by Paige Yancey
Atlas had to fight a smile at the contrast to her earlier speed; she almost looked like a miniature zombie.
Siobhan helped Mable into bed again. Then she dried her hair and settled in her own bed while the guys talked in hushed tones.
Pat turned out the lights in the living area, but there was a nightlight shining by the bed where Mable slept.
Atlas struggled to fall asleep with his thoughts all over the place, thinking about Mable and Siobhan. He finally felt enough at ease that he dozed off. His dreams always seemed to go back to the day he was injured.
They had been dropped into an area near a remote village in the Middle East. The desert was cooling since the sun was no longer out, and the night air carried the scent of cooking spices. His men had been told there was a female informant living in a compound with her family, and only 3-4 men inside whom they could easily take out. When they got to the compound, all was quiet.
Atlas was always on guard, but the night before, he’d been thinking about the beautiful doctor and the way the bar’s lights had shone on her strawberry-blonde hair. Just ahead of him was a little girl laying on a pallet inside the first main room. The TV was on, and she had fallen asleep watching it. The little girl blinked her eyes open and looked up at them. Just then, he heard a whooshing sound, and his buddy fell over. Then another whoosh sounded, and Atlas felt pain in his knee and a warm wet sensation oozing down his leg. He tried to hold in his shout of pain, but he grunted when his leg gave out. Quickly, he spoke into his mic in low tones, warning the rest of his unit what had happened.
Atlas felt a tiny hand on his arm, and he jerked awake. He looked up into blue eyes that reflected the glow from the nightlight. Those eyes that were like his had concern in them.
In a small whisper, the little angel asked, “Are you okay, mister?”
Taking a deep breath, he sat up slightly and nodded at the little girl.
“Your eyes look like mine,” she said, tilting her head.
“Yes, they do. We both have blue eyes.”
She tilted her head. “My mom’s eyes are green.”
“You’re correct,” he said, his voice a little rough. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“I heard you talking in your sleep, and it sounded like you were sad.”
“Oh, well I have bad dreams, sometimes,” he said as he stood up. He motioned for the girl to follow him toward her bed.
“I have bad dreams, too. There are dragons and dinosaurs in my dreams. What are your dreams about?”
Atlas didn’t want to think any more about his dreams, but he also didn’t want to disappoint her. “Well, my dreams don’t have dinosaurs or dragons in them.”
They had reached her bed by this time. He glanced over at Siobhan and could see that she was cocooned in her blankets with her back to them. Atlas helped the little girl get back in her bed and knelt next to her on the floor. His knee felt stiff, but he could be closer to her this way.
“Try thinking about rainbows and bunnies when you’re trying to go to sleep, and I bet you’ll dream about them, too.”
“I love rainbows and bunnies,” she said in a hushed, excited voice.
Atlas chuckled under his breath then reached over and pushed her hair gently out of her face before tucking her blanket around her shoulders. “Go to sleep, sweet girl, and I’ll think about bunnies and rainbows, too.”
“Okay,” she said and settled into her pillow. When her eyes closed, she seemed to fall asleep, instantly.
Atlas went back to his sleeping area and found a comfortable spot. This time when he went to sleep, he dreamed about a little girl with blue eyes and blonde hair, playing with bunnies while a rainbow arched in the sky over them. A woman with strawberry-blonde hair and green eyes smiled up at him as they held hands.
Chapter 4
Siobhan woke to the smell of bacon. It seemed to settle into her nostrils and beckon for her to get out of bed. Sitting up, it took her a minute to realize where she was and what had happened the day before. After getting up several times during the night to check on Atlas she was still groggy. Atlas, Soldier and her grandfather were talking to Mable and telling her a story. From what she could hear, the story was not completely appropriate for little ears, but her daughter was giggling.
Siobhan threw off the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the mattress. Slipping her feet into the slippers on the floor, she stood and walked over to the group to see what they were fixing for breakfast.
Atlas turned to face her as she approached. “Breakfast is almost done if you want to get the table ready…”
“Come on, Mable,” she said, holding out her hand. “Let’s set the table.”
“Ok, Momma.” The little girl bounded around the table, wrapped her arms around her mother’s hips, and then skipped back to her grandfather to get the silverware he was carrying.
“Walk slowly, little one, and be careful,” her grandfather said.
“Okay, Pop,” Mable sang.
Soldier brought the plates. The three of them set the table while Atlas continued telling stories of misadventures his fellow soldiers had had while he served and set out the plates of food so that they could dish it out Thanksgiving style. The meal was delicious.
As they were finishing up breakfast, Mable turned to Atlas. “You’re funny.”
“Thank you, little lady.” Atlas smiled at the little girl with a twinkle in his eye.
With Mable and Atlas sitting next to each other and interacting, Siobhan could see that her daughter definitely looked like her daddy. Everyone stood and moved to carry their dishes back to the kitchenette. She turned to get up and felt a warm, solid hand on her shoulder. With a sharp look over her shoulder, she could see Atlas looking down at her.
