Hunter

Chapter Two

Hunter ~

Four hours of meetings and intel briefings was tiring, but necessary for Bravo team's upcoming mission.

Hunter had stepped out a few times to check on a small op that Alpha team was working on and needed a situation report on from Nate. After getting the reports he needed, Hunter made a quick lap around Knight Security, stopping by the shooting range and gym to make sure Delta team was putting in work as well.

Managing the teams had Hunter's head on a constant swivel with a laundry list of about a thousand things at once, but Hunter's perfectionism and borderline OCD played in his favor. He'd been that way ever since he was a child and his strict military upbringing probably had a lot to do with that.

His older brothers were Navy Seals and had all followed in his father's footsteps.  Hunter's father was a high ranking Naval Captain who commanded a Navy Cruiser who demanded excellence and fine precision from all of his sons. After retirement Hunter's brothers, Grant and Carter, founded Knight Security starting with one primary team. Once Hunter retired, ending his time as a Seal, he took over the business, expanding to manage four teams. Knight Security was Hunter's life - his family business - his purpose and he took that responsibility very seriously. His teams were his family and their safety and well being was Hunters top priority.

He had just reclaimed his seat in the conference room with the rest of Bravo team when Nate appeared in the doorway.

"Got a call from local PD. Bomb threat."

Of course there fucking is.

Raking his palm down his face, Hunter let out a hard sigh. Local police departments often called on Knight Security for bomb related threats.

"Go get Logan and tell him to meet me in my office."

Hunter, Logan, and  Austin were all qualified EOD techs and were the ones who responded to these types of calls.

"Sorry boys, let me deal with this shit real quick then we can continue. Go ahead and grab Red so we can sift through this radio chatter." Hunter said to Declan, who gave him a nod as he stood and headed toward his office.

Never a dull moment. There's always fucking something. I don't have time for this shit.

Logan appeared in Hunter's office seconds later with his sweat soaked gym clothes on.

"Need me Sir?" Logan asked, catching his breath.

"Local PD just called with a bomb threat. Nates on his way in with the details. I'm sending you, take whoever you need and keep me posted." Hunter said, handing Logan some paperwork that he would need in order to work alongside local police.

"Copy that Sir." Logan said with slight excitement on his face.

Hunter stood and headed back toward the conference room, passing Nate as he started to brief Logan.

"Sending you to meet PD on the scene at 1100 E. Seaward Avenue." Nate said to Logan.

Freezing in place, Hunter's ears perked and his heart stalled out for a second or two.

Why do I know that address?

Spinning on his heel, Hunter re-entered the office, bracing his arms on the doorframe.

"Repeat that address." Hunter ordered.

"Uh...1100 E. Seaward Avenue." Nate said in confusion.

"Office building?"

"No, um. Community park. Some crazy asshole tried to shoot the place up, but was taken into custody then they found some shit in his bag that he said is a bomb." 

Hunter's face paled slightly, but he regained his composure almost instantly.

That's the park where Kenzie took Zeus today.

Without another work, Hunter turned around, pulling his phone from his pocket and dialing Kenzie's number.

"Come on. Pick up."

The call went to voicemail, prompting him to quickly redial with his irritation increasing by the second.

"Goddamn it Kenzie." He muttered under his breath through gritted teeth as he dialed the number again.

"Uh oh. What'd she do now?" Pierce joked.

"Local PD's bomb threat location is the park where Kenzie was taking Zeus today and I can't get her to answer her fucking phone."

Pierce's playful expression dissolved into concern and every man in the conference room sat up a little straighter.

"How can we help Sir?" Declan asked immediately.

"I'm sure she's just at the beach and doesn't have her phone on her, but I'm not taking any chances. Dec, I need you to run this meeting until I get back."

"Done." Declan agreed with a confident nod.

"Logan, on me, let's roll." Hunter yelled over his shoulder.

"You comin' with Sir?"

Logan and Nate were visibly confused that Hunter was planning on tagging along on a call that Logan was capable of handling on his own.

"I can't get confirmation, but Kenzie and Zeus may be at the threat location."

"Oh shit." Logan said, pulling his shirt off as he swapped it out for a clean one right there in the hallway.

"Yeah, we need to move." Hunter confirmed.

As they headed toward Hunter's truck, he felt his pulse start to pick up the way it normally did on dangerous ops, but he quickly breathed his way around his adrenaline and channeled it into intense focus instead of panic.

Logan already had Nate on the phone so he could relay information to them on the way.

"Give us every detail you have." Hunter ordered.

"PD got emergency dispatch that there was an active shooter an hour ago, single gunman opening fire on civilians at the community park. Single shooter was disarmed and taken into custody, but threatened police with bomb in his bag. EMS radio logs confirm five injuries and one fatality as of ten minutes ago."

Did he just say fatality?

"Any details on that fatality?" Hunter asked flatly, getting a side glance from Logan who knew exactly what Hunter was getting at.

"Negative."

Fuck.

With his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel, Hunter didn't say a word as they raced toward the scene.

"The chances of that fatality being Kenzie are slim, Sir." Logan said, breaking the silence.

"I know that." Hunter confirmed flatly.

Deep down he did know that, but his heart rate was starting to get out of control and he was having to physically battle his own body in order to remain calm and focused.

What the fuck is wrong with me? This is probably nothing. Calm the fuck down Hunter.