Mission Her Justice - Anna Hackett Page 0,1
Team 52 was tasked with finding, securing, and safeguarding pieces of ancient technology. The world and most of its historians were unaware that advanced human civilizations had once thrived. Myths about them carried on in stories of places like Atlantis and Lemuria. During the last ice age, those advanced civilizations had been destroyed by flooding and earthquakes, setting civilization back into a type of dark ages.
Humans had risen again, largely unaware of what their ancestors had achieved before them.
Every now and then, pieces of ancient technology turned up. Often powerful and dangerous ones.
Unfortunately, there was also no end of people who wanted to get their hands on that technology, and use it for the wrong reasons.
Like the priceless pink diamond the team had recovered.
Jonah knew that it was very old, and from the Kollur mine in India, famous for producing large, cursed diamonds. It looked like an invaluable gem—but it had been infused with dangerous power by advanced, ancient scientists.
He followed the team into the elevator. Matte-black walls surrounded them, and Lachlan pressed the button. The elevator descended.
The artifact would be locked away in the secure warehouse, deep in the heart of the Area 52 base.
“What time’s the plane back to Las Vegas?” Smith asked, his voice a deep rumble.
“You just want to get back to Kinsey,” Axel murmured.
“Yep,” Smith confirmed, unfazed.
Kinsey was their logistics manager at their center of operations in Las Vegas. She’d fallen head over heels for Smith, and the man worshiped the ground she walked on.
“I’m pretty keen to get home to my detective, as well,” Blair said.
“Two hours,” Jonah replied. “We’re leaving early today, as I have an event to attend as the president’s special envoy.” That was Jonah’s cover. As the president’s envoy, he had the ear of the president. He attended more Washington meetings than he liked, and wined and dined powerbrokers, as part of his job running and protecting the work Team 52 did.
“Where at?” Blair asked.
“The new Eiffel Tower Restaurant.” Jonah arched a brow. “It’s the grand reopening since the Eiffel Tower was reconstructed.”
On a previous mission, some very bad people had gotten their hands on an incredibly dangerous artifact. The storms generated by the artifact had almost torn Las Vegas apart. The Strip was still rebuilding, but the main pieces were almost back together. Las Vegas didn’t let anything keep it down for long.
“Fancy,” Callie said. “We have to wear body armor and chase bad guys, while you get to wear a tux and drink champagne.”
Jonah crossed his arms. “We could swap.” He would in a heartbeat. “I’m sure Smith would enjoy wearing a tuxedo.”
The man’s grunt indicated his displeasure at that idea.
The elevator slowed and they all stepped out. Grumpy-faced Arlo was waiting for them. The older, grizzled man took care of the warehouse.
“No one’s bleeding.” Arlo sniffed. “That’s a first.” He held out his hands. “Hand it over.”
Seth gave the man the containment box. “We had an easy mission, for a change. I’m happy to get back to my wife and tell her that I didn’t get shot at.”
“I think you’re in more danger from your wife.” Blair grinned at him. “I thought she threw a glass at your head before you left? And vowed never to let you near her again. She’s more dangerous than the bad guys.”
Dr. January Lynch was pregnant with the couple’s first child, and the archeologist wasn’t enjoying the second half of her pregnancy. It had zapped her energy and slowed her down, and one thing January didn’t do well was sit still.
Seth grinned. “She throws things at me all the time, even before she was pregnant.”
“I do remember her beaning you with a pole, once,” Blair said.
Jonah hid a small smile. The pair had always struck sparks off each other. Seth had gone all-out to rescue the woman on a dangerous mission.
The click of heels made Jonah look up. The team’s archeologist, Dr. Natalie Blackwell, appeared. She wore a tight, navy blue skirt, and a crisp, pink shirt. Her long fall of black hair was pinned back at the sides of her head. She smiled.
“You’re back! I can’t wait to see the diamond. I’ve been doing more research on its history and I think I found some more information on it.” Her Australian accent deepened as she got excited.
Axel broke free of the group, lifted the beautiful archeologist off her feet, and laid a deep kiss on her mouth. She struggled for two seconds, then kissed him back.
When she broke free, she