by Bella Juarez
“What?” Anna slurred.
“Would you like to see your husband?” The angel smiled.
“I would love to see my husband. Is he here?” Anna asked dreamily.
Marc? Marc is here! How? Anna tried to comprehend what was happening. She knew something wasn’t right. For some reason she knew Marc shouldn’t be here but couldn’t remember why. She was trying to think, but blackness kept taking over. Anna felt Marc’s gentle touch on her upper cheek. She melted because Marc was such a gentle soul. He always touched her as if she were a delicate piece of spun glass. Anna fought the blackness that threatened to envelop her once more. She had to see Marc.
* * * *
“Okay, Captain O’Malley. She’ll be drifting in and out for a while. She’ll be here for another hour and we’ll get her into ICU,” the nurse said to Jack
The nurse left Jack and Anna alone. He noticed a bruise had formed on Anna’s cheek. He guessed it was where she’d fallen after being shot. He always felt responsible every time someone placed under his command had been injured, or worse, killed. But, they were SEALs and other special forces. Those members of his group understood the risks they were taking. This was doubly painful because Anna hadn’t signed up to be in harm’s way and he’d promised her that he would keep her safe. In a rare display of emotion, Jack reached and gently touched the bruise. Anna’s eyes fluttered open.
“Marc?” Anna whispered.
Jack quickly withdrew his hand as if he’d touched fire. He knew the name. Marc was the name of Anna’s dead husband. Jack involuntarily closed his eyes at the pain that shot through him. He knew physical pain, but this was different. It was a hurt that went deeper than anything he’d ever known.
“No, Anna, it’s me Jack,” he whispered.
Jack looked away for a moment. The nurse returned and asked him if he wanted a chair so that he could wait with Anna until she was moved to her room. He watched her sleeping quietly and took a deep breath.
“No. She doesn’t even know I’m here.” Jack turned and left.
Chapter 27
Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas
Trauma Intensive Care Unit
August 22, 2008/1322 Zulu
Jack watched Anna sleep and had even managed a cat nap after she’d been brought into the ICU. He tried to leave and stay away. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became with himself. What kind of SEAL was he? He decided no fucking ghost was keeping him from what he wanted.
While he watched Anna sleep, Jack considered all the devious ways he would make her forget Marc ever existed. Instead, he focused on getting her healthy enough to take home. The staff tried to tell him he couldn’t stay, but he wouldn’t be dissuaded. He very concisely informed them not only was he staying, but they might want to find him a more comfortable chair, or else. He closed his eyes again and tried to relax.
* * * *
Anna woke in a dark room surrounded by machines and IV poles. As she turned her head to try and get her bearings, she felt a jolt of pain run through her body. She blinked and saw someone who she knew to be familiar sleeping in a chair next to her bed. She couldn’t move her right arm because she was tied to something. She closed her eyes again and fought the confusion and fear that threatened to send her into full panic.
What’s going on? Anna’s mind was muddled and she felt strange. She just knew this was a nightmare and wished she could wake up but didn’t dare try to move because the pain was unbearable. She focused on the person sleeping in the chair. He was wearing a dark blue T-shirt and jeans. This man was so familiar. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, attempting to control her fear when she heard someone come into the room. Her fear began to spiral out of control again. Why am I so afraid? It’s okay, breathe. Just calm the hell down.
Anna focused on the sleeping man in order to control herself. She was reassured when he opened his eyes and looked at the unknown visitor. She concentrated on the man watching the visitor move in the room. She felt a slight pressure in her left arm.
“I’ll give her some more pain meds. Her blood pressure is going up pretty fast,” the visitor’s voice said behind her.
The man in the chair looked at Anna and smiled. He had gentle green eyes. Jack!
Anna wanted to smile. How could she ever forget Jack? She continued looking to him for reassurance and tried to speak.
“Anna?” Jack asked.
The visitor came around and smiled also.
“Good morning, angel!” a tanned, muscular, blond-haired, blue-eyed man greeted her.
Anna stared at these two men. She was confused again but not fearful anymore. The blond man left and Anna continued staring at Jack. She heard shuffling behind her and suddenly felt very sleepy. She relaxed and gave in to a very warm and comfortable sleep.
* * * *
Alex walked in to check monitors as well as medications. He looked at his sleeping boss and smiled.
Jesus Christ! Married? Jack? To, of all women, the geeky computer babe! What a pair! Although, when I took off her clothes, she had a hell a figure—curvy in all the right places.
Alex shook his head, trying to lose the image of Anna in the red dress she’d worn to the JCS chairman’s reception. He went through the routine of checking the chart and monitors once more. Alex never figured Jack would do what he’d done yesterday in the ER. That was the Rock. He never did what anyone expected. Alex looked at Anna’s sleeping face. Damn! Without the glasses, she’s pretty cute. Alex watched Anna’s chest rise and fall. Yup, curvy in all the right places. He started to chuckle.
“What the hell are you laughing at?” Jack asked without opening his eyes.
“Nothing.” Doc turned more serious.
