The morning was bright and warm. The wind off the lake, however, was cold enough to freeze the blood in your vein. Perhaps it was more to do with the sense of focus readiness that his team sent out and the thick layer of dread that clung to him. A multitude of unknown variables ran through his thoughts. Did Brennan make it to the island unnoticed, was he able to navigate through the tunnels, did he eliminate some of Pope's men? He prayed that Pope wasn't stupid enough to have done any harm to Erin's parents.   

Men and boat loaded down with weapons, the team was ready to push off. Eli took a moment to glance back at his woman. She was dressed from head to toe in black Camo, reflective shades covering her eyes, and a cap covering her hair and pulled down so far it touched her shades. She wasn't anywhere near as tall as the men, but they had a couple of life preservers for her to sit on like a booster seat. The subterfuge might fool the enemy long enough for them to get ashore. That was all they needed. Eli shook his head as the faces of his dead team mates flashed before his eyes. Pope had a lot to answer for. So much blood on his hands. Eli wouldn't let the number include Erin or her family.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder, he turned to find Brandy blinking up at him with worry shimmering in her milk chocolate eyes. Erin's sister was as different from her as she could be. Brandy had a mouth on her and didn't mind telling you exactly what she thought of you in vivid colorful detail. She was a firecracker and Erin was a sunrise. Both vibrantly beautiful, brilliantly captivating and awe-inspiring in their own way.

"You bring my family home Special Agent Sessions. Erin cares for you or else she wouldn't be going across this lake with you. So, from this moment on you hold the lives of everyone I love in your hands." Her angry expression softened a bit. "Please, bring them back safe."

Kennedy whistled. "Go time."

Brandy turned to walk away, but Eli caught her hand staying her. "I love Erin. No promises, Brandy. A pledge on my life, I'll protect her and your parents or die trying."

She tilted her curly head, reading him, like she could sum him up by one prolong observation. "Yeah, I believe you will. Oh, by the way. Sorry I called you an asshole. I'll reserve that judgment for a later date."

Eli chuckled. "Maybe you can answer a question for me. Why does Erin call me Huge Pain, from time to time?"

For the first time since he'd met her Brandy's face brightened and she laughed out loud. "Her pet name for me is Little Pain, and I call her Big Pain. Now you're Huge Pain, guess that makes you part of the family."

Eli couldn't think of anything that could have made this day better than Erin including him in their special names for each other. She loved him, she was making a place for him in her life. She loved a man who walked into her life and fucked it up so royally.

His prime objective became crystal clear. His family was her family, his team wouldn't suffer another loss, and the six people standing on the shore of Lake Enoch and Brennan Marshal would survive this day. He could envision Saturday afternoon barbeques at his house and super bowl parties with the guys. From that moment forward, his life was starting over.  

He caught Erin around the waist and lifted her into the air. She screeched, throwing her arms around his neck. Eli kissed her quick and hard putting all of his commitment and love behind it.

"What was that for?" She asked breathlessly, when let her feet touch back down on the ground.

Eli grinned, tucked a wayward strand of hair back under her cap. "Because I love the hell out of you woman, that's what for."

Erin scrunched up her face and gave him a perplexed stare. "You just now figuring that out, Huge Pain?"

Eli swatted her on the ass, before picking her up and placing her on her seat. Brandy scooted in-between them and kissed and hugged Erin. The two sisters shared a long look and a nod, a nonverbal promise to see each other soon.

Jayce started the motor and they headed across the water. Colton Island was a small dot in the distance. Eli silently prayed that Brennan was able to cut Pope's numbers down enough that they could handle what was left, but not enough that the old man would notice. The plan was in place and all they had to do was stick to it and they would all be returning home soon. He chanced a glance over his shoulder at Erin. She had her hand on the top of her cap to keep it in place. The changes in her were astounding. She impressed him daily. The shy woman who had never ventured outside of Wayland was no longer. She'd overcome her fear of flying to witness the bright lights of New York, she'd driven two unconscious men down the interstate to safety, and now she was taking the place of his sharpshooter on the way to a deadly rescue mission.

With effort he turned his attention to the team. His men. To the last man, they stepped up to go against Pope. Pope's blatant nerve to involve the Talley family brought out their protective nature. This morning, Pope asked for Alpha Team Six. What he was about to get was something a hell of a lot worse. Men who didn't answer to the government, or to the FBI, or even to him. This team was a deadly force, a wave crossing the water aiming for justice. Pope killed and hunted them. Put them on his most wanted hit list. The mad man had forced them back in service and now they had nothing holding them back. The tiny island that was to be their grave yard would, in a scant few minutes, be their killing field.

****

Wind and the spray of lake water splashed across her face as the boat raced towards its destination. Erin focused all her attention on Eli's wide back. She purposely kept her eyes of the protruding circle of earth where Pope held her mother and father hostage. She didn't look back at the shore, knowing that her sister was still there waiting, unseen. She was determined to keep her thoughts and focus on the man before her.

