Page 44 of Broken
Over the years, she’d received numerous honorary citations for her exemplary work and her contribution to helping the Bureau apprehend several known serial killers and serial rapists. Her superiors considered her a team player and a natural leader.
A myriad of emotions—disappointment, anger, guilt—started to take hold.
Things could have gone so differently, for everyone.
His attention was diverted when Dakota Luck appeared on the screen. Dakota’s current position with ALPHA was running BLACK OPS—an elite group of ALPHA agents.
“Hey,” Prescott said.
“Sorry we didn’t get a chance to chat at the shower yesterday,” Dakota said.
“Probably a good thing. We would have ended up huddled away in a corner, talking shop.”
“Speaking of huddled away, I saw you hanging with someone. Who was she?”
“A friend of Addison’s from college,” Prescott replied.
Bert Grimes appeared on the screen. “Hey, guys, how it going?”
“Hey, Bert, good to see you,” Dakota said. “Do you know Prescott Armstrong?”
“How’s it going?” Prescott asked.
“I didn’t know you’re with ALPHA,” Bert said to Prescott.
“I’ve been trying to get him to join my group,” Dakota interjected. “More like begging, but Armstrong is a stubborn man.”
Prescott chuckled. “I work missions alone.”
“Gotcha,” Bert replied.
“Okay, guys,” Dakota said, “I need confirmation you’re on the secure network.”
Both Prescott and Bert affirmed that they were.
“Are you both in a private setting?” Dakota asked.
“On my ALPHA laptop in my kitchen,” Bert said. “My wife is visiting her sister in Florida, so I’m home alone.”
“Home office,” Prescott replied.
“I’m in my home office, and in about ten minutes, my toddler’s going to realize that I’ve left the room,” Dakota said. “Expect some persistent knocking.”
Both men laughed.
“My son is grown,” Bert said, “but we went through that when he was little. One minute he was daddy’s boy, the next, he wouldn’t leave my wife’s side. Enjoy those days, Dakota. They go by too fast.”
“I love every second of it,” Dakota replied. “Okay, let’s get started. Bert, I’m building an elite team of Ops for assignments that will take us out of the country. You’ve been with ALPHA for years, so I wanted to see if this would be something you’d be interested in.”
Bert smiled. “Might be. Can you tell me—” Bert glanced over the top of his laptop. His eyes widened. “What the hell areyoudoing here?”
BANG!
A bullet pierced Bert’s forehead between his eyes and he slumped back in his chair.
“What the fuck,” Dakota exclaimed.
“I’m on it.” Prescott grabbed his phone and called Cooper, co-lead of ALPHA.
