Jackson chuckled. “Yep. I couldn’t do half the things she does. She runs her own graphic design business while she’s finishing her degree. I have to admit, she impresses the hell out of me every day.”
Troy’s lips quirked. “Well, what are you waiting for? Raptor and Ghost proposed to their women.”
“She’s young,” Jackson said. “I know she wants to finish her degree, so there’s no rush. Plus, things didn’t end well with her ex.”
“Yeah, but you’re nothing like that asshole,” Troy said. “And you live together, so it’s not like marriage would be significantly different in that regard.”
“Yep. Someday.”
The waitress brought over their burgers, and they dug into their food, joking around. Troy’s gaze swept the restaurant, watching as young Navy guys flirted with the pretty women there. Damn. That had been exactly what they’d done most weekend nights for the past several years. Hell. Logan still was picking up women. Troy doubted he’d show up after his walk with the blonde.
“I took Kim here a couple of weeks ago,” Ethan said with a chuckle. “She couldn’t believe what a pick-up joint it was.”
“Way to wine and dine her,” Troy joked.
Ethan shrugged. “She wanted to see where we used to hang out.”
“And what’d she think of us coming here tonight?” Blake asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Eh, she wasn’t worried. They’ve got awesome beers and burgers.”
Troy glanced down as his phone buzzed again, and then he realized his teammates were all reaching for their cell phones as well. What the hell?
Report to base ASAP. There’s an imminent threat to the admiral and his wife.
“Damn it. What the hell happened?” Blake asked, pushing his chair back and standing up. He got out his wallet, dropping some money down on the table. The rest of the guys were jumping up as well.
“The big anniversary party was this weekend,” Ethan said.
“On the yacht?” Troy asked. Their CO had mentioned that NCIS agents would be present at Admiral Rice and his wife’s party. There hadn’t been any new threats in weeks though, and while Troy knew the incidents were still under investigation, it had seemed like whoever had sent the threatening letters had been spooked. There’d been no incriminating photos released, and no one had attempted to harm the admiral or his family.
“Affirmative. I assume something happened at the party tonight. God damn it.”
“Where’s the admiral now?” Jackson asked, tossing his own money down onto the pile on the table.
“That’s a good question,” Blake said.
The men quickly moved out of Salty Sunset, heading toward the vehicles. If NCIS was already on scene, Troy couldn’t imagine what the hell would involve a SEAL team. Were they needed to help secure the area? The federal agents and MPs would most likely escort the admiral to a safe location. Was he returning to base as well? Was there a lead on whoever had been threatening him?
Clenching his jaw, Troy looked out at the setting California sun. Despite the balmy weather earlier, there was a slight chill in the air. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Something big was happening.
Chapter 7
Caitlyn screamed and dropped down onto the deck as several armed men boarded the yacht, firing shots into the air. One moment she’d been talking with the caterers about what time dinner would be served, and the next, there’d been a commotion on the pier followed by people screaming.
They hadn’t even set sail yet, the captain citing some minor problem that would be rectified shortly. The guests hadn’t been concerned. They’d enjoyed appetizers and cocktails on the deck in the balmy evening, watching as the sun began to set while they bobbed up and down in the San Diego Bay. The night had been off to a fantastic start, and Caitlyn had heard the hum of the engine moments ago, assuming they were finally ready to set sail. The party was supposed to be several hours long, and after they enjoyed the boat ride, dinner, and champagne toast, they’d return to the pier.
Now people were screaming and running, and she even saw one couple jump overboard. Admiral Rice and his wife were being hustled off to the side by an NCIS agent, and she gasped as she realized one of the federal agents had been shot and was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
She looked around for her cell phone, which she’d dropped in the confusion. She needed to call 911. The gunshots hadn’t been quiet though. Hopefully the captain had realized there was a problem and had called for help himself or someone else nearby had called the police. There were other people and boats on surrounding piers. Bystanders walking by. Civilians.
