Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Maddie (Kindle Worlds Novella) (An Omega Team Crossover Book 4) by Desiree Holt Page A

her head into her hands. “I can’t believe any of this is happening to me. I— What about my job? My life?”
    Hawkeye had been holding her hand throughout this and now he gave it a reassuring squeeze.
    “We’ll identify these guys and go from there.”
    “But how will you identify them? They aren’t going to come up to the door and introduce themselves.”
    Grey’s mouth curved in a tiny smile. “That’s true. We need to bait them to get them out in the open.”
    “And what about my parents?” she cried. “If they know my last name, they—”
    “Can’t check people named Winslow in all fifty states,” Hawkeye broke in. He looked at Grey. “But I do think the U. S. Marshals need to be brought in on this. Find out who the Winslows’ contact is, and we’ll go from there.”
    “You think they’ve already found them?” Maddie was sure she was going to throw up.
    “No.” Grey shook his head. “I think that’s what your run-ins with them have been about. If they can grab you, they can force you to give up the address.”
    “Never.” Maddie shook her head. “I never would.”
    “Or hold you hostage,” Grey added, “until your parents agree to an exchange.”
    “They can’t do that.” Panic gripped her.
    “Maddie, look at me.” Hawk used his free hand to turn her face toward him. “You’d never hold out against them, I promise you.”
    “Then how are we going to catch them?” she cried. “Oh god.”
    “Grey and I will do some brainstorming about that. Meanwhile, you need to call your parents, we need to get in touch with the U.S. Marshals, and I need to get you back to the house.”
    “B-but I have school,” she protested. “I have to—”
    “Call your principal and tell him you were suddenly taken ill. You won’t be back for a few days.”
    “I can’t. I—”
    “Have no choice,” Grey finished for her. “Think about the kids. Think about how your being there might endanger them. What if these people show up at the school?”
    Hawk took both of her hands in his, squeezing them for reassurance. “It’s your life here, Maddie. Let us save it.”
    By the time they left The Omega Team headquarters, Maddie was sick to her stomach and thoroughly shaken.
    “A lot of things make sense to me now,” she told Hawkeye. “They were always so overprotective. When I went off to college, they really pushed me to enroll at the University of Texas. And they nearly had a cow when I told them I was moving to Tampa.”
    “They wanted you where they could protect you,” he acknowledged.
    “I get it now. And also why they always led such a quiet life. And why they were so frantic when my face showed up on national television.” She raked her fingers through her hair. “I need to call them.”
    “Maybe you should wait until Grey gets hold of whatever Marshal is now assigned to them.”
    “No,” she insisted. “They should hear it from me.”
    “Okay. Let’s get back to my place first. You need to call the school, and you should eat some lunch.”
    She shook her head. “I don’t think I could eat a bite of food right now.”
    “Then some soup. This is no time to get sick.”
    She wanted to tell him this wasn’t something lunch could fix. She wanted to hide under the covers and pretend none of this was happening. But, most of all, she wanted to wake up and find out this had all been a huge mistake.

Chapter Six
     
    Hawkeye disconnected his call and turned to Maddie who was sitting at the counter pretending to eat the soup he’d heated.
    “Grey has come up with some strategic points to see if we can move this along.” He sat down on the stool next to her. “I think we can make this work.”
    At least I hope to fuck we can.
    “Did he talk to the Marshals yet?” she asked.
    “Yes. The original ones have long since retired, of course.”
    She frowned. “So does that mean no one has been watching out for my parents?”
    “Not at all. But, keep in mind, this all happened thirty