Melissa Barker-Simpson

Missing is part of an ongoing story, which I aim to turn into a novella – a prequel to Brothers in Arms (Book 3 of the Morgan and Fairchild Series). I’m taking part in the StoryADay September 2015 challenge, though, as I’m working on a continued tale, it’s not strictly a story a day. It’s more a story within a story. I’ve given myself a word limit of 600 words.

Recap: Justin Chambers, part of the team at Morgan & Fairchild, is approached by a friend who needs a favour. Justin accepts the missing person case, and agrees to look into it in his own time. Elsewhere in the story, Holly wakes in an unfamiliar room with no memory of how she got there. She soon discovers she is being held in an abandoned airfield, and her life is in danger. But Justin isn’t the only one with a mission. Andrew Butcher has been assigned to find Holly and, though he has strong ties to Morgan and Fairchild, he has his own team.

Antony Pintus drove his fists into the punching bag until a light sheen of sweat coated his body, and he could barely lift his arms. He didn’t stop. He welcomed the pain, enjoyed pushing himself to the edge of his limits.

Fact was, he had a traitor in his camp. The anger, the deep sense of betrayal was like a fire in his gut. It wanted to burn through his control and release the rage simmering beneath. But he prided himself on his discipline. He was not a mindless thug. He didn’t need to use his fists to strike fear in his men.

With one final punch, a jab which expended what was left of his energy, Antony hugged the bag and tried to catch his breath.

A second later his brother, Richard, stepped into view. He held out a towel, and an ice cool glass of water. “Feeling better?”

“Marginally.” Antony accepted the offering. “Did you take care of it?”

Richard had volunteered to deal with the traitor personally. His expression had not changed, it rarely did. Antony admired the way his brother kept his emotions locked down, buried beneath a layer of icy calm that chilled to the bone.

A slight nod. “He won’t betray us again.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Antony took a long drink of water, felt the icy burn of it in his lungs and sighed happily. “What of the rest?”

Since finding the bug, a cleverly planted listening device which was clearly an inside job, their crew had been on high alert. Antony was careful and, thanks to his brother, they had state of the art security protocols, but a number of their business interests were now at risk.

“It’s handled. We moved up the timetable at Dudley Hill. The merchandise is being relocated as we speak.”

Dudley Hill was their codename for the airfield which currently held their most valuable cargo. If they lost that cargo, the shit would really hit the fan. Antony could read his brother like a book, and sensed his displeasure like an unspoken reprimand. Richard had warned him about doing business with Silent Union.

“I trust you put our best men on it?” he asked, handing back the glass.

“Of course. Our friends are ready and waiting to take receipt.” Richard fell into step beside him when Antony crossed the room. “But we’re needed on site. The change in schedule was not well received.”

Antony nodded. “Give me ten minutes to grab a shower.” He smiled at his brother, but there was no humour in it. “Have Mike and Ted meet us there. If things go south, we’ll need to get out fast.”

“Of course.”

There it was again, Antony thought. The steely sound of Richard’s disapproval. His brother was a valuable advisor, but he had no sense of ambition. “Have the car wait out front, and ensure the clean-up crew are ready and waiting for the order.”

Richard nodded once, and pushed through the door ahead of him. By the time Antony stepped into the narrow hallway, his brother was gone.

Thanks for stopping by.

Mel