His eyes a crystal blue. “Stay here and finish up your meal. We can clean up.”
“No, I’m finished,” she said. “You cooked. The least I can do is help clean up.”
Atlas turned to Soldier, “Hey, man, can you clear the table? Siobhan and I will clean and dry the dishes.”
He put his hand out toward her and helped her out of the chair. Together, they walked over to the sink. She filled it with soapy hot water, and he picked up the drying towel. She washed the dishes while he dried them.
“I was thinking that we should go find out if Hank has heard anything, and then make a plan of how to deal with the situation you have yourself in.”
“I want to go with you,” she said under her breath.
He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward him. She noted the muscles rippling in his arms and could feel his warm breath on her cheek.
“That’s not a good idea. You need to stay here with Mable and your grandfather until we can figure out how to handle the problem. I need you to be safe.”
“If you haven’t forgotten, I know what most of the main players in this little game look like. You need me to identify them, just as much as I need you guys to keep me safe.”
Frowning, Atlas nodded. “First, we need to see what intel Hank has gotten for us.”
Siobhan got Mable dressed and playing with her toys. Her grandfather was reading a book in the sitting area.
Atlas and Soldier left the bunker to call Hank and see what intel they’d gathered since this had all started. It seemed like a week had passed, but it was barely 24 hours later. Her thoughts started to drift into a daydream of Atlas and Mable sitting at a little child’s play table. Then another of the three of them running through a meadow with a dog romping around them.
A knock sounded at the bunker door and startled her out of the thoughts.
Pop looked at the screen showing the front door then pushed some buttons to let the guys back in.
Siobhan headed over to where they gathered with her grandfather.
“Hank and his IT guy found out that the group you came across is delivering a package, and it has something to do with the Vice President’s speech that’s happening this afternoon. The local university is d
oing an outdoor event for up-and-coming graduates, and they think the Vice President will be the target of an assassination attempt.”
Siobhan’s heart skipped several beats. “What are we waiting for? We need to head down there. It’s only a few hours away.”
“We will. First, I need to get your grandfather and Mable settled with Soldier, and then we’ll meet up with some of the other guys Hank sent last night to help after he got this intel. They also notified the police and Secret Service so they will be monitoring the situation as well. When we meet up with the men Hank sent, the police will be there to go over with what you heard.”
“Oh, okay, wow.” She smiled. “Hank doesn’t waste any time, does he?”
Atlas nodded. “No, he doesn’t.”
Mable came over and tugged on the bottom of Siobhan’s shirt. “What’s happening, Momma?”
Siobhan squatted down to be on her level. “Sweetie, Atlas and I need to go take care of some business, and Soldier is going to stay here with you and Pop.”
Her little brow furrowed. “But I want to come with you guys.”
Siobhan shook her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear. “No sweetie, it’s better if you stay here. I need you to take care of Pop, okay?”
In a quiet but whiny voice, she said, “Yes, Momma.” The little girl dragged her feet as she walked over to her toys that were lying on the floor in her play area, near the beds.
Siobhan turned to Atlas. “Let me get a couple things, and then I’ll be ready to go. And Atlas, I also need to check your stitches before we leave.”
“Roger,” he said as she walked away.
As Siobhan neared her daughter, Mable’s little face turned up toward her and the sparkle of curiosity was there in her eyes.
Kneeling on the floor next to her daughter, Siobhan stroked her blonde hair, and then pulled her into her lap for a bear hug.
“Momma, you’re crushing me,” Mable said in a muffled voice.
“Sorry, sweetie. I just love you so much. You listen to Soldier and Pops and make sure to keep them out of trouble for me, okay?”
“Okay, love you, too.” Then Mable turned to go back to her toys.
Atlas had found a spot to rest on the lounge chair.
Siobhan’s bag was already sitting on the table in the makeshift living area. She sat next to him and took his head in her hands. With him so close, she noted his manly, earthy smell and could feel her nipples pebbling beneath her shirt. To distract herself, she went to work on his head, making sure that it was clean, and that the skin around the stitches wasn’t infected.
“I guess you’ll live,” she said and smiled up at him.
The look he gave her could not have been any less than smoldering. A warm shiver went through her, and she looked away so that he couldn’t see the blush that spread across her cheeks.
His warm hand cupped her chin and turned her face to look at him. “Thank you for doctoring me, Siobhan. I have the best surgeon in the world working on me.”
“Well, I hate to tell you this, but I’m not a surgeon anymore. I’m an emergency room doctor now.”
“Either way, I’m sure that you’re the best.”
Moving to put her supplies back into her bag, she then took the few things she had gathered and shoved them into a backpack she’d pulled out of the bin under her bed. “I’m ready when you are.”
As she turned back to Atlas, she realized he had all his gear on and was waiting on her to go. When she’d been in the military, she’d been able to get ready quickly and had been out the door before most everyone else.
Her grandfather stepped up beside them, “I’ve got the little princess taken care of. You don’t worry. Just make sure you stay safe.”
“Will do, Pops,” she said and gave him a hug.
