Chapter Twenty-One
If Cora thought she hurt before, it in no way compared to how much pain she was in now. Alejandro’s men had most likely broken a few ribs using her as a punching bag. It hurt to breathe. Cora was petrified after Alejandro’s announcement that he was going to pimp her out to his men even though he had told her before she wasn’t going to be. Leave it to a criminal to lie. She could hardly fight them all off. It would be a fate worse than death. Cora thought about what Hannah might have gone through at the hands of this man. No one knowing where she was, and being at the hands of this man for weeks, and that was before the other places she had been held. It was a daunting thought. She refused to face the same fate if she could help it. She hoped they were still in California. Hearing the water told her she was on the coast, but the ocean stretched several hundred miles. After the video ended Alejandro turned his beady little eyes on her. She tried to shrink back from him, but his goons and the chains kept her in place. She had kept quiet for Liam’s sake, wanting to be strong for him, but now her confidence was shaking. The cold dead look in Alejandro’s eyes frightened her. And to think she had worked for him. Defended him to Liam. She was such a fool.
“I’m sorry our time together is going to have to be cut short, mi querido. Such a waste.” He stepped back and looked at his men. “Bring her outside. Soon all will get the message of what happens when you cross me.”
Cora tried to fight them as her shackled hands were being lowered. Her arms protested her movements as pinpricks of pain shot through her arms when blood started flowing back into them. She was easily subdued. One goon held her upper body, while the other held her legs. They walked towards the end of the tunnel. Cora had a fear of all the men who would be standing there waiting to take a turn at her. She kept trying to struggle, then stopped when they reached the end of the tunnel, that opened for a few feet before it hit the water. Lots and lots of water. She wasn’t on the coast at all. She couldn’t even see the coast. Where the hell was she? She looked around, and saw ocean all around her. The rock she was on was only 50 feet wide. An island? Where was there an island near Fort Irwin? Alcatraz was the only island she could think of, and it was a lot larger than this and you could still see land from it. It also had a structure on it not just a rock structure.
“Did you think we were still in your precious California?” Alejandro chuckled at her confused and shocked face. “We are at my home, mi querido.”
Holy shit. She was in Panama? She was in Panama. Oh, she was so dead. How would help get to her? Did anyone even know where she was? “Where’s Liam?” Cora had to know where he was. Since he wasn’t in the cave and they were on an island she knew he wasn’t near.
“Dead.” Alejandro shrugged in indifference. “We left his carcass on the side of the road like the scum he is. We gave him the same courtesy his men showed mine. He was the first of many to come.”
Dead? Left on the side of the road? No, she wouldn’t believe that. Liam was resilient. He couldn’t be dead she just got him back. His life couldn’t be over before theirs had begun. They hadn’t been that far away from Aaron’s house. Someone would come. She had to believe that. “And what exactly are you hoping to prove by raping and killing me?”
“Rape?” Alejandro said in mock shock. “There is no rape here. All the women enjoy our attention.”
Tell that to Hannah.
“Trust me, they don’t.” Cora glared at him. The man was delusional if he thought women liked being drugged and raped.
Alejandro waved her words off as if she didn’t know what she was talking about. “Your death will send a message, that no matter how long it takes me or what resources I have to use, I always win.”
“But you didn’t get your drugs or the women back.” Cora pointed out.
“Not yet, but soon. My men are already out collecting them. Soon I will have my Hannah back, but you will not live long enough to see her. You betrayed me, Cora. I’m going to show you what happens to those that betray me.”
“You’re never going to get away with this. Liam and his team will come for me.” Instead of being intimidated, Alejandro just smiled. That was not the reaction she was hoping for.
“I’m counting on it, mi querido. You made all of this to easy.” Cora had made it easy. She left the protection of Aaron’s house. If she hadn’t been so determined to sleep in her own bed again. No. She couldn’t think like that. None of this was her fault or Liam’s. It was this psycho in front of her faults.
“Then go ahead. Do your worst.” Cora spit at him and felt a moment of pride when he reared back covered in spit. Her mother might shake her head at the un-lady like behavior, but her dad would pat her on the shoulder and tell her job well done.
