Operation SEAL: Book Two Trident Brotherhood Series

by Cayce Poponea

  “Doc, you coming?”

  Havoc pounding on my door pulled me from my flashing cursor. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a second.”

  Blaze wanted to have all of the team in his room for a little get together. He mentioned something about an old friend of his he found wondering the base, a Chief he knew from back home. As the interim appointed leader of this group, I felt obligated to go over there. My need to know more about Harper and what she was like had nothing to do with anything.

  TO: AlexGrl17

  FROM: Logan. Forbes.LT@ OPS

  CC:

  SUBJECT: You are my favorite girl on the planet!!

  Harper,

  My sincere apologies for the lapse in time since you last heard from me, I’m counting on your being a seasoned military sister to know these things sometimes cannot be avoided, or explained. Your last email brought a smile to my face and has kept it there for the past few weeks. Knowing I was able to bring a glimmer of hope into your dreary winter made the desert heat and sand fleas not so terrible.

  Your latest box greeted me when I walked in, covered in sand and the amount of dirt I won't dare describe to a lady such as yourself. I dove into the white box as if a kid at Christmas, laughing until my face and abdominal muscles hurt from the tension. You shared a great deal about yourself in what you sent me. For example, the chocolate you sent; not your standard drug counter variety, but from a genuine chocolatier, albeit a famous one. It tells me you have a taste for the finer things, yet keeping your expensive taste in a reasonable price bracket. I, too, enjoy that particular brand. Sadly, it did not survive the heat of travel.

  Next, your choice in lotion, a brand I’m all too familiar with. Lisa and I have kept in touch over the years, and the last time I saw her, we had dinner following a photo shoot highlighting the fragrance you sent me.

  The most surprising of the items you sent were the collection of romance novels by CJ Reece. Soft-core porn is what you enjoy? Harper Kincaid, you naughty girl! Not to worry, I’ll read them later, treating it as if I’m peaking at the opposing team's playbook.

  Still smiling,

  Logan

  When Viper got ready to leave, he pulled me aside and handed me the jar of moonshine he had. Giving me strict instructions to welcome the guy who joined our team the way boys in the South did it. Tucking the half-full jar into my pants pocket, I shutdown my computer and headed across the hall.

  I knocked softly on the metal door, avoiding calling attention from the last door at the end of the hall which housed a new Lieutenant I was warned about. The door opened slowly as Blaze stuck his head around the edge. “Thank God, it’s you and not Oxford.”

  Closing the door behind me, I had to blink my eyes several times as I took in the room. Last time I was here, the sparse furnishings I was accustomed to surrounded us as I spoke with his wife. Now, two flat screen televisions hung on the wall and a leather couch, similar to the one in the officer's lounge, sat against the left side of the room. Numerous gaming systems filled the bookshelves lined up under the television screens.

  “Do I even want to know?” Fanning my hand around the room, Ghost and a man I never met glanced at me briefly as they continued the racing game playing on mute.

  “I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re wondering. I have a buddy back home who can get me any electronics I want at cost plus shipping.”

  “Wasn’t accusing you of anything,” molding my tired body into the leather cushion of the couch. “But I did bring us a little something to celebrate with.”

  Pulling the jar from my pocket, the man in the corner pauses the game as his eyes register what is in the jar.

  “Tell me that ain’t bug juice.” Rising to his full height, the anchors on his collar tell me he is a Chief and I wonder if this is the friend Blaze mentioned earlier.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” Standing to match him, my blouse draped over the chair in my room, my t-shirt giving nothing away in significance of rank. With my hand extended, “Logan Forbes, but my guys call me Doc.”

  His grip is firm, and it tells me he isn’t intimidated by who I am. “Ashton Dawson, but everyone calls me Master Chief.”

  Tipping my head to the side, his name stirring up a familiarity. “Have we met before? Your name sticks out for some reason.”

  Blaze picks up the jar, removes the lid and takes a sniff, shaking his head and squinting his eyes.