With each mile of water they crossed, the reality of what she was about to step into weighed down on her like a full metal vest on her chest. Her heart was in a race to go faster than the damn speed boat she was in. Why did she volunteer for this? Who did she think she was, certainly not an agent or even a cop, she was the owner of a diner in a small, blink once you might miss it, town. But, this was her battle now. Pope made it so when he put his hands on her family. Eli had all kinds of guilt right now about his team and now her and her family. His body spoke of his readiness, each muscle rigid as stone.

Erin's life on the outside was a huge mess since she'd met Eli. Yet, on the inside under her fear was Eli's love for her and hers for him. She had confidence within her that she'd never possessed before. He was the reason, Eli was the catalyst that changed her, allowed her to become more. He was fearless and adventurous with a sense of honor a mile wide. A bit of who he was, his unstoppable spirit seeped into her, making her braver. She was only there as a place holder. The five men with her wouldn't let her get hurt, she was sure of it. Today she would help in the rescue, Pope's capture, and right the wrong done to Alpha Team.

Kennedy jumped from the boat near the inlet as Jayce cut the motor. Blake joined Kennedy pulling the craft closer to the shore.
Erin splashed through the water and took her predetermined place between Eli and Blake. Not a word was spoken, each of them knew their roles. Eli was on point, Erin and Blake behind him. Kennedy and Jayce were holding down the rear.

Once they were off the beach and headed into the trees, Erin's heart did a flip in her chest. Two men wearing Camo were off to their right with weapons up and aimed at the team. Eli made a motion with his hand calling for the team to halt. Erin held her breath, knowing that they were going to be fired upon at any second. The men didn't move and on closer inspection she noticed that their eyes were closed and that they weren’t standing there but propped up against the tree. Brennan's handy work. Erin let her breath out. Eli motioned for them to proceed deeper into the forest.

The signs of Brennan's night on the island were scattered throughout the woods. He posed the downed men in positions that would look to the casual eye that they were alive and on watch. The trees started to thin out, sunshine peeking through the canopy, and up ahead there was a clearing with a small group of men standing around a gun metal gray hummer. Eli crouched down and the team followed suit. Eli took out a pair of compact binoculars. His head took a slow swing from left to right, then passed the viewers over to Blake.

"Seven soldiers and Pope. Talley's are in the hummer." Eli told them in a hushed voice. He tipped his head to Jayce. "You know what to do."

Like he was never there at all Jayce faded into the forest. A chill slid down Erin's spine. That dude was all kinds of scary when he wanted to be. Lie a specter, you would never know he was there unless he wanted you to. The perimeter was taken care of there would be no back up from that area. Now all they had to do was get through the group in the clearing, reach her parents and then get the hell out of there. Yeah, easy peasy.

As they watched, there seemed to be a nervous energy flowing through the men in the clearing, weary glances between them, shuffling of feet, and grumbled curses. An older man with salt and pepper hair and a stocky build paced alongside the hummer. He held his cell phone to his ear.

"Come the fuck in Evens." He yelled into the phone. "Wilton, can you reach any of the men in the woods?" He asked one of his men.

"Not getting an answer, Mr. Pope." The man returned.

Erin sucked in a breath. So that was the former deputy director. He didn't look like a demon of hate. More like some executive on a corporate retreat.

"Alright. This has gone far enough. If they hadn't reported in then something has gone wrong. We take the hostages out of here and regroup. Should have never gone this route."

Rage turned his face bright red and Erin could see a vein pulsing in his forehead from where she was crouching. This man didn't have the look of a killer. Erin knew that looks can be deceiving, but honestly, he had a frightened deer in the headlights look in his eyes.

"Alpha team has to be here and overtook our men. I told that idiot that this wasn't going to work." Pope yelled. "Let's get the hell out of here while we still can."

Erin's first instinct was to take off full sprint towards her parents. No way in hell was she letting them be driven out of that clearing. Eli threw his arm across her chest.

"Stick to the plan." He told her quietly.

Erin stared at him, her mind in a riot. Fuck the plan, they were about to get away. She shook her head and her cap went flying.

"Eli, we can't let them go."

The sound of gunfire snapped Erin's attention back to the clearing. The Guardians were being shot down. Two were unmoving in the grass and the others were scrambling to find cover.

Blood pumped like fire through her veins. "Now, Erin. Move now." Eli shouted. Erin fought back her fear and ran. Her part of the plan was to get to the hummer and free her parent while the team took care of the radicals. Erin ran through the tree line, looking back only once to see Eli and the team leaving the cover of the trees opening fire.

She would make it, a few more feet and she would be there. Just a few more feet. Someone stepped into her path, gun pointing at her head. Erin's eyes stretched wide in her face, she knew this man. She swiveled her head in the direction of the hummer and could have sworn she saw her mom's eyes widen with shock and fear lock onto her. Erin turned back to the familiar male, a grin dripping with malice pull his lips upward as he squeezed the trigger.