“Isn’t that your friend?” Alex asked Sergeant Dusty.
Sergeant Dusty nodded.
“We won’t tell anyone if you call his wife,” Raz said.
“Thank you, sir,” Sergeant Dusty got up to use the telephone.
Before the Rangers would leave their island, they insisted on documenting their Amelia Earhart findings. Matthew’s team photographed and collected their evidence.
“It could be her plane,” Alex said.
“It looks more like bomb shrapnel,” Raz said. “Dusty?”
“If they say it’s her plane, I believe them,” Sergeant Dusty set the phone down.
“All set?” Alex asked.
“She’s sobbing, sir,” Sergeant Dusty smiled. “I guess the baby’s late.”
“He may make it after all,” Raz said.
“Why don’t you see what we can do?” Alex nodded to Sergeant Dusty and he went to make the arrangements. They watched Matthew convince the men onto the Chinook. Slowly but surely, the ardent men began their journey to the USNS Mercy.
“Sir,” Joseph said. “We’re ready to go. We’ve changed, decontaminated and are awaiting your orders.”
“You may take command,” Alex said.
“Yes sir,” Joseph said.
“But Joseph,” Alex said. “By the book. Don’t let these bastards get off due to some brutality on our part.”
“Yes sir,” Joseph said. “I was just reminding the team of our fun adventure at Abu Ghraib.”
“Good thinking,” Alex said. “Good luck.”
“Are you out?” Matthew asked.
“I’m here if you need me,” Alex said. “I think you guys need to handle it from there. White Boy’s with Leena?”
“Yes,” Matthew said.
“Good,” Alex said.
“Let’s do this thing!” Matthew called. He and Joseph found seats in the Pave Hawk helicopter. The helicopter lifted off the aircraft carrier and flew to the Bikini Atoll. A Chinook with US Navy Military Police followed the team. The Jakker hovered over the twelve contractors. White Boy and Trece opened the helicopter doors.
“Get back,” Trece said.
“We are here on a rescue mission,” Zack said over the outside speaker.
The men skittered back. The plan had been for the team to gain control of the atoll and take the three men into custody while retrieving the other contractors. But as Field Marshall von Moltke and Patrick Hargreaves always said, no plan survives contact with the enemy. This was no exception.
To everyone’s shock, as Zack was lowering the helicopter, the contractors took defensive positions and began to fire on the team.
“Sir?” Matthew called for her.
“We have to assume it’s some kind of island fever,” Alex said.
“We’ve seen it before,” Joseph said. “Just never in people we wanted so badly to shoot.”
“Lower your weapons,” Zack said on the outside speaker. “This is a mercy mission. I repeat. This is a mercy mission.”
The contractors responded by firing on the helicopter.
“Look,” Raz pointed to one of the contractors. “Isn’t that a cell phone? Alex, they’re talking to their command.”
“No way,” Joseph said.
“Hey Pete, is that a cell phone?” Matthew asked Sergeant Beetle.
“I believe so, sir,” Pete said.
“You know what to do,” Alex said. “Make sure your video recorders are working.”
“Double checking now,” Joseph said.
“See you later.”
“Out,” Matthew said.
Zack raised the helicopter. White Boy closed a door. Trece dropped a satellite block and closed his door. From a half-mile above, Colin shot at the satellite block and Alex’s screen went black.
“I like those new blocks,” Raz said.
“Handy,” Alex said.
“What happens now?” Sergeant Dusty asked.
“They’ll wait for the team to settle down and go back to get them,” Alex said. “I’ll ask Martha to call the contractors’ boss. I’ll send the feed we have to CNN.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sergeant Dusty said. “I already sent the feed.”
Alex smiled.
“Lieutenant Colonel?” Martha’s voice came over the speaker.
“Mr. Special?”
“He’s back. He seems really mad,” Martha said.
“Huh,” Alex said. “You can put him through.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure,” Alex said. “Hello sir.”
She let the man scream at her for a while.
“Are we recording?” Alex asked Sergeant Dusty.
“Yes sir.”
“What was that?” the man asked.
“I was making sure we were recording,” Alex said. “I wanted to make sure that the people who pay your company hear what you have to say.”
“But… but…”
“We also caught what you were saying to your men on the island before they opened fire on a United States Pave Hawk which had clearly identified their mission.”
Alex looked at Raz and he nodded.
“You cannot take my men!”
“Okay,” Alex said. “We’ll leave them on Bikini Atoll. We have you on record telling us to allow your men to remain on a contaminated island without food or water. I assume you’re going to retrieve them.”
“That is correct,” he said.
“I’m wondering how you might get there,” Alex said. “We’ve locked down the water. Nothing goes in or out.”
“You can’t do that!”
“It’s not me sir,” Alex said. “That order came from Naval command. It has to do with an issue you’re not privy to. However, I’m happy to call my men and let your employees wait until you can come to get them. I don’t think they’ll survive that long. One of my men thinks they may have Island Fever.”
The man was silent.
“Nice to chat with you as always,” Alex moved to hang up.
“You’re going to prosecute my men,” he said.
