* * *

We were at that shit for hours. Piecing shit together, moving things around to come up with the answers.

Once we found the right thread and began to tug, it became easier to connect the dots and the picture that was painted was not a pretty one.

“So here, twenty years ago, Khalil was still a kid, but his old man started the search for the girl. It looks like they didn’t know who exactly had taken her, so it took them some time to whittle it down to the commander.”

We’d only got this far because of Mancini and his connections who he’d called for some information going back all those years.

It was tedious work because we had to follow the general going back twenty years and then moving forward again to see when exactly his path had crossed with Khalil’s.

Once we found the connection it wasn’t hard to pull in the politicians and see their part in the whole filthy mess.

“It was all about money for them. I wonder, did they know who the fuck this guy was when they got into bed with him? I mean, we armed this fuck!” It was safe to say I was beyond pissed.

“This is why I never joined up. No disrespect to anyone in this room, you’ve all proven to be men of honor, but this shit right here, makes me want to fuck some shit up.”

Everyone nodded at Lyon’s words. Though I could make the argument that there was a hell of a lot that makes him homicidal, he had a point.

“I hear you Colton, and this isn’t the worse of it. This just happens to be the thing we got caught up in, but these men, once they lose their way, you’d be surprised at the shit they get into.”

Mancini kept studying the board as he spoke, while the rest of us military men tried to make sense of what the hell we were looking at.

It was hard for me so I was sure it was the same for the others, to fathom selling out our country. But the evidence was right in front of us.

The Desert Fox had set off a shit storm spanning at least the last ten years in order to find this girl. She would’ve been ten back then.

“You know what’s missing? Nowhere does it show what her old man has been doing in the meantime to make sure she’s never found. But I think it’s safe to say that he has been doing something.”

I looked to Lo for confirmation that he agreed with my analysis. “I’m sure you’re right Dev, but what does that mean? Are we supposed to go to him and ask him where the hell he has her stashed?”

“It might not come to that. Let me make a few calls and see what I learn.” No one questioned whether Mancini had that kind of reach, by now it was obvious that he did.

“I have one question. Do I have to wait until you’ve taken care of this Fox guy before I break the senator’s neck?”

Lyon was serious as fuck when he said that and it took the whole room to talk his ass down. “You know we can’t condone you going after a sitting senator Lyon. You’ve already taken care of his brother and sister in law…”

“Logan, brother, I don’t need you or anyone else to condone shit. When it comes to my kids and my woman everybody’s fucked.”

“His family didn’t have a connection to this guy, he did. And if I find out that your ex-president had anything to do with my daughter’s name being in that book personally, he’s fucked too.”

“Don’t waste your breath Lo, I’ll talk to him.” Law shut Logan down when he started to answer Lyon’s threat.

I thought it best to get us back on track before this disintegrated into a screaming match between those two.

Lo has a core of loyalty that runs deep and a huge part of that loyalty is to his country. Until he knows everything and how it all came about, he won’t commit to anything.

Especially when it comes to taking out men that were part of our country’s leadership. I have to say I’m with Lyon on this one though. These fuckers need to die no matter how or why they got caught up in this shit.

“I’m with Colton. This isn’t your garden-variety fuck up, this is some sick shit. They almost had Kelly Lo.” Quinn paced the room and looked back at the screen where the CO had been.

“What if it had been Gaby, which we now know could’ve been a possibility. The only reason she wasn’t in that book is because you hadn’t met her yet.” Lo flexed his shoulders but held his peace.

“But whomever you’d chosen would’ve ended up in his crosshairs. You can’t tell me that doesn’t fuck with you.”

Quinn was pissed and rightfully so, but now was not the time to lose it. “What are we going to do about the ones who were already taken?” It burned my ass that there were young girls and women who’d already fallen prey to this shit.

“Thorpe, that’s what he specializes in. If they’re out there, he’ll find them. As to the senator, Thorpe already dealt with one of those maybe he would know where to start looking.”

“How long ago was this?”

“A couple years ago, why don’t I give him a call?” He didn’t wait for an answer but called Thorpe right away.

We all listened in as he gave him the bare bones and there was no surprise when he mentioned some names that we had already heard before.

