Full Domain (Nice Guys 3)

“Are you sure you can handle this?” Connors chimed in with the words that were so plainly expressed on Brown’s face.

Kreed already knew that Connors didn’t do compassion. The tone he used was clear; Connors thought Kreed might be a liability and he got it, but this was the one damn thing he could do. There were victims and families out there who deserved answers and he was going to make damn sure they got them. He knew how much this meant to Mitch, and he wouldn’t rest until the sons-of-bitches that did this got exactly what they deserved. He looked at Connors and just cocked a brow.

“You aren’t pushing me off this case, hot shot. I owe it to Knox.”

“How are they?” Brown asked, drawing Kreed’s attention off Connors.

“As good as can be expected.” Kreed assumed Brown meant Mitch and Cody. Then he smiled as he said, “Mitch knows, if that’s what you’re really asking. He’s pissed he wasn’t included, but he’s worried about Cody, so he’ll behave. If Stuart’s lead turns out to be valid, Cody isn’t safe. Hell, no one’s safe. We need to get ’em while they’re still regrouping.”

Brown nodded, shutting the file and pushing it out of his way.

“And we all agree Agent Langley more than likely didn’t act alone, correct?” The entire table nodded their agreement. Aaron made eye contact with Kreed for the first time since his fingers hit the keyboard.

“We should act fast before word can leak,” Aaron suggested.

Connors stayed uncharacteristically quiet while he looked over at Aaron.

“Right now’s our best chance. We need a plan before this holiday break ends and agents we haven’t vetted for possible involvement return to their posts. Stuart and I talked before we got here. I think what he has to say’s pretty solid.”

“Let’s hear it,” Connors said. Kreed would watch this play out. If he had to step in to create the outcome he wanted, he would.

Aaron gave a long pause before he bent to work at his keyboard again. “Agent Langley’s attorney was spotted across the street from the church.”

Kreed watched the screen fill with images of the religious haters picketing his brother’s funeral and his stomach turned. Stuart only showed shots of the crowd, and Kreed was grateful to avoid seeing the church or the funeral procession, not that those images weren’t burned into his brain anyway. The picketers hadn’t only disrespected his brother but Kreed’s entire family with their ‘God hates fags’ and ‘Pray for more dead soldiers’ antics.

Three or four pictures passed with shots of the attorney, wearing a baseball cap, pulled down low, and a high-collared jacket, but the facial shots were clear. There was no mistaking his identity, even behind the cap.

“I’ve narrowed it down to three churches involved in that rally. I haven’t had a lot of time with a secured line, but in the few minutes I had before this meeting started, I received the information I needed.” Aaron continued his keystrokes and three church names appeared on the screen. East Hill Fellowship, Jonesboro Baptist, Four Square Temple.

Kreed’s jaw clenched and his gut churned. How any of those organizations hadn’t been added to the national list of organized hate groups was beyond him.

“I don’t think any of this is a surprise,” Connors started, but Kreed lifted a hand. They were progressing, and if Connors took the floor, they’d be there hours listening to him think out loud.

“Hang on. We came up with an idea. Let Aaron tell us what he thinks. We need to get it out before we rehash everything. Keep going, Stuart.”

“Well, those three churches are satellite branches of the bigger, angrier Redemption Apostle Tabernacle,” Stuart said, looking back at him. Kreed nodded, a little distracted when their gazes made contact. He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from the kid but got the break he needed when Aaron finally looked down in order to bring up several images of the founder of the church.

“This is Pastor Gerald Albert Helps. These other three are the church’s top deacons. What’s important here is this one.” The screen changed again as one picture expanded to take center stage. “Deacon Silas Burns has a military past. It took me months to stumble on the information. He’s come up on a couple of lists, but his file was hidden away tightly for some reason. He was special teams for the army.”

Okay, that got all of Kreed’s attention, and he sat forward, leaning his arms on the table. The cut brake lines, all the different bombs… Burns would have easily gained that knowledge in the military.

“Anything else?” Connors asked.

“The deacon’s taken a mission trip to Mexico, per his credit card usage. Not saying he’s really there, but my gut says they’re trying to create an alibi.”

“Damn, you’re good,” Brown said. “How did Knox find you?”

“We played State of Decay,” Aaron answered absently, causing Kreed to laugh. A technology genius wasting his time on online video games. What a riot.

“All right then, here’s my plan. We go undercover inside the hub. We need to do it immediately, get the wheels turning this week while everyone’s gone. I’ll get Skinner to approve it,” Kreed said, dropping his plan in the middle of the table.

“That’s a shot in the dark. Besides, what do any of us have to offer to get inside the door of the church?” Connors asked, but Kreed talked over him.

“You haven’t heard me out. To me, they’re homegrown terrorists. So they’re extreme and need to be handled as such. We’ll pair up. Go undercover. Connors, you stay here and work your magic by buying us time. Brown, you monitor all the surveillance we feed you, and Stuart and I will go into the field.” Kreed pointed to Aaron.

“Wait… What? I thought I was wrapping things up to go home,” Aaron said, his gaze darting over to Kreed’s.

“We need you. You’re the only one who can get inside the church,” Kreed explained.

“What? When did that become the plan?” Aaron shouted those words. He could tell Aaron was aggravated as hell, so he hid his smile at the outburst.