by Delta James
“If, as you say, Fariq knows of your plans … now that you’re away from there, I no longer have value, and you can simply let me go. Give me cab fare to the closest US embassy, and I’ll be gone as well as any threat I posed to you.”
Springer laughed harshly. “You overestimate both your intelligence and value to me. You are nothing. It would be easier to simply eliminate you and dispose of your body.”
“If I’m of no value, then why did Fariq want me at the meeting?” Finn asked making note that Springer had not corrected her assumption that they had left the United States.
“He is old and getting weak. He truly believed your brother would be easier to deal with if you were there. Like you, he should have simply gotten rid of him.”
“Then why not just kill me?”
“I have asked myself the same question. The answer is, you pose a different kind of threat. The man with whom you share a bed is Billy Crofton of the Wild Mustang Security Firm. Those I truly serve do not wish to run afoul of them and of your Mr. Crofton in particular. They feel that were I to kill you, he would make it his life’s mission to take vengeance on those who harmed you and would ultimately discover who I am, who I represent, and what we plan to do. That is your only value. Count your lucky stars you spread your legs for the right man. I will have breakfast sent up to you.”
After the door closed behind him and the lock clicked, Finn conducted a more thorough search of her temporary prison both for a means of escape and to ensure that Springer had spoken the truth about any kind of electronic monitoring in her room. Feeling safe enough for the moment, she went into the bath to take a shower.
Finn stood under the lukewarm water. There was little pleasure to be found either with its maximum temperature or water pressure. It occurred to her as she stared up at the skylight overhead that she ought to heed Croft’s words and wait to be rescued. But she doubted they even had a clue as to where she was. She truly believed the best thing to do was bide her time for only so long as it took to find a means of escape.
She jumped up and clung to the top of the glass shower enclosure. It was solid and well installed as bumping and climbing along its edge didn’t even cause it to shake. Finn thought she was probably tall enough that standing on top of it, she could most likely reach the skylight. It looked as though there were both a screen and a handle, which indicated the skylight would open.
The problem was, having not seen the outside of the building, she had no idea what the roof itself was like. She needed to persuade Springer to let her stretch her legs outside so she could take a better look at both the roof and the surrounding countryside. All she could see from her window was open fields. It would be easy for someone with a rifle to pick her off as she fled. No, she needed to get a lay of the land.
***
Croft slept little. His dreams were either enhanced by memories of being with Finn and envisioning a life together, or tormented by thoughts of what might happen to her before this was all over. He was up before Noah and took another shower to try and chase the cobwebs from his mind. He needed to be focused and sharp if they were going to get Finn back. And God help Springer if he’d harmed her in any way.
Noah was up and getting dressed as Croft reentered the barracks.
John stuck his head in. “Apparently, Thom has some intel, and we’re going to eat and go over it. Mandy made burritos.”
Croft grinned. Mandy’s breakfast burritos were a staple of the team. There wasn’t a single member of the organization who would turn one down. Croft got dressed, and the two men headed to the conference room. They met Junior, four burritos in hand, headed to Abdal.
“Four?” teased Noah.
“You bet,” answered Junior as he took a bite of one. “One for Abdal, one for Baez, and two for me.”
They continued on their way and entered the conference room to find not only had Mandy brought breakfast, she’d brought coffee. There was a big pot brewing, but also a specialty coffee for each man with his name on the sleeve. Junior had gone down to keep an eye on Abdal, Baez was most likely getting some shut-eye, and Adam would be manning the electronics. That left John, Noah, Thom, and Croft in the conference room.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” said the curvaceous redhead John was married to. “I knew you’d be hungry, so there’s plenty to eat.”
Croft walked past the burritos and grabbed his coffee then took a long drink. “Coffee first.”
He turned and was confronted by the feisty Mrs. Hampton, who thrust a burrito in his face.
“You need to eat, Croft. You can’t do her any good if you aren’t at your best, and that means food as well as coffee. She’ll be fine. You’ll get her back.”
Croft nodded but said nothing as he sat down at the table.
John approached his wife and kissed her. “Thanks, sweetheart. Any word from Willa?”
“Now, why do you think I would hear from Willa before you hear from Mac?”
John chuckled. “Because Mac had no intention of doing anything but having his way with Willa while they were gone. And while your best buddy enjoys that as well, she tends to be rather driven about her business, and you have a big group going out right after she gets back.”
Mandy laughed. “It’s a repeat group, and she wants everything to go smoothly. I haven’t heard from her in a couple of days though. If I do, should I bring her up to speed?”
“No, but if she calls, tell her to have Mac contact me. Be a good girl and take a burrito and coffee to Adam, will you?”
“Already done. And let Baez and Avery know there are burritos in the kitchen for them. Anything else?”
“I think that’ll do it,” John said and kissed her again. “Do me a favor and work from Willa’s today, will you?”
