“Add it up and you get the original hostage retrieval team – leadership and all,” Joseph said. “Are the rest of them coming?”
“I guess so,” Alex shrugged.
“This is going to be interesting,” Joseph said.
“Interesting?” Vince asked.
“Wait until you meet these characters,” Joseph said. “They’re like something out of a comic book or…”
“The land of the lost,” Trece said.
“Disney,” Alex laughed.
“Sir, you asked me to tell you when we were moving into some turbulence,” the pilot said over the intercom.
“Time to strap in,” Cliff said.
“You didn’t work out,” Trece said.
“Turbulence, sir,” Cliff said.
“Fine,” Trece dropped down into a seat. “You’re mine and White Boy’s pudge boy when we get home.”
“What?” Cliff’s voice cracked in horror.
“Thank you for letting us know,” Alex said. “We’re strapping in now.”
“We have another two hours,” Joseph said.
“Time to eat and rest,” Matthew said. “Like always, we never know what we’re walking into. We need to be one hundred percent.”
Alex checked Raz’s safety straps and sat down next to him.
“You seem happy,” Raz said when she was strapped in. He checked her safety straps.
“I feel a hopeful breeze that we might actually be able to do this thing,” Alex nodded.
“Let’s hope so,” Matthew said.
F
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Two days later
Sunday morning
November 1 – 9:34 a.m. EST (7:34 a.m. MST)
Naval Station Norfolk, VA
“Why are we landing here?” Alex looked out the side door window of the Pave Hawk. “Are we dropping off Vince?”
“You, Raz, Colin and MJ are getting out here,” Joseph said.
“We’re what?” Alex asked.
“The Jakker is taking us to Sheridan Circle,” Matthew said. “We will assist Troy and Leena. We will meet you in Denver this evening.”
“What am I doing?” Alex asked.
“Your medics and your partner are taking you to see a doctor about your hip,” Joseph said.
“On who’s orders?” Alex asked.
Joseph and Matthew shifted uncomfortably. No one in the passenger compartment dared even take a breath.
“No one’s trying to make you do something,” Raz said. He touched her shoulder and she looked up at him. “We’re worried about your hip. MJ called the doc when you were meeting with the mob boss in Russia. He agreed to come in today to see you.”
Raz got out of the helicopter. In the way of younger brothers, Colin leaned into her.
“Don’t be an asshole,” Colin said. She looked up at him. “Everyone’s really worried about you.”
Surprised, her eyes flicked from concerned face to worried face, finally resting on Sergeant Dusty. As her assistant, he had been the person who had dragged her back to health after having been wounded. His eyes bored into her in the way they did when she wasn’t taking care of herself. She flushed.
“I’m sorry,” Alex said. “I’m being an ass. Thank you for setting this up.”
With a nod of good-bye to the team, Alex moved to get out of the helicopter. Raz helped her down. MJ and Colin followed them to where their Navy security escort waited. Alex returned their salute and got in the back of an armored SUV. MJ and Colin took the far back, while Raz and Alex took the middle.
“I’m really all right,” Alex said.
“You’re not all right,” Raz said.
“You haven’t been since before your last hip replacement,” Colin said. “Even Mom noticed.”
“When was the last time you sparred?” MJ said.
“I’ve been kind of busy,” Alex said. “Plus, it’s not like I haven’t been working out.”
“You’re an award winning martial artist,” MJ said. “Your last fight was…?”
“Thailand,” Alex said.
“February,” Raz said.
“What’s the big deal?” Colin asked. “It’s just a doctor’s appointment. How bad can it be?”
“She’s worried she’ll need more surgery,” Raz said.
Alex turned her head to look out the window at the Naval Station passing outside. Taking her gesture as anger, the men fell silent. Alex turned back to look at them.
“Sorry, I was just trying to think through why it’s a big deal,” Alex nodded to Raz. “I don’t want more surgery; that’s true. It means months of rehab and inactive duty or crutches. Surgery sucks.”
Alex nodded.
“But I could stay home for months. With a little effort, I could stay home for a year. We could train other teams to do the smelly schlepping around the world,” Alex sighed. “That sounds really yummy right now.”
“What’s the problem?” Colin asked.
“I really hate being poor baby Alex.”
“Poor baby Alex?” Raz asked.
“You know, ‘Widdle baby Alex has an owie.’ That kind of thing,” Alex said.
“Dad could be a real dick if he thought we were faking,” Colin said. “Especially to Alex.”
“Your father is an asshole,” MJ blurted out. When they turned to look at him, he blushed, “No offense meant.”
“None taken,” Alex said. “You Col?”
Colin shook his head.
“I was going to go to Special Forces training no matter what,” Alex said. “Trust me. I got a lot worse when I was there.”
“Alex,” Colin leaned forward so that his head was right next to hers. “You think this hip thing is a big deal.”
Surprised, Alex jerked and looked away. After a moment, she nodded.
“I’ve had a lot of problems with my hip,” Alex said. “I could list them, but I’m sure we don’t have a year or two to finish the list. This thing is a whole new and different animal. No one seems to know what’s wrong.”
