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Damien parked the enormous Ford SUV by the metal rail that circled the football field, which doubled as the Wills Crossing Showground. A month ago, it played host to the town’s second annual Nordic ski festival, which by all accounts, was a roaring success. The grassy expanse had been covered in only a dusting of snow but now, it stood under almost a foot of the white stuff. Deep footprints trailed across the field, followed by a shallow burrow that Damien guessed had been gouged by an animal, probably a dog.
Underneath and hidden, painted white lines outlined the football center square, while two semi-circles were set back fifty meters from each set of goals at either end. Australian Rules Football was the national sport played from coast to coast, yet the world hadn’t caught on. Locals often called it the greatest game on earth, but aside from a few exhibition matches in the USA and Japan, the only ones playing were the Aussies.
Damien remembered his playing days fondly. In the early years, before his growth spurt, he’d been small and scrawny, fast and agile. He outran his opponents with flair, until puberty took hold and filled him out. Square and stocky, he loved chasing down the others, tackling them to the ground and smashing them into the mud. Once he and Penny had started going steady, she’d come to watch, often huddling under an umbrella in the cold, wet conditions.
Sport had been his thing. He’d excelled and loved the competition. That translated perfectly into his life as a cop and then as a soldier.
He cut the engine but stayed in the warmth of the cab, waiting for the others to arrive. Damien pulled out his phone and brought up the image of the woman he thought could be Penny. For the hundredth time, he wished the photo was of better quality. Perhaps then he’d know for certain. Still, if Bob could be sure...
A giant dark blue Ford utility pulled in beside him. He could make out the silhouette of Ben’s large body behind the wheel and smiled. The big man jumped down from the Raptor and jogged around behind Damien’s vehicle to climb into the passenger seat beside him.
“Afternoon.”
Ben smiled. “Damien.”
“How’s Beth?”
“Excellent.”
“And the kids?”
Ben’s eyes glazed over momentarily with a joy Damien admired. “Wonderful.”
It seemed that fostering suited the big Maori. Damien wondered if Ben and Beth would ever consider having their own kids now that they’d taken on orphans Holly and Matthew, but he kept the thought to himself. With baby Max, Gabe’s twins, and one on the way for Hollywood, there were enough children for Damien to dote on.
“Who else are we waiting on?” Ben rubbed his hands together.
“The whole team. You cold or something?”
Ben grinned. “Winter’s hit hard this year. I love it.” Intrigued, Damien raised his eyebrows in question. “I know most of you don’t look back fondly on last year, and to some degree, I understand, but the snow is amazing. I’m having a ball teaching the kids how to ski and make snowballs.”
“I think Kate enjoys winter as much as you do, with the exception of last year. Hollywood’s pretty adaptable too.”
Through the window behind Ben, a yellow SUV pulled into view. Beyond that, Riley’s 4WD appeared. Damien watched them greet each other with a back slap before Riley and Gabe climbed into the rear seat behind him and Ben.
“We’re not all going to fit.”
He nodded at Ben’s statement. “We’ll worry about that when the other two to get here.”
“Other two?” Gabe tilted his head.
Riley narrowed his eyes. “Why does the C.O. want his troops to gather?”
“Secret men’s business,” Damien joked, half-heartedly. “For real.”
While they waited for Hollywood and Magnus, Gabe regaled them with the twins’ latest achievements and Damien realized he hadn’t been to see Kate or the babies in too long. He couldn’t be the best granddad to them all if he hardly visited. He made a mental note to get down to Bourke’s Ridge soon.
When Hollywood and Magnus arrived together, Ben gave him a curious look but Damien didn’t need to explain anything. The two had been working in tandem to ready the cottages on Hollywood’s estate, planning how they’d help returned soldiers get back to life. It was no secret that soldiers who served abroad sometimes had trouble adjusting to life outside of war zones, and it was Hollywood’s mission to provide a sanctuary for men and women to find their feet again. Magnus had been one such example and he too, shared the mission.
With his team all present and accounted for, Damien instructed the others to leave the warmth of the vehicle. He led them to the grandstand overlooking the field. They climbed five tiers and gathered around, rubbing hands and raising collars against the chilly breeze.
“So,” Riley began, “what is this secret men’s business you’ve brought us here for?”
Damien looked at each man in turn. Part of him wanted to call the whole thing off. Two of his team had just become fathers. Another had taken on the responsibility for two orphans, and the youngest had just announced his fiancé was pregnant. Hell, when he looked at Magnus, he realized all five of his soldiers were now fathers and partners. There was not one among them who didn’t have someone to come home to, or to leave behind should he not return.
