It had to be Rafe and his team. Joy filled her heart that he’d come to save her, to save them all. Her pain addled mind never took into account that he wouldn’t expect her to be in Afghanistan or to even look for her. Instead, she struggled with her bindings, trying to release her hands but all she did was make them bleed.
Then a third bomb exploded, and part of the ceiling came down, hitting her. As she lost consciousness, she prayed, “Please God, I need to tell Rafe I love him.”
Chapter 17
The team reviewed the plan and tweaked it once Rafe and Murph returned from their exploration of the compound. It was just a matter of waiting for the bombers to be in range. Expecting to get the go order, instead Jake received a secure call from Captain Knox. That usually meant something went sideways. It happened more often than not, and they were used to it. But this time it was different for Rafe. This time the woman he loved was suffering through who knows what and he needed to save her.
For the last hour, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Meghan was in extreme danger. It ate away at his self-discipline and chiseled away at his focus. Only his years of training kept him from storming the walls and rescuing his woman. Instead, he remained alert and ready to move as soon as they were given the go order. He had no choice, he’d be no good to her or his team if he ran off half-cocked.
While Jake was talking to the captain, the team went over the plan one more time looking for any holes they could fill. It was about as tight as they could make it without knowing how the tangos would respond once the bombs started falling. The drones used thermal imaging on each pass overhead to give them the location of everyone in the compound. There was a cluster of people in the right wing of the main building. From the schematics TOC sent, it had double walls and then a central location of inner cells and that was their destination. Rafe just prayed that they had Meghan with the other captives.
“TOC confirmed that Meghan was brought to the compound. Our latest scans show there are still only the nine hostages together in the one cell. So, she’s there but not being held with the others as of the last scan of the location.”
“Do they have confirmation of her death?” Rafe asked through gritted teeth and a tight jaw.
“No.”
“Then she’s alive in there somewhere and I intend to find her with or without permission.”
Before Jake could answer the other’s voiced their agreement. “I already told the captain the same thing. No worries, Rafe. We will find Meghan and extract her with the other hostages.”
Rafe nodded, relieved that he wouldn’t have to go against orders to save his woman. “Do we have any idea where she is?”
Jake averted his eyes, and the momentary relief he’d felt evaporated. “We know where she was a short time ago. There is a video circulating on the internet. She’s the only captive visible and was savagely beaten.”
Groaning inside, it made him more resigned than ever to get in there and take out everyone he came across.
“Beaten but not executed. Correct?” Ryan asked the words Rafe couldn’t bring himself to utter.
Jake nodded. “No, not executed. She was alive when the recording cut off.”
“When do we breach?”
“We go in with the initial bomb drop which should happen in the next few minutes. I know you’re more than ready to finish this but remember, we don’t know the condition of any of the captives, this may be a huge clusterfuck,” Jake said as he checked his pack.
“Copy that.”
“Ryan, watch for stragglers. TOC has the medical team at Bagram on alert for Miranda. Keep her alive until we can get her there. Once the bombs stop, make your way to the EXFIL point with Miranda and we’ll rendezvous there with the other hostages.”
“Copy that, Boss.” He tilted his chin in Rafe’s direction. It was all they needed to say to each other, and Rafe repeated the action.
As they set off, Rafe murmured under his breath, “Spitfire, just hold on a little longer. I’m coming, sweetheart.”
The first bomb dropped as they made it to the rear entrance. Rafe and Murph went over the wall and set the secondary explosives. They finished as the second bomb rocked the compound. From their location, they observed the chaos that ensued. Not all of the Taliban soldiers were well-trained, most were conscripts taken from the surrounding villages and hamlets and barely old enough to shave. But it didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous.
The third bomb exploded, and they blew their charges and took off toward the main building. Halo led the way and would warn them about any tangos still lurking. Just past the rear guard shack, Rafe and Halo saw movement at the same time. Halo attacked with Rafe at his heels. Two men were hiding, but when Halo pounced on one of them, the other screamed and threw down his gun. They were quickly secured with zip ties and the SEALs moved on to their primary objective.
It wouldn’t take long for the Taliban to return once the bombing stopped. The hostages were too valuable to abandon. But if he stayed true to form, Azfaar would be long gone and leave his peons to bring the captives to a new location and clean up the mess. The only variable was if he’d found out they already rescued the senator’s daughter, then it could go either way. There was still the chance that he could have discovered that his brother, Hibatullah, had been taken out, and he might decide to cut his losses.
The bombing worked as they’d hoped, and most of the soldiers had been taken out by the explosions or deserted their posts. They met with little resistance until they entered the second floor wing where they expected to find the hostages. Halo alerted them to the Taliban soldiers who’d stayed behind.
Jake’s voice whispered in their ears. “We’re looking at ten tangos. Eagle 5 go in low. Eagle 2 will follow. The stability of the building is questionable. No explosives until we get the hostages out.”
“Copy that.”
“Eagle 4 and I will be watching your six.”
Rafe tapped Cam on the shoulder signaling he was ready, and they moved toward the doorway. Machine gun fire riddled the walls around them. Once they made it through the doorway Rafe picked off two, and Cam and Halo took out a third.
