I considered the cave I’d just vacated, torn between going back inside, and following to see where the plane would land, knowing it would lead me to an enemy stronghold.
It was a choice, but not a hard one.
I followed the plane in the sky as it circled and began to descend more rapidly. Wherever it was headed, it was close by. With careful, well placed steps, I climbed the rough mountain side, staying as close to the rock face as possible.
As I went around the next bend, I stopped dead in my tracks, my boots gripping into the mountain side.
Two men were standing at the base of the mountain. Three hundred feet away. I sucked in a breath and pressed against the rock, hoping my desert camouflage would protect me if they turned around. Their voices carried up to my position, but I had no way of knowing what they were saying. Even if I spoke their language, they were too far ahead to make out the exact words. I couldn’t risk getting close enough to try and puzzle anything out. In my previous three tours, I’d learned enough words to have a very basic understanding of the language of the region, but I doubted it would help enough to justify the risk in getting closer.
Beyond the place they occupied was a makeshift airstrip, and my suspicion was confirmed as the plane I’d spotted touched down. I watched as it slowed, spun, and taxied back. It was an early 70’s bomber. Old, and outdated—but still usable if properly maintained.
When the dust cleared, I looked for the two men, but they were gone.
I stopped to fish out my binoculars again and scanned the area from a crouching position.
“What the—” I mumbled, pulling the binoculars away, as though not trusting what they’d shown me.
There was a doorway cut into the side of the mountain. At first glance, it had looked similar to a cave like the one I’d slept in, but on closer inspection, it was obviously man made, cut into the stone and tunneled out. My heart rate spiked as I debated attempting to get closer.
Movement and more voices pulled my attention off of constructing a plan, and I put my binoculars back to my eyes and watched as a man got out of the plane. The pilot walked toward another man who had come around the side of the building. I zoomed in on his face, and realized I was looking straight into the face of Malik Anwar-Idris, the man Commander Grissom had warned us about in the briefing.
Holy shit!
He was the man behind the attacks.
He was the proud leader who took glee in claiming kills and unspeakable acts on Americans and their allies.
He was the reason I was there, stranded in the middle of the fucking desert, waiting on a rescue that I could only hope was coming for me soon.
Righteous anger set every hair on end, and my fist balled tightly as my other hand clenched the binoculars, pressing them hard against my face. I had to do something.
I hunkered down and spent the whole afternoon on that mountainside, scoping out the base, and watching the comings and goings of other soldiers. By the time I crept away, back into the cave I’d slept in the night before, I had a plan. Come hell or high water, I was getting out of the desert.
And if I was lucky, I’d be taking some of these bastards out before I left.
35
Holly
“I wasn’t sure what you ladies would like, so I got a little bit of everything.” Aaron came into the living room the next morning, where Rachel and I had slept on the pullout couch. After dinner and drinks the night before, Rachel and I had decided to get a hotel room for the night, but Aaron wouldn’t hear it. He insisted that we stay with him, even going so far as to offer us his own bed. However, we’d compromised and stayed on the couch instead, not wanting to kick our host out of his own bed.
I stirred at the sound of Aaron’s voice and rolled to my side, only to face plant against a wall of solid, fur-covered muscle. “Hunter,” I whined, pushing his tail out of my face as he began to wag it around.
Aaron laughed. “Quite a wake-up.”
“Tell me about it.” I pushed up and pulled the covers with me. I was fully covered by the pajama top I’d packed but still felt exposed without a bra in front of Jack’s best friend. “Is that from Carly’s?”
My mouth salivated as Aaron nodded, a knowing smile crossing his lips. “I remembered Boomer saying you were a fan.”
“God, Aaron, that’s so sweet.” I turned to look over the lump that made up Hunter’s body, to wake Rachel, but found the other side of the bed empty. “Where’s Rach?”