Flashpoint: Reed Series Read online

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  Flashpoint

  Reed Series, Book One

  Copyright © 2014 by M.C. Cerny

  Cover design © Arijana Karcic, Cover It! Designs

  Formatting by JT Formatting

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Early March of last year….

  JACOB REED HAD BEEN BACK in New York City from his last assignment for a mere two days, five hours and eighteen minutes, not that he was counting. His team would have described him as the more laid back of the Reed brothers, but being deceptive didn’t come easy to him in his personal life. His shoulder was aching fiercely from an old busted collarbone injury, which was aggravated by ramming into a few militant soldiers who didn’t play for the good guys. He was weary from all of the traveling, and was feeling his ripe old age of 33. It was way too complicated having to carefully separate every aspect of his life…the public part and the private part. Could they even be managed? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just settle down with a nice girl and a few kids in New Jersey? Damn, this “covert spy” shit was getting to him.

  Running a hand through his unmanageable hair, Jacob exited the private elevator from his glossy, modern penthouse apartment to take his dog, Hauk, to the park. He needed a quick run and some Frisbee to clear his head. New York and most of New England was finally enjoying some unseasonably warm weather after a depressingly grey winter. Dressed in casual shorts and a t-shirt, he tried blending in with the other park-goers, soaking up the late glow of sunshine. He was wearing a pair of his favorite Oakley sunglasses to avoid the setting sun’s glare. He knew his jaunt to the park was complete when he felt the itch on the back of his neck and heard a few snaps of a distant camera. He glanced in his peripheral vision. It didn’t hurt to let the paparazzi photograph him back in action or, at least, enjoying more leisurely pursuits, instead of just being the reclusive CEO software billionaire. His recent tan would lead to speculations of an expensive beach holiday, which he was sure there were a few doctored photos of on the internet, instead of traversing through the jungle on a bullshit search-and-rescue mission.

  It did good things for the company stock and dissuaded others who might suggest that he was worried about the company’s latest research developments and contracts. One, in particular, was a contract that went to a Russian competitor, and it burned knowing that if he hadn’t been traversing a sweaty jungle for some brat who ran off from her rich parents, he could have put more time into the contract negotiations. For now, the confident photos from the stalking press mongers would put him in a position of power since gaining control of his father’s company, Reed Software & Securities. He and Hauk continued their jaunt around the lower end of Central Park, then jogged back to his building in Midtown. He grabbed a fresh hot bagel, coffee, and a paper before taking the private elevator to his penthouse loft, which was located at the top of the corporate offices building.

  “Hey, buddy. I bet you’re glad to relax as much as I am, huh?” Jacob ruffled the big German Shepard behind the ears, and he whined affectionately at his master.

  Jacob considered leaving Hauk home the next time he had to leave for an assignment because his old friend was getting just that…older. His fur was beginning to take on the fly away grey tones, and he recently lost a back tooth after catching a shooter on their last mission. Hauk was still spry for being about seven-years-old, but he hadn’t had an easy life. He had traveled with Jacob to places like Afghanistan, the Kurdish foothills, Iran and, most recently, South America. Jacob took a long sip of coffee as the elevator dinged and opened up into his sprawling loft-style apartment. He kicked his worn running shoes off onto a mat near the door, slipped his socks off and tossed them into the laundry, and put the paper down on his kitchen island to read later before heading into the living room.

  Jacob sat back on his chocolate-hued leather sofa. He put his bare feet up on the glass coffee table and comfortably lounged his muscular, athletic frame over several throw pillows. He turned the enormous HD theater flat screen television up so he could hear the attractive news reporter relaying her latest story. Jacob had his eye on Katie Wilson for a while now. According to his brother, Eli, and their chief medical officer, Julian, it was an indecent amount of time. They would probably prefer he hire someone pretty and malleable to act the roll and sign off on one of those non-disclosure agreements, but that wasn’t his style. Just thinking about their meddling annoyed him enough so that he rolled his eyes at Hauk. Hauk looked back at Jacob and woofed, agreeing with him. He focused on the television again, drowning his thoughts with a second sip of bold-tasting coffee.

  Katie Wilson was a new anchor for New York’s Channel 10 news, a local station that was starting to get higher ratings. Based on her online bio, he knew that she had once been an intern for the station and worked her way up to be in front of the camera, earning her a coveted spot reporting on news stories around the city. Her bio included that she was originally from the Midwest, but she didn’t have one of those awkward accents. She had a soft lilting voice that drew him in to whatever she was saying. He liked her, really liked her, but now his meddling teammates were picking up on this fact and giving him hell for it. Sometimes he wondered if this is what Superman felt with Lois Lane, except that he was a freelance search-and-rescue operative running a billion dollar software company. Okay, it wasn’t exactly the same thing, but it was still not information he could really share on a first date. He knew that she was the last woman he should even be getting a hard-on for, but there wasn’t any harm in looking, right?