He swallowed.
He could hire mercenaries to help him. It wasn’t like he didn’t have the money. But with time so short and the goal so delicate, he couldn’t put his wife’s life in the hands of strangers. No. He needed his Shadow Soldiers one last time, but not even his desperation made the request any easier.
“Damien?”
He blinked. Get on with it, old man. “First and foremost, I need you to keep what I’m about to say to yourselves.”
All five men stepped closer until they were a tight knit circle. “You got it.”
He eyeballed Riley. “Especially, you.”
Determination stared back at him. “Done.”
Damien held his phone in the center of their huddle on his palm. The image of the woman stared up at them all. For the first time, Damien saw the look of despair on her face. “She might be Penny.”
A collective gasp sounded. Riley took the phone first to examine the photo. His eyes rose as he handed the phone to his best friend, Gabe. “It’s possible. She looks like the woman in the photos at the cabin by the lake.”
Damien gave a single nod. “I’m not entirely convinced, myself, but Bob is certain. No doubt in his mind.”
“How is this even possible?” Gabe asked. “You said she died.”
The instant the words hit the air, the mood amongst them eased. “Yeah,” Hollywood laughed. “We need a new tune. Every one of us has been declared dead at some point, yet here we stand.”
“When her mother died, Penny discovered Massimo Mustang was her biological father. We knew that put both her and Stevie in enormous danger. Unbeknownst to me, she faked her death to protect Stevie and me from the Mustangs. She thought that without her, we were safer. The accident was a convenient ploy and my old police chief helped her forge a new identity. Apparently, she flew to Switzerland to begin anew.”
Magnus pointed to the photo. “She looks like she’s been taken hostage. Do you know where?”
Damien took the phone back and slid it into his pocket. “That’s the hard part. I’ve been told she’s been taken to Nigeria.”
Riley made a sound. “Hostile territory.”
“Civil unrest. Boko Haram. Most unpleasant,” Hollywood added. “Obviously you’re going to chase after her and rescue her.” There was no doubt in his expression. “Right?”
“And that’s where we come in,” Ben finished. “I’m in.”
“Me too.”
“And me.”
“Hold on a minute.” Damien brought them to a stop. The conversation was getting away from him. “I haven’t even asked you yet.”
Riley smiled. “You don’t have to, old man. We’re your Shadow Soldiers. You lead, we follow.”
Damien’s throat closed over. Ah, hell. “You have families,” he stated. They needed to ground themselves in facts and be very clear about what was at stake. “Think carefully. I don’t know if it really is her, and I can’t guarantee your safety. The only thing I can promise, is that this will be dangerous. You may get injured. You may need to defend yourself by taking a life.” He shook his head and ran a hand through his recently dyed hair. “You’ve all worked hard to put your demons to rest. I’m asking you to accept the possibility that this mission might very well re-open old wounds and turn your lives over for the worse. Again.”
He felt like a chump for asking. It was true. They had all done the hard yards to overcome the horrors of their past, to find peace, love and happiness. Here he was asking them to risk it for something even he wasn’t sure was real.
Beside him, Magnus put a hand on his shoulder. “We’re in, or didn’t you get that memo?”
Damien sighed. It didn’t surprise him they’d agree without hesitation but he had hoped they’d force him to work harder. “And you’ll keep this from your wives, fiancés and girlfriends.”
The men all looked at each other. “Who has a girlfriend these days?”
It took Damien a moment to realize there were only wives and fiancés. He huffed.
“You won’t tell Stevie?”
He shook his head at Riley’s question. “I couldn’t bear to see the heartache on her face if it turns out not to be Penny.”
Or if she gets killed before we can rescue her. But he kept the thought to himself.
“Besides, she’d want to come with us.”
Riley nodded in understanding, agreeing more quickly than a husband probably should. She’d chew his ear off for that later if everything went according to plan.
If...
“What do we need to do to prepare?”
Damien shook his head. “Nothing. I have the paperwork ready to go. All you have to do is pack.”
In turn, each man nodded. “When do we leave?”
“Day after tomorrow. Go home, make love to your women, hug your babes fiercely and meet me at oh-six-hundred. We go unarmed until we land.”
The team gradually dispersed to follow his instructions, though Riley waited behind. They both watched the others drive away, then took a seat side by side in the grandstand to stare out over the footy field. He’d once considered Riley like family. Never had he thought he’d end up being his father-in-law. While Damien hadn’t approved in the beginning, seeing how much Riley loved and protected his daughter had won his trust.
