by Lynda Filler
“True. Now go pack your bikinis, and we will leave as soon as you’re ready.”
Samaar watched Alice’s little fingers shove chunks of her croissant in Luke’s mouth determined to grab his undivided attention away from her mother.
She made up her mind. Alice deserves a father in her life.
Luke looked up. He had let his sandy prematurely greying hair grow longer than usual. He brushed it back around his ears with slender fingers that had once touched her in ways that made her soul sing and her heart soar.
She continued watching her child and her man. And at that moment, she knew she also craved love. It was time to let go of the past and allow herself to be in love again.
Luke looked up, and his sad grey eyes signaled his longing.
She laughed. “Stop the puppy dog routine!”
RB walked in at that point.
“Will you two leave so Maggs and I can take Alice to Square des Batignolles. That girl rides those mini cars like she was built for NASCAR! You want to go racing Alice?”
“Oui!” The mini version of Samaar struggled down from Luke’s lap and ran towards RB.
“We’ll video call you this evening. Don’t worry.” RB swung Alice by the arms, lifting her into a tight embrace.
They may not have a traditional version of a family, but Alice was loved by many, and that meant everything to Samaar.
Fifteen minutes later, Luci—the agent side of Samaar—had her Sig Sauer secure in her holster, her knife in her boot, and a weekend bag in her hand. She blushed thinking about the sexy lingerie she’d added at the last minute. It had been awhile. Did she even remember how?
Samaar returned to Luke.
Luke smiled like a guy on the first date with a woman he felt was way out of his league. Then he laughed.
“Samaar, are you nervous?”
“What? No! But, I bet you thought I’d change my mind. Well, I can use a vacation too, you know.”
“I have a question for you.” Luke tried to hide his own excitement.
“What?”
“Do you really need to carry your weapons with you on vacation?”
She gave Luke a strange look.
“Luke, ‘Luci’ is who I am. Nothing can ever take that part of my life away from me. I will always be ready to protect myself and those I love. Get used to it.”
Luke nodded and opened the door for Samaar to go ahead of him. Then closed the door behind them.
3
Paris, France
S amaar stared out the window of the armored Mercedes. So much had happened since she returned to her beloved Paris. For the first time ever, she had friends. The agent, Luci, never had time for friendships. Her life had been controlled from the time she joined the Mossad. She’d never had a choice after her parents had been killed by a suicide bomber in Israel. She was still in University in London when it happened. She made a decision and hardened then she set out for revenge.
The Mossad taught her everything she needed to know. And for a time, they owned her. But it was her anger and her persistence that took her to levels that outworked and out-skilled seasoned operatives in the elite Israeli intelligence agency. She surpassed even the Navy SEALs she trained with in Tel Aviv. Her Krav Maga killing skills were legendary. It was during her most intense periods that she met Zach and Raven in cross-training exercises with the United States in a secret location near Eilat.
And then an Arab journalist stole her heart.
She stared out the window of her vehicle. The minute they crossed over the city limits the highway cement underpasses were graffiti-strewn, the new-normal art form for major urban cities around the world. Burgeoning camps and run-down third world shacks lined the Paris urban perimeter. They harbored refugees and displaced persons who for the most part was destitute and had left their countries in fear. Paris-proper streets had been cleaned out of tents that had popped up over the warm-air vents of the metro, but the teardown of these temporary structures only created tent cities along Paris’ outskirts. Poverty bred dissension and radicalism—the twentieth-century disease—worldwide.
Samaar's mind wandered back to Israel. She both blessed and cursed her history. She often mourned the death of her parents. She remembered sitting Shiva for seven days. Her parents were devout Jews. Each day Samaar planned how she would get even with the suicide bomber. She would join the Mossad, hunt down the source of her parents’ murder, and help Israel destroy their network. It was a naive thought because there will always be violence among men. And when one organization dies, another fills the void. But at least she could feel that she had revenged their death.
