Chapter Eight

“Thank God you’re here,” Joaquin and Bernardo said in unison. Both of them ignored the seven men behind him and started talking at once.

“Hold up. I can’t understand you. Bernardo, you go first.”

“Salazar shot Molina and one of his men,” Bernardo said excitedly. “It worked perfectly. We’re down to seven of those bastards.”

“Salazar is the worst,” Joaquin warned.

“What’s the word on the boys?” David asked.

“Juan called ten minutes ago. He and his cousin can hear the men who killed their fathers.”

“If he calls again, tell them to stay off the goddamn phone! Those men will hear them, find them, and kill them.” David thought his head would explode.

“I did.” Joaquin looked sick. Those boys were going to end up dead unless Riggs and Harrison could get to them.

“Have you contacted Riggs and Harrison?”

“When I called it went straight to voicemail, I got no response to my text,” Joaquin explained.

“Good for them. They’re maintaining radio or cell phone silence. Maybe that means they’re close.”

Please, God, say they’re close.

A throat cleared behind him.

“Shit. I’m sorry.” He turned. “This is Lieutenant Gray Tyler, of the SEAL team Black Dawn. These are his men. This is my team. Joaquin Morales, the Lieutenant Governor Bernardo Lopez and the woman who runs everything, Carmen…” Fuck, he didn’t know her last name.

“I’m Carmen Garcia.” She gave David a dirty look. “He might not know my last name, but he was smart enough to have me get the blueprints for the hospital. You do speak Spanish don’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Five of the seven men answered. Shit, another thing David hadn’t thought to ask. He needed sleep. He rubbed his shoulder; it was hurting like a son of a bitch.

Shut up Sloane, you can bitch and whine in the next life.

“Ma’am, did Captain Sloane also tell you we would need a map of the city?” Gray asked.

“Of course, he did,” she snapped. “I have that as well.”

Dammit, he had not thought to ask for a map of the city, only the blueprints of the hospital. But Carmen had him covered. He was going to end up owing her his first born.

They went over to the large counter used by the postal workers and laid out the map of the city. The streets around the hospital, the annex building, and the bell tower were of most interest. Then there were the hospital blueprints.

“The hospital has power, it has generators,” David explained.

“Do they have key card entries to doors?” Aiden asked.

“Yes,” Carmen answered. “We’ve collected the ones that have all access.”

“Great,” Gray said.

“Are you using your police force to keep the reporters out of the hospital?” Gray asked.

“The full use of our police force has been securing the perimeter,” Bernardo confirmed.

“You did the right thing,” Gray said.

“It was David’s idea,” Bernardo said proudly.

“When did Salazar’s men take out Molina’s?” Gray asked.

Bernardo looked at his watch. “Twenty-two minutes ago.”

“Let’s saddle up boys,” Gray said looking at his team.

* * *

David was with Gray at the post office coordinating things, while Dalton, Dex, Wyatt, Aiden, and Jack had made their way in through a causeway connecting the hospital basement and the morgue.

Griff was in the bell tower and had three of the doctors spotted on the third floor, with one of the prisoners. The doctors were tied up against the wall of an office.

Dex texted that he had one aid worker, and two tangos accounted for.

A text came into Gray from Jack. It said that he needed a “Go” and “Fast, or we’re going to lose a hostage.”

“Shit,” Gray said. “Jack has a problem. And I still haven’t heard from Aiden.” David watched as Gray texted Jack that they needed two minutes. Then Gray turned on Jack’s microphone so he could hear what was going on.

“Just walk up and put a gun to her head, you dumb ass,” a man yelled in Spanish.

God, they had to be talking about Carys.

Why would they want to shoot her, she was their ticket to freedom?

“I wouldn’t do that.” A voice said over the radio.

Shit. Was that Jack talking? David looked over at Gray who nodded.

“Drop your weapons or I’ll kill you all.” Jack’s Texas twang was fierce.

Gray and David looked at one another. What in the hell was Jack doing?

“Don’t do it. There are three of you and just one of him!” The same man was now screaming.

“Don’t forget her. She seems to be on my side, and she has your leader by the balls.” They heard a woman’s laugh.

What the fuck was going on? This was bad.

“Shoot him!” The man screamed again.

“I’m supposed to take you in and return you to the warden,” Jack said. “Otherwise, you’d be dead. Now drop your weapons.” Jack’s calm voice was impressive. It probably scared the hell out of the men in the room. Hopefully, it gave Carys hope.

“Shoot him!” The man was screaming like a mad man.

They heard a shot from a distance. It didn’t sound like it came from Jack or anyone in that room.

Then they heard a lot of loud shots, that did sound like they came from Jack. High pitched male screams were coming through the microphone.

“Dr. Adams are you all right? Carys?” Jack asked the doctor.

