Loving Leisl (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Green Beret Book 2)

by Michele E. Gwynn

  Beneath the sign was a woman of medium height and familiar brown eyes. Tess Gordon was in her late fifties with silver hair, the platinum variety most women paid good money to achieve. Perhaps she did too or maybe it was natural. Leisl couldn’t tell, but she knew the eyes and the smile. Jason took after his mother and there was something comforting about that.

  She approached the woman with the sign. “I’m Leisl,” she said.

  Tess Gordon grinned and before she said hello, pulled Leisl into a mama-bear hug. “Aren’t you just the prettiest thing?” she said. “Let me have a look at you!” Mrs. Gordon released Leisl long enough to look her over from head to toe and back. “My goodness, you must be exhausted. How was your flight? Do you need to make any pitstops before we head on down to the luggage retrieval? Do you even need to go there? Oh, dear, I’m so sorry. Hello! I’m Tess, Jason’s mother.”

  To Leisl’s tired brain, it was clear Tess Gordon was a fussy mother hen. Now she knew where Jason got that too.

  “Hi, Mrs. Gordon,” Leisl smiled. “Yes, I do have a suitcase checked, and no, I don’t need to make any pitstops. Thank you for coming to get me. I’m sorry if this interrupted your day.”

  “Not at all, dear. I’m my own boss and can give myself time off to help out my son and his friends when needed. I take it he got called away at the last minute? He never tells me anything,” she fussed.

  “He did, and I don’t know all the details either. He can’t tell anyone, but yes, he got called away as we were about to leave Ramstein.”

  “That’s just awful. I worry every time I know about it and twice as much when I don’t. You see this gray hair?” she asked, pointing at her head, “it’s all his fault, and his sister’s, and brother’s too. A few of these strands though are one-hundred percent Jack. That’s my husband. Jason’s father. You’ll meet him tonight at dinner. Oh, and you’re coming to dinner at our place. We live just down the road from the cabin. No way I’m letting you eat alone your first night in Colver. Did he tell you it’s just outside of the Springs? A beautiful, little town and it’s where my restaurant is as well as daddy’s veterinary practice.”

  Mrs. Gordon talked all the way to the luggage carousels and out to the car. As tired as Leisl was, she didn’t mind. Jason’s mom was nice and funny and full of bits of trivia about Colorado Springs and Colver. It made the ride to the cabin pleasant. That changed when they arrived at the end of a long, tree-lined driveway. Leisl’s jaw dropped.

  “What is it, dear?” Mrs. Gordon asked, noting the redhead’s stunned expression.

  “He said it was a cabin?”

  Tess Gordon was confused. “I don’t understand. It is a cabin, Leisl. It’s made entirely of timber logs built by Jason and Jeff. Jeff’s his best friend growing up and he owns a construction company here in town. Builds all kinds of homes and businesses and such. But the boys built this about four years ago after Jason bought the lot.”

  Leisl expected a small hunting cabin or some such the way Jason talked about it. Nowhere in her wildest imaginings did she envision this picturesque two-story home. It was part country cabin, part modern industrial. She could see into the living room from the car all the way through to the lake on the other side. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in all the light and the ceiling inside the living room extended to the second floor. The backside of the house bent into an L-shape which had a garage attached at the far end. The bedrooms would be there. She could see three windows with flower boxes containing greenery. It was like something out of Better Homes and Gardens.

  She got out, looking around. “This is a mansion.”

  Tess laughed. “Oh, no, dear. It’s lovely, but it’s far from a m—” she stopped, watching the young woman. Jason had told her so little about Leisl, but one thing he’d mentioned was that she’d grown up in foster care and had no family. To her, Jason’s home might very well be a mansion in her eyes. “Well, perhaps, but it’s his home. He built it. Come on inside and have a look around. I’ll help you find everything and get settled. There’s plenty of time before dinner if you want to take a nap or freshen up.”

  Leisl retrieved her bags from the trunk of the SUV and followed her inside. Tess handed her the keys and pointed to a keyholder inside the door. “The Jeep’s keys are here and you can put the house key next to it. You won’t need to drive tonight. I’ll come get you.”