Fire lit in Alejandro’s eyes as he pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed the spittle off. “I’m really going to enjoy watching you die.” Alejandro pocketed his handkerchief, and pulled out a small roll of duct tape from the other pocket. He tore off a small section and placed it over her lips. “Now, no one will hear you cry for death. Not even the fish. You will be silent as your people say as the grave.” Alejandro chuckled menacingly as his men carted her to the edge of the island. Cora feared they were just going to throw her in the water. Her hands were still bound, and now her mouth was covered. Breathing was about to become a problem, and with broken ribs, it was now next to impossible. She tried to struggle, but the two goons threw her over the edge. Cora free fell for only a few seconds, and instead of landing in the water she landed hard on a small boat. The goons laughed at her as they stepped into the boat with her, followed by Alejandro. One of the goons started the motor, while the other two sat next to Cora, probably just in case she got any ideas and tried and throw herself overboard. She was a decent swimmer, but with the shackles and broken ribs, she wouldn’t make it far. They rode to the left of the island, a few hundred feet before killing the engine. Cora didn’t understand why they had stopped. She couldn’t see anything in the dark. Just the gentle waves that caught in the moonlight. The two goons hefted her up, and dragged her to the edge of the boat. She could just make out the island in front of her. Why were they here in the middle of nowhere? She was heaved over the side of the boat, and she flailed when she felt the water lapping at her. They were just going to dump her here? Why go through all the effort? They could have just thrown her in the water back on the island. Why drive all the way out here? Cora tried to gasp in shock as the water touched her bare skin. It wasn’t freezing, but it wasn’t exactly warm either. She started to sink, and she kicked her legs out to try and stay floating before she realized there was a rock under her feet and at her back. It was just a small rock sticking out of the water. The goons ignored her as they wrapped the excess chain around the rock and her several times, before locking it and handing the key to Alejandro.
“I discovered this rock in my youth. I would swim to it as a boy. It never had great meaning to me until now. I think I will name her vengeance rock. You will be the first of my many enemies to meet their end here. You see here in a few hours before sunrise the water will rise, and soon this rock will disappear. You will die before your men can save you. And if by some miracle they find us before you die, you can watch them die before you drown.” Alejandro leaned down and kissed Cora on her duct tape covered lips. “Adios, mi querido.” He said, before one of the goons started the boat and rode back to the island.
Waves from the motor splashed her in the face, and Cora wanted to cough up the water that went up her nose but couldn’t. Her eyes burned, and she tried to breathe slowly. Cora started shaking from the cool waters that settled at her chest. She pulled on her chains, but they held. If she only had a bobby pin or something she could try and pick the lock. Cora wiggled from side to side and felt the chain slide with her. The chain. It had only been wrapped around the rock it wasn’t anchored to anything except her. If she could wiggle her way up the rock, she might get the chains lose and swim for shore. Cora used her feet and started working her way up the rock. She could only pray she got out of this before the water rose.
~
Liam paced in the plane for over six hours. All sorts of scenarios of what was happening to Cora plagued him and was driving him mad. He didn’t know if she would even be alive when he got there. This very well could not be a rescue mission at all. His teammates had tried distracting him to no avail. He wouldn’t relax until he saw Cora with his own eyes and had her safe back at home. It didn’t matter the condition he found her in. She was coming home. He was still stunned that their new commander had allowed them all to go and was flying them. It was surreal. He had been completely prepared to give up his career for Cora. She meant everything to him. He had no idea what he would do as a civilian. He had never given it a thought before. He assumed he would be doing this until the military kicked him out for being too old. Would Cora expect him to quit? They had never discussed it before. Now wasn’t the time to think about it. He needed to focus on the here and now. Cora needed him. He marched over to where the group was gathered over a map of the island and the general area where Hannah had pointed out the island was. It was only a few miles south of his base and completely exposed. Satellite imaging showed there weren’t any good places of entry without being exposed. A HALO jump would be best, but once in the water, they would be sitting ducks. But it was their best and only option, that would get them to the island the quickest.
“It’s time to suit up. We’ll be over Alejandro’s base here in a few minutes.” Commander Jones announced at the top of the stairs. Silently they folded up the map and checked all their gear, preparing to jump. Liam prayed he wasn’t too late.
After landing in the water and separating their chutes, they called out to each other using short whistles. They grouped together quickly and got their bearings. They could see the island using NVD and started swimming for the island. They reached the island in only a few minutes with Midas in the lead. Midas looked around before easing out of the water without making a sound, and low crawled to the edge of the tunnel. Each man followed up quickly and took a point. They could hear low whispered words coming from inside and see torches lit. Obviously, Alejandro wasn’t expecting them. It was time to end this. Liam was getting ready to head in, when he thought he heard someone call his name somewhere in the water. He looked to where he thought he heard it coming from, the left of the island but couldn’t see anything but water and didn’t hear anything but waves.
“There a problem?” Midas whispered to him.