“I’m fine, John,” Mandy replied, letting her exasperation with her husband’s overly protective nature shine through.
“You will be if you work from Willa’s and do what I tell you,” he replied with just a hint of annoyance in his voice. “I want to know where all our people are.”
Noah, Thom, and Croft all grinned. It was obvious Mandy wanted to argue. It was just as obvious she knew better, and that John wasn’t in the mood for it.
“Fine, but only because it’ll be easier to make lunch for everybody,” she said in a tone that was just this side of snarky.
“Mandy’s dander seems to be up this morning,” noted Croft.
John smiled. “She gets that way when I don’t sleep at home with her.”
“Poor John. The things you have to do to keep her happy.”
“Well, a man’s gotta do, what a man’s gotta do,” he laughed. “So, Thom, what do we know?”
Thom went over the information he had been able to glean from his contacts in several intelligence agencies. It boiled down to the fact that Springer most likely was involved with a splinter group from the RAF that had ties to Boko Haram and other extremist organizations. There were rumors they had been planning to make a big push to become one of the world’s major players in terrorism. As they had feared, taking over Abdal’s organization was their way to secure funding to do that.
“What does he, or do they want with Finn?” asked John.
“From what I’ve been able to gather, she really was just a means of escape for him. She has no intrinsic value …”
“What the hell do you mean by that?” said Christian as he entered the room.
“Easy, Christian,” soothed Croft. “He means she doesn’t know anything about them and isn’t a threat. They’re not going to see a pressing need to harm her. It’s a good thing.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled as Croft handed him a coffee cup with his name on it.
“Help yourself to a burrito,” said Noah. “Where the hell is Avery by the way?”
Thom grinned. “Making deals with the officials so we can come and go on the fly with a very sketchy flight plan. She’ll get the jet ready to go and head over here. My contacts were also able to run down where Sprin
ger landed — Paris. He may no longer be there, but my friend Andre in DGSI, one of France’s security agencies, says he has a headquarters of sorts outside the city in the country. They aren’t prepared to move on them, but, if we want to, he can arrange for us to do that very quietly and no interference or paperwork. I’ve assured him this is simply a snatch and grab.”
“We’re headed to France, then?” asked Noah.
“I would think so. Adam is going to stay here. I’m planning to go and sleep on the plane on the way over,” offered Thom looking at John.
“That’s good thinking, Thom. We may need intelligence on the fly, and you have plenty of contacts in that area. I think we need to leave Baez and Junior here with Abdal. That leaves Noah, Croft, and me to go over there and get Finn,” said John, nodding.
“What about me?” asked Christian.
“It’s best if you stay here. You can make yourself useful by helping Baez, Junior, and Adam go over the information you gathered. I don’t think it has much to do with Finn, but it could have a negative impact on Abdal’s group, which Springer is wanting to get for himself.”
“I can’t just stay behind …”
“Christian, we’re going to try to negotiate with Springer, but if we can’t, we’re going to go in and get Finn. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but, in that situation, you’d only be in the way,” said Croft.
Christian sighed. “I just feel like I should do something.”
“But you will be,” said John. “I know it may not sound like much, but we’re going to be all hands on deck getting your sister. Who knows what we’ll need here. They may need something as simple as helping out with the phones or helping Mandy with food, but whatever it is, if you aren’t here, it will be harder on them. I hate to say this, but Croft is right. If you’re with us, you won’t be of any help.”
“I guess. Just get Finn,” he said.
“All right, boys, the next flight for Paris is ready to board. I’ve got a tight flight plan, so let’s get to it. Good morning, Christian,” called Avery.
The other men got up to head out to the plane.
“That’s nice, Avery,” said Thom. “You shout orders at us and say nice things to him.”
“Maybe because he’s nice a guy, and I know you a lot better. Get a move on, boys. Time’s a wasting.”
Croft turned to look at Christian. “We’ll get her. If they’ve harmed her, they’ll pay.”
***
Finn was pleasant and cooperative all morning. She finally asked the man who brought her lunch if it might be possible for her to take a stroll around the grounds. He was uncertain but finally agreed to ask Springer.
The door opened, and Springer entered her room.
“And why is it you think I would let you wander around the grounds?” he asked suspiciously.
“I don’t think you’d let me wander. I’m sure you’d have someone with me. You have guards posted, and I’m amendable to anything you feel you need to do to ensure I don’t get away — bind my hands, make me walk barefoot, whatever. I’m just understandably anxious, and I think a walk outside in the fresh air would help.”
Finn didn’t care for the speculative look that came over his face.
“I suppose I could consider it as a form of entertainment for my men. You will be stripped naked, your hands bound, and one of my men will have a tether on you. If you behave, you will be given back your clothes when you are returned to your room. If you don’t, I will allow one of my men to use you as he sees fit. I warn you, Ms. Reid, some of them have not had a woman in a while, and you are a very tasty morsel. Are we agreed?”
