As he gathered the information he received from Master Gunnery Sergeant Calico, the man whom Mercury took his orders from while active in the Corp was keeping them abreast of the situation. All the necessary branches were notified, and special teams were gathered, preparing to intervene and raid the facility where the missile had been built and stored. They were just waiting to hear who would be raiding the highly secure facility where Shawna was being held.
They had no idea if Keith was already there or making his way in to infiltrate the building and try to save his sister. It was getting close to sunset and they were running out of time.
He glanced at Lee, who looked serious and charged up. He and Keith were the closest.
“I wish they would give the order already. We’ve looked over the blueprints of the building. We can take this on ourselves if need be,” Lee stated. Lee was the planner, the one who decided how and where they would enter, how they would complete the mission. A lot rode on his natural capabilities. He had the Jeeps set in position, and a chopper on standby for a swift escape if things got out of hand on the compound. A lot of planning was involved in this.
“We need to wait. It’s the way it has to be. Although it seems to me that their greatest concern is that missile. Shawna being held hostage is minimal,” Tiek stated. They all mumbled in agreement.
Mercury looked at Tex, who held his weapon and glanced at his watch. He was the sniper of the group. Quiet, soft spoken, over six feet tall, and a superb marksman. Known as one of the best snipers in the Corps. He knew where he was to go, what position to take, and how to kill the first sets of guards quietly as the rest of the team snuck their way in. Then there was Stitch. A fast talker, the comedian of the group, and also their medic. He was swift to aid any injuries, evaluate the intensity, and then proceeded to provide medical attention sometimes in the most unclean and dangerous of locations.
Tiek was their infiltrator, their hand-to-hand combat psycho who feared absolutely nothing. He was a wrecking machine at six feet three, filled with muscles, agility, and a sole purpose to invade, destroy, and make sure his team all left the mission together and in one piece. He was intimidating, had a deep, rugged voice, and wild, untamed hair to his shoulders. Mercury knew each man was an asset to the team.
They were used to one another and could read each other’s thoughts to the point that hand signals sometimes weren’t even necessary.
Mercury’s radio went off and he looked at his men as he answered the call from Calico.
“It’s a no-go on the building. Teams are moving into the facility where the missile is now. The acts of possible terrorism are taking precedence over Keith’s sister. I’m sorry, Mercury, but these are the orders.”
“What the fuck, Calico? How can they stand by and let Keith and his sister die? Keith is the one who busted this whole operation wide open.”
“I understand and I agree, but these are the orders. They’re not sending a team in there right away. Eventually, yes, but right now, no. The word is that Montoya and Guazipan aren’t even in the facility or where Keith’s sister is being held.”
“And Chavez?”
“No clue.”
“Great. We can’t just sit here and do nothing. Keith is part of our team. He called us and asked us for help.”
Calico was silent as Mercury looked at his brothers-in-arms. “Do what you need to do. I know nothing.” The radio cut off.
Mercury looked at his men. “Well?” he asked them.
“Fuck it. Let’s go in. Keith needs us and so does Shawna,” Stitch stated.
Mercury felt his chest tighten. This was going against the rules, but considering they were all technically retired from the military, and they were off US soil, who gave a shit.
“Okay, our last mission, men. Be smart, and don’t get killed,” Mercury said.
Tiek chuckled. “Ain’t planning on it, Gunnery Sergeant. We’re all going home to the ranch with an extended family.”
* * * *
Keith hid behind the building. So far, so good. No one had detected him. He had watched the compound for a day and a night, noting how food was brought to a small building at the far corner of the compound. That was where they had to be holding Shawna. He checked his weapon and the silencer. If he could get in there, take out the guards, and then get her out without causing too much commotion, then maybe they would make it out alive.
As he crept down the side building, keeping his back to the wall, he heard voices. There was some commotion going on in Spanish. He understood certain words. The dialect was different than what he was familiar with. There was a raid. Something was happening at the facility. Keith smirked, knowing that his team pulled through and got the information to the government to stop the potential terrorist attack. He had to move. Time was running out. Just as he rounded the corner, he saw men dragging Shawna across the courtyard. She appeared barely conscious and looked bloody and beaten.
His chest tightened. His sister had gone through hell. First as a child living in an abusive household and then as an adult struggling to make ends meet and trying to secure her degree for a better life. He came to see her when he could. He taught her as much as he could about protecting herself and preparing for the unexpected. But this was different. This was insane, and he wished he had never let on to anyone about her existence.
He thought of his team. The men were good men. If something happened to him, he hoped they would follow his instructions and protect Shawna and keep her safe. His chest tightened. That was if he could get her out of this hellhole alive.
He took a deep breath. He’d die for her. It was his fault that she was here. He needed to save her. It was now or never.
When he went to make a move, sirens blared, gunshots echoed through the night. His team was there.
* * * *
Shawna could hear the commotion and knew that something was happening. Was her brother coming to rescue her? She understood bits and pieces of what these men, her captors, were saying. Something about invasion or fight, the military, the United States, and a missile. She had no idea what was happening.