Alex walked to the bed, sat on the edge, and gently traced Anna’s cheek with his fingers. Latin blood did her justice. Anna had perfect light olive skin. He recalled her doe-shaped dark brown eyes and how she’d smiled at him when she took the seat next to him at the reception. Her skin seemed to glow that night. She was soft, Alex noted, as she responded to his touch. He was trying to gently rouse her so he could take her temperature. Rousing Anna was starting to arouse him.
Alex could see himself lying next to Anna, his hands running over those curves and kissing her awake. Her big brown eyes looking passionately at him, wanting him to finish what he was starting. Alex could almost feel that luscious, curvy body moving against him, those hips gently moving up and down. He would reach down and grab that nice perfect ass and fuck her senseless.
Whoa! Shit! You’re supposed to be a professional here! Get a grip, man! She’s the geeky computer chick, remember? And she’s in a freaking ICU bed. She ain’t in no shape for this fantasy! Alex scolded himself. Lack of sleep and a long dry spell was starting to get to him. Alex took the thermometer from the basket attached to the blood pressure monitor.
“Hey, angel, wake up,” Alex said gently. He frowned as he felt her cheeks and forehead. Anna was hot and not in a good way. She was very hot to the touch. She briefly opened her eyes. “I need to take your temperature, open up.”
Anna complied and fell promptly asleep. Jack was roused because Alex’s concern was almost tangible. They’d learned over the years to read each other and their team members without saying a word. Jack knew something was wrong. Alex read the concern on Jack’s face.
“She’s running a fever. It could be from the pain of the trauma. It’s pretty normal. Hopefully she’s not getting an infection. I’ll have the nurses call her doctor so he can order some lab work,” Alex said.
Jack stood to leave. “I need to go see Mac and Whiskey.”
Chapter 28
Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
US Naval Special Warfare Group Five
Office of the Commander
August 22, 2008/1351 Zulu
Jack’s staff who had been summoned was waiting when he walked into his office. He was tired and now had a nagging feeling that his whole world was about to take a turn for the worse. Rafe s
tood and met him at the door.
“How is she, Rock?” Rafe asked.
“Alive,” Jack said shortly.
Rafe sat down again. The look on Jack’s face left no doubt this would be a bad day. He took a look at his key men.
“Status,” Jack said sharply.
“There were fifteen non-Special Warfare Group personnel in the hangar at the time of the incident, Captain. All the detainees were interviewed and let go, sir. We had no reason to hold them because they all came back clean. We are, however, keeping them under surveillance. Mac and I had the civilians and other personnel who aren’t ours moved from the building and have restricted this area. The base commander is a little pissed, Rock. But he didn’t give me any grief. I told him we would be running readiness exercises that were classified. Base IT Support is the only real problem right now. They had to be relocated to Brooks,” Rafe said.
“NCIS is here, Captain. They have what seems to be the weapon involved in this incident in their possession. They were able to lift one print from the weapon and are running it as we speak. They’re still evaluating the crime scene,” Mac said.
Jack recalled walking past three SEALs when he entered the building a short time ago. He glowered at Mac and turned to Lieutenant Gamez, his communications security officer. The young lieutenant sat upright and swallowed hard.
“We’ve got a problem, Captain,” Lieutenant Gamez said. Jack closed his eyes and threw his head back, saying nothing as he waited for Lieutenant Gamez to continue. “The surveillance video has been hacked and erased for the time of the incident.”
Lieutenant Gamez shifted uneasily in his chair.
“Captain, we’re working on trying to recover what was lost, sir. We’re checking all the backups. Whoever hacked the system knew where to look. NCIS is flying in a communications forensic expert from DC, sir,” Lieutenant Gamez said.
“Fuck! Lieutenant, get me an ID. I don’t need to tell you this is critical, do I?” Jack swore as he got up from the table.
“No, sir,” Lieutenant Gamez said.
Jack leaned on the back of the chair he’d been sitting in. “Guys, what the fuck happened here? How in the hell did someone with a weapon walk in here and shoot the computer chick? And how in the hell did they walk back out?” he asked, looking around the table.
Jack remembered the message Anna was supposed to send to Chief Brooks.
“Montgomery! Get in here!” Jack roared.
Steve hobbled hurriedly into the captain’s office.
“Yes, sir,” Petty Officer Montgomery snapped.
“There was a message yesterday. Anna left it for you. Did you send it out?” Jack asked sharply. He watched as Steve’s face drained of its color.
“Yes, sir. She did leave a message for Chief Brooks. I haven’t seen it since, sir,” Steve said.
“Oh my God. All right, Steve. That’s all,” Jack said, resuming his seat.
Steve slowly left the unnaturally quiet office. Jack looked around the table. He was done, and he had to get them out of his office so he could think.
“You’re all dismissed,” Jack said.
One by one they left the office, Gamez being the last one. Jack was sitting staring at the wall. The young lieutenant was taking his time leaving and kept looking at Jack.
“What is it, Lieutenant?” Jack snapped.
“Sir, I didn’t want to say anything in front of the others, and I am by no means accusing anyone of anything, but…” Lieutenant Gamez said, slowly closing the door.
“What are you trying to tell me?” Jack asked, sitting up.