“Nothing. Thought I heard something.” Liam shook it off and refocused on getting inside the tunnel. The team hugged the wall as they slowly made their way inside. The tunnel wasn’t very long. Only a few hundred feet. It opened into a large cavern filled with torches. Liam immediately recognized the room as where Cora was being held. He would have to thank Hannah later for telling them where this place was. Liam eased ahead of the others to do reconnaissance and saw only four men in the room sitting around talking. He kept scanning but couldn’t find Cora. He turned to Midas and signaled four enemies and types of weapons. Midas signaled back about hostages. Liam shook his head. Liam would get them to talk, he had no fear. It was seven to four. This would be a walk in the park. They stayed low and entered the room fanning out. No one saw them until it was too late. Alejandro saw them first and stood up shouting for his men. His goons stood up with guns and started shooting without knowing who or where they were shooting at. Liam and his team took them down quickly leaving Alejandro to fight them alone. Liam took off his helmet. “Where is she?” he demanded.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Alejandro stared them all down.
Liam marched up to Alejandro and gripped the front of his shirt with two hands and lifted him off his feet. “I’m not fucking around. Where is she?”
Alejandro just smiled coldly at him then they all heard the cocking of guns. “You will never live to find her, pendejo.” Liam’s team spun around to face a new threat. Twenty soldiers stood at the opening of the tunnel aiming weapons at them. Liam dropped Alejandro and spun and started firing at his newest obstacle to get to Cora. Bullets ricocheted off the rock walls, and men spread out as they opened fired on each other. Liam heard the ping of a bullet hitting the wall behind him, then a chunk of rock landed on him. This place was a death trap. They needed to end this quickly before the cave fell around them. Midas fired at a man running at him from his right. Tiny and Hound quickly finished off the last of them. Liam looked at his teammates, and a few were hit, but all injuries looked superficial. Most from the ricochets, and not direct hits.
“Tiny, again?” Doc teased him as he looked him over.
“What can I say? I’m a bullet magnet. Good thing chicks dig scars.” Tiny joked back looking at the graze on his right arm.
“It’s not helped by the fact you are over six and a half feet tall, brother. You’re the easiest damn target here.” Tiny laughed at Doc’s joke as he was patched up.
Liam ignored them and a burning pain in his right shoulder as he looked around the cave for Alejandro. The man’s white suit was easy to spot though now it was mostly covered in dirt. Liam walked up to him and saw Alejandro lying on his stomach. There were blood spots on his back. Shit. It looked like Alejandro had been hit by stray bullets. He obviously hadn’t thought this whole plan through. Liam turned him over, and almost missed the gun in one of Alejandro’s hands; Liam barely ducked out of the way in time before it fired. Liam easily disarmed him. Alejandro didn’t put up much of a fight. His breathing was labored and his skin pale. There were three bullet wounds in his chest. He was dying. Liam leaned down and grabbed Alejandro’s shirt and pulled him up. “Tell me where she is.”
Alejandro struggled to breathe. His mouth opened and closed several times, but no words ever came out.
“Tell me.” Liam shook him.
“Fuck you.” Alejandro rasped before taking his last breath.
“No,” Liam shouted.
“Sunshine, let him go,” Midas ordered behind him.
“She has to be here somewhere, and he knows.”
“He’s dead. He can’t tell you anything. Sunrise will be here shortly. We’ll have Commander Jones circle the area and see if he can spot her. If she’s not in the area she’s back at his base. We’ll find her. First, you need to have Doc look at that shoulder.”
Fuck his shoulder. If they waited any longer to find her then it would be too late Liam feared. Why would Alejandro lead them out to the island if she wasn’t here? It didn’t make any sense. She had to be here. Liam stormed out of the cave and looked out at the water. “Where are you, baby?”
~
Cora had managed to move up a foot or two on the rock and had been able to bend her head down to her hands and pull the tape off without trying to drown herself. She took a minute just taking deep breaths. It hurt like a bitch, but she could breathe a lot better now. After Alejandro made it back to the island, two more boats had arrived and hid at the back side of the island. They were lying in wait for Liam and his team. It was a trap. She had to warn him, but she didn’t know how. She didn’t even know if she would spot them in time to warn them. Cora kept struggling to rise on the rock, but the chain was held tight around her. The water was starting to rise now and went from the top of her breasts to her neck. She could see the early rays of sunrise peaking on the horizon. She was running out of time. Cora managed to gain a few inches up the rock, and as she placed her foot down it landed on algae, and her foot slipped dropping her back down. The water half submerged her face, and she managed to kick her legs back up. Her body was shivering now, and her feet could barely hold her up, but she refused to give up. Cora looked back at the island and had to squint when she saw a blob come out of the water followed by another until she saw seven all together. Liam. He had come for her. She didn’t know how but she didn’t care. Cora screamed his name and cringed in pain at the piercing pain in her ribs. No. She was so close. He was here. She had to tell him where she was. She had to warn him about the two boats hiding with men behind the island. She screamed his name repeatedly then suddenly the blobs disappeared.
