Tumult (TSS Series Book 1) by Lea Hart (3)

CHAPTER THREE

Monday, October 2^nd

Audrey walked up to the massive building that housed Titan and heard the roar of a jet engine as a plane took off from the Tijuana airport. Shifting the bag on her shoulder, she opened the glass doors and prayed the company was as good as Kelly had said.

Traveling in Syria wasn’t going to be easy and the trip’s success was going to be dependent on the contacts Titan had in the area as well as a certain amount of God's good grace. Fighting was still happening all over the region as the YPG battled ISIS and she had no illusions that it wasn’t going to be dangerous.

A clean-cut kid who looked to be no more than twenty was manning the front desk and he greeted her with a friendly smile. “Hello, I’m Audrey Barnes and I have an appointment with Locke Rodgers.”

“Of course, I’ll let him know.”

Turning, she noticed several photos adorning the far wall and wondered if the desert-scapes were supposed to make her feel calm. Hearing her name, she turned and saw Locke approach with a huge smile. “Hi, Locke.”

“Hey, Audrey.”

They exchanged hugs and then he held her at arm’s-length as he studied her. “You look happy, so the writer thing must be agreeing with you.”

“It sure is.” Tilting her head up, she studied his face and noticed he was as handsome as she remembered. His dark reddish-blond hair and pretty melty brown eyes had always caught her attention and it was a shame their timing never worked out. “You look handsome and healthy, so I’m guessing retirement from the Teams didn’t break you.”

Taking her hand, he led her down the hall. “Landed in a great place, working with people I respect, and most days I’m still in the field.” They stopped in an area that had tables and a coffee bar set up. “Something to drink?”

“No, thanks, I’ve had plenty this morning and I don’t want to be vibrating when we go into the meeting.”

“I’ll introduce you to the rear admiral, then take you on a tour of the facilities and afterward Carrick will give you the plan for your trip.”

“Sounds great.”

They walked to the end of the hall and Locke rapped on the open door. “Clint, you have a sec to meet Audrey Barnes?”

“Absolutely.”

Audrey followed Locke into a spacious office and smiled at the man with the deep baritone voice and intimidating manner. The rear admiral looked to be in his mid-fifties and was broadly built. He stood well over six feet and could’ve easily come out of central casting for a handsome commander. “Hello, sir.”

He stepped forward and put out his hand. “Clint Foster, it’s nice to meet you.”

“My agent highly recommended your company and I look forward to hearing the proposal.”

Crossing his arms, he gave her an equanimous smile and nodded. “I have some of the best operators in the world on the team and I believe we’re going to be your first choice when it comes to keeping you safe. The company has assets in the area and they’re going to be available, should Carrick need them.”

The intercom on the desk beeped and a voice said, “Sir, your daughter is here.”

“You’ll have to excuse me.”

“Certainly,” Audrey replied.

“Check in with you later today,” Locke said over his shoulder he as he led Audrey out of the office. “Are you ready for the nickel tour?”

“Sure, this place looks huge from the outside and I can’t imagine what you guys do in here.”

“This is a state of the art training facility and we’ve got a multi-purpose range, tactical marking roundhouse, a static ship simulator and container climbing and inspection tower.”

“I had no idea the company offered so many training opportunities. I thought it mostly focused on…actually, I’m not even sure.”

“When the original owner started the company, he offered not much more than a gun range and a classroom. The evolution of private military contractors was a slow one until the towers were hit.”

They walked into an indoor range and Audrey looked around at the empty space. “Maybe I should refresh my skills before leaving for Syria.”

“Not a bad idea, but we don’t expect you to be a sharpshooter.”   

“I know but making sure I haven’t forgotten everything my dad taught me can’t hurt.”

Locke lifted her hand and held it up to his. “Your hands are small, so I don’t think anything bigger than a Glock 26 is going fit.”

Looking across the room, she saw the paper targets and grinned. “Wonder if I can still hit one of those?”

“You probably can, it’ll just take some practice.” His phone buzzed and he took it out of his pocket. “Looks like Carrick is ready, so let’s head over and to the conference room and he can finish the tour after the meeting.”

“Are you available for the assignment?”

Locke gave her a disappointed smile and then shook his head. “Wish it was going to be me, but I’m heading over to Abu Dhabi to work at the militia development center there.”

“The UAE needs an army?”

“Everyone needs an army that’s proficient and we’re going to make sure the crown prince has what he wants.”

