Loe raamatut: «Cease Fire»

Chapter One

Everyone wore their sidearm to the wedding.

Given that at the last wedding, two months ago, a maniac had burst in and tried to kill the wedding party, firearms were understandable.

Every member of the elite law enforcement task force known as Omega Sector remained determined not to be caught unawares again.

The psychopath at the last wedding had been arrested, and fortunately, no one had been hurt. But everyone knew that as long as Damien Freihof, the mastermind behind the recent attacks against Omega, remained at large, none of them would be safe.

So every agent at Brandon Han and Andrea Gordon’s wedding had some sort of holster. Waist, shoulder or ankle for most. A few of the female agents probably had weapons strapped to their thighs or in their evening clutch bags. None of the sidearms were noticeable, but they were there.

Roman Weber had one at both his waist and his ankle. And there was no way he was letting his guard down tonight.

Thanks to Damien Freihof, Roman hadn’t even been able to attend the last Omega Sector wedding. He’d been too busy coming out of a coma from an explosion Freihof had carefully planned. Another Omega Sector agent had been killed. If Roman had been two feet closer to the blast, he would’ve been killed, too.

So no, Roman wasn’t interested in laughing and drinking and dancing, even if many of his closest friends were in the room. Instead, he kept finding his eyes drawn to the multiple entrances to the ballroom of the ski resort here in Colorado Springs, where the reception was being held.

Two main doors leading into the resort, three separate kitchen entrances, and a set of double doors heading out to a terrace. Freihof could attempt to make his way through any of them.

He was around. Roman hadn’t seen the man anywhere, but knew in his gut that Freihof was nearby today. The man was so good at disguise it was possible he already waited here inside the room, although Roman didn’t think so. There were too many trained agents looking for Freihof for him to risk it.

The guy was a psycho, but he wasn’t stupid.

Still, Roman walked over to the shadows closer to the main doors. Just in case.

“See anything suspicious?”

Roman knew Steve Drackett, director of Omega Sector’s Critical Response Division, was present before he spoke. Grace Parker, Omega’s head psychiatrist, stood beside him.

“No. But it doesn’t hurt to keep looking.”

Steve nodded. “Damn right about that.”

Something inside Roman eased slightly. His boss didn’t think he was paranoid. Didn’t think searching for Freihof in the shadows of a wedding was being overly cautious.

Steve slapped Roman on the shoulder. “But you do know that watching for Freihof isn’t solely your responsibility.”

“Maybe not. But it’s definitely something I take personally.”

Grace smiled at him, tucking a strand of her silver hair behind her ear. “If you didn’t take it personally, given what happened, I’d be a lot more concerned.”

Roman had spent a lot of time talking to Grace over the past few weeks. The older woman would ultimately be the one who cleared him for active duty once he was cleared physically.

The required sessions with her had been pretty agonizing at first. Roman wasn’t a sit-around-and-get-in-touch-with-his-feelings sort of guy. But Grace had made him feel comfortable. She had an air about her that never judged or condescended.

She’d helped him realize how damn pissed off he was that he’d almost died. That Damien Freihof had almost killed him. That it was only sheer blind luck Roman was alive today.

And that all those feelings were normal.

“Am I acting crazy, Doc?”

Grace gave a delicate shrug. “You’re acting aware and vigilant. Again, nothing wrong with that.”

“I just want to catch this son of a bitch.” Roman gritted his teeth just thinking about Freihof.

Steve squeezed his shoulder. “Your medical doctor said you would be clear for active duty next week.”

Roman noticed Steve didn’t say anything about Grace clearing him mentally. His behavior here tonight wasn’t helping. He all but itched with the desire to get back out with his SWAT team on active missions. Desk work was killing him one minute at a time. But active duty was a no-go until he was cleared by both the Omega physician and the psychiatrist.

“Okay, I’ve got a beautiful family who need my attention.” Steve grinned as he looked to where his new wife held their two-week-old son at one of the tables surrounding the dance floor. “Roman, you let me know if you think something’s not right. But on the other hand, you’re not the only one on duty tonight. Hell, you’re not even on duty at all.”

Roman and Grace watched Steve walk across the room to his family. Neither of them said anything right away. Roman was going to try to outwait the older woman, but knew that she would win that battle. The psychiatrist had much more practice at the waiting-out-silence game.

“I noticed Steve said that I’d be physically cleared for active duty next week, but he didn’t say anything about being cleared by you,” Roman finally said, not looking at Grace.

“Do you think you’re ready for duty, mentally? Emotionally?” she asked.

“I know that sitting at a desk is doing more harm to my mental health than being active and back out with the team would do.”

“And is that what you think I should say in my report?” Grace raised one eyebrow.

Roman had long since learned that almost every statement he gave to Grace would result in another question from her. It didn’t bother him anymore. He knew it was just her way of getting him to think through answers for himself.

