Code Name: Luminous

by Natasza Waters

  “What opinion?” Mace asked, before Tony could change the subject.

  “One I’ll keep to myself,” Lewis said.

  The guy wasn’t as dumb as he thought. Tony eyed the mileage meter that kept reducing on the GPS, but it wasn’t dropping fast enough. Mace took feeder routes running along the I-5. It meant more stop lights, but the traffic was lighter. After fifty minutes, Mace was heading south on 133 toward the Coast Highway, taking Cliff Drive where the car had taken Lumin.

  “You’re not wrong,” Mace said, slowing down.

  His swim buddy read his mind. What if she wasn’t here? They’d just wasted precious time following a lead, and he could be getting farther away from her rather than closer. Mace drove past the address. Most of the homes on the seaward side had street level entries. The car wasn’t visible, more than likely inside the three car garage. Palm trees and lush foliage obscured their view. The homes took advantage of the real estate they were perched on with the windows looking out over the Pacific.

  Mace drove another quarter mile and parked in a grocery store parking lot. When Tony turned in his seat, Lewis said, “Callahan, you and Bale wait here. I’ll take Fox and Ed in to find Dafoe.”

  “I want Lumin clear first,” Tony warned.

  Lewis settled a hard look on him. “I told you we do this by the book. Dafoe is the target, your fiancée is secondary.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “T-man,” Fox gripped his wrist, and gave him a silent message. “Wait here.”

  Ed remained silent, but while Lewis watched him and Fox, Ed gave him a slight nod. “Everyone test their comms,” Fox ordered.

  They each confirmed, and the guys slid out. “Lieutenant.” Lewis’ feet had just hit the ground. “If Lumin dies because of your decisions, the Admiral is the least of your worries.”

  “Don’t threaten me, Bale. We’ll have time to do that later. As you pointed out, our country is in jeopardy and the man responsible is in that residence. He’s the priority.”

  Lewis slammed the door, and Tony watched him saunter to catch up with Fox and Ed. “As soon as they’ve rounded the corner, we’re gone,” Mace said.

  Tony didn’t take his eyes off the figures as they walked through the parking lot at a leisurely stroll, but he lifted his fisted hand and Mace thumped it.

  * * * *

  Lumin pressed her ear to the locked bedroom door. She heard the men’s low rumble as they spoke. Dafoe’s men had abruptly woken her from her sleep and dragged her out the window. She hurt one of the kidnappers when she grasped a piece of broken pottery from the lamp and cut him. She gently touched the back of her head and winced. He hit her with something and she’d passed out. Swallowing down the nausea, she pressed her ear tightly against the door once more, then gave up.

  She’d woken up in the car. While she’d been passed out, Dafoe had joined them. They wouldn’t talk to her or answer any questions. It was as if she were invisible. She wrapped Tony’s jacket around her and padded with bare feet to the window. They’d locked it from the outside. It was the first thing she’d tried when they’d pushed her into this room. The ocean cast itself against the rocks below, and she closed her eyes and buried her nose in Tony’s jacket. His lingering scent gave her a little comfort, but no hope of him ever finding her unless she could get a message to someone.

  The door opened, and she pushed herself into the corner of the room. “Go away,” she said, seeing Dafoe step inside and close the door behind him.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Lumin, even though you’ve caused me nothing but grief. I just need something from you.”

  She shook her head. “I have nothing you want.”

  “You do,” he said slyly as he approached her. He was a daunting figure. His dark features and sharp eyes focused on her as if she were some kind of lab rat. “You’re going to make a donation.”

  “For what?” She slid along the wall, her escape thwarted by the bed.

  “Your blood. It holds the antibodies to the virus, and I need them.”

  “So you can live? People are sick and you deserve the same end for the damage you’ve done”

  “Not near enough, but soon it will be in the millions. That’s when I will be satisfied.”

  A deep baritone bell reverberated throughout the house, signaling a visitor.

  “See, Lumin, even the door-to-door salesmen aren’t smart enough to find a safe place to hide. Americans exist believing no one can cause them harm, but I’m going to give them a great cause to learn they are not invincible.”

