Gwen's Delta (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Delta Team Three Book 3)

by Lynne St. James

  It would give them extra time to firm up their plan once they had boots on the ground. The clock was ticking, and every minute counted.

  Once they made cruising altitude, Merlin pulled the cake out of his bag, unwrapped it, and put it in the center of a table.

  “Gwen’s grandmother sent cake to thank us for our help. It’s horrible, so you probably won’t want any,” Merlin said, trying to keep a straight face.

  Gwen giggled. “Don’t listen to him. He raved about it. He just wants it all for himself.”

  “Traitor,” he mumbled with a smile.

  Her return smile took his breath away and sent a jolt of arousal straight to his crotch. This mission would take every bit of his control, and every time she smiled at him, it got a little harder—literally.

  Less than five minutes later there was nothing left but crumbs.

  “Do you have more?” Zip asked.

  “That’s it. You’re stuck with whatever is in the fridge.” Merlin tried to keep a straight face.

  “Destiny has the recipe now,” Gwen added with a grin.

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” Zip teased.

  The guys’ banter helped Gwen unwind. She needed to relax and get some sleep, so she’d be ready for whatever they would find in Cairo. There were so many things that could go wrong—too many unknowns—but if there was a way out of this shit show, they’d find it.

  Woof and Jangles made a bunch of sandwiches and put them on the table. Then, Zip pulled out two decks of cards.

  “Do you know how to play poker, Gwen?” Zip asked.

  “I do, but I’m kind of rusty.”

  “You shouldn’t have told them that, it’s just asking for trouble,” Merlin told her. But then she winked at him. The guys were in for a surprise.

  “How about a friendly game? We’ll keep the betting low,” Woof said.

  “Sure. But is this just to distract me? I figured you’d spend the entire flight planning,” Gwen answered.

  “We’ve planned all we can until we land. Poker is a distraction for all of us,” Jangles said.

  “Okay. What are the stakes?”

  That should have been a dead giveaway, and Merlin turned away to hide his smile. They were underestimating his little bookworm. This would be fun.

  “Merlin, you in?” Zip asked.

  “I’ll sit this one out.”

  “Chicken shit, you’re just worried we’ll clean you out again,” Zip said with a chuckle.

  “You wish. I want to go through my email and check for updates.”

  “How about you, Duff?” Woof asked as the others pulled two tables together.

  “Sure, it’s that or sleep.”

  “You’re really not going to play, Luke?” Gwen asked.

  “I’m not in the mood to take all of their money. But you go ahead.” He squeezed her hand.

  Two hours later, Merlin was happy he’d sat out of the game. Not only did Gwen know how to play poker, she’d won almost every hand. Zip looked shell shocked. Merlin barely restrained his laughter.

  “Remind me never to ask you to play poker again,” Zip grumbled to Gwen as he totaled his losses. “You should have warned us you were a shark.”

  “I’m not. I haven’t played since college. But I’m great at reading people, and I figured out your tells by the end of the second hand. And y’all assumed that because I’m a woman, I wouldn’t know how to play well,” she said with a laugh.

  They’d kept the betting low, but Gwen had still won over a hundred dollars. Merlin figured they were happy they’d decided not to play with their usual rules.

  Gwen was smart—he already knew that—but now that he knew how well she could read people, he hoped it would help when she had to deal with the kidnappers.

  “Nice job,” Merlin said when she sat down next to him.

  “I’d forgotten how much I enjoy poker.”

  “You really haven’t played since college?”

  “Nope. I haven’t even thought about it. All my friends moved away. And can you imagine me playing with Grams and Gramps?”

  “They might surprise you. We have a poker night once a week when we’re not on missions. You’re welcome to play anytime.”

  “I’m not so sure they’d be so happy about that.” Gwen tipped her head to indicate the guys.

  “Ehh, losing is good for the soul as long as it’s just poker.”

  Gwen giggled, then yawned.

