Reborn

by Lynda Filler

  “Yes, Your Majesty Will there be anything else?”

  “Yes, the Prince insists that any additions to Ms. Sayyid’s security team should be women who have a working knowledge of Arabic. We can’t be too cautious with the level of terrorism in England this year.”

  She listened to a litany of concerns and complaints, and then the inevitable acquiescence from the Director of the Special Branch.

  18

  XAVI STOOD AT the hotel bar with his military buddies.

  “This is definitely going to be dangerous. But we’ve faced danger before, haven’t we?” The Prince watched his fiancée from across the great room. Her mother held her in a tight embrace; both women had tears in their eyes. Her father caught his eye, a tight smile that left no doubt that he was worried. He whispered something to his wife, then started walking toward Xavi.

  “Excuse me, guys.” The Prince met his father-in-law to be, at a window with a view to the sunset on the Caribbean. Sabrina’s father shook hands with the Prince. His smile was forced.

  “Do you have any idea what kind of trouble this will cause for both of you?”

  “Yes. I’m aware of the danger.”

  “Truthfully, I never thought it would get this far or that the Queen would allow it, Sir. But my daughter was brought up to be an independent thinker and she’s determined to be with you.” He looked away, his emotions controlled but his face rigid with worry.

  “Sir. I’m making preparations for everything. Contrary to what you may believe, I will not force Sabrina to change her religion, nor will she have to be married in the Church of England.”

  Mr. Sayyid turned toward the Prince of England.

  “Do you think I care a damn about religion? This is my daughter! I’m worried that the fanatics, the people she already lashes out at, will come for her. To them, this is the ultimate betrayal and the perfect excuse for an act of terror!”

  The Prince chose his words carefully.

  “Sir, with all due respect, I’ve spent the last ten years of my life fighting in the desert. I know the people, the good and the evil. I swear, I will protect your daughter with my life. As we speak, we are preparing to ensure her safety. I know you’re unaware of this, but from the moment I met your daughter, I knew she was the one. I immediately began to provide her with protective surveillance. I know she has no idea of the danger her chosen career has placed her in. I do. And I will not let anything happen to her. You have my word, sir.”

  The Prince, a man who would one day inherit the throne of England, put out his hand to the father of his future wife. Inside, he was praying for acceptance.

  Ahmed Sayyid took his hand and whispered, “If anything happens to my daughter…” Xavi broke in “It won’t, sir.”

  And Sayyid walked away.

  Sabrina watched her father’s tense interaction with Xavi. She knew this would happen, but she was moving forward regardless of what her family thought. Yes, her life now put her in danger but as a television celebrity, she was too high-profile to be attacked. Nevertheless, the Prince had taken the last few months to teach her weapons training. And she’d taken it upon herself to study defense tactics with SAS-trained women in a private facility in Chelsea. She was physically prepared, emotionally wary; and contrary to what everyone thought, she knew what she was getting into when she fell for Xavi. But she scoffed at the danger. She lived in Britain after all, not some city in the Middle East where dangerous antiquated Sharia laws would mean she could be killed for walking around dressed like she was this evening, never mind marrying outside her faith.

  She turned back to her best friend Rosy and continued their conversation about designers and wedding gowns.

  19

  London, England

  “YES, THANKS. I never thought I’d pull the trigger myself, Zach, but you have to meet Sabrina. She’s—well, she’s something else.”

  Zach listened to his young protégé, the Prince of England. He couldn’t count how many evenings they’d spent ten years ago in the sandbox, talking tactical stuff, comparing training procedures. This kid was SEAL material, but the Brits would never let him out of their sight. Still, they went out on joint missions and this kid was a pro.

  “So, are you getting married in a helicopter?”

  “Very funny, Zach. In our family, we have ‘traditions’ to uphold!”

  “Right, my friend. If I remember correctly, Ms. Sabrina Sayyid is not only Lebanese but also a Muslim. Your grandmother must be concerned.”

  “She was more concerned that I would never marry. She couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t get serious with anyone I dated. But look, I’ve got a real challenge here. Sabrina has to have full-time coverage until we are married. Protocol allows for protection, but not the kind she will have once we get married. I need help, Zach. I recall a conversation we had many years ago about a Middle Eastern woman, whose name I can’t recall.”

  The Prince hesitated. No matter how secure the lines might be, he was a pro and he knew better than to mention names.

  “I seem to remember that she spoke Arabic fluently and was very efficient. As a matter of fact, in your estimation she was incomparable.”

  Zach listened. Xavi was putting him in an untenable situation. Raven would flip, and Samaar—she was in Paris and retired, according to her. But how could he say no to the future King of England?

  “This is extremely complicated. What’s the timeline?”

  “Yesterday would be great, but tomorrow works too.”

  They laughed, both knowing that what the other was asking was personal and may stretch the boundaries of friendship. But, as Zach recalled, Xavi had always had his back. And having a Prince of England owe you one, was never a bad thing.

  “Let me make some phone calls. Is there another way to reach you?”

  “Yes, I’m calling on an encrypted cell from Special Branch, but my previous cell is equally secure.” Xavi read off the number, Zach entered it and waited.

