CHAPTER TWENTY
Tuesday, October 10
Ain Assad Air Base
Iraq
Frisco sat in the operations center and reviewed the target package. Intel had come in reporting that Hamza was going to be in the Al Anbar Province in a rural area called Karmah tonight. He was expected to stay for only a couple of hours, which made him a time-sensitive target that might not make it through the approval process fast enough to launch.
Which would suck, because to be this close and not have a chance would be criminal. Hearing a commotion, he saw an intelligence officer stride in with a big smile. “Good news?”
“Looks like we’re a go for tonight’s mission, and they’ve started mission planning already.”
Leaning back in his chair, Frisco let out a long breath and then pumped his fist in the air. To say he was surprised at the approval and quick turnaround would be a huge understatement. Checking his watch, he saw it was close to midnight and they were going to need to be wheels up within the hour to make the window. “Did you alert the men?”
“Affirmative, sir.”
Jumping out of his chair, he headed out to the barracks and joined the platoon as they started making preparations. The room was buzzing with energy as everyone started putting on gear, and Shane came up to him and thumped him on the back. “What’s up?”
“Wanted you to hear from me first, I’ve been assigned ground force commander on this one.”
“No problem, man. You’ve got the experience to make sure we succeed.”
“I may be running as the GFC tonight, but you’ll be the assault force commander on the main target.”
His face split into a grin. “I’ll take it.” To be leading the team designated with killing or capturing one of the most important al-Qaeda leaders was not a bad way to spend his time. “See you on the other side, brother.”
“Sounds good.”
Frisco watched his buddy stalk off and knew they didn’t have time to insert off the target and patrol silently in as they’d done on other air assault operations. They simply didn’t have time, and unfortunately, that would mean they had to abandon the element of surprise, and that sucked.
Tonight’s op was going to be all about precision, and they were going to have to land directly on the objective, or on the X, as they liked to call it. Not a minute or a click to spare if they wanted to succeed.
Jax came up, and they bumped fists. “Just got word I’m the sniper assigned to the heli-borne aerial reaction force. I’ll be overhead covering your ass this time and not leading you into the lion’s den.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Stay safe, man.”
“Plan on it, ’cause I got a woman to woo, and I can’t do that if I’m dead.”
“True that.”
Frisco watched Jax walk back to his locker and reviewed the plan that had been put together hastily and knew the strategy was a solid one. They had traded the element of surprise for speed, violence of action, and overwhelming force. Which, if he had to bet, would work out perfectly.
He began putting on his personal gear, and a bad feeling swept over him in waves, as though his spidey senses were trying to tell him something.
Like he’d forgotten something important.
Shaking his head, he started putting on his body armor, which was front and back plates that were level four and could stop multiple rounds from a 7.62 gun. Looking at his side plates, he decided to put them on as well, even though he usually didn’t when on assaults because of the added weight and restricted movement. Once they were in place, he felt his spidey senses settle and knew trading protection for freedom of movement was the right move. After all, he had someone pretty damn special at home that he had to return to.
***
Coronado
California
The moment Brooke ended the call, she knew what she had to do. Opening her laptop, she slid into a chair at the island and started to search for flights. It was going to take her at least a day and a half to get there, and the chance of getting on a flight in the next couple of days was not great. Exhaling heavily, she started her search and hoped the gods were going to help her get to Malaba quickly.
“Brooke, where are you?” Chance called from upstairs.
“Kitchen,” she shouted back.
Hearing his feet clomp across the hardwood floors, she wondered what he needed. Going back to her search, she scrolled through her options. The best one would take her through Newark airport and then to Lomé, which was the capital of Togo, after that Douala in Cameroon, and finally into N’Djamena. Thirty hours if she didn’t miss a connection. Not bad, considering how far she was going.
“Brooke, have you seen my blue hoodie?”
“Check the dryer.” Feeling him stand behind her, she looked up and saw his inquisitive gaze slide over the computer screen.
“Why in the hell are you looking up flights for N’Djamena?”
“I got a call this morning letting me know that Malaba had a stroke, and I’ve decided to go and help her while she’s recovering.”
“I thought you weren’t going to sign another contract with MSF?”
“I’m not. I’m going on my own.”
“You can’t travel through Chad on your own.”
“I’ve made a lot of friends, and by the time I leave, I’ll have a ride to Baga Sola.”
“You need someone with the permits to travel through the northern part of the country.”
“Duh.”
“I don’t like it,” he bit out with frustration.
“Noted.”
Exhaling heavily, he rubbed his palm against his face. “Why do you feel like you have to go?”
“Because Malaba was very good to Piper and me when we were there, and I want to help her.”
“What about the malaria flare-up and the parasite feasting on your organs?”
She pushed his shoulder and let out a laugh. “That’s gross.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“I’m taking the anti-malaria medication, and I finished with the prescription for the parasite, so all and all, I’d say I’m feeling a whole lot better.”
“Which means you should stay here and fully recover before you travel again.”
“I’ll probably only be gone a month and be home well before Thanksgiving.”
“Anything I can say to keep you here?”
“No, I need to do this.”
The front door opened, and she heard Piper’s voice. “In here.”
“Hey, kids,” Piper called out as she entered.
“Come in and please convince my sister not to go back to Chad.” He kissed Brooke’s head and then walked toward the laundry room.
Piper slid into a chair next to her. “Why are you going back?”
“Malaba needs some help.”
“And you’re the only one who can do it?”
“No, but I want to go. Maybe it’s my way of thanking the universe for the clean bill of health I just got. It feels right, and I want to do it.”
“I get it.” She pulled out two folders from her bag, placed them on the counter, and pressed her hands over them. “I’ve started the groundwork for the foundation that’s going to fund our mobile clinic.”
Leaning back, Brooke clasped her hands and grinned. “Really?”
“Yes. My attorney is putting it together, and I’m hoping by January we’ll have everything in place, so we can start putting the first one together.”
“This is the best news.”
Piper nodded vigorously. “I’m unbelievably excited because we can do the work we love and stay in the States.”
“And stop at all the McDonald’s when we’re on the road.”
“All roads do not lead to Egg McMuffins.”
Swinging her leg, she shook her head. “That’s where you’re wrong.”
“Whatever.”
“Speaking of whatever, have you heard from Frisco?”
“No, and I don’t expect to.”
“Because you broke up with him, or because he can’t make calls?”
“Both.” Wiping off the screen of her computer with her sleeve, she let out a breath. “We only spent a month together and really don’t know one another at all, but…”
“He found a small corner of your heart and burrowed in like a tick.”
Veering her eyes to her friend, she pressed her lips tight and nodded.
“He probably used some super ninja technique that he learned in SEAL school. You know, some tactic that they use in warfare.”
“Or my romantic soul had the IQ of an earthworm minus the capacity of self-preservation.”
“Or that,” Piper replied quietly.
Letting out a long-tortured sigh, she rested her head on the island. “I’m exhausting myself, and I can’t think about this anymore. Which means it’s time to get out of my head and go and do some good in the world and forget about that dirty boy who has my mind spinning in circles.”
“I tried to get rid of him for you when he came to the hospital, but I see all it did was slow him down.”
“Yeah, even my ending things didn’t seem to have any effect on him. He’s either the best thing in the world or a psycho. The rope is swinging both ways, and I’m not sure where it’s going to land.”
“Well, we have that to look forward to.”
Brooke stood and took her friend’s hand. “Come and help me pack.”
“That I can do.”
As they walked upstairs, Brooke thought about what Frisco had said during their last conversation and wondered how much of it he meant.
Time would eventually tell, that was for darn sure.