by J. M. Madden
Wulfe waved a hand in the night. “Family has money. It is not a consideration.”
Aiden eyed Wulfe. “If you’re so rich why were you in the military?”
“Tradition,” he said simply.
Ah, yes. Then there was that. Family tradition.
“It might take them a while to figure out who we are, and then they will know who our families are,” Aiden reminded them.
The techs had used computers to log in the info about the experiments, and Shu had regularly carried around a tablet, but Aiden didn’t think they had the ability to upload to the company regularly. There had been no cell service, he knew that for sure, but he wasn’t sure if the Collaborative had satellite coverage over the area. Surely they had the initial information about the subjects, and the background investigation information, but he didn’t know how often that info had been updated. It would take them a while to cross-reference the information they had with the subjects left in the camp.
“Then we make sure our families are secure,” TJ said.
There was so much to think about and do, but they were tired. They’d been up before dawn and a lot had happened since then. Almost as one they shimmied down into the sand of the beach. We’ll think more tomorrow, Americans.
Chapter Nine
They woke to waves lapping at their stretched out feet and a man in a blue uniform standing over top of them.
Aiden bolted into a sitting position. “TJ,” he hissed.
The other man rolled over, glancing blearily at the morning, then he saw the cop and went still. The blue-uniformed cop spewed something at them angrily and TJ stood, brushing the seat of his pants off.
Get up! He’s just moving us on.
The other three scrambled to their feet, nodding as if they understood what he was yelling at them. Grabbing the bags they hurried off the beach, aware that the cop stood behind them watching.
That was too close.
They started walking, trying to blend in with the crowds. They had another four hours before they could expect to see Wulfe’s brother. Getting to the airport would take them less than twenty minutes. They could probably walk to it.
I think we should get a burner phone, or four. Just in case.
Wulfe nodded. Probably smart.
First, though, was food. After walking a few blocks, they found a popular chain restaurant, known the world over.
Oh, fuck me… I think I’ve died and gone to heaven, Fontana moaned. I want two of everything.
They walked out of the restaurant with three large bags of food and two trays of drinks, and found an out of the way spot outside to sit and eat. Aiden could have wept from the taste of the bacon and the biscuit. And cheese! He hadn’t had cheese in so long…
They ate almost all the food and drank all of the four large orange juices and four coffees.
“I think I’m going to be sick, y’all,” TJ sighed. “I need another nap.”
They all did, but it wasn’t going to happen. Instead, they started walking. When they came upon another corner market they ducked in to check it out. It was surprisingly well-stocked. Aiden picked out four cell phone kits and added minute cards.
It took them a bit to set up the phones but when they were done they all felt more secure about having a way to contact someone, most importantly each other.
It was strange looking at the device because he used to be a bit of a tech guy himself, with the latest phones and gadgets. He didn’t even recognize this brand, though, or any of the logos on the home screen. Between the phone and the newspaper articles, he felt very disconnected.
They swapped numbers and pocketed the devices. Then they walked for another hour.
When it was close enough to the time, they headed toward the small, private airfield Nikolas had directed them to. It wasn’t especially far from the international airport and hopefully, if by chance the Bitch in Blue managed to track them down from the sat phone call, she would be looking there. Or at one of the shipping ports. The tiny little private landing strip might not even catch her notice.
Wulfe stopped beneath a broad palmed shade tree and pulled out the burner phone. Punching in his brother’s number he sent off a text.
Almost immediately he received a response. Aiden peered over his shoulder.
On the tarmac fueling up. Go to delivery gate on south side of airport. Security is waiting for you. Tell them you are my passengers. They have been paid.
The south side was ahead of them and to the right. They started walking, constantly scanning the area around them. They were off the main tourist areas so seeing four grown men walking together was a bit strange, but they kept going. Aiden felt like he was under a sniper’s scope. The hairs on the back of his neck lifted. The feeling got so bad that he had to stop. He stepped into the shade at the side of the street.
Hang on a sec, guys.
They stilled immediately, and he appreciated that.
Something doesn’t feel right.
The men looked around, trying to see what Aiden was feeling, but none of them saw anything.
What is it? Fontana asked.
I’m not sure but the last time I felt this you ended up with a machete in your ass.
In the bright light of day Fontana actually paled. It would have been funny if they weren’t in their current situation.
Aiden opened his senses, trying to understand what he was feeling. There weren’t a lot of people around, certainly no one associated with the Collaborative, he didn’t think. The day was fairly sleepy. Then he spotted it. Something about the black SUV struck him as wrong, and he didn’t know why. But as soon as he focused in on the people inside the vehicle, he understood. There was vigilance and determination from one side of the car, and somnolent antipathy on the other side. The two people inside the vehicle couldn’t be more different.
