Fast Lane (SEAL Team Alpha Book 16)

by Zoe Dawson

  Later, as they dried off, she said, “All those supposed miscalls?”

  He smiled, his gaze intent. “Yeah, my way of keeping tabs on you without really engaging.” He rubbed the towel over his hair.

  “Catch up calls?” she asked, giving him a sidelong look.

  For the first time since she had stepped into the room, there was genuine amusement in his eyes. The laugh lines around his eyes, his mouth, his crooked smile communicating private and shared memories. “More than that. I seriously wanted to know how you were and what was going on in your life.”

  “You didn’t have to fabricate calls to talk to me, handsome.”

  “Didn’t know that, so I was playing it safe.”

  “You? Playing it safe. Since when?”

  Pain darkened his eyes. “Since I lost you, Solace. I wanted a sure thing, and I didn’t think being reckless, or aggressive, was the way to go. Now I wonder how much time I wasted. I should have gone back to you, seduced you into bed.”

  Solace closed her eyes and hugged him hard, moved by his husky admission. It had cost him a lot to make such a statement. Even though his barriers were down, and he was freely communicating, she got the feeling there was still something holding him back. Now was not the time to press. They still had so much to deal with…he had so much to handle. Going after Zasha consumed him. There would be no stopping him. She just had to hold on for the ride until it was over. Then they could really get down to the nitty-gritty of how they were going to make their lives together a reality.

  “Shoulda, coulda, woulda.” It was all under the bridge now with that water that had flowed past. All she knew was that they had something special, and they couldn’t let it die…she couldn’t let it die. “It doesn’t matter right now. We still have plenty of time to talk about the past, but right now, all I care about is having you.”

  Cupping his jaw, she lifted up on her toes and kissed him, so glad the pain was replaced with the warm glimmer in his eyes. She loved the way his mouth went soft and pliant beneath hers. Drawing away, she followed him out into his quarters and got dressed.

  Ten minutes later, she walked with him across the compound, her body still tingling from their quick shower sex. Fast Lane glanced toward the airstrip and his mouth flattened out. He was remembering everything. She ran her hand down his arm, and his attention shifted to her.

  Caught in his dark, knee-melting gaze, she tried to release the sudden tightness in her chest. Their gaze connected even deeper and held; the unspoken communication between them was both strained and revealing. He silently acknowledged and accepted her comfort. Suddenly, the ache in her throat was for his silent and unending courage.

  They moved up the stairs and into the command center, filing into the briefing room. Rose was there talking quietly to Ruckus. Dragon was seated at the head of the table looking off into space. Mad Max was fidgeting with his phone. It was clearly turned off. She suspected he was desperate to call his sister Anna.

  Saint’s attention went to Fast Lane as he entered, looking every inch the corpsman. His face was creased in heavy concern, and it was clear he wanted a few words with his boss.

  Then there was Professor. He sat a bit apart from the others, and she realized he was not part of this tight-knit team. He looked devastated, his red-rimmed eyes staring at nothing. She was aware he and Hemingway had gone through BUD/S together. She didn’t know what had happened on that mountain, but all of them had been through hell.

  Dragon’s foot slipped away from his chair and hooked Professor’s, and he pulled him closer to the small group. Professor’s chest expanded, and he nodded gently to the others.

  She could almost hear the hoo-yah between them. He might be temporary, but he was a part of the Team with a capital T. These guys, regardless of their close associations, were all part of the overarching brotherhood. That would never change.

  Ruckus turned toward the group and every one of them tensed up. The look on his face was neutral, and there was no telling what kind of news he had to relay. If any.

  He didn’t keep them waiting any longer. “First off, I know you all need a report on how your teammates are doing.” He came closer to the table and Rose leaned against the counter on one side of the wall. Her face held sorrow and guilt, and Solace wanted to go to her. She needed a friend right about now.

