Hard Landing

by Becky McGraw

  Mickie walked out on the porch, her face grim as she held the phone out to him. “He called before I could call him. They arrested her because the cartel and helicopter weren’t where you said they would be.”

  Hawk grabbed the phone. “They bugged out?” he grated.

  “Yeah, there was nothing there except empty buildings when the team went in. That woman must’ve told them,” Max replied, huffing a breath.

  Hawk slapped his forehead, amazed at his stupidity. He realized now that taking Maria back was a boneheaded fucking move. “Yeah, that had to be what happened.”

  “I’m on my way. Be ready, because we’re going back to Guatemala to find them.”

  The phone went dead, and Hawk’s heart did too, but he revived it quickly. Now was not the time to fall apart. Maddie needed him and Sarah needed her. Once he got back from Guatemala, he’d have his nervous breakdown.

  Finding that cartel again, though, in the midst of the cartel kingdom that was Guatemala, in a jungle so thick you couldn’t see the ground, would be like finding a needle in a haystack. But to save Maddie, he had to not only find that needle, he had to thread it before she did something stupid—like pleading guilty to a crime she hadn’t committed.

  “Call Slade and Logan. I’m going to get Levi and Caleb up so we can install the cannons and infrared scanners that Dex bought for the helo. I have a feeling we’re going to need them.”

  The extra men and the weapons. Hawk was in combat mode now, and this was a war he would win, or die trying.

  This time, he wouldn’t be relaying anything to the Army, or relying on them to show up a week after they got the intel, when it was too late. Hawk wasn’t just going to Guatemala to find that Little Bird, he was going to recover it, and capture the leader of the cartel. He would personally deliver both to the Army, and that man would vouch for Maddie, or he would kill him.

  That is El Jefe’s daughter—that baby is his grandson. Or maybe Hawk wouldn’t have to kill him, if he gave him the right incentive.

  “Captain Carter, your attorney is here to see you,” an MP said from the doorway of Maddie’s cell. Her appointed watchdog to make sure she didn’t deprive the military of the pleasure of sentencing her to life in hell.

  “I don’t have an attorney. I fired him,” she mumbled into her bare pillow. “I don’t want to see anyone but the prosecutor to sign my confession.” If they’d have left my bedsheets in here, I could’ve saved him the time.

  “You have one now, ma’am. Your brother, Lt. Colonel Carter, has talked to the tribunal and requested a new one be appointed.”

  “I don’t need one. I’ve confessed,” she replied, and the scene in the meeting room replayed in her head. In hindsight, she had no idea how she held herself together long enough to get through it.

  She just kept thinking about Sarah and Hawk, and that’s where she found strength. Maddie was not surprised when they told her, with her father’s sworn statement and the statements of her teammates and commander, they had an open-and-shut case.

  They were surprised though, when she refused their deal of twenty years for the lesser offenses, and instead confessed to all they’d charged her with. What did it matter? Harlan Carter had killed her mother, and now he’d thrown her under the bus that was about to run over her, so why fight it? In his mind, she was sure this was her punishment for embarrassing him.

  If Maddie was free, however, with the knowledge she had now, she might make this life sentence worthwhile and kill him.

  “Ma’am, you’re looking at life in prison, for God’s sake. Please come with me and at least talk to her. Max went to a lot of trouble to get her here,” the MP said, in a lowered voice.

  Maddie forced one swollen eyelid open to see he was inside the cell now, standing over her with his hands in fists at his sides.

  “I was on deployment in Iraq with your brother, ma’am. He’s a good man and he’s trying to help you. The attorney he found is the best there is.” The sergeant’s eyes sparked, as his chin dropped and he barked out the words. “Now, get your ass up and get with the program, ma’am.”

  Military Maddie sat straight up and almost paid the price when she got dizzy and would’ve fallen off the cot, if he hadn’t caught her. He bent, picked up her prosthesis and shoved it into her chest then stepped back. She outranked him, and he was treating her like a grunt.

