Rafe Turchetta’s head was pounding. Normally he’d pour a double shot of Scotch. But that would need to wait. He wasn’t going to rest comfortably until every one of his men had boarded. Rafe hadn’t recruited his team the conventional way. They were veterans of varied ages from all branches of the service. Yet, they shared something in common. They were dedicated to righting wrongs and fighting injustice, even if it meant risking their lives. Outside of his brothers, these were the people he trusted with his life, and they him. Each was highly specialized and considered one of the best in his field. If they weren’t, he wouldn’t have them on his payroll, because in the end, he was responsible for ensuring their safety. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down. Rafe might be a bachelor, but many of his men had families back home anxiously waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. I’m not delivering any condolences. Not this time.

Every mission had its risk, this one more than most. Although they’d made some major progress over the last few months, just one slip—one son of a gun itching to gain some funding and muscle—could cost lives.

“Gabe, keep your eyes open,” Rafe said to his brother, who’d been sitting for hours with his eyes glued to the monitors.

“Quit hovering or do it yourself,” Gabe replied gruffly.

He knew Gabe hated being micromanaged, but Rafe didn’t care. Leaning back slightly, he gave Gabe a bit more space. It didn’t mean he couldn’t see everything from his new position.

“What’s that on the right, Smith’s right flank?”

Gabe zoomed in and said, “A bunch of kids playing ball.”

Rafe confirmed Gabe’s finding, and that eased his tension only slightly. “Don’t let them out of your sight.”

“Why don’t you go give the boss an update?”

Rafe glared at Gabe. He never looked at whoever hired him as his boss. He was contracted to do a job, and he did it his way. If they didn’t like those terms, they could find someone else. However, this mission was different. He and his team were being paid, but there were more than just his men out there. They were working in conjunction with Bennett Stone’s team. “When we’re out of here.”

When he’d agreed to help Bennett rescue Alex Henderson, they had anticipated it would be like any other mission: get in and get out. He’d known it was a volatile place long before he’d stepped foot on the soil, but no one had foreseen the rapid ripple effect that had occurred when they’d offed the head of the dragon. Tabiq was like many countries, driven by greed and corruption. Yet there was an underbelly of evil like he’d only seen a few times in his special operations career. Once they’d taken out the leaders, dozens of small sectors had tried rising to power. Even with all the money the Henderson family was pouring into Tabiq, there seemed to be an unknown source of income funneling in to continue the vileness. Someone with some serious clout had been working hard against the good they were doing.

But over the last few weeks, it appeared they’d given up and walked away. Each town seemed to have quieted down. It was refreshing to see townspeople going about their normal business. It hadn’t been easy, but somehow their two teams had been able to enlist and train an entirely new law enforcement group who sincerely were for the people and wanted to stop those who were tormenting the heck out of them.

Rafe wanted nothing more than to believe this was the last time he was going to be in Tabiq. Things were far better than when he’d arrived, but all it would take was another scumbag to victimize them or threaten their families, and it would all have been for nothing.

He found it ironic that it had been James Henderson, Alex’s father, who took Tabiq to its knees, trembling in fear, and now it was James’s children who fought to return it to its glory. I really hope you guys can pull it off, but some things may be too broken to be fixed.

Rafe knew the future of Tabiq was far from being written in stone, but for now they had a chance—a slim one, but a chance.

“All accounted for and on board,” Gabe reported.

“Get that plane off the ground,” Rafe barked into the mic. Off in the distance, the satellite picked up two vehicles approaching at high speed. It was now or never.

“Roger,” the pilot responded.

He watched as the plane began its takeoff; it wasn’t instant, and Rafe wasn’t going to sit easy until they were clear.

“And what about us?” Gabe asked as they approached the chopper with the surveillance equipment.

Rafe grabbed his Glock from its shoulder holster, checked the ammo, then removed the M-16 harnessed to the wall. “We make sure that plane gets off the ground.”

“Thought you were going to say that.” Gabe leaned forward and pulled out the gun strapped to his leg.

Rafe looked shocked. “When did you start carrying?”

“When haven’t I?”

Rafe shook his head. In Gabe’s position there wasn’t a need to be armed, or at least there shouldn’t be. Right now Rafe was just glad Gabe didn’t always follow his orders, but that behavior needed to stop. There was no time to discuss that now. First, they needed to make it out of Tabiq alive. “I’ll take the tango on the left. You take the tango on the right. Got it?”