Please make her answer. Please say she was all right.

“I killed him. Did I kill him? I didn’t mean to.” She sounded so sad. So scared. But she was alive.

Thank God, Carys was alive!

“Aiden! You done?” Jack yelled.

“Affirmative, all tangos down.” Aiden’s voice could be heard over the radio.

“Get to the basement. Dr. Adams is injured.”

“Roger.”

David and Gray took off at a dead run. Please don’t let it be a bad injury, Sarah would be inconsolable if Carys died.

* * *

By the time they got there, Aiden was beside Dr. Carys Adams. She had a shallow cut on her chest, that, thank the good Lord, was not going to need stitches.

“Report,” Gray said to Jack.

David looked around the small room in the basement. Three men had been killed by shots obviously fired by Jack. There was a man whose pants were around his ankles with his genitals sliced. Well, that required a little more explanation.

“When I got here, Dr. Adams had a knife to that fucker’s balls,” Jack pointed at the half-naked dead man.

“How’d she get the knife?” Gray asked.

“You’ll have to ask her. I’m just impressed she managed to get it and use it.” Jack grinned.

“Yeah, I can get behind that,” Gray said.

“Me too,” David said. Carys wasn’t paying attention to her admirers, it looked like she was in shock.

“Anyway, dickless was yelling at his men to shoot her. But they were all afraid to because they thought they might shoot him by mistake.”

“Are you shitting me?” Gray asked.

“Nope. That’s the point I showed up.”

“Are you sure she’s okay?” Gray asked.

Jack grinned again. “Aiden beat off all of her fellow doctors to take care of her. He’s going to make sure she’s fine physically. I think the trauma is going to take some time. But she’s one hell of a tough lady, she’ll make it.” Jack smiled.

“Where are they going to take her?” Gray asked David.

“To the hotel. We made that into the hospital. Then we’ll transfer everybody back to the hospital tomorrow.”

As soon as he thought of the hotel, he thought of Sarah. Was she there? Was she all right? Was she tired? When could he see her again? This wasn’t the time. He needed to focus on other things. Now that this was done he needed to talk to Joaquin and find out what happened to Juan and his cousin.

“I want to thank you for everything, Gray.” David held out his hand.

“I don’t suppose you have time for that drink,” Gray said.

“Not for a long while,” David said. Looking at both Gray and Jack Preston, he said, “I can’t thank you enough for everything you did here today.”

“David, it is amazing what you have accomplished here.”

David looked at Gray in shock. That was high praise coming from a man in charge of SEAL team.

“Thanks.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to swing this, but I’m going to talk to my commander and see if we can stay and help out until things settle down.”

David saw Jack nod in agreement.

“After all, we can’t let the Army outdo the Navy.” Gray gave a smile.

David laughed, and it felt good.

“You do realize you’ll have to report to Carmen,” David warned.

“I’ve had worse commanders.”

David felt his gut unclench for the first time in days. Now it was time to find Sarah.

* * *

He couldn’t get to the hotel fast enough, and it sure as hell wasn’t to sleep. It was an absolute madhouse. Two ambulances and three buses were outside the hotel loading up patients.

It took him twice as long as normal to get out of the truck, and he was damn near hobbling as he made his way from the parking lot to the hotel entrance. Was this what it was going to feel like when he reached eighty? All of the mayhem going on in the lobby was a blur until he saw blonde hair.

“Sarah!” Suddenly he wasn’t feeling so old. In less than a second, he was across the floor and had her in his arms. So warm. So soft.

“David.” Her flushed face jammed into his neck. She breathed his name over and over. Then he felt her tears. “You saved Carys.”

“Where is she?”

“She came in with a medic named Aiden. They’re over there.” She motioned with her hand to a curtained off corner.

“Is she really okay?”

Sarah looked at him. “I haven’t talked to her, not really. But I don’t think she’s going to be okay for a while. Even if her body is. You know?” David hugged Sarah, and she clutched at him. Then he picked her up.

“Put me down,” she finally whispered.

“No. I don’t want to.”

“I know you don’t,” she whispered. “But I want to go to our room.”

He let her body drift down his until her feet touched the floor. She took his hand and led him to the elevator.

“Stairs,” he insisted. She rolled her eyes, then nodded her head.

He opened the door to the stairwell, intent on a kiss, but then saw the herd of people. He was not the only one who thought the elevator was a bad bet. She tugged his hand, and they rushed up to the third floor.

In the room, he saw evidence that she had moved in and breathed a sigh of relief. Then all of his attention was focused on one thing, and one thing only. Sarah Kyle was taking off her clothes. Her shirt was tossed off, and she was unclasping her bra.

“Strip,” she demanded. “Shower, then sex.”

He laughed and started to take off his shirt and groaned.

