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WYATT SCRUBBED A HAND over his jaw, his body beginning to relax as the adrenaline-fueled mission finally came to an end. The men who’d taken over the cargo ship were all dead, the Americans safe. It had been a quick and dirty mission, their only goal to eliminate the tangos and free the hostages. His team had handed the ship back over to the captain, who was grateful as hell. The team was about to head back to the Navy ship they’d come from, a helo flying in to extract them from the container ship. Wyatt and his men had jumped from their aircraft in the dead of night with inflatable boats, silently approaching the hijacked ship on the choppy water. They’d breached the ship, taking out the hijackers before they even realized what was happening.
Wyatt was tired and sore in a good way, like he felt after a grueling workout. The past twenty-four hours had been fast-paced and intense, and he knew he’d crash once he finally made it back home to Hawaii. He’d been getting by on little sleep over the past few days, and he was eager to wrap this up and get home—and especially to see his girl.
Callie had been in the back of his mind on their mission. He’d had to lock those thoughts up tight, focusing on the job, but thoughts of her were always there, hovering in the background. He just didn’t let himself focus on how she was or what she was doing. Wyatt had to trust that she’d be careful. He’d even slipped her his CO’s number the morning he’d rushed over to say goodbye. Their commanding officer knew about the odd comments on her travel blog and had agreed to let the IT guys look into it.
If there had been an emergency at home, Wyatt would never have been able to get to her in time. That knowledge was tough to swallow, but if they were ever to be a couple, he’d have to contend with that again and again. His job had him deploying worldwide. It had never been an issue before, but he’d never had someone he cared about the way he did with her.
It was fast. Too fast to be sharing those feelings yet. It felt right though. He’d always trusted his gut, and it was the same with her. She was different than other women he’d dated. They were different as a couple. He wasn’t looking to rush her into his bed, although he’d certainly be happy as hell when and if it happened. She was important to him, and he’d move on her timeline, whatever that looked like.
As they spread out on the C-17 cargo plane several hours later for their flight back to Pearl Harbor, Wyatt looked over his team. Hudson was mindlessly scrolling through his tablet. Austin was already sleeping. Ryan was relaxing in his seat, a protein bar in one hand, just taking in the scene. After the huge adrenaline rush on an op, they were always more tired and low-key on the flight home. The crash afterwards was real. They’d helo’d back to the boat, returned to port, and then taken off on the military plane. Now that all the steps were completed, they could sit back and relax for the next nine hours or so.
Sawyer caught Wyatt’s eye and moved toward him, grabbing a seat close by. “That was an easy one,” Sawyer commented. Dark stubble covered his jaw, and Wyatt knew he looked the same. They’d been able to shower on the Navy ship but had been preoccupied with the op. He’d shave once he got fully cleaned up back home.
“Yep. Surprising given it made international news. They had no idea we were coming. Those guys were amateurs.”
“They did manage to take over the cargo ship,” Aaron commented from across the aisle.
“It was bad weather and the element of surprise that worked in that case. The crew will hire more guns now to guard their cargo—or the shipping company, at any rate. The one lone guard they had did little to fend off the pirates who took over the ship.”
“The captain was damn happy to see us,” Sawyer said. “Hell. He offered to buy us all beers next time he’s in Oahu.”
Wyatt’s lips twitched. “Is he former military? Most people don’t have a damn clue where we’re stationed,” he pointed out.
Sawyer nodded. “Asked if we were part of the Coronado team. I told him we were never there aboard his ship, but if he ever happened to be in Hawaii....”
Aaron crossed his arms, huffing out a breath in amusement. “Well, I won’t turn down a beer.” He frowned, eyeing Wyatt. “Our next op won’t be so cut and dry. Mohammad Hasnawi has been good at keeping his identity concealed. It’s going to be hard to find a man when we don’t even know what he looks like.”
“That’s the damn truth,” Wyatt agreed. “We’ve spent the past several weeks reviewing the intelligence. Even with multiple channels of information, we’ve got little to go on. If we got a location, the drones could blow him off the face of the Earth. That wouldn’t exactly provide us with the intel the Pentagon wants from him.”
“And what’s with calling him The Red Flame?” Sawyer asked, raising his eyebrows.
“The hell if I know,” Wyatt said. “We need a photograph. A description. Our sources on the ground say he rarely allows himself to be seen. He gives orders through his subordinates. Chatter indicates a plot centered on Asia.”
“Asia’s a damn big place,” Sawyer muttered.
“He’s possibly targeting major airports. Tokyo. Seoul. Manila.” Wyatt clenched his fist. More intel so they could narrow down the location would sure as shit help. As would having an actual face to put with the name.
Aaron’s gaze met his. The team had all wondered if the hijacking months ago in any way related to the recent threats. No connection had been made, and the four men who’d taken over the hijacked plane that Callie had been on had been killed. Although one hijacker had briefly escaped, targeting the girlfriend of one of the Coronado SEALs, the man had been killed.
“It still feels like we’re missing something,” Sawyer said. “We all see the parallels. Multiple Middle Eastern men hijack an airliner headed to Seoul. The airport they return to is one of the possible targets in another plot? It’s stupid to eliminate the possibility they’re connected.”
“Analysts couldn’t offer anything tying them together. They’re focused on Hasnawi—The Red Flame.” Wyatt scrubbed a hand over his face. “We’re not going to be sent in until we have confirmation of his whereabouts. And as for singling him out? Hell. An actual description of the man would do wonders.”