  Maddie was lower than a grunt—she was military garbage, a traitor and coward—the lowest form of criminal there was, in their opinions. A deserter and a thief. She imagined she wouldn’t have an easy time of it in Fort Leavenworth once her fellow inmates found out either.

  “I. Don’t. Have. All. Day!” he shouted, and Maddie jumped, almost dropping her peg leg.

  Shooting him a glare, she quickly pulled on the sock and worked her stump into the fitting, then put her pants leg down to stand and snap off a mocking salute. He evidently didn’t notice the middle finger she left extended when she brought her hand down, because he took her arm and jerked her into motion beside him.

  He led her down a long hallway, made a sharp right and practically dragged her down to the last meeting room on the left. Opening the door, he shoved her inside and left her there. Maddie turned and came face-to-face with a woman with a flying eagle on her collar, who looked like she ate nails for breakfast.

  “I’m Colonel Claire Wright, your attorney. I’ve read through the comics the prosecutors gave me, and I have to say, I’m not entertained. You might have a death wish, but I’m here to tell you it’s not happening on my watch. You’ll have to find another way to commit suicide. Now, sit down and tell me what really happened to you in El Salvador and Guatemala, so I can get this Bravo Sierra straightened out.”

  Maddie’s lips curled, because she couldn’t stop them. Now, this was an attorney. Too bad she was too late. Her sworn confession had been recorded and her court martial was in progress. Maddie was going to Leavenworth, and not even Colonel Ballbreaker could save her.

  If she got a last wish, though, it would be for this woman to be in a locked room with her father. She would buy tickets for a front row seat to that event.

  And that gave her an idea.

  Chapter 28

  Last night, a week into their trip to hell without finding the devil, Dante spotted heat signatures in the jungle on the infrared while they were flying back to their campsite in El Salvador. When he turned back to make another pass to attempt to get a visual, Hawk noticed what he thought might be the Little Bird in a clearance between two hills with his night-vision goggles.

  The helo was covered with brush, but it was difficult to hide rotors. He had to get closer to make sure those rotors belonged to the Little Bird, though, so Dante dropped him off and he hiked here. Through knee-deep mud. All night long. He was exhausted, mosquito-bite ridden, his feet were blistered in his boots, but he had never been more relieved in his life.

  From his vantage point at the top of the hill, as the sun came up, Hawk verified it was the right aircraft and used his SAT phone to notify Dante. Excitement surged through him when he got the acknowledgement that they would set up to enact their mission plan.

  Max and Cade were going in to find and capture El Jefe and his lieutenant and son-in-law, Maria’s husband, Raul. Logan and Slade would find Maria and the baby and take them into the jungle for their insurance policy. They weren’t making the mistake of loading that bad luck charm onto the helo again.

  Dante, Levi and Caleb would provide the fireworks and air cover—and Hawk was stealing a helicopter. If it had enough fuel and wasn’t damaged, which he couldn’t find out because of the two guards who slept in the small tent beside the Little Bird.

  If it was low on fuel, he would get it out anyway. As long as it cranked and he got airborne, Hawk would get it out of there. Even if he had to flap his arms outside of the doors, spin the rotors by hand or carry it on his back to deliver it to the Army. He was that determined.

  But first, he had to neutralize those two guards. Alon
e.

  That would be the challenge, because the bird was in a clearing and he would have no cover getting down there. With the sun coming up, they would surely see him if he just ran down the hill to the bird. At that moment, he wished he had Caleb with him to snipe them from up there, but they needed their sharpshooter on that helo with Dante to provide air support.

  That was the key to Slade, Logan, Cade and Max carrying out their prong of the mission. Hawk would figure out how to carry out his on his own. It had been a while since he was in combat, and never on the ground, but he knew he could do this. He would do this. Because Maddie’s life and their daughter’s future depended on it.

  Hawk blew out a breath, pushed up to his feet and cringed with his first step. Mind over matter, he thought, as he worked his way down the backside of the hill. When the sun rose higher over the hill, he was positioned at the edge of the jungle at ground level, watching the two banditos who were busy building a morning fire outside the tent.

