“We should all go,” Drake hissed as he got in his face.
“Okay guys, spread out. We need coverage, and you know it. We’ll be connected via radio,” Mason said pointing to the barely seen transmitter in his ear and the mic somewhat covered by the headdress.
“That’s bullshit, Mase. You should, at least, take one more man to where we think the hostages are. We’re not lone rangers. We’re a team.”
“I fucking know that, Drake. But if I’m too late, or I don’t make it, then I’m going to need you guys to get them before they walk up the stairs to the platform. That’s going to require the three of you, and you know it.” Drake gave him a hard stare and finally nodded.
Mason went first around the corner and mingled with the crowd. He knew the others would follow. Clint was set up in the falling down building, and Aiden should be in place by the time Mason made it to his target.
The crowd was thick with people. He couldn’t believe the number of women and children who had been made to come and watch this spectacle. The kids had picked up on their parent's discomfort and were crying. He got closer to one of the sentries and saw he was basically a kid. When he looked closer, he saw the muzzle of his rifle was bent. There was no way he was going to be a threat.
“Check out the sentries,” he whispered quietly into his mic. “The guy closest to me has a weapon that won’t fire. We might be in for some luck.”
“Roger that,” Finn said.
“Gotchya,” Drake answered. “Checking now.”
“Yes, Sir,” Jack said. He was still new to the team and pretty deferential. Mason knew it would change quickly.
“Count ‘em off and give me their positions. I’ll coordinate with Aiden,” Clint said.
Mason provided info on the guards he passed as he made his way to the building where they hoped the reporters were located. He heard as, at least, seven more were identified with inoperable rifles, and he reported two more. Mason did a mental fist pump.
He couldn’t believe it when he got to the building, and there wasn’t a single guard posted at the side entrance. The intel had been right about one thing, they were dealing with amateurs. He pushed the door in slightly, holding his gun to the side.
A man pulled the door open with a frown and got out two words in Arabic before going for the rifle he had propped up against the wall. Mason rushed him, and using his K-Bar knife took care of him with one well-placed cut. Yelling came from someplace on the second floor. He reached the bottom of the stairs, peeked around, but didn’t see anyone.
As quickly as he could, Mason did an entire check of the bottom floor and found only one other lackadaisical guard who he was easily able to subdue. There were no other ways down to the bottom floor, which was perfect since the entrance to the public square was on the main floor of the building. He hit his mic.
“Clint.”
“Here, boss.”
“Anyone who’s close, converge on me, ASAP. We have a good shot at an ambush.”
“Hall-a-fucking-lujah.”
The yelling continued, and then Mason heard a high pitched scream from the second floor. It took everything he had not to rush upstairs. He knew one of the reporters was being tortured. A sliver of light shone as Drake pushed open the side door. He moved like a ghost to plant himself beside Mason.
Another shrill scream sounded.
Another sliver of light as Jack entered the building. It was enough. Mason lifted his fist and pointed up the stairs. He went first. They were careful, and did everything by the book, not knowing what was waiting for them.
Two screams. Two different voices. Yelling in Arabic and laughter, then Mason could hear the clear sound of electricity. Fuckers were probably using cattle prods. They got to the top of the stairs and walked into a horror house of torture. One man was hanging from a meat hook, naked. He was unconscious. The two others were tied to chairs with hoods over their heads, and seven men with long cattle prods circled around them randomly zapping them.
In a moment, Mason saw their rifles were either on the floor or against the walls, and their side arms were holstered.
He knew his men realized the same thing. All three knew they weren’t to take any shots, just make sure these seven men were dead as quick as possible and then get the reporters the fuck out of this hell hole.
The fight was over in less than a minute. Mason barely felt the knife wound from the man behind him. He’d have to assess it after they got out of the building, right now it wasn’t something to slow him down.
“You’re cut.” Mason wasn’t surprised to see Finn coming up the stairs with his arms full of additional robes. Jack was cutting down the reporter, and Drake had finished untying one of the reporters who was sobbing.
“Sir, I’m Chief Petty Officer Drake Avery, one of the Navy SEALs, who’s been sent to rescue you. I need you to calm down.” Drake’s soothing tone seemed to be getting through to the man. He gripped Drake’s arms.
“I’m Dick Lloyd, do you think you can really get us out of here alive?”
“Absolutely.”
And they would. It’s what they did.
“Mason.” He turned to Finn. “I have some men who are going to help us. They are some of the villagers who were forced to attend the beheading. They have the downstairs covered.”
God Bless Finn Crandall and his scavenging and language abilities. Mason knew you could send Finn into a Men’s dormitory, and he’d manage to find a beauty queen, clown, and a proctologist.
“Finn, how many men do we have downstairs to help us?”
“Three. Five counting the ones driving the trucks.”
“What trucks?”
“The trucks I hotwired. Since these assholes were in here with the reporters, and the rest of them were out front guarding their citizens, I hotwired two trucks so we could make our escape. I figured we could use some drivers, so I found some help.” Mason grinned and patted Finn on the shoulder then he hissed in pain.
“Mase let me take a look at that, you’re dripping blood.” Finn moved the robe off of Mason’s shoulder.