Without her life in the Mossad, she wouldn’t have met her Arab journalist who became her lover and died before he knew she was pregnant with their daughter Alice. The City of Love had once been that place where they had celebrated their frowned upon relationship, so it would always bring out long-buried memories. One day she would tell Alice about her father. For now, she was too young to understand.
“Why so serious?” Luke studied the emotions on Samaar’s face.
“Reminiscing. The last few years on the run have been horrific for Alice. Unfortunately for her, it became the norm. I’m grateful that you’ve given us a new life. Without your protection, we’d never have made it.” She reached for his hand, an entirely rare gesture for Samaar.
“We both have our tragedies, our history, and our combined memories.”
She could see in Luke’s eyes that he was reliving the murder of his wife and daughter several years ago in the Bahamas.
“Maybe it is time to let the past go for both of us, Luke.” She could feel his body relax and his hand grip her tighter.
David listened to the deep conversation between Luke and Samaar. Zach, his adopted brother, had told him about how Luke’s wife and daughter were murdered while diving, in what was labeled an accident. Zach needed David to understand that when he left the SEALs and joined Raven, he was no longer in a working environment. This was not a group you opted out of or retired from with a gold watch. The Raven Group were a family with a higher life purpose. Luke would do anything for his family of warriors and misfits.
And most important to Raven was the safety of the United States of America. He was a Patriot in every sense of the word.
David, a skilled pilot for the elite SEAL teams, was ready to change the course of his life. Actually, he needed to have a life. When Zach spoke to him after he did a favor for the Raven Group, he told his brothers “There’s this girl. Her name is Sophie.” David was ready to leave the military life. And within months he had resigned and was flying Luke’s planes, visiting Paris, and making the occasional trip to Puerto Vallarta to spend time with Sophie. Life was good. Almost too good. But he did miss the action.
“We’ll be at Le Bourget in ten minutes.”
4
The flight from Paris to the Maldives
“T
ell me again why the military allowed you to take this prototype out of the country?” David adjusted the state-of-the-art controls and chatted with Luke. The jet looked average on the outside. But what was under the hood that would have blown the minds of 99.9% of the population. The incredible amounts of money spent by the US Government on next-generation military weaponry were beyond imagination. The budgets were far more massive than reported. Funds were hidden in carefully worded and casually enforced budget proposals for departments that didn’t really have a purpose. Or better, their sole purpose was to conceal the real workings of the most extensive military machine in the world. If the United States population had any idea what lengths their government would go to protect the nation, they would be shocked.
When the current President came on board, the intelligence community shuddered. It wasn’t about politics for the select branches of the government that protected the country. It was literally a matter of life and death. The influx of unsanctioned non-military unvetted individuals into the inner circle of the real workings of the White Hou
se could only mean imminent disaster. If you share your life on Twitter and Instagram, how can you be cleared for top-secret meetings and advanced technology? At this point in the history of the USA, the danger was coming from loose-lips inside the White House.
“First of all, whenever I work on a project with the military, they know I get to test all the toys. It goes without saying. I borrowed this one for the transatlantic journey because we cut the time in half. But of course, it’s being ‘tested’ while I’m out in the field. Instead, it would be sitting in a secret warehouse before the military would admit to the funds they’d used to build the prototype. I wasn’t sure I could persuade Samaar to join me, but here we are. Any recommendations on how the vessel performs fill out the form on the onboard computer and we’ll send the report in before we land. Have you heard anything from Zach?”
“No.”
“Me neither. Well, I guess Zach will let us know what’s up in Washington when he has a chance.”
Luke read the latest scientific reports from friends and associates around the globe while Samaar slept. Several hours later, after lunch and movies, and FaceTime with a little lady who was riding the carousel at Parc Batignolles, the totally relaxed couple neared their destination.
“Samaar. I think you’re going to want to wake up now.”
