My mouth clapped shut, and I bit my trembling lip, my mouth filled with a bitter metal taste. He paused and stared at my breasts then closed the small distance between us, nuzzling his head on my neck and then taking a single long lick between my cleavage before roughly squeezing one. A gag built in my throat, my body shaking as he released my breast. “Stand up!”
Hauling me to my feet, he placed the knife’s handle in his mouth and grinned. His hands jerked as he pulled down my sweat pants over my hips, revealing my panties, leaving the sweat pants to bunch at my ankles above my sneakers. I considered struggling, fighting, kicking him in the groin, but his blade kept me at bay. He held it close enough to pierce my skin if need be. That and I heard the deep breaths his partner made. If I moved, one of them would tackle me to the ground and make me pay. I shivered when the cool air assaulted my exposed skin.
He ran a single finger down the center of my panties then cupped my crotch, and my body convulsed. Not only would I be killed, but I’d be raped first. Rapid breaths of clipped air traveled from my lungs and out of my mouth, making me dizzy.
But then he dropped me back on the dirt and stood up straight, eyeing me like a farm animal at a state fair. Crazy Eyes adjusted his pants and he and his friend cackled. They took a few steps back from me and closer to Maya and I knew Maya was next. They were preparing to rape us. Maya looked like she wanted to run but Crazy Eyes kicked her and she fell to the ground.
She lay beside me, tears streaming down her dirt-covered face. I wanted to hug her. Tell her I loved her and how sorry I was I hadn’t saved her. She was shaking in the cold, knowing we might only have seconds left before we were sexually tortured and then killed. Then I got the break I was desperately looking for. “You.” Crazy Eyes’ partner pointed his weapon at me. “Undress her.” He stupidly turned after giving the command.
I grasped Maya’s face in my hands. “Listen to me, we need to escape.” I stared at the two men’ backs then back at her and uttered softly, “I’m going to run, and they will both follow me. I can outrun them—I ran track in school. The dumbass left his keys in the ignition. Once they run after me, you are to run to the truck and drive. Do you understand me? Just drive into the night toward that town we passed. The SEALs will find you. They’ll help you and then come for me.”
“No. No way, Sara. I’m not leaving you. Besides, I’m not all that great in a crisis. Where would I drive? I’ll be stuck in the middle of nowhere and get taken again. It’s over, Sara. We’re going to die here. I’m just glad we’re not going to die alone.”
I shook her, my eyes darting back to the men, who seemed to be plotting their next move. But it was so dark I couldn’t figure out what it was.
“No. It’s not over. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I ran long distance. I’ll keep running or hide in some cave until Kyle finds me. I saw plenty of them on the drive here.” I forced my voice to remain calm, so she wouldn’t hear the fear in my words. I didn’t believe the words I was saying to her. I was positive they would capture me, torture me, rape me, and behead me. But I wanted her to escape. A few years back Maya’s oldest brother, Emilio, had been killed in a random gang-related drive-by shooting in Downtown LA. As expected, it had taken a toll on her parents, especially her father. Maya helped put her family back together and convinced them to move to San Diego. The love in her father’s eyes for his children was something I used to long for with my own father. Until I grew up, sucked it up, and knew better. That same affection and warmth was how Maya took me under her wing when I moved to SD and tried out for the Wildfires. She became my family when I didn’t have one near. And there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for family. Maybe I’d get lucky and come out unscathed. If I didn’t, I’d made peace with it in my dying breath. Accepting and protecting my family meant a lot more than being a coward who disregarded their responsibilities, who turned their back and forgot what being a family meant. I wasn’t anything like my father. Never was. Never would be. “We can do this. I’m going to run and they will follow me. I need you to run like the wind. Don’t stop until you get to the truck. And don’t stop driving until you get to that town a few miles away. Please, Maya. Trust me. The SEALs will find you.”
Her breaths were rapid and she was shaking in my arms. “I won’t. I won’t go without you. We can run together. I need you, Sara. I love you. You are my best friend. You’re my sister. I can’t do this without you. I’m so scared.” Fresh tears appeared on her face.