  He decided while he trekked down here, his best bet would be to wait for the fireworks at the compound. Maybe those two men would just get in their jeep and head back to the compound to help their friends. That would leave him clear to take the bird.

  But Hawk waited. And waited. Tried to be patient. After two hours, his patience wore out. What in the hell were the others doing? What were they waiting for? Had something happened?

  He pulled out his SAT phone to find out, but a loud, powerful shot echoed through the clearing. One of the banditos suddenly flew backwards and didn’t move. The other reached for his rifle and stood, but another shot rang out and he lurched back and fell into the tent.

  Hearing rotors, Hawk looked up and squinted against the sun, his heart pounding when he saw the Deep Six bird crest the west hill. He frowned, because this was not the plan, but didn’t wait. He had cover now, so he stood and ran into the clearing toward the Little Bird.

  Caleb suddenly appeared in the clearing, running from the opposite direction toward the bird too. Without a word, he helped Hawk quickly remove the brush covering the helo. Hawk hopped into the pilot’s seat, and Caleb took the jump seat then stashed his sniper rifle behind his seat. Hawk’s hands shook and adrenaline made him dizzy as he flipped switches to start the engine and get the rotors in motion.

  He felt like he was about to have a heart attack when it took three attempts to get the engines revved, and another two to get the rotors going. He did have one when he saw the bird only had fumes left in the tank. His face must have shown his horror, because Caleb suddenly leaned over to look at the console.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I may need you to flap your arms for me,” Hawk replied, relieved when the engine finally roared to life.

  “Not. Funny. Dude,” Caleb growled, fastening his seat belt.

  Pushing his foot in on the pedal, Hawk grabbed the stick and prayed for lift. He prayed harder when he saw a truck lurch out of the jungle with men manning the machine gun mounted in back. Another truck followed, and Hawk knew it was then or never.

  He closed his eyes to listen to the rotors and engine. When they reached what he thought was full power, he pulled back on the stick, worked the pedals and almost pissed his pants when the bird left the ground.

  The fireworks he’d been waiting for started as he reached the level of the top of the east hill and could see the jungle beyond. Bullets, rockets, and explosions were his background soundtrack as he cleared the top of the trees, then pushed the stick forward. Hawk finally breathed again when he was looking down at the jungle and could see the horizon.

  That relief lasted about twenty minutes. Until the engine began sputtering and he lost altitude.

  “What the hell, man?!?” Caleb shouted, grabbing the handle above his head, his face white as he glared over at Hawk.

  “Don’t worry. I got this. This is my specialty, Sniper,” Hawk replied, grinning over at him as his adrenaline load surged to full power too.

  With the last drops of fuel, Hawk increased his airspeed, worked the pedals and manipulated the stick to get them as high as he could before the engine died. They had about eight miles to go to get to the JCET compound, and it looked like he was going to have to coast there and make a grand entrance.

  Or crash into the jungle.

  Chapter 29

  Hawk lined up, held his breath and reduced his airspeed. He eased the helo down to the ground at the JCET base and his breath rushed out on a sigh as the skids touched with barely a bump. He thanked the military for making him practice autorotation flying and no-power landings until he could do them in his sleep. Even though, at the time, he wanted to go to sleep he was so bored. He wasn’t bored now. A relieved laugh that sounded more like a giggle came from Caleb, and Hawk looked over at him and grinned.

  “Were you skeered, Dead-eye Dick?” he asked, with a laugh. “I told you I’d get us here.”

  “Of course, I was,” Caleb replied, unfastening his seatbelt. “I knew you’d get us here, the question was if that would be in one piece!” He huffed a breath as he reached for his rifle. “I thought I’d saved your ugly ass, only for you to thank me by killing me.”

  “Yeah, thanks for the backup. I’m glad y’all revised our plan,” Hawk replied, his smile fading as he saw heavily armed men running out of the barracks a quarter mile away.

  “Well, since Cade and Max seem to be ninjas, we didn’t need Plan A. They captured the boss and his lieutenant, along with Maria, without a shot fired,” he replied. “His men are probably just now waking up to realize they’re gone.”