  She stood inside the door staring up at the rafters. Inside, it was spacious and cozy all at the same time. To the back of the living room on the right was a huge open-concept kitchen with granite countertops and stainless-steal appliances. To the left was a staircase going up to a small hallway balcony that overlooked the living room from the second floor. She headed up first, looking for a bedroom where she could set her things down.

  “How many bedrooms are up here, Mrs. Gordon?” she asked.

  “Four, dear. And call me Tess, please,” she answered from the kitchen. “Jason’s room is the one at far right. The rest are all guest rooms.”

  “Okay.” Leisl poked her head into each room checking out the décor. The third one located next door to Jason’s room had a red and black plaid comforter and warm oak furnishings. The window looked out over the lake and it had its own ensuite. She set her bags down. This would be her room. She didn’t feel comfortable putting her things in Jason’s while his mother was downstairs. Somehow, she felt that would be wrong.

  She came back downstairs to find Tess waiting by the breakfast bar.

  “The fridge is stocked with the necessaries and so’s the pantry. You should be able to find anything you need to make a sandwich or can of soup or whatever. And there’s fresh-made cinnamon rolls up in the microwave from my restaurant.”

  Leisl felt tears sting her eyes. “Thank you, Tess.”

  “You’re welcome, dear. My number is on the pad next to the phone if you can’t find anything. I’m going to let you rest now, but I’ll be back at 4:30 to pick you up for dinner, okay? It’s informal so just dress comfortably. No need to get fancy. We’re not fancy folks.” Tess reached out, hugging her. “I’m very happy to meet you, Leisl.” Tess released her and headed out the door. “Get some rest.”

  As soon as the door closed, the first tears fell and Leisl had to turn her head so Jason’s mom wouldn’t see her crying through the window. In her entire life, she’d never felt so welcomed, and looking around Jason’s beautiful home, she was overwhelmed. As much as the sweet scent of cinnamon called to her, there was something else calling her more. She ran back upstairs, and turned right. There, she peeked into Jason’s bedroom. A king-sized bed dominated the room covered in a hunter-green down comforter. He didn’t have a window overlooking the lake, he had a terrace.

  She walked on the thick pile carpet to the sliding glass doors and unlocked the latch. Pulling the door open, she stepped out onto the balcony. Jason had two chairs and a small table sitting there. The balcony was covered by the roof overhang. A tall pine tree rose up to the left offering an invigorating scent and shade. With the sound of the waves on the lake beyond, the wind in the trees, and the scents of evergreen and pine, it was heaven. She breathed in the beauty of Colver and smiled before heading back inside. There, she walked to his bed and sat down on the edge. She wondered which side he slept on and laid back, rolling over to the middle. The faint scent of his cologne rose off the pillow filling her with a sense of peace and happiness.

  Hugging the pillow, she curled up her knees and it was there, not the red and black plaid room, where she fell asleep.

  Chapter 21

  A week passed. Doc, Wolf, and his team spent it trying to track Outlaw’s SOG. Tex sent them coordinates to a shoddy motel in Bucharest’s old town. They located the terrorists. Wolf’s team took up residence in an abandoned shack across the street next to some buildings used for manufacturing. With so much traffic, no one noticed a group of men in dark clothing going inside. They parked their stolen truck behind the shack, hiding it from view. Supplies were picked up by Abe and Benny wh
o traveled on foot to avoid suspicion. Most of the people living in old town walked or rode a bike or took the bus.

  Doc knew if Outlaw had followed the terrorists here, he’d be looking for a similar setup, but he didn’t know how far behind they were. They observed three men inside the motel room along with the young woman. To his surprise, they weren’t dressed like beggars, but rather, wore suits. They, too, had a vehicle, but whether or not it was stolen, it was certainly new. It was possible they purchased it upon arrival. Even though they were attempting to blend into a poor neighborhood, they stuck out like sore thumbs here where the poverty level was obvious.

  Night was falling fast as Doc took over the next shift watching the room. The poor girl had been holed up inside for three days with these men. Best case scenario would be that she was too high-profile an asset to be abused—if she was lucky.

  The summer nights in Bucharest were cool, which helped tamp down the stench of waste in the streets. It was a temporary reprieve.