“I wonder why he’s kept himself so well hidden,” Sawyer said.
“Maybe he’s disfigured or injured,” Aaron said. “If he’s on crutches or wheelchair bound, he wouldn’t want anyone to see his weakness.”
“Could be,” Wyatt agreed. “Analysts assessed it was a power play. The man behind the curtain, so to speak. If no one knows what the guy looks like, the fear could be greater. He’s kept himself hidden and let the rumor mill churn.”
“We’ve got to dig deeper,” Aaron said. “If sources on the ground can’t or won’t give a description, maybe we can get some drone footage the next time there’s suspected movement. There’s gotta be a reason for his name. Does he have red hair? A red turban? It’s got to mean something.”
“Agreed,” Wyatt said with a frown. “I just wish we knew what.”
***
TEN HOURS LATER, THE team was finally being dropped off. The cargo plane had landed on a distant runway, and the team had caught a ride back to the building housing their lockers. Wyatt yanked his open and pulled out his phone, powering it up. His heartbeat sped up as he realized there was a text from Callie.
Callie: I know you’re not back, but I was thinking about you. I hope you see this as soon as you land. I miss you.
Wyatt was calling her before another thought crossed his mind. It was the middle of the day Hawaiian time, and she might be out doing something. Running errands. Doing the tourist thing. He wondered if she’d made further plans for her new blog venture or started photographing things around the island. She’d seemed excited once she’d decided to go for it. Although he hadn’t known her long, he knew she probably wouldn’t be happy waitressing or in another job where she was cooped up inside for the day. She was an adventurer. Even though she’d come here for an extended time, he knew that wanderlust was in her blood.
Her phone rang until her voicemail picked up, and he cursed. He was eager to talk to her. See her. Touch her. Wyatt would just have to be patient, because they still needed to meet with their CO before they could leave base. The Navy came first, but in a few short hours, he’d be pulling her into his embrace.
“Hey Cal. I wish I caught you, but the guys and I just touched down in Oahu. We’ve got to debrief, and I need a shower, but I’d love to come see you later on. Give me a call or shoot me a text. I might not be able to answer right away, but I’ll check my messages. Talk to you soon, sweetheart. Bye.”
Wyatt glanced over, noticing Austin grinning at him.
“You’re fucked,” Sawyer said as he strode by, a smirk on his face.
“Can it,” Wyatt muttered. He didn’t give a shit if his buddies knew he was calling his girl, but he wasn’t exactly interested in Sawyer’s remarks. Sawyer enjoyed ribbing everyone on the team. That was just his personality, like it or not. Austin just looked happy for him, and Wyatt briefly wondered if he’d ever met up with Alexa. She’d been fun and bubbly the night they’d all had dinner at Coconuts. He could see why Austin would be interested in the other woman, but she wasn’t Callie.
Damn. Wyatt was such a goner.
An hour later, he was finally heading toward her place. He still hadn’t heard back from Callie yet but figured he’d surprise her. If she wasn’t there, well, he’d deal with that obstacle when he came to it. Normally he was happy to go home to his own place after a mission, but right now, he just wanted to see her.
Wyatt had changed into clean clothes, and he ran a hand over his damp hair. They’d briefly met with their CO, but he’d told the team to head home for the day. They’d have their AAR in the morning to discuss all the details of the operation. Wyatt was tired, but he knew he’d never be able to crash and get the rest he needed until Callie was in his arms, with Wyatt breathing in her scent and warmth.
He pulled his SUV into a parking space, his gaze scanning the lot. He’d rushed over here so fast, he really didn’t know what he’d do if she wasn’t home. Normally he was the type of man with a plan and backup plan. When they deployed, multiple scenarios had already been discussed. Much to his relief, he saw her Mini Cooper pulling in shortly after him. Talk about perfect timing. Wyatt grabbed his keys and was out of his SUV in an instant. His long strides ate up the asphalt, and then he was calling out to her as she got out of her own vehicle.
“Wyatt?” she asked in shock. She froze in place for a split second, stunned, and then she was running toward him. Callie didn’t stop when she reached him, just threw herself into his arms. Wyatt chuckled and immediately lifted her up, spinning her around in a circle as he kissed her hello. “Hey, why the tears?” he asked.
“They’re happy tears,” she assured him. “I didn’t know you were back.”
Wyatt set her back on her feet and kissed her again, showing her without words how much he missed her while he’d been gone. He pulled back, smiling as he thumbed away a few stray teardrops. “I left you a voicemail.”
She shook her head. “I was out and didn’t have cell reception. The blog. I’ll tell you later. Wow. Talk about a surprise. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see someone before.”
He leaned down, brushing his lips over her forehead, and breathed in her floral scent. Callie’s hands fisted in his shirt as she clung to him. His hands closed over her own, engulfing her much smaller ones. “I’ve never been so eager to get back home,” he admitted, his voice rough. “I never had that before, someone I wanted to see when I returned.”
“Never?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Not like this. Not someone like you.” He watched the heat spread across Callie’s cheeks, and unable to resist, he ducked down and kissed her again. She had on a different floral sundress than the one she wore the other night and strappy, flat sandals. It was sexy and sweet, and as she pressed closer, he wanted his hands all over her.
Callie seemed to feel the same way. “Let’s go up to my apartment,” she said, tugging him closer.
Wyatt readily agreed, taking her hand in his own. “Lead the way.”