“Yes you can, and you will. You are stronger than you know. I love you, Maya.” I choked back sobs and softly shoved her. “It’s okay. Go, Maya. Go. Before they come back. If I don’t come home—”
“Don’t say that. We’re going to make it. I won’t leave you if you don’t believe you’ll make it back, too. We’re going to dance together again. This will all be a bad dream.” Her hopeful eyes told me if I had any chance of saving her, I’d have to lie to my best friend.
“I didn’t mean that. I’m positive I’ll make it out. I wouldn’t be proposing it if I didn’t.” Footsteps approached and I knew it was time. I only had moments to save my friend’s life. I glanced back to make sure the men were both watching me. And they were. Their look of agitation that I hadn’t undressed Maya was palpable as they grew near.
I hugged Maya one last time. “You run and you don’t stop, okay?” She sniffed and nodded her head.
One, two, three. I took a deep breath and pulled my pants up then gripped my jacket closed in one clinched fist. In a matter of seconds, I said a final prayer and rose to a crouching position. Before I could lose my nerve, I sprinted into the night.
The night air blew cold on my skin and stifled my breaths, my feet pounding the dirt as I ran. The more I pushed the more my body hurt, but I wouldn’t stop. I white-knuckled the jacket to my chest, my exposed arm hitting the wind. I could hear one of the men yelling in broken English and the thumps of their boots told me they were in pursuit. A sinking feeling told me they would catch me, and they’d definitely kill me.
But I ran as fast as my feet would go. Wind blew against my ears, and a sound resembling the inside of a seashell appeared. My long strides dug into the dirt, and the voice of my high school track coach rang in my head. “Run, Sara, run. Move it, kid!” But his voice was soon replaced by Kyle’s soothing voice. “I’ll take care of you while you’re here and make sure you’re safe.” It was almost if he was running beside me.
A gunshot rang out, and I cut a sharp left. In the distance, the unmistakable sound of a diesel truck rumbled to life, the sound fading by the second.
Maya had made it. She would be safe. And if I died saving her, it would be worth it.
17
Kyle
Inside the C-130, I checked everyone’s parachute and equipment on my Team. The aircraft contained three Teams, which would split up and jump at different locations just like the assailants had done according to the drone pictures we received before taking off. Greedily I’d chosen the small group containing two members, one fair-haired and the other a brunette. Maya and Sara stuck together like glue. That was where I’d find my blond bombshell. I was certain of it.
For most ops we would carry a satellite radio, but since this was a night-op we carried a radio, which had an encrypting technology to ensure the transmission was more secure.
“Thirty minutes!” I yelled. My men lined up and used the piss tube mounted on the wall. Last chance, fellas. Before we knew it, we were almost at our destination.
“Ten minutes.”
Everyone scrambled around the ramp. Time flew by in a blur, which was just how I wanted it.
“Five minutes.”
Vic strapped Cuervo to him. The dog’s attention to detail and dedication never ceased to amaze me. Like I said, that dog was a badass.
The ramp lowered and I couldn’t hear shit. I used my hand signals to my brothers. I studied the ground through my night vision goggles to make sure we were on course based on the aerial map I’d studied
. Every minute that passed that I didn’t know if she was safe brought on a fresh wave of feelings I’d worked hard to keep hidden. I’d fallen for Sara and now I wouldn’t stop till I found her. I should have been honest with her. I should have manned up and told her how I felt about her. Staying silent like a pussy was not the last image I wanted her to have of me. So I’d studied that map like if my life depended on it. Our pilots were the fucking best but I needed to find my girl so I didn’t want to walk any farther than I had to. My girl. Fuck. That had a nice ring to it. I flashed my hand, making sure to spread my fingers and jerked my thumb to the right. The loadmaster relayed my directions to the pilot who adjusted the nose of the C-130 five degrees starboard.
The ramp light turned from red to green. It was go time.