“Only three of them,” Alex said. “And I’m not doing anything. The Navy CIS has completed a thorough investigation. They passed their report to JAG. Turns out that while your men can treat a human being anyway they want, they do not have immunity from destruction of military property. As a Mineman, Petty Officer Carmichael is the property of the US Navy. And she’s been damaged.
“Of course, I’d be happy to send my entire file, including the photos showing your men dragging Petty Officer Carmichael across the compound by her hair, to CNN or maybe Nightline. You know, they’re wearing their work shirts with your logo on them. That’s probably good advertising.”
The line went dead. Alex smiled. She was pretty sure the head of the contracting company was calling his military friends. Of course, she’d already taken care of that task.
“Hey Alex,” Matthew’s voice came from the satellite feed. “We’ve got them. Can you believe the jackasses tried to swim away? You should have seen Royce and Vince. They swam like motorboats. Incredible.”
“And the third?”
“Bill got him,” Matthew said. “Man, we need to make Pete and Bill a permanent placement.”
“I’ll get my Sergeant on it,” Alex said. “How did Leena do?”
“One of the guys attacked her,” Joseph said. “Came straight at her. She panicked. You’ll never guess what happened?”
“White Boy stopped him?
“Margaret,” Joseph said. “I thought she was going to kill the guy. She was very intense. The Marine guards helped, but man, Margaret’s fierce.”
“And Leena?”
“White Boy took care of her,” Matthew said. “The team’s with her on the island now. The MPs took the bastards to the ship. Zack and Cliff took the first load of men to the Mercy. We’re with the rest of the contractors. They came very easily. In fact, the CO was more than happy to tell us all about the phone call he had with his boss.”
“Sad but true,” Alex said.
“And their boss wanted to leave them?”
“That’s correct,” Alex said.
“They’ll be thrilled to hear that,” Matthew said.
“How are you doing?” Alex asked.
“The team’s fine,” Joseph said. “In good spirits. We miss you guys. Even Troy.”
“He would have loved this action,” Matthew said.
“I’m sure,” Alex said.
“We’ll send our audio and video as soon as we’re back on the ship,” Matthew said. “Zack and Cliff have tentative arrangements for our trip home but they need Dusty’s help.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“Zack’s back,” Joseph said.
Alex listened to them load onto the helicopter.
“We’re on our way,” Matthew said. “Get better Alex. We need you.”
“Will do,” Alex said.
“Out,” Joseph said.
“Out.” Alex lay back on her mattress and closed her eyes.
“Ready to go home?” Raz asked.
“I need a moment to gather myself,” Alex said. “Sergeant, you can work on their travel.”
“Yes sir,” Sergeant Dusty went around to her desk to use her computer.
“How’s Sami?” Alex asked Raz.
“Shaken,” Raz said. “I haven’t seen her so… fragile. They did a rape kit last night. Found DNA.”
“Yours?”
“It’s definitely not mine,” Raz said. “I keep seeing her blank face in my mind, you know, when she said she wasn’t going to have sex with him last night.”
“She’d already had sex with him,” Alex said.
“How…?”
“Jesse,” Alex said. “He interrupted. Where is she now?”
“My home,” Raz said. “Mammy and Cian are watching her.”
“Mammy? And Cian? That’s a match made in…”
“Rebel prison?” Raz smiled. “They offered and… I thought Sami could use a little Mammy and Cian lovin’. Erin’s coming later with Grace.”
Alex watched Raz for a moment. He was lost in thought.
“Finally, there’s an answer to a lot of questions,” Raz said. “Sami kept trying to end the relationship with the Senator. She never could. All this time, she was trying to tell me, but…”
“I never would have believed it either,” Alex said. “Mom told me something similar gosh… last year. I think we all thought Sami needed to work through it. Instead, she was drugged by the jerk.”
“The Denver Police set up a hotline,” Raz said. “Twelve women have already come forward saying they had this very same experience with the Senator. Sami thinks there are a lot more.”
“Wow,” Alex said.
“Yeah,” Raz said. “Wow. Your father’s pissed. I’ve seen him angry but… He unnerved me.”
“He’s pretty scary when you fuck with one of his kids.”
“Anyway, your mom has set up therapy for her,” Raz said. “She’s…”
Raz fell silent. He looked at Alex and touched her cheek. She smiled at him.
“What?” Alex asked.
“Samantha is truly your sister,” Raz said. “She’s tough. She actually told me that she was glad this happened. She can finally close a chapter in her life and move on. Amazing.”
Alex smiled.
“Why don’t you let me take you home?” Raz asked.
“In a minute,” Alex said. “I need to rest up for the journey.”
Raz held his arm out and she snuggled to him. He counted to twenty and she was asleep. He held her close while she slept. Having set up the team’s travel, Sergeant Dusty brought Raz a syringe of pain medication. Raz injected the medication into her IV line and stayed with her until she’d received all of her meds. When the IV was done, he carried her to their SUV and drove home.
F
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
November – December
Over the sea of pain, Alex remembered the next month in a series of snapshots.
