by J. L. Drake
Oh, God. I try to think quickly.
“Cole, listen to me. I am not leaving this house for any reason. I’m not running off, and I check in with Keith as often as possible. Please, please don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I just want you to concentrate on what you’re doing so you can come home to me safe and sound.” I squeeze my eyes shut. The topic of our baby is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t do it. He’ll stress out that much more. “You made a promise to me, Cole.”
He clears his throat. “I did.” I hear someone talking in the background. “Savi, I have to go.” He pauses. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Cole.” I feel the tears spill over as the line goes dead. “…and I’m pregnant,” I whisper to the dial tone.
“Savi?” Keith sticks his head in the door. I hang up the phone but don’t get up. He moves into the room, watching me carefully.
“I need you to do something for me, Keith.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t tell him about me going to town today.”
“Savannah, he hasn’t asked yet, but if he does, I can’t lie.”
“You can’t tell him, Keith. He told me he can’t concentrate because he’s worried about me. I told him I’m not leaving the house. If you tell him, it will only make things harder for him.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t. You’re my friend, but he’s my boss. I—”
I stand and pull the ultrasound picture from my pocket and hand it to him.
He takes one look then glances at my stomach.
“Five weeks.” I smile, rubbing my belly.
“Oh, my God.”
“Keith, if he finds out I went to town, he’ll want to know why, and I can’t—not while he’s in danger out there.”
“Okay, I agree with you.” He comes around the desk and gives me a huge hug—picking me right off the ground. “I’m really happy for you guys. Wow.”
“Thanks,” I wheeze. “Can you put me back down?”
Cole
Cole folds his arm under his head and stares out the window of the abandoned house outside of town. His team has been holed up here all night since being forced to withdraw from their primary position. They are hunkered down to avoid detection, which leads to gaps in perimeter security. Through one such gap wanders the Cartel scout.
The boy is maybe ten years old and seems as surprised as Cole and his men when he comes upon the camp without warning.
Paul spots him first, but by the time Cole figures it out, the boy has already given the signal.
Three minutes later, the headlights of a Land Rover race toward them. Luckily, they are next to the river and manage to slip away unmolested.
Cole has never messed up like that before and is angry with himself, but he couldn’t seem to get his mind off Savannah. Dammit, he is worried something is going to happen to her. It’s the first time he’s really had a reason to get back, and God, does he want to go home. He misses so much about her, even the way she looks at him, like he’s the only one she sees.
Ahhhh! Focus! He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to clear his head. Nothing is working. He looks over at Mark, who is passed out in the corner, taking advantage, as only an experienced combat soldier can, of any spare moment to grab some Zs.
Paul is propped up against the wall, using the handle of his weapon as a pillow. John is at the door, leaning on the window frame on first watch. Cole jumps out of bed and grabs his gun.
“John, I’ll take the first shift. I’m wide awake, and there’s no sense in neither of us getting any rest.”
“Thanks, but if it’s all the same, I’d rather not,” he says, not leaving his post.
Cole nods his understanding, unable to shake off a bad feeling. These situations are high stress, and The American is someone they’ve been up against before; the man is ruthless. Cole rests his weapon on the wall next to him and sits on the ground, angling himself so he can see out the back window. They sit for a long time, tuning in to every single noise that finds them.
“How’s your sister?” Cole whispers. John’s sister was hit by a semi in an intersection four months ago. It was touch and go for a while with the swelling in her brain, but she somehow came out of it all right—well, somewhat all right. It was really hard on John, considering she’s his twin and they are very close.
“Better, physically. They say she should be able to walk again,” John says. “As for her mental state, she’s still missing most of her childhood. She doesn’t know anyone but Pops, so that’s hard. At least they caught the driver. He was eighteen hours over his logbook.”
“Oh, man, I’m sorry.”
“It is what it is,” he mutters. They both go back to comfortable silence.
Later, Cole looks at his watch. It’s seven thirty in the morning. He and John never left their posts, neither getting a wink of sleep. They often work on less in situations like this. Cole reaches for the satellite phone.
“Checking in at oh seven thirty-five,” Cole says as the call connects and Keith answers.
“Roger, Raven One. What’s the plan today?”
“We’re going to hit the house. They had company yesterday, so we want to get in there and see who it is.”
“All right, copy that. Going ahead with plans to move in on the house today.” There’s a pause. “Daniel and Sue decided to stay here at the house. Agent Joel and three others arrived this morning, so the extra backup is here. Sue has been keeping Savi busy, so—”
“Good, that’s good.” That makes him feel a whole lot better. “All right, I’ll check back in with you tonight.”
“Stay safe.”
“Will do. Raven One out.”
Cole tucks the phone into his vest pocket then downs a protein bar and a few chocolate covered coffee beans. He takes a deep breath, clearing all thoughts out of his head, and finally focuses on what’s to come.
“Okay,” he says as he walks into the room where the guys are packing their gear. “Let’s go get ’em.”
Chapter Twenty
Savannah
I roll over when I hear a knock at the bedroom door. Keith stands there with his hands tucked in his pockets.
