“Are you confident they won’t shoot me accidentally?”
“No, I’m not. So I’ll be as relieved as you when we get the colonel on the line and clear this up. I sure as hell don’t want to be responsible for shooting the colonel’s girlfriend.”
“That’s who she is?” one of the soldiers exclaimed.
“That’s who she says she is,” Bryant clarified.
“She’s not near pretty enough,” another soldier said.
“She’s covered in mud, asshole,” Bryant pointed out. “Excuse my men’s manners, sir. They’re having trouble connecting dots. For example, if you are who you say you are, then Adam Baker just disparaged the colonel’s girlfriend’s looks. Not a great career move, Adam.”
“Shit, my apologies, ma’am. I bet you’re real pretty when you’re clean,” Adam said.
Alisha sighed. “A captain is addressed as sir, soldier, regardless of sex.”
“Is that right, Sarge?” Adam asked.
“That’s right,” Bryant replied, and smiled at Alisha. “You know, I don’t see any way in hell you could be Captain Kane, but I really hope you are.”
“Got the colonel on the comm, sir. He wants to speak to the prisoner.”
Bryant reached down and helped Alisha up. Only the firmness of his grip betrayed that the real purpose of his assistance was to prevent any attempt to escape.
Alisha took the comm unit from Carter. “Jack, can you please tell these fine ground soldiers who I am so I can come home?”
“First tell me how many times we made love after our last battle.”
“None. Why would you even ask that?”
“God, it is you! Put the sergeant on.”
She handed the comm unit to the sergeant and watched his look of surprise turn to genuine relief. “Yes, sir, I’ll take good care of her,” he promised, and handed the comm back to Carter. “Gentlemen, at ease. We’ve got the real McCoy here. Captain Kane, sir. If you’ll follow us, we’ll get you safely back to Colonel Sparkes.”
“I’m doomed,” Adam moaned.
Alisha was pissed. Despite all she’d done, all she was known for was being Jack’s girlfriend?
She doubted her anger would provide her with enough energy to make the long walk back, but she really didn’t want any of these guys carrying her.
As if reading her mind, the sergeant pointed to a small ridge ahead. “We’ve got transportation from that point on, sir. You just need to make it up this hill.”
Alisha tried, God, did she try. But halfway to the top, she fell to her knees. “Sorry, Sergeant, I’m wiped out.”
“Not a problem,” he assured her. “Baker, step up and give me a hand,” he ordered as he pulled her arm around his neck and lifted her to her feet. Baker quickly took the other side.
“Let me say again, sir, I’m really sorry about my most inappropriate remarks on your looks.”
“It’s all right, Baker. I’m not that pretty even when I’m not covered with mud.”
“I’m sure you are, ma’am…sir.”
“Nope. The rumor about me and the colonel isn’t true. We work together, and we respect each other, but that’s all.”
Baker smiled. “If you say so, sir.”
Alisha sighed and looked at the sergeant. “I don’t think he believes me.”
“Probably not, sir,” he agreed as they crested the top of the ridge.
There before her was the most beautiful thing in the whole world: A jeep. The sergeant helped her into the front seat. With three men in the back seat and the rest sitting on the Jeep’s rim, they drove to the Broadtown field headquarters.
When they pulled up, Jack’s tall, lean figure was silhouetted against the well-lit tent. At first she thought he was inside, but when the silhouette moved closer, the light from the full moon filled in the features of his face. He looked absolutely joyous.
She tried to climb out of the Jeep to greet him, but she wasn’t fast enough. Jack slipped his arms around her and hugged her tight against him before her feet had a chance to touch the ground.
“God Almighty, I thought we’d lost you.”
“Jack, is Logan all right?” Alisha asked.
“Yes, but depressed as hell. He thinks you’re dead.”
“You haven’t told him I’m alive?” What if he did something stupid? What if he killed himself? She knew if she believed he’d died, she might consider it.