  He clenched her arm and thrust her ahead of him. They reached the entryway as one of Dafoe’s men was closing the front door. “Help me. Please send help, I’m—” Dafoe’s fingers clamped over her mouth and he twisted her arm behind her, his hand muffling her scream of pain.

  “Not a wise thing to do. You just ended that man’s life.”

  He jerked his head at his security man, and the guy pulled a weapon from his waistband and hurriedly opened the door chasing after whoever had knocked on it. She twisted a look over her shoulder to see a tall, broad, blond-haired man halfway down the front path. She knew that gait. Her fear was short circuiting her brain and giving her a flicker of hope with an illusion. Dafoe aimed her toward a stairway leading to the lower floor.

  The sound of shattering glass made her jump. The house alarm blared. Dafoe released her and pulled a weapon from beneath his blazer. Instead of running away from the confusion, she ran toward it. The wood floor was covered with splinters of glass from the broken patio doors, and she leaped onto the couch as she crossed paths with a man in fatigues. She didn’t recognize him, but she didn’t care. A man in uniform meant salvation. Someone behind her snatched a handful of her hair and jerked her back. Grabbing above his hand, she wrenched her head away leaving a fistful of her strands with him. The warrior tackled Dafoe’s security guard and she scrambled to the other end of the couch. From there she jumped to a sturdy dining table. She snapped the latch on the window and swung it open. One long step and she was balancing on the window ledge. The front door opened with a crash and she saw Fox and Ed. It had been him.

  “Run, Lumin,” Ed yelled at her.

  She didn’t wait for a second order and jumped to the balcony. One look over the edge of the railing gave her a clear view of the cliff they were perched on. It wasn’t a sheer drop, but almost. The crunch of glass behind her made her pause. Dafoe! He held his weapon steadily aimed at her.

  “Don’t do it, Lumin.”

  She backed up and didn’t give away the fact that another SEAL crept over the far edge of the balcony, but men like Dafoe survived on a sixth sense and he whirled. She knew the man under the helmet. Tony! Dafoe and he faced off, their weapons couldn’t miss if they both fired.

  A slow smile crept over Dafoe’s expression as he turned the weapon on her. “Go ahead, SEAL. I’ve got great aim.”

  The weapon was pointed at her, but Dafoe’s attention was on Tony. She quickly slid over the edge of the railing and found a foothold on the rock below. With a quick prayer she released the balcony deck and gripped the rock face. Just before disappearing she saw Tony’s gaze lock with hers and he smiled.

  “Thousands of people are going to die because of you, Dafoe,” Tony accused. “Because of you, a great SEAL will never come home to his wife and girls. Do you expect a fair trial?”

  Lumin scrambled across the cliff’s outcroppings, making sure every hand hold found solid rock. She could still hear Tony. Stopping for a breath, she spared a look over her shoulder. Dafoe edged sideways and spotted her. “You are going to drop your weapon, SEAL, and I am going to walk out of here or you will watch her fall to her death.”

  Tony’s head cocked a little. “Lay down your weapon, Dafoe, or you won’t have a court date.”

  Tony was stalling to give her time to make it to safety. Her toes were bleeding, but she stuffed them into a crack and pulled with her arms and thrust with her legs. Almost there, she winced and pushed herse
lf to reach the edge of the cliff. The rocks began to crumble in her hand. Near the top there was too much sand mixed in. The spit of something ricocheting off a rock splintered a piece and hurtled stone at her cheek. Another shot rang out, but this time it didn’t come close. She held her breath and looked over her shoulder. Her foot slipped, and she clutched a lump of grass. Tony was gone from the balcony and Dafoe lay on his back.

  Sweat rolled down her face and coated her skin. She balanced on her left foot, the only solid surface holding her up. She rested her forehead against the rough surface. A hand gripped her wrist and she screamed before looking up.

  “Come here, baby.”