She was nearly to the point of wanting to die. Cuadrone had taken a liking to her body. He touched her, caressed her breasts, and squeezed her groin hard as he asked her questions about her brother. For days he tormented her, tried breaking her down to make her give up and give in. But she was a survivor. She had always been one, even as a child when her parents struck her. She survived on her own, in a shitty neighborhood filled with drug dealers and riffraff. She worked at the bar and dealt with drunk after drunk who thought because she served them drinks that she was fair game to take to bed.
Little did they know her tough attitude and experienced persona was all an act. Play the part and people believe it. She was quiet, compassionate, and yearned for love and to be loved deeply. She wasn’t even sure if she would recognize that kind of emotion. Especially now. She may never get a chance. She’d never dated, and wished she had. She never had sex, and now regretted it even if it was meaningless. At least she would know what it felt like to be taken and connected so fully.
She closed her eyes and held in the moan from the throbbing pain in her ribs. She wondered if they were broken.
She could hear Cuadrone yelling. He was giving orders. He was abusive, and she waited, knowing without a doubt in her mind that he would rape her. Fighting him off was not an option until that moment when she knew it was life or death. His or hers.
Guazipan shoved her to the ground in another small room. Her knees hit the dirt floor and she barely made a sound. The sting of pain was nothing compared to what she had been through thus far. She hated these men and wanted them to die.
Cuadrone grabbed her by her shirt, ripping the material.
“I’m going to love this,” he said in his thick accent, and then licked his lips as his eyes zeroed in on her abundant breasts. She was heaving with fear. It was becoming more difficult to take each breath because the trepidation was so f
ierce.
His eyes widened before he backhanded her across the mouth. She roared in anger, looked up, and she spit at him, hitting him on his lips. He wiped the spit away, smiling as he undid his belt.
The evil in his eyes warned her that she would suffer, but it seemed to her that that was his ultimate intention now anyway. Something was going on as the sirens continued to blare and gunshots were heard in the distance.
He stepped toward her, caressing the belt.
She attempted to crawl backward, the fear that he had chosen now to take her body made her adrenaline begin to rush. The weakness she had moments ago now turned to anger and disgust for this man and for the way she had been treated. He smoothed the belt across the palm of his hand as he stalked toward her, and she knew his intentions.
“What are you going to do? I’ve cooperated with you. What are you doing?”
He struck her with the belt. She put her arms up to protect her face and the sting lashed across her forearms. Again and again he struck her, breaking the skin as she cried out.
Her eyes locked on his gun as the other man, Guazipan, began to undo his pants. She shook with fear and Cuadrone fell to his knees, spread her thighs, and began to reach for the button on her shorts as he used his other hand to cup her breast and squeeze.
“No!” She screamed out and grabbed for the gun. Cuadrone grabbed for her throat and she fired the weapon at his chest. His eyes widened and Guazipan reached for his gun. She jerked as someone else shot him in the back of the head.
Looking at the doorway, she saw Keith.
“Keith!” she screamed out.
Cuadrone shoved his forearm to her throat, the gunshot wound not enough to kill the bastard. But then came the sound of more men entering the room, guns went off, and Keith fired back. Shawna pulled the trigger one, two, three times and shoved Cuadrone off of her. She looked for Keith and saw him and three men on the ground. Keith was bleeding, the other men appeared to be dead.
She crawled to him, grabbing his collar.
“Keith. Keith.”
He wouldn’t respond. She laid her head on his chest as the door burst open.
There stood two men in black, fully armed and huge in thickness and height. She reached for Keith’s gun.
“No, Shawna. We’re the good guys,” one of them yelled, but she pointed the gun at him, while the other one kept his straight on her. She could practically feel the red dot on her forehead as she locked gazes with an intimidating man in black and the large rifle pointed right at her. Her hand was shaking. But she didn’t pull the trigger.
Her hands shook, but she kept the gun on the man who knelt down and stared at her from behind the special gear he wore.
“Honey, we’re Keith’s team. He contacted us.”
She shook her head.
“Cubbyhole. Keith said the password was cubbyhole.”
The tears streamed down her face and she gasped as she lowered the gun and hugged Keith.
She felt the hand on her shoulder.
“Let me check him. I’m Lee, Keith’s friend. Behind me is Tiek.”
More gunfire could be heard beyond the room. There were explosions and then the one called Tiek placed his finger against his ear.
“Lee, we need to move. Is he alive?” Tiek asked.
“Just barely,” Lee said.
“You get her, I’ll get him,” Tiek stated and moved his gun to the side before reaching for Keith.
“Come on, Shawna, we’re getting out of here.” Lee reached for her hand and she looked at him. She was shaking so hard now.
The big guy lifted Keith up and over his shoulder like Keith was light as a feather.
Lee squeezed her hand, and then pulled her against his side. They came to the doorway, looked out, and made their way through the courtyard and away from the continued gunfire. It looked like a war zone. There were dead bodies everywhere. The thought that Keith’s team did all this to help to save him and her stirred something deep inside her heart. She owed them her life and her brother’s if he made it.
God, Keith, make it. I have no one if you die. No one.