“Fuck.”

“Dammit, David.” Bare chested, she came to him and pushed up his shirt. All thought of pain was gone as he cupped her breasts.

“Stop that, your bandage is soaked through.”

“Fuck my bandage.” He bent and brought a rose colored nipple to his mouth. Heaven. Her breast was so soft to the touch. Damn. Her nipple pebbled against his tongue, and he was as hard as a rock. Good, he felt her hands at his waist. What?

“You’re not unbuttoning me.”

“No, I’m pushing you away. Dammit, David, have you popped your stitches?”

“Quit saying ‘Dammit’, David. Say ‘fuck me’ David. I haven’t popped my stitches. I just did some running and the wound bled.” He pushed her towards the bed and sat her down. Then knelt down and untied her boots.

“I should be doing that for you.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re getting naked. Getting wet. Then you’re getting wetter. Then we’re going to fuck. Then we’re going to make love. Got it?”

Way to go, Sloane.

Her hand cupped his cheek. “I’m already wet.” She kissed him.

They finished undressing, and she checked his wound.

“You’re right, it’s okay. Don’t scare me like this again.”

“I won’t,” he lied. She looked at him and nodded. Knowing his words were a lie, but appreciating them anyway.

After a decadent shower, where he indulged in the softness of Sarah’s skin, he dragged her to the bed. “God, you’re beautiful.” He didn’t know how many days it had been anymore. Four years, five months and twenty-one days? Hell, he didn’t know today’s date, all that mattered was that he had her underneath him.

He pushed up on her thigh so that it rested over his arm, opening her to him. He looked down, and saw nothing but a pink, wet welcome and shuddered. He snagged the condom he’d brought from the bathroom and sheathed himself.

“Now. I need you now.” Looking up, he saw the same welcome reflected in her stormy gray eyes.

He thrust deep, and she moaned, her smile wide. He knew his was wider. Nothing had ever felt better. He shifted, and her thighs clamped around his hips. They found their rhythm, yearning, reaching.

“Deeper, harder,” she demanded.

Perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect. He gave her everything she asked for and reveled in it. Oh God, he felt everything in his body begin to tighten. No, not without her.

Shudders wracked her body and her nails bit into his ass.

“David,” she wailed.

He was lost. Nothing had ever felt better.

When he opened his eyes and looked into the soft gray eyes, he realized he’d been wrong. He was found.

* * *

“You need to sleep.”

“I can’t, baby.”

He found clean clothes that Carmen had somehow found for him and started to put them on.

“I’m not talking as your lover. I’m talking as your nurse. Yes, you were wonderful in bed. Frankly, I don’t know how you managed it. You need sleep.”

Her words were strong, but there was something in her tone of voice…

“Sarah, what’s going on?”

“Nothing. Nothing’s going on. I told you, you almost died. You need to stay here and sleep.”

There it was. He almost died. Could he be more of an idiot? She stood there, her fists clenched by her sides, standing in her panties and bra. He put out his hand and waited. Finally, she took it. He drew her down on the tousled bed beside him.

“I’m not going to die.”

“You don’t know that. Don’t promise me something you can’t deliver on.” She reached out one trembling hand and traced his bandage. A tear trickled down her cheek.

“My job isn’t combat. My job is boring. I do investigations.” She continued to trace his bandage. He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look up at him. “You understand that don’t you, Sarah? My job is boring.”

“You almost died. I couldn’t cope if you died.” Another tear fell. “Do you have to go?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“But the SEALs are here. You told me they’re staying. There’s Joaquin, can’t he work with them?” He willed her to look him in the eye. She finally did, and his heart almost broke.

“Sarah, how often were you in danger when you were in Africa?”

“That’s different?”

“Why was it different?” he asked.

“It didn’t matter if something happened to me. It matters if something happens to you. I’m in love with you,” she cried desperately. He caught her as she flung herself at his chest.

“Ah, baby. I’ve got you. I promise I will be so careful, it’ll be like I’m wrapped in cotton wool. I promise. Now that I have you in my arms again, I’m coming back, nothing is keeping me away.”

“Do you promise?” she asked desperately.

He pulled away and stared at her. “I give you my word. Coming back to you is the most important thing in this world.” She settled back.

“Oh God, did I hurt your shoulder?”

“Honey, I just worried about hurting you.”

“Just come back to me, David. I need you.”

“I need you too.” He stroked her hair, his other hand drifted down to her breast.

His phone rang.

Dammit!

“You have to get it,” she said quietly. “You know you want it to be Joaquin.” David rested his forehead against hers for one more ring, then got up.

He answered it and put it on speaker.

“Riggs and Harrison got the boys.”

David sagged with relief. “Where are they all now?”

“They’re all back at the prison. Harrison didn’t want to call, he refused to let anyone make any noise until they got back in case the escaped convicts were around.”

