The SEAL team was in trouble.
Her adrenaline running high, Air Force Major Lauren MacInnes turned her Eagle II fighter toward a mountainous area of Afghanistan. She’d been alerted to assist, if necessary, a team of SEALs sent to capture a top Taliban leader.
As she flew at a low altitude, Oscar, her weapons system operator in the backseat, located the SEAL team and concentrated on the images of figures converging on them. The SEALs had been notified of unwelcome company and were taking defensive positions.
She held steady on the course as Oscar monitored the information coming from the drone and the Eagle’s sensor equipment, and then fired on the oncoming enemy.
She watched as the ground below erupted into flashes of light. She stayed in the sky, flying at a low altitude, until the SEALs signaled “Thanks, mission accomplished.” Then she and Oscar exchanged banter on the way back to base.
She was exhilarated. It was one of the good days. The SEALs had captured their objective with no casualties on their side. That high was what kept her in the air force. It held the same attraction for her husband.
Lauren took fierce pride in being one of the few women fighter pilots, but she feared it would come to an end soon. Her daughter needed a mother at home.
Lauren landed. Her stomach clenched when she saw two corporals waiting for her as she left the plane. “The colonel is waiting for you,” one said as if Lauren had purposely delayed her return.
It had to be important. In the years she’d been deployed, she’d never had such a curt summons. She was not only met, but also escorted. She grew even more concerned when they headed directly toward her commanding officer’s office, bypassing the adjutant. One of the corporals knocked on the door and received a short “Come in,” in response.
Lauren took a deep breath. Her superior’s response meant Colonel Adams had cleared his calendar for this encounter. Several possible scenarios ran through her mind. Had she not finished the job? Had they accidentally hit one or more SEALs? Or the village?
She was particularly alarmed when the colonel stood when she entered. She saluted and waited for the dressing-down she feared was coming.
“Sit down,” the colonel said, motioning to a chair in front of her. He turned to the escorts. “Dismissed.”
When Lauren sat straight up in the uncomfortable chair, Colonel Adams sat down on the corner of his crowded desk. “I have bad news, Lauren.”
Lauren sat up even straighter. She was eager to end this deployment and get home to her husband and daughter, but not the wrong way.
“It’s your husband, Lauren,” Adams said slowly. “There’s no easy way to say this. Dane was killed last night in an automobile accident. Your daughter was injured. You’re needed back home. As of now you’re on compassionate leave.”
Lauren stopped breathing. She felt as though she’d been slugged in her sternum. She’d misheard, surely. It didn’t make sense. Dane was back in the States. He should be safe. Both he and her daughter. He was a damned good driver as well as a pilot, especially when Julie was with him.
“No,” she said. “It must be a mistake. He’s a great driver.”
“It was a drunk driver. He T-boned them on the driver’s side. I’m sorry, Lauren.”
It was a nightmare. Not real. She couldn’t accept the fact Dane was gone. She clenched her fists and willed herself to breathe. Concentrate. “Julie was injured? How badly?”
“From what I understand, she has serious but not critical injuries.” He handed Lauren a sheet of paper. “Here are contacts for you. The hospital, the chaplain, Julie’s doctors. I have you on a military flight to Germany in two hours and another to the States an hour after you arrive in Germany.”
Lauren was still too stunned to say anything, to feel the pain she knew was coming. Dane was so damn competent at everything he did. A drunk driver, her colonel had said. He simply couldn’t die that way.
A windstorm of loss swept over her. She and Dane met in pilot training. They were rivals, then friends and finally lovers. When they discovered the new Joint Spouse Program would allow them to stay together, it was just the excuse they needed to exchange rings. Their daughter, Julie, was born two years later in Germany.
He’d recently been promoted and transferred to San Antonio where she thought he would be safe.
Lauren closed her eyes and prayed Julie wasn’t hurt badly. She couldn’t think about Dane. Not now. She curled her fingers around the paper to avoid shouting out in denial. Instead, she tried to prioritize. She couldn’t do anything for Dane now. Concentrate on Julie.
“Everything I know is contained on that paper,” Colonel Adams said after giving her a moment to absorb the news. “Hospital and physician numbers. You should be able to reach the hospital for a progress report and they’re waiting on you to contact them. They can’t do anything but emergency medicine without your approval.”
He paused, then added, “Major Marsh and his wife are staying at the hospital with your daughter until you arrive, and you have his number. I understand you are close friends.”
Too numb to speak, she just nodded.
He paused. “I’m so sorry, Lauren. It’s damned unfair. If there’s anything I can do, just name it.”
Lauren rose from the chair. She would have to rush to get everything together in an hour. “Thanks for arranging everything,” she managed to say.
“I would hate to lose you,” Colonel Adams said. “You’re one of my best pilots and you did a damn good job today. There are eight SEALs still alive because of you.” He hesitated, then added, “Dane was a damned fine pilot and a good guy.”
Was.
Instead of is. The realization was a body blow.
Numb, she walked to her quarters and changed from her flying uniform into civilian clothes. She packed her duffel. The last item was the photo of Dane and Julie together.