It was the determined one that worried him.
Black SUV at ten o’clock.
They all looked in that direction. Man, that dude is pissed, Fontana said eventually. What’s his deal?
Not sure, but we either need to backtrack and come in from the east or distract them.
How the fuck do we do that? Rector asked.
Aiden wasn’t exactly sure. We could force them to act upon us.
Fontana rubbed a hand over his neck. If we get close enough to the vehicle we can make him do something, but it may not be a good idea to draw attention in the middle of the day.
Agreed.
I say we circle around, TJ said.
In the end it didn’t matter, because they were spotted. Not by the guys in the car but by the SUV that pulled up behind them.
“Stop right there,” a voice called out.
All four of them went still. Not Brazilian police or Army, they’d be speaking Portuguese. Aiden’s gut clenched and fear ran through his veins. He hated being snuck up upon.
“Turn around.”
All four turned around. There was a fairly young man standing on the far side of the vehicle in the V from the open door. He pointed his weapon at the four of them, across the vehicle.
Aiden glanced to the right. The two men slid out of the other vehicle and the one that he’d felt the aggression from, a heavier-set balding man, seemed royally pissed. His aggression spiked and he drew his weapon, holding it at his side.
Looking at the younger man, understanding he would have to die, Aiden told him, “They’re coming to kill you.”
The young man glanced at the two stalking down the street. They were actually headed toward Aiden’s group but there was enough doubt there that the young man felt insecure. He pivoted, aiming his weapon at the main guard. “Stop right there. I have this under control.”
They’re going to shoot you, Aiden told him, pushing. Defend yourself.
The young guard fired his weapon. Repeatedly.
He hit his target. The older man staggered, spinning to the ground. But the aggressive guy’s sleepy companion suddenly woke up. He fired at the SUV and the
young man, and Aiden knew as soon as the bullet tore through the door that the kid was dead. He went down firing, though. By the time it was all said and done, all three of the guards were dead.
Let’s take this as the gift it was meant to be and get the fuck out of here.
Conscious that there might be witnesses, they turned and walked away as casually as possible. They were at the security gate within minutes and the man waved them through, over the protests of his partner.
He spouted a bunch of Portuguese and TJ nodded, giving him a wave.
Hangar twelve. Three buildings down.
They turned and walked. Aiden felt even more exposed now that they were in such an open area. There were no trees or buildings or cars to take cover behind. They hurried, passing one hangar, then two. The third hangar stood wide open, occupied by a sleek, black private jet. A man in a black suit waited on the stairs and waved.
For the first time in weeks he felt hope that they were actually going to get out of this shithole situation.
Wulfe broke into a jog and the men followed along behind. Nikolas Terberger looked so similar to his brother, there was no doubt about who stood waiting for them. Tears glittered in his eyes as he dragged Wulfe into a back-slapping hug, and Wulfe pulled him tight. Then he leaned back enough to cup his hands around Nik’s neck, talking to him softly. They nodded together, smiling and laughing.
It made Aiden think of his own brother. If the guy was still out there he wanted to know him someday. He couldn’t imagine being greeted like Wulfe just was, but it might be worth checking out the possibility.
“We are ready to go,” Nik told them, shaking each man’s hand as they climbed the stairs. “Take a seat and I’ll let the pilot know.”
There were two attendants, one male and one female. They took the men’s bedraggled bags and guided them to plush leather seats. Then they began handing out refreshments. Aiden sank into the leather and let out a groan. Comfort. It was the most amazing feeling. Then embarrassment washed over him. He was so rank. In spite of that, though, he took the beer the attendant handed him and took a long swallow. Oh, fuck yeah…
As soon as the door closed behind them the plane engines began to whine with power. They pulled out of the hangar and rumbled down the long taxiway. They made the turn, paused, and the engines whined to full pitch. The brakes released, and they launched down the runway, the landscape speeding by. As the wheels left the tarmac, he looked out the window at the hangar they’d just left.
A black SUV was parked in front of it and Priscilla Mattingly stood on the tarmac, hands on her hips as she watched them take off. Knowing he was too far away, he flipped her the bird anyway.
She could roast in hell.
On the trip back to Miami, Nik let them use his private bathroom in the back of the plane. For the first time in almost a year, Aiden stood beneath the hot water of a shower, in complete privacy, and let some of his emotions go. It had been so long since he’d felt like a human being rather than a prisoner or a damn lab rat. His abused muscles relaxed and if he’d had room he probably would have slumped to the floor to enjoy it.
They had so much to do. He had a feeling that breaking out of the camp and forging through the jungle had been the easiest leg of this journey they were on.