“Good man.”

“The SEALs arrived, what do I do with them?”

“Get out some maps,” David huffed out a quiet laugh.

“Huh?”

“They are going to be the best team you can ask for to find those convicts. Call in our search teams. We’re going to redeploy them. The SEALs don’t know Las Flores like the natives, so we’ll pair them up.”

“Make sense,” Joaquin said. “When will you be here?”

“I’m leaving the hotel now.”

“Lieutenant Tyler said to bring O’Malley with you.”

“Will do.”

Joaquin hung up, and he looked at Sarah.

“At least you’re taking a medic with you. He can help you when your wound starts bleeding or you keel over from lack of sleep.” He appreciated the ghost of a smile on her face.

“Hey, why are you putting on clothes? I like you in your underwear,” he said trying to keep things light.

“I’m going downstairs with you. I want to check on Carys.”

David held out his hand as he opened the door. She took it, and they started down the hallway, skipping the elevators and heading straight for the stairs. Sarah tugged at his hand as he paused at the spot where she had hit Dr. Stanton.

“Don’t think about it, David.”

That wasn’t going to be possible. But he let her lead him away. The idea of the two of them being separated clawed a hole in his gut. He knew how worried she was about him, but he was just as worried about her. The only saving grace was that she would constantly be surrounded by people and should be safe. But he wanted to be the one watching over her.

As they walked into the lobby, it was pandemonium. The lobby doors were wide open, as gurneys passed through towards ambulances. There were still two curtained off areas. Amidst all the dark hair of the Las Flores residents, it was easy to spot the blonde giant that was Aiden O’Malley as he hovered over the strawberry blonde doctor. What the hell? David checked his watch. Yep. Three hours ago she had been held hostage, and now she had a stethoscope held against a young woman’s chest.

“Do you see them?” Sarah was on her toes, but she couldn’t see over the throng of people. David tightened his grip on her hand.

“Follow me.”

“Doc, do you mind telling me what you’re doing. You need to be resting,” David said in his most reasonable tone of voice.

“Yeah, what he said,” Aiden growled.

Carys made a shushing motion with her hand, then finished listening to the woman’s lungs. She ignored the two men and spoke to Sarah. “How many more in the rural areas need to be brought into the hospital?”

“If they’ve made it into the clinic and needed hospitalization, I’ve gotten them there. The problem has been all the people who haven’t been able to make it to the clinic. I keep hearing reports of people who have died because of untreated injuries. We need an outreach program. Carys, we need to go to them.”

“No way,” David said. “Not while there are convicts still on the loose. You are not going door to door looking for earthquake survivors who need care.”

“Yeah, what he said,” Aiden agreed.

“Don’t you have anything original to say?” Carys snapped at Aiden.

“Okay, get to bed. There’s a room with your name on it. You just killed a man and were covered in your blood and his. You’re still shaky.” Aiden gently clasped her wrists in his hands so that they could all see her hands tremble. “If you’d give me that damn stethoscope, I’d find your heart still racing. You’re white as a sheet. You need to rest for a couple of hours, or better yet, have some food and go to sleep for the night.”

“I didn’t ask for a monologue.” Shit. She was shocky. That sounded like she was pouting.

“Dr. Adams,” the SEAL said in a soothing tone.

“Carys,” she corrected petulantly.

“Carys. He’s right,” David interjected. “You were the one who insisted your people rest the first day you landed. I really respected that.” She was on the fence. He turned to Sarah.

Come on baby, bring it home.

“Carys, if I was to check your blood pressure right now, what would I find? Let’s go get some food. You and I can talk about the outreach plan. Then you can get a little bit of rest while I take over down here.”

“Fine,” she huffed. “Since I was triple-teamed. Where are you two going?” she asked David and Aiden.

“We have to go to the prison. They’re coordinating the manhunt for the remaining prisoners.”

“Are they as dangerous as the…” Carys’ voice trailed off.

“They’re all bad,” David said grimly.

“Go get your food, Carys. When you’re figuring out your outreach program, factor in military personnel going with you,” Aiden warned.

“You too, Sarah, and it will be me.” There was no way he was leaving her safety in anyone else’s hands.

“Same goes, Carys,” Aiden said emphatically. David looked over at the big SEAL. The man worked fast.

Sarah was smirking, and she looked adorable. He pulled her into his arms, loving how easily she wound her arms around his neck. His beautiful gray-eyed nurse. Her lips molded to his and everything around him fell away, just Sarah remained.

“Captain.” Okay, Aiden was still here.

David lifted his head, admiring her wet lips. One last quick kiss. She carefully pushed at his uninjured shoulder.

“Stay safe,” they said in unison and laughed.

“Okay, Aiden. Let’s go.”