Grace Parker was a brilliant psychiatrist. She worked with all sorts of people at Omega Sector: agents, victims, and had even acted as the SWAT team’s medical doctor in a few emergency situations. If she wasn’t twenty or so years older than his own thirty-one, he might have made a move on her long before now. Not that she would’ve taken him up on the offer.

“You want me to say whether I think I’m ready or not,” Roman said.

“Ultimately, that’s what really matters, isn’t it?”

“Not on the piece of paper, it’s not. Only your opinion matters, not mine.” Roman trusted Grace to give an honest judgment and not hold him back if she thought he was fit for duty.

But damn it, he wanted so badly to be back out in the field he could practically taste it.

“Do you think that I think you’re ready?” she asked, turning toward him.

“I would hope so.”

“Do you think I think you think I think you’re ready?”

Roman tried to wrap his brain around that statement, until he realized Grace was grinning.

“Now you’re just messing with me,” he said, shaking his head.

Her soft laughter rang out. “Guilty.”

Roman smiled now, too, the tension broken. “That’s not very nice, you know.”

“If it helps, I wouldn’t tease you about it if I didn’t think you were prepared to join the team in active missions.” Grace said.

“Really?” Roman turned to face her more fully.

“Steve didn’t mention me clearing you for duty, because I cleared you over a month ago.” She smiled at him. “Mentally, I think you’ve been ready for a long time. You just needed to give your body some time to rebuild and restrengthen.”

“So I’m cleared?” Roman felt tension he’d held for weeks melt off him.

“Yep. As soon as your physician says so.”

“You don’t think it’s a little odd that I’m wearing two weapons here tonight, and wandering from shadow to shadow to make sure Damien Freihof isn’t somewhere in the building?”

Grace shook her head. “I’ll admit it might be a little bit hyperdiligent. But I promise you, you are not the only person here with two weapons. And you are not the only person here searching the shadows every few minutes. Including the groom.”

Roman looked around the room. Grace was probably right. He’d been so caught up in his own need to be sedulous that he hadn’t realized there were a dozen others being just as watchful.

“Now, believe it or not, I actually have a date to get back to.” Grace smiled again, tilting her head toward a man in his early sixties sitting at a table nearby. Grace’s husband had died a few years before and Roman was glad she was seeing someone socially.

“Thank you, Grace. Sometimes it’s hard to stay centered.”

“That’s what I’m here for. That’s what we’re all here for. For each other. You’ve got to remember you’re not in this alone. I think that is what Damien Freihof most wants to do—isolate us and fracture us. It’s important that we don’t let that happen.”

Roman nodded. “You’re right. I’ll try to relax, at least a little bit tonight.”

“Aren’t your mother and stepfather here? Do you want to spend some time with them?”

Roman refrained from rolling his eyes. Barely. “No, I’d rather sit here and look for invisible bad guys than go hang with my mom and Maxwell, and listen to all the reasons why I should be rubbing elbows with the bigwigs in the room.”

Grace laughed. “Well, the state political VIPs are definitely here en masse. And I know you’ve said your mom would much rather you had gone into politics than be a member of the Omega SWAT team.”

“Whether I wanted to or not.”

Grace shrugged. “Regardless, they are family. Don’t cut them out.”

“Trust me, I couldn’t cut them out if I wanted to. If you see my mom, don’t tell her where I am.”

Grace grinned again. “Will do. And Roman, it’s a wedding. It’s okay to have fun, maybe talk to a girl—like that gorgeous one you’ve been checking out all night whenever you let your guard ease enough to think about something other than Freihof.”

Roman knew exactly who she meant. Keira Spencer. The raven-haired, curvy, petite bridesmaid. One of the bride’s friends from high school or something. His attention had been drawn to her tonight like it had at the last few social functions he’d seen her at, as friends of Brandon and Andrea. He would’ve asked her out long before now if his plans hadn’t been waylaid by the whole coma thing.

His eyes left the shadows and sought out the dark-haired beauty now. Like him, she was standing mostly away from the action of the wedding, although he doubted it was for the same reason.

“Exactly,” Grace said, touching Roman gently on his arm. “Freihof wants all our attention to be on him, not on living our lives. Let’s not give him that satisfaction.”

With that she gave him one more smile and made her way back to her date, who politely stood and held out her chair as she sat down, smiling brightly at her as he did so. Roman already liked this guy.

Grace was right. This was a wedding, and it was already midway through the reception. Armed guards stood outside every door. The entire site had been swept extensively for explosives. Trouble in the form of Damien Freihof wasn’t making its way in here tonight.

Plus, as Grace had pointed out, they weren’t here to focus on the criminal mastermind, they were here to celebrate Brandon and Andrea, two of their own.

Roman didn’t know either of them well, but what he did know he liked and respected.

Brandon Han was generally regarded as one of the most intelligent men in the entire country, and his family was an important part of the state government, so this wedding was a grand event. An interesting blend of watchful law enforcement, merry partygoers and political personages networking in a neutral, friendly setting.