  “Zach, I know this might sound weird, but does she have a friend?”

  “As in girlfriend?”

  “No.” The Prince laughed.

  “You mean another woman of similar skill-set?”

  “Yes.”

  “Possibly. Let me talk to Raven. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

  20

  Somewhere Over the Atlantic Ocean

  LUKE RAVEN PUSHED his prematurely graying hair off his forehead and tried to concentrate on a report on his computer. His mind kept wandering. The captain came on and announced they’d be leaving Seattle in ten minutes. He returned to his reading when his iPad pinged that he had an incoming FaceTime call.

  “Bonjour, oncle Luke.” A mini Samaar with brown hair and huge eyes smiled at Luke.

  “Bonjour, ma petite chou!”

  “Luke, I am not a cabbage!” A defiant little pout glared into the screen.

  “Hah, what are they teaching you at your school? It means, my sweetheart.”

  Alice looked to Maggs for reassurance.

  “Luke’s right, Alice, but the school is teaching the important words to you. And this is what we call slang, or colloquialism.”

  “Coll que?”

  “I see you’re already mixing English, Spanish, and French. Good for you, Alice. One day, I’m sure your mother will teach you Hebrew and Arabic.”

  Six-and-a-half-year-old Alice smiled at a man she knew and loved. She wasn’t certain how he fit into her life when the teacher talked to them about family.

  “Luke.”

  “Oui, Alice.”

  “You are my family, but what kind of family?” He could hear Maggs laughing in the background and Samaar muttering ‘dysfunctional’, a word Luke was certain Alice would pick up on.

  “What’s dis que, Auntie Maggs?”

  “Not important, my sweet. Say goodnight to Uncle Luke and you are off to bed.”

  “Bonsoir, Luke.” Alice smacked her little hand against her lips sending kisses. Luke responded in kind
. Visions of another little girl, long gone, roared into his mind.

  “Bonsoir, Alice.” Before she closed the iPad, Luke spoke up. “Maggs, will you tell Luci I’m calling her right now?”

  “Sure.” Maggs looked over at Luci. Her face was impassive.

  “Luci. How are you?” Luke could feel the force of the supersonic plane he’d helped develop with Boeing for the US Military. He always insisted his own pilots fly the prototypes he’d worked on before they were actually in use or went into production.

  “Good, Luke, we’re all doing well.” Luci wandered into a reinforced den that Raven had built as a safe room, a place incapable of penetration by listening devices or weapons. If anyone held the technology for the latest in protection, it was the Raven Group. If Luke wished to speak with her, it would be important and most likely not personal. She’d sent a clear message when she’d decided to move her daughter and make a normal life in Paris. There would be no opportunity for love, and she could wean herself of the desire for a relationship with Luke. Still, without Luke’s help and protection, they might not be alive. She did owe him, and if she was honest with herself, she still loved him.

  “I’m on my way.”

  “What?”

  “I need to speak with you. We have some things to discuss that are best said in person. Anyways, I’m testing a new prototype.”

  Samaar surprised herself at how excited she felt to see Luke again. It had been a very long time since she’d returned from Cape Town and settled into a ‘normal’ life in Paris. If you didn’t count her defense classes, her walk-in vault filled with military-grade weaponry, and the special forces training that she shared with Maggs on a daily basis, you might mistake her for a beautiful single mother with money and a very quiet life. Or possibly she and her constant companion were a same-sex couple.

  “Okay. I suppose you will be in Paris in a couple of hours—if it’s the same equipment you discussed with me last time I was in Anacortes.”

  “Yes. We’ll have a glass of wine before you go to bed.”

  Luke saying ‘wine’ and ‘bed’ in the same sentence had her squirming. Maggs had wandered into the safe room and heard the last sentence of their conversation. She tried to keep a straight face until Samaar closed her cell phone.

  “Hah! I think I need to look for another partner for tomorrow’s training!”

  “Cut it out, Maggs! There is nothing between Luke Raven and me and you know it.”

  “Except a whole lot of lust!” They both burst out laughing.

  Three hours later, Maggs was in the kitchen preparing fresh quiche and warming up French bread. She opened a bottle of fine French wine and let it breathe. Samaar released the door locks when her security advised that Raven had arrived.

  “Samaar. You look very different in person.” He studied her face and liked what he saw. He tried to keep his mind off her body.

  “What do you think?” Luci’s face had taken time to fully settle into its new shape but the softened lines if possible, only made her more beautiful in Luke’s eyes.

  “I would not connect you at all to your past.” Her eyes were the same magnificent jade with a hint of ethnicity. Facial recognition wouldn’t connect the two. He wasn’t sure about the shoulder length auburn hair, but really, it wouldn’t matter what Luci did. For him, she would always be exotic and sensual.

  “Are you sure? My life depends on it.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Come into our cozy den. We can talk there.”

  “Hi, Luke. We’ve missed you!” Maggs pulled Raven into a hug, he returned the gesture. Both of them knew that it was Samaar he longed to hold, but as always, she remained cool in Luke’s presence.

  “I’ve prepared food and drink.”

  “I like your new look, Maggs. The short spiky blond cut suits you.”