I signaled to my men for the last time before we jumped. We were twelve thousand feet above ground and even though I’d jumped out of planes a hundred times before, I prayed to God that this jump wouldn’t be my last.
Vic and Cuervo jumped first. I made sure all my men left the aircraft. Pinching my thumb and index finger together, I brought them to my mouth and pressed them against my lips and gave one final prayer then free fell into the air before the aircraft left with the other two Teams to their assigned destinations.
After a minute, I opened my parachute and glided under the canopy. A beautiful moment, flying through the sky. We were so in synch our parachutes were aligned as if we were creating a stairway to heaven. I turned on my night optical device as I descended to the ground, my men landing before me.
Perfect. Pat and Mitch grabbed their weapons and secured the area while the rest of us hid our chutes. Vic released Cuervo, who quickly ran in front of us.
The sky provided another gift for us. The light rain. The perfect weather to camouflage our movements. We split our Team into two groups, ensuring we took different routes to our targets. If one group failed, the other would complete the mission. We were motherfucking SEALs. We’d die trying before giving up. Vic, Pat, and Grant came with me. We traipsed slowly through the dirt, the mud sticking to our boots.
Cuervo ran back to Vic, signaling he’d heard something ahead. I heard it too. Diesel. A truck. Sara’s captors were coming toward us.
I signaled and we stood in position, our weapons pointed ahead.
The headlights shone through my goggles as I prepared to shoot out the tires. But we had to be careful on gunfire, we didn’t want them to kill the women.
I aimed, shooting twice above the driver’s side front tire. Being shot from the front was enough to deter the vehicle’s movement. Funny how being faced with the barrel of a gun at close range made you cooperate, even when you didn’t want to. We approached the vehicle, and in my scope I could see a girl alone, no terrorists.
What the fuck? A few more steps and her face came into focus. It was Maya.
She screamed hysterically when she heard the weapon being shot, the shine from the vehicle blocking her sight of us.
And there was no sign of Sara.
No.
I ran to her as the others fanned out. “Maya, you’re safe. Breathe. It’s Kyle. Where’s Sara?”
She flung herself at me, wrapping her hands around my neck. “She, she, they cut off her hair and ripped her clothes. They were going to rape us, but she told me to escape. She ran away from them so they would follow her and I ran to the truck. She saved my life. They already killed our director and dumped the body.” That was why the drone pictures showed groups with what looked like bigger groups. I knew there was a reason Maya and Sara were alone. The anguish in her voice broke my heart. She feared her friend was dead as well. I wasn’t going to give up that easily.
I needed her to start talking. “How many of them? How long ago was this? Did you drive straight here and not change direction?”
She sobbed and I radioed the other four guys from the Team. “T-two of them. About fifteen min-minutes. And yes, I stayed straight. She risked her life for me. Please. You have to find her. She saved me so I could find help.”
And she had. I would find Sara. I’d been right all along. Sara was more than a pretty face. She was a fighter. A survivor. A savior. Just like me.
Mitch, Joaquín, Shane, and Erik arrived, our Team complete. Shane examined Maya who was surprisingly unharmed. Her chest heaved up and down as she sobbed but no bruises that I could see. We radioed for air support and one by one, those men stayed with her until they all could be extracted. Having her continue on would only slow us down and put her in further danger.
Their mission was over. Maya had been saved. But my girl was out there. Somewhere. Alone in the night.
I signaled to Pat, Vic, and Grant. Fifteen minutes, at least ten miles, though I doubted Maya had been driving sixty miles an hour.
I briefed my men. “Sara is still out there. At least ten miles due north, following the tracks of the vehicle. Start moving. We’re not going to stop until we find her. Gentlemen, it’s going to be a long night.”
18
Sara
The stomp of their boots in pursuit of me shook the earth, ringing in my ears like a repetitive bad dream. My shins burned but I pushed through the pain, running for my life. I had a bit of a lead on them since they weren’t in the best shape, but that lead was shrinking by the second. They were going to hunt me down like an animal and shred me to pieces. Breathing hurt. Hell, everything hurt. I wanted the dirt to open up, create a hiding place for me, swallow my body until they passed. Still, I kept going. The stars illuminated a mountain in the distance. If only I could make it to that mountain, I would have a chance. I could shield myself until they gave up finding me. But even if I succeeded, would I succumb to the elements? Would I be able to be rescued? It was a chance I had to take. I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t try. I would not die freely.
