other end of the line. Once Mitchell had learned Belle escaped, most likely by his own vehicle, he ordered the jet powered up so Austin could make up for lost time.
However, with the wedding rehearsal later in the day, he didn’t have agents to spare. He ordered Agent Colfax and the pilot to accompany Austin to Texas, with strict orders not to engage with anyone on the farm. Just get in, get Belle, and get out.
“Hello?”
Austin stopped mid-step to focus on the gruff voice. “Colonel Rick Montgomery?”
“Yes?” He said, his voice laced with suspicion. “Who is this? How did you get my private number?”
Austin cleared his throat. Hell. How did he tell Belle’s father that he needed help rescuing the daughter he’d lost over twenty years earlier? How did he spring that on someone out of the blue?
“My name is Austin Rose, sir. I’m with the D.I.R.E. Agency.”
“D.I.R.E.? Jacobs’s organization?”
“Yes, sir. I’m calling about your daughter, Monica.”
Silence filled the airways as Austin’s heart pounded against his chest. He knew he took a chance calling Belle’s father, but at this point, he’d do whatever it took to save her. He wasn’t stupid enough to go into a compound run by one of the agency’s greatest foes without more backup. He didn’t have the experience.
But, he did have motivation, and she was worth every risk.
“Is this some kind of joke?”
Austin paced again, praying he didn’t blow this. “No, sir. We had your daughter in custody last night, but she escaped. I’m on my way to Texas to save her.”
“Save her?” He gave a wry chuckle. “From what? If she escaped, it doesn’t sound like she wants saving.”
He swallowed hard, reality a bitter word to utter. “She’s trying to be a martyr, sir. I have to reach her before its too late. I’m short on manpower and thought you might be willing to help me.”
Austin gave him the abbreviated version of the situation, the DNA test results and what he knew about Belle’s life. However, some things just weren’t meant to be told over the phone.
“I don’t know if I should believe you, or call the police. Then again, a wild tale like that has to hold a kernel of truth.”
Austin gave a half laugh, the fear of failure weighing on his shoulders. “Believe me, I wish it wasn’t true.”
He wished they were still back at the D.I.R.E. office, lying in bed, waking up to the first day of her freedom from that psycho bitch.
“What’s your stake in all of this, Rose?”
“Stake, sir?”
He barked out an elaboration. “Were you ordered to go after her?”
Ah, now he knew what the Colonel was getting at. “No. My stake is…everything.”
A note of acceptance filtered into her father’s voice. “And, you’re flying to Texas now, to save her, with one agent and a stealth pilot?”
God, did he really ask for this? “Not by choice, I assure you.”
“You’re in love with my daughter, aren’t you?”
Straightening his spine, he spoke boldly. “Yes, sir.”
“So, what time will you be here?”
***
Belle’s farm sat in the middle of nowhere in south Texas, amongst hunting and oil leases. Based on the satellite footage Austin studied on the flight, it was a full-blown, self-sustaining compound, complete with gardens, cattle, a water reservoir, and several modern-looking buildings. Surrounded by thick brush, it looked to have been in existence for quite some time.
“Did you say, clones?” Belle’s father turned from his binoculars to stare at Austin.
“Yes, sir,” Austin said, pulling a camo cap backward on his head. “I’ll explain later. My orders are to get Belle, er, Monica, and get out. Do not engage.”
He just prayed he wasn’t too late. His girl was determined, if nothing else.
Rick turned back to the farm below. “The place is quiet. No movement.”
Austin jumped off a small cliff and headed toward the fence. “For some reason, I don’t think they went on vacation.”
Agent Colfax
However, with the wedding rehearsal later in the day, he didn’t have agents to spare. He ordered Agent Colfax and the pilot to accompany Austin to Texas, with strict orders not to engage with anyone on the farm. Just get in, get Belle, and get out.
“Hello?”
Austin stopped mid-step to focus on the gruff voice. “Colonel Rick Montgomery?”
“Yes?” He said, his voice laced with suspicion. “Who is this? How did you get my private number?”
Austin cleared his throat. Hell. How did he tell Belle’s father that he needed help rescuing the daughter he’d lost over twenty years earlier? How did he spring that on someone out of the blue?
“My name is Austin Rose, sir. I’m with the D.I.R.E. Agency.”
“D.I.R.E.? Jacobs’s organization?”
“Yes, sir. I’m calling about your daughter, Monica.”
Silence filled the airways as Austin’s heart pounded against his chest. He knew he took a chance calling Belle’s father, but at this point, he’d do whatever it took to save her. He wasn’t stupid enough to go into a compound run by one of the agency’s greatest foes without more backup. He didn’t have the experience.
But, he did have motivation, and she was worth every risk.
“Is this some kind of joke?”
Austin paced again, praying he didn’t blow this. “No, sir. We had your daughter in custody last night, but she escaped. I’m on my way to Texas to save her.”
“Save her?” He gave a wry chuckle. “From what? If she escaped, it doesn’t sound like she wants saving.”
He swallowed hard, reality a bitter word to utter. “She’s trying to be a martyr, sir. I have to reach her before its too late. I’m short on manpower and thought you might be willing to help me.”
Austin gave him the abbreviated version of the situation, the DNA test results and what he knew about Belle’s life. However, some things just weren’t meant to be told over the phone.
“I don’t know if I should believe you, or call the police. Then again, a wild tale like that has to hold a kernel of truth.”
Austin gave a half laugh, the fear of failure weighing on his shoulders. “Believe me, I wish it wasn’t true.”
He wished they were still back at the D.I.R.E. office, lying in bed, waking up to the first day of her freedom from that psycho bitch.
“What’s your stake in all of this, Rose?”
“Stake, sir?”
He barked out an elaboration. “Were you ordered to go after her?”
Ah, now he knew what the Colonel was getting at. “No. My stake is…everything.”
A note of acceptance filtered into her father’s voice. “And, you’re flying to Texas now, to save her, with one agent and a stealth pilot?”
God, did he really ask for this? “Not by choice, I assure you.”
“You’re in love with my daughter, aren’t you?”
Straightening his spine, he spoke boldly. “Yes, sir.”
“So, what time will you be here?”
***
Belle’s farm sat in the middle of nowhere in south Texas, amongst hunting and oil leases. Based on the satellite footage Austin studied on the flight, it was a full-blown, self-sustaining compound, complete with gardens, cattle, a water reservoir, and several modern-looking buildings. Surrounded by thick brush, it looked to have been in existence for quite some time.
“Did you say, clones?” Belle’s father turned from his binoculars to stare at Austin.
“Yes, sir,” Austin said, pulling a camo cap backward on his head. “I’ll explain later. My orders are to get Belle, er, Monica, and get out. Do not engage.”
He just prayed he wasn’t too late. His girl was determined, if nothing else.
Rick turned back to the farm below. “The place is quiet. No movement.”
Austin jumped off a small cliff and headed toward the fence. “For some reason, I don’t think they went on vacation.”
Agent Colfax
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