by Kariss Lynch
Micah’s voice broke his reverie. “Think she’ll actually give up the big fish if we catch her? She was one of the coldest targets I’ve ever come across when we saw her in that bungalow in the jungle. I’d never seen someone so icy.” He studied Nick. “Although . . . ” His cheeky grin was back in place. “You come pretty close when something ticks you off. I usually know when to steer clear.”
“Did you just compare my anger issues to a known terrorist?”
“If the shoe fits.”
“Harsh, Bulldog. Harsh.”
“Now, see, that’s the look I’m talking about. Like you want to kill me.”
Nick smirked. “Don’t tempt me.”
Micah pulled a black-capped pen out of his pocket. “How many ways could you kill me with this?”
Colt tipped his Angels baseball cap up from his eyes across from them where he’d been dozing. “Twenty-three,” he answered. “Want me to demonstrate?” His eyes held that crazy streak he got right before he did something stupid. Nick blamed his hippie upbringing. He didn’t doubt this kid could deliver.
Micah tossed Colt the pen and the rest of the team came alert, eager to see what the team daredevil would do next.
“The easiest and most obvious way would be to shove it through someone’s jugular, making sure to hit the major artery in the process.” Colt uncapped the pen. “Like so.” In one quick move, he aimed the pen at Logan’s throat and with incredible speed moved in for his faux kill.
Matching his speed, Logan’s hand came up and grabbed Colt’s wrist, turning the pen and pinning Colt’s arm in a position where the point now faced Colt’s neck.
The team roared with laughter as Logan offered Colt a cheeky grin. “Never try to trick a dad while he’s sleeping. I’m used to nightly attacks from arms much shorter than yours.” He patted Colt on the cheek before letting him go. Colt’s tan skin deepened to a brownish shade of red.
“Smooth move, dude. You’ll have to teach me that sometime.”
Logan settled back against his seat crossing his arms over his chest and closing his eyes again. “I can’t give away all my secrets. Time to get some shut-eye, men. Who knows how much sleep we’ll get on this mission.”
Nick watched as one by one his teammates fell asleep. Exhaustion tugged at his eyelids, and his mind wandered back to the beginning of his SEAL career in BUD/S, where he first learned the life skill of sleeping wherever he could, whenever he could. He gave in to the urge and closed his eyes while his mind wandered. The drone of the plane lulled him to nostalgia, and he remembered the way he felt the first time he met Kaylan.
Sarah Beth and Kaylan were out on the lake in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, riding the family jet skis. Kaylan pulled a quick figure eight in the water, spraying Sarah Beth with white foam, her musical laugh echoing over the engine. Kaylan’s hair hung limp in a ponytail and a few strands draped over her eyes. Her freckles stood in stark contrast and her cheeks tinged a faint pink from her day in the sun. Her joy washed over him, brightening the summer day. Sarah Beth and Kaylan anchored the jet skis and approached him and Micah on the deck, their laughter echoing on the lake.
Micah had run forward and picked Kaylan up, spinning her around in a hug. Her joyful spirit lightened the air around them. He felt a magnetic pull and knew without a doubt that Kaylan was someone special. She radiated life.
“Micah, put me down!” As he set her on the deck and turned to hug Sarah Beth, she approached Nick.
“You must be Nick. I’m Kaylan.”
He stuck out his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
She looked at his hand and grinned. “That won’t work in this house.” She stepped forward and put her arm around his waist, rubbing her hand on his back with sisterly affection. “We hug. Don’t even try to shake Mom’s hand.” She turned toward the house, unfastening her life jacket as she went, revealing a black swimsuit. She stopped when she realized he wasn’t following. “Welcome to the family, Nick. We’re glad you’re here.” She nodded toward the house with a smile and kept walking as Micah and Sarah Beth followed her.
The plane hit an air pocket, and Nick’s mind flew back to the present. He still felt the same way about Kaylan now, breathless, hopeful of what could be, what would be if he had anything to say about it. For a time he thought marrying her was an impossible dream, something he cooked up in the heat of a summer morning. Now he knew his gut instinct was correct. He was ready to marry this girl.
Life had changed her. Haiti had changed her. While his first memory was of a girl becoming a woman, Haiti had solidified the transition to womanhood. A hint of sadness colored the innocence and childhood laughter that once defined her. She used to say that Sarah Beth defined full life, but Nick knew better. Kaylan defined that all on her own. She just needed to discover the beauty that came after a person experienced brokenness. She was finding her way back, learning to laugh again, learning it was okay to love with all her heart. That joyful girl of summers past lay somewhere deep inside, ready to burst past the hurt and death of innocence. He had determined to help her find her way back to that girl, to remember the sweetness of a time when life was beautiful just for a moment and remind her that they would make more of those moments in the days and years to come.
With thoughts of summer days, sunrises, and an auburn-haired beauty, Nick drifted to sleep, Micah’s snores providing just the hint of home he needed to relax and let go.
