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JACOB TURNED AND WALKED a few steps toward the low building in Kabul, sand and dust kicking up on his combat boots. It was hotter than hell in the desert—a dry kind of heat that made his skin crawl. He longed for the salty ocean breezes back home in Virginia Beach.
Funny that anyone would ever miss that kind of humidity.
“Any updates?” he asked in a clipped tone, his gaze scanning the room as Hunter and Ryker walked up to the rest of them.
“Negative,” Ryker said as he stopped beside them holding his weapon. He grabbed his canteen and chugged some water, adjusting the strap of his helmet.
“Fuck,” Jacob muttered. “They fly us halfway around the world for goddamn wrong intel?”
“That’s Washington for you,” Noah said with a smirk.
The rest of the men gathered around as Hunter gestured for them to come over. “You know as much as I do. The latest SITREP indicated the terrorist group is holding someone else hostage,” Hunter said, his voice gruff. “The missing American official’s whereabouts are currently unknown. We’ll rescue whoever the terror cell is holding and take the kidnappers in. The U.S. government can question them and deal with the aftermath.”
“And the woman?” Mason asked, a frown on his face.
“Might end up being another op,” Hunter said, looking around at each of the men. “If we don’t know her whereabouts, we can’t stage a rescue operation.”
“Jesus Christ,” Colton said, swiping his brow. “Is the Alpha team still moving in to nab the leader?”
“Affirmative. They’re in the air now. The cell we’ve been watching hasn’t left yet for his location as we originally believed would happen.”
“Probably because the woman’s with someone else,” Noah said.
“So who’s being held here?” Jacob asked. “Someone the leader has no interest in?”
“It’s believed to be a British soldier,” Hunter said. “We’re just waiting on confirmation from the Pentagon. A man went MIA yesterday during a routine patrol.”
“Well hell,” Jacob said, feeling restless. “Let’s grab him and get the hell out of here. If we have to wait for more intel on the whereabouts of the woman, we might as well do something.”
Ryker smirked. “Eager to get home to your new lady friend?”
“Well I am,” Noah quipped. “Eager to get home, that is. This is the first op we’ve been on since Bailey and I have been together. She was cool about me leaving, but I could tell she was worried. The longer we sit around here doing nothing, the more stressed out I am.”
“Suck it up,” Hunter said. “Emma’s at home alone and pregnant. Do you think I enjoyed leaving her? That the other men enjoy leaving their women?”
“Well I sure as hell can’t wait to get back,” Ryker said. “Michelle was a firecracker. She promised me a spectacular welcome home.”
“Enough thinking with your dick,” Hunter ground out. “We’ve got a job to do. If we have to wait here for new intel, then we wait.”
Their commander’s voice suddenly came through over their headsets, and the men paused, listening to the latest information. “As you’re aware, we’ve had an abrupt change in plans,” Ryan said. “The location of the missing State department official is currently unknown. A British soldier was captured though in the confusion. You’ll move in at oh-three-hundred local time and infiltrate the camp. It’s a possibility the American is there, too, and we’re unaware of it. In which case, you’ll be bringing both hostages back.”
“Roger that,” Hunter said. “We’ll sweep the entire area after we move in. There’s nothing on the table to ambush them while traveling?”
“Negative,” Ryan said. “We’re heading directly to the camp now. You’ll receive new specs shortly—sat imagery of their camp. If the American woman is there, obviously she’s coming with you. But our focus right now is on the British soldier until further intelligence is received.”
Jacob clenched his fist, feeling his blood boil. Rescuing a soldier was an important mission, but not knowing where the missing American was put a crux in their original plans. If they grabbed this guy, she’d still be out there somewhere—scared. Alone.
And he didn’t like the idea of leaving her in harm’s way.
“Tell the Pentagon to get their damn heads out of their asses,” Noah muttered.
Hunter smirked, but they listened to the rest of Ryan’s direction.
“All right,” Hunter said after the commander dismissed them. “Let’s do this. Review the new maps and imagery. Memorize the coordinates. Then rest up.”
Jacob glanced at the clock nearby. Three hours until go time.
***
JESSICA PULLED HER card from the ATM at the bank in the business section of Virginia Beach and walked back to Michelle, who was sitting in her convertible with the top down. The ocean breeze blew through the air, and even though they were a few blocks away from the boardwalk and ocean itself, it felt like they were right there in the midst of the action. It was another perfect summer day, meant to be spent outside with her best friends.