Alex shrugged. The weight of her words fell like a heavy blanket over the vehicle.
“Sir, we’re nearing our destination,” the Navy SEAL in the passenger seat said. “Our orders are to escort you to your appointment and secure the area.”
“Thank you,” Alex said.
“Sir, if it’s not an imposition,” the driver started. He looked at the man sitting next to him and fell silent.
“What is it?” Alex asked. “You may speak freely.”
The SUV pulled up in front of a medical office building.
“Everyone’s saying…” the driver started. His eyes flicked back and forth in the rearview mirror.
“Sir,” the Navy SEAL in the passenger seat turned around to look at her. “Our CO says that a number of guys are lost all over the world. He says at least two SEAL teams are missing, off the grid, vanished. We wanted to know…”
“Are you looking for them?” the driver asked.
“We are,” Alex said. “We just returned from retrieving one of those missing teams. They were… uh…”
“Lost,” Raz said. “The Lieutenant Colonel has some friends in Borneo who found them.”
“They are on the USNS Comfort,” Alex said. “But they are fine. Healthy. Not harmed or molested in anyway. A little sunburned and hung over.”
“We found them nude sunbathing on the West Coast of Sabah,” Raz said.
“They’ve been processed. They will remain in a secure location until this situation is resolved. Afterwards, they’ll receive a month’s paid leave,” Alex said. “But that’s not what you’re concerned about.”
“No sir,” the SEAL in the passenger seat said.
“We’re delighted you found our colleagues,” the driver said. “We’re concerned… Our CO too… when we’re sent on a mission, it will end up in our…”
“Sir, we’d die for our country,” the young man in the passenger’s seat said. “We are willing to do anything… anywhere
… anything… but…”
“How do we trust that the next assignment we’re sent on won’t end up in…” Upset, the driver got out of the SUV. The passenger jumped out of the vehicle to go after him.
“Oh,” Alex sighed.
“Oh?” Raz asked.
“That’s why I can’t stay home,” Alex said. “I didn’t realize…”
“Every team, Alex,” Colin said. “Every service.”
“We heard it everywhere,” MJ said.
“You were too busy debriefing soldiers or reviewing their debriefings,” Raz said. “These guys were out on bases.”
“We had to refresh our medical supplies,” Colin said.
“When I was in Iraq, we knew more about what other teams and other soldiers were doing than anything that was going on in the news,” MJ said. “Soldiers talk and…”
“I just never thought of it,” Alex said.
The door next to Alex yanked open. The Navy SEALs stood at attention.
“Sir, if we’ve offended you in any way,” the Navy SEAL who had driven them.
“No,” Alex said. “You’ve provided me with valuable information. I wonder if you might come back in the vehicle for me to ask you a question.”
“Yes sir.”
The door closed and the Navy SEALs got back in their front seats.
“Sir?” the young man in the passenger seat asked.
“Are you concerned about the intelligence corps? Or command?” Alex asked.
The men looked at each other and then back at Alex.
“The Fey wants your honest answer,” Raz said. “There will be no repercussions to you, your team, or command.”
“They went out on intelligence missions, sir,” said the young man in the driver’s seat.
“Intelligence corps, sir,” the young man in the passenger seat said.
“Oh,” Alex fell silent while she processed the information. The men in the car stared at her. When the tension in the car was too much to bear, Colin pushed her shoulder. “Sorry. Did I blank out?”
Raz nodded.
“You’ve given me valuable information,” Alex said. “I appreciate your honesty. Agent Rasmussen was correct. There are no repercussions from this conversation. I honestly didn’t know or think of it. But… of course, you’d doubt the intelligence corps. I would too.”
She looked from the driver to the man in the passenger seat.
“Can you trust me?” Alex asked.
“You’re the Fey,” the driver said.
“If we can’t trust you, who can we trust?” the passenger asked.
“Can I trust you?” Alex asked.
“Yes sir,” the men’s response was immediate.
“I need you to help me,” Alex said. “I need eyes and ears in the services to help figure out what this is really about. The information you gave me will help me get to the bottom of this thing.”
The men glanced at each other.
“I’m not asking you to tattle on your friends,” Alex said. “I’m asking you and your friends to give me your honest opinions and information about what you see and hear. Someone flew these teams somewhere. Some ship took these men somewhere. I need to hear from everyone. That’s all.”
“I’m in,” the young man in the passenger seat said.
“Me too,” the driver said. “We’ll have to check with our CO.”
“Have him contact me. The Map Phone is always the best way,” Alex said.
“It’s on the Intelligence Center’s servers, sir,” the driver said.
“Oh, right,” Alex said. “That’s why no one’s called.”
“That’s why no one’s called,” MJ confirmed.
She looked at Raz.
“Call my Sergeant at Buckley,” Alex said. “Give him your names and contact information.”
“We’ll contact you when we have something more secure,” Raz said.
“Thank you,” Alex said. “Please thank your CO as well.”
She opened her door and got out of the SUV. The SEALs jumped out of the SUV to protect her. Raz, Colin, and MJ watched the SEALs attend to Alex.
