~ Abby ~
Abby was thankful to have Lucy Adams to help her during the weekend as she searched for an apartment. One thing was for sure, Ben Keegan was not useful. He took off and wasn’t answering his cell phone. Lucy was coming with her today to view an apartment within walking distance from the university. Abby sat on the front steps waiting for Lucy’s car and within seconds she pulled up. Standing, Abby waved then slid into the passenger seat.
“Hey, Lucy. Thanks for the lift.” They drove to the pink Victorian and met the landlord to view the apartment.
The place was tiny and had just been vacated by a teacher who leased it for the past five months. As she walked through, Abby exclaimed, “This is very small, but I love the tiny butler’s pantry kitchen. I never cook anyhow. Look at this beautiful Victorian hall tree with the mirror.” The landlord waited patiently. Abby finally squealed, “I’ll take it. Oh, one more thing. I have an English Bull Terrier, and her name is Lola. She is well trained. Will I be able to keep her here?” The landlord agreed, charging extra for the dog and Abby signed an additional document.
Excitedly, Abby dialed Ben’s cell number one more time. This time he picked up, and she heard his deep voice, “Keegan.”
Lucy thought that was an odd way to answer the phone. But, she spoke with zeal, “Thank you, Ben, for mentioning this pink Victorian house. I just rented the most wonderful little condo for a fairly reasonable amount of money. And, the best part is, I can keep Lola here with me!” As she waited for his reply, Abby could hear what sounded like the inside of a vehicle as it was moving at a high rate of speed.
Then Ben spoke, “That’s great, Abby. I’m happy for you. I’m driving right now, so we’ll talk later. But, that’s great news. Glad it worked out.” He hung up the phone before she could get another word out.
Lucy Adams wrinkled her nose, “He isn’t going to help you move in. He’s out of town. Probably taking his sweet little wife on another junket. I’ll help you move your stuff. Come on, let’s go down to Boston and clean out your old place.” Abby was thankful to have Lucy’s help and took her up on the offer. Besides, Lucy’s younger brother, Paul offered his pick-up truck and strong back. How could Abby turn down such an offer?
~ Ben ~
As Ben pulled onto the logging road, he flipped on the high beams to illuminate the black night and drove slowly. He was hoping to avoid hitting a moose or deer, but didn’t mention that. He didn’t want to worry Lara. The drive was nearly four hours, but they finally pulled into an overgrown yard surrounding an enormous steel hut. Alvin Nichols met them at the front door. Nate, Jake and Rashida were already there, but their vehicles were concealed beneath dense foliage around the back of the place.
The door was bolted shut after Ben escorted Lara inside. Nate was excited and took care of the formalities, “Rashida, this is Lara.” As the two women spoke to one another softly, Nate and Jake pulled Ben aside.
“Hey, have you heard about the bounty placed on some of these heads we’re hunting?” Nate asked.
“No. How much are we talking about?” Ben feigned ignorance,
“One guy has seven million on his head. Let’s get him.” Nate squeaked.
Ben smiled, “Don’t worry, we’ll get him and all of the others, too. Moshe has the plan in place. We just need to do the dance and it needs to be perfectly organized. No mistakes. No second chances. There’s a two-week work-up prior, starting November 9th.”
The men then turned to Rashida. She was making her case already, “I want to go undercover. I can do this. I will pretend to be an Islamic woman joining the jihad. I don’t care what they do to me. In the end, they will get what they deserve: a knife in the neck.” She spat the words with such passion, Ben, Nate, and Lara fell silent for a moment. Rashida continued, “I’m serious. You don’t understand. I will do anything. I want to help. This has become part of who I am. I want to help you kill them. It will bring me great pleasure!”
“Yeah, that’s the attitude we need.” Nate fist-bumped Rashida and smiled.