The last, Roman knew, included his mother and stepfather. He had no doubt his mom was searching for him, to encourage him to network likewise.

She still hadn’t quite embraced the concept that Roman had chosen law enforcement as his means of contributing to society, rather than politics, like his late father.

Roman got a beer from the bar and headed back to the shadows, although this time to avoid trouble rather than search for it.

He wasn’t alone for long.

“You’ve got that ‘oh hell, it’s another wedding’ look on your face.”

Roman glanced at the man who had made his way to his side. Damn it, what was his name? Sam Poniard or something. The guy wanted to be SWAT, but for whatever reason hadn’t been accepted into the training program.

He shouldn’t take it personally. Most people who applied didn’t get accepted.

“No kidding.” Roman gave a smile to the other man. “Seems like agents around here are falling like flies. You’re Sam, right?”

“Saul.”

“Saul, that’s right. Saul Poniard. Sorry, man. I blame the coma.”

Roman could tell he’d offended Saul, but the other man still gave a slight smile. “I guess almost getting blown up is certain to affect your memory.”

Roman doubted he would’ve remembered the other guy’s name anyway, but didn’t say so. He would be sure to remember it now.

“How’s it going for you? Enjoying the party?”

Saul nodded. “Yeah. Not usually my thing, but I thought I would stop in and say hello. Thought it might get me some points.”

“Points for what?”

“I’m thinking about reapplying for SWAT.”

Roman grimaced. That’s why Saul was over here talking to him. He was campaigning. Of course, Roman had zero to do with who got initially accepted into the training program. The leaders might ask the team’s opinion before bringing someone on in the final stages, to make sure he or she was a good fit, but not at the beginning.

“Well, good luck with that.” Saul appeared fit and strong enough to be in the program. But for whatever reason, he was being overlooked. Roman trusted the people making those choices, Steve Drackett being one of them.

“Maybe we could work out sometime. Spar or something.”

“Uh, yeah. Sure, no problem.” At least Poniard wasn’t asking for a letter of reference or anything. “Hopefully, I’ll be cleared for active duty next week. But I’d be happy to do some lighter stuff with you until then.”

“That would be awesome. Thanks. Are you hanging back in the shadows looking for Freihof? I’ve been doing the same thing.”

Maybe Poniard would make a better SWAT member than leadership was giving him credit for.

“Yeah. I have to admit I am. Although Steve Drackett was over here a minute ago reminding me that it’s okay to relax. That there are other people on guard here.”

And Steve and Grace both were right. Roman needed to not let Freihof steal any more of his life. His eyes flew back to Keira, who’d made her way onto the dance floor with the bride and the groom’s sisters.

Keira was a much better place to center his attention, rather than searching for an enemy who wasn’t here, or avoiding family who wanted what he didn’t.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Saul said. “But I understand. SWAT has to be diligent.”

Roman clapped the other man on the shoulder and gave him a smile. “How about if you help us be diligent tonight? Just keep an eye out.”

Saul nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, will do.”

Roman excused himself. His mother was moving in his general direction and he had to make sure she didn’t catch him. He didn’t want a scene tonight.

Roman smiled and took another sip of his beer as he moved away. He loved his mother, even though Maureen Weber Donovan tended to be a little conceited. He knew she loved him and fiercely guarded the family name. She’d remarried after Roman’s father, a member of the Colorado General Assembly, had died fifteen years ago, and had never stopped encouraging her children to continue their father’s political legacy.

Whether they’d wanted to or not.

Not that Roman wasn’t ever going into politics. He just wanted to do it on his own terms, not on his mother’s. He wanted to make a difference in the system, and his time at Omega Sector continued to help him understand where the system worked and where it needed fixing.

Roman rubbed a hand over his face and sat down at a table that had been vacated by people out on the dance floor, still glancing around the shadows, looking for danger. A couple months ago he would’ve been out on the floor with them. Could’ve kept a watchful eye out while having fun at the same time. He was known as the jokester on the SWAT team. The one with a witty comeback and always ready for a good time, taking nothing too seriously.

Or had been.

He wasn’t trying to go back to that persona. He’d been changed at some very basic level by his near-death experience and would never be that same person again.

And although he had no desire to talk politics tonight at his friend’s wedding, he could see that perhaps he might be moving in that direction sooner rather than later. Not because he was afraid of death or wanted to get out of the SWAT team, but because now more than ever he realized how short life really was.

Maybe it was just time for him to grow up. Maybe all these changes would’ve come about regardless. All Roman knew was that he couldn’t go back to who he’d been before he’d almost died. Didn’t want to go back to who he was formerly.

But before he could move forward with his life, they were going to have to catch Damien Freihof. Although Roman had to make peace that it wasn’t going to happen tonight.

Keira had taken herself back off the dance floor and was standing over in the shadows at the side of the room. Roman stood. He was finished staying away from her.

Finished letting Damien Freihof determine every decision he made.

At least for now.