Who would even come to their rescue? The San Diego police department? The Navy? She knew they had military police, and there were federal agents around, like the ones supposedly guarding the admiral. Did the Coast Guard come when there was trouble in the water? She had absolutely no clue.
“Hurry, hurry!” a woman yelled, urging her husband to move faster as they rushed off in one direction.
Caitlyn crawled toward the side of the deck, more thankful than ever that she had on black pants instead of a cute dress. Her phone was lying on the ground by one of the tables holding appetizers. She could grab it and hide while she called for help. The cocktail tables wouldn’t offer any cover, but this long rectangular one might. She just needed to get beneath the tablecloth.
“Nobody move!” one of the gunmen shouted, firing another shot into the air. She heard the bullet ricochet off something metal as someone screamed.
Caitlyn whimpered but stilled, listening to some of the other women crying. Looking to the right, she almost threw up as she realized the agent who’d been shot was dead. Caitlyn didn’t see where the admiral and his wife had been taken, but it was hard to discern much of anything while she cowered in what was practically a fetal position. There were other military officers here. Trained men. Wouldn’t one of them have a weapon or something to stop these crazed gunmen? Had all of their weapons been taken because of security issues?
The federal agents were armed.
Sirens sounded in the distance, and she wanted to cry with relief. Maybe it was a coincidence, but she hoped that help was coming.
“Get up, get up!” one of the gunmen ordered. Caitlyn realized with disdain that they were separating the men from the women. Two more armed men had appeared, and the guests seemed to be acquiescing to their demands. Did they want money? The boat? The admiral?
“Take all of the men inside!” one of the gunmen yelled. Her heart stopped as she realized they were removing the ramp that had connected the yacht to the pier. Wasn’t there engine trouble or something? She could hear the hum of it now though. Did the captain not know the boat was being taken over by armed men?
She gasped as the yacht began to move.
“Where are you taking us?” one of the men demanded. He took a step forward and then fell, gasping, as he was shot in the leg. A woman’s scream pierced the air, and Caitlyn swallowed the bile rising in her throat.
No, no, no. This could not be happening.
Rope was produced from somewhere, and they were tying up some of the men while several of the gunmen moved around, trying to round up everyone else. The men were pushed toward a door leading inside the boat, presumably so they’d be out of sight. Out here on the deck everyone could see them.
“What’s going on? Who are those people?” a waitress near her whispered. She looked to be around Caitlyn’s age and appeared as terrified as Caitlyn felt.
“I have no idea. Oh my God.”
“They’re hijacking the boat!” someone shouted. Another shot rang out through the air, and as the gunmen closest to them ducked down, Caitlyn snatched her phone from the ground. She pocketed it before anyone noticed. Two of the gunmen came rushing toward Caitlyn and the woman.
“Get up! Get up!” one of the men yelled. He was wearing a dark ski mask, but Caitlyn could see a beard beneath it. He was tall, too, with broad shoulders like the man who’d been
outside of her office. For a brief second, she froze. It couldn’t be him. That was impossible.
He turned to call out to another man, apparently not recognizing her yet.
“Move,” the second man said, grabbing the waitress by the arm and dragging her toward another door leading to the kitchen and dining room.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” she wailed, hurrying along with him.
Caitlyn hastily stood, wobbling, as the man pulling the waitress by the arm moved more quickly. Shakily, she followed them to the area the women were being herded to on the other side of the boat. Starboard. Port. She had no idea. She knew nothing about boats, the Navy, or guns for that matter.
Had they taken the men to one of the cabins? They weren’t on deck any longer.
Other women were being pushed toward them, and Caitlyn frantically scanned the deck before she was pushed inside the door. There were fifty guests at the party. Twenty staff, including the waitstaff, caterers, captain, and various others. There’d been four NCIS agents. How had the gunmen gotten aboard though? She’d seen several rush on, but the rest had appeared out of thin air. Had they been hidden here all along? How many were there?