“Later, let’s get them loaded up.” He looked around, his team had already gotten the reporters into the robes. He pressed his communication device. “Did you get all of that Clint?”
“Got it. Aiden’s coming down to where I am. We don’t have robes. Will you be able to come and pick us up?”
“Affirmative,” Mason responded. “Sit tight.”
Drake, Finn, and Jack worked with Dick Johnson to hustle the other two reporters downstairs and into the two waiting trucks.
Finn talked to the villagers, in each truck one of them would sit up front while Finn and Drake rode shotgun. They circled the crowd and soon had picked up Clint and Aiden.
“Transport is waiting for us. With our sweet rides, it should take us less than an hour,” Clint reported.
“Let me see your wound,” Clint demanded in the back of the truck. Mason had already forgotten about it in the heat of the mission, but now Clint had mentioned it, the knife wound began to throb.
“God dammit, I don’t want to be injured right before my fucking wedding,” Mason bitched.
“Too late. So let's, at least, minimize the damage. Hold still and let me bandage it.” Clint pulled out makeshift supplies. Mason winced as his friend worked on his wound and the truck bounced.
“This isn’t fucking fair. Darius had to be AWOL for this mission because he needed additional fucking medical training. I get injured, and I’m stuck with you?” Clint laughed and so did Aiden.
“If it had been life threatening, I would have worked on you, Lieutenant,” Aiden assured him.
“I see the size of your hands, you probably would have killed me with your deft touch,” Mason groused. Again the men laughed at him, but all the talking helped keep his mind off the pain.
“All done. You’re going to need some stitches–”
“A lot of stitches,” Aiden interrupted.
“But it didn’t
hit any tendons or ligaments just meat,” Clint continued.
“You did a good job,” the Senior Chief said to Clint. “Lieutenant, your entire team is top notch. This operation went slick as snot. After the shitty intel, we received I didn’t think it was possible.”
Mason looked at the man who was ten years his senior. He might outrank him, but everyone knew a Senior Chief Petty Officer was go-to guy after the Lieutenant and was often more respected. This was the second mission Aiden had assisted Midnight Delta with, and Mason was strongly considering asking him to stay on in a permanent capacity.
“Thanks for the kind words, Aiden.”
“Just telling the truth as I see it. You have a strong team, and you do a great job leading them.”
“Damn right he does. Wait until you see him at headquarters tearing it apart about the faulty intel. He’ll do it respectfully of course,” Clint said tongue-in-cheek.
Mason and Aiden laughed.
The truck stopped. They heard the sound of incoming helicopters.
“Gentlemen, our ride is here,” Clint said.
“Thank fuck.” Mason grinned. “I have a bride to get home to.”
***
“I’ll be at the house by tonight, honey.” Sophia gripped her cell phone and thought her face might crack in half because of her grin.
“Oh God, this seemed like the longest time ever. I’m sending Billy over to Todd’s house for a sleepover.”
“I think that sounds like a great idea.” Sophia heard talking in the background. “I’ve got to go. I should see you before midnight.”
“I’ll be waiting. I love you.”
“I love you too, Sophia.” She traced her finger over Mason’s picture on her phone, and then pressed on the speed dial for the diner.
“Margie?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Sophia, I won’t be coming into work tomorrow.”
“Well hot damn, your boy must be back in town.”
“He just called.” Sophia let out a relieved laugh.
“Well give Frannie a call. You know she likes to be told immediately.”
“Right after I text Billy.” Sophia smiled.
“Good girl.”
Sophia pressed end and then sent a text to Billy. He didn’t answer, but she knew he would see it between classes. She was so relieved Mason was on his way home. In the two years they’d been together, he’d been on countless missions, but she worried every time and knew Billy did too. Next, she pressed in the number for Frannie DeLuca.
“Hey Sophia, please tell me you’re not calling to go dress shopping.”
“Nope, I’m calling to let you know Mason is coming home! He’ll be here tonight.”
“That’s great news. Do you need anything? I can bring over some food if you don’t feel like cooking.”
“Nope, I’m just going to clean up.”
“What are you talking about? The house is spotless. I bet you make your bed every morning.” Sophia winced. Was she that obvious?
“Well, I have to change the sheets. Plus I want to bake some of his favorite things. I appreciate your offer, but I want to cook for him. It makes me feel good. I’ll get it done before he gets home.”
“So you both can do the important ‘cooking.’ I get it. I might be old, but I have my Tony. So don’t think I don’t know what you’re going to be doing on those clean sheets.”
“Frannie, how do I always end up in these types of conversations with you and Margie?”
“Because you don’t have your Mama to have these conversations,” Frannie said gently. She was right. What's more, it was something that had been plaguing Sophia since the wedding planning went into full swing.
“How did you know?” she asked quietly.
“Oh baby girl. You’re never too old to miss your Mama. I still miss mine, and I’m sixty-five.”
“But Billy seems to have gotten over it. He hardly ever talks about our mom anymore.”
“Of course, he doesn’t,” Frannie answered. “He has you. Your mom was sick for a long time. You practically raised that boy. Biologically you might be his sister, but you’re the mother of his heart.” Frannie’s words resonated with her. When she thought how much her opinion of Rebecca mattered to Billy, she realized he had treated her like a beloved parent.