She turned towards Luke, confused but alert. She was lost in dreams of her past, and she and Alice on the run while a rogue CIA group chased them with ‘shoot-to-kill’ orders.
“Yes, why?” Her usually pulled back sleek hair was now messy. It hung loosely around her shoulders and glinted with hints of red due to the brilliant sunlight now flooding the cabin.
“Look down.”
“Luke! Oh my, this is the Indian Ocean! It’s breathtaking.” Samaar focused on an expanse of navy blue-tinged in turquoise. “It looks like a painting!”
“Yes, it’s the Maldives. There are over twelve hundred islands all part of twenty-six coral atolls.”
“Look at the islands. They’re so primitive. Lush, calm. It’s Paradise, Luke!”
“Yes, the atolls stretch right out over the equator.”
Luke studied Samaar’s softening features. This was the other side of Luci. And at that moment, with all her defenses down, he knew he was utterly in love with her.
“I’m going to show you amazing marine parks, and take you places you’ve never been.”
The double entendre was not lost on her. She chose to smile but didn’t look at Luke.
“We will have total privacy Samaar. I have an island waiting for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“See off to the right? We will land further on in Malé, but over to the right, where you can see the white smoke—that’s a welcome fire lit in your honor.”
She looked down on the stunning view and laughed.
“You’re a good man Luke Raven, and filthy rich has its perks!” She leaned in to kiss him.
5
Malé Marina, Maldives
“Enjoy Malé and the water sports and the watering holes.”
“Thanks, boss. I think I will.”
“You might as well stay on the yacht. I will call when you can come to get us, but figure five days anyway before Samaar gets restless.”
After a short trip, the sleek, state-of-the-art fifty-foot motorized sailing yacht pulled up to a teak and bamboo deck. A South Pacific villa cantilevered out over the teal waters. A bridge connected the sprawling quarters to the mainland, a private island owned by a numbered corporation hiding many such investments of the Raven Group. Dense forests of bamboo trees soared heavenward. Native buildings, cabins, services, and communications formed the back-up for Luke’s main villa that appeared to float above the Indian Ocean. Daily deliveries of all the necessities of life meant that those who serviced the main house lived in a carefree environment entirely secure in the knowledge that life is good, and all their needs would be taken care of by Luke Raven.
“Samaar, meet Mohammad and Fathi.” A Maldivian Islander couple shook Samaar’s hands and bowed slightly, and Luke turned to the children.
“Look at Ali! You are getting so tall! How old are you now?”
“Nine, sir. And this is my sister Fatimah.” A young lady smiled shyly and looked up at Samaar with huge brown eyes. She stepped forward and offered a fuchsia orchid to Samaar.
Samaar leaned down and gave her a hug.
“Mohammad and Fathi have looked after my home here for many years. They are invaluable to my peace of mind. I try not to work when I’m in paradise.”
Fatimah smiled and passed over two chilled glasses of Veuve Clicquot.
“Welcome back Mr. Raven. The fridge is full, dinner is waiting in the warming trays, and if you need anything please, we are always at your service.” With that, the family chatted amongst themselves as they walked back across the forty-meter bridge to the mainland.
Young Fatimah stopped, glanced back at Samaar, and shyly waved goodbye.
“Do you like my home?” Luke turned back to see what happened to Samaar.
“What are you waiting for?” A stunningly beautiful naked woman took a dive off the side of the teak deck into the sparkling azure waters of the Indian Ocean. Luke wasn’t far behind.
Hours later the sunset over the now navy sea, calm waters shimmered against the fiery evening sky. Two lovers lay spent on a lounging bed. They held each other while the rising moon offered them both a second chance at love.
6
Washington, DC
“K
atie was a sweet child. But I was away so much in the military I think when I was home, I was too protective of her. Maybe I didn’t want her to grow up. You know, the shotgun in the living room. No one was going to date my girl without my approval.”
Zach and Mike smiled at the analogy. But any girl who dated a girl whose dad was military knew the score.