Finn gulped. She hadn’t been prepared for his conditions but felt it was imperative for her to get a long look at the outside. And as she had no interest in misbehaving on her tour, she thought it was worth it. Finn also hoped it would feed into his arrogant superiority and make them all a little less concerned.
Once Springer left, Finn removed her clothes and sat waiting on the bed. The big man she had seen standing outside her door came in and bound her hands with soft leather cuffs attached to what amounted to a leash.
“We go,” he grunted, openly staring at her.
He tugged on the tether. Finn stood and walked with as much dignity as she could muster under the circumstances. The men inside the house were respectful other than their eyes riveted to either her ass, her breasts, or her mons.
They walked outside, and the cool air immediately caused her nipples to harden. The giant on the other end of her line grinned lustily as he watched.
The men outside were not as concerned about their response to seeing her being paraded around naked. They made catcalls in both German and Arabic, and several opened their flies so she could see their cocks. Finn paid them no mind, keeping her head down but moving her eyes around so she could take it all in. The front, first side, and back where her room was did not seem to offer any means of escape, but the far side was a different story.
Finn recognized her bedroom window and the roof where the skylight had been installed. Although the main portion of the house had a pyramid-style roof, the section she was in appeared to be an addition and had a more traditional gabled roof without a very steep incline. More importantly, it led directly down to a roof only a single story above the ground with bushes beneath it. Finn figured she could make her way down and then let the bushes break her fall.
On the far side of the house from the bedroom she was using, there was an open field but not a very big one. Instead, it seemed to be adjacent to a heavily wooded area. She made note of the speed with which the guards seemed to patrol on that particular side.
When her walk was through, she was led back into the house, where Springer met her. He spoke in a language Finn did not understand before taking her lead.
“Otto tells me you were a very good girl and kept your eyes averted as you should. You are very beautiful, Ms. Reid. I can see why Croft wasted no time in bedding you.” Springer reached out and drew his finger down the swell of her breast, causing Finn to recoil. He smiled. “His desire to fuck you again could prove useful.”
He handed the tether back to Otto and again spoke in a language that did not sound familiar at all. She was taken back to her room where he removed her bindings, never taking his eyes from her still-stiffened peaks. As he left, Finn realized she needed to make her move tonight. She thought Springer might have underestimated his ability to keep a bunch of horny men under control when there was a woman available to use to satisfy their lust.
Finn opted to take her dinner in her room and began to plan her bid for freedom. She wasn’t sure what country she was in, but she planned to make her way through the woods, avoiding any kind of roadway. If they were going to give chase, they would have to pursue her on foot. If she found a town or factory, she would ask to be taken to the American embassy.
She waited until she had eaten then gave the house time to settle down. She spent the time tying the bedsheets together to form a strong rope. If there was something that she could secure it to in order to climb down, she would. Otherwise, she would tie it to the bars outside her window so it looked as though she had climbed down from that side. Either way, the going would be rough, and she hoped her innate sense of direction would keep her from going in circles.
Chapter 12
Avery flew the plane to an open field. Being outside of Paris meant that if they needed to make a swift, strategic retreat to the United States, they wouldn’t have to worry about the endless waiting that often went with trying to depart Orly or the Charles de Gaulle airports. While in flight, the team had been able to secure a small, modest farmhouse that belonged to a friend of Thom and had state-of-the-art electronic capability. The plane was parked only a hundred yards or so from the farm they were using but was not visible from the road.
Once on the ground, the team headed to their staging place, and Thom set about getting them plugged into the net and establishing communication with their comm links as
well as back in Mesa. He checked in with Adam, who had nothing new to report except for the fact that Mandy had put herself in charge of keeping Christian occupied since the waiting seemed to be taking a toll on him.
By the time they were set up, night was falling, and they took the time to make a plan for the next day. Normally, John or Mac would lead the team, but as Finn was Croft’s girl, the team deferred to him. In addition, this kind of strike was something at which SEALs excelled, and Croft had been one of the best. “The first thing we need to do is determine if Springer is where we think he is and if he still has Finn with him,” said Croft, looking at the map.
“Why don’t I take a drive by tomorrow and see what I can see? Who’s going to be worried about a woman in an old farm truck?”
“I can go with her,” offered Thom. “I can take some of my equipment and lie down in the back of the bed and scan the place as we drive by.”
“I hate that we can’t go tonight,” offered John.
“I know,” said Croft. “But I think any kind of vehicle passing by there at this time of night would be highly suspect, and the last thing we want to do with these guys is spook them.”
“We’ll get her,” said Noah reassuringly.
“I know. I just hope she heard me when I told her to stay put and not cause trouble.”
“Don’t you think she’s going to be too scared to do anything other than that?” asked Thom.
“Not Finn. She was absolutely terrified going up and down those trails into the Grand Canyon, but she went. She has the ability to tamp down her fear and do what she feels she needs to do.”