  Ruckus cleared his throat. “Petty Officer Ballentine has been treated for his broken ribs. He had minor cuts and abrasions that have also been treated. His lungs are fine as well as his chest area where he took the round to his plate. A lot of bruising, but he’ll make a full recovery. They’re keeping him for observation.” He pressed his hands against the table. “Petty Officer Sinclair is in surgery to repair the gash on his leg where the shrapnel cut him. The other wounds were superficial.” Ruckus looked at Professor. “The doctors wanted me to pass on to you that you did an exemplary job in the field of binding his wound and keeping him warm after the blood loss. It helped immensely. Thank you for that service, Petty Officer Prescott.”

  Professor sat back, heaving a heavy sigh. His chest expanded raggedly, and he rubbed his palms against his pants leg. She had to wonder if he was remembering the blood on his hands. “And his prognosis?” he asked, his voice choked with the rawest kind of emotion.

  “We’ll know more once he is out of the operating room.”

  “You’ll let—”

  “Immediately. Of course, I will.”

  Professor let his breath go on a shaky rush. “Thank you, sir.”

  The tension mounted. Everyone wanted to know about Dodger, and they wanted the information to be good news. She could feel their anticipation, anguish, and intent.

  “As for Petty Officer Graham, he’s…” Ruckus paused and took a breath. “...fighting for his life like a true SEAL. They are assessing his injuries and working on stabilizing him. He’s going into surgery as soon as that’s accomplished. It’s touch-and-go.”

  There was complete silence in the room as the guys absorbed the news. Her hands were clasped tight, and she realized she was trembling. This wasn’t exactly good news, but it wasn’t bad news either.

  “He’s a tough wanker all right,” Dragon said fiercely. All of them laughed softly at the use of Dodger’s favorite word.

  “As of now, the communication blackout is lifted. You can contact family and friends if you wish after the briefing,” Ruckus said. “We all know what you’re going through and if you wish to stand down and let another team come in and finish this operation, there will be no shame in that. I can see it’s taken a toll, and as your commander, I want to make sure you all have your heads in the game.”

  There was no mistaking the pained and angry looks exchanged by all of the SEALs. Fast Lane’s chin came up, a sure sign he was going to debate the issue, but he didn’t get a chance to speak. Saint stood, his chair making a grating sound as it reacted to his explosive rise. His fists clenched and he said, “We’re never out of the fight. What happened to our guys will be with us, but we’re not going to back down from that bitch. She’s ours, Commander. We earned the right to go after her.”

  Dragon stood, then Mad Max, and finally Professor. “All of us are ready to deploy. Just point us in the right direction,” Professor said.

  “I expected as much,” Ruckus said, setting his hands on his hips. He looked toward the door where an aide was standing. “Send them in.”

  The aide opened the door and motioned. Four men walked through with packs that they dropped in the corner. It was clear they had just arrived.

  “These are your reinforcements.”

  “Easy,” Professor said, smiling and walking up to the big man with an all-American look, dark hair, and piercing pale blue eyes. They bumped fists, then hugged hard, beating each other’s backs.

  Ruckus smiled. “Petty Officer Matt “Easy” Hitchcock and his teammates, Master Chief Angelo “Bondo” Zane and Lieutenant Michael “Tex” Penn. They’re on loan from SEAL Team Eight. We also called in Seni
or Petty Officer Chris “Iceman” Snow from DEVGRU. You’ve worked with him before.”

  Bondo was tall, well-built, and bald with a presence that radiated badass. In contrast, Tex was shorter by a few inches and had dark hair, a scruffy beard, and intense eyes that reminded her of a predator. Iceman lived up to his name with his white mohawk, icy blue eyes, and a brutally handsome face. Solace remembered him from Mogadishu. He and three members of his team had helped Fast Lane and his team secure the airport after Zasha’s massacre.

  He'd also been fiercely protective of Rose and allowed her to use him as a pillow when she was out of it from her concussion. She looked over at Rose now and her face had a rosy tint to it, her gaze solely on Iceman. He looked across the room and gave her a nod of his head in greeting. For the first time since they had come off that mountain, Rose gave him a small, brief smile.

  Wait. Four SEALs? Only three had been injured. She wasn’t the only one in the room who noticed that Tex was an officer. She looked over at Fast Lane.