  Maggs seemed uncertain how to react to Raven’s compliment. She smiled and touched her hair self-consciously.

  “Thanks.”

  He looked around the home. He admired the antique touches, the eclectic mix of cultures and styles, the finishing touches Samaar had used to make it a home. It was strong and feminine at the same time. The tall antique windows were really replicas made of steel and bulletproof one-way glass, the latest technology. This home, from the front door to the roof, could withstand an RPG attack. Everything that Luke had developed in military armaments and technology was built into this home. He’d never discussed any of it with Samaar. But he’d be damned before he would allow this woman and her child to be attacked again. He’d lost his first wife and daughter in a diving attack in the Bahamas. This was as close as he’d ever allowed himself to be a part of a family since then.

  They drank wine and caught up on RB, who was still holding the fort in Anacortes. Mining the internet for anything out of the ordinary for the Raven Group and looking after their teams working for different corporations or governments out in the field.

  “We’re in Syria. Although some of the WMD were destroyed, many had been moved out before the UN could get to them. And the Syrian royal family are up to their old tricks, although they are less obvious since the King died in his sleep.” The room stilled, and Luke avoided looking directly at the agent Luci.

  “They’re bombing Damascus; even the women and children. And there’s still no sign of Rasha’s husband or her brother. It seems they’ve disappeared. Initially we thought they were dead, but intelligence is telling us they may be in a neighboring country at work on the same deadly projects. Indentured scientists. It was a good thing he had prepared Rasha or I’m sure she’d be dead—or worse, captured to use as security to keep her husband in line.”

  The room took on a somber tone. Would the craziness of the world never stop?

  “Zach sends his love. He finally got his other brother David to retire from the SEALs, but it seems he’s busy with a girl in Puerto Vallarta. He’ll get bored and come in when Zach feels the time’s right. Speaking of bored…how are you girls handling retirement?”

  Luci looked away from Luke, and Maggs rolled her eyes. They both answered at the same time. “We’re good.”

  All three of them laughed.

  “But Luke. I’m known as Samaar now. I like being Samaar, Alice’s mom. I left Luci when we arrived in Paris.”

  Luke sighed deeply. He understood the pull of the life they led. Before the death of his family, he was also incapable of retiring from the life of protector of the United States of America. In her heart, Luci would not be able to say no, also.

  “I respect that. But I have a special request from a very important person. Look, Samaar, I know how worried you get about Alice, so RB is on his way, and Lorena will arrive here from Mexico first thing in the morning. We need Luci to help us out here.”

  “You think you know us so well, Luke. You assume, whatever it is, we will agree!”

  “Yes. I do.”

  Luci looked over at Maggs who was smirking.

  “So, what’s up?”

  “Prince George Xavier of England is about to announce his engagement to the world.”

  “Okay. What’s that got to do with the Raven Group?”

  “He’s marrying Sabrina Sayyid, the Muslim journalist.”

  “No.” Luci and Maggs were shocked. “That’s crazy!” She started pacing. “The Queen of England approves?”

  “She had no choice. Look, Zach called me—he and the Prince are friends. That’s why I’m here. I will handle the operation from Paris.”

  “What operation?” Maggs was intrigued.

  “It seems Ms. Sayyid requires female protection, the very best available and the Prince insists the women speak Arabic. The Monarchy has its restrictions on what it can provide at this point in their relationship.”

  Luci and Maggs looked at each other.

  “Babysitting is not our thing, Luke, you know that.”

  “Well, here’s where it gets interesting. There are rumors coming out of the Middle East that something big is planned ag
ainst Britain. Something bigger than the London Bridge terrorist attack, something more dangerous and riskier than the Manchester bombing, more attention-grabbing than anything that has gone before.”

  The three sat in silence.

  “RB is listening to all the chatter. The Americans are sharing their intelligence with us and with the Brits. If the Prince hadn’t called us in, I think we would have been brought in by British Special Branch. We’ve done joint missions before. That’s how Zach met Xavi. They were hunting Osama bin Laden.”

  Luke studied the parquet floor, picturing the construction updates he’d demanded on a daily basis. He looked around the room, giving the women a chance to digest his words. He had made certain the latest technology monitoring system was installed. Someone who wasn’t fully vetted, would not get within a block of this property. Access to the international facial recognition security databases meant that every person who wandered down this lane had been vetted or stopped; and better have a very good reason for being here.

  “They will announce their engagement at 4:00 pm tomorrow. We expect the crazies will come out in force. The Prince is more aware than Ms. Sayyid, although her father seems to have a strong idea of the consequences of the Monarchy joining in matrimony with a Muslim woman. She is not converting, by the way.”

  “No way!” Luci was shocked. She remembered the scandal when her relationship with the Arab journalist was exposed. The Israeli government did everything to keep them apart.

  “What exactly do you need us to do?” Maggs looked more than eager for a challenge.

  “You guard her, discreetly. We have a list of potential suspects that we feel are capable of doing Sabrina harm. If they can kill her as a fiancée to the Prince of England, and with the security of the best of the best protecting her, ISIL will have sent a terrifying message to the world that no one is safe.”