  “Nope, Ashton, pure moonshine.” His tone says it all, conveying the thrill of getting his hands on some true alcohol. Tipping the jar back, Blaze coughs a few times as the liquid lights him up.

  “Ashton was the first guy to get Harper’s packages.” He clarifies, his voice gravelly from the moonshine, pointing at his friend.

  “This is the guy who she picked this year.” Taking another gulp as Ghost moves in and takes the jar from his hands.

  “Really? Congratulations man.” Holding out his hand to take the jar from Ghost, “Harper is a goddamn angel. Helped me find my Stacy, who gave me my two kids.” Ashton moves the jar to his mouth, tipping it back and swallowing several mouths full.

  “She blessed us both.” Blaze stood with hands on hip, his eyes hovering over the picture of his wife.

  “Gave me a reason to try harder and make the system work for me.” Dragging his gaze to Chief who nodded his head in agreement.

  “Can’t say as I was upset to hear about her and what’s his name.” Chief mirrored Blaze’s stance, his focus on the jar still in Ghost hand.

  Feigning ignorance, “What guy? The one she was engaged to?” Holding my hand out for a sample of the rapidly disappearing drink.

  “Forbes, you can drop the act, we all know about the flowers you sent her. My wife saw the email she wrote to you when she was ringing up a customer for Harper. But yes, I’m glad she called it off with him. Although Harper won’t say anything to me, Amanda says he’s come by the shop a few times, trying to get her to change her mind. Sarah had to call the police this last time as he refused to leave until she agreed to dinner with him.”

  “She take out a restraining order?” Ghost inquired as he handed the jar to me.

  “Ain’t worth the paper it’s written on if the man is determined.” I hadn’t noticed Reaper come into the room; he shot me a quick nod and then held up two jars matching the one in my hand.

  “My new neighbors in South Carolina introduced themselves.” Reaper had purchased an old farm outside of Charleston, his need for solitude after the life we have lived these past several years, had him searching for a place away from everything and every one.

  Someone attempts to open the door, smacking the edge into Reaper’s back. “Hey, motherfuckers, let me in.” Aiden’s voice rang through the crack in the door. He had received a letter from Rachael and wanted to try and call her. He planned to take leave soon and wanted to get-away with her, but she wasn’t being cooperative. By the sound of his voice, maybe he was able to change her mind.

  “Sorry, Chief.” Reaper apologized, moving to the side and offering one of the jars in his hand.

  “Oh, yes. Apology accepted.”

  “Aiden Sawyer.” Master Chief called from my left, moving around Ghost to shake Aiden’s hand. “I thought I heard your name being passed around, how have you been?”

  “I’m good, brother. When did you arrive in Shangri-La hell?”

  “Two weeks ago, the call went out for a critical fill and I can’t say no to the money. I’m retiring in a few months and this will be my last tour.” The two Chiefs stared at one another, nodding their heads, as they appeared to understand the struggle of the other. Aiden hands the jar to Ashton and then turns to me.

  “Doc, you remember me telling you about the guy I almost landed in jail with during boot camp?”

  “Oh, Lord. Tell me you aren’t still sharing that story with everyone?” Ashton snickered as he brought the jar to his lips.

  “He hasn’t told us, but by the color of your ears, I damn sure want to h
ear it now.” Sure enough, the tips of Ashton’s ears were a deep red.

  “Forget it. The story involved a beautiful woman who turned out to be underage, and hiding in a dumpster for three hours in the sweltering heat.” Aiden waved his hand in the air, dismissing the story and the embarrassment.

  “What I do want to hear, is the two of you comparing notes on the lottery you both won.” Perplexed with his meaning, I narrowed my eyes and tipped my chin.

  “Harper Kincaid, this fucking grizzly’s baby sister.”

  Flashing my attention back to Blaze, I give him a hard look and let out a belly laugh. Aiden was spot on with his description of Blaze. He was well over six-foot tall, with tan skin and dark hair and eyes.

  “Hey!”