“Get down!” Tiek yelled. Lee grabbed her and covered her as bullets ricocheted against the wall right above their heads. Bits of concrete showered over their heads and stung against her bare skin. She didn’t even care that she was only wearing her bra and shorts. She could die here. They all could.
“Fuck, that was too close for comfort. Now what?” Tiek asked.
Lee placed his finger against his ear. “Just wait five seconds.”
Shawna pressed against Lee, holding on to him for dear life as she wondered if she would survive. The scent of his cologne, the feel of hard body, masculine and capable, filled her senses. These men were Marines. They would save them.
A set of multiple shots rang through the air. Men yelled and screamed right before another explosion rocked the ground.
“Move, now,” Lee stated. Tiek led the way and Lee held Shawna tight, covering her like a human shield as they walked as one unit against the building and out of the area. She dared not look up. She concentrated on Tiek’s black combat boots and following closely and keeping up with their pace. They headed into the darkness, only the fire from the building’s blaze lighting some of the area ahead of them. Before long they were in complete darkness, and the smell of burning building became less and less.
Lee spoke into his mic.
“Got Shawna and Keith. I need Stitch immediately. Keith is down.”
They walked through some brush and woods-like area and came upon a Jeep she hadn’t even seen. How did these men know where they were and where the Jeep was?
Tiek lay Keith in the backseat then jumped into the front driver’s side.
“Come on, Shawna,” Lee told her as he lifted her up and held her in his arms in the front seat. She clung to him, her skin now cold and fully exposed. It wasn’t until they drove out of there and she saw the other two vehicles in the distance that she sensed the possibility they would survive.
The cold air collided against her skin and she turned into Lee’s embrace. He held her tight and caressed her hair as she cried.
* * * *
Lee glanced at Tiek, who looked angry, yet determined. They had heard what the one man was doing to Shawna and were preparing to enter when they saw a figure in black enter the room. Shots were fired, and then more men came barreling inside. He couldn’t help but wonder if Shawna had killed her attackers herself.
He held her close, immediately feeling protective over Shawna, not only because she was Keith’s sister, but also a beautiful woman who had been tortured and abused. She needed medical attention, too.
The Jeep jerked and bounced a few more times and they finally came to a stop.
“Leave the Jeeps here, someone will take care of them. We’re boarding the Mi-17. There’s a medic on standby along with Stitch. How is the woman?” Mercury asked.
She didn’t turn to look, and Lee felt her shivering in his arms. As he got out of the Jeep he locked gazes with his team members. “She needs medical attention, too.” Tiek was already carrying Keith to the chopper.
Lee didn’t want to let Shawna go but he passed her to Tex and they all got into the chopper. Lee pulled off his jacket the second they began to take off and wrapped it around her shoulders. “You’re safe now, Shawna. We’re going to take care of you, and Keith.”
Stitch was looking over Keith. There was blood everywhere. On Keith’s shoulder and over his belly. Stitch looked at them.
“How is he? Is he going to be okay?” Shawna asked, voice quivering.
Stitch ran his hands over his mouth. “It’s bad, Shawna. I don’t know if he’ll make it.”
Chapter 5
Keith was brought to a hospital near Dallas. There was a van waiting for them all when they exited the chopper.
“We’ll look over her injuries on the way,” Stitch said as he eyed the voluptuous woman in Lee’s arms.
They climbed in, all
having heavy hearts as their concern for Keith intensified. There was only so much Stitch could do for him on the way to the hospital. The bullet to his shoulder was still embedded. The one to his stomach was more serious and would entail major surgery if he didn’t bleed out before they could operate.
But Stitch now focused on Keith’s sister. She clutched the military jacket and remained against Lee. He locked gazes with Lee, who seemed not only taken aback by her need to cling to him but also had a look of possessiveness.
“Shawna, my name is Stitch. I’m the medic of the team.” He knelt down in front of her. He could see all the cuts and scratches on her legs, her ripped shorts, and how she wore no shirt. Her skin was bruised and battered, her face swollen and bloodied from being struck. It pissed him off and he needed to rein in his anger, knowing that they killed the fuckers responsible for this shit. Plus the other facility where the missile was located was under US control. The only negative was that Chavez was still missing. But at least the teams were able to catch and kill Montoya and Guazipan.
“Shawna, it’s okay, he knows the password, too. Keith told us to take care of you and protect you,” Lee whispered.
She slowly lifted her head. The jacket fell slightly from her shoulders, revealing more bruises and a ripped bra. He took a deep breath and gave her a reassuring smile. At least he hoped it was reassuring.
Her eyes darted to the others.
“That’s Tex, he held you in the chopper. The other one is our team leader, Gunnery Sergeant Mercury.” Stitch gently touched his fingers to her chin. She looked at him, one eye swollen, her cheek and jaw badly bruised, but it was her ribs that appeared to be the worst.
“You’re going to need X-rays. We’ll have the doctors check you over at the hospital, too. What hurts the worst?” he asked her.
She lifted her arms, showing him her forearms and the lines of red marks.
“What did this?” he asked.
The American Soldier Collection 9: Password to Her Heart (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 4