  Hawk heard the helo first, then felt the rotor wash as violent wind whipped up debris from the ground and blew it into the cockpit of the Little Bird. He coughed, shielded his eyes and tried to shield his ears against the roar of the engine as it got louder. When the noise stopped, Hawk looked out to see Dante had set the Deep Six chopper down right beside the Little Bird.

  The side door slid open and Cade jumped down, then reached back inside to jerk a handcuffed man in pajamas down beside him. His rapid-fire Spanish words, obviously threatening if the terrified look on the older man’s face was any indication, impressed the shit out of Hawk.

  He had a basic grasp of the language, enough to get by, but this guy sounded like it was his first language. Ninja indeed, Hawk thought, wondering how Dr. Winters had come to be so fluent. Max appeared in the doorway, then hopped down. He dragged another handcuffed guy down, clad only in his underwear. Cade threatened him too, the younger guy’s shoulders stiffened and he scowled at him.

  Hawk looked back out the windscreen and saw they were now surrounded by soldiers with their weapons trained on the helos. He swung out of the Little Bird and walked to the nose with his hands up.

  “I need to speak to your commander, now! Specifically, the one who sent Captain Maddie Carter on a mission to hell, and left her to rot there,” he growled.

  The line of men parted, and a general walked through the sea of soldiers to stand in front of him. Hawk did not salute him, because he didn’t deserve it, and if he raised his hand, it might not come back down until it was in the smug bastard’s face.

  “I assigned her the mission and I rue the day I did. Who are you, and what the fuck are you doing on my base uninvited?” he growled, glowering at Hawk.

  “I am returning the helicopter you accused her of stealing,” he replied, just as gruffly.

  He harrumphed. “Returning it now won’t save her. She stole it, and that is the reason she’s about to go to prison.”

  “No, sir, she did not. And these men, the leaders of the cartel who held her captive for six months, are going to vouch for that,” Hawk said, trying to control his anger, which was damned difficult. He turned and waved his hand at their captives.

  “They stole the helicopter and carried her mangled body to their compound, where they had a jungle medic patch her up good enough to fly for them.”

  “If she could fly, she could’ve escaped,” the General scoffed.
“She stayed there and flew for them because she wanted to do that. I’ve read the files from the investigation, son—don’t try to bamboozle me.”

  Hawk didn’t want to bamboozle him at that moment, he wanted to punch his lights out. But that would only get him shot, and probably thrown in a El Salvadoran jail. He sucked in a sharp breath, then blew it out.

  “Sir, have you ever tried to fly a helicopter with an injured leg?” Hawk snarled.

  “I’m not a pilot,” he replied. “And neither was she, evidently.”

  Hawk lunged forward, but when the soldiers behind him lifted their weapons again, he stopped to hold his tight fists to his side.

  “Well I am a pilot—a former Nightstalker too, so I know operating those pedals would be almost impossible with a crushed ankle. Maddie Carter did that for three months, after three months of recovery from her almost fatal injuries from the crash and having a baby. Every flight had to be excruciating for her.”

  “So she was in pain after she stole my helicopter,” he replied with a shrug. “It served her right for deciding to join one of the cartels she was supposed to be trying to help us eliminate here. That was her mission, her duty to her country, which she chose to abandon.”

  Hawk’s anger hit the red zone and his tongue slipped its leash.

  “She had a fucking baby in captivity, asshole. They kept her in a locked cabin under guard and used that baby—my baby—as leverage to gain her cooperation. She had a fucking crushed ankle—she couldn’t have walked out of there or flown out of there, because she had an armed guard on board with her at all times too! Maddie Carter was not consorting with anyone—and she didn’t defect—she was doing what any one of you would do to stay alive.”

  Cade’s hand dropped on his shoulder and he pushed Hawk behind him, and shoved the cartel leader forward.

  “Sir, do you have a Spanish interpreter? I think we can resolve this situation quickly, if you just interview these prisoners,” he said, and the General’s eyes narrowed as they focused on him.