“Three tangos down,” Rafe reported, as they turned the corner. The hallway was dark, no lights, no windows. Signaling to Cam to put on their night vision devices.
“Eagle 1, NVDs needed.”
“Copy that, Eagle 2.” The night vision gave them an edge as they continued down the corridor. Halo took out another tango before Rafe and Cam even saw him. The soldier’s shriek as the dog attacked alerted the others to their presence but not where they were. Rafe took out number four with a quick slice through his carotid artery. More gunfire echoed behind them, but Jake and Murph had that handled.
Continuing down the hall they came across the first of the cells. The door was open and empty. Rafe sure as hell hoped their intel wasn’t FUBAR and that the hostages hadn’t been moved before the breach. There was always the chance there were tunnels under the building, and they’d gotten them out of there.
The second cell door was closed, and they couldn’t tell from looking through the small door if there was anyone in there injured and not able to respond.
“We need to blow this door. Unless you can figure out the code?”
Jake responded, “Copy that. Murph, go ahead. Blow the door but keep it small we don’t want the building coming down on our heads.”
Murph and Jake had caught up to them as they’d cleared the open cell. They needed to get the fuck out of there and make it to the EXFIL point. Time was getting sparse and they hadn’t found any of the hostages.
After Murph set the charge, they stood back while it blew then checked only to find another empty cell. “Fuck. Are we sure they didn’t move them after the last drone check?” Murph asked.
“They’re here, but it could be any one of these cells. Keep looking.” There were two other open cells, then they came to another locked door. Except this time when they peeked through the opening,
they found the hostages.
“Back away from the door,” Murph yelled and Rafe watched to make sure they moved as far as possible.
“Blow it.”
They got the door open and all nine of the remaining missionary group was there but not Meghan. His heart twisted. He’d prayed they’d have put her with the others but maybe they hadn’t had a chance to figure out her connection to the group.
“We’re here to rescue you. Anyone injured? Unable to walk?” They looked rough, dirty and tired, but mostly unharmed.
“No, we’re okay. All of us can walk. But where’s my sister? Did you find Meghan?” It had to be Charlie.
“Not yet. But she was here with you, right?”
“She was but they took her away a few hours ago and didn’t bring her back. You have to find her. I’m not leaving without her.”
“Is everyone else accounted for?” Jake asked, cutting off Charlie.
“Miranda is gone too. They took her a few days ago.”
“We have her. She’s okay.”
“We’ll find her, Charlie, I promise,” Rafe said. The man looked inconsolable and they needed to get them out of there so he could find Meghan.
“Rafe, enough, we need to move. Now,” Jake interjected. “Cam take point, we’ll pull up the rear. Keep your eyes open.”
“We’re going to get you out of here. Follow behind him and keep going no matter what.” A couple of the women were crying, but they listened and lined up behind Cam to follow him to safety.
“Rafe, take Murph and find Meghan. I’ll go with Cam. Once we’ve got them to the EXFIL we’ll be back.”
“Copy that.”
“You’ll find her.”
“I know,” Rafe gave his friend and boss a grim smile. He’d find her, he just prayed she’d still be alive when he did.
After checking the remaining cells, they still hadn’t found Meghan. What the fuck had they done with her?
“Eagle 1, all cells checked no sign of the HVT.”
“Hold on.” Rafe heard him asking the hostages if they’d been held anywhere else in the compound.
“No, they kept us in the cell except when they were making the videos. Then we were on the other side of the building.”
“Did you hear that? Go back to the main hallway, then turn left. It’s the living area.”
“Copy that.” Rafe took off down the hallway and Murph followed. They were running out of time but there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell he was leaving without Meghan.
The living quarters had been the part of the building that had taken the biggest hit from the bombs. As they made their way through the rubble, they came across a few bodies, but none of them were Meghan. They cleared room after room and Rafe’s despair was growing by the moment.
“Rafe, I found her,” Murph called to him from the recording studio. There had been some damage, but the room wasn’t toast like some of the others.
“Meghan,” Rafe asked gently as he touched her swollen face and checked for a pulse. She was alive, thank God, but her pulse was weak. She looked nothing like the woman who’d kissed him goodbye in the Atlanta airport. Just seeing her like this filled him with rage and he wanted to kill everyone all over again.
“Let’s get her untied. Ryan will work on her when we get to the helo. It might be a blessing if she doesn’t wake up until we get there,” Murph said and sliced through the ropes tying her hands at the back of the chair. Rafe cursed himself for losing focus, and silently sliced through the ropes at her feet. When he picked her up it was like lifting a doll, she was so tiny and limp.
“Go, I’m going to grab what I can find and be right behind you.”
“Copy that.”
Rafe moved with speed and precision through the destroyed building, working his way over broken furniture and pieces of concrete. He hadn’t expected to find anyone else alive, so when he came face-to-face with a Taliban soldier with a machine gun, he cursed. He’d never let his guard down before.
