All the teams had their assignments. The Empress had confirmation from Bayo on the location of Aja Koboo. It was the facility Luke had identified.
Luke decided the best plan of attack would be to hit all locations simultaneously from different vantage points. Luke and his team would hit by land, Joshua by air and Samuel by sea. He discussed the logistics with Adam, who then put all the resources in play. Luke then met with Joshua to give details of the facility he was to attack from air. Luke wanted to ensure the radars on each missile were precise. Once detonated the damage should be confined to that one compound and not to neighboring homes.
Next he met with Samuel. The intel to the facility he was to take out included a port and the ships Koboo and her team planned to use to enter United States waters. Luke’s main concern was that all ships were docked at the location prior to Samuel’s arrival. The plans were well received by Samuel as he listened to the plan, however, his discontentment with not being the person to handle Aja Koboo was received loud and clear. It was only after Luke gave his word that the woman would die at his hands only, that Samuel backed off. Even with that, Luke wasn’t certain Samuel would be satisfied unless he was the one to take out Koboo.
The plans were set. His brothers were ready to eliminate the threat that had been looming over the family for almost two years. Had he taken the right steps? Did he have enough coverage on the family? Did he miss anything? All these questions were still in his mind as he knocked on the door where Matt and Leah were sleeping.
“Sorry man,” Luke spoke softly to not wake Leah. “You got a minute?”
“Always,” Matt replied as he stepped out of the room into the hallway. “Are you about to leave?”
“Within the hour.” Luke replied as he leaned against the wall.
“What’s eating at you?”
Luke sighed as his head dropped. “That family lives are in my hands. I believe all areas are covered, but if…”
“Stop, right there.” Matt interrupted him. “This is that look you have before every game we had in college. I’m going to say to you what I said back then. You have been preparing for this moment all your life. You have the skillset, the knowledge and the ability to coordinate this operation. Do you think for one moment Adam would have put you in this position if he did not have complete faith in you? I don’t. My only regret is that I will not be there to see you in action.” Matt’s hand touched his shoulder. “You and I have been trying all our lives to live up to those larger than life siblings of ours.” He smiled. “In my opinion you have outshined all of us. You made a mark in the NFL. You have left a legacy in other countries. Now, you are about to save all of us from some crazy woman. I don’t know of any task set at your feet that you have not stomped in the ground. You are Earthquake, the man who conquers all. Hold your head up. Clear those doubts from your mind and make Joe and Sally proud.”
Luke held his head up and looked into his brother’s eyes. “That is the bottom line for all of us. Making Joe and Sally proud that they created this family. It is the number one priority for all of us. I am not going to be the one to let them down.”
Matt smiled. “You never have let any of us down and you won’t now.”
“Thank you for always being there.” Luke gave Matt a brotherly hug. When they parted he asked. “Will you be my best man?”
Matt’s face lit up with a smile. “You asked Sasha to marry you?”
“Not yet, but I’m going to.”
“Don’t you think you better wait until she says yes?” Matt chuckled.
Luke laughed as he began to walk away. “How can she say no to all of this?”
When Luke reached the quarters where he and Sasha were sleeping, he slowly closed the door behind him. To his surprise Sasha was still awake.
“I was wondering if you were going to see me before leaving.” She glanced up at him from the bed.
Luke smiled. “Your face is the one I want to see coming and going. Don’t you know that?”
“Well, this relationship thing is a little foreign to me. I’m not sure what to or what not to expect.”
Fully dressed in his combat fatigues, Luke sat on the bed next to her. “This is a learning curve for you on relationship and family etiquette. So listen up,” his finger touched her nose. “Since this is my mission, it is your job to keep everyone calm. You are to instill in them the full-blown belief you have in my abilities to complete this operation and bring everyone back home safely.”
“How in the hell do I do that when I’m concerned with you being on this mission?”
Luke looked down into the beautiful brown eyes he had come to love and said. “Because in your heart, you know that I will move heaven and earth to get back into your arms.”
She smiled. “You mean between my legs.”
Luke laughed. “That too.” He bent over and kissed her. “You can watch everything I’m doing on the monitors in the center. Adam will have eyes on all of us.”
Sasha nodded. “All these people are here for you and your family. You are my only connection to them. Come back for me, Luke Lassiter.”
“You became connected to every person in this facility the moment your ass fell into the tunnel and stole my heart. You are an integral part of this family now. Get used to it.” He leaned over and gently kissed her. “Be ready for a Luke-A-Thon when I return.”