He didn’t know how they were going to proceed, but right this minute they had leverage. And backing, if Wulfe was to be believed. They needed to recover and get their ducks in order, then try to investigate who in their governments had handed them over to the Silverstone Collaborative.
Then the Dogs of War would be coming for them.
All of them.
To Be Continued…
If you would like to read Chapter One of Chaos, read ahead!
Also by J.M. Madden
If you would like to read about the ‘combat modified’ veterans of the Lost and Found Investigative Service, check out these books:
The Embattled Road ( FREE prequel)
Duncan, John and Chad
Embattled Hearts-Book 1 (FREE)
John and Shannon
Embattled Minds-Book 2
Zeke and Ember
Embattled Home-Book 3
Chad and Lora
Embattled SEAL- Book 4
Harper and Cat
Embattled Ever After- Book 5
Duncan and Alex
Her Forever Hero- Grif
Grif and Kendall
SEAL’s Lost Dream-Flynn
Flynn and Willow
SEAL’s Christmas Dream
Flynn and Willow
Unbreakable SEAL- Max
Max and Lacey
Embattled Christmas
Reclaiming The Seal
Gabe and Julie
Loving Lilly
Diego and Lilly
Her Secret Wish
Rachel and Dean
Wish Upon a SEAL (Kindle World)
Drake and Izzy
Mistletoe Mischief
Cass and Roger
Lost and Found Pieces
Other books by J.M. Madden
A Touch of Fae
Second Time Around
A Needful Heart
Wet Dream
Love on the Line
The Billionaire’s Secret Obsession
The Awakening Society- FREE
Tempt Me
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About the Author
NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author J.M. Madden writes compelling romances between 'combat modified' military men and the women who love them. J.M. Madden loves any and all good love stories, most particularly her own. She has two beautiful children and a husband who always keeps her on her toes.
J.M. was a Deputy Sheriff in Ohio for nine years, until hubby moved the clan to Kentucky. When not chasing the family around, she's at the computer, reading and writing, perfecting her craft. She occasionally takes breaks to feed her animal horde and is trying to control her office-supply addiction, but both tasks are uphill battles. Happily, she is writing full-time and always has several projects in the works. She also dearly loves to hear from readers! So, drop her a line. She'll respond.
Afterword
If you would like to read book 1 of the Dogs Of War series, follow this link or go to my website for all the current links!
And Now… a taste of Chaos, Book 1 in the Dogs of War…. Available on Prequel now!
“Can I help you?”
Aiden froze at the sound of the smoky, bluesy woman’s voice, unwilling to turn around. There were only three times he’d ever been snuck up upon, this being the third, and he was shocked. Had his skills degraded that much? Fuck…
Slowly, he turned. A staggeringly beautiful woman stood less than twenty feet behind him, well within killing distance. The afternoon sunlight shone on her bright strawberry-blond ponytail, a light breeze playing with the bangs hanging over her forehead. The look on her heart-shaped face suggested she’d just stumbled across something interesting. She had one lean hip cocked, but something about the way she stood told him she was more than she appeared. He could have been dead.
What a great way to die, at the hands of such a beautiful woman.
One hand tugged open the side of her jacket, enough for him to see the badge. “I asked you a question. Is there something you’re looking for here?”
Her unflinching, blue-gray eyes narrowed, waiting for a response.
Cop. Figured. Only seeing too many things put that kind of experience on a face. He was sure his looked the same. Actually, his face looked worse, surely.
She shifted her stance and Aiden realized he had tightened his own, as if readying for a fight. Deliberately, he took a relaxing breath and shoved his hands into his pockets.
Within a
split second, the flame-haired woman drew down on him with a steadiness and speed that spoke of true familiarity with her weapon. “Hold it right there,” she ordered, her voice losing that sexy edge.
Aiden had fired enough Sig Sauers to know that the weapon she held in her hand would more than injure him. If she targeted correctly she could kill him with one shot. Maybe.
Taking cautious steps, she advanced on him. “You need to remove your hands from your pockets. Left first.”
Aiden eased his hand out and up, pissed at the ridiculous situation. And his own stupidity.
“Now, right.”
He did as he was told until he stood with his hands in the air. “I should not have moved. That was my mistake.”
“Yes, it was. Interlace your fingers behind your head.”
Aiden stilled at her steady words. He would allow her to pat him down if she felt she needed to but he would not allow her to handcuff him. “I’m not carrying anything,” he told her steadily. And for the first time in a long time it was true. Guilt had been riding him and he hadn’t been thinking clearly when he’d headed here.
“Can’t take your word for that, sorry.”
“You should take my word for it though,” he told her clearly. “I’m safe to you. I promise.”
He didn’t finesse her, although he did put enough suggestion into the words that she should have been mollified, but she completely ignored what he said and moved in behind him.