  Now he was simply trying to take time off from the covert shit of his brother’s search-and-rescue outfit, maybe even quit and dedicate it to the family business, or at least the cover that Reed Software & Securities provided for him and his older brother, Eli. It was a nice bonus, in that it furnished their lavish lifestyle. In the meantime, Katie Wilson was a welcome distraction to his crazy life. Jacob took another long sip from his coffee cup. He continued to watch Katie, the girl he needed to stay away from.
Actually, the girl that Eli ordered him to stay away from. Hauk lay sprawled out on the couch, his furry body easily taking up half of it and his heavy head resting in Jacob’s lap. Like a drum beat, his tail thumped happily on the sofa arm. Jacob left the lights off in the apartment, and pushed the remote to close the drapes to the large windows behind him. As the sun continued its descent over the city, he decided to settle in comfortably for the next thirty minutes to watch Katie at work.

  “Good Evening, New York. This is Katie Wilson reporting for New York News Channel 10 live from Herald Square at the Macy’s Flower Show. As you can see behind me, this is the year of the Orchid, and hundreds of exhibitors from around the world have come here this week to showcase not only the luscious beauty of this unique floral species, but the importance of its conservation for future generations.” She held the microphone in her right hand and swept the view behind her dramatically with her left.

  Jacob debated calling her at the station and asking her out. She probably got offers like that from crazy stalker viewers all the time. It made him wonder what kind of safety precautions if any she was taking to protect herself from wackos like that. He didn’t have a hard time asking women out but, because of his money, he was generally the one being pursued and dating had pretty much been a no-go with his other job. According to Google, he’d been linked to some exotic model while he had supposedly been lounging on a beach somewhere this past week. It didn’t exactly scream “Hey, I’m single, safe, and interested” to a woman like Katie Wilson. If anything, it probably gave the “I’m an asshole playa with tons of cash” vibe, and that just made him cringe. Women always wanted a promise of commitment and, considering his hefty portfolio, he didn’t need the complications until he settled things between him publically running the company as the CEO, and doing selected missions with Eli under the radar. Time management of Jacob’s life was not Eli’s strong suit and, given their past, he wasn’t likely to say no to his brother anytime soon.

  He insisted on torturing himself and watched the impish reporter, who was standing in a fairy-like garden of colorful orchids, hydrangea, and other exotic blooms. She continued her description of the extravagant affair, which captivated her local audience, and interviewed vendors at the exhibition. Jacob imagined laying her down over a bed of pink, purple, and vibrant blue flower petals to match her eyes. He shook the thoughts off since it wasn’t going to ever happen.

  “She sure is pretty, huh, boy?” Hauk woofed gently when Jacob turned the TV volume up a little bit more.

  Katie Wilson had the All-American J-Crew look that most women would kill for. She had dark blue eyes, which were emphasized by her navy pantsuit and matching hat that was perched at a jaunty angle on top of her head. Some large, silly pink flower was on the side, probably an orchid for the flower show. The hat didn’t appear high maintenance or snobby, just perfectly cute. It covered her long and glossy dark brown hair, which looked to be pinned up this time. He thought that was a pity because Jacob liked her hair down and long, which is usually how he saw her in most of her broadcasts. She was outspoken, intelligent, and full of moxie as he listened to her interview flower vendors, orchid enthusiasts, and horticulturalists attending the show. Jacob adored a woman with moxie. He listened to her and let his mind wander off, mentally unbuttoning her navy suit.

  “What many do not know is that orchids have been highly prized since Victorian times, and used for centuries in Chinese medicine for curing ailments. Even vanilla is to have come from the orchid family, bringing with it its delicate scent for aromatherapy purposes. One of this week’s main exhibitors will be the American Orchid Society, who will be sharing not only many gorgeous arrangements of orchids, but a thorough history of the flowering plant since its inception into popular culture. Tours can be arranged for large groups, and tickets can be purchased at the door and in advance.”

  She looked elfin among the large flowery displays behind her. He almost expected her to sprout gossamer fairy wings and float from the orchid exhibit. Now who was being foolish? Jacob sighed and imagined what meeting Katie would be like. They would go to a nice intimate restaurant. He already knew that she was an animal lover based on her exposé a few months ago on the illegal puppy mills in upstate New York. Dozens of sick puppies were rescued and placed in adoption centers around the country due to her efforts in breaking the story. It was obvious she cared about others and did her work with a level of passion that he admired.

  Hauk seemed to know Jacob’s thoughts and continued to thump his tail happily, his large eyes darting back and forth between the television and Jacob. She was pretty much the perfect girl. Too bad Jacob had a less than perfect life right now, one that couldn’t include a romantic partner of any sorts until he was totally out of the “business”. He needed to be in New York full-time, running the Reed Software & Securities Company. At least that had been the deal he had made with Eli, until Eli suddenly found more missions for Jacob and Hauk. Why couldn’t he be with a smart and beautiful brunette, raising a family, but a causal partner with no IQ wasn’t an issue for Eli to date? He swore his brother had trust issues with women.