Gabe cocked his gun and nodded. Rafe barked instructions to the pilot before opening the chopper door and taking aim. Even from this distance, he could tell these tangos weren’t there for a friendly send off. This isn’t your day, guys.

He could see the passenger’s hand exit the Jeep and rise in their direction. The jerk was armed and going for a shot. Rafe’s warning shot hit the passenger in the left shoulder. When they didn’t stop, he aimed at the driver and fired two shots through the windshield. The Jeep began to swerve to the left, then the right, before flipping over.

Rafe heard shots ringing out from beside him. He saw the second Jeep encounter the same fate. There wasn’t a need to check for survivors. If they were alive, he was leaving them to the authorities. Right now he needed to get his men out of there. It wasn’t just their lives at stake; he couldn’t allow the technology aboard to fall into the wrong hands.

“Let’s go,” Rafe said as he backed up toward the chopper, still holding his gun in the direction of the Jeeps. He wasn’t taking any chances that one might actually crawl out from those wrecks and try again. Once Rafe confirmed Gabe was on the chopper he climbed in and shouted to the pilot to take off.

Gabe was sitting back at the monitors, zooming in on the roads, and said, “They seem to be alone.”

Rafe viewed the screen, but he knew better than to believe his eyes. These guys might not have company with them, but they were definitely not alone.

Once the chopper was in the air, he called Bennett. “Stone, we had hostile tangos. Send someone to clean up the mess.”

“Everyone get out okay?” Stone asked.

“Yeah. Are you sure you guys have this?” Rafe didn’t want to think about having to stay there another moment. He had clients to meet tomorrow who sounded desperate. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be coming to me.

“We know how to find you if we don’t,” Stone replied.

“Roger that.”

As the chopper rose into the air, he could see Stone’s men approaching the access road. He should’ve realized they wouldn’t have been far off. One thing he liked and respected about Stone was they always had each other’s backs. Tabiq hadn’t been the first time their paths crossed, and he was positive it wouldn’t be the last. But in their line of work, it was important to know who you could trust. That wasn’t an option. It was a life or death necessity.

Rafe laid the M-16 on the floor of the chopper and leaned back in his seat. Glancing at his brother, he noticed Gabe didn’t look relieved. He was in deep thought, which wasn’t uncommon. Gabe could spend hours on end in front of a computer, analyzing data and watching surveillance satellites. He was able to hack and manipulate systems like no one else. When he was stumped, it concerned Rafe.

“What’s so important that you can’t pull yourself away?” Rafe asked.

Gabe didn’t turn away from the monitor. “I’m not sure we should be leaving.”

“Care to share why?”

“Raphael, you know my feelings on this already.”

Rafe hated being called by his given name, and Gabe knew it. Doing so now was his way of making a point, although it wasn’t wise to start by ticking Rafe off.

“Gabe, there’s nothing we can do. We did what we were asked to do. It’s time to go.” Rafe didn’t like the idea of leaving without finding out who was out to sabotage the work they’d been doing, but it had stopped. Stone had all the information; it was now in his court to follow up.

“Something doesn’t feel right.”

“What do you suggest? Do you want to stay?” Rafe asked but wasn’t prepared for Gabe’s response.

He turned around and could tell by the look on Gabe’s face that was exactly what he wanted. You have to be freaking kidding me!

“Stone’s going to need my help.”

And we don’t? Rafe trusted Stone, but things in Tabiq could turn bad quickly, and he didn’t want any of his siblings left in the line of fire. They’d already lost one, and he wasn’t about to risk losing another.

“Gabe, they’ve got this.”

Gabe shook his head. “Whoever this is has been really good at covering their tracks. If I’m struggling to unravel their operation, what makes you think Stone is going to pull it off?”

If that comment were coming from anyone else, Rafe would say the guy was a cocky punk. That wasn’t the case with Gabe. Rafe wouldn’t want to have Gabe as an enemy. He was gifted when it came to uncovering most well-hidden secrets; regardless of how good the enemy hacker was, Gabe was better. It didn’t hurt that he was also the key contributor in most of the major software developments used in nearly every top-notch military security system. It had been a hard hit for Homeland Security when Gabe informed them he was leaving. He’d been their top agent in the Special Sector division. Rafe had good reason to be concerned about leaving Gabe behind. There were people, countries, who would love nothing more than to get their hands on him and force him to act on their behalf. Gabe, like all the Turchettas, would die before helping an enemy inflict pain or suffering on others.

