You Can Never Walk Away

Chapter 1-2

The plan worked, until the very end.

Kegan had surreptitiously texted one word to Tony—Now—just as he and their target, Lamberti, were about to enter the building through the front door. When they were inside, Lamberti had reset the system. Being nobody’s fool, Kegan had listened intently for any signs of the security personal, as they went up the stairs leading to the target’s home on the second floor. Hearing nothing, and seeing no signs they were around, Kegan believed that the man had told him the truth.

Kegan had summarily slashed the man’s throat after learning what he needed to know. Then he’d washed off the blood spattered on his body and got dressed again, before going down stairs to join Tony. He found him in the large office off the waiting room.

“The safe is behind that bookcase,” Kegan said. “I hope you took care of any cameras and whatever?” When Tony rolled his eyes and nodded, Kegan went over to the bookcase, found the release catch, and the bookcase slid to one side. It took Tony several minutes to get the safe open, while Kegan stood watch from beside the closed office door.

Tony had almost finished emptying the contents of the safe into the messenger bag he’d brought with him when the office door slammed open. A low growl alerted them to the fact there was a dog coming into the room, just ahead of two armed men.

Kegan took the dog down with one well-placed kick to its head, then fired at the lead man, dropping him where he stood. Unfortunately, the second man got off two shots before Kegan ended his existence. Both shots hit Tony in the center of his chest.

“No! Damn it, no!” Kegan cried out, racing to Tony’s side, knowing even before he got there that it was too late. Blood flowed from the wounds, pooling on the floor beside his lover’s body. Kegan gathered Tony into his arms, whispering, “Why? Why you? You didn’t deserve to have your life end like this. Why did I…?”

Tony’s eyes opened. Kegan could barely hear him as Tony whispered, “It…wasn’t…wasn’t…your…Remember…” He gasped once, then died.

Kegan steeled himself against the pain and tears that threatened to overwhelm him. Softly he kissed Tony’s lips. “I’ll always remember.”

Then his training took over. He laid Tony down gently, picked up the bag then walked swiftly from the room—and the building—not caring that he was setting off the security system when he opened the front door. As soon as he got to where they’d left the car, he locked the bag in the trunk. Only then did he make the necessary call to his handler, via his secure phone.

“I have the information. It’s in the trunk of our car,” he said when Morse answered. “The target’s been eliminated.” He told Morse where to find the car, then said tightly, “Tony’s dead.”

“What the hell happened?” Morse asked angrily.

“I believed the bastard,” Kegan replied, still trying to keep his emotions in check. “I shouldn’t have.” He broke the connection. For a long moment, he stared down the street at the building, his hands clenched as the pain of Tony’s death swept over him. “This is it,” he whispered. “The end.” Turning away, he walked down the street, barely aware of the sound of approaching sirens.