Hunting for Honey - THE SPECTER SERIES [book one]

Chapter THIRTY ONE: The Sign-Off

Archer West

It's been six days since Honey was taken and I have been scouring the city for any trace of her, I haven't slept even though Iris keeps trying to send me home for rest, I refuse to miss any opportunity to get my girl back. I can't stop trying to piece together the puzzle of her disappearance..

After following up all the leads Asher's associate had given me, I had almost run out of places to look..

Now, I stride into Specter's headquarters on a mission to get Iris to sign off on a raid, at one final location.. An old wearhouse down by the shipyard docks with a lease in the name of one particular Carrington Corp employee I had been suspicious of.. Samantha Parker.

Of all the sites, this one had seemed the least likely to yield results, since my suspicions of Samantha had been based more on her violent outburst at Alex's will reading, rather than any tangible connection to Asher.. But it certainly is an out of character building for a woman like her to be leasing and it's the only shot I have left, so I'm going down there.. With or without Iris's permission..

I push open her office door and enter the clean, white walled room without knocking.. Iris glances up at me with her dark hazel eyes, looking tired.. "West.. Good you're here.. What do you make of this?"

She holds out a thin gold chain with a small pendant attached.. I take it from her, recognising it immediately.. "This is Honey's."
The dainty necklace bares the zodiac symbol and constellation for Honey's star sign, Capricorn, and had been a birthday gift from her dearest friend Yevette.. I remember it well, because it dangled so perfectly above her inviting cleavage, catching my eye... Honey had made a comment on my wandering gaze and a joke about having to thank Yevie for helping to keep my attention, not that she needed any help in that area whatsoever..

"Yes, I remember her wearing it at the funeral.." Her voice is low as she reaches into a plain white envelope.."It arrived here, in an unmarked envelope with this.."
She hands me the lapel pin, identical to the one I found at Honey's apartment, and all the others.. "And this..." She hands me a small folded piece of paper..
Inside, in a messy scrawl is a message..

'FB'

I huff out a breath and run a hand back through my hair, frustration and sleep deprivation fraying my nerves edges.. A grating sensation scraping against the inside of my skull.
"He's just fucking with us now.. I need you to sign off on the wearhouse raid. O'connor and Ford are ready to go in, we just need Zeta Team to run backup."

She holds a hand up in an attempt to silence me.. "West, listen.."

I ignore it.. "Iris.. I'm done fucking around here, I'm going down to those dock yards tonight, and I'll go alone if you won't sign off on the others.." I know full well what a disrespectful asshole I sound like right now and I don't give a fuck.
Finding Honey, and hunting down the bastards who did this is my new fait accompli..

"No ya won'!" I turn my head, seeing Patrick and Jackson suddenly standing behind me, arms crossed, in a stare off with Iris.. Patrick glaring daggers at Iris, more worked up than I've seen him in a long time..

"If West goes we go, you know the deal Iris.." Jackson, ever the diplomat maintains his reserved tone..

She rubs her temples and sighs.. While I try not to grin at my brother's show of solidarity.. "Alright.. West, I'll give you command of Zeta Team for the raid.. But I need you to do something for me first.." She huffs, hating every second of the concession..

I nod, knowing if it gets me my sweet Honey back, I'll do anything Iris tells me to.. "I received information from a.. reliable source.. about what is contained in those encrypted files. I need you to go meet the informant and get whatever additional Intel you can.."

"What reliable source?" I ask..

She hesitates.. Only for a second, but long enough for me to notice.. "Nikita Drackov."

I tense at the name. If she is trying to send me on a rampage, she's going about it the right way! I'm so fucking ready to raid, my anger burns hot and I have a hard time tamping it back down.. "You mean, you were the one who fucking let him go!?"

She straightens her spine and sharpens her stare.. "Yes.. West. I let him go.."

My temper boils over as I slam my fist down on her desk and begin to yell.. "THAT FUCKER CAME BACK FOR HER. I WARNED YOU IRIS! THIS SHIT.." I sweep my arm in a situational gesture.. "THIS FUCK UP, IS ON YOU!"

She leans back in her chair and steeples her fingers in front of her lips, contemplative.. I can't stand to look at her, so tuning my back I step over toward the high arched windows of the office..

"I understand you're angry with me.. And I understand you disagree with the methods I've used to acquire the necessary information.." She takes on a self righteous tone that she knows I can't stand..

I don't even need to say anything about what a load of shit that is, because Jackson is already there pointing it out.. "You mean placing an innocent civilian in the line of fire for the sake of questionable intel?"

Patrick then chimes in accusingly.. "Ney, she means she doesn' give two fecks about Honey.. Cus' she were jus' a means to an end.."

Her reaction is instant and surprising.. "That is not true!"
I spin back around, surprised by the nature of her outburst.. Iris stands, tall and proud. Like a woman who is sticking by her guns..
But her eyes tell me there's more to it..

She waves a hand at Ford and O'connor. They look toward me for approval of dismissal, so I nod and they reluctantly leave the office, grumbling to one another.
"Archer.. Please. I need you to hear this.. I need you to understand because it is essential that you retrieve Miss Sinclaire.. Alpha team must be successful."

I study her face for any sign of deception.. But it isn't there.

This is the real Iris.. Not my boss Iris.. My friend. The most trusted woman in my life, up until I met Honey... "What Honey holds the key for is.. A monstrosity.."