“Does everything meet with your approval?” The older woman asked, her eyes alight with amusement. She stood behind a table set for four people.
“You were expecting us?”
“My son said your young colleague had been pretty stubborn. He felt with your help you would probably find us.”
“You seem awfully welcoming. I would have expected a little more caution.”
“Again, your young friend is not very discreet. He is also a very sound sleeper. We were able to find out who he was, and who the Rixitron bastard was within the first twenty-four hours they were in town. Then it was just a matter of figuring out everyone’s motives.”
“What do you mean I’m a sound sleeper? Are you saying someone broke into my room at the motel?” Noah worked hard not to smile at Riley’s outraged tone. He was great to have at your back out in the jungle, but apparently he was not a good field operative. He would have to have Nate train him.
“No offense was meant towards you, Mr. Jones.”
“Petty Officer Jones,” Riley corrected.
“I beg your pardon. No disrespect intended. You have been working to protect Annie and my great granddaughter from the very beginning, and I can’t thank you enough.”
“If you knew that, why all of the questions?” Noah asked.
“Because we thought there was more to your background than was reported.” She sounded like his Hawaiian grandfather.
During the time Noah and Mrs. Natani were talking, Annie continued to sit at the end of the table, quietly sipping her lemonade, and pushing the baby swing.
“Annie, are you okay?” Riley asked, the question bursting from him. It was obvious he had contained it for as long as possible.
“Yes, Petty Officer Jones, I’m fine. Nell is fine. But I do want to leave. Why are people after us, shouldn’t they want Seth?”
Riley’s face hardened, and Noah finally saw the man he normally served with.
“We think they are after Nell. When we were in Texas, we discovered documents showing they planned on developing a breeding program with the found.”
“It seems they’re a little late,” Annie replied calmly.
Mrs. Natani said something in a language Noah couldn’t understand, he assumed it was Navajo. He wondered if Nell would have the gift of assimilating languages.
“We need to take you someplace safe.”
“We’re safe here,” Mrs. Natani said confidently.
“We found you,” Riley pointed out. “If we could, they can.”
“Noah found us with his abilities. They don’t have Noah.”
“How did you know it was me, Mrs. Natani?” Noah asked.
“Seth has abilities as well. No one has ever discovered my home. You did, therefore you have a found skill, like Seth has his skills. These people do not have found people, we are safe.”
“And if Nell becomes sick? What then?” Riley’s voice held steel, and the baby whimpered. Annie picked her up from the swing.
“They are right, Grandmother. It is time to go. They will keep us safe.”
Noah breathed a sigh of relief.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
It was two a.m. when he crawled into the warm bed.
“Noah,” Kali sighed.
He gathered her in his arms. They lay together, and softly in the moonlight shared their day. He swallowed down his own bile as she showed him her confrontation with Jared. He saw how Jared explained his plans to experiment on Kali so he could find out secrets to the found. Experiments to ultimately result in her death and dissection.
“God, baby, I would have never have allowed you to go, if I had known that was going to happen.”
“We both know I’m the perfect person to question someone. I can convince them to talk, and I can discern the truth of what they are saying.”
“I don’t want you to do this anymore. I just can’t stand it.”
“Normally this won’t pertain to me.”
“Shit all of this will pertain to you. All of this pertains to the found. All of these fuckers want to breed us, kill us, dissect us, experiment on us, or some other fucking thing we haven’t even thought of yet.”
“Can we talk about something else?” she pleaded. “Show me Annie and her grandmother.”
He was too wound up.
Kali pulled him tight against her naked body and started to caress his back.
“Stop it! I should be comforting you.”
“This is a two way street. I’ve had almost two days to cope with this, you just saw it. You’re as raw as when I heard it. Give yourself a moment, and then tell me about it. Annie is gorgeous. I bet all the dark hair and green eyes made quite the impression.”
“I know what you’re doing, you’re trying to goad me into talking about something else.”
“Is it working? Noah, I get a little insecure when you spend time with beautiful women.”
“Are you kidding me? Kali, you’re the only woman I see. You’re beautiful.” As soon as they stopped talking about experiments, he became conscious of Kali’s naked form in his arms and started to get aroused. He pressed his erection firmly against her. He knew he was being played. Kali wasn’t feeling insecure, they were past that, but he relished the opportunity to tell her how attractive he found her.
“Does this feel like I don’t think you’re attractive? Hell Kali, Nate arranges to bring in powdered doughnuts every day because they know they are your favorite and to watch me suffer.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You end up licking your lips to get the powder off, and then you lick your fingers too, when you’re done. I can barely stand up from the conference room table when we’re done because I’m so damn hard. The whole team sees it, even Sarah. I’m begging you, please don’t eat the doughnuts in front of Mrs. Natani tomorrow.”
“Really?” she said, with an awed smile.
“Really. You’re it for me, beautiful. Why don’t you let me prove it to you? Just thinking about you and those damn doughnuts has put me in a mood.”