“That’s how she does it,” MJ said almost under her breath.
“That’s how she does it,” Raz said. “You’d be amazed at all the people Alex knows. Not everyone loves her. But everyone trusts her.”
“Look who’s here!” Alex’s head appeared in the SUV. She pointed to John and Max. Unaware Alex was there, they were deep in conversation and walking toward her. “The SEALs said that’s why the doctor was here – to meet with some doctor from out of town. We’ve been waiting for them to exit the building.”
Max saw Alex first. He took off running toward her. She ran to Max. Like magnets, Alex and Max were in each others arms and talking. They pressed their foreheads together in silent union before looking up. The SEALs scrambled to catch them. Raz hopped out of the SUV to explain what was going on. Colin and MJ followed. When Alex looked up, everyone was there.
She saw only John.
“You’re the patient?” John asked.
Smiling, Alex hugged him.
“We were rushed out,” Max said. “For security purposes. The entire building was cleared.”
Max hugged Raz and Colin.
“I assume this is your work,” John shook MJ’s hand. “I’m impressed.”
“Just doing my job, sir,” MJ blushed.
“We brought the medical records we have,” Max said. “You?”
MJ nodded.
“Excellent,” John smiled.
“Sir! We will miss your appointment,” the Navy SEAL driver said.
“Shall we?” John put his arm around her shoulder and they walked toward the building.
“I thought you were watching over the General’s bed rest,” Alex said John.
“Why would Patrick need bed rest?” John asked. “What’s wrong with him?”
Shaking her head, Alex followed him inside.
FFF
Sunday afternoon
November 1 – 1:34 p.m. EST (11:34 a.m. MST)
In the air between Norfolk and Washington DC
“What did you think?” Alex asked. She leaned over her business class seat to put her head on his shoulder.
“About the flame retardant from your fatigues being imbedded in the bone of your hip?” John asked. “Scary as hell.”
“Why scary?” Alex asked.
“What are our options?” John asked. “We can’t ‘start over’ and have you re-grow a new hip. I don’t have to mention the joys of bone shaving.”
“Sounds like he’s had some success,” Alex said.
John nodded.
“But?” Alex turned to look in his face. “Did he tell you something he didn’t tell me?”
“I don’t think so,” John said. “I just know you. You won’t leave the service. Plus, you’d drive everyone crazy if you did.”
“I could shop!” Alex beamed.
“Like I said, you’d drive everyone crazy,” he laughed. “You’ll be his first patient on active duty. That’s assuming we can find a doctor in Denver who’s willing to put you through the treatments. Otherwise, it’s back and forth to Virginia; which you’re never going to do.”
“I don’t think we’re that lucky.”
“Actually, we’re very lucky,” John said. “These kind of vague and horrible symptoms are virtually untreatable because no one knows they exist. We’re lucky he’s working on this.”
“And?” Alex watched his face.
“And you’re working on this,” John said. “You’re not going to let this go. For better or worse, you’re going to research, talk to people, and try treatments.”
“I might just retire,” Alex said. “There is all that shopping to do.”
“Fat chance,” John smiled. “You off tomorrow?”
“You?” she asked.
“All day,” John said.
“Me too,” she said. “Let’s sleep for a while then do something really fun.”
/>
“Deal.”
She laid her head back on his shoulder.
“How was your trip?” he asked.
“Boring, hard,” Alex said. “Then scary.”
“Scary?” John asked.
“I can’t really define it,” she said. “At least not in words. It’s just a feeling.”
“Are you in danger?” John leaned back to look at her.
“I don’t mean that kind of scary,” Alex said.
“What do you mean?”
“You remember Ayn Rand?” Alex asked.
“She’s a little unforgettable,” John said.
“I have this feeling that what’s behind this is a kind of ‘stop the machine’ philosophy not unlike Ayn Rand,” Alex said.
“The machine of the world?”
“The intelligence machine,” Alex said. “Most wars are won and lost based on good intelligence. But now, all computers, commerce, the Internet, credit, fraud detection, crime detection and forensics, all security from airport security to air traffic control to military to government – ours and others’ – everything depends on the international intelligence network. If it goes down?”
Alex shook her head. Their eyes held for a moment as she expressed her horror. He nodded. The flight attendant came by to ask them if they wanted a beverage. John ordered some champagne, fruit and cheese. When the flight attendant left, they fell silent digesting what she’d implied.
“What would be the benefit of destroying the international intelligence machine?” John asked.
“My Russian Mob friend? You remember him,” Alex said.
“He’s a little unforgettable.”
Alex smiled at his repetition. He smirked back.
“Your Russian friend?”
“He told me it’s a chess game. This piece, that piece. Dahlia and the boys are right in the middle of this. You know what Ben said when he learned about Dahlia?”
John shook his head.
“I wonder what she knew,” Alex said.
“He might have killed her because she knew something? About all of this?” John asked.
Alex nodded.
“Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” Alex said.
The flight attendant returned with their champagne. She poured it into their glasses and brought them cheese and fruit. With a smile, she left to flirt with Max and Raz who were sitting behind them.
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