“I’ll let him know now,” Jack promised, releasing her and placing her back in the jeep. “I need your grandfather’s address anyway.”
“Gramps?”
“The compound’s destroyed. I thought you’d want to stay with him tonight rather than to go to Capital.”
Tears of gratitude swelled in her eyes as she nodded.
He reached out and gently caressed her face. “All right, then,” he said, then realized they had an audience. “Sergeant Bryant…damn good job. I can assure you the general is very pleased. However, I am commandeering your Jeep. Talk to Gunny about getting a ride back to your unit.” Assured the sergeant understood his orders, he returned to the tent.
“Yes, sir, I can certainly see the colonel is utterly indifferent to you, sir,” Bryant teased as he placed the keys in the ignition. “It’s been an honor to meet you, and I look forward to seeing you perform at the next quarterlies. I hear you’re the most amazing flyer that’s ever graced the skies.”
Alisha gave him a tired but sincere handshake. “Thank you for not shooting me on sight, Sergeant. I count my blessings that I swam to the west bank. And I’m also glad I’m known for something other than being the girlfriend of Colonel Sparkes, because it’s still not true.”
“Yes, sir!” The sergeant smiled and led his men off to the supply tent.
A moment later, Jack returned and climbed into the driver’s seat. “I couldn’t speak with Logan personally—he was assisting in a field surgery—but I spoke to Ginnie. After she ruptured my eardrum with her squealing, she promised to pass on the message as soon as the surgery is over.”
Alisha gripped his hand and squeezed. “Thanks.”
As they drove through town, Jack double-checked the address he’d written down.
“If you didn’t speak to Logan, then how did you get Gramps’ address?”
“MAC gave it to me,” Jack replied as he pulled up to a sweet-looking house. “Stay here, and I’ll let him know—”
“Oh no! I’m going up there with you.”
“You’re covered in mud, Alisha. You might scare the hell out of him.”
“He’s seen me covered in mud. Most of my childhood I was coated in mud. However, you look too much like the well-dressed officers they send out for death duty. If you go to the door without me, you could give him a heart attack.”
It took several minutes after they rang for the door to open, but Daniel Kane showed no signs of having a heart attack unless it was from pleasure.
“You aren’t AWOL, are you?”
“No, Gramps, I’m here legit,” she assured him. “Colonel Sparkes can attest to that.”
Daniel ushered them both in.
“Colonel, this is my grandfather, retired General Daniel Kane. Gramps, this is Colonel Jack Sparkes, without a doubt the best battle strategist the Corps has ever had.”
“Is he?” Daniel chuckled. “Well, it’s an honor to meet you, Colonel.”
“The honor is all mine, General,” Jack replied.
“I’m just plain old Daniel Kane now. Call me Daniel.”
“As long as I’m Jack.”
“Jack’s going to let me stay here tonight,” Alisha said.
Daniel gave the colonel a curious look.
“If you don’t mind, sir. The captain here clearly needs a shower and rest. Unfortunately, the compound took one hell of a beating.”
“I’m pleased to be of service to the Corps and even happier to see my granddaughter alive and well. I could tell by the noise it was a major battle out there tonight,” Daniel said. He then noticed th
at Jack’s clothing was covered in mud. “You may make use of my shower as well, Colonel.”
“I appreciate the offer, sir, and I wouldn’t mind taking you up on it. I’ve got a long night ahead of me, and I don’t savor smelling like dead fish.”
“Would you like to go first, Jack?” Alisha asked, knowing damn well she was the reason he was covered in mud.
“No. You go first. To say you reek is like saying the Cully is a mite unpleasant.”
“Shower is the first door on the right,” Daniel said. “I’ll bring you a towel and some pajamas.”
“I’d kiss you, Gramps, but then you’d look like Jack here.”
Chapter 59
Saving lives helped keep Logan going. But honest to God, every time he touched the surgical knife, he thought how easy it would be just to end it all.