She reached for his cock, as if she didn’t believe him, and attempted to curl her fingers around him before he gently grasped her wrist. “No baby, we’re going slower.”
“I want to touch. I want to taste.”
Looking into her eyes, he thought he might drown.
“Me first, we are making a rule tonight, I get to always go first.”
“Bad rule.” Noah grinned, and pulled her hands above her head, and holding them in one hand. Then he stroked the line of her arms to her rib cage, over to her breast, cupping her fuller flesh, and brushing the pebbled nub with his thumb.
“Good rule,” she breathed.
Bending his head he took the turgid tip of her other nipple into his mouth.
“Such a good rule.”
He pressed his leg between hers, feeling her moisture coating his flesh. But even more seductive was feeling her slip into that languorous state of arousal, when she started to float and do nothing but be present in the sensations sparking throughout her body. As he felt her response to him, she felt his desire. He yearned to see her, to touch her, to taste her. He needed to conquer her every fear and grant her every wish.
He nipped at her peak making her to cry out in wonder, and pleasure-pain. “Keep your hands over your head, okay, beautiful?” She nodded. “With words.”
“Yes, Noah. Always yes.”
He slowly moved downwards, stringing kisses and nips along the way towards her mound. Pushing her legs apart, he stared at her sex.
“Noah,” she whined.
“Beautiful. All of you is beautiful. See me, read me.”
She quieted and he could feel her awe, and she saw his sincerity. The scent of her desire drove him wild, and the glistening shine on her flushed red sex drew him in. All of this arousal was because of him, because of what they shared. He was humbled, he was needy. The tip of his tongue felt silk and tasted honey. He licked delicately, and moved upwards toward
s the sensitive nub of flesh and with one slight touch he had her jumping.
“Hands up, perfectly still,” he said as he pressed down on her soft tummy.
“I can’t.”
“You will.” He felt her reluctance, but also her curiosity and heightened arousal. He angled his arm, so his elbow reminded her to keep her hips pressed down, and his thumb lifted the hood of her clit. Licking the small exposed morsel, he slid two fingers barely inside her entrance, and circled them around and around, mirroring the motion with his tongue. All of the flesh of her sex swelled.
“Noah, I’m so close.”
He kept her right at the edge, easily feeling when one harder touch would push her over, and backing off. Long, long minutes he continued as she sobbed and cursed his name. Finally.
“Love me Noah, be inside me.”
“Do I love you, Kali?”
“Yes, Noah.”
“Who is the only woman I see? Who is the only woman I love? Who is the woman I’m going to grow old with?”
“Me. Kali.”
He reared up, and plunged home. Knowing he did it without protection, knowing deep in his soul they were going to conceive a child.
“Yes, Noah, our child, yes, Noah.”
Deeper. The friction was exquisite. Kali was his everything. Never was life better, no matter the danger. He loved and he was loved.
“So much Noah, I love you so much,” she sobbed, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Up and up, into each other’s minds and hearts and souls.
“I love you, beautiful.”
They found their release. As always, together.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
They gathered in the conference room. Mrs. Natani and Annie hadn’t been told about the briefings. While Noah was gone, Dave Rydell showed up. He had to report in with Admiral Sakuro, so he came from San Diego yesterday, and he and Kali were formerly introduced. She watched the reunion between the two men. Obviously they meant a lot to one another.
The other man in the room also new to the briefings was Niko Evanoff. Noah and Riley were introduced, and Mathers explained they had a lock on Aaron Price. They finally found the lodge his father built in secret in Deer Park, Utah.
“Okay, let’s put together a plan.”
After two hours, Sarah and Kali were not happy. After three hours they were furious.
This is a horrible plan!
Baby, this is what we do.
“I don’t like this at all. Cyrus, is this the kind of thing you were doing when you were leading the task force?” Sarah demanded.
“Except for the cool Black Hawk helicopter. Yes.”
“I don’t think you should do it. I veto. And Kali, don’t tell me you haven’t been doing the mind talking with Noah, because I know you have.”
“I’m not confirming or denying anything.”
“Ladies, this is not up for discussion,” Nate said.
“He’s right, Kali, Sarah. This is how we’re going to handle things. It’s a normal operation. If you can’t handle our operational planning, then you will no longer be allowed in our morning briefings.” He was serious, Kali heard it in his voice. She looked over at Sarah and gave her a slight shake of her head.
* * *
It seemed like a lifetime since he had been in a Black Hawk helicopter with his team. He was always determined to take out the enemy, but this time he had even more motivation. They harmed the woman who was going to be his wife. What was more, he knew deep in his gut they were never going to stop. He looked around, and saw everybody from the first operation when they had rescued Kali. Dave Rydell, Nate Goodman, Riley Jones, Kota Blackthorne and Sierra Mathers—his team. They would not fail to procure their target.
They set down less than a mile from the lodge. It was three a.m. Kota was disgusted when he saw there were no dogs patrolling the perimeter and only two guards. By the time they landed, Sierra already disabled all of the video surveillance.