Ben throttled the discussion back a notch. “Look, Rashida, this isn’t a revenge type of thing. If you go into it with that attitude, it will all go wrong. You need training. Not just technical training, but training of the mind. A true assassin is cold and calculated. There is no feeling, no emotion, no hatred, nothing. When we kill these men, it is as if we are killing an insect. It’s just what we do. There’s no excitement except for a burst of adrenaline. And, if you do it enough even the adrenaline decreases. Once that passes, the kill becomes just one more in a series of many. It’s no big deal. It’s business. And, very dangerous business at that. Do you think you can force yourself to leave off the anger and hatred? You must be able to empty your mind of emotion. There is no feeling. No remorse. No hesitation.” Ben exhaled slowly waiting for Rashida’s reply.
“Train me.” She beseeched him. “I am willing to learn.” Rashida was now calm and collected. Ben assessed the possibility. “I’ve got to talk with the team and we would need to work with you twenty-four hours a day for the next few weeks. Are you up for that? You are not healed yet from your reconstructive surgery.” Rashida’s eyes were vacant now, “Yes, I am ready. I will be healed in a few weeks the doctor said. I will be fine. Train me. Take me with you.”
Ben conferenced privately with Nate and Jake, “Look, if we’re taking her along, she needs to be ready for it. Can you and Gus train her up here? It’s probably the best place. She can do a basic SEAL fitness plan for the next few weeks, but it’s the psychological training she needs most.”
Nate agreed to dedicate himself to Rashida’s training.
“I’ll take care of this. I have some ideas formulating and there’s another former SEAL I’d like to bring in. He can take her on the psychological journey for a few weeks. I think she has what it takes. We should place her in the Kurdish unit. The women there need someone like her.”
“Moshe already has a role for her to play, if she’s up to it.” Ben whispered.
Before leaving the hut, Ben spoke softly to Rashida, “Okay. We will instruct you, but you need to dedicate yourself to it. Nate will be your trainer and there will be others who will come here. You are safe at this location and far away from civilization. If you need anything, Nate will get it for you. Alvin is a great resource, too. He is a Viet Nam veteran and well versed with combat and training. He will be your firearms instructor. He’s a good man. But understand, my decision is still not made. At the end of your training, I’ll decide if you are going. Don’t be disappointed if I leave you behind. This is something that needs planning and thought.”
Ben waved Jake Wilson into a private office and closed the door. Jake was Ben’s man on the ground in Manchester New Hampshire. Ben knew his wife had left him but wanted the rest of the story.
“Look man. I’m with you. Shit, we made it through BUD/S together. Hell Week. Ramadi. What could be worse than that? Ben whispered. But Jake wasn’t responding. Somberly, Ben looked into Jake’s bloodshot eyes, “What’s up with Wendy leaving?”
Jake looked away. It was as if he couldn’t speak about the subject for a moment. When he did speak, his voice cracked, “I don’t know what happened. We’ve been together for eight years. Damn it, Ben. There’s another guy.” Jake stopped talking.
Ben put his arm around him for a moment. “You’ve got to take care of yourself. You’re not drinking again, are you?” Jake moved away and sat in a chair in the corner of the room. Ben sat in the chair next to him. He had to get him to talk.
Jake couldn’t seem to make eye contact, and his voice sounded weary, “Yeah, I’ve had a few beers. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I just don’t know how to live without her. You know? It was different when I was younger. Getting laid was all I thought about, then chicks would leave. When I met her I just knew she was the one for me. Wendy’s a beautiful person inside and out. The first night I came home to a dark empty house, man, I sat there and lost it. I sat on the floor and lost it. I ca
lled her that night and begged her. I heard another person in the background. She was with a guy.”
Jake stopped speaking.
“Why’d she leave?” Ben whispered, “Did she give you any reason?”
“She wants a baby and I said no, not yet. So, she found a guy who wanted to give her one. Now, it’s too late. She’s with another guy and I can’t live without her. I’ll give her a baby. I’ve called her to tell her that, but now she won’t talk to me.”
Concerned, Ben was seeing signs of desperation in Jake’s body language. He had the slumped posture of a man who had given up. Ben knew he had to get through to him somehow, “Listen man. You’ve got to get some help. Stop drinking. Let me talk to Wendy. I know you two had a great relationship. You lasted for eight years. Damn, she stayed with you while you were deployed ~ that’s somethin’ right there. Listen, are you going to be okay to go on this mission? You are critical to it, but I only can have you if you can do it safely for all involved. If you need time, now is the time to let me know.”