She tucked her wallet back into her purse and pulled the handle on the door.
“Ready to grab some groceries?” Michelle asked, flipping her hair over her shoulder as Jessica climbed in. “We can pick up a few things and then head back to meet Amy after her yoga class. I think there are some beers and sea breezes calling my name.”
“Sounds good. Let’s get what we need to make dinner tonight, too. We can’t eat out all summer long.”
“Speak for yourself,” Michelle joked. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail as Jessica started the engine. “I haven’t minded the food and views—both of the ocean and hot guys on the beach.”
Jessica giggled. “Well we could eat out all summer if we wanted to go broke and gain like twenty pounds.”
Michelle’s laughter trailed through the air as Jessica backed out of the parking space. “Let’s save our money for drinks at all the oceanfront bars then. I’m also up for yummy cocktails and delicious-looking men.”
“What about Ryker?” Jessica asked.
“He can buy me a drink himself,” Michelle joked. “If those guys ever get back.”
Jessica huffed out a laugh. “It’s only been a couple of days,” she said as they began to drive, the wind tousling her hair. “I mean, we don’t even know how far they traveled or where they went. Meanwhile, we’ve got enough to do around here without them.”
“I wanted to do Ryker,” Michelle protested.
Jessica shook her head, smirking as they pulled up to a red light. Her friend seriously had a one-track mind. A brief twinge of worry skittered through her—she didn’t know exactly what Jacob did, obviously, but she knew it had to be dangerous.
What if those guys didn’t come back?
She shook her head, trying to clear those negative thoughts. “All right, enough about Ryker. Did you see that creepy guy back there hanging out at the front of the bank? He was totally giving off a weird vibe.”
“The one with the tattoos all over his arms?”
“Yeah, I just got the creeps watching him. He was looking around too much or something.”
“It’s probably nothing. I mean, what if he was just waiting for someone? I’d look around, too. And he was holding a smart phone—it’s not like the guy was homeless or something.”
“Maybe—I just thought he was strange. If he’s there the next time I go to the ATM, I’m going somewhere else.”
Michelle shrugged, examining her nails. “You worry too much. And I need a fresh manicure. Maybe we can make reservations for mani/pedis tomorrow morning?”
“I’m up for that,” Jessica agreed as she pulled forward. “The sand is doing a number to my nails. I’m not sure what places are good around here.”
“I’ll text Bailey and ask her for a recommendation. Maybe she wants to join us—I don’t think she usually works until later.”
“Good idea. I was thinking bartending would be a tough job, but she probably likes having her days off. And let’s be honest—she probably makes more than us on a teaching salary.”
“I’m sure twelve-year-old’s mowing lawns make more money than us,” Michelle said. “Teacher’s salaries are a joke.”
“At least you have your parents to help you out. I mean, renting a beach house for the entire summer on a teacher’s salary just wouldn’t ever happen. And life at the beach beats teaching summer school, right?”
“Um...is that a rhetorical question?” Michelle joked. “Of course it does. And you’re only young once. Why not enjoy, right? Best friends, the beach, boys...,” she added with a giggle.
“Well, I don’t mind looking at all the hot military guys prowling around, but I’m not having some kind of summer fling like you.”
“Who said it was a fling?” Michelle asked. “Right now, it’s just a one-night-stand.”
“Oh come on,” Jessica protested. “Are you for real suggesting you won’t see him again? Ryker looked happy as hell the other morning. Guys like that don’t spend the night if they’re not into you—they sneak out after you give them what they want.”
“You mean sex?” Michelle asked loudly as they pulled into a parking spot at the shopping center.
Jessica rolled her eyes as she climbed out of the car. “Of course that’s what I mean. And I’m just saying, if he didn’t want to see you again, he’d have been long gone before any of us saw him the next day.”
“It was hot as hell the way they swam out and rescued Amy, wasn’t it?” Michelle asked.
“More like terrifying,” Jessica said. “I was worried they wouldn’t be able to get to her in time.”
“Well thank God they did. Basically, you all have me to thank. I’m the one who insisted we set up in that spot on the beach.”
“We were there before them!” Jessica said with a laugh. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“The universe knew we needed some guys, and hell did it deliver.”
