Page 106 of No More Lies

ALL THREE SARIN CANISTERS were secure. The threat was almost over. The experts had deactivated the timer attached to a small charge designed to blow the case, containing the three canisters, apart and release the poisonous gas. It had come down to the wire, but Onyx had gotten the job done. No one was going to be dying in a sarin attack today. Nyx had remained on scene to ensure no one got near the men working to remove it. Raven were walking back to the SUVs they’d left on the street. The team were quiet, all desperate to get a lead on where Volkov was as the clock ticked down. Cellphones began to beep as the local cellphone towers came back online.

Reaching the SUV, Steve leaned against the hood. Diane was going to end up in the hands of Reborn. He’d failed to protect his wife. Donnie stood next to him.

“Don’t,” Steve hissed. He didn’t want to hear there was still time, or they wouldn’t rest until they got her back. Not now. Every minute that passed made the chances of getting her back alive less likely.

A phone rang, and he heard Dex answer.

“Tracer? What the fuck—” Dex stopped talking. A couple of seconds later, he put the phone on speaker. Steve straightened and joined the rest of Raven crowding around to listen.

“We’re all here,” Dex said.

“About fucking time, I’ve been trying to reach you for the past hour.”

“No cell signal, long story. What the fuck do you know about our op?”

“No time to explain, but if we’re going to stop Volkov I need you to trust me and do as I ask. I’m going to need your help.”

“You know where that bastard is? Is Diane with him?” Steve blurted.

“Yes, and yes. I’m sending you coordinates to a small private airstrip where Aziz’s plane is about to land to pick up Volkov and his guests. It will take no more than forty-five minutes to refuel, and then the plane will be ready to take off. We have to take them before that happens.”

The coordinates came through and the team were already loading into the SUVs as Dex kept the call open.

“We?” Dex asked. “Where are you?”

“On the plane.”

“Tracer, how the fuck are you involved in this?” Steve demanded from the back seat. Dex and Ryan might have known this man for years, but Steve had only met him a couple of times.

“I’m not involved, and I will explain, but right now there is no time. You’re either going to trust me and we get your wife back, or you don’t and well, I don't think I need to explain.”

Steve looked at his team leader. He trusted Dex but it was Ryan that spoke in his ear, where he was listening through coms from the other SUV.

“Steve, Tracer saved Sophie’s life. Without him, I would have lost the woman I love. He took the SEAL oath, and he proved to me that day that it still meant something. He might have done some questionable shit, but his intentions are always aligned with what’s right. I trust him.”

Steve was still looking at Dex, who said. “So do I.”

“Dawson, we need to go over the plan now, before this bird touches down. Are we good?”

Dex didn’t answer immediately, and Steve realized he was waiting for him to confirm he was on board. Steve nodded.

“Yeah Tracer, we’re good. Let’s do this.”

The airstrip was forty-five minutes away and they used that time to plan. Pushing any doubts from his mind, Steve channeled his focus on making sure they left no detail to chance. The last thing any of them wanted was Diane, Natasha or Anya getting caught in a crossfire.

Tracer remained on the call as long as he could but had to leave when the plane touched down. It was long enough. The plan was set. From the other SUV, Mackie had been on his laptop and sent the layout of the airstrip to their phones, together with screenshots of aerial views. Steve heard Dex briefing Sam but tuned out.

I’m coming Angel. Hang in there a little while longer for me.

Raven had done hostage rescue on a plane before, but not a private jet. It was imperative they secured the hostages before they got on the plane. With no time to train, or run a drill, they were going in partially blind. It was risky, the stakes were high, but they were Onyx. If anyone could pull this off, it was them. Steve wouldn't want anyone else attempting the rescue of his wife.

“Steve, you with us?”

Dex’s voice broke him out of his thoughts. He nodded.

“OK, team, Melanie Costas confirmed there were seven men at the house including Volkov and Oleg. Two took her in the Honda. The rest went in the Range Rover and minivan. I think we can assume the two that went with Ms. Costas rejoined Volkov. So, we have a minimum of seven hostiles.”

Sam’s voice came through coms. “FBI and medics are on standby. We have the plane’s tail number should it take off and Tracer is compromised. What’s your ETA?”