“Hi, Keith.” I glance at the time. It’s four in the afternoon. I’ve been hibernating in my room all day. I canceled my appointments with Dr. Roberts until Cole comes back. I’m not in the mood to talk about my feelings. I just want to feel the way I feel. I know this has everyone concerned, but for once, I’m being selfish and not caring.
“May I come in?”
“Of course.” I move to sit up against the headboard as he sits on the side of my bed.
“This,” he takes my ultrasound picture off my bedside table, “deserves to be in something nice.” He pulls out a small silver frame with a swirly design and slips the picture inside. He sets it back down, angling it toward me. “There.” He smiles.
My lip quivers and tears leak out and drip down my cheeks. I lean forward and give him a hug. “Thank you, Keith, for so much.” When I pull away, I see his eyes are glossy, and we both pretend not to notice.
“Right, well, come on downstairs. Daniel and Sue are here with luggage, so I’m assuming they’re staying for a while.”
Smiling at him and loving that idea, I agree and hop off the bed.
Abigail watches me all dinner long. I’m not eating, but it isn’t because of the baby. I had caught a news clip about my father while I was getting out of the shower. The reporter asked if there was anything new about my disappearance, and my father said no, but he seemed different. I wonder what is going on there. I wonder if he paid the ransom and then realized he wasn’t getting me back. Merely seeing his face brought all sorts of emotions to the surface.
“Savannah?” Sue’s voice brings me back to the here and now.
I realize everyone has left the table.
She and Daniel are both standing and watching me. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes.” I nod then look down at my barely touched plate.
“Sorry, I’m just tired.”
Daniel looks at Sue, and they both walk me into the living room and sit me on the couch. Sue makes me a cup of chamomile tea while Daniel hands me a light green gift bag.
“What’s this?” I ask, setting it between my feet.
“Something for you now, and something for the little one later.”
“Oh!” I pull out the white tissue paper and reach in. I feel the softest little nose, and a smile breaks out. I nearly cry when I sit the teddy bear on my lap. He’s brown, with black eyes and a black nose. He has an Army hat with Army boots and a little jacket with Logan Jr. sewn in green thread, making my heart burst. “It’s perfect, thank you,” I whisper, rubbing its little ear.
Daniel leans forward and kisses my head. “No, Savannah, thank you.” He smiles, sitting back down as Sue returns with a tray full of fruit and cheese, along with the wonderful-smelling tea. Taking a few sips, I soon find myself relaxing.
We chat about everything—my past life, my new life, and what names I like for the baby. By the time I head to bed, I’m mentally fried, but for the first time in ages, I’m feeling positive about my future. I reach down and rub my tummy. “’Night, little one.”
Cole
Cole slams his body up against the wall and closes his eyes as he listens to the footsteps around him. Two upstairs and three coming toward him from the east. His radio clicks two times, Mark’s signal to let him know he’s still okay. Paul checked in moments ago, but John hasn’t yet. He clicks his radio once, checking in himself. He catches a reflection in a picture, and he waits until the man steps into the bedroom. One…two…three…he counts, then reaches out and wraps his hands around the guy’s neck and twists violently, snapping it. Lowering the former threat to the ground, Cole rolls him under the bed and waits for the other.
“Raven Two, what’s your position?” he whispers into the radio.
“Two-three west,” Mark replies.
Perfect. He’s on the second floor, three doors from the stairs.
Cole sneaks a look out the door. “Ten-four, Raven Two. Raven One inbound.”
“Copy.”
Cole raises his gun and checks to ensure it’s clear. He locates the two men upstairs and sees two across the hall. The lights are dim, and with his black gear, camouflage, and face paint, he should be hard to spot. He moves fast and makes it to Mark’s room in a matter of seconds. Mark is crouched behind the door.
“Just a graze to the shoulder,” Mark quickly informs him.
Cole checks it out. It’s deep and bleeding, and he’ll need a few stitches, but all things considered, Mark’s okay. Cole makes fast work bandaging the wound, then hands Mark a few of the caffeine chocolates to help keep alert.
“John?” Cole asks, worried.
Mark shakes his head.
“Okay. Paul?”
“First floor hall closet was where I saw him last.”
Cole shakes his head bitterly. He doesn’t want to use the radio unless he has to. He’s not sure where John is or whether he’s been captured or killed. Either way, there’s a good chance they’d have found John’s radio by now and would be listening. Bad enough they possibly just gave out their own location.
“We need to move,” Cole says, looking out the window. “Have you seen The American?”
“No, but he’s here. The Hummer and Land Rover are still parked out front. No one has left.”
“Okay, I’ll head downstairs. I’ll signal for you to come when it’s clear.” Cole moves in front of Mark. “You wait, understand?”
Mark’s face is pale and drenched in sweat, but he nods.
“Remember our pact?” Cole grabs his brother’s face so he’ll look at him. “We joined together—”
“We retire together,” Mark huffs out.
“Right. Stay with me, ’cause if anything happens, I’ll tell Melanie you died skiing on the bunny hill.” Cole grins.
“You would too.”
“Right, so stay with me.”
“Yeah, I’m here with you.”