Get a grip, he warned himself as he tied off the surgical stitches and stepped back from the first aid cot. With quiet efficiency, Ollie helped the soldier get up, and a young girl took his place. She looked incredibly like Alisha. Logan blinked, and the resemblance disappeared. You’re losing your mind.
“Captain,” Alisha’s voice called.
I am losing my mind.
“Captain,” the voice persisted, suddenly not sounding anything like Alisha. He turned to the voice and focused. It was Ginnie, looking almost hysterical with happiness as she hopped about. What the hell is she so happy about?
“You’re not sterile, Sergeant. Get away from the table.”
“Sorry, sir, but I knew you’d want to know immediately.”
“Whatever it is, it can wait. We’re knee-deep in wounded here. Now leave.”
“But—”
“That’s an order, Sergeant!” he warned.
“Captain Kane is alive, sir.”
Logan froze, then turned to her. “What?”
“Alisha is alive and well. I just got off the comm with Colonel Sparkes. He told me to tell you as soon as possible, so I wasn’t actually disobeying your order just then; it was superseded by a higher authority, since Colonel Sparkes is field commander—”
“Stop!” Logan ordered. He didn’t give a damn about the precedence of orders. “Alisha is alive?”
“And fine, sir. Muddy but fine. She’s been taken to her grandfather’s house for a shower and rest.”
Logan had to remind himself to breathe. He’d been given a reprieve from eternal Hell.
“Colonel,” Sr. Medic Culp asked, “do you need me to take over?”
Logan returned to the young girl on the table. “I’ve got it,” he said, and picked up a scalpel. “Ginnie,” he said as he removed the ragged edges of flesh where the mortar fragments had ripped into the girl’s soft skin.
“Yes, sir?”
“You can interrupt me anytime with news like that. If the colonel calls back, tell him I’ll come as soon as we’re done here.”
“That won’t be for several more hours, sir,” Culp warned.
“Whenever.” He could endure anything if he knew Alisha was waiting at the end of the mission.
***
Alisha couldn’t remember a shower ever feeling better. There was even a stool for her to sit on so she didn’t have to remain standing on her wobbly legs. She had fallen into a quiet happiness when a knock on the door brought her back to reality. The door opened slightly. “Alisha, you okay?” Jack asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t forget your grandfather has his water rationed.”
“Shit!” Alisha exclaimed, and turned off the water. “I totally forgot. I probably used up two months of water!”
“Don’t worry about it. He’s providing a service to the Corps. I’ll make certain he’s reimbursed for tonight’s extravagance.”
She dried off and pulled on the pajamas she found on the counter. To her surprise, they fit her. Once dressed, she opened the door to a muddy Colonel Sparkes. “Then why’d you make me get out?”
“Because I want a shower too, remember?” he said, and pulled her out the door and stepped in.
She wrinkled her nose. He smelled like dead fish. “You need it.”
She went in search of her grandfather and found him in the kitchen, heating up soup.
“I can do that, Gramps!”
“Sit,” he replied. “You’ll be surprised how much better I’ve gotten with the new medicine and a diet of real food.”
“You look wonderful.” She sighed happily and sat down. “And the house the colonel found is perfect. It reminds me of the one you and Grams used to have.”
“Not surprising, since it is the house Helen and I owned.”
“Really? That’s weird. How could the colonel find your old house and give it back to you?”
“Not certain how it came to be. I don’t think Logan knew it was my old house. If he did, he certainly didn’t let on about it. He just thought it was the best house on the market. He was very concerned I liked his choice.”
“You do, right? I mean it doesn’t bother you that Grams died here?”
“No, I came to terms with that long ago, and I like the memories of her. Why, sometimes I swear she’s sitting in her favorite chair knitting those doily things, looking so young and pretty. And for just a second I’m a young man, home on two days’ leave…”
“Love is a wonderful thing, Gramps,” she murmured.
The next thing she remembered, she was being lifted and carried to a soft, warm bed.