“Rafe, whatever argument you’re trying to come up with won’t change my mind. You know I’m right.”

It wasn’t about being right. It was his duty as the eldest in the family to ensure no one else was killed. None of them had been the same after losing their baby sister, Phoebe. It was a guilt-filled wound that would never heal. He’d been bound by his duty in the Corps and had to abide by their rules. No more. Never again.

Each of them had resigned their active duty positions, joined together, and started Turchetta’s Promise. It was a promise to do everything they could to intercede where others would have their hands bound by red tape and bureaucracy. They specialized in coloring outside the lines and thinking out of the box. Some would question if what they did was legal. They only focused on results.

He knew that’s what Gabe was thinking. They might have accomplished their mission, but he wasn’t satisfied with the end result. Although he hated it, Rafe knew he’d stand by his brother, no matter what. Going with his gut, he called out to the pilot, “Turn this bird around.”

Gabe gave him a nod but said nothing. Both knew this wasn’t the ideal situation, yet it was the right thing to do.

As their chopper headed back, Rafe called Stone and gave him an update. No matter how much respect he had for Stone, this was all about trust. And, Stone, you better not let me down. This is my family we’re talking about here.

---

Deanna Glenn laid the pink roses by her college friend’s tombstone. It wasn’t an anniversary she wanted to celebrate, but each year she traveled throughout the country to honor the ones she’d lost. Phoebe Turchetta was the last stop. It also was the hardest. They had been like two peas in a pod, as her mother used to say. They’d done everything together from debate team to joining the Literacy Corps after college. All of Deanna’s dreams had included Phoebe in some way, especially the mark they were going to leave on this world and the promise to be each other’s maid of honor when they finally found their Prince Charmings.

Another stream of tears rolled over her cheeks. “Three years, Phoebe, and it stills feel like it was only yesterday.” She could only imagine what it was like for the Turchetta family. Through years of friendship, Deanna had never met Phoebe’s siblings in person. They’d all been working in jobs no one, including Phoebe, ever spoke about, and Deanna eventually stopped asking. The family had opted to keep the burial private. Although it had hurt not being able to attend and say a final goodbye, she’d understood. Her presence would’ve only enhanced the pain of losing Phoebe. Just my name alone must be a reminder.

Deanna never remembered anyone’s birthday and had a hard time with names, but everything about the day Phoebe was ripped from her life would be forever embedded deep within her soul. When help had finally arrived days later, she’d been detained and interrogated like a criminal. She’d sat in a room with only a table and chair as she went over and over everything she recalled from that day. How the armed men had come into their camp, shot and killed every man, and taken all the women captive, including Phoebe. Every time she’d repeated the story it was as though she could hear the gunshots echoing through the air and the sound of screams piercing her heart. They had been there on a Literacy Corps mission, offering aid to those who needed it most. None of them had been armed. If we had been, if I had been, maybe I could’ve done something. Anything. But the truth was, there hadn’t been anything she could’ve done to help them. Help Phoebe. She’d had a choice, hide or reveal herself and suffer the same fate as the others. Now she had to live with the fact she’d chosen to drop the buckets of water she’d been carrying and take cover behind a bush. Deanne had lain there huddled in the fetal position hours after she’d heard the last vehicles drive away amidst the fading shrieks of the women they’d taken by force, too afraid to move or make a sound. Like a coward. I should’ve stood my ground even if it meant dying with the others.

Her stomach turned and her hands trembled as the visual of the gruesome discovery flooded back to her. She hadn’t suffered their fate but was haunted by the memory of it. Will it ever fade?

“Phoebe, I don’t know what else to do.” Tears rolled down Deanna’s face. She knew what she wanted to do, but if her parents found out, they’d have a fit. “I can’t keep hiding. It’s not what we planned.”

Deanna wished she could hear her best friend’s voice one more time. Phoebe had been the logical thinker. Actually, she’d often described Phoebe as fearless. Deanna’s parents were overprotective and had never let her travel out of the country without them. Phoebe had gone with her to deliver the news about joining the Literacy Corps to her parents. It had taken a lot of persuasion, but Phoebe had sold them on the idea. Everyone had known it was their opportunity to make a name for themselves. We sure did. Just not in the way we thought we would.