  Tony gripped both her wrists and pulled her over the edge. They fell backwards with her landing on top of him. He didn’t hesitate, placing his hands around her face, and kissed her. A hard, desperate kiss. He sat up, bringing her with him perched on his lap, but he wouldn’t stop kissing her. She pushed a little at his shoulders, and he finally fell back. She slipped his helmet off and ran her hands through his hair, stopping to embrace his neck. He fell back to the grass, keeping her clutched tightly to him.

  “Would you do me a favor and stop getting kidnapped? I don’t think my heart can take it.” His thumb brushed her cheek and followed her top lip with a gentle touch.

  “How did you find me?”

  “A SEAL can’t divulge his secrets,” he said, giving her a wicked, lusty grin.

  When her hero smiled, he was the most handsome man on the planet. “Tell me,” she whispered. Being this close to him made her skin tingle and it didn’t help that she could feel his arousal between her thighs.

  “Maybe just this one secret,” he said and kissed her.

  “What’s the secret?” She brushed her cheek against the stubble on his face and nearly purred.

  “You’re the woman I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life, and that means you’re right here,” he said, touching his heart and then hers. His gaze intensified, the smile gone replaced with a soul shaking sincerity. “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you or take you from me. Marry me, Lumin, and I promise to love you and never stop.”

  * * * *

  Tony carried Lumin back to the house, and gently set her on her feet near the front door.

  Lieutenant Lewis stepped forward. “Petty Officer Bale, I’ll see that Lumin returns to San Diego and make the report we’ve located Dafoe. Take these men back to the base with your team.”

  Tony didn’t give a shit that Lewis wanted the glory. A real SEAL didn’t strive for visibility, only success, but he wasn’t going to let Lumin out of his sight. Not ever. “Is Dafoe dead?” he asked, not giving the lieutenant a confirmation on his order.

  “Gone to meet his Allah and hopefully his wife and son,” Mace said, stepping through the broken patio door to join them.

  Fox and Ed had Dafoe’s security men under guard. “I’m taking Lumin back to San Diego,” Tony said, keeping her tucked safely next to him.

  “Are you disobeying a direct order?” Lewis growled.

  “I would be if you were my lieutenant.”

  “Did you just receive a promotion in the last few minutes that I’m not aware of?” Lewis asked, his eyes revealing his dislike and the chance to form that complaint he’d threatened before.

  “Up to you, Lewis. You can live up to your rank, make amends with the Admiral and say you led this op and accept the ‘atta boys,’ or you can keep fucking around worrying about who does or doesn’t respect the gold on your sleeve and climbing a ladder. At some time in the past you earned your Budweiser, but it doesn’t stop with a handshake and the pin.”

  Lewis took a short step toward him. “Are you trying to teach me what it means to be a SEAL?”

  Lewis glared at him, but his stare was only half-filled with certainty. Being a warrior left no room for doubt. “I am. You lucked out, Lieutenant. You’ve joined Alpha Squad, a team of men who will have your back, if you have theirs. This isn’t a pissing contest to see who makes the highest mark on the tree. We’re judged as one unit and we’ve got a track record of success, but no man in this squad has ever stopped training or learning or carrying each other when things get fucked up. Two men taught us that, the man you’re replacing, Captain Cobbs, the other you still have an opportunity to know, Admiral Austen.”

  Lewis blinked at him. The rankle in his expression had melted. “You’re talking like you’re not part of the team.”

  Mace’s brow quirked and he glanced at Lumin and back at him. Tony didn’t answer his question. “I’ll see ya back at the base.”

  Mace followed them out the front door, then stepped in front of them to stop their progress. “What are you doing?” he said with concern.

  Lumin stared up at him with a questioning expression as well.

  “Making a decision about my future,” he answered. Mace’s head jerked back, hearing but not believing. “I’ve done my time. Cobbs told me something before he died and a few minutes ago I wrapped my head around it.” Mace waited with his arms crossed, but looked like he already knew what he was going to say. “He missed all the growing years with Rayanne and Cindy. Marg had to live with the fear he wouldn’t come home for twenty years.” He shook his head. “I’m not doing that to Lumin. I’m going to be there when she graduates law school. I’m going to be there when she wins her first case.” He slid his hand to her stomach and looked into her big blue eyes staring at him with surprise. “I’m going to be there to watch our baby grow, every one of them.” He put his attention back on Mace. “While my paperwork goes through for officer training, I’m going to take that position in the BUD/S training department. I might even stay, but I’ve done all the active duty out in the theatre I’m ever gonna do. My family was as dysfunctional as it can get. I’m not repeating that when I have a choice, and I choose Lumin.”