  “Why don’t you lie down and get some rest. There’s at least ten hours to go. I’ll make sure you’re awake before we land.”

  “I don’t know…”

  Merlin put his computer on the table next to him and lifted the armrest between them. “You need your strength, princess. I don’t know what we’re walking into, the best prep is being rested and ready.” He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

  “How do you do this all the time? Living on the edge, never knowing what’s coming next?”

  Merlin shrugged. “I joined the Army to make a difference, to make sure the world was a safer place. The rest is just part of the job. Some missions are worse than others, but as long as we accomplish what we set out to do, it’s all worth it.”

  “You are all pretty damn amazing. Risking your life. I know you’re not regular Army. I know you can’t tell me. But the more I learn about what you do, and the danger involved, I can’t imagine how hard it must be for your families. I don’t know how Destiny doesn’t freak out when Zip leaves.”

  Merlin had half expected this, but not yet. Maybe after the mission. Would his job be too much for her to handle? Gwen was a gentle soul—hell, she still believed in fairy tales. He didn’t even want to think about all the hate and blackness she was about to experience. It would change her in ways she did not understand yet.

  “I’m sure it’s difficult for her and Woof’s girlfriend, Nori. She works for the State Department and lives in DC. Did Destiny say anything about it today?”

  “No, not really. Just told me that if I wasn’t serious about you, I need to tell you.”

  “She did?” That was a surprise, but it shouldn’t have been. In all the years they’d been together, he’d never fallen for anyone, not like he had for Gwen. Zip would have told Destiny that.

  “Yeah.”

  Merlin paused a beat, hoping she would say more, say that she was still serious about him. When she didn’t, he hugged her close. “It’s okay. We don’t have to deal with any of this. It can wait until after we get you and your parents back home.”

  Gwen wrapped her arms around her waist. Like she was afraid to reach out and touch him. “No. You…this…whatever is between us is important. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else. Life isn’t easy. If it were, I wouldn’t be on this plane. I’m not saying I’m in love with you, but I can’t imagine you not in my life.”

  Her words healed a hole in his heart he didn’t know existed. Pulling her onto his lap, he kissed her, keeping it gentle, though he wanted to kiss her until her cheeks flushed, and she could no longer worry. But it wasn’t the time or the place.

  “That’s good, because I don’t plan on letting you go,” he whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I think you need to rest. If you stay here, I won’t be able to restrain myself.”

  Her grin was like sunshine, and she squirmed on his lap, making him groan. “That’s just cruel.”

  “Sorry. Actually, no, I’m not. Knowing how I affect you makes me happy.” Gwen said with a smile.

  Chuckling, he kissed her again. “Okay, bedtime for you, princess. Let’s get you settled.”

  Chapter 17

  Hours later, Luke’s gentle kiss woke her. As Gwen’s eyes opened, and she took in her surroundings, confusion swirled in her mind. Bright light, curved ceiling? And whatever she was lying on was not a bed, that was for sure. As she tried to sit up, her body protested, stiff from not moving for too long. Gwen hadn’t expected to fall asleep on the plane, but all the worrying a
bout her parents had worn her out.

  “Morning, princess.” Luke’s smile sent little zings of happiness to her heart.

  “Where are we?” She tried to sit up again. How long had she been lying there?

  Luke must have seen her struggling to get up and slid an arm underneath her shoulders to help. She ran her hands through her hair. Ugh. She really needed to brush her teeth.

  “We’re about two hours from Cairo.”

  “Wow. I slept that long?”

  “Yes, you did. Rest is preparation just like studying your enemy. Especially when we don’t know what’s coming. Trust me, all you missed was a bunch of snoring. I promise. Actually, I’m amazed you slept through it.” Luke chuckled.

  It made Gwen giggle as she looked over at the rest of the team. They sat at a table, drinking coffee, and speaking low enough that she couldn’t make out what they were saying. “Y’all must be used to this. Traveling all the time, sleeping wherever.”