  “Sorry, Blaze. I haven’t given you a hard enough look before, but he’s right. You do look like you could use a good waxing.” Pretending to pull at a hair poking our of the collar of his shirt.

  “Yeah, well, this Lance guy better hope I don’t find him when I’m home on leave next week.” Blaze stiffened as he uttered the name. I couldn’t control the growing agitation I felt myself as a result.

  “Tell me again, besides the whole cheating part, what made you uneasy about him?” Taking a seat on the couch, my elbows on my thighs. Blaze takes a seat in his chair, mimicking my position.

  “He’s—odd.”

  “Define odd?”

  “He delivers for one of those carrier services; you know the box trucks you can buy at auction?”

  “Yeah.” Nodding my head, lacing my fingers together. Reaper and the rest of the guys circled around us, the video game remaining on pause.

  “He drives an Audi RS8.”

  “Okay, so? Ever heard of a lease?”

  “He paid cash.”

  “So?”

  “I don’t know many guys who work for ten bucks an hour who can afford to lay down one-hundred-thousand dollars on a car.”

  “He could have saved, won money in a lottery scratch off, a relative died and left him money.” With the amount of resentment in Blaze’s attitude, I would keep the bottom line of my finances to myself. And no way was I telling him what kind of car waited for me in my parent’s garage.

  “I’m not trying to challenge you, but having money doesn’t make someone a bad person.”

  “He has an arrest record.”

  “Okay, he rebelled as a youth.”

  “For possession with intent to distribute.”

  “And he just became a piece of shit. Let me know if you need bail money or legal representation when you find him.”

  I have zero tolerance for the poisoning of our streets back home. If this Lance guy was harassing Harper, I knew of a few guys who could step in and give him a warning.

  “Harper doesn’t know this, but my friend Mitch sent me an email the other day with the information.

  “Mitch Riley?” Aiden interrupted, as the sound of knuckles hitting the door thumped once again.

  Blaze held up his clinched fist signaling us to stop and motioned for Ashton to grab a rope tucked behind the monitor of his computer. Stepping lightly, he crossed the room and opened the door a crack.

  “Oh hey, man.” Opening the door fully, allowing Havoc to step into the room.

  “Sorry, y’all. But the weasel dick LT down the hall is as nosey and by the book as they come.”

  “You mean Lieutenant Oxford? Way I hear it, he hasn’t seen the outside of an office since he got his silver bars.” Aiden huffed, humorlessly as he scooted over to let Havoc sit down.

  “Caught him watching me as I went down the hall after my shower. I dared him to say something about this beard.”

  Looking around the room at my team, Aiden and Reaper are the only two who hadn’t picked up a razor after this latest mission.

  “Y’all gonna keep those things? You forget about the fleas out there?” I snickered, as the need to get rid of those nasty things haunted me for the past week, the beard came off before anything else did.

  “Hey, I’m Alex Nakos, these guys call me Havoc.” Leaning his body in Blaze’s direction, hand outstretched in invitation.

  “Ross Kincaid, or Blaze as Doc saw fit to call me. And I’m sorry to be the one who’s taking your spot on this team.”

  “Don’t apologize, this is a good thing, and I’m not upset in the least. I’ve had my adventure and made some kick ass friends. Now, it’s time to go home and get a real job.” He eased back in his seat, “But you have to tell me how you got the name Blaze.”

  Just as Blaze takes a breath to start the story, one which will make him look as crazy as Diesel and his ability to make water flammable, an alert sounds from his computer, one most of us are familiar with as it announces the face of a loved one.

  “Hang on, let me see who this is.”

  Turning his chair to the computer, tapping the spacebar as the photo of him and three little faces surrounding his.

  “Hey, Sis.” Blaze boasts as the screen changes from a black box to an animated photo with Harper’s name under it.

  “Ross? Are you there? I can’t see you.” Her voice is angelic and captures my attention, freezing me in my seat. I watch with anticipation as the screen once again goes black and then slowly progresses to brown, and finally reveals the face of one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen.