Cole gives him a nod and slips out the door into the darkness, moving down the staircase. A quick glance at his watch shows him they should all be checking in again in ten minutes. Where the fuck is John? His hand runs along the wall until he finds the handle to the closet door. “Check in Fox Two.”
The doorknob turns, and Cole sees Paul sitting on the floor, nursing a blood-soaked leg. Shit! He moves in to get a better look. He hastily unties the soaked bandage and feels how deep the wound is. He curses when he sees how much blood Paul’s lost. His face is growing paler by the minute.
They need to abort the mission. “Stay here. I’m sending Mark for you, then both of you get out.”
Paul starts to argue, but Cole shakes his head. “That’s an order, Agent.”
Cole peeks out the door and clicks his radio, signaling Mark to come down.
“Any sign of John?” Cole asks as he rewraps Paul’s leg.
“No, the last time I saw him was in the dining room,” he replies, huffing through the pain. “We got separated, and I got knifed and ended up here.”
“Okay, set your watch for ten minutes. Start the clock after I leave. If I don’t return with John, get out. That’s a direct order.”
“Yes, Colonel.” Paul nods and wipes the sweat from his forehead.
Cole helps him to his feet and props him up against the wall then slowly opens the door. Seeing Mark coming down the stairs, he moves across the hall and signals all clear, then covers Mark until he’s safely inside the room with Paul. Staying low, weapon raised, he moves carefully through the living room, then the dining room.
Something hits his shoulder. He turns and sees John crouched down between two lion sculptures. Thank fuck.
John points to his radio dangling in pieces around his chest.
Cole checks around and gives him the hand signal to get up and move to his position.
John nods and joins him at his side.
“We’re aborting the mission. The others are hit. We need to get them out of here. GF One and R Two have both lost a lot of blood. If we get separated, meet back at our command post.”
John nods, and they start toward the front entryway. A man comes into view on John’s right.
Cole lunges forward, covering the man’s mouth while wrapping his arms tightly around the startled target’s neck, cutting off his airway. He orders John to move on.
The man elbows Cole in the stomach, but Cole squeezes harder until the man stops struggling and goes limp. Cole sees his men making for the door, then he spots another two men heading toward them from deeper within the residence.
Cole quickly pops a bullet in the first man’s head and is about to do the same to the second when he takes a hard blow to the back of his head. He drops to his knees, a loud ringing sound taking over his brain right before his vision goes dark. His face hits the ground with a heavy thud.
Savannah
I roam the property, soaking up the sun even though it’s still freezing out. Derek stays close. We’ve managed to get past our awkward moment in the kitchen and have started to build a friendship. I am thankful for that, since living under one roof with so many people can take its toll.
He’s still flirty, but I think it’s all in good fun. We chat about music as we approach the front of the house.
“Other than blues, what else do you listen to?” he asks, tucking his hands in his jacket pockets.
“Umm, Beck, Radiohead, Weezer, and I fell in love with this Canadian band called the Tragically Hip.” I grin, remembering one of their songs called Ahead by a Century. I must have played it twenty times in a row one day. “They started in the early eighties. You should check ’em out. They’re an alternative rock band.”
“So, you like alternative rock?”
“I like all music, but yes, that would be my second favorite.” I smile, then spot Keith watching us from the porch. A slow chill runs up my spine as he slowly starts to walk our way.
“Savannah, can you come join me inside?” Keith asks, looking white as a ghost. Panic forms and grows inside my stomach, making its way to my heart, which is now beating rapidly. I see Derek make eye contact with Keith.
A moment later, Derek takes me by the arm and walks me toward the front door. I don’t want to be indoors.
I want to run far away from what they’re about to tell me. I don’t want to think the worst, but it’s there, teeter-tottering between the good and the bad. One moment I’ll be okay, then the next I’m looking for an exit.
Keith opens the door to Dr. Roberts’s office.
I feel the tension in the room, and a rush of goose bumps breaks out, making me shiver.
Daniel’s arm is wrapped around Sue. Her eyes are glossy and her hands are clenched into fists.
Oh, God. I look around at everyone’s faces as a haunting prickle dances along the back of my neck.
June holds out her hand for me to sit next to her. I do, nearly falling over my shaky feet.
Abigail joins us a moment later, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Dr. Roberts gives her shoulder a quick squeeze. Everyone is painfully quiet as Daniel gives Keith a nod to begin.
“Fifty-four hours ago, Team Blackstone entered the house known to be The American’s main residence.” He clears his throat as mine closes. “Things didn’t go according to plan. They had to abort the mission. While attempting to retreat, they came under fire. Everyone got out, except Cole.”
Everything stops. Time. Movement. Brain waves. Breathing. Heartbeat—you name it, it just stops.
I barely hear his next words, but they eventually find me. “We do know he’s alive.”
“How?” Sue cries out, reaching for her husband, who grips her hand tightly.
“We’ve received confirmation from Washington that the satellite camera picked up an image of Cole being transported to an unknown location by The American and the Cartels.”
My lungs beg me to take a deep breath. Finally, I do, letting out a horrible sob.