J Saint - Collateral Damage

For now, Jack and his men would take things a day at a time and see how everything played out. Helping Lauren, rescuing Matt and Mitch, and stopping Menendez/Miles despite his injuries had taken away the desperation that had been eating at him.

"He is so cool." Livy practically sighed and Jack's frowned deepened. What was the big deal about Bear?

"He is cool and a lot of fun on and off the show," Jack said, looking forge a connection to Livy.

Livy turned to look at Jack, wide-eyed. "You know that guy? You really know him?"

"Spent a month with him in the Tibetan Alps."

He and Livy had shared a stiff, tension-filled day going to the movies and eating lunch. He'd come back to his hotel room to pack his duffle bag before he dropped her off at her mom's house. He'd been in Ashville four days waiting to see her. Customary for Jill, she'd neglected to tell him that Livy was at camp until after he arrived. Jack had spent the three days looking at the misty mountains and doing some much needed thinking and had decided on a few things. His career had consumed his life. That needed to change. He needed to take time for relationships and to see a horizon beyond being a Delta team leader. His first priority was Livy. He'd see her every week until they developed a relationship past mere tolerance.

Jack also knew he wanted Lauren. He couldn't get her out of his mind nor out of his heart. Didn't know where that want would take him or her, or even if it was a possibility considering his role in Bill Collins's death, but he realized he hadn't given it a chance. That look she'd given him at Andreas's compound when she had her arms wrapped around Matt and Mitch, wasn't anywhere near a look of disgust. Quite the opposite.

"Dad!" Livy reached out and punched his shoulder. "You can't stop there. Tell me more!"

Jack turned his head in shock and Livy's eyes widened even more than they had over Bear Grylls. She hadn't called him Dad in years. Only Father, and she hadn't voluntarily touched him in any way either. That she'd playfully punched him like she used to do when he hadn't told her something she wanted, left them both emotionally open.

Jack tapped her back like he used to do. "You first, Liv. Tell me what's so big about Bear and I'll tell you anything I know about the guy."

"Don't you know that just about every hot guy at camp hero-worships him? All us girls were really looking sexy in our bikinis in the canoes and they didn't pay us an ounce of attention. All they talked about was Bear Grylls that and Bear Grylls this. So us girls checked Bear out. And OMG is he uber hot and knows more than the boys at camp could ever dream of knowing. The girls will just die to find out you know him." She frowned. "Can I tell them? It's not secret, is it?"

Jack blinked. Hot guys? Sexy? Bikini? Uber Hot? Grylls? Livy was ten. Ten freaking years old. He sucked in air, trying to breathe, but not quite sure he was. "Yeah." His throat was thick with emotion. "You can tell them."

Livy squealed and then turned her attention back to Grylls and sighed.

What the hell? Jack thought. It was a damn good thing he'd woken up now. Another year or two and there would be no telling what trouble Livy would be into. He didn't think seeing her once a week was going to be enough.

His cell buzzed and he answered Weston's call.

"They cut her loose," Weston said.

"What do you mean?"

"Let her go. Told her to call them if she thinks of anything else and sent her home. Dean just called me. No protective services. Nothing. The International Crisis Summit is next week. The proof from Menendez's compound and the arrest of his operatives before they attacked UAE's holdings will go a long way to soothing some. But there are radicals that are going to be calling for more blood. As Collins's widow, she and her sons could be targeted. They still haven't pieced together all of the puzzles yet, and who else may be involved. There is also five million still hanging out there."

"They're setting her up. What do you bet the SOBs are putting her out there as bait?"

"I agree. Listen, some idiots are making anonymous bomb threats to Bragg this afternoon and the place is locked down. Mari went with Holly to the supply store, but their cell phone is jammed. All circuits busy. Otherwise, I'd catch a plane to Atlanta."

"She's going there?"

"That's what Dean says. Says one of Bill's friends installed a top of the line security system for her."

"Gardner?" Jack asked, his skin crawling. The man couldn't rub two nickels to- Shit? Was it possible? Jack ran Gardner's dump back through his mind. The equipment on the porch splattered with water. The puddle of water on the porch. The shooter hiding in the rafters as if he knew someone would come? Was he being paranoid? Prejudiced because the guy was such a loser? Or was Gardner not an innocent victim in this mess?

"Don't worry. I'll be there in three," he told Weston. "How is Mari?"

Weston gave an exasperated huff. "Physically she's healed from her cuts and the doctor says all is well with the baby. Emotionally, she's not so good. She's withdrawn, won't talk, and keeps looking over her shoulder as if there's a bullet with her name on it. I'm hoping that once the police catch Dugar she'll relax."

"Damn. Keep me posted. I'll call after I reach Lauren's." Jack disconnected to see Livy watching him carefully. He wasn't necessarily cutting their time short. She was due back to her mother's house in twenty minutes, but they had just made somewhat of a connection, the first one probably since the divorce and he didn't want to lose that. He wasn't above bribery to keep that connection going until he could get back to see Livy. "I've got something important to do, but since you and your friends are into Bear and he has a new survival book coming out soon. How about I take you and your friends to buy his book and get it signed?"

Livy jumped up. "Really?"

"Really." Jack shook his head and figured someday he'd have to tell Bear that Man Versus Wild had saved him and his daughter.

Atlanta, Georgia

Lauren didn't think that she or the boys would be spending the night in their house, but they all needed to collect some of their belongings before she headed for the coast. She'd rented a house in Wilmington, North Carolina for a few weeks. Public school had already started in the Atlanta area, but she wasn't going to go that route. Some of what Bill had done was still unknown and unresolved. The GXP formula had been found on tiny data chips inside the race cars. Menendez was in custody, being held in maximum security without bond for terrorist acts. Publicly Bill's name never appeared in any of the news reports and all documents involved in the investigation were top secret with the NCS. But there were still a number of unknowns about the case. Who else might have been involved and millions of dollars out there somewhere.

In one way her life wasn't ruined, in others it was. She couldn't rest. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't seem to function. Private school and a new life were going to be her first steps to one day have at least one easy moment. But that was a long day in coming.

Repairs to the house had been done and a top-of-the-line new security system had been installed, compliments of Conrad Gardner. He'd sent her an email and she'd thanked him for it. She felt bad in taking it for free, considering his economic state, but had yet to figure out a way to send him money. She hadn't mentioned his trailer and he didn't ask her what she'd done after finding out his boat had blown up. That was odd, but then maybe he didn't want to know if she'd gone to his place or not.

Delusions and denial went hand in hand with any illness.

It was strange to walk into the front door of her house, though everything that had been broken was now new, and everything that had been displaced was now orderly, but her home was not the same for her or for the boys. They walked in subdued and clinging to her hands. Only Sasha and Sam bounded happily inside and barked with enthusiasm. Lauren had been surprised when the NCS had brought the dogs to the safe house. It had really helped Matt and Mitch, whose nightmares were keeping everyone awake.