The boat began to move faster out of the Bay, toward the Pacific Ocean. The San Diego Bay might’ve been twelve miles long, but they were at the perfect spot to simply sail out into the ocean. Certainly, someone would’ve heard the gunshots, but it would be too late for anyone to scramble and stop them. The Navy had ships stationed here. The Coast Guard had boats.
Everyone expected a luxury yacht like this to sail away and be gone for a few hours though. Dinner cruises and chartered trips weren’t exactly out of the norm. Would anyone even realize what had happened? Although anyone close to the pier would’ve heard the gunshots, no one else would be alarmed by the sight of a sailing yacht.
Goodness. The Navy expected the admiral to sail away on the yacht. She didn’t even know exactly what he was in charge off. Ships? The navy base? An entire fleet? Certainly, he was important enough to have federal agents guarding him when he was apparently being threatened, but they’d gone ahead with the party. Evelyn had assured her there was nothing to be concerned about.
Caitlyn was pushed into the dining room with other women, the men shouting around them. She huddled with the women near a wall, watching as one woman fainted. “She needs help!” someone called out.
The boat began to pick up speed, and Caitlyn watched in alarm through the dining room windows as they sailed out of the bay. How far could a boat like this go? Could it sail for hours without refueling? Days? She realized that she knew next-to-nothing about boats.
She looked around, wondering where Evelyn and Admiral Rice were. She hadn’t noticed them when the men and women were being separated. Hopefully they were somewhere safe. She still wasn’t sure what they wanted from him. While someone in the admiral’s position certainly had access to classified information and military secrets, it’s not like he’d carry important papers around with him to an anniversary party.
Maybe they were planning to kidnap him and demand that he tell them everything he knew?
The gunmen began arguing with one another, gesturing to something outside. Seeing her chance, Caitlyn quickly pulled her phone from her pocket. She texted Harper, knowing she’d understand more than anyone the details of the situation. She’d literally been on the boat earlier. Most of her friends and family wouldn’t have a clue what was happening.
Hands shaking, Caitlyn sent her a text.
The boat has been hijacked by gunmen. Call 911. I’m safe for now.
She deleted the text after she sent it in case somehow the men got hold of her phone and saw the message. Then, she made sure it was in silent mode before slipping it back into her pocket. Although she didn’t think they’d seen her, in the next moment, they’d grabbed a large empty bin and were moving toward the group of women, demanding phones, jewelry, and keys.
Caitlyn froze. Did she dare try to keep her cell phone? She wasn’t wearing much jewelry, knowing it would just get in the way when she was working. And her purse was stashed elsewhere. Maybe, since she was near the back of the group of women, they wouldn’t notice her.
The waitresses were quickly pulling their phones from their pockets and removing any jewelry they had on, while the guests appeared more alarmed by the request. No doubt, the admiral and his wife had friends who were older than the hired staff, with expensive clothing and jewelry. Plus, like Caitlyn, most of the waitstaff hadn’t bothered with wearing much that was expensive given that they were working.
Of course, some of them had wedding and engagement bands, she realized with disdain. One of the waitresses shook as she pulled her diamond from her finger, a few tears running down her cheeks.
One of the men ripped his black ski mask off now that they were inside. It wasn’t the guy from outside her office. This man wasn’t as tall, and had dark stubble on his jaw, not a bushy beard. He was muscular though, and he looked like he could hurt them even without the large gun he was holding.
He seemed to be wearing an earpiece, she realized. These men were clearly prepared and heavily armed. It wasn’t some random attack. This was pre-plotted and executed by a group of men that knew what they were doing.
“Damn it,” he said to the taller guy. “Why the fuck didn’t they get him off the yacht yet?”
“A complication,” the tall guy muttered.
They moved more quickly, demanding jewelry and cell phones. Finally, the tall guy moved toward Caitlyn, and he instantly recognized her. “You,” he said with a chuckle. “The party planner. I know where your office is, sweetheart.”