“The whole idea of private militia is so controversial and I’d love to understand it from all sides at some point.” 

“Since you’re going to be spending time with Carrick, I’m sure he’d be more than happy to fill you in from an operator’s point of view.”

“Might be interesting,” she replied as they walked toward the front of the building. Once they stepped into the conference room, Audrey saw a big man bristling with energy standing at the head of the table. He had shoulders like a stevedore, bowling-ball-sized muscled upper arms, and thighs that strained against his slacks. Add to that a frown that made his beautiful visceral face a tad unfriendly and she was praying for another option to take her Syria. Gluing a fake smile on, she put out her hand. “Hello, I’m Audrey Barnes.”

Tipping his head in acknowledgment, he took her hand. “Carrick Young.”

She kept smiling, knowing Titan wasn’t her only choice for security, and if Carrick turned out to be as snarly as he appeared, she would simply choose SAI. Not that an unpleasant countenance would deter her from working with someone; it’s just, in this particular case, she didn’t want to be in a life or death situation with someone who didn’t much care for her. “Should we get started?” Slipping her hand out of his, she took a chair and set her bag down.

“I’m going to leave you two to plan the trip,” Locke said as he bent down. “Let’s try and have dinner before you head back to New York.”

“Sounds perfect,” Audrey replied. She watched him leave and then turned toward Carrick. “Why do I feel like you drew the short straw on this assignment?”

“Not sure,” he replied as he took a chair, sat back, and crossed his arms. “I’ve spent some time in the region and I’m probably the best option you’ve got to get you in and out in one piece.”

“I know this isn’t going to be easy and the last thing I want to do is put someone in danger. Unfortunately, the publisher is putting restrictions on the trip and it seems that I have to go along with it and have security.”

“No way for you to travel in the region unescorted and, lucky for you, we’ve got assets in the area that are going to run backup when we travel through the North.”

“I have a rough itinerary sketched out; perhaps we can look at it and decide if it makes sense.” She opened the folder and took a copy out and handed one to Carrick. “At first, I thought flying into Antakya would be the best option since it’s closest to Aleppo, but in light of the Turkish government’s movement in the area, it no longer seems wise.”

“I agree since President Erdoğan is looking to control the Idlib Province and make sure the HTS alliance doesn’t gain a stronghold. According to a buddy who’s in the area, the Turks have tanks waiting on the border with Russia ready to provide air support.”

“Seems a little heavy handed given the current relationship between the two governments, but I’m the farthest thing from an expert on politics in the region and can barely keep up with who’s on first.”

“Baseball fan?”

“Yes, but I won’t tell you who my team is because, as far as I can tell, you don’t like me much. I don’t need to make it worse in the event I end up putting my life in your hands.”

“Since you went to school in Boston, I’m guessing the Red Sox.”

“I’m pleading the fifth.”

As Carrick lifted the paper that held her proposed itinerary, she watched his face for any reaction. When his eyes narrowed and he pinched the bridge of his nose, she knew it was going to be a tough negotiation to get to where she needed to go. “Thoughts?”

“You’re crazy if you think I’m taking you anywhere near al-Malikiyah. That’s too damn close to Mosul and right now, U.S. led coalitions are bombing the hell out of the place.”

“That’s the last stop and one of the most important bases for the YPJ.”

Tapping the paper, he grinned. “Guess you’re going to have to settle for al-Darbasiyah, Qamishli, and Afrin.”

“Perhaps it will be an option by the time we arrive.”

“Perhaps I’ll become a fan of pop music. Both possible, but highly unlikely.”

“Ultimately, the decision will lie with you; all I ask is that you keep an open mind as the situation develops.”

“Sure, why not?”

“A statement like that leads me to believe that you’re placating me because, as distasteful as it is, I’m the client and, to some degree, I have to be happy for this partnership to work.” Giving him a faint smile, she moved her folder aside. “But please know, I prefer the truth and hate having my time wasted. If I know al-Malikiyah is a no-go then I can make sure to get what I need from the women I interview in the other outposts.”

“Fair enough, Audrey. I’m used to being in the Navy and either taking orders from my superiors or giving them to the men I commanded. It was a no-bullshit environment and I’ve been told that civilians don’t always find that valuable.”

“I do, so give it to me straight and I can handle it.” Seeing his face relax, she felt like she’d made a breakthrough. “Who knows? Maybe this will be a lot easier than either one of us thinks. After all, the North is in better shape than it’s ever been since Assad wants to prove to the world that he’s not a monster. My contact in the area told me that Kobane has electricity and it’s back to business as usual for the most part.”