Chapter 7
NICK’S TEAM LANDED at the Naval Support Activity base in Souda Bay, Crete, at zero five hundred on Tuesday after about fifteen hours of travel time. Nick felt grungy and exhausted as he grabbed his bag and followed his team into the hangar where they set up a small briefing area in a corner. He shook his head, hoping to dispel the fog.
The sun shone brightly on this hot September day, and Nick took a deep breath, inhaling ocean air. What he wouldn’t give to take scuba gear and explore the waters around the island. When he was a kid, his mom swore he was a fish out of water. “You should have been born with gills and flippers, son,” she always told him.
Nick helped his team spread out maps and photos on small fold-out tables. Guys from the base rolled in a white board, dyed red in places from color that refused to be erased. “They’re just kids.” Micah nodded as they exited the hangar. “Do you remember when we were just kids?”
Nick shook his head. “It’s been a while. But we definitely lost that boyish glow during BUD/S. They scrub that right out of you.”
Titus approached Nick and Micah with cups of steaming coffee. “Anyone for Turkish coffee?”
“Turkish?” Nick accepted the cup, bringing it close to his nose to inhale. The strong scent cleared the lingering fog. He took a tentative sip. “Aren’t we in Greece?”
Titus grinned, his white teeth in stark contrast to his dark skin. “I’m not always big on being politically correct. They call it Greek coffee now, but the recipe never changed. It’s just political stupidity from the 1970s when Turkey invaded Cyprus.”
“Well, aren’t you just the walking encyclopedia?” Jay walked up and slapped Titus on the back. “Where’s the café au lait, amigo?”
Titus rolled his eyes. “Well, to get a cup requires that you mind your manners. On
e of the guys here is a coffee connoisseur. He makes a mean cup of joe, and he’s definitely identified some of the island delicacies. If you can act like a normal human being for five seconds, he might let you have a cup.”
Jay chuckled. “Nah. That’s what I have you for.”
“T-Brown, rustle all of us up some of that coffee, and let’s get down to business,” Logan called as he checked some gear.
“On it.” Titus disappeared through the hangar door, and Jay clapped his hands in anticipation. “It isn’t alcohol, but I’ll take what I can get. That smell is making my mouth water.”
Micah crossed his arms. “The last thing we need is you caffeinated. You’re like the energizer bunny without caffeine or alcohol in your system.”
“Well then, that must mean you’re ready for a rematch.”
Nick smirked, “Meaning you’re ready for another beating?”
“C’mon, Hawk. You let your boy do the dirty work for you last time. Let’s see if you can hang.” Nick couldn’t ignore the playful challenge in Jay’s eye. In one quick move he put Jay in a headlock as he dragged him toward the tables.
Logan chuckled and shook his head. “It’s like working with a bunch of teenagers.”
Jay landed a well-placed punch to Nick’s gut, which doubled him over. “Little punk.” Nick lined up to retaliate as Titus returned with the coffee.
“Seriously, you two? I wasn’t gone for that long, and you can’t keep Jay out of trouble for more than five seconds.”
Micah grabbed some of the cups from Titus. “That’s what we have you for. Aren’t you his baby-sitter?”
“Man, please. I just keep him from breaking his neck.”
Nick grunted. “Well, maybe you could teach him how to fight too. He’s a little rusty.”
“You white boys are lost causes. I could teach you moves that would terrify you. Street-gang style. Gotta learn to fight dirty.”
Jay shook loose of Nick and crossed his arms in mock frustration. “T-Brown, you been holding out on me?”
“All right, all right. That’s enough.” Logan took a sip of the hot liquid and grimaced. “Down to business.”
Colt, Micah, Nick, Titus, and Jay gathered around the tables where Logan had spread out a city map of Yalta, Crimea, in Ukraine. The white board behind Logan now looked like a rainbow had exploded, leaving all its colors behind. Diagrams, notes, and to-do lists cluttered the space. Charts, notes, maps, and supplies littered their corner of the hangar. Nick loved the controlled chaos.
Logan walked them through the plan, his eyes studying each man on the team, making sure they were fully engaged. “We think this weapons operation is fronted by a cruise line that sails the Black Sea and makes port in Eastern European countries. We’ll take two Zodiacs from a ship anchored in the Black Sea to Yalta. Four will swim into harbor while two stay with the Zodiacs and watch our backs. Slip in, gather intel, and see if we can snatch Janus. We’ll radio HQ once we have her.
“Our friend in the Agency fed us intel that Janus has pretty expensive taste. He confirmed that she lives on a small yacht anchored in the harbor. Since tourist season died down toward the end of August, we will have less interference. This is our target.” Logan slid a photo in front of them.
Jay moved in to look at the boat. “That’s a Ferretti 800 Superyacht. It would comfortably fit a couple of people but offer untold ease for one.” His responding whistle stretched long and low. “Maybe I need to find a different day job.” Nick popped him on the back of the head. “Kidding. Kidding.”