“You remember what those years were like hunting Bin Laden. So damn intense. And when her mother died a piece of me died too.” Mike winced at the memories.
Zach who stood six feet tall and looked like a guy you’d find in the lead of a Hollywood action film didn’t have any point of reference, but he could feel Mike’s pain. He remembered the death of Mike’s wife. The two guys had worked together although Mike was at least a decade older. When Zach met Raven in Coronado California, Mike arrived a day late but held his own with the young trainees. They’d not interacted much during Hell Week because Zach and Luke had paired off and eventually become life-long friends. But Mike stayed the course even though the young guys said he’d never get through BUDS training. Once Luke went back to his civilian life and took the post at Caltech, Mike filled the void left by Raven.
Zach had never married. He’d been hurt badly by his first and only girlfriend. When he’d gone off on his first mission, months passed before his return. The love of his life cried on seeing him, but she was adamant. This was not a life she could live. She saw too many broken hearts and destroyed marriages. Unless he would give up the military, they were done. They broke off their engagement. But the pain of her rejection had stayed with Zach ever since.
“Hey, Mike. Remember those Middle Eastern girls? They were always chasing my hot unmarried ass!”
He and Mike laughed about their time in the sandbox. Those hot Middle Eastern women kept trying to get Zach to submit. He not only didn’t come across, as old man Mike called it, but Zach wouldn’t even play. At one point Zach thought he was saving himself for the right woman. But with time, this man knew he would never be able to fit a wife and kids into his nomadic SEAL life.
What did he know about what Mike went through when his wife died? His friends would be shocked to learn Zach had never consummated a relationship with a woman. He had no idea what it was like to have children and make a family. But he did know that right now his buddy was in a lot of pain. And SEAL boys were brothers, not just in combat, but for life.
“Tell me what happened.”
“We
ll, when we were in Coronado and Katie was young, it was easier. Maybe I should have remarried when my wife died. We were so naive when we first married. The life of a SEAL was the ultimate warrior's dream. What I never thought about was how painful the separations would be; and more than that, the danger we put our families in for being part of our lives. So, like you, I couldn’t see exposing another woman to the life we led. The absences, the worry, the stress, it just didn’t seem fair.” Mike rubbed his fingers through grey stubble on his chin.
“As Katie grew older, she was out of control. I figured this was the way teenagers acted in today’s world. My sis stepped in when I was away and helped with most things. But it was never the same. Katie always resented my work and blamed me for her mother’s suicide.”
Zach hid his shock and kept his expression neutral. He hadn’t known her death was by suicide.
“When my daughter started smoking weed, I tried to explain why it was a bad idea. But she was already in high school, and her friends’ opinion was more important than a wounded vet.” Mike turned away, his embarrassment was palpable. A SEAL can move a mountain of men, hunt down and kill America’s enemies, rescue victims of kidnapping by pirates, and in Mike’s case, be the best sniper the military ever had; but if he can’t protect his own family, he considers himself a complete and utter failure.
“I had no idea how bad Katie was until the cops brought her home one night. She was supposed to be visiting a friend. She was drunk and stoned. They’d tested her and found crystal meth.” He rubbed his eyes. “She was in a stolen car, high, and drunk. One of the patrolmen was ex-military and recognized Katie. He also knew about my wife. I guess he figured I needed a break in life, so he brought her from the station directly to me before she was formally arrested. She was lucky. The others with her had to be bailed out.”
Zach nodded.
“The next day she was gone.”
“Jeez.”
“Yeh. I was in my own hell. I won’t lie to you. I had my own addictions because of the last mission into Afghanistan. I got caught in the crossfire and an IED explosion. The wounds forced me to retire early. I was taking prescription drugs, and they weren’t doing the job. I knew people, so I went harder myself. Katie was gone, and even if I went after her, I couldn’t force her to come home. She’d only take off again.”