“Sleep well, Alisha,” Jack said, kissing her on the forehead.
Never had she felt more loved and happy in her entire life. As bleak as her world had turned a few hours before, everything had righted itself. Everyone she loved was alive and well, and tomorrow, when not so utterly exhausted, she planned to thoroughly enjoy this new state of happiness.
Chapter 60
Logan finished with the last patient at four a.m. He had never felt so exhausted and in need of sleep. He stripped off the surgical gown and removed as much of the blood as possible, then headed to his room. It took him a moment to realize the carnage before him was the remains of his quarters. Thank God MAC had given Alisha her mission; if not, she’d be dead now.
Hopefully the crew’s quarters were in better condition.
“Colonel, sir,” a ground soldier said, interrupting his thoughts. “I’ve been ordered to drive you to your temporary quarters.”
“What about my crew?”
“I believe they have all flown to Capital, sir. Colonel Sparkes has arranged for you to stay with locals. He felt you’d be too tired to fly.”
Logan couldn’t argue with that assumption. He followed the young soldier to a waiting Jeep. The drive was short and familiar. Logan groaned. He had no problem staying at Daniel Kane’s, and he certainly wanted to see Alisha, but it was four in the morning. He couldn’t wake the poor man up.
“Take me to a hotel, Private. I can’t be waking the residents so early in the morning.”
The private handed him a key. “The colonel said the owner knew you’d be coming in late and provided this key. Said they would have food in the fridge, towels for a shower, and a soft bed waiting. Sounds real nice, sir,” the private said wistfully.
“That it does,” Logan admitted and stepped out of the Jeep.
***
There was a light on in the kitchen and a note on the counter repeating the offer of food, shower, and bed. Logan needed the shower first. In the kitchen light, he saw his pants were streaked with blood.
Keeping in mind Daniel was on water rations, he made the shower as quick as possible. He then changed into the PJs Daniel had so thoughtfully left out. He decided to forego the food. What he really needed was sleep. But first he needed to see Alisha with his own eyes, to verify she really had survived her impossible mission.
Daniel had declared the first bedroom hers three days ago when Logan had brought the old Skyryder to his new home.
Logan opened the door and let the hall light illuminate the room. She looked so peaceful an
d innocent, asleep in her bed. Just a young girl, hardly a deity at all.
The light must have woken her since she opened her eyes and smiled. She held out her arms for him to come to her, and almost as if she had magical powers, he moved to the edge of her bed and sat down.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” she admitted.
“Nor did I when I saw you go into the Cully.”
“Yeah…that was weird. I barely remembered to drop my blaster bag, so they blew up in the water right behind me, sending me flying through the air, dunking me right in the middle of the river. I got pulled under because of the slats. By the time I got them off and came up, I was halfway to Doakestown and still in the middle of the river. With every stroke, I expected to be fish bait, but for some reason the meat-eaters weren’t biting.”
Logan let his finger run gently over her face as she told her story. Touching her was the only way he could convince himself she was alive. “If I had known, I would have flown out and retrieved you.”
She smiled. “That would have been nice.” She lost her smile. “I’ve never been more scared than when I woke up on the west bank and saw firsthand the wrath of the SkyRyders. I watched as men less than a hundred feet away were literally cut in two with laser sweeps.”
“It’s all right,” he said as he leaned down and curled his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest. “Everything’s all right now.”
“Is my squad okay?”
Logan pressed his lips to her forehead. “Yes, they’ve all flown to Capital for the night. We’ll go up in the morning. What you did tonight is beyond comprehension, and the fact you are lying here without more than an odd scratch or two…”
Alisha tilted her head up and lightly touched his lips with her own. “You deserve credit for my being here. Knowing you loved me gave me the extra strength to keep trying, even when everything looked hopeless.”
“Then I’m glad I told you.”
She smiled at him. “Truly?”
Scavenger's Mission (The SkyRyders Book 1) Page 32