“No, Liam.” She whispered. Cora forgot about her fight for freedom and watched the island for any signs of life. The two boats moved around from the back to the front, and she watched the men slip in. She had to get to him. Cora redoubled her efforts to be free and managed to gain an inch up the rock before it caught on something and refused to move anymore. Cora pulled and tugged with all her might, but it refused to move further up the rock. Cora laid her head back on the rock and took a moment to calm herself. That calm was broken when she heard screaming and gunfire.
“Liam,” she cried out. All to soon the gunfire ceased. She watched the island with anticipation. For a long while, nothing stirred. The team had to be okay. There had been a lot of men, but Liam’s team was better trained. They were fine. They had to be. A lone shadow stepped out of the tunnel. She didn’t know who it was. It could be one of Liam’s teammates or it could be one of Alejandro’s. Whoever it was it was worth the risk to call out to them. The water level was rising by the second now. She was out of time. “Liam,” she screamed at the top of her lungs repeatedly until she was hoarse.
~
Liam gripped his hair in frustration and pulled. Where the hell was she? She had to be here. He looked out over the horizon. Could it have been some elaborate trick and she was back at his base? The area the hostages used to be held, had been mostly destroyed when they had last been here, so he doubted she was there. She had to be here somewhere, but all there was was this island in the middle of nowhere. There wasn’t another place for her to hide. Liam hung his head in defeat knowing he had failed someone else important in his life. “Just give me a sign.” He whispered. Liam was about the head back inside to regroup when he heard a voice, somewhere in the dark. It was the same voice he had heard before. But instead of only hearing it once it was repeatedly. Someone was out there. Cora? Liam scanned the water, but the sun was barely starting to rise, so it was still dark out, he couldn’t see anything. He ran back inside to grab his helmet with his NVD and ran back out ignoring the confused looks on everyone’s face. He scanned around him using the NVD, and thought he saw something a few hundred feet away to the left of the island, but couldn’t make out what it was. The voice was coming from that direction though. Liam was willing to take the risk either way.
“Midas,” Liam called back into the cave.
Midas came running out with his teammates behind him. “There.” Liam pointed in the direction he saw something. Midas used his NVD’s and cursed. “I think it’s Cora.”
“That sick son of a bitch,” Midas said. Cora’s voice still called out to them but was becoming less frequent. Liam didn’t waste another second. He dove into the water and swam out to her. His shoulder burned but he ignored it. Cora was counting on him. He didn’t know if she was standing on something or just floating in the water. Liam would swim for so many feet and stop to listen for Cora’s voice, so he knew in what direction to head. In the dark, she was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was taking longer than he would have liked to find her.
“Cora,” he called out to her, when he didn’t hear her calling out to him for a few moments.
“Liam,” her voice was quieter like she was tired. The good news was she was close in front of him. A few deep strokes and he could finally see a rock sticking out of the water and a form struggling on it. Cora. Liam quickly paddled to her and saw that she was leaning against a rock. She was struggling to get higher up the rock as the water level was at her top lip and she was having to tilt her head back to yell for him. Why wasn’t she swimming to him?
“I’m here, baby.” He said when he finally reached her. The tension in his body he had been carrying since he found out she had been kidnapped lessened. But he wasn’t going to celebrate until she was safely in his arms. He reached out to touch her and felt her icy cold bare skin. Liam felt his ire rise knowing Alejandro had dropped her in here in just her bra and underwear. The bastard was lucky he was already dead, or Liam would give him a beating he would never forget.
“Y-y-y-ou c-c-ame.” Cora’s teeth chattered.
“I’ll always come for you. I love you. Come on let's get to the island. We’ll get you warm.”
“C-c-can’t. Ch-ch-chained.” Liam felt along her chest and felt the chain holding her to the rock. Sunshine tried pulling the chain up the rock but felt that it was catching on something. He would have to pick the lock.