Not long after they’d rescued the men from the Marshall Islands, Samantha made her first appearance at the Sibling Saturday breakfast. Wearing one of Raz’s old white shirts and a pair of Erin’s jeans, she arrived with a carefree glamour no one had seen before. Erin and baby Grace came in right after her.
When breakfast was almost over, Samantha turned to Alex to say, “I need a place to live.” Alex smiled and nodded. Riding on Colin’s back, she led Samantha to a cute room with a private bathroom down the hall from Troy and the kids. Once John’s home office, they’d converted the space to a Samantha paradise with a ribbon of pink rose buds adorning the walls and matching floral duvets and sheets. The private bathroom had a clawfoot tub and matching pink rose buds on the wall. Samantha wept when she saw the room and settled in right away.
Her next memory was of a wave of laughter as Samantha chased Troy’s son, Hermes, through the house. Carrying one of Samantha’s black Christian Louboutin pumps, Hermes ran as fast as he could. The beautiful Samantha caught up with him in the main shared living area where Alex was sitting. Samantha picked him up and began tickling him. Hermes squealed and laughed.
The next snapshot was of sitting with Max on a bench next to their chimenea on the upstairs balcony off their bedrooms. A fire blazed in their chimenea and they were wrapped in blankets against the cold.
“There you are!” their father, Patrick, had said. “Your mother said you wanted to speak with me.”
Patrick nodded to John, who was adding another piece of wood to the fire. Their father sat down on one of the chairs. Nervous, John hovered nearby.
“What’s going on?” Patrick asked.
“Dad,” Max said. He looked at Alex and she smiled to encourage him. “I’ve met someone important.”
Patrick nodded.
“You look like you knew that,” Max said.
“No,” Patrick said. “I know my son. You wouldn’t bring me up here to tell me you’re dating someone. You want to tell me something else. I want to hear everything you have to say.”
“Max wants you to know that he’s fallen for a man,” Alex said.
Paralyzed with shame, Max stared out across the backyard.
“He’s dated men and women, girls and boys when were kids,” Alex said. “But this is pretty serious.”
“Max,” Patrick leaned forward. He took Max’s hands. “I know.”
“But…” Max said.
“No buts,” Patrick said. “I’ve been around men all my life. It’s never mattered to me if they were gay or straight. I want you to be happy. And if this man makes you happy, that’s all I want.”
Max looked at Alex. She nodded her understanding.
“I think we’re confused because you’re so, uh, military,” she said.
“Listen, gay men have saved my life more than once,” Patrick said. “Is this why you’ve been so distant with me?”
Max nodded.
“He’s felt like he’s not…” Alex and Max looked at each other for a moment. “Right.”
“Not right? My Max? You mean the world to me,” Patrick said. “You’ve defined my life since the moment I met you. But Max…”
Max dared to look at him.
“You need to know that I love you and want you to be happy no matter what.”
When Max started to cry, Patrick did something Alex couldn’t have predicted. He fell to his knees to hug Max. She heard Patrick’s low voice and Max’s reply but couldn’t hear what they were saying. When Max sat back, she knew he felt better.
“Besides, I always thought you were with John,” Patrick said as he sat back in his chair.
“John?” Max laughed. “Mr. Straight-arrow?”
“He is your best friend. He never fell for any of Samantha’s wiles. Imagine my sur
prise to find out that he was married to Alex all this time,” Patrick laughed. “Did you tell your mother? Ben?”
“No, we wanted to tell you first,” Max said.
“Your opinion matters the most to us,” Alex said.
Moved by their words, Patrick could only look at his children for a moment. Recovering himself, he smiled.
“So who is it?” Patrick asked.
“Dr. Wyatt Klaussen,” Alex said. “He’s our twin specialist. We met him last year. He finds us fascinating. Well, Max more than me.”
“Good choice,” Patrick said. “Great Ranger. Did you know he…? Oh never mind. That’s a good choice, Max.”
There was more said and more tears. John joined them. And she was pretty sure they were out there until late. But she had surgery for the infection right after that so the memory ended fairly abruptly. She had a vague recollection of Thanksgiving and her father’s team moving out of the house next door, and of course, the Admiral and Colonel Gordon returning to their posts.
Around the time when Eoin’s wife had their baby boy, and Eoin stopped hiding out at their house, she was conscious enough to work. Under her direction, the team turned over every rock, put pressure on every contact, but found no further information on the missing soldiers. The pirate Captain’s information had dried up with the removal of the teams on the Marshall Islands.
The last missing teams had been moved. She had a vague memory of someone stomping around saying “How can anyone disappear in this smartphone, satellite, CCTV world?”, but she had no idea who that was. She only knew it wasn’t her, because she wasn’t stomping anywhere.
Near the end of November, Fey wife and child therapist Jennifer determined that it was time for Troy’s boys to enter the “real world.” They started with half-days at the private school Paddie went to. Cian was so worried about his little friends that he met them after school every day for the first month.
Hector James and Hermes surprised everyone by taking to school right away. The plan was for them to move to full days in January. A week after starting school, the boys begged to go all day. They flourished in school and even dared to go on play dates with new friends. Shyer than Hermes, Hector James surprised everyone by trying out the holiday school play. He got the lead part.
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