“Before you get too confident, we still don’t know what to expect inside,” Noah reminded his team.
Everyone acknowledged his words, and then they split up into two groups. Noah, Nate and Sierra headed around the back wall, while Dave, Riley and Kota headed toward the guards. They intended to meet up at the lodge.
The rapid fire sound of an automatic weapon burst through the night. Noah, Sierra and Kota all dove into the snowbank for cover. Long seconds later, another piercing sound of gunfire was heard, clearly from the front of the building. Noah peered up and saw lights were turning on inside the lodge. He could easily see four men through the large windows and French doors as they rushed toward the entrance at the front of the house.
He hit the radio in his ear. “Dave? You, Riley and Nate okay?”
“We’re fine.”
“Four more coming your way.”
“Roger that. Go find the bastard.”
Noah signaled to Sierra and Kota the coast was clear.
Finding a darkened room on the first floor, the broke the window, accessing the house. The team had the blueprints of the house memorized.
“He’s heard the gunshots, he’s not going to be taken by surprise,” Sierra said.
“We go together, and back one another up,” Noah agreed.
“Let’s sweep everything in this wing and save the master bedroom for last. That’s probably where he’s holed up.”
They quickly and quietly made the rounds. Finally outside the large double doors of the master bedroom. They stayed on either side of the archways, and Kota reached low, and knocked. Three shots rang out, blowing holes through the door where a man’s head and heart would have been.
“Now!”
Noah led the charge through the door, diving for the floor with his gun raised. Kota and Mathers were on the other side of the threshold with their guns pointed at the nondescript middle aged man standing next to the bed. His gun pointed at Noah.
“Drop it,” Noah said with steely determination.
“No,” his voice came out calm, nonchalant.
“We will kill you,” Noah said, as he continued to train his gun on the man. But he didn’t want to kill him. He wanted to make sure this was the last person responsible for Kali’s kidnapping.
“No you won’t.,” the man said confidently. “You want information and I want to see what kind of powers you’ll use. I know you’re found Sam, and I know the found have powers. Use your powers, Sam. I want to see what you can do. Impress me.” The man was nuts. What he was thinking must have shown on his face, because the man laughed.
“Oh, another person who thinks I’m one brick shy of a load. I assure you I’m not. I’m actually a genius. I have a strong will to live, and I have remarkable common sense. I said, impress me.” Now his voice had taken on a steely edge. His gun never wavering.
“Noah, incoming,” Dave screamed in his ear.
“Kota! Sierra!”
“We heard.” Noah didn’t turn around, but heard two thuds behind him. The man in front of him smiled.
“Thank you, Martin. Don’t kill them yet. I need them for leverage.” Aaron Price’s gray eyes gleamed as he looked at Noah again. “Impress me.”
Noah didn’t know what he could possibly do. He was good at finding things. He could talk to Kali. He was good in combat, but he had led his team into this goat fuck.
“If you don’t I will have Martin kill your teammates. I want to be impressed.”
He calmed. He had Kali’s gifts and she was good at convincing. He could use that. “I need a minute. Can you give me just a minute, Aaron?”
“Don’t fuck with me, Sam.”
“I’m not, I just need a minute.” He pushed like Kali had shown him.
“Fine, you have a minute.” The man raised his arm to look at his watch, and Noah shot the wrist of his gun hand. Rolling over he shot the solider in the head who was standing over Sierra and Kota.
He kicked the gun far out of reach of Price, and rushed over to ensure his t
eam would survive.
“Dave?”
“Noah? You made it?”
“Yeah, you?”
“We’re good, on our way.”
“Need the chopper stat.” He strode over to Price and saw his wrist was spurting blood, he would likely lose his hand. Like Noah gave a shit. But he couldn’t die. He yanked down a curtain sash and tied off the wound. Aaron didn’t make a sound, just looked at him, his eyes glassy, his face and hair dripping sweat.
“I knew better than to take my eyes off you,” Aaron Price said in confusion.
“I told you I needed a minute. I convinced you to look at your watch.”
“Ahhhhh. Very good. You impressed me. Kelly impressed me, with the way she continued to endure. Where did you come from? I need to get there. That’s where I belong.” He passed out.
“Un-fucking-believable! That’s what this was about?”
Epilogue
Kali realized she would never have a normal life again. She could handle the notoriety, but the fact she would have to live in a commune was beginning to wear on her. They hadn’t told anyone yet, it was still too new, but they were going to have a baby. She wanted the child to experience the joys and freedoms she and Noah had as children. She couldn’t bear to imagine they might have to live the first years of their child’s life locked up in this apartment building.
Jade Melling and Joe Mirelli came for a visit three months after Aaron Price’s capture. Joe’s transformation was incredible. Not only was he behaving like a man who had never had any mental issues, he also had a rich tapestry of knowledge and experiences to draw on from his time at the hospital. He might have dealt with it at as a boy at the time, but he had assimilated it as a man.
Revealed (The Found Book 1) Page 21