My strides grew bigger. All those months training to be a cheerleader had been worth it. I flashed back to my daily runs on the track at SDSU, complaining about the heat messing up my hair, or the harsh sun on my skin. Every run I had made prepared me for this dash of my life. My pace was steady and fast. These men surely couldn’t be in as good shape as I was. They were medium built; some would say thin. But they lacked muscle and endurance. Their only advantage was their lungs were used to the high altitudes and mine were most surely not. I was spoiled by the San Diego sunshine and the crisp sea-level air. I forced myself to breathe through my fear and kept running. I was used to the long distance. It was what I excelled at in track.
As I ran, a false sense of security passed over me. They would never catch me, I would be able to hide out and await rescue, these fools would never take me alive. I psyched myself up for the race of my life.
The sound of their boots faded and I was more confident in my victory. I could see the base of the mountain ahead and a few feet farther back appeared to be some type of cave. A few more steps, a few more breaths and I would make it. I was thin enough to blend in, or at least I hoped so.
My left foot pounded into the ground and without warning I heard a terrible crack. My ankle gave out under me and I collapsed onto the dirt.
A sharp pain radiated through my body. I was so close. I summoned every ounce of strength and pulled myself to my feet. Not now. Not when I was so close to safety.
Dammit—that goddam rock had now cost me precious seconds. I hobbled forward, my pace slowed, willing myself to just keep running, no matter how great the pain. The irony dawned on me that a day ago this injury would’ve gutted me for potentially ruining my dancing career, yet now my only concern was saving my life, even if there was permanent damage. How trivial my former concerns seemed to me now.
A few more paces and I could hear the rhythm of the boots getting closer.
A gun shot rang out into the night. I instinctively dodged, praying the bullet wasn’t flying toward me.
No, I can do this. I will make it. I won’t be taken.
I could feel him behind me. Closer, so close his hot breath blew on my
neck. No!
Whack!
The back of a gun smacked me across the head, instantly knocking me to the ground. My head ached like crazy. But that was the least of my problems.
“You whore!” Crazy Eyes barked.
He pointed the gun to my head. I had no choice. I wanted to live. And I would do anything to survive. If I kept him talking I could buy myself more time, and maybe a bit of sympathy.
“No, please,” I begged, forcing myself to kneel in front of him. “I’m sorry. Please, don’t kill me. I promise I’ll be good. I’ll behave.”
The crushing pain in my head enveloped my body. And the pressure in my ankle shot straight up my leg. But I refused to cry.
“Please!” I reached out and grabbed his leg. “I’m yours. I’ll do as you say. I’ll do anything you ask.”
19
Kyle
I informed Pat, Vic, and Grant about our plan as Vic held onto Cuervo, who was ready to go. “It would take us an hour or more to get to her by foot. We’re going to take the truck until we are a mile out and then walk.”
The four of us piled into the truck after Cuervo and headed straight back to where Maya had come from. Where Sara was. Where those terrorists were holding her hostage. Where I hoped I’d find her alive. My concern in taking the truck was that these motherfuckers would hear the vehicle, maybe assassinate Sara as we approached. But Maya had said she had driven for fifteen minutes. It would take us an hour to reach that location by foot. I couldn’t, and wouldn’t risk Sara’s life. I needed to get to her now.
Pat drove the truck as the rest of us scanned the landscape with our weapons. Searching for something, anything that would lead us to Sara. I doubted these psychos had night-vision goggles, and their plans had been compromised, especially when they had been foolish enough to allow Maya to escape. But the night held its secrets tight—no flickers of lights, no movement of other vehicles, no sounds of gunfire.
Invaluable (The Trident Code Book 2) Page 8