“No, man, I’m good.” Jake seemed to be strengthened by the words. He looked Ben in the eye and said, “Hell yeah, I’m all in. I’ll deal with this when we get back. Being on a mission will be good for me. When I work, I don’t think of anything else. I think it will help me.” The two emerged from the private office with Jake promising to end the drinking and get in touch with a counselor. Ben made a mental note to follow up with the counselor to make sure Jake made contact. And he promised he would call Wendy after the mission and convince her to meet with Jake.
~ Lara ~
Lara was stunned to observe her husband in his Dark Horse Guardian role. This was Ben, the man she married…the man who held her tenderly and kissed her passionately. She had never seen him quite like this. The drive to Prince Edward Island was made in the wee hours of the night. Ben seemed preoccupied while driving and Lara wondered what was going on in that handsome head.
She broke the silence as she touched his arm with her hand, “I think Rashida is wonderful.”
Ben shot her a sidelong glance, “Yes, she is. But I am worried about her. She will be in grave danger and I’ll be distracted thinking about her safety on the mission. And, I’m worried about Jake. Wendy left him.”
Lara took in his handsome profile while driving. “I admire you, Ben.” She watched as the slightest hint of a smile graced his face. Lara wanted more than anything to help him. It wasn’t just love that she felt for Ben – she respected him, probably more than he could imagine.
The cottage on Prince Edward Island was empty and the porch light was on. Ben touched Lara’s hand, “Ah, a quiet place to sleep for a couple of days. Just the two of us.” She smiled at him and they scurried inside in an attempt to escape the brisk ocean breeze. Ben immediately made a fire in the kitchen stove and built a roaring fire in the living room woodstove. Lara searched through the refrigerator and made sandwiches. They sat in the kitchen enjoying the warmth while they ate in silence, realizing they were extremely hungry. It was 3:00 AM, and Lara was exhausted.
She watched as Ben peeled off his clothing and his strong arms pulled her onto the bed with him. He whispered, “Leave your clothes on tonight, darlin”.
His blue eyes met hers and she whispered, “I love you, Ben…” As she placed her body next to his underneath the pile of blankets, she immediately fell asleep in his strong embrace. The only sound was the beating of Ben’s heart and the waves gently washing upon the shore.
~ Ben ~
He slept later than he had anticipated and slipped out of bed not wanting to wake Lara. He showered and shaved with efficiency; then moved into the kitchen to cook breakfast. His cell phone vibrated and it was Abby again. He noticed it was the latest in a long succession of missed calls, “Where are you, Ben?” I thought you’d help me move this weekend…”
He suddenly wished he’d never given his cell number to Abby. But in a polite way, he replied, “I’m out of town, Abby. I won’t be back until Monday. I’m sorry, but I assumed you had someone helping you with the move.” He hoped that would satisfy her, but it didn’t.
Abby continued, “I don’t know anyone in Portland except you and Lucy Adams. I was hoping that you would take me around and show me the sights. But, I guess you can do that when you return.”
Ben sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly in an effort to control his frustration, “Well, Abby, Lucy Adams is a single woman and I’m sure she can take you around and show you the best restaurants and night life.” Abby sounded pissed off but she finally hung up. He hoped this wasn’t going to continue to be a problem, but felt there was some sort of unfinished business Abby had with him. Business he did not want to attend to at this time.
He heard Lara stir and brought a fresh cup of coffee to her before she rose from bed. “Good morning darlin…coffee.” Lara smiled and pushed her disheveled hair away, “Who was that on the phone?”
Damn. He hoped she hadn’t heard him talking. But he wouldn’t gloss over it, “That was Abby, asking me to help her move. I told her to get Lucy Adams, her new-found friend to help.” Ben watched Lara’s face for a reaction, but she sipped the Hazelnut coffee slowly and her eyes met his with no trace of acknowledgement.
