Jack (Eidolon Black Ops #8) - Maddie Wade Page 0,69

was only two roads over from his own place, and Will had picked up on the same school kids he heard every morning.

The house was a four-storey Victorian home on a quiet side road with a large garden overlooking the black mountains. Jack held up a fist as they approached, and everyone stopped moving. Two armed guards were stationed at the back door.

Lucy, a colleague and friend from Fortis, who’d not gone to London and was also ex-Zenobi, had stepped up to run comms for them.

“We have two armed guards at the back. Do you see any more inside?”

“I have four heat signatures inside on the ground floor and one in the basement.”

Jack took a deep breath. She was alive. “Aubrey, this is a shoot to kill mission, so if you want to walk away, I’ll understand. You’re an officer of the law, after all.”

“Fuck that. I’m family, and he messed with that.”

Jack smiled; this was why he loved his sister-in-law.

“Roz, I need you, Bebe, and Laverne to take out the guards at the front and hold the position, in case he has back-up stationed close by. Aubrey, Will, and I will secure the men at the back and inside. I’ll then head downstairs, which is where my father will run to when he hears us.”

“Copy that.”

Jack crept forward, fighting his instincts to rush to Astrid instead of using his training to make sure this was done correctly. His father was a master strategist and would expect Jack to come for him, so he needed to be creative.

“Execute, execute, execute.”

At his words they all moved. He took out the first guard as Aubrey downed the second, both dead from kill shots. Jack heard Roz and the girls breach the front and take down the man stationed just inside, as he came through from the back and took out the two remaining men. That meant his father was in the basement with Astrid.

“Secure the house. I’m going down.”

Jack made sure his weapon was secure at his back, knowing his father would take the other from him and probably that one too but hopefully not the knife in his boot.

The steps creaked as he descended and he got his first look at Astrid in nine hours. She looked tired but pissed, a cut on her lip made his jaw twitch in anger but he remained outwardly calm as he focused on the man who’d made this all happen.

He looked as polished as always, his three-piece suit buttoned, hair combed, and shoes polished to a military shine. Yet Jack knew he was a fraud and a traitor, not only to his country but to his family.

He levelled his weapon on his father. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you where you stand.”

“I can give you two. Firstly, you’ll want to hear what I have to say, and secondly, because if you do, her sister dies.”

Jack’s eyes flashed to Astrid who nodded sadly, and he knew that was why she hadn’t made a move yet, but he could see by the fact her bindings were almost cut through that she was about to. “Fine, say your piece.”

“Come along, Jack. Put the weapon down. I don’t want to have to kill Adeline, but I will.” Jack lowered his weapon to the ground and moved until he was in front of Astrid. If Frederick wanted her, he had to go through him.

“Now that’s better. Your mother has said some things she shouldn’t have, so let me have my say.”

“Jack, I have people on their way to Beaverbrook hospital to secure Adeline as we speak.”

Jack could hear Lucy talking over the comms and knew she’d have his back. He just needed to keep Frederick busy until Adeline was secure. “Fine, say your piece.”

“Your mother was a good woman, but she lost her direction. I blame myself for being away so much and not being there to guide her.”

Jack clenched his fists. “Enough, get on with it.”

“The Queen should not be on the throne. Her line is a lie. My grandfather was the rightful heir. He may have been illegitimate, but he was the first-born child of the woman who would be Queen. Therefore, when she died, it should have come to us.”

“That’s not how it works and you know it. He wasn’t recognised by the crown and from my understanding, he had a good life with wealth and privilege, along with a seat at the Queen’s side regardless, because of the Guard.”

“We should be