  “Tony,” Lumin squeaked, and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. He curled a satisfied smile at Mace, and Mace’s shoulders lifted with a chuckle.

  “Don’t think there’s a better reason on the planet than what you just said, T-man.” Mace gripped them both in a hug. “I’ll go get the car and drive you guys back to the base. Besides,” he cocked his brow. “I need to see my wife and tell her something important.”

  “What?” Tony sputtered.

  They began to walk toward Cliff Avenue. “There’s plenty of good men out there. They won’t miss us.”

  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Tony asked, stopping at the end of the walkway.

  “I almost lost her,” Mace muttered.

  “It’s because you’re a SEAL that you saved her.”

  “Yeah, and I know Nina’s accepted that being away from home is part of our profession, but Alpha Squad hasn’t been the same since Ghost and Cobbs left us. There are two holes and nobody will fill them like they did.” Mace surveyed the neighborhood and they all watched a high-end Mercedes park across the street in front of a luxurious home. “We’re never gonna live at an address like this one. But guys like us make it possible for these people to have it all. We’ve earned our stripes in the dirt. It’s time to pass on the torch. I heard there were two spots available in the training department.”

  “Let’s do it.” Tony extended his arm and Mace gripped it. “Think the only thing I’ll miss is blowing things up.”

  Lumin laughed. “Men and their big guns.”

  “Hey, you said you like my big guns,” he teased, giving her a cocky smile.

  “I said you have nice buns, Tony. I think you should wear better hearing protection.”

  Throwing his arms around his beautiful nymph, he gazed into his fiancée’s eyes. “Yes, dear.”

  Tony couldn’t stop the grin from stretching his jaw taut. Neither he nor Mace would leave the Navy. Like Ghost and Cobbs they would go the distance. They’d find and train the men who had the right stuff to be a SEAL, and if he went through with the officer’s training, there would be plenty of opportunities but he woul
d make sure it meant coming home every night.

  He looked down into Lumin’s brilliant smile, and knew he’d made the right choice. “Let’s go home, my lady.”

  Date: 08.06.2014

  Time: 0300UTC 1900PST

  Case: Closed. Threat neutralized

  Mission: Code Name Luminous deacitivated

  Epilogue

  Friends, family, and warriors surrounded Captain Patrick Edward Cobbs’ casket. Lumin stood shoulder to shoulder with Nina on one side and Kayla on the other. The August sun mingled with the breeze of the ocean as they stood on the green grass at the grave site. It had only taken a few minutes to drive from the Catholic church that had overflowed out the enormous doors, down the stairs and filled the parking lot with people who wanted to be present when the priest performed the service. Tony had sat beside her, but now he stood with the squad across from her and to the right of Marg, Kelsey, Rayanne, and Cindy. Cobb’s mother sat in the chairs provided for family and Marg’s parents stood behind them. She’d seen the same soul wrenching scene in movies, but the depth of sadness never connected the dots in her heart until today.

  Admiral Austen’s expression remained emotionless; an enormous warrior standing regally in his officer’s uniform watching his best friend being interred. Lumin couldn’t imagine the willpower it took to do that without shedding a tear. Some people had suggested he not do the honorary presentation of the flag to Cobbs’ widow, but he refused. Lumin clutched Nina and Kayla’s hands tightly, and fought back the tears, but they surfaced anyway, and she wasn’t alone as she glimpsed at Nina, but Kayla remained as stoic as her husband. Stitch and Fox stepped forward and folded the draped flag from Captain Cobbs’ casket, their faces sheer rock, set in impassive reserve. Fox took the triangle into his hands, placed himself in front of Admiral Austen, saluted, released it, and stepped back.