He smiled gazing upon his beautiful groggy wife. Even with messy hair and sleeping in her clothing, she still looked incredibly beautiful to him. He suggested, “Why don’t you shower and we’ll go for a walk on the beach. It’s a beautiful sunny day.”
Just the word “shower” triggered an involuntary sexual response in Ben. He was alone here in this secret paradise with his lovely wife and he’d be damned to let any opportunity slip away to be close to her. But this weekend was all about him revealing things to her that she didn’t yet know about his work. He toasted an slice of bread for her while she was in the shower.
When she appeared in the doorway in running pants and a T-shirt he handed her a slice of toast, then he took her hand and led her to the root cellar underneath the bungalow. First he unlocked two steel doors leading to the space. Crouching, they made their way to a strange little shelf in the ledge of the foundation. Ben removed a few rocks and revealed a safe nestled inside. Smiling, his blue eyes lit up as he whispered, “You need to know about this. There’s money in here.” He worked the tumbler on the lock and the door opened. He watched Lara’s eyes go wide as she stared at piles of neatly bundled cash.
~ Lara ~
For a moment she felt like she was Alice in Wonderland peering through some magical door to another world. “Holy God, Ben! How much money is in here?”
He smiled, “One million, usually, give or take.” My money is spread out all over the place. Some of it is invested and some of it is like this, liquid cash, but in different locations.” She noticed he took some of the cash out of the safe and put it into a bag.
Her eyes roamed around the scullery-like room taking in all of the details. There were antiques and boxes of old blankets. She removed several of the blankets and shook the spiders off, letting out a little scream.
Ben laughed, “Those are old quilts. They’re from Ireland. My grandmother made them.” Lara examined each one and noted the fine detail and workmanship of each. “They’re beautiful.” She spread each one out on an old wooden trestle table, one atop another. Ben closed the safe and put the rocks back in front making it undetectable.
Lara’s eyes met his as she patted the pile of quilts on the table, “This is just about the right height…” and he laughed remembering when he said those very words to her and she blushed.
She turned and sat upon the table, then reclined beckoning him with her eyes. She sensed he was instantly mesmerized by the idea of making love on the table in the root cellar. She let her long dark surround her on the table and he moved and stood above her. His blue eyes lit up with mischief and she giggled.
His broad hands slipped gently beneath her bottom and she felt his strong hands pulling her toward him. The height of the table was just right. He seemed to wa
it for her smile and she heard him inhale sharply when she did. She gazed into his steel blue eyes as he pulled her running pants off. Then he lifted her shirt and gazed at her body seductively in the dim light. She heard his pants fall to the floor. Damn he was efficient.
Gently his hands outlined the circle of her breasts. She felt hypnotized as he explored the soft curves of her waist and hips. His hand caressed the smooth skin of her thigh. He became her servant in the root cellar and Lara relished every kiss, every touch, every caress, and ended up with her legs in the air. The prolonged anticipation was almost unbearable. There was a tingling in every nerve of her body as his strong hands cupped her rear and drew her to him. In a wave of perfectly timed pleasure, they cried out simultaneously. She had never done anything like it before and found the experience exhilarating.
Spent and breathing heavily, Ben dragged himself next to her on the table and wrapped her in his arms. He softly whispered, “I can’t get enough of this.” Lara couldn’t stop the smile that came over her face.
The walk on the beach turned into a jog that lasted nearly two hours. Returning to the kitchen, they ate French toast and bacon as if they’d never seen food before. Ben seemed stunned when Lara’s green eyes met his and she said something he was not expecting, “Ben, I want to go on this mission with you.”
“Absolutely not,” was Ben’s immediate response to her statement, and she wondered how he could answer so succinctly without even pretending to mull it over.
But she wasn’t giving up so easily, “Ben, you are not even giving me a chance to explain why I want to go on the mission…” She noticed his jaw tensed and caught the serious stare in his pale blue eyes. He started to speak, but she placed her finger on his lips. “Please, Ben, listen to me.”
His head rested face down on his hands, as if he had the world’s worst headache. Then he lifted his face, parted his fingers and peered at her, “Go ahead. I’ll listen.”
Flawlessly Executed (Dark Horse Guardians Book 3) Page 7