  “Pretty much. Although, this is not how we usually travel. I’m sure you need the bathroom. It’s in the back. Are you hungry?”

  “Thanks. Not hungry, but coffee would be wonderful.”

  “I’ll have a cup waiting for you.” Luke kissed her again, but she kept her lips firmly closed. She probably had awful morning breath.

  After Luke walked over to his team, she saw her bag leaning against the other end of the sofa. He must have gotten it for her before he woke her. Grabbing the handle, she wheeled it into the bathroom, expecting to walk into a little, two-by-two airplane bathroom.

  It surprised her when she opened the door, and it was full sized. There was a shower and plenty of room to get ready. Flying on a private jet definitely had advantages.

  After washing up and putting on one of her new outfits and the hiking boots, she felt more confident. She could do this. They’d rescue her parents and go home. Maybe if she repeated it enough, it would happen. Sort of like wishing on a star.

  Gwen plastered a smile on her face and took a deep breath. She stowed her bag on her way toward the front of the plane, then greeted the guys, who were still sitting at the table.

  “Morning,” she said with a smile.

  “Good morning,” their deep voices rumbled in response. Except for Duff. He just seemed to grunt.

  She wondered about him. Luke had warned her not to take his prickly personality personally. It was just Duff being Duff.

  “What time is it?” Gwen took the steaming mug of coffee from Luke. It smelled delicious.

  “It’s ten hundred hours…ten local time.”

  “This time change thing is messing me up. I’m supposed to meet them tomorrow?”

  “Yes, exactly. We’ll use the time today to see if we can figure out anything else about your parents’ kidnapping. The terrorists should contact you with the meeting location at some point soon. Then we can scope it out ahead of time.”

  “Okay.” Gwen sipped her coffee and sat down at the table with the guys, her gaze still locked with Luke’s. “What’s our first move? After we land, I mean?”

  Zip smiled and pushed a map across the table. There were a few circled areas, but she didn’t recognize the locations.

  “Are we going to each of the circled places?”

  “After we land, we’ll go through customs,” Luke said. “It will be tricky with the bag of money, but our contact arranged for us to go through the VIP line. If everything works out, then we proceed to the next checkpoint.”

  “Checkpoint?”

  “We break down our missions by checkpoints. This way, we know where we are on our timeline.”

  “Oh, okay. I think I get it.” Gwen studied the map.

  “Woof will carry the bag with the ransom and go through last. If there’s trouble, we’ll already be through.”

  “And what happens to him?”

  “We’ll make some calls and come back for him. He’ll be fine.” Luke’s confidence made her feel a little better. The last thing Gwen wanted was for one of them to be hurt while trying to save her parents.

  “You don’t have to worry about me. The important part is to get you out of there and to the safe house,” Woof added.

  “Safe house? I feel like I’m in a Jason Bourne movie.”

  “You’re not far off,” Jangles said. Luke shot him a look that didn’t seem pleased, and Jangles shrugged.

  “We’ll settle into the safe house, then check-in with Roe. Hopefully, he’ll have updated intel,” Luke replied.

  “I did some research yesterday. You’re not just Army, you’re some kind of special forces. Rangers? Or are you the ghosts—Delta Force?” Gwen figured she deserved to know who all the players were before she risked everyone’s lives. But would they trust her enough to answer?

  She’d swear she felt some silent communication between the teammates before they looked toward Luke. He’d told her he was the unofficial leader, and from his expression, he wasn’t happy about it, either. Or maybe her question had put the brackets around his lips and hardened his expression.

  “We are Delta. This is top secret information, but since you’re on the mission, it was inevitable that you’d figure it out. It’s dangerous knowledge to possess. Now that you know, you need to swear you’ll never discuss it or tell anyone, even after you’re back home. You could endanger our lives if that information gets out.” Luke’s gaze searched her expression for understanding.

  “I swear on my grandparents’ lives that I’ll never breathe a word. Thank you for trusting me,” Gwen pledged.

  “Welcome to the team,” Zip said with a smile. He was the first, but the others quickly echoed his words.