Titus sat down and rocked back in his chair. “The Jupiter. How much y’all want to bet our chick has a thing for Roman mythology?”
The guys around the table grew still and Logan studied Titus. “Now how do you figure that?”
“She goes by Janus. But if you study Roman mythology, Janus was an obscure god known as the god of transitions. Some even considered him duplicitous, the god of choices. This ship is named The Jupiter, another name for Zeus, the most powerful god of Roman mythology. If I’m right, there may be a pattern or identifying mark that we can track.”
Micah smirked. “Smarty.”
Titus rocked back in his chair like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Some of us like to read.”
“So far intel has tracked four people who got on that boat today. Two left, which means as of right now they still have eyes on two, one being Janus. They will keep us updated as time draws closer.”
Colt walked over to a laptop, pulled up the ship model, and walked his team through the interior. Anticipation charged the air as they set about finalizing plans. Nick would be part of the team to board the boat. Thanks to a childhood love of Russia instilled by his history teacher mother, Nick had gone on to take enough classes in college to achieve fluency in Russian. The language came naturally, rolling off his tongue as if he’d always spoken its strange cadence. Micah, Logan, and Colt would team up with him. Jay and Titus would run the two Zodiacs, ready for pickup and any other issues that might arise.
“We move out at zero one thirty, drop into the Black Sea at roughly zero three thirty. We’re back here before zero seven hundred. Clean up, check your gear, get some shut-eye. Let’s catch this witch.”
Guys from the base directed the team to some bunks for sleep. Nick struggled with the time change every deployment. His brain said dive into the water and soak up the sun; his body screamed for sleep. The team settled into bunks, curtains shielding the light streaming in as the sun rose.
Micah yawned. “What day is it? My body is jacked up right now.”
“September seventh.” Jay’s always playful tone fell flat.
For a moment no one spoke. Nick related to Jay like few could on the team. They’d both lost their dads. However, Nick had been able to tell his dad good-bye. Jay’s dad had gone down in the 9/11 attacks. His death date drew near. Nick finally broke the silence. “How you doing with that, man?”
No one moved and Nick wondered if Jay would answer. When he finally spoke, Nick detected his pent-up emotion. “He’s the reason I joined the teams, you know. When his plane went down, I thought my life had ended too. Then I got angry, so angry I don’t remember much of my teen years. In one moment I became the man of the house. By the time I graduated from high school, I wanted to do something about those guys. I wanted revenge. But in BUD/S, I realized anger and revenge wouldn’t get me through. Those emotions aren’t powerful enough.”
A heavy pause hung in the air, and Nick prayed Jay would keep talking. He’d never heard the details. Jay cleared his throat and then continued. “My dad loved this country. We flew the American flag loud and proud in front of our home in Jersey. He taught me to put my hand over my heart, to thank those who served, and to thank God for our freedom. I thought of my mom and brother, how I wanted to protect them from anyone who would ever do that to my country again. Vengeance turned to passion, and here I am.”
For a moment the only thing permeating the stillness was the sound of base life happening outside their bunks. Colt’s rusty, deep voice broke the silence. “I remember where I was on nine eleven. My parents were on this kick to find all the major surf spots in California and Baja after spending a year in Hawaii. We were trav
eling the coastline, my mom kinda homeschooling me when she felt like it. I was eleven and felt more at home on a board than in a classroom. That day I was up at the crack of dawn owning some sick waves. When I came into our trailer, a couple of the guys we were traveling with were gathered around the small TV. I watched the second plane crash into the World Trade Center.
“My parents were anti-rules. Anti-government. Shoot, they are the definition of hippies. But something inside me snapped. They didn’t just hit buildings; they killed people. People, brah. I couldn’t let that alone. Every time we got close enough to a library, I would disappear for a few hours, find newspapers and websites, and read about what was happening. I started finding books about SEALs and hiding them in my bunk. As soon as I got my GED, I walked into a recruitment office, shaved my awesome hair off, and set my sights on BUD/S. Those men thought they would injure a country. What they did was raise a generation of warriors instead. You don’t kill thousands of Americans without serious consequences.”
“Where were you, Logan?” Micah asked.
“University of Montana. Nineteen years old. I was at the school gym when the bulletin came on. I watched one plane, then two. I dropped the weights and headed to Kim’s dorm. Know what she said as soon as she opened the door?”
“You smell like a sewer?” Nick chuckled, thankful Jay’s sense of humor remained firmly intact despite the seriousness of the conversation.
“She said, ‘I’m going to be a military bride, aren’t I?’ We finished school, got married, and here I am. She never wavered. I guess I married a soldier in her own right. That woman is a greater patriot than anyone I know.”
“How does she handle your deployments?” Nick wondered out loud, thinking of Kaylan back home.
“She believes that this is bigger than either one of us. She fights for her country by letting me go and holding down the home front. I have no idea how she does it, and sometimes I feel guilty for leaving her. But she shoves me out the door and tells me to go do my job and not to come home until it’s done.”