Just as she started toward Atlas to head out, a flying ball of blonde collided with her, “Bye, Momma. I love you.”
“Bye, Mable. Love you, too,” she said, trying to not to cry and squeezing her closer to her face, so she could take in the little girl smell. On a sigh, she released her daughter and stepped away. She glanced at Soldier. “Please keep them safe,” she said in a whisper.
He nodded in response and went to stand by her grandfather.
Back at Atlas’s side, she moved with him to leave the bunker and to head to the vehicle.
Atlas couldn’t believe how fast everything was moving. He felt as though he was back in the military again. The big difference now was that he had a beautiful woman to protect and a daughter he wanted to get to know. Those were things that could not only distract him, but were also quickly becoming precious, and he didn’t want to ruin his chance to get to know them both.
Over his shoulder, he could see Siobhan keeping pace with him as they made the short trek to the vehicle that had been hastily left last night. He kept an eye out to detect any potential ambushes, but Hank had called in a quick satellite image to them of the area, and there was no movement or vehicles around for miles. They would be safe in the isolated area to get to their vehicle, but he still wanted to be sure.
As they approached the car, he unlocked it with the key fob and motioned for Siobhan to get in the passenger side, while he moved to the driver side of the car. They threw their bags into the back seat of the vehicle. Once inside, he started up the engine and moved the car onto the path they’d come in on.
“What have you been up to the last few years?” she asked, her gaze looking forward.
He took a moment to answer her, trying to think of how to answer her question and also to keep an eye on where he was driving through the trees. “I’ve been out of the military for the last five years and working with Hank basically since getting out.”
“Oh, I thought you would’ve been a career military man.”
“I was injured about a year after we met.” His lips pressed together. “I was medically discharged from the military.”
“Tell me what happened.”
With a deep breath in, he started his story, “After we met, I went back to my unit. The next day back in Afghanistan. A few years went by it was on one of our numerous missions. We were on the path to an insurgent’s compound. I was out in the open and on my way to the house that was in the center of the compound. I was distracted by a child in the house and didn’t see the sniper in time. My buddy pushed me out of the way but not quickly enough that we both didn’t get shot.”
She nodded, her brow puckering.
Atlas cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t really think you wanted a relationship.” Her lips twisted. “I thought you were a military career man.”
“What about when you got pregnant?” he asked.
She took a deep breath and then looked out the window of the car. They were on the highway now, and the trees passed by as if in a blur of green.
“By then, time had passed, and because I didn’t want you distracted by a child, I made a command decision and called my grandfather. I got out of the military, settled in Seattle, and the rest is history.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “You should have let me know.”
Siobhan nodded. “I know that now, but I was in a different place in my life and didn’t know you. My parents had died, and the only family I had was my grandfather. I knew he would be there for us, so I decided to move to Seattle to raise my daughter and find a job.”
They reached the facility where he was to meet the other guys, and he parked at the end of the line of their vehicles. He watched Kujo walking his dog, Six, in a little patch of grass by the road. Six had been with Kujo since they’d served in the military together. Each had sustained injuries while in the military and had been able to stay together when they were medically discharged.
Atlas motioned for Siobhan to follow him over to the man with his dog.
“Hey, It’s good to see you guys, again,” Atlas said, giving Kujo’s hand a firm shake.
“Man, we
need to stop meeting like this,” Kujo said, grinning.
“I want to introduce you to Dr. Siobhan Monahan.”
They all shook hands. Siobhan gave Kujo a tight smile. “It’s very nice to meet you. Thank you for helping.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Kujo said. “I wish it was under better circumstances.”
Six led them into the building panting from his little walk in the heat and Kujo walked behind him. They came up to a work table where several of Hank’s men were gathered as well as some plain-clothes police officers in windbreakers that said Police on the back of them. Everyone made introductions.
Kujo piped in, “Intel that we got is that there’s a rogue mercenary group here in the States. They are from all over the world but some of their leaders are German ex- pats raised by a former SS Nazi extremist that slipped into hiding after WWII. They are set on delivering a package of unknown origin, but it involves the Vice President in some way. We know the V.P. will be giving a speech today at the local university. Secret Service has been informed. We’re to intercept and assist in capturing the mercenaries that we may find at the event, keep the V.P. safe, and also to bring the group in. Atlas, you will stay with Dr. Monahan so that you can keep us updated if she sees anyone in the crowd that she recognizes. Six and I will be scanning the crowd for any explosive devices. The rest of you will be observing for any suspicious activity.”
Atlas looked over at Siobhan and could see the tension building in her eyes. Her brows were pulled together, and her hands stuffed into her pockets. Her golden hair seemed to fall around her shoulders like a halo due to the sunlight coming through windows. He wished he could touch her hair but knew it was too soon, and the timing was all wrong. He moved to stand beside her.
She looked up at him and smiled. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, you?”
She nodded. “Just worried about Mable.”
“Your granddad and Soldier will take great care of her.”
She sighed. “I know, but I still worry about her.”
