Operation Zulu Redemption: Act of Treason - Part 4 Read Online Free

me.” Something blazed in Rusty’s eyes. And in that moment, Boone saw it. Saw the same thirst in his friend that pumped through his own veins.
    “Wasn’t your fault.”
    “I think it was,” Rusty said decisively. “At least in part. And don’t try to write this off. I had one job—to protect her.” Though younger by a half-dozen years, Rusty always had a fighter’s spirit. It’s what made it possible for the young grunt to make it into the Special Forces so fast. “I failed, Boone-Dawg.”
    Boone could eat a piece of bitter root of truth. “You and me both, brother. She was my girl, and I let her die on my watch.” Hearing those words, living their truth, felt like a KA-BAR to the heart.
    Rusty’s blue eyes bored into him. Conflict borne of a desire to be done with Zulu and a hunger to sate the beast that wanted revenge roiled through his posture, his gaze, his balled fists. Finally, Rusty hung his head between his shoulders. “This is why I got out. The thirst for blood, the yearning to kill something.”
    “Trusty,” Boone said, using the nickname they’d given the kid when he’d first come to the team, “I think maybe your head’s getting a little twisted up. You’re a warrior. It’s what we do. God doesn’t put that drive in many men, but in the ones that He does, it comes with a thirst for justice. Sometimes we might confuse that for a thirst for blood, but if we come back to ourselves, recognize that thin line in the sand, we’ll be okay.”
    “That’s just it,” Rusty said, his lip curling. “I couldn’t see the line anymore. After Misrata, I just wanted anyone and everyone in my way dead. I needed someone to take the blame for what we did.”
    “It was a mistake.”
    “No,” Rusty ground out, his face reddening. “Somebody set us up. Somebody set Zulu up to take that fall. It wasn’t a simple mistake.”
    “You’re going to suggest that someone wanted us to kill twenty-two innocent children and women?”
    “I’m saying someone wanted Zulu out of their way.” Rusty held his gaze, unwavering. “I know it sounds crazy—”
    “It sounds right.”
    They both turned toward the new voice and found Trace entering the briefing area. He looked more ticked than both of them.

Trace
    When Boone pushed out of his seat, Trace waved him back down. He shot a cursory glance to the main area to make sure the others weren’t coming yet. “We’ve got ten minutes before the AHOD.”
    “What do you know?”
    “First—I’m sorry about Shay.” Trace said it with authority and strength. Not with pity but with promise. “It won’t go unanswered.”
    It seemed a weight lifted from Boone’s chest. He gave Trace a nod of thanks.
    “Rusty,” he said as he met the other man’s gaze. “I’m glad you’re here, though I know you’d rather be elsewhere.”
    “No, sir.”
    Boone stilled.
    “I’m right where I want to be now.” Rusty said nothing more, and nothing else needed to be said. They were the handlers of the Zulu team, the trainers, the leaders. They had a job to do. A retaliation to put into effect.
    “We have a few more puzzle pieces in place,” Trace said. “But each time we walk through a door to a question, two more open.” He jabbed his fingers across his short-cropped hair. “I’m getting fed up with the whole thing. It’s been like this for five years. Answers were merely more questions in disguise. The more they asked, the more questions bred.”
    “What about Frankfurt? What was that?” Rusty asked. “And since when are we working with the Turks? Téya was missing for two hours—should we be worried?”
    “No.” Trace could answer that unequivocally. And he had a theory on the missing two hours. One he didn’t really want to think about. One he
couldn’t
worry about right now. “I don’t think that’s a problem, at least—not one connected to Misrata.”
    The door opened and in filed Nuala, Annie, Téya, and Houston, who had an array of technology on