Elise

by Angela Rush

  Elise (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

  Finding His Destiny Book 2

  Angela Rush

  Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Preview of Daisy

  More Special Forces: Operation Alpha World Books

  Books by Susan Stoker

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  © 2019 ACES PRESS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

  Dear Readers,

  Welcome to the Special Forces: Operation Alpha Fan-Fiction world!

  If you are new to this amazing world, in a nutshell the author wrote a story using one or more of my characters in it. Sometimes that character has a major role in the story, and other times they are only mentioned briefly. This is perfectly legal and allowable because they are going through Aces Press to publish the story.

  This book is entirely the work of the author who wrote it. While I might have assisted with brainstorming and other ideas about which of my characters to use, I didn’t have any part in the process or writing or editing the story.

  I’m proud and excited that so many authors loved my characters enough that they wanted to write them into their own story. Thank you for supporting them, and me!

  READ ON!

  Xoxo

  Susan Stoker

  About the book

  Elise Sommers has lived a very sheltered life. She was raised in the lap of luxury as her family had money. She developed Leukemia when she was a teenager. The doctors prepared her parents for the inevitable. However, Elise managed to beat the odds not once, but twice. However, despite her recovery, her parents were never able to let go of their fear of losing their daughter. They had kept her close to them at all times. Elise had never even dated due to their constant interference in her life. Now at the age of 27, Elise decides it’s past time to venture out on her own. She joins the Red Cross to provide aide to the refugees fleeing Syria as the conflict between ISIS and the US worsens. Her parents object, but they can’t stop her. She is an adult after all.

  Warren “Deadeye” Vickers is 42 years old. He had a hard start to life. When he became a Marine Special Ops soldier, Deadeye knew he had a higher chance of dying in combat than the average soldier. He never wanted a child to go through the rough up bringing he had endured. He became determined he would never settle down and risk having a child that could end up in the same situation he grew up in. He dedicated himself to his work and being a professional. When his closest friend, Hawk moved up to the headquarters division of their special ops team, Deadeye was moved to be the leader of the team in the field. He took his job very seriously.

  When Elise is taken from the refugee camp, her family’s influence and money talk to get her the best Special Ops team the country has to offer. Deadeye’s team is called in to bring her home. From the moment he sees her picture during the briefing for the mission, Deadeye feels a connection to the beautiful young woman and a need to care and protect her. She was supposed to be a target, a mission, but when he takes her in his arms she becomes so much more. He knows she is his Destiny.

  Can Warren bring Elise home? And if so, will he be able to let her go when they are back on American soil? Only time will tell if the couple can over come the obstacles that stand in their way of happiness.

  Chapter 1

  Elise Sommers is about to leave the luxury of her parents’ home to head overseas to a refugee camp in the middle east. She has seen all the news reports of the plight of the people fleeing their homeland due to the oppression of ISIS and other extremist groups and the ensuing war between the US and the groups. Elise had felt compelled to travel with a humanitarian group that provides basic supplies, food, and helps provide shelter to the refugees. She knows this could be a dangerous endeavor, but with all the military personnel around surely, she would be safe.

  Elise’s parents were not happy with her decision. She was their baby girl after all, as they were quick to point out. She had always been a bit of a loner and was much too mature for her age even as a child. She was an old soul as her grandmother had pointed out one day when Elise was only about thirteen. Elise was more contented to sit with her grandmother and crochet than going to the spring dance at her school. She had a hard time making friends her own age and when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) at the tender age of sixteen, she became even more withdrawn from her peers. Her parents kept her isolated due to fear of infection and hired tutors to homeschool her during her illness. She felt closer to her brother’s friends, despite the ten-year age difference, than those she was in classes with.

  Elise’s parents were concerned about her going to a strange place alone without knowing anyone and more so because it had the potential to be dangerous. They had lectured her more than once about the dangers of being in the camp. They had pointed out the incident in which a female Army reservist was kidnapped by ISIS and held hostage for months. The young woman had become known as the Army Princess and her story was all over the news for months while she was missing and then subsequently rescued and returned home. Elise knew there was an element of danger going to the camp, but she felt that after that incident security had surely been increased and she would be safe.

  As she puts the last of her clothes into the suitcase on her bed, her mother enters her room. Elise mentally rolls her eyes and sighs heavily. She tries to hide her irritation from her mother. Elise knows that she means well, but her constant nagging is getting old. Mentally preparing herself for the battle about to ensue, Elise turns to her mother.

