Faith said, shoving him through the opening in the fence, “youweretorturing people.Killing them, in fact.The data my husband and his partner found proves that you, and I meanyoupersonally, Mr.Chastain, ordered the murders of at least three people.Well, four, but you didn’t manage to kill David.He made it.And he brought you down.I want you to remember that, Mr.Chastain.As you spend the rest of your life rotting in a maximum-security prison, I want you to remember that you were defeated by a single veterinarian with a big heart, more courage than you’ve ever shown in your life, and good friends willing to stand up for what’s right.”
“I sincerely hope you live long enough to watch us overrun,” Chastain hissed.“I sincerely hope you watch our enemies defeat us because you wanted a few dozenanimalsto receive pats on the head and kisses from toddlers.”
Faith didn’t reply.She’d gloated enough, and if Chastain was capable of understanding how stupid he sounded, he wasn’t capable of accepting it.Maybe later when he was shut in the concrete box that would be his home for the next forty-plus years, he’d have time to reflect on the foolishness of his actions.
The armored van that would transport Chastain to an FBI detention center and from there to trial in D.C.pulled up.Faith pushed him into the back.He went quietly.Maybe he was already starting to reflect.Or maybe not.Faith was done concerning herself with maybes.
She closed the door and tapped her radio.“Chastain is ready for transport.Good work guys.We’ll wrap up here, and then it’ll be up to the courts to figure out how they want to proceed.”
“Roger that,” Jessica said.“Well done, Faith.”
Faith smiled, her throat constricting a little as she realized this was her last-ever mission with her now-former partner.“Thanks.You too.”
A bark sounded over Jessica’s radio, and Faith laughed.“You too, Turk.Good job, boy.Very good job.”
“Holy shit!”Michael exclaimed over the radio.“We have Jayce Broward too!”
Faith’s eyes widened.“Really?”
“Yeah.He’s been beaten pretty badly, but he’s alive.”
Faith’s spirits lifted.She hadn’t expected to find David’s friend alive.“Outstanding.David will be so happy.”
“Hell yeah.God, I love happy endings.”
“They sure beat crappy endings,” Faith said.
All three of them laughed.
The van pulled away, choosing to take the mastermind of the unit to custody ASAP rather than wait for the others.Faith walked back to the building to rejoin her K9 and her partner.The last obstacle had been cleared.Now she had nothing to look forward to but the bright future beyond.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
