Free Chasing Shadows by CJ Lyons Page A

don't mind—as long as the job gets done."
    Deacon raised his glass in a toast.  "That's the spirit, Brother.  Today's your birthday, you don't regret being far from your family?"
    Lucky almost choked on his whiskey.  Damn, sometimes it freaked him out that these people, men he was trying to put in jail, knew intimate details of his life.  Even Chase didn't know it was his birthday today.
    "You guys are my family," he said, giving Deacon the party line.  The other man nodded in approval.
    "Is Westin coming back tonight?"
    "Probably not, he has some family business."
    Deacon acted as if he was familiar with Chase's family.  Lucky never could tell when the guy actually knew the inside scoop and when he was bluffing—guess that was what made Deacon so good at his job.  
    Lucky was just a demo man.  Give him a bomb to build, something to blow up, or a device to disarm, and he could do it in his sleep.  This undercover deal was scary, made him feel like a rookie.  He could hold his own with the street thugs dealing modified TEC-9's, but these Crusade freaky-deaks were nuts, totally unpredictable.
    He took another hit of whiskey and wished he were back in DC.  Mean streets he could navigate with ease.  Of course with three brothers, a father and two uncles on the Metro Force and his only sister with the Secret Service, he had plenty of trustworthy backup there as well.  Here, in the wilds of Pennsylvania, he felt naked.
    "We scouted a few meet sites," he told Deacon, stifling his homesick sigh.  All part of the job.  Some of it had been fun, like designing the devices Deacon wanted.  He'd dreamt up a few beauties.  Of course, they'd never get built.  Not if he and Chase did their jobs right.
    "Find a place suited to our needs?"
    "High school basketball courts.  They're in the back of the building, a service road leads around and if there's any problems, we can move to cover inside the gym."
    "There will be church services across the street."
    He was right, but Lucky didn't ask how he knew.  Obviously Deacon had performed his own recon.  It was what Lucky would do if their positions were reversed.  
    Trust no one, assume nothing—Chase had taught him that as his first lesson in undercover work.
    Lucky shrugged.  "Guess so, didn't check.  Is that a problem?"
    "No.  In fact it may be a blessing in disguise.  The Lord provides in mysterious ways."  
    The Crusade's message was strictly non-denominational, focusing on economics and social inequities as common ground.  But that didn't stop Deacon from quoting the Bible at odd times, such as when drawing to an inside straight.  
    Deacon finished his drink and pulled a motel key from his shirt pocket.  "Good work."  
    Lucky took the key.  Room Thirteen.  Deacon laughed at his expression and clapped him on the shoulder as he stood to leave.  "Have faith, Brother.  It's just a number, it can't hurt you."
    So why did Lucky have a bad feeling about this?
    As he left the bar, he failed to notice Deacon nodding to Redman who took Lucky's glass from the table, placing it in a plastic bag.
    "How long?" Deacon asked.
    "Hour, tops."
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 10
     
    KC's hand moved to where her gun would be if she still had her jacket on.  Except her jacket was hanging downstairs in the foyer.  She wasn't supposed to need a weapon, not here in her own damned house!
    "Close the door, we need to talk," Westin said, his eyes locking onto hers.  With his long, straggly hair and fierce expression he looked like the wolf waiting for Red Riding Hood.
    Boy, had he ever picked the wrong girl.  She put her hand on the doorknob.  One good shout and Glenn and Carson would come running.  And she had her backup piece in her boot.  
    Before she could decide, Westin stretched one long leg and kicked the door shut.  Pivoting out of the chair, he grabbed her arm, pushed her back against the wall.
    That made up her mind for her.  KC knew exactly how to handle