  “Elise, honey please reconsider this trip. I have a bad feeling about it.” Ellen Sommers begs her daughter.

  “Mom, we have been over this a thousand times. I’m going, nothing you can say will change my mind.” Elise huffs. She turns back to her suitcase and closes the lid and zips it closed. She hauls the heavy bag from her bed and moves toward the door of her room. Her mother places a gentle hand on her arm as she passes.

  “Elise I will have this argument a thousand and one times more if it will keep you from going over there. You know how dangerous it is. Think about that poor Army woman. She was held for three months, Elise. Three months! There’s no telling what they did to her. You could be raped or worse, beheaded.” Ellen blows out a frustrated breath. “Please listen to reason. Don’t go.” Ellen’s worried look touches Elise’s heart. Elise wraps her arms around her mother.

  “Mom, I am a grown woman. I’m 27-years-old. I know
you and Daddy still think of me as a child, your little girl. You still see me as the weak little girl fighting off cancer, but that was a long time ago. I’ve been cancer free for 10 years. I know just how lucky I am to have survived it at the age I was, but that makes me even more determined to live my life to the fullest. I understand the risks of going to the refugee camp and I’m willing to take them. This is something I need to do. I’m sorry that you are worried about me, but I have to go out into the world and find my place. Just like everyone else.” Elise chuckles a little as she continues. “You didn’t protest this much when Edward joined the Army. He has been in much more dangerous situations than I will be. Just because I am female doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.”

  “Elise, I’m not trying to hold you back. It has nothing to do with you being female. Well it does, but not because I think you are weak. It’s just I have this really bad feeling about this trip. You know that I always follow my intuition. It has never steered me wrong.” Ellen has tears in her eyes as she tries to convince her daughter not to go on this insane trip. She knows that her protests have fallen on deaf ears. Elise is not going to cancel her trip.

  “Look, it’s time for me to go. Thank you for your concern. I love you.” Elise gives her mother a final squeeze. Elise collects her suitcase and purse and heads out of her room and down the stairs toward the car waiting to take her to the airport. Ellen watches her daughter leave for a moment. After coming to herself she races down the steps and out to the car. Despite her misgivings, she will support Elise by seeing her off on her trip. Ellen just hopes this is not the last time she sees her baby girl.

  Elise boards the plane without incident and has an uneventful flight. When she arrives at the international airport, she is stuck in customs for 5 hours. She is tired and frustrated by the time she gets to the welcome center for the volunteers of the Red Cross. She is shown to a conference room and sits through several hours of preparations for heading out to the field. Later she is shown to a small dorm like room to sleep before she is sent out to the camp.

  The next morning, Elise boards a bus with several other volunteers. It is about an hour and a half drive to the location she will be working out of. Once they arrive, Elise is shown to a tent with several cots. Elise is assigned a cot and is given some time to put her things away. She is shown around their section of the camp. She is shown the mess tent, the latrine, and shower facilities. She is well aware this is going to be a major adjustment for her. She has never even been camping. Now, here she is roughing it in a foreign country with meager accommodations. Elise briefly wonders if she made a poor decision, but she plows onward. She can do this. She survived cancer not once, but twice. This was a piece of cake.

  Elise is assigned to help load supplies the first couple of days she is there. They want her to get used to the camp, the types of services they provide, and gradually integrate her into going out into the camp. Elise meets many of the other workers, but as usual doesn’t make much of a connection to them. She is polite and gets along with everyone but wouldn’t consider any of them as a friend. The second week she is in camp, Elise meets an interrupter and several of the contract guards. They will be her detail when going out into the camp to distribute supplies.

  Elise is educated about different sections of the camp. The place is huge as the numbers of refugees grows daily. The camp is divided by the region from which refugees come from and many times their religious belief system. She is warned to stay away from certain sections of the camp. They aren’t safe. ISIS has a strong hold on parts of the camp. Women, children, and outsiders are at a high risk of mistreatment in those areas. Elise makes a mental note to avoid those sections. She wants to be an asset but keep herself safe at the same time.

  Once she is allowed to move among the refugees, Elise knows she has made the right decision. The joy she feels after a long hard day providing much needed food and medical supplies to the women, children, and elderly refugees makes all the physical hardships of living in the camp worth it. Most of the refugees are thankful for the supplies she provides. The children really touch her heart. They are the innocent victims in this awful conflict between religious and political ideals.