  “I’m sure you all have questions, but we have a lot to get through and those questions will be answered in due course.” He stepped back as the newcomers all took seats and said, “Rose.”

  She moved to the front of the room carrying a file and a clicker in her hands. She put up a picture of the bombed structure. “The FBI Evidence Response Team and Critical Incident Response group were on point to collect forensic evidence and assess the scene after Warrant Officer Mitchell sent her Hellfire. They have reported that Zasha’s DNA was at the site, but they didn’t recover her body. They suspect she is still alive and at large. They have also secured an injured mercenary who has already talked. He was quite irritated when they left him behind.”

  She pressed the clicker, and a picture of a tunnel came up—debris, rocks, and earth everywhere, the dust still settling. “Apparently, Zasha had a tunnel dug into the mountain from below. That is why we found no heat signatures in the dwelling.” She snapped to the next picture showing the mercenary and many dead, bloody, and mangled bodies. “They also indicate there were no signs or evidence of uranium or bomb casings, or any type of lab equipment at all.” She took a heavy breath. “This was a kill house specially set up to ambush you when you came to investigate the structure.”

  “And the merc? What does he have to say?”

  She put a picture up of Pakistan. “He says that her plan was to exterminate your team then retreat back to North Waziristan District where we have reason to believe Muhammad Angar Said has a camp. It’s an extremely dangerous area, and Said’s escape from us and his many successful forays against the Pakistanis have made him a popular figure.”

  She came to the table and set down her folder, looking at each one of them. “We have been contacted by Pakistan. They are concerned about both Said’s and Zasha’s deeds and their future plans. They don’t want to have their country be a refuge for terrorists. Or at least ones with this much baggage. They don’t want the attention it brings.”

  She shifted her gaze to Fast Lane. “This is why Lieutenant Penn is here. He will take over for you with your team, Fast Lane, while you are flown to Islamabad to meet with the Pakistanis to help coordinate an attack on the camp. Warrant Officer Mitchell will be your pilot, and you will be leaving after the brief. Your team will then meet you there, and you and the Pakistanis will assault the camp. We are currently gathering intel about the layout and the size of Angar Said’s force. We believe they have the dirty bombs. We have some intelligence that just came in that Zasha was seen in Iran. We suspect they assisted her in converting the uranium into devices she can use. The threat is real, and we’re at the highest level of alert in the US and our allies across the globe.”

  She ran her hands through her hair looking weary and overloaded, then she looked back at Ruckus. He nodded.

  “There has been another development that we feel is important to brief you on. Currently, we are unaware of the whereabouts of Shea Sinclair, Makayla Ballentine, Chrysanthe Steele, and Anna Graham.” Max made a soft growl in his throat. Solace’s heart hurt for him. His teammate was in critical condition and now this. Anna missing. What could that mean?

  “They’re not in Germany and haven’t booked any type of commercial flight. They have simply disappeared. We also have information that one of our elite operatives who goes by the code name Karasu is also missing. I have reached out to the CIA, but they are being cagey in regard to any information about the women.”

  “What did 2-Stroke say?” Dragon asked.

  “He only said that she wasn’t coerced and that she was sorry. That was all. They were attacked again. One of the CIA’s operatives, Karasu’s partner, is in critical condition as well,” Ruckus said. He looked at Max. “Have you had any communication from your sister?”

  “No,” Max said, frustration in every syllable. “We’ve been on blackout. I haven’t reached out to her yet. But I will. I’ll brief you on anything I find out.”

  Ruckus nodded.

  “There’s one more thing that has just come to light within the last thirty minutes. The mole has been neutralized, along with the arrest of a traitor in JSOC. Whatever we have planned, Zasha will get no more information from her sources.”

  No other information except Dodger’s recovery could have made Solace happier.

  “She planned well,” Dragon said.

  “She’s out of chances. This is the end of the line for her,” Saint said.

  “Fuck yeah,” Professor said. “We’re going to end her.”