“As much as that’s possible with a dictator who’s willing to drop bombs on his own people.”

“True, he probably wonders why the world took such a dismal view when he released a bomb with serine gas on his countrymen.”

Running his hand over the itinerary, he asked, “Do you know what you’re getting into and what ISIS will do to you if they get their hands on you?”

“Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. The women I’m writing about always keep one bullet and an extra grenade available because they would rather die than be captured by the enemy.”

“This trip is a bad idea and the possibility of what could happen to you if something goes wrong makes me very uncomfortable.”

“Didn’t think being comfortable was a priority for a former frogman, but having said that, I understand if you decide you’re not interested.” Watching him run his big hand down his face told her more clearly than words that he didn’t want any part of this trip, but was going to do it anyway. How much of a problem that was going to present would be interesting to see. “How often do things go wrong?”

“Eighty percent of the time, but I’m running and gunning with the best men in the world, so it’s usually not a problem. Being in the middle of a civil war with a lawyer will not afford me that same luxury.”

“You just said lawyer like it was a curse word.”

“I have nothing against anyone in your profession, but honestly, the idea of taking someone like you into war-torn Syria is not a smart choice.”

Leaning back, she crossed her legs and studied him. “Tell me the truth…is it me or the idea of a trip to Syria that has the hair on the back of your neck standing up?”

“Why in the hell do you have to go anyway?”

“As far as a non-sequitur goes, that’s not a great one, but I’ll answer your question despite the fact that you haven’t answered mine.” Sitting up straight, she tapped the itinerary. “I need to meet these women and hear their stories firsthand; I also must see where they’ve battled and what it means to them and future generations. I want to understand the families and the sacrifices the Kurds are making for their ancestral land, and the only way to do that is to go.”

“Which tells me you’re an all-in sort of person, which will either work in our favor or blow up in our faces. I have a tac plan for the trip and the only way we’ll survive is if you follow my directions. No bullshit.”

Seeing his flashing mahogany eyes, Audrey recognized how formidable he was going to be. “I need to accomplish certain things during my trip, otherwise it doesn’t make sense to go. If you think you can work with the itinerary, then I’ll consider Titan for the job.”

“Audrey, Titan is the only option because we have assets in-country and I have the experience necessary to ensure your survival. But, you have to know, if shit goes sideways,” he waved her itinerary and frowned, “this won’t mean a damn thing.”

“But not spending the time I need makes the trip pointless.”

“All we can do is assess the situation day by day. If I feel it’s necessary to exfil, then that’s what we’re going to do. No questions asked, no debate, no kumbaya moment.”

Crossing her arms, she tapped her foot. “That sounds like a dictatorship.”

“When we play in the sandbox, that’s how it goes.”

“I have a lot to think about.”

“Absolutely.”

Feeling his energy again, she studied him and knew he was being candid about the prospects of the trip. Not sugar coating what was possible, and she appreciated it. The last thing she needed was someone to fill her with false confidence about what they were in for. What she needed was an operator with the experience to pull her out when and if it was needed. Carrick Young didn’t have an ounce of charm in him and didn’t like her, which no longer seemed to be significant. Honesty, ferocity, and know-how were the most important things to consider, and he seemed to have all of it in spades.

“I’ll meet with SAI and then follow up with you in the morning as to my decision.”

Carrick stood and she did as well. “I want you to understand what’s expected up front because the last thing either of us needs is to be surprised when we’ve got ISIS crawling up our asses.”

“And what a picture that is,” Audrey commented as she shoved her things into her bag.

“Best to deal with what is and not what we hope.”

Putting out her hand, she waited for Carrick to take it. When he did, she looked up and grinned. “That’s my motto in the courtroom and I suppose it will work in Syria as well.”

“Call me tomorrow and let me know what you’ve decided.”

“Of course.” As she walked out of the conference room, she felt the weight of his stare as he followed her out. It wasn’t anything she hadn’t experienced before, but for some reason, it made her shiver as she walked through the lobby toward the parking lot. Carrick Young wasn’t going to be easy to spend a week with, but neither was the trip itself.

All around, not a great prospect.

Maybe the men at SAI would prove to be equally qualified and a tad nicer, so the idea of going to Syria wouldn’t fill her with dread and excitement in equal measure.