But Murph had his six, and a single shot flew past his ear. The Taliban soldier hit the ground with a bullet in the center of his forehead.
“Rafe, I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong. You have a wounded civilian in your arms, your mission is to rescue her. Now stop thinking so much and let’s get the fuck out of here.”
Rafe nodded. “I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me a fucking thing. We’re brothers.”
“Eagle 2, sitrep.”
“Eagle 1, we’re on the way out with the last captive.”
“Copy that. Now get your asses to the EXFIL.”
The chopper was waiting at the evac point. Everyone was loaded and waiting for them to return. Rafe had the unconscious Meghan in his arms as they ran for the chopper. Murph took out the few tangos who were still hoping for a piece of them.
As the helo took off, the SEALs exchanged glances. This had been one hell of a clusterfuck, but they’d gotten everyone out alive. It was a win-win as far as they were concerned. There had been too many missions that hadn’t gone this well even with all the complications. They probably wouldn’t know how to react if they went in and got out as planned.
“How’s Miranda?” Jake asked over their coms.
“Stable for now. Not sure if there’s something internal going on though,” Ryan answered. He was kneeling between his two patients. Meghan still hadn’t regained consciousness.
“And Meghan?” Rafe asked.
“Not sure, bro. From the look of this head wound, she’s definitely got a concussion. It’s not good we can’t wake her up,” Ryan said. “I’m sorry, Rafe. But I just don’t know. The medical team at Bagram will have a better idea.”
Rafe nodded. His face set in stone as usual, but inside his heart was breaking for his little spitfire. She had to come back to him. The universe couldn’t be so cruel to let him find her and then lose her.
“Let me by, I want to see my sister,” Charlie Henley said as he pushed his way past the others in his group to get to Meghan.
“Hold up there,” Jake said, “she’s unconscious. You need to let the medic do his job.”
“I won’t interfere, but I need to see her.”
Jake nodded, and let him pass. They were about a half hour out of Bagram and they didn’t want to have to sedate anyone for hysteria. The calmer everyone remained the better.
“Oh my God, Meghan. What have they done to you? I should have tried to stop them. You didn’t deserve this,” Charlie whispered as he looked at his battered sister. Rafe watched his reactions closely.
“You did the right thing.”
“What?”
“Not trying to stop them. It would have been much worse for her then.”
“But she might die…”
“She won’t, she can’t. Where’s your faith?”
“You’re right. She’s a fighter, always has been. Is it okay if I say a prayer?”
“Of course, you can,” Rafe answered.
Ryan met Rafe’s eyes, but he didn’t give anything away. He’d had too many years of hiding his emotions, even if he wanted to punch something.
They listened as Charlie prayed for his sister. None of them doubted the power of prayer, they’d seen it work too many times. Rafe added his own silent prayer. Meghan needed to wake up and be okay.
A medical team was waiting as they touched down at the air force base. They loaded the women on gurneys, while Ryan accompanied them and gave them updates on their conditions. The rest of the missionary group were also brought to medical to be checked out even though they looked fine. Then they’d be flown to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany for debriefing. After that, they’d finally get to go home.
Meghan and Miranda would have a different path. They’d be stabilized then sent to Germany for treatment. Depending on how they progressed they could be at Ramstein for a while.
Rafe didn’t want to leave without seeing Meghan again, but the SEAL team was heading to Norfolk in a few hours. Their mi
ssion had been a success and it was time to go home. Normally he’d be the first one on the plane, but he didn’t want to leave her again. Cam didn’t look happy about leaving Miranda either.
“C’mon, bro. I know where there’s a beer with your name on it.” Jake put his hand on Rafe’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’ll make sure you have time to check on her before we take off.”
“Thanks.”
“She’ll be fine. Look at all the shit she went through just to get here. That girl is tough.”
“Yes, she is. But…”
“Give them a chance to get some fluids into her and some antibiotics. I bet she’s awake and hugging her brother before we leave.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Chapter 18
Voices. Afraid to open her eyes to check her surroundings, she remained still. She couldn’t tell if they were speaking English or Pashto. If she could just make out what they were saying, she’d know if she was somewhere safe. The last thing she remembered was the explosions and having trouble breathing in the dust-filled room.
The gentle hum of a machine and the smell of antiseptic encouraged her to slowly open her eyes. She prayed she wasn’t still tied to the chair and awaiting the next beating. The bright light hurt but brought a sigh and tears of relief. She’d been so sure she was going to die in that room.
“Praise the Lord.” Turning her head toward the sound, the pain reminded her just how alive she was.
“Charlie?” Her voice cracked and sounded hoarse to her own ears.
“Hey, Meggy. Welcome back to the living.”
“Charlie. Thank God you’re safe. We are safe, right? I was so worried they’d figure out you were my brother and hurt you.”
“Yes, we’re safe. They brought us to the air force base. Your SEAL friends rescued us.”
The SEALs? Rafe was there? She looked around but the only one with her was Charlie. She’d missed him, he’d probably had to go off on another mission and regret squeezed her heart.
SEAL's Spitfire (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Black Eagle Book 1) Page 14