Lifeline

Songlist

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Mr Red White and Blue – Coffey Anderson

If G-D Don’t Follow Me – Trubdr. Adam Road, Danielle Parente

Where The Shadow Ends – BANNERS

Set Fire To The Rain – Adele

Death Valley – My Jerusalem, Guiding Lights

On Your Knees – Matthew Mayfield

Angel in Hell – Klergy

Wherever I May Go – Jake Etheridge, Stefanie Scott

Looking Too Closely – Fink

You’re Somebody Else – Flora Cash

My Addiction – Adam French

Holding On and Letting Go – Ross Copperman

Can’t Go Back – The Drifted

Bring You Back – Gold Brother, LIIV

Better Off Forgiven – Matthew Mayfield

If You Love Her – Forest Blakk

Home – Christian Reindl, Lloren, Lucie Paradis

Stars Are on Your Side – Ross Copperman

Can’t Help Falling In Love – Kina Grannis

PART 1

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Chapter 1

JJ

O'Brien; 35. JJ; 23.

Still wet behind the ears and fresh from Quantico, my stomach’s tight with nerves.

You were the best in your class.

You’ll prove yourself to the team.

You can do this.

With a bulletproof vest strapped to my chest and my loaded Glock at my hip, I glance at Briggs and Chief Archer. Unfortunately, I got thrown into the deep end and hardly had time to shake their hands.

Special Agent Jennifer Briggs, aka Briggs, is a brunette in her early thirties. I’m taking over from her as the team’s behavioral analyst. My eyes stop on Senior Supervisory Special Agent Carl Archer, who’s behind the steering wheel of our SUV. Our unit chief is in his early fifties, his features hardened by a life in the FBI. He’s also my boss and the person I need to impress if I want to make a name for myself.

The SUV swerves around a corner, and my muscles tighten so I don’t slide to the other side of the backseat.

From over her shoulder, Briggs grins at me. “Not how you imagined your first day on the job?”

I let out a chuckle. “It beats having nothing to do.”

Chief Archer’s black eyes settle on me through the rearview mirror, not looking impressed by my reply, then he addresses us. “O’Brien says he’s with a group of three men. We don’t know how many men Kelmendi will bring. The moment the arms deal goes down, I’ll give the signal to engage.”

I’ve heard Agent O’Brien’s an expert in organized crime, and he’s damn good at going undercover. He’s one of the agents I want to learn from, along with Agent Rossi, who’s an expert in sexual offense crimes and already at the scene with Agent Finch, our communications liaison.

The SUV comes to a screeching stop, and we hustle out of the vehicle. The bright morning light has me squinting at the SWAT teams off-loading from their respective vans.

Chief Archer shouts out orders for the snipers to get into position and the SWAT teams to stand ready to breach from the back and front.

We walk into a container that’s been rigged with high-tech equipment. I stick to Briggs’ side while Chief Archer scopes the warehouse through the security cameras that have been set up. I take a look, seeing a black sedan and four men.

An agent, who I assume is Rossi, comes into the container. “Still only the four, Chief.”

“Any sign of Kelmendi?” Chief Archer asks.

Ismail Kelmendi is the head of an Albanian Syndicate that’s taken over half of New York. From what I understand, my unit’s been working on the Kelmendi case for over three years, and this will be their first bust.

“Not yet.” Rossi checks the time on her wristwatch. “Another fifteen minutes before the agreed time.”

“Jefferson,” Chief Archer says, his eyes still on the warehouse.

“Yes, sir?” I step closer.

“You stay with Briggs at all times. Don’t try to be a hero on your first day.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Rossi, you and Finch head around the back and breach from there,” Chief Archer gives further instructions. They run off to get into position.

A man, who seems to be in his late twenties, smiles at me. “Eric Brewster. Technical analyst.”

I hold out my hand to him, and as we shake, I introduce myself, “Julie Jefferson. My friends call me JJ.”

The sun grows hotter while we wait, turning the container into an oven. My stomach growls, making the burning knot of nerves ache, and I wish I’d had that second cup of coffee before I left home.

I adjust the earpiece in my ear and check my weapon for the hundredth time.

“Your father was DEA?” Briggs suddenly asks.

I nod, taking a deep breath of the warm air.

“Why join the bureau?” I feel our unit chief’s eyes turn my way as Briggs fires another question at me.

“I don’t want to be favored because of who my dad was,” I answer honestly.

Briggs nods, then a moment later, a sniper’s voice comes over the earpiece, “We’ve got movement.”

Chief Archer pins me with a severe look. “Stay with Briggs.” He checks the screens showing one sedan and two SUVs driving toward the warehouse. The moment they stop and men pile out of the vehicles, Eric starts to do facial recognition on all the men.