Day of Judgement

Federal Judge Rick Gaines slid a stack of files across his desk. “You’re sure you want to do this?”

Special Agent Wyatt Bellamy grabbed the top file. “I don’t see another option.”

Gaines nodded. He had known that would be the answer. Wyatt wasn’t just an FBI agent. Up until six months ago, he led a specialized Hostage Recovery Team. Wyatt was someone who finished a job, no matter what the cost. And the cost has been more than he would have thought either of them could have borne. “Holden on board?”

Wyatt didn’t glance up from the first file he had pulled off the stack. “He turned in his time off paperwork yesterday. They’re between ops so the Navy is giving him six weeks.” He quickly read through the front page of the file in front of him. Reid Thompson. Army Ranger. Twelve years in the Army, honorably discharged. Medical training. Notes about PTSD. Anyone who had seen the action he had was bound to have problems. But, from a character and skill set perspective he fit what they were looking for and it was an added bonus that he was working for the ATF. Transferring from the Austin field office would be easy. He dropped the file on the desk creating a new pile and picked up the next one. He glanced up at Rick. “No.”

Rick leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. “He’ll bring the average age down. Besides, he was the one that figured out the remote trigger. He passed the deep dive nackground checks and the psychological evaluation..” Rick looked at the folders on his desk. “You need more than just you and Holden…hell, Holden isn’t officially on this task force I’m just choosing to look the other way.”

Wyatt frowned and looked back down at the file in front of him. “I’ll talk to him but I’m not promising anything.” To do what he needed to do, he needed experience, not a kid that looked like he should still be in high school. Young meant to inexperienced. He had already seen inexperience cost too many lives.

He dropped the file on the desk and picked up the next one with DEA plastered across the front. Matt Fletcher was the add Rick had argued the most about. The Bellamys and the Fletchers went way back and despite being close with Matt, Wyatt had to admit it was a risk.

“Your timing is good. He was told to either take a desk job or resign.”

Rick wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. “Did you hear about the 20 young girls that were rescued from a trafficking ring?” Wyatt flipped a page and skimmed through yet another reprimand. Matt seemed to be racking them up at an unsustainable rate.

“I heard something about it.” Rick wasn’t sure why the sudden shift in topic.

Wyatt looked up from the file. “Traffickers were also dealing.”

Rick pursed his lips. “And that’s the problem. He goes off mission.”

“I would have done the same thing.” Wyatt flipped through the pages. This file was a lot thicker than the others. “Matt should already be in town, I’m not just sure he’s on board. When does Thompson get here?”

“He and the kid should already be here.” Rick tapped his fingers on his desk. “You’re sure about this?”

“Matt or taking on the Cartel?” Wyatt met Rick’s eyes. “Matt’s record on undercover ops is one of the best in the country. The reason no one wants to work with him is because he doesn’t play well with others.”

“And you think your relationship with him can change that?”

“No. I think I can use it. He thinks on his feet. You and I both know that’s exactly what we need.” Wyatt leaned forward and scooped up the pile of files to take with him.

Rick sat back again. “And the rest of it? Wyatt, it’s only been six months. Anyone who has experienced the loss you and I both have should be grieving, not planning an operation.”

Wyatt sucked in a breath. He really hadn’t wanted to talk about this tonight but Rick was just as affected as he was. He knew the collected front Rick exhibited to the world was just that…a front. Losing his daughter and granddaughter had shaken the man to the core. Wyatt knew because he showed the same front and he felt the same brokenness. He and his father in law were more alike than either of them wanted to admit. “They’re all from outside the initial operation.” Wyatt left off that everyone involved originally was either dead, in jail, or working with the Cartel in Mexico. Everyone except him and Rick. “We’re having to start from scratch. Henderson’s betrayal makes everything we had suspect. I don’t trust any of it.”

Rick nodded. “Enough people want them dealt with that you’ve got a certain amount of latitude. Honestly, anyone else wouldn’t have gotten this chance so don’t make me regret it.”

Wyatt pulled through the gate that had automatically opened as he approached. The drive to the main house was a couple miles. When they had bought the property it had been purely because of the acreage but now the two mile drive through open desert acted as an additional barrier. There were smaller roads through some of the fields and pastures but he had enough cameras that he knew if anyone was on the thousand acres he owned south of Albuquerque. Because of the main drive, from the house you could see a vehicle approaching long before they got there.

Pulling into the driveway next to the black jeep, he turned off the engine and picked up the files he had dropped into the passenger seat as he got out. Rounding the back of his truck, he nodded to the man sitting in one of the rocking chairs on the porch with his boots on the railing. “Make yourself at home Holden.”

Dropping his feet down and standing up, Holden Bellamy looked at his older brother as he leaned against the post next to the steps. “Thought I’d save you a trip to the airport. The twelve hour drive from Coronado was good considering the cramped quarters I just left.” He nodded to the files in Wyatt’s hands. “That the team?”

Wyatt turned the knob and opened the door. The house itself was in various stages of renovation. When they had bought it a year ago, they hadn’t had any immediate plans to live there full time. It was more a place where they could go to escape. At this point, Wyatt was used to the unfinished floors and studded walls where they had opted to open up the kitchen and living room. Dropping the files on the large table, he walked into the kitchen and pulled two beers out of the refrigerator. Walking back to the table he handed one to Holden who had already pulled off the top file.

“You met any of them yet?” Holden skimmed the file in its entirety before moving on to the next one. He paused when he read the name on the file. “Matt agreed?”

“No and No.” Wyatt took a sip of his beer. “But we both know Matt’s in. He may say he likes to fly solo but when push comes to shove he’s always there.”

Holden peered over the file he was perusing. “They coming here?”

Wyatt took a sip of his beer. “Don’t know what other choice we have. I’m supposedly on an extended leave of absence. It’s not like I can walk into a local FBI field office I’m not even officially assigned to and request a conference room.”

Holden chuckled. “The office coordinator would love that.” Taking a sip of his beer he set the files down. “You ok with bringing them here?”

“It’s probably more secure than the field offices are and it’s off anyone’s radar.” Wyatt took another sip. “They’ve been completely vetted. No connection at all to anyone involved. And their psych profile, for what it’s worth, doesn’t tag them as candidates to be coerced or bought.”

Holden studied Wyatt’s face. They had more than a few conversations about what Wyatt was about to do before he had managed to convince Holden this was the only way. He started to say more but recognized the look on Wyatt’s face. He opted to pick up another file instead. “He’s young.”

Wyatt nodded. “I need you to talk to him in the morning. Convince him to withdraw his transfer request.” Justin Donohue was the only one that had requested a transfer. Wyatt wasn’t even sure how he found out about the task force. He was also the from the Denver office which meant he knew details the others wouldn’t. He was too young to be involved in the original operation but he had gotten himself assigned afterwards because of his expertise in both technology and explosives.

Holden frowned and looked at the picture on the first page of the file. “And what if he’s exactly what we need. Says here he’s the one who figured out the remote trigger. There were a lot of people working on the debris.”

Wyatt clinched his jaw. “Your call.”

Holden knew exactly what that meant. If he brought the kid on, Wyatt would stay as far away from him as possible and make him completely Holden’s responsibility. Based on what had happened, he couldn’t really blame him. Deciding a change in subject was needed, he put the file down. “When does Thompson get here?”

Wyatt looked up at the clock on the wall. “In about thirty minutes.”