  “Let me know if you see anything,” said Wolf who settled down into a corner on a blanket. He used his pack as a pillow, laying back crossing his feet at the ankles. Behind him, further back in the room, Benny, Abe, Mozart, and Cookie tried to rest while Dude manned the second window facing out the side down the street.

  Hours passed. It was nearly 01:00 a.m. when movement caught Doc’s eye. To the left of the terrorists’ new vehicle, a dark shadow weaved a path arriving at the rear of the car. It was a very large shadow that reached beneath the driver’s side wheel hub. Doc knew that shadow. He extended his foot and kicked Wolf’s boot.

  “What?” Wolf jerked, sitting up.

  “We got movement,” Doc grinned.

  Wolf saw the smile and came to Doc’s side. “What’s so funny?”

  “See that big-ass dark shadow slinking away from the Audi?”

  Wolf stared through the dirty window pane. “Yeah, the one heading west towards the bushes and that parking lot?”

  “The very one. That’s Skyscraper.”

  “About damn time they show up. At least now we know they’re still alive.”

  Doc followed Skyscraper’s shadowy form as it disappeared among the vehicles. “I need to get out there and find Outlaw.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Want to join me in hunting a shadow?”

  Wolf smiled. “Dude, get over here. Take Doc’s spot. Skyscraper’s out there and we need to make contact. Abe, wake up, buddy. I need you to take over Dude’s post.”

  Abe yawned, rolling over and grabbing his M4. He crawled to the side window as Dude made his way to the front.

  Doc and Wolf moved to the side door and slipped out. Gypsy guitar music from a tavern down the street filled the silence of the night echoed by crickets and punctuated by the occasional bark of a dog in the distance. They moved with speed and precision, Wolf’s boots following in Doc’s footsteps. When they reached the parking lot, tracking Skyscraper became impossible. There were no shoe prints on the old asphalt. It then became a task of narrowing the search parameters one row at a time.

  They were running out of rows when Doc rounded the last vehicle.

  “Hands up!” A voice commanded.

  Doc froze, pointing the nozzle of his M4 to the ground. “Goddammit, Skyscraper, it’s me. Doc.”

  A face came out of the shadows into view, so did the business end of his rifle. “Prove it.”

  “Aw, fuck you, man. You know me.”

  Skyscraper grinned. “Doc, you sonofabitch. How the hell you’d get here?” he asked, then froze once again, gun aimed. “Who’s that behind you?”

  “It’s Wolf. I’m here with his team. That’s how I got here.”

  Skyscraper relaxed. “Damn, man. Wolf, nice to see you. Sorry about pointing a gun at your pretty face.”

  “Marcus,” he said. “As long as you don’t shoot, then I won’t have to sic Caroline on your crazy ass.”

  “Where’s the rest of the team,” asked Doc.

  “Follow me,” said Skyscraper. “Damn, Outlaw sure will be glad to see you. Why are you SEALs here anyhow?”

  They moved through the last row and out the other side of the parking lot. There, an old bus sat among the weeds and tall grass. Skyscraper whistled, the sound imitating the common finch. It was a signal with which Doc was familiar.

  Hollywood answered in kind acknowledging his teammate’s approach. They followed Skyscraper who dropped down, going under the bus.

  There, Outlaw and Ghost lay, rifles aimed out.

  “Look what the cat dragged in,” said Marcus.

  Outlaw masked his surprise at Wolf, but smiled at Doc. “Damn, Doc. Great to see you.”

  “Damned good to see you too, Outlaw.” Doc settled in beside him. “Ghost, how the hell are you?”

  “Hangin’ in there.” Ghost eyed Wolf, looking back and forth between them. “Why are you two here?”

  “Yeah, what the hell’s going on,” Outlaw asked.

  Wolf explained. “A lot has happened but it all boils down to the fact that your entire team has been exposed to the enemy. There’s a leak. Has to be someone within COM-SAD. There’s already an investigation underway, but in the meantime, all communication for this mission is going through Tex. He’s the only safe gateway. We were sent in to find you and neutralize the hit squad.”

  “Hit squad?” Outlaw asked.

  Doc nodded. “That’s the gist of it, but it gets better. You remember Mrs. Ali said she worked for SynCorp?”

  Outlaw nodded.