“One of the backups was recovered. We were at it all night, recovering data from the surveillance servers. After this Sunday, Anna and I started to do some more layering in the systems, different servers and stuff. I started doing a lot more redundancies in the systems. I asked for the forensic expert to enhance the video. It was from a bad angle. But the shot did catch someone with something, sir.” Dan looked away.
“Go on, Lieutenant.”
“I didn’t want to say anything because the way the systems were hacked, as well as the cyberattack this past weekend, it’s like an inside job, Captain. I don’t want to believe it, sir.”
“I don’t want to either, Dan. But I think you’re right. Don’t tell anyone else about this, understood? Let everyone believe you got nothing right now, got that?”
“Yes, sir. And I’m sorry about holding out until now.”
“You did the right thing,” Jack reassured him
The young lieutenant turned to leave and Jack called out before he could open the door.
“As soon as you have an ID, if I’m not around, tell Mac. You call me, and you and Mac take a small team, no more than four, and go after the asshole that did this. I want them alive and able to talk,” Jack said.
“Yes, sir.” Lieutenant Gamez turned to leave the office.
Jack walked to the door and called in Petty Officer Montgomery. Steve walked into his office and stood at attention.
“Relax, Friday. Sit down,” Jack said, taking a seat. Steve remained standing. “Steve, sit.”
Petty Officer Montgomery sat down stiffly in the chair across from his boss.
“What happened, Steve?” Jack asked.
“My lack of attention to detail, sir.”
Jack had used those same words to Dixie when his mission in Bosnia had failed.
“Why didn’t you follow procedure and lock up the message?” Jack asked.
“I heard the gunshot and didn’t think about securing my work space. It was dereliction on my part, sir.”
“We’re fighting something that’s very different than what we’re trained for. This is an enemy we can’t see because of the way they operate. They were able to sneak up on us this time. We can’t let this happen again,” Jack said quietly.
Steve said nothing. He returned his stare at the desk in front of him. Jack opened his desk drawer and looked for the copy that Anna had left him to review. It was still in the folder where he’d left it the day before. Thank God.
“Here, this is a copy. Get it out before you do anything else and see if you can recover the original. Do you understand?” Jack asked.
There was no need to chew on this one. Petty Officer Montgomery knew he’d made a huge mistake. And just as Dixie had done with him, Jack knew he didn’t need to drive the point home any further. He let go. Petty Officer Montgomery did not move right away.
“Sir, I would like to request that you relieve me of my post. I couldn’t even follow my first general order. This is serious, Captain. A fucking seaman recruit could’ve done better. Sir.” Steve choked.
“If that’s the case, Friday, I should be kicked out of the Navy for all the general orders I didn’t follow. No, I’m not relieving you of anything. You will move on and you will not make this mistake again. It’s done. Let’s just fix it as best we can.”
“Sir, I would like to be re—”
“That’ll be all, Petty Officer, get back to work. You can make up for all of this by following my orders. I need that message gone before anything else happens.”
“Yes, sir,” Steve said, taking the folder, slowly hobbling out of the office.
Jack leaned back into his large leather chair. What he needed was a long workout and some sleep. He heard the phone ring in the outside office, and Steve answered. He paid no attention as he thought about all the mistakes he’d made since this whole thing started. Friday walked into Jack’s office and he acknowledged him silently.
“Sir, a Colonel Jackson just called from the 1427th Comm Group, out at Lackland. He said he needed to talk to you ASAP about Anna. Under the circumstances, Skipper, I told him you would return the call,” Steve said.
“Say what?”
“Colonel Jackson, sir.”
“What exactly did you tell him?”
“Nothing, sir, I told him you would return his call.”
“What the hell is going on? How in the hell did Jackson f
ind out about this?” Jack whispered. Steve said nothing as he awaited further instructions. “Okay, Friday. If he calls back tell him you gave me the message and I’ll call back as soon as I can.”
“Aye, Captain.” Steve left the office.
Jack felt as if the walls were closing in on him. Everything seemed to be happening at once. He had to think and think fast. Rafe decided he needed the next conference.
“Rock, I just got a call from Colonel Jackson, Anna’s boss. He’s really pissed. He says he got a call about seven thirty last night from base ops. They received a call from BAMC, informing him that Anna was in the hospital and they needed to reach her next of kin.” Jack said nothing as he stared at the wall. Rafe stood waiting.
“What’s going on with her, Rock?” Rafe asked.
Jack turned his head slightly, giving Rafe the first indication that he’d even heard him.
“What did you tell him?” Jack asked.
“I told him I was on leave yesterday and knew nothing. He said he tried to call you. I told him you were on leave today and would be back on Monday. He gave me his personal cell number. He wants to talk to you in a bad way, Rock.” Jack leaned back into his chair and returned his stare to the wall. “Do you want me to call him back? What do you want me to say?”
“No, I’ll call him. I’m just not doing it right now. There’s no avoiding telling him what happened. He obviously knows,” Jack said.
“Do we even know what happened?”
“No, we don’t. But Anna’s not safe yet and the less people know the better.”
“Someone’s identified her as a threat. And you and I know they’re probably not done with her yet.”
Chapter 29
Randolph Air Force Base, Texas