  Today Elise and Sara another one of the volunteers, along with their interrupter Tahir, head into a new section of camp. They are accompanied by their guard detail, Mike, Thomas, David, and Roy. The men have been in and around the camp for about a year. Elise feels very comfortable around the men. They are competent, strong, and always on alert. She has no fear as they enter a new section of the camp. Elise, Sara, and Tahir begin to move among the inhabitants of the camp distributing blankets, water, rice, and dried beans. They also have a few toys for the children. They have frisbees, jump ropes, and hula-hoops. They are toys that will entertain the children without being a danger to others. Elise meets a young girl that day. Her name is Lakia and she is 9 years old. She has straight black hair the extends about half-way down her back. It looks tangled like it hasn’t been brushed in a long time. Her clothes are worn and tattered. Elise notices the child is in need of a bath. Lakia has dark brown eyes that seem to sparkle when she smiles or sees something that interests her. She seems fascinated with Elise and her long black hair with pale skin. Lakia follows Elise as she moves through the camp handing out supplies. Elise offers the small girl one of the toys she has brought along with her, but the child declines. She is content to follow along with them as they move about the camp.

  Some sections of the camp have made Elise feel uncomfortable a few times. Some of the men make her nervous. It’s like they are undressing her with their eyes. She has seen a viciousness in their eyes, and it has made her shiver. Just a few days ago, they were moving toward a new portion of the camp that Elise had not been before. As they were driving along on the rough road several men in traditional Arabic dress suddenly appear blocking the road. Tahir and Mike climb out the truck to talk with the men. Elise doesn’t understand what is being said, but the newcomers are gesturing wildly as they rattle off in a language Elise is not familiar with. Mike looks like he is getting tense and the men’s voices are rising. After several tense moments, the Arabic men fade back into the camp between some tents, seemingly to disappear. After Tahir and Mike have climbed back into the truck, they proceed on their journey. Elise looks in the direction the men had gone. A shiver runs down her spine as she sees one of the men watching them as they go on their way.

  Elise questions Tahir about the men and what they wanted. He assures her that the men were just curious about where they were going and what supplies they were carrying. Mike also tells her not to worry that him, Roy, David, and Thomas have everything under control. She is comforted by the guards and her interpreter. She feels confident they will keep her safe.

  Chapter 2

  Warren “Deadeye” Vickers is a hard man. He had a hard start in life, but he will never let it hold him back. At 42 years old he is finally living the good life, achieving all his life goals, save one. Having been raised in foster care was tough, but it is what made him into the man he is today. So, he supposes he should be thankful for that life. The first seven years of his life, Deadeye was raised by his mother. She was a drug addicted prostitute and often left him to take care of himself. Many nights he was left alone with no food or electricity.

  One night in particular, Deadeye had been waiting for hours for his mother to return. He hadn’t eaten since the day before and he was really hungry. He knew he wasn’t supposed to try and cook anything, but the gnawing pain in his stomach wouldn’t be ignored any longer. He looked in the refrigerator but there was only an empty carton of milk. He climbed onto the counter and found a can of soup way in the back of the top cabinet. Once he had gotten back down, he found a pot and washed it with water. He turned on the gas stove after getting the can opened with an old rusty can opener. As the food began to bubble, he washed a spoon and dried it with a towel. He grabbed to pot right off the stove and began to eat the food quickly. It burn
ed his mouth but it was so good. He was so hungry. Suddenly an alarm sounded and water began to pour down on him. It was then he noticed the smoke. Whipping around to look toward the stove, he saw the flames from the towel he had laid too close to the stove and left the gas burning.

  Running toward the fire, Warren grabs the burning towel and throws it into the sink and shuts off the burner. The searing pain is overwhelming in the palm of his hand. Turning the sink on and sticking his palm under the cold water. The sprinklers are still pouring water down on him. In moments firemen are beating down his door. When they enter the apartment and find the mess in the kitchen and Warren sitting there all alone at 4 in the morning, social services are called. A policeman sits with him until the social worker arrives. In the meantime, paramedics with the fire department dress the burn on his hand.

  “Well young man where are your parents?” The policeman asks as they sit on the steps to his apartment building, Warren shrugs his shoulders without saying a word. Another policeman walks up to them.

  “I don’t think his father is in the picture. His mother is a street walker. I have taken her in a time or two. She would beg her way out because of the kid.” The man said as an older woman walks up to the them.