  Brown hair similar to her brothers, with lighter shades blended throughout. Pale skin, that of a woman who takes great pride in the health of herself, protecting the delicate organ from the sun’s harmful rays. Eyes blue like the shallow pools of a tropical beach sparkling with hints of amber and green around the edges. Her face is full, signs of a body with curves and character. Lips, which hold a smile, one of joy at seeing her brother, covering the white teeth, which from the little I can see, are straight and nearly perfect.

  “There you are.” She giggles and I cannot hide the smile she evokes from me. “This isn’t a bad time is it? Amanda just left the store to get the kids, so I hoped to catch up with you.”

  “You’re fine, Harper. I was having a little get together with my new team.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. Give me a call when you're free, there’s nothing wrong. Be careful and I’ll see you next week. Love you.”

  She was gone before Blaze could say anything, my soul crying out for her to stay, to say my name so I could watch those lips of her move and tempt me further.

  “And that was my crazy sister Harper.” Blaze laughed as he closed the program, “Always afraid she’s bothering me.”

  My eyes remained on the now black screen, her laugh running around in my head, making a place for itself in my memory. Until now, I never understood those poets who prattled on about instant love, believing soul mates were something found in fairytales and the books my aunt wrote.

  “Logan?” My name combined with a set of fingers snapping in front of my face temporarily stopped the progression of my inner thoughts. Harper Kincaid had changed me. The tough as nails, seasoned physician who walked into this room was a new man, one with a deep raging desire to get closer to her.

  “Awe hell! I know that look.” Aiden punched my shoulder, gaining an angry oath from me, robbing me of the last frame of her face I had been holding on to. “Looks like Miss Harper made an impression on Doc.”

  “Can you blame me? The woman is fucking gorgeous.” My mouth failing to rationalize with my head and heart, giving no consideration to the men around me, including her brother, whose smile had faltered and bewilderment filled the corners of his eyes.

  “She’s been hurt, not by this Lance guy, not really. But by my best friend who didn’t come home to her like he promised.”

  Feeling braver than I should, new purpose bubbling in my chest giving me immeasurable amount of courage.

  “Good thing I’m a doctor then. Healing people who are hurt is my specialty.”

  Cocky words hung in the air between us, I hadn’t meant them to be, and by the flame in Blaze’s eyes he didn’t c
are.

  “How many kids you got, Ross?”

  Choosing to use his Christian name as to clear any confusion as to who was having this conversation. Two men who cared for the same woman, not members of the military governed by rules and regulations.

  “Three boys.” Turning back to his computer, he clicks the mouse several times and opens a blue folder. The game disappears from the large screen television; the smiling faces of three small boys light up the room.

  “My oldest, Adam, is four and can’t wait to start school next year.” The picture on the screen looks to have been taken during Halloween, as he stands proudly in a Superman costume, a bright orange pumpkin behind him.

  “Jason is our three-year-old, who looks the most like his mother out of all the three.” He’s right, the bright smile on the toddler’s face matches the one I was graced with three weeks ago. The photo shows him hugging a chocolate colored puppy, the dogs tongue flat against his cheek.

  “Hudson is the baby, born the last time I was home.” The photo had been taken at a park, the baby cradled in the arms of the girl who stole my breath earlier. The two older boys hugging her on each side, her smile wide, reaching her eyes.

  “Take a hard look at those faces. Every one of them holds a reason for me to stay here until my time is up. You were chosen by some random selection she uses to keep Alex’s memory alive. Yes, she has this weird way of pairing up people with these boxes, but if the look on your face tells me what I think it is, I don’t care what cosmic intervention is going on; hurt my sister and you will deal with me.”

  I’m unable to put myself in Blaze’s position as I’ve never had any siblings, but it wasn’t too hard to transition his love for his sister and how protective he was of her as I was of my mother.

  “Listen, Blaze, we’re brothers in this, and I won’t hand you any lies in order to look like someone bigger or better than anyone else in this room. I came in here tonight, not to ogle your sister or test your defenses, but when I saw her face, heard her laugh—”