  Mad Max seconded Professor’s words. They were going to drop on Zasha like a wrecking ball and leave nothing of that camp standing. As soon as he was clear of the brief, he walked out into the cold evening air of the compound. Fast Lane and Solace passed him, and Fast Lane gripped Mad Max’s shoulder. They exchanged looks. “Watch your back, sir.”

  “You too. All of you stay safe and don’t piss off Lieutenant Penn too much.”

  Mad Max nodded as he turned on his phone, but there was nothing from Anna. No messages.

  Anna, what the fuck are you doing?

  He pressed his mom’s number and she picked up immediately. “Thank God you are all right. What is happening with Oliver?”

  “He’s stable but still critical. They are working to get him to a point where they can operate.” Max’s voice broke.

  “I see. Your sisters and I are always here for you, Max. Please let us know anything we can do.”

  “Just pray, Mom. That’s all we can do now.” He took a heavy breath. “Mom, where’s Anna?”

  “What? I thought she flew to Germany.”

  He closed his eyes. “No, she didn’t.”

  “Oh, God,” she whispered. “She said something. Something cryptic to me when I talked to her. She’s gone after that woman. Hasn’t she?”

  “What did she say?”

  “Oliver would get the justice he deserves. I just thought she was trying to soothe herself.”

  Max’s gut clenched with a searing panic, like nothing he’d ever felt before. His damn sister, Pitbull and Hemingway’s wives, along with Chry, had gone after Zasha. He said his goodbyes to his mom.

  With frustration and anger washing through him, he went back into TOC to report to Ruckus what he’d found out.

  There was a frantic commotion. He heard Solace’s voice blaring out over the TOC’s comm. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. We’ve been hit. We are going down. We’re going—”

  The communication cut off abruptly. His LT and Solace Mitchell’s helicopter had been shot down.

  Goddamnit it all to hell! He got a really bad feeling that Zasha had been able to pull off one more ambush before her conduit at the CIA had been cut off. He was going to kill that bitch with his bare hands. On top of Anna and the other women who were missing, he had to worry about his LT and Solace stranded in the Hindu Kush with the possibility of Zasha ready for them on the ground.

  15

  Anna stood at the window of the small airfield. Her body and mind
might be in a black CIA base in a remote part of Pakistan, but her heart…always…was with her amazing husband, who was fighting for his life in an operating room in Landstuhl, Germany.

  Anna had no doubt it was going to get dicey with the number of baddies surrounding that fucking harpy, Zasha Vasiliev. It would give her great satisfaction to put that rabid bitch down once and for all, but she wasn’t the only hotshot gunslinger gunning for the number one wanted HTV on the planet.

  They, the assembled women of SEAL wives, one almost wife and one crazy, scary wildcard with only a code name, were cut from the same cloth. Special Agent Makayla Ballentine worked for NCIS, but before that? She was a Shadow Wolf, a border patrol unit of Native Americans who guarded the Arizona-Mexico border apprehending illegal aliens, smugglers, and illicit drug traffickers, assisting search and rescue, and aiding tourists. She went off-book there, lost her family, but eventually took down a drug smuggler on her own. She had sharpshooter credentials and grit and tenacity to spare.

  Makayla was sitting on one of the chairs against the wall softly talking to Shea. Special Agent Shea Sinclair was also NCIS but worked primarily as an undercover asset. She was responsible for many terrorist takedowns during tricky operations. It’s how she met Atticus “Hemingway” Sinclair. Wily and fast on her feet.

  Then there was CIA Officer Chrysanthe Steele who had gone through hell at the hands of Zasha, captured along with Neo “2-Stroke” Teller. Chry was on her laptop, the consummate analyst. It was their plan that she would circle above them after they landed on the ground to act as their TOC. She was sure to point out that even though she knew how to use a gun and had enough guts to jump out of a perfectly good plane, she would serve them better as their eyes on the ground.

  Chry had introduced them to Karasu, a CIA Shadowguard who really didn’t need any introduction. It was clear from the way the woman moved and dressed she was an assassin. Encased in a black jumpsuit, she was currently going toe-to-toe with a shady guy who was going to rent them a plane. She felt sorry for the bastard.