“Hang on, baby. I’m going to pick the lock, and you’ll be home free.” He kissed her ice-cold lips and reached into his pant pocket and pulled out his flashlight and his lock pick kit. He was the master lock picker. He could do this. Liam took a deep breath and went under and looked at the lock. It was an old lock that he wasn’t familiar with, but there wasn’t a lock out there he couldn’t pick. He put the flashlight in his mouth and started picking the lock. His hands shook as he tried to work quickly knowing the woman he loved was depending on him and could be running out of air. Liam twisted the tool, and it dropped out of his hands. Shit. He kicked up and took in a lung full of air. The water was up to Cora’s nose. Cora was trying to stay brave for him as she tried to push herself further up the rock. Her eyes were wide with fear.
“G-go.” She told him.
“No,” Liam shook his head venomously. “I’m not leaving you. We’re going to go home. Together. Live in your house. Get married, have lots of kids. I’m not giving up.”
“G-great speech. Now h-how about you p-p-pick this l-l-lock already.” Cora said tilting her head all the way back, so her nose was out of the water. Liam smiled seeing Cora could still joke at a time like this. Liam took a deep breath and dove back under. He reached the rock bottom she had been standing on and looked for his lock pick tool. It was so hard to see even with the flashlight. He reached around until his fingers brushed it. He gripped it and went back to work on the lock. He was just getting it to turn and unlock when he saw Cora struggling. She had to fully under water. He pulled the chain free and loosened it enough that he could pull Cora up above the surface. She took deep breaths and started coughing. He wanted to hug her close but knew after the beating she took she had to be hurting.
“Liam,” Cora sobbed and hugged him as best she could with bound hands. “I was so scared.” He held her close trying to give her some of his warmth and just happy that she survived.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I’m here now. I would never let anything happen to you. I’m so sorry I couldn’t prevent this.”
“But you c-c-came to me in time. I thought I was g-g-going to drown out here all alone. And when I saw you guys arrive and knew those men were hiding and w-w-waiting for you, I w-w-was so scared.”
“You don’t have to be scared anymore. I’m here. We’re going to go home remember?”
“Y-y-you said you’re going to marry me. Was that t-t-the truth or were you just saying that?”
Liam brushed the wet strands of hair from Cora’s face. “I was being serious. I don’t ever want to live without you Cora. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to give you the world. If I have to give up my career to do that then so be it.”
“You w-w-would give up being Delta Force for m-m-me?” She asked the question innocently but knew a lot was riding on the answer.
“I threatened our new commander that I would put in my discharge papers if he didn’t allow me to come get you. So yeah, I would give it up for you.”
Cora smiled at him and hugged him and stealing some of his warmth. “I could never ask you to do that. B-b-being Delta Force is part of you. I couldn’t ask you to do that. As long as there is always honesty between us we can survive anything.”
Liam gripped the back of Cora’s head and pulled her in for a kiss. He kept it brief since she was still cold and they both needed medical attention. “Lie on your back and we’ll swim back to the island.”
“Can you unlock these shackles first?” She held up her bound hands to him. Liam quickly unlocked them and kissed each wrist. There were red marks around her wrists but he knew they would heal quickly.
“Now lie back. I know you’re probably tired so we are going to swim on our backs.” Cora did as he told her, and they made their way back to the island. Liam would occasionally stop and whistle out to Midas who would guide him back. Once back on the island, Cora was pulled from the water, and Doc pulled out his medical kit and bandaged her up, and Hound pulled out a blanket from his bag, and wrapped her up. Once everyone was bandaged up, they used one of Alejandro’s boats and made their way to the landing zone where Commander Jones was waiting for them. They quickly ushered her on the plane and wrapped her up in more blankets before Commander Jones took off. Liam held Cora in his arms the whole time not wanting to let her go. No one had a spare set of clothes since it was such a quick mission, so she just stayed in the blanket until they made it back to base.
Back at home base, all the men shook Commander Jones’s hand, and thanked him for his assistance. Hannah waited anxiously off the flight line for them. As soon as Cora saw her she left Liam’s side to run into her friend's open arms. They hugged and cried together. “No more insubordination, understand me, Sunshine?” Commander Jones told him with a pointed finger, never breaking stride on his way back to his office.
“Sir, no sir,” Liam said with a smile. He had Cora and she accepted him for all that he was. He was the happiest and the luckiest of bastards ever.
Ben was trying to pry the women apart when Liam pulled Cora to his side and gave her a toe curling kiss.
“What do you say we go home and take a hot shower and work on this family idea you have?” Cora whispered in his ear. Liam couldn’t get her home fast enough. As soon as they were home, he threw the blanket off her, and made slow gentle love to her in the shower being careful of her ribs. Afterward, they lay in bed with her resting on his shoulder and her hand over his heart. Life was perfect.