“If they’re being held domestically Blade and Jake might be of help there, I’ll get my team to look overseas. I’ll let you know what we come up with if anything. If you get anymore just shoot it to me. Are the SEALs there?”

“We’re here.” Logan answered him on the speaker. “Can one of you explain to your admiral that I don’t take orders from him? The man’s a pain in the ass.”

“Why what’s he doing?”

“Well for starters, he and his motley crew seem to think that all that’s needed is to kill everyone and anything that moves. This is a very delicate situation we’re dealing with here, we can’t just go blow shit up for fuck sake.”

“Why don’t you give them something to do? Let them help you out?”

“Because I don’t work with unknowns.” Another hard ass.

“We’ll take care of it Thorpe, and thanks again.” He hung up after Lo’s words. “Quinn deal with your father in law.”

“What the fuck, you’re in charge Lo that’s your deal.” I found my first laugh since we got back from Cali and that little exchange seemed to lighten the mood a bit.

“Okay, so Thorpe’s taking care of the ones who were already taken, we have the others secure. All we need to do now is find this woman and then take care of Khalil. Does that sound about right?” I asked the room at large.

“Mancini when are you going to make that call?” He checked his watch. “They’re seven hours ahead so it’s what, ten in the morning? I say we get some rest and come back at it in a few. I’ll make the call then.”

We all agreed and the men got to their feet to leave. Mancini pressed some buttons and the board slid into the casing on the wall and disappeared.

“Just in case the girls should find their way in here.” Not sure how they would do that seeing as how the shit has more security than Fort Knox, but he was right. These women are resourceful if nothing else.

As the rest of us headed back to the cottages leaving Lyon and Mancini in the mansion, the tension was heavy.

“You know they killed your CO right?” Ah damn Law, not now.

“The rest of you really think I don’t want to end these fucks? But what happens if we go after them before we get those girls back? Did any of you think of that?”

That’s why he’s our fearless leader, because he thinks about shit like that. Me, I say we go take his fucking head and let Lyon loose on the senator. As for the fuck up, that might be a little harder.

“I hear you Lo, but after we’ve taken care of them he’s done.”

“Tyler!”

“No Logan, fuck that. We heard it from the old man’s mouth. There’s no more second-guessing. He’s fucked.” Ty stormed off in the direction of his cottage.

“Connor!” Logan gritted out the name.

“Yeah I got him. But you know he has that other crazy fuck singing the same tune. I’ma need combat pay.”

Con went after Tyler and caught up with him. “We can’t go off half cocked here brothers. This isn’t some redneck brigade in the fucking hills. We’re talking about a senator and a three star general not to mention an ex-president.”

“I’ll try to rein Lyon in later, but I gotta tell you, if we don’t do something soon he’s liable to pop his fucking leash. I told you when we first brought him in.”

“Yeah you told me but I didn’t know the fuck was a renegade. And he and Tyler seem to be cut from the same fucking bolt of cloth. It’s a wonder either one of ‘em lasted this long as hot headed as they are.”

“Lyon’s not hotheaded, he might seem to be, but that is one methodical fuck. Personally I think Mancini is the one we gotta watch.”

Everyone looked at Justice who was nodding his head. “Think about it. Lyon and Ty might have the anger, but neither of them have the resources this guy has.”

“I’ve been checking out his setup here, and this motherfucker is the real deal. And we all know he has no affiliation with anything as far as we can tell.”

“Dammit, how did this get so fucked? Okay, so now it’s three of them we gotta watch, fuck my life. Okay, Con has Ty, Mancini has Lyon, but who the fuck is gonna keep his ass in check?”

‘That would be you Lo, you’re the one in charge.” Thank fuck! I don’t want to be in charge of shit. I just wanna break some heads and get on with my life.

“I’m gonna fuck Khalil’s shit up for this shit alone. The rest of you get some sleep, who knows what the hell is coming next.”

“We’re gonna owe the girls big when this shit is all said and done.” Zak clapped me on the back and moved off.

“And you, we’re gonna have a little chat about what the fuck is going on with you.” Lo pointed at me before he too walked away.