The December air was chilly and cold as Eric sprinted down the street.  Eric cautiously checked the surroundings as he walked towards his safe house. As he entered his domain, he shrugged off his jacket near the door and hung it over the chair. Jennings glanced over at him and asked,How was your jog, Eric?"

"It was good and refreshing Thanks," Eric says, as he made his way over to the sofa and sat down.

She finished inspecting and cleaning her pistol, placing it on the table just as Vehicle roared up to the curb outside of the safe house as the door swung open and Holiday stepped out, closing the door behind him. He had never been to Red's safe house before. All the briefing and debriefing had been done at the shooting range in Oslo. But this was vital and highly classified.

He didn't know who he could trust with this, that's why he needed his best assassin and weapon specialist for this mission. He made his way up the sidewalk to the front door of the safe house.  He knocked on the door, waiting for Eric to answer the door.  He walked over to the door and opened it, froze, staring wide-eyed at Holiday standing outside. 

The features on his face hardened as he entered and made his way over to the sofa and sat across from Jennings. The last time he had seen the same expression on Holiday's face was after Caspian had been killed. So whatever. The reason he was here had to be important. Eric strode over to the sofa and sat down.

"Listen,"  Eric Holiday stated in an authoritative tone I need you guys for a simple surveillance operation. The Target is Avery Brennon."

"What do we know about Avery Brennon," Jennings inquired in a suspicious tone.

Holiday handed Jennings his iPad as she snatched it from him and opened the document on the screen. The intel revealed that Avery Brennon was indeed a very close friend to President Roberts and that he was the chairman on the Action Committee who oversaw all the Access Special Programs: CIA black  programs  His own company, Russtech Ammunition, had done nefarious deals with the Kremlin and rogue countries.

Jennings

"Interesting," She said, still trying to figure out why he wanted them to do surveillance on this target.

"What you don't know is that he's selling an encrypted disc to the highest bidder at his Christmas party. The disc contains a list of CIA black programs, including Night drop, now if the disc falls into the hands we'll be open season to our enemies," Holiday explained to them.

Eric drew in a deep breath and furrowed his brows. There wouldn't be anywhere for him and Jennings to go that wouldn't  be safe for them?

A sudden drop in his stomach told him something was off. Why would the chairman of the Action Committee want to sell these secrets to the highest buyer at his party? There had to be a hidden agenda or an angle for him to do it. 

 Over the years  his cover had almost been  compromised when he had been on a mission for Night drop,  he had managed to stay off the grid and remain invisible to anyone who came after him. Eric paced back and forth the first thing that came to his mind was his best friend Damon, Plus everything he had done for his country would be exposed.

He had wanted to get away from all the wet work for a while, maybe even go on a trip to some place nice and warm for them. And even though he had completed some wet work for MI6 and Mossad before, when they had asked for some help from Night drop on a previous mission. 

Jennings slowly scrolled the document as her eyes froze on the photograph of Avery Brennon with a woman who looked familiar to her. No it couldn't, but it was. Elizabeth NightShade. Shit, she thought to herself. If she was involved with the chairman of the Action Committee there to be a reason for it and a hidden agenda in play. 

"Holiday, did you know that Nightshade was going to be involved with the Chairman," Jennings inquired in a skeptical tone, wondering if he had another motive for this mission besides the disc.

Holiday chose his next words carefully as she shrugged. " I can't trust anyone else with this mission, you understand. There are people high up in the echelons of the U.S government who don't like Night drop and want to shut it down. I can't let them do that."

Eric paced back and forth. "Why? Because we're doing all the wet jobs for them while they remain in the shadows. Jesus You know I was in Navy seals on a mission I was told everything I was for the greater good, You know it wasn't Jennings I have been killed or almost captured in Kabul."

"Avery Brennon is one of those people high up in the echelons who doesn't like what we do or stand for. The President doesn't even trust her own friend at all. Everything is at stake here,  right now Night drop, all the missions you have completed, your record of kill shots and more."

The name made his blood run cold as he caught his breath. He knew she was behind the hit-team dispatched to kill him in Malta when he had stumbled onto a conspiracy involving a member of the Knights of Malta. So Yes, in a perfect way it made sense that Avery Brennon was working together with her.

Jennings closed the document,handed it back over to Holiday as she asked. " When do we start?"

"The party is tonight," Holiday stated in a calm tone.

Holiday rose from where he sat clutching his iPad in his grip as he emerged from the safe house, he strode over to his car,climbing and closed the door behind him. His original plan had been to scrub Brennon, but now that he knew NightShade was involved it would be dicey and risky.

Jennings made way over to the weapons vault, entered the passcode as the sensor turned green. The door clicked open. She entered inside, glancing around inside to see what kind of weapons they were going to need for this op. It was going to be more than just a surveillance mission, she knew right now. If it came down to an order to eliminate the multimillionaire, they wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Eric strode into the vault as he grabbed his AR-30 Bolt action sniper off the rack, although he had used several sniper rifles before, he could never go wrong with it. He ran his finger over the trigger, feeling the metal. He wasn't going to let them destroy Night drop or expose any black programs. Jennings grabbed the bag of spare and MP5 submachine gun.

She walked out the bag and her MP5 submachine hung over her person, placed the bag on the table and says." I wanted to wait to give you this on Christmas, but I want to give it to you now."

She reached under the Christmas tree, grabbed a wrapped box and whispered to him his ear. "Eric I love you and you are always there for me."

With his heart pounding rapidly Eric smiled as he raised his brow. I feel the same way Mazie. I just didn't know how to tell you that's all.

He placed the sniper rifle down on the table and then he started to wrap the gift, as he opened it as he stared wide-eyed at the box and at the name on it. Kindle Direct Publishing. Carefully opened the box and removed the Advanced reader copy of her debut thriller The Hunted.

Eric flipped open the cover as his eyes froze on the dedication page with his name on it. He leaned over to her as she touched his face and gave him a soft kiss on his lips. There was a sudden spark in her eyes. After that he walked into his den and placed the book on his desk, and strode out to do violence on people half while they slept. They headed out of the safe house and down the driveway to his Porsche coupe.

They sped down the street through the congested traffic. A little while later, they parked a couple blocks down as they stepped out and closed the door behind them. He darted into the alley behind a hotel and took the emergency staircase up to the roof to get a view of the mansion. Jennings did the same, walking over to Eric.

"So what's our plan here, you know that Brennon is going to have his security outside his mansion, and Plus NightShade nothing could go wrong."

Already down on his knees, he peered through his scope on his sniper rifle. He  moved the crosshairs over to the security gate where two armed men stood outside armed with their MP5 submachine guns. Yes, this was supposed to be surveillance mission, but in his line of business that meant only two things: surevillannce and killing the Target