  “Well, turns out her kidnapping wasn’t random after all. These terrorists you’re chasing are funded by Prince Nayef.”

  Ghost blinked. “The Crown Prince of Saudi’s brother? That one?”

  “The one and the same,” said Wolf. “And he’s a major shareholder in SynCorp. He’s funding Islamic terrorism, and no way does his brother not know. The State Department wants this leverage. We’re here to deliver.”

  “But why a hit squad? What’s so important about Ali’s daughter?” Outlaw asked.

  “Like mother, like daughter,” said Doc. “She’s a chemical engineering student. One year to her graduation and degree, but not sure that’s necessary because she’s also a prodigy.”

  “No shit,” said Skyscraper. “Hell, we only just discovered she’s not a little girl, but a grown woman. Well, a young lady, anyhow.”

  “Nayef doesn’t want to lose her after losing the mom. They need a bomb maker. The girl, Fatima, is their backup,” said Wolf.

  “Shit.” Outlaw chewed the inside of his cheek, thinking. “We just placed a GPS tracker on their vehicle. Unless they ditch the car, we can find them wherever they go.”

  “That’s good,” said Wolf, “but we need to set an ambush for the hit squad. We don’t know how many there are. Most likely, a minimum of three, but up to six or more I’d say. They won’t be taking any chances on eliminating you, and they know who you are, what you look like.”

  Anger simmered below the surface of Outlaws words. “I hope when they find the traitor, they string the bastard up by his balls.”

  “Or her tits,” Doc shrugged. “Could just as easily be a female.”

  “I don’t give a damn,” said Outlaw. “A traitor is a traitor.”

  “Well it shouldn’t be too hard to find him or her,” said Wolf. “Between IT experts and forensics, we’ll discover who had the access to your files and then extrapolate from there who has any tie or ties to Prince Nayef. Right now, the investigation is being kept dark to prevent spooking the mole. At this point, that’s all I know.”

  Outlaw nodded. “Okay. Where’s your team?”

  “Abandoned shack across the street from the motel,” said Wolf.

  “Good spot. We eyed it but noticed someone was there. Figured it was some homeless people and left it alone.”

  “Come back with us and let’s strategize.” Wolf rolled out first followed by Doc, Outlaw, and Ghost. Skyscraper whistled his bird call three times. Out of the surrounding darkness and high gras
s, Hollywood, Badger, and Jersey joined them.

  They wound their way through the parking lot coming out to the stretch of dirt that separated the lot from the motel property. Wolf led the way going across the street first. Doc followed with Outlaw behind him. Halfway across, all hell broke loose.

  Shots fired, and the men dropped down. Outlaw lay in the middle of the road, flat, rifle pointing towards the far end of the street. The gypsy music from the tavern stopped and the crickets ceased their song. From inside the shack, Wolf’s team assembled quickly to the windows finding the direction of the shots and returning fire. Covered, Outlaw rolled out of the street joining Doc and Wolf.

  In the motel parking lot, Ghost, Hollywood, Skyscraper, Badger, and Jersey took up positions behind vehicles. The sheer volley of firepower indicated more than just three hitmen.

  Wolf pointed to the rooftop of the tavern. “Two at eleven, rooftop.”

  Doc heard the rumble of an engine and two headlights closed in from the road, shots fired from the vehicle. The SUV stopped and the doors opened. Men poured out taking cover behind those opened doors. One man stood, aiming a rocket launcher at the shack.

  Wolf screamed, “Get out! Get out!”

  His team fled the side door, barely escaping as the hitman pulled the triggered blowing up the shack. The explosion lit the night sky. In the chaos, Skyscraper, Badger, Jersey, and Hollywood ran around coming up behind the SUV. Skyscraper pulled the pin on a grenade and lobbed it at the vehicle. It rolled underneath, exploding. Tires and large chunks of metal catapulted into the air and bits of glass and plastic launched like projectiles in all directions.

  The teams hit the ground, covering their heads. From the rooftop, shots continued, raining down bullets. Abe and Dude slipped off through the right side of the street behind the row of buildings adjacent to what was left of the shack. They ran coming around behind them. From there, they slipped across the street to the backside of the tavern finding the fire escape. Up the ladder they went, creeping, silent and deadly.