Her life felt empty, without purpose, now. But Deanna’s name was associated with that tragedy. That was why she was doing this. It wasn’t legal, and her parents would freak out if they knew, but taking on a false identity so she could go back and continue what they had started was the only way she was going to truly heal. She needed to do this. Not only for herself but for Phoebe and everyone one else who’d lost their lives that day. I’m going to show them they didn’t win.

It was all lined up. Her parents believed she was going abroad on a retreat for a few months to relax and find herself. That kept them from trying to block the trip. It was tough being the daughter of a well-known and powerful man. Her father had a way of changing people’s minds who otherwise would have supported her decision. That meant she had to do something dangerous and turn to some extremely unscrupulous individuals for help. After providing a hefty fee, they delivered everything she required: a passport, visa, and ID. Now all she needed to do was board a plane and get back to what she loved. Helping those in need.

With her bags in the trunk of the rental car and plane tickets in her purse, there was nothing left to do but say goodbye one more time. The wind blew and she closed her eyes, still unaccustomed to the colored contacts she was wearing. Her eyes were already irritated from her tears earlier. She was going to look like a hot mess at the airport, and surely security was going to question her appearance. It was going to be an easy sell. She was heartbroken and was going to miss her family. At least something I say will be true.

Rubbing her irritated eyes, she could only imagine what her mascara looked like. But what did it matter? She was alone, and no one would know who she was anyway. With what she was about to attempt, looking bad should be the last thing she worried about. She’d get a prison sentence if she was caught. Mom and Dad would love that.

Regardless of the potential consequences, she was not going to be stopped. Time to take my life back. It’d been three years, and she wasn’t about to let another day go by without doing something. She knew Phoebe would never have let anything stand in her way, and she wouldn’t either.

She could stay all day and mourn her friend, but that wasn’t what Phoebe would’ve wanted. There were people out there who needed help. It was her duty to do what she could. Not just for herself, but for Phoebe as well. Getting up off the ground, Deanna looked again at her friend’s name etched permanently in granite: Phoebe Promise Turchetta. A beautiful name for an even more beautiful person. Placing a kiss on her fingers, she laid her hand on the headstone. “I promise, Phoebe, they’ll never forget who you were and what you were about. I’ll make sure of that.”

“And who are you to do that?”

Deanna gasped as the deep, harsh voice startled her. She hadn’t heard anyone approach. As she spun around, filled with panic, she lost her balance and had to steady herself on the headstone. His large stature only made her tiny frame feel even smaller. The expression on his face was enough to make a grown man shake in his boots. She could tell he wasn’t a groundskeeper, but who he was wasn’t clear either. All she knew was her presence there didn’t please him. “I’m . . . I’m . . .”

“Your name!” he barked.

Trying to compose herself as she stood upright, she said, “I’m De—” He had her so flustered she almost gave her real name. It was the first time she’d encountered anyone with her new look, and she almost blew it. “Alice. I’m Alice Wilcox.”

The man arched a brow and looked her over from head to toe. “You don’t seem so sure about that.”

The discussion of her name was closed as far as she was concerned. “The question is, who are you?” She tried to sound as bold and confident as he did, but even as she uttered the words her bottom lip trembled.

He didn’t answer her. Instead, she once again was questioned. “Why are you crying?” Those words normally would offer comfort, but his tone was gruff and filled with accusation.

Deanna huffed. “I don’t believe it’s any of your business.” Then she tried to walk past him. When she thought she was in the clear, he reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him again.

“Why do I feel like I know you?” He held her close, his eyes searching her face.

She wanted to flee, yet there was no escaping his steel grip. It wasn’t meant to hurt, only to restrain. Not that I like that much better. Meeting his cold stare, she said, “I hear I have one of those faces. Now if you don’t mind getting your hands off me, I have someplace I need to be.”

He didn’t release her immediately, and she feared his questioning was about to intensify along with his grip. As she prepared herself, he let go of her arm. He didn’t say another word and let her walk away. Her pace quickened with each step as she made her way back to the rental car. As soon as she was inside, she threw it in drive and peeled away from the curb. If she was trying to act as though his sudden appearance did not affect her, she was failing miserably.

Deanna gripped the steering wheel tightly as she turned onto the freeway and headed toward the airport. Her flight was leaving in a few hours. It wouldn’t be long before all this was left behind.