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RYKER STRODE INTO THE main building at Little Creek in his desert camo and combat boots, his duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He dropped off his gear, his biceps bulging from the heavy load, and headed straight into the bull pen for a briefing from their CO.
Hunter was already standing at the front of the room, eyes narrowed as maps and satellite imagery popped up on the large flat screen TV mounted on the wall.
“They found her,” Ryker said, eyeing his team leader. It wasn’t a question. He knew in his gut the reason their team had been called up for an op was because they’d found the missing American woman.
The woman whose necklace he’d been inadvertently carrying around with him all this time, hidden and forgotten about in his damn pocket.
“Affirmative,” Hunter said. “She’s being held at a terrorist compound an hour outside of Kabul. We believe she was moved around quite a bit over the past month before they brought her there two days ago.”
“Shit.” Ryker’s gut churned, and he scrubbed a hand over the stubble on his jaw. Was she being passed around among the men? Hidden for the past month until it was safe to bring her to her final destination? A single American woman being held captive in the Middle East was worrisome for a whole shitload of reasons. The fact that she’d been in enemy hands for an entire month made his blood boil.
He didn’t even know the woman, but he sure the hell knew what terror cells were capable of. What men who were monsters would do to an innocent woman.
“Do we have any word on her condition?” Ryker asked. “Any sat imagery?” he said, referring to the vast array of satellite images the military had access to.
Hunter nodded. “We have photos of the compound where she’s being held and images of a woman we believe to be her arriving. She walked in on her own, which is a good sign.”
Ryker nodded, clenching his fists.
The other men filed into the room, grabbing chairs around the table, and their CO headed to the front and spoke quietly with Hunter for a moment. It was a hell of a change from their joking mood at brunch earlier, but such was the life of a SEAL. They were on call 24/7, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. While the other guys had girlfriends they worried about and left behind, Ryker only had himself.
And damn near preferred it that way.
His gaze slid to Colton, who was pulling out an empty chair to sit down.
“I bet it’s the missing State Department official,” Colton said. “It’s been bugging me all month that we didn’t get her—I mean, just thinking about how Camila could’ve been in a similar situation if we hadn’t rescued her down in Colombia....” He shook his head, clenching his jaw.
“It’s her,” Ryker confirmed. “The official with State. And this time we’re not coming home without her.”
“None of us like that we just missed rescuing her,” Mason said with a frown. “But she wasn’t at the camp we targeted. Hell, all of us know what you feel like, C-4,” he said, calling Colton by his nickname. “We’ve all got a woman now, well, save for Ryker.”
“Fucking hell,” Ryker spat out, sinking down into a chair. “That’s by choice, and it sure as shit doesn’t matter now.”
“He’s right,” Noah agreed, adjusting the aviators perched atop his head. “We focus on the mission. The missing woman.”
Their CO connected a secure video conference on the massive TV screen at the front of the bull pen, and the commander of the SEAL team based in Coronado popped up on the screen. Ryker raised his eyebrows, realizing those guys out in California would likely somehow be involved in this mission. He’d assumed the secure conference would be with State.
“Commander Brinks has some information to share before I brief you on the op” their CO announced, meeting the gazes of the men in the room. “As you know, SEAL Team Alpha is down in Mexico chasing after a drug cartel and some missing women. The Coronado team will be joining us on this op to the Middle East. It’s imperative that we move immediately now that we have a definitive location for the missing woman, and the Pentagon and State have made this a top priority.”
Ryker nodded, his gaze flicking toward Hunter. Some of the men knew the leader of the Coronado team from back when they were in BUD/S—Blake “Raptor” Reynolds was a legend in his own right. He could sneak in anywhere without anyone even knowing he was coming.
And hell.
They needed all the badass dudes they could get on a mission like this. If Patrick “Ice” Foster’s team wasn’t available, Ryker and the other men would be happy to have Raptor and his team.
“My men are readying to go wheels-up within the hour,” Commander Brinks said. “You’ll be arriving several hours before them in Afghanistan. My team was briefed on the unfolding situation moments ago. Troops in our forward-operating bases have been ordered to stand down on this rescue mission until the SEAL teams arrive.”