“Frannie, I’m not sure I’m up to that level of responsibility. Sure, Mason and I are talking about starting a family, but I worry I don’t have what it takes to be a good mother.”
Sophia pulled the phone from her ear at her friend’s loud laughter. As Frannie settled down, she finally got words out.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re one of the most nurturing people I know, Sophia Anderson soon-to-be Gault. You’re going to be a fantastic mother. Billy thinks the sun rises and sets with you.” Sophia’s cheeks heated.
“Frannie, I–”
“I think you should start working on making babies immediately. Get rid of the rubbers.”
“Frannie!”
“Okay, if not the rubbers throw away the pills. I want to be holding your son or daughter by next year.”
“You’re outrageous.”
“You’re just figuring it out now?” Sophia laughed some more. Nope, she’d known for quite some time that Frannie DeLuca was outrageous, and it was why she loved her so much. She also knew the woman was trying to lift her spirits, and she greatly appreciated it.
“Sophia, are you still there?”
“I’m here. Have I told you how much I love you?”
“Ah, I love you too. Both Tony and I love you like you were our own. Now hurry up and give us a beautiful baby to love on.”
“We will, we will. First, I have to change the sheets.”
“Clean sheets are not a prerequisite. I thought they explained things better than that in health class.”
“Good-bye, Frannie.”
“Good-bye, Sophia.”
Sophia hung up the phone with a smile. She always ended up smiling after talking to Frannie. She had really been gifted with some great people in her life, but none was better than Mason Gault. She still thought about that night in the alley when he rescued her from her attackers. She rubbed at the scar on her arm. He’d saved her twice, once from the initial attack, and then after she’d been kidnapped. He truly was her knight in shining armor, and now she was going to get to marry him. A smile blossomed on her face, and she pressed her palms against her cheeks. Life didn’t get much better than this.
Chapter Three
Mason was nervous, and he was never nervous. Of course, this was the first time he’d come home wounded.
He shut off the radio as he exited the Five Freeway, and took the side streets that led him to the home he shared with Sophia and Billy. His shoulder throbbed, and it pissed him off. He loved it when she launched herself into his arms, and he carried her into their bedroom. If he did it tonight, he’d probably tear the stitches. Dammit! He’d have to tell her about the injury right from the get-go. He hit the steering wheel hard.
“Fuck!” That had hurt. He had to remember not to use his right hand for a few days.
He had no idea how she was going to take it. They never really had a deep dark discussion about the dangers of his job. Sophia seemed to take it in stride, and that was enough for him. What happened if this changed things?
Fuck. Are my palms actually wet?
He and the guys always said they would only want to be with women who understood their need to be SEALs. Their need to serve their country and the fact it included going on dangerous missions. He always assumed Sophia was that kind of woman because she had handled it so well when he left in the past. But what if this injury changed things? Mason couldn’t imagine a life not leading his SEAL team. But he couldn’t imagine a life without Sophia either.
This time, he used his left hand to massage the tense muscles in the back of his neck.
He made the last turn down the street to their house and pulled into the driveway. The door
flew open, and there she was. All of his worries temporarily flew out of his mind as he looked at the breathtaking woman who had agreed to marry him. She was wearing a yellow sundress that looked beautiful in the moonlight. She waited for him on the top stair of the side door at the kitchen, ready for the launch. Mason was slow getting out of his truck. He didn’t bother with his duffle; he’d get it in the morning. Sophia was practically vibrating with excitement and he grinned at her. But her smile dimmed as he walked slowly around the cab of the truck.
“Mason?” His name was a question.
“I’m all right.”
She moved faster than he had ever seen. In less time than it took to blink she was in front of him, looking up at him, her hands on his chest, and then cupping his cheeks.
“Mason, what happened? Should you have been driving? Do you need help getting inside?” He looked at her in amazement. There was no wailing, no censure, no histrionics, nope, nothing.
“I need a kiss. I need my welcome home kiss. I’m only sorry I won’t be able to carry you to our bedroom.”
He watched as she bit her lip. “I think I need our kiss more than I ever have before,” she said.
She stood on tiptoe, and he scooped her up with both arms, uncaring about the pain in his right shoulder. He needed to feel Sophia pressed against him. He was hungry for the taste of her, and he ravished instead of seduced. She trembled and forced himself to pull away.
“Too much?”
“Not enough. It’s never enough but tonight it’s worse.” Her green eyes were shiny, and it wasn’t just the reflection of the moon.
“I’m safe. I came back to you. I’ll always come back to you.”
Her head dipped down for a moment, and then she looked back at him. “I love you. And I need you, handsome.” She gave him a saucy grin. “And, since you can’t carry me does it mean I get to finally carry you?” Mason shouted with laughter.
“How about we race to the bedroom?” Sophia shot him a worried glance.
“It’s my shoulder, honey. I can race just fine. I’ll need some help getting out of my clothes. Are you willing to play nursemaid?”
A SEAL's Vigilant Heart (Midnight Delta Book 8) Page 2