She resisted the urge to cringe. When Troy had called her sweetheart, he’d been concerned about her. This guy was just taunting her. He pulled his mask off, and Caitlyn stumbled backward. There was nothing but pure evil in his eyes as he reached out and grabbed her bicep. “You’re coming with us. We’ve got a lot to do so we can get the info we need. She knows the admiral’s wife,” he said to his friend.
“What? No!” Caitlyn protested as he pulled her away from the other women. He squeezed her arm tighter, yanking her toward him.
“Don’t argue with me, bitch. I know where you work, I can easily find out where you live, and we can harm all of your friends and family.”
“I’m coming!” she hastily said, moving closer to him. He was wearing an overpowering cologne, which made her want to gag. Why the hell he thought he needed that to take over a ship was mind boggling.
“Don’t hurt her!” one of the middle-aged women said, shooting them an angry look. Caitlyn had a feeling she might’ve been one of the military spouses. Not that this small woman could help her against two armed men. But the rest of the group had remained huddled together. Caitlyn was the only woman who’d been separated from the others, and she knew it couldn’t mean anything good.
The yacht turned, slightly, and she looked to the windows again, catching the last view of the bay before they hit open waters. Her stomach churned. Normally, she loved the view of the city from the water. Not that she spent much time on boats, but it was beautiful in the rays of the setting sun. Now that she was being taken away against her will, it felt like her safe haven. It represented people, safety, and security.
“You guard the women,” the tall guy said, spitting on the floor of the dining room. “I’m taking her with me.”
Chapter 8
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Troy muttered, changing into a wetsuit in the locker room. He peeled off his shirt then pulled the black wetsuit over his arms, adrenaline surging through his veins. The team was all moving quickly, grabbing their wetsuits, SCUBA gear, waterproof packs, weapons, and everything else they’d need to board the Navy boat and head out into the Pacific. “They fucking hijacked a yacht?”
Blake frowned. “The commander said the Coast Guard vessel that went after the yacht was fired upon. They pulled back and are watching from a distance.”
“No shit,
” Ethan muttered. “What did the Coasties expect? Armed gunmen on a luxury yacht aren’t going to let a tiny Coast Guard dinghy stop them. As much as it blows, this was a well-thought-out plan. They knew the admiral would be there and knew how to take over the ship.”
“The Navy’s been unable to obtain contact with either the captain or hijackers,” Grayson said. “Which begs the question—what do they want? The admiral? Money? If they’re demanding a ransom, they’d need to negotiate with authorities.”
“If they only wanted the admiral, why’d they take the whole damn yacht?” Troy asked. He zipped up his wetsuit, stalking over toward the metal cage where the rest of his gear was stashed. “It would’ve been easier to just grab him somewhere on dry land.”
“Maybe,” Blake said. “Maybe not. Don’t forget he had armed NCIS agents watching him.”
“Where the hell are they then?” Troy asked.
The CO came storming into the locker area. “We just got a new SITREP. The San Diego PD informed us that two guests jumped overboard before the boat left San Diego Bay. The couple told police that multiple armed gunmen stormed the yacht before taking it out to sea. They saw at least three but believed there were several more, some of who were hidden onboard before the shit hit the fan.”
“Jesus,” Jackson said. “Weren’t there military personnel stationed on the pier? Even though it wasn’t a military vessel or Navy-owned property, the admiral was there and had been threatened.”
“Affirmative,” Commander Hutchinson said. “Both men were taken out with tranquilizer darts. The gunmen then boarded the yacht and took it over. The police officers who were first on the scene found two sailors on the ground on the pier. They were taken by ambulance to the Naval Medical Center. The two passengers that jumped overboard were cold and are being treated for hypothermia but are otherwise in good condition, everything considered.”
“So we still don’t know the number of tangos,” Blake said.
SEAL's Promise (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 5) Page 6
