Amaya's Storm (Book One)

When we started to walk out, he grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. I gave him a smile and squeezed his hand back. We walked hand in hand to the village center. Jax smiled when he saw us walk up, and walked over to us, hugging me to him. “How’d you sleep after your nightmare?”

I cringed and pulled away from Jax, “Did everyone hear that?”

Jace walked up on the conversation and pulled me into his arms, “Afraid so. Well if not everyone, most of us did. So how’d you sleep?”

I blew out a sigh, “Fine,” I said, pulling away from Jace.

Georgie ran up with Liza, “Amaya! Are you okay?”

I squatted down in front of him, “I’m fine, Little Dragon. I still have nightmares about my time with the hunters. I’m sorry if I scared you.”

He wrapped his small arms around my neck, “I’m happy you’re okay.”

I gave him a small squeeze before releasing him. “Me too, Little Dragon, me too.” When I stood back up, Liza wrapped me in a hug, which I happily returned. “Thanks, Liza.”

“Sparrow has been going crazy since you screamed last night,” she said, pulling back, “She wouldn’t have let me go to sleep last night if it weren’t for Daniel,” she chuckled. “I think the majority of the clan was ready to run to you, but Daniel explained after Fox went running to you.”

Not knowing how to respond, I just gave her a smile. Daniel walked up and took me into his arms. We exchanged tight squeezes before releasing one another. He looked down at me, nodded, and turned to speak to the clan. “Okay. Let’s get everything loaded and get home.”

“Were you able to figure out who set the guys up on their end?” I linked Daniel.

“Yeah we’ll go over it when we get back to the complex. They should be briefed as well,” he linked back.

I nodded my understanding, “Fox, Jax, let your guys know we’re leaving as soon as we get everything loaded.”

They both nodded before walking off to find their guys. Daniel and I started loading the plane, until Jace walked up, “I can take your spot, if you want to get the checks done in the cockpit.”

“Thanks Jace,” I said with a slap to his shoulder. I got everything set up inside, and soon everyone’s stuff was loaded and everyone was on the plane. “Is Alanza making the trip now or staying behind?” I linked Jax.

“She’s coming home, but coming back to her clan soon,” he linked back.

Daniel walked into the cockpit and sat down in the copilot’s seat, “All set?”

I nodded, “All set. Let’s get our people home.”

We started up the engines and got into the sky. “Let’s hope this flight is a little smoother than the last flight,” Ian said from inside the cabin. “Ow,” he whined; no doubt having just been hit by Jace, causing Daniel and me to chuckle.

About four hours later we touched down near the complex. Lavi, Josie, and Kachina were there to greet us when we left the plane. I walked up to Kachina first, greeting her with a small embrace and touching our foreheads together. After a moment we released each other and I went to Josie. “Thanks for getting everyone home Jos,” I said, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“My pleasure,” she responded.

We pulled apart and I went to Lavi, “How are you feeling? You’re not overdoing it are you?” I asked as I hugged her as tight as I could with her growing belly.

“I am fine. Lyosha is taking good care of me. Forcing me to take breaks every time he thinks I might be tired.” She pulled back, “Honestly it is getting to be exhausting, him constantly bothering me when I am trying to work.”

I chuckled, “He’s just trying to make sure you don’t overdo it.”

We stepped apart completely and watched as Poppy burst into tears as she embraced Kachina. They spoke to each other quietly in Navajo. I smiled as I watched my clan members filter into the complex. Jace came up to Lavi and me, “How’s Finley?”

Lavi cringed, “She is healing, however, I don’t know if she will regain her voice. She is also having nightmares. Now that you are here, hopefully she can get some much needed rest.”

Jace nodded, “Where is she?”

“She is still in the infirmary.”

Jace hugged Lavi, “Thank you Lavi,” he said before running into the complex to find his mate.

Once everyone settled in, I mind linked Jax, “Can you and the rest of your team meet us in the conference room? We need to talk about the setup.”

“Yeah. I’ll get everyone in there in five,” he linked back.

Daniel and I headed to the conference room and got settled in before the guys came into the room. Fox sat next to me, grabbing my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. I gave him a smile before turning my attention to Daniel. “As you all are aware, your latest assignment was a setup. I reached out to my contacts in the Navy, and it seems your CO received the assignment from someone in the DOD. A man by the name of Malcolm Kemp was paid by Joseph to set up you guys. Kemp has been on our radar for a while. Your team isn’t the only one that’s been setup as we’ve been able to disrupt many of his plots to send troops into hostile situations without proper backup.”

“So what’s our play?” I asked.

“I’ve alerted his bosses, so until they make their move against Kemp, our hands are tied.” I was unable to hold in the growl that slipped out, causing Daniel’s face to harden, “We can’t do anything, Amaya. It’s not our jurisdiction.”

“Imagine if it was Mom being threatened and set up to be attacked? Tell me you wouldn’t want the same thing,” I challenged, causing Daniel to growl.

“I don’t have to imagine and you know that,” he bit out with another growl.

“I won’t sit by and allow Joseph to get lucky one day and actually kill Fox,” I snapped.

“Amaya,” Fox said quietly, squeezing my hand. I didn’t let him say anything else. I got up and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut as I did.

I headed straight for my office, throwing the lock, and settling in behind my computer. I started researching Kemp. I easily found his home address and which office in the Pentagon was his. I grabbed my long range camera and packed it into my backpack, before heading outside to my bike. “Amaya, hold up,” Jace called out, running up to me. “Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry about it Jace. Go back inside to your mate,” I said, shrugging him off and continuing on my way.

“I will, but not until you come back inside,” he said, grabbing my arm again.

“No. I’ve got work to do,” I pulled my arm out of his hand again.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to do surveillance on Kemp.”

“You’re going to spook him, or if you get caught you’re going to be arrested. What if when you see him, you lose control of Niamh?” He asked with his hands on his hips.

“I can keep her under control. He isn’t going to see me. I’m just going to photograph him, so I ca-”

He interrupted me, “So you can what? Send them in anonymously? They won’t be able to use them in court. They won’t be able to do anything with them.”

“It might get them a warrant,” I shouted, sick of the conversation.

Jace sighed, “Please don’t go.”

“If it was Finley, you would do the same thing,” he started to open his mouth to deny it. “Don’t. Don’t try to deny it. You know you would. I have to do something.”

He blew out a breath. He put his hands on my shoulders, “Please be careful.”

I hugged him before pulling away, “I will. I’ll be back in a couple of days.”

“Call if you need back up,” he said and I nodded.