“Are you really okay with not telling her?”
“No,” Riley admitted. “But you’re right. She’ll insist we need her help and given her particular skill set, she’d be right.” He smiled wryly. “I won’t allow it. If anything happened to her, it would kill me.”
Damien turned. He thought Riley’s words over-dramatic but the look in his eyes suggested he only scratched the surface. For a man who once declared he’d never love a woman, he’d come a long way. Still, Damien understood the sentiment in the depths of his soul. He’d felt that way about Penny once. How he’d survived her death, he didn’t know.
Riley frowned. “Why don’t you think the woman in the photo is your wife?”
He felt the corner of his mouth quirk. “What if I get my hopes up and it’s not her? I’ve lived almost half my life thinking she was dead.” He shook his head. “It’s safer if I reserve judgment until I see her with my own eyes.”
Riley patted his knee. “Playing it safe. So unlike the Damien we’ve all come to know and love.”
Playing it safe. “You’re more right than you are wrong, kid. That grandson of mine has tamed this old beast. You’re a good father, Riley, and a damn fine husband. I hoped you’d say no.”
Riley laughed before cupping his hands and blowing a stream of warm air into them. “Then you should never have asked.”
Damien chuckled. As if it was even possible to secure the services of his Shadow Soldiers without their captain. “This won’t be like East Timor.”
“I should hope not. Stop worrying, old man. I’m not a kid anymore, I understand how the world works and while I appreciate your advice, perhaps it’s time I give you some.”
“Oh?”
Riley’s expression turned serious. “I know you want to protect us and Stevie, and your heart, but have you given any real thought as to what happens if it is Penny? There’s a lot of history between you two and you’re going to have to navigate your way through it.”
Damien shook his head and smiled. Perhaps it was his age or perhaps the horrors he’d seen, but he doubted anything could stand between he and Penny. They were meant to be and he’d known it from the start.
*
The engine rumbled as he guided the classic car around a bend. Beside him, Penny turned her face to the open window and took a deep breath. Her pale skin worried him and he debated whether he needed to pull over again. He’d never known anyone to get so car sick but he guessed the winding mountain roads could test even the strongest of constitutions. Coming up here every summer of his youth with his father’s daredevil driving had probably hardened his guts to the side-to-side, rocking-and-rolling of the journey.
Easing his foot off the accelerator, he let the Mustang slow naturally and took the last few bends at a slower speed. When the road straightened out, Penny relaxed. Her shoulders dropped and her fists let go. Seeing her breathe easy lightened his worry and with the entrance to his father’s cabin approaching, he stole a moment to appreciate her beauty. In the three years he’d known her, he’d never met anyone who could challenge her grace. Damien considered himself the luckiest man alive.
As he watched her, she slid a smile sideways at him. “What are you looking at?”
He reached over and took her hand. Lifting it to his lips, he kissed each of her knuckles. “You, of course.”
Her cheeks flushed crimson. “I keep telling you, take a photo.”
His foot moved to the brake and he reduced their speed. He nodded toward her window and waited for her to turn. The setting sun outlined the delicate profile of her perfect face. In his chest, his heartbeat quickened. “That’s my father’s cabin.”
She shifted to get a better look. Outside, the high-pitched roof of the log cabin stood as a silhouette against the sun. Beyond it, orange reflected off the still surface of the lake. His entire childhood had been spent visiting this place. Memories of his father hammering shingles on the roof made him smile. The rectangular, three-bedroom cabin brought back feelings of love and family, of fun and laughter. It suddenly occurred to him that he wanted to continue all the traditions, with Penny.
His throat tightened at the thought of spending his life with her. The future stretched out before him as he turned into the driveway entrance and guided the car down toward the lake. They’d have a big family. Three, no, four, kids. They’d come up here every summer, maybe even brave the cold mountain winters, and make wonderful memories until he was old enough to be a grandfather.
“Damien?”
He blinked and found her looking at him with a strange expression. Engaging the park brake, he cut the engine and let the quiet settle over them. Fading light painted her face with a golden hue and he leaned across to kiss her. He never tired of tasting her lips and while he’d hoped they’d be able to be more intimate in private, he realized the closeness of this moment deserved special attention.
Touching her cheek with his fingertips, he kissed her deeply. His heart tripped over itself at the depth of love in her eyes. He’d lost count how many times he’d prayed for time to stop for them since they met, but he asked for divine intervention once again, to preserve the sweet serenity they shared forever.
“I love you, Penny Walker, and one day, I’m going to marry you.”