“Do we have specs on the compound, sir?” Hunter asked.
Commander Brinks nodded. “Yes, which your CO will be briefing you on shortly. I’ve told my men that your team has the lead on this. They’ll be there to provide backup and additional support every step of the way. You may or may not be aware of this yet, but Emily Swenson is a Special Agent with State. She was part of a forward operating team securing the area before State Department officials arrived. She was taken while patrolling the base with some of the U.S. military.”
Ryker exchanged glances with Hunter, surprised by this new piece of information. He’d assumed she was a suit from Washington. Sure, federal agents in DC did in fact wear suits, but she wasn’t some desk jockey who pushed papers all day; she was in law enforcement. Which hopefully meant she could hold her own.
That didn’t mean she stood a chance against multiple armed men though. Or after being held in captivity for a month.
He clenched his jaw, listening as Commander Brinks continued for a minute with additional information, and then the screen went black as the secure call was disconnected.
Their CO stepped in front of the empty screen. “Ms. Swenson is a top priority for State. We believe she walked into the compound unassisted, so she isn’t believed to be seriously injured. She may be weak though, and we have no idea if she’ll be able to move out of there on her own when you arrive.”
“Understood, sir,” Hunter grunted.
“It’s also unknown what’s happened to her since she was moved there. A small terror cell headed by Mohammad Izallah is believed to be at this compound. He’s emerged as the new leader of this group, and it’s possible they were saving her for him.”
“Fucking hell,” Ryker spat out. “Saving her for what? To become his goddamn sex slave or something?”
Their CO pressed his lips together, not replying, and Ryker’s blood boiled. “Fuck,” one of the other guys muttered.
“They certainly wouldn’t call it that,” the CO said. “He’d take her as one of his wives—willingly or not. She’s been there two days, so it’s possible no harm has come to her yet. We have no way of knowing.”
“They’re a bunch of fucked up assholes,” Jacob interjected.
Their CO cleared his throat, and all eyes swept back to him. “You’ll receive additional instructions once you’re in flight. Sat imagery is being reviewed further right now. We need to determine where in the compound Ms. Swenson is being held. Infrared sensors can detect body heat, of course. We believe there’s other women and children there as well, so this is a delicate operation. We’re not sure which building she’s in, and we need to avoid injuring the others.”
“Are we going in by helo or convoy?” Hunter asked, crossing his arms.
“It’s rough terrain near the mountains. But since you’ll be arriving under the cover of night, it will probably be by helo dependent on the weather. You’ll land on the opposite side and then move in.”
The men were dismissed a few minutes later and stood, readying to leave. “What do you think?” Jacob asked as he fell in step beside Ryker.
“I hope like hell the woman hasn’t been harmed. It’s possible those assholes roughed her up over the past month. Thirty days is a hell of a long time to be in captivity. Maybe the fact they were saving her for their leader means she’s in good condition. Doesn’t matter. We’ll get her this time,” Ryker said assuredly. “No matter what.”
“Jessica’s worried,” Jacob said. “She sure the hell wasn’t expecting her brunch to end with all of us abruptly up and leaving.”
“Don’t suppose so. She better get used to it though,” Ryker quipped.
“Don’t be a jackass. Last time we were sent out on an op, I barely knew her. Actually—you told her we were leaving if I recall. I was pissed as hell that you got to see her before we left and I didn’t.”
Ryker smirked, thinking of Jessica’s roommate and the summer they’d spent together. “And hell if Michelle didn’t give me a goodbye to remember,” he said with a chuckle. “But all good things come to an end, and I don’t need a woman tying me down. Shit, if that’s your thing man, then good for you. The only woman I’m concerned about right now is the one we’re about to rescue.”
Jacob shook his head, his lips quirking. “Jessica is damn good for me. You’ll see, jackass. Someday a woman will have you by the balls, and then life as you know it will be over, man.”
“Like fucking hell she will. I’m single for life, buddy.”
Hunter chortled behind them as he caught up. “Famous last words, bro. Famous last words.”