  “What happens after you hear from Roe?” Gwen asked as she continued to stare at the map, committing the circled locations to memory. It might help her later.

  “We’ll either sit tight or check out some of these locations.” Luke refilled her coffee cup.

  “That doesn’t sound too bad, and I’ll get to see Cairo.” Gwen wouldn’t mind seeing some of Cairo.

  “We’ll be checking out the locations. You’ll stay in the safe house with one of us.”

  “Why?”

  “To keep you safe, for one. We don’t want the kidnappers to know you’re here yet if we can help it. Although, they might have people watching the airport.”

  “I don’t like it. Does it really matter if they know I’m here early? I didn’t come here so y’all could lock me in a room. And another thing, how am I going to find out where I have to hand over the money? They don’t have my cell phone number, and it probably wouldn’t work here, anyway.”

  “I’m sorry you don’t like it. It gives us an advantage, and we need all of those we can get. So you’ll stay hidden until the handoff,” Luke answered. She’d never heard the steel in his voice, and it didn’t leave room for argument.

  “And how do I find out the location of the money exchange?”

  “We think they’ll email you. It would be the easiest method, and they used it to send you the proof of life.”

  Gwen frowned. “How do I check if my phone doesn’t work? I didn’t think to bring my laptop.”

  “We have a laptop you can use. Gwen, it’ll be okay. Leave the worrying to us,” Luke said.

  Closing her eyes, Gwen took a deep breath and tried to relax. It wouldn’t do for her to freak out. “Okay, sorry. I really am trying to stay calm.”

  “You’re doing great,” Woof said.

  It didn’t feel like it to her, but she appreciated their encouragement. The last thing she wanted was to make their job harder. That triggered another thought. They were helping her but were there for another reason. “What about your other mission?”

  “What do you mean?” Luke asked.

  “What’s the real reason you came with me? I know they wouldn’t send a Delta team to help with a kidnapping. Something else is going on.”

  “You’re wrong about that part; we conduct rescues all the time. But we’re also looking for the people behind the k
idnapping. If we can find them, we can take them out before they hurt anyone else.”

  “Okay, I understand. I’m just grateful that you’re able to help me. I don’t know how I’d have gotten through all of this alone.”

  The intercom beeped, then one of the pilot’s voices said, “We’re on our final approach. Secure any loose items and put on your seatbelts to prepare for landing.”

  “Party time is over,” Jangles said as they gathered the coffee cups and stowed them in the galley kitchen.

  “How are you holding up?” Luke asked as he sat in the seat next to her and buckled his seatbelt.

  “I’m okay. Is it weird that I’m excited about being in Egypt, even though I’m worried about my parents?”

  “Not at all. I’m sorry you won’t be able to go sightseeing.”

  “It’s okay. I should have figured you’d keep me locked down somewhere.”

  Luke smiled, and it warmed her heart. “If you look out the window, you’ll be able to see the pyramids as we make our approach.”

  “Really?” She hadn’t thought about that. This would be the closest she’d probably ever see them.

  Sure enough, as they made their approach, Gwen could see the pyramids. They were impressive even from the airplane. Maybe someday, she’d be able to see them from the ground.

  After they landed, Luke spoke to the pilots. Then, as planned, they made their way through security without issue. Gwen couldn’t have been more relieved. She’d dreaded the thought of leaving Woof behind.

  They stepped outside of the terminal and into the desert heat. Luke hadn’t been kidding when he’d said Egypt was hotter than Texas. It wasn’t just the temperature. It was the extreme dryness that instantly sucked the moisture out of her skin and made her thirsty for anything cold and wet.

  Their driver leaned against a dust-covered minivan in front of the Cairo Airport. They climbed in for the ride to the safe house. The inside of the van was a lot cleaner than the outside, but maybe that helped them blend in. Gwen had a lot of questions but didn’t want to say something she shouldn’t in front of the driver. So she kept silent and gazed through the window.