  Jacob’s phone rang. He was annoyed because he knew that specific ring tone. His teammates thought they were being smart asses by programing his phone with the “Mission Impossible” theme. They were all meathead dorks, whom he’d trust with his life. He enjoyed the missions, but he was simply getting tired of going out there. He wanted and needed a quieter, more behind-the-scenes kind of job, especially since he enjoyed more of the technical and surveillance side of things, specifically from the comfort of his home office. He watched Katie finishing her news story, speaking with an aroma therapist who was rubbing vanilla oil on the inside of her wrist. Jacob inhaled deeply, wondering how soft her skin would be. He imagined smelling the vanilla oil all over her body, but was only able to smell the leather of his sofa, his coffee, and Hauk so he shook his head free from the torturing thoughts and picked up the ringing phone, turning the TV down.

  “Reed,” he answered.

  “Hey, Jacob. You catch your girlfriend talking about testicles on TV again?” The female voice laughed deeply.

  “Orchids, Lulu. She was doing a story on orchids. Now, tell me, what do you want?” Jacob ran an irritated hand through his hair, imaging Lulu filing away for future reference his admission of watching Katie Wilson. It wasn’t the first time he was caught doing so.

  “Well, duh, Jacob! Orchids are a Greek derivative of the word testicles. At least I know my ancient languages. You might want to brush up if you plan on dating the smartass reporter someday.” Scowling, he knew Lulu was enjoying this entirely too much.

  “Right. So, Firecracker, why are you calling me? I just got home and I’ve barely sat down on my couch. I’m off the grid. Eli and I discussed my future involvement. This can’t already be an emergency. I’ve got business meetings coming up this week, and financials to review for a very cranky board since I’ve been elected in charge. What happened to the new guy?” Jacob sat up fully, his once relaxed feet now hitting the floor. Hauk looked up from his relaxed position, woofing loudly and on full alert, pawing his way to a sitting position.

  “Not anymore. Eli says to get your ass down to the warehouse for an Op meeting.”

  “And we’re not meeting here at the Tower because…?” He couldn’t understand the several million dollar office renovations to the Tower if his brother was going to keep on doing things his way.

  “He says it’s not finished yet.”

  “Seriously?”

  “I don’t know!” Lulu yelled into the phone. “Maybe Eli just likes his warehouse better?! It’s more spy shit-like?! How should I know?! I’m not the frigging secretary for you apes! My job is to blow shit up!” Lulu huffed her response into the phone.

  Jacob figured he wasn’t likely to get any answers from the bad attitude apple, but he pressed on. “Did he say what it was in reference to? I thought I gave my brother sufficient notice to replace me. It’s g
oing to look weird if the company CEO is never in the office here.” Jacob could feel the irritating pull of the adrenaline.

  “He can’t find anyone as good as you, and the other guy doesn’t seem like he’ll work out. Something in his background check seems off. Eli said it has to do with Cosovo and some CIA guy who wants to meet the crew.”

  “I didn’t realize the CIA was calling our meetings now. Did they get a Bat phone that I wasn’t aware of?” Jacob needed to speak with Eli about these damn changes he kept springing on him.

  “Eli seems really pissed that the CIA is pushing the meeting. He needs you here pronto; to back him up, I guess,” Lulu muttered.

  “Fuck.” Being Eli’s backup was big because his brother never asked for anything. Jacob wondered what was really going down. “Alright, I can make it in about twenty minutes.” He sighed deeply and stood up.

  “Twenty minutes? You think you could jack-off quicker than that.” Lulu chuckled.“Jesus, Lulu, watch your mouth. I’m shocked Julian lets you out of your cage sometimes.”

  Jacob hung up the phone before Lulu could curse him out, knowing the fiery redhead was about to drop an F-bomb of nuclear proportions. She had a filthy mind to match it but, thankfully, she wasn’t Jacob’s problem. Their Chief Medical Officer, Julian DeCross, could deal with her and he’d thank the poor man for his efforts. He still didn’t know what attracted those two to each other, and hoped he’d never have to find out.

  “Come on, Hauk. Looks like we have to meet with big brother once again, and it won’t be pretty.” The dog looked at him and seemed to nod in agreement.

  Jacob changed out of his running shorts, putting on dark grey cargo pants and boots. He grabbed his leather jacket and gun, which he holstered in his shoulder strap. Hauk followed him to the elevator. He contemplated hitting the button for the roof, but decided against taking the chopper this time. The private elevator took them to the basement level, which was where Jacob housed his vehicles and some of the other team SUVs. He looked at the cars parked down in the garage and decided to take the jaguar because, if anything, it would piss off Eli. He wanted to punch his brother right now for taking him from his six o’clock news date, even if it was still one-sided. Hauk jumped in the car and Jacob clipped his doggy harness to the backseat before getting in.