Page 116 of Peace Under Fire

The interior of the aircraft quickly filled with huge, dangerous looking men—some of them helping bloody, injured teammates. Alaska and Brick had settled next to them. Once the seats were all taken, the remaining men sat on the floor.

The smell of sweat, gunpowder, and blood was overwhelming. The men at the entrance were still firing while a few stragglers staggered inside, most of them carrying or dragging wounded comrades.

“We’re good for go. Go! Go! Go!” Several men shouted and the door slid shut. The sound of gunfire vanished, like the audio on a movie had been cut.

Jacob’s torso and arms suddenly loosened as the last of his tension fled. He sighed. “See, babe? We’re good. Everything’s sunshine and roses from here on out.”

The raw relief in his voice told her how close they’d come to not seeing that sunshine or smelling those roses.

A low whine started up. But it was diffused, coming from every direction. Clusters of men dropped to their knees around their fallen teammates. The craft started to rise. There were no windows in the beast, but she could feel the momentum of the aircraft moving up.

“Where’s Pipe?” she asked, scanning the cargo area.

Jacob and Brick looked around, too, their faces turning grim when they couldn’t find the Englishman.

“Fuck,” Brick said tightly. “He’s not on board.”

But there was nothing they could do about their missing friend now. They were already in the air, and nothing but death waited below.

Trying not to cry, she focused on the men working to save their fallen comrades’ lives. Was Pipe lying somewhere below, dead? Dying? Guilt settled in her chest like concrete.

Pipe, along with everyone on this aircraft, was injured or dying because of her. Because they’d been protecting her. It was only by the grace of God that Jacob hadn’t been shot too. But what could she have done differently? Surrendered to the cockroaches and joined her sisters in captivity? Who would be left to rescue them?

“Hey.” Brick was watching the men huddled over their fallen teammates. “Have you noticed that none of those guys performing triage have first aid kits?”

“Brother,” Jacob’s voice was dry, “that isn’t even close to the strangest thing I’ve seen today.”

“You talking about this aircraft? It’s going up. I can feel that.” Brick paused to scan the huge cargo hold and all the men sitting in it. “Any idea how they’re managing that without rotors?”

“No clue.” With a deep sigh, Jacob leaned forward to kiss the top of Mandy’s head. “I’m just sitting here, counting my blessings.”

Mandy’s chest squeezed. She was almost certain he was talking about her.

“You ever see anything like this?” Brick was frowning, one hand rhythmically stroking Alaska’s back, the other pinching his chin.

“No.” Jacob turned to his right, addressing a hard-faced guy with graying black hair. “Mac, what the hell is this thing?”

A wry twitch touched Mac’s hard lips. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “No fucking idea. Let it go. You’ll never figure it out. Trust me on that.”

Jacob frowned. To Mandy’s delight, his right hand began stroking her back, just like Brick was stroking Alaska’s. She went boneless against him as the slow stroke of his palm washed away the remnants of terror.

“How long have you been with these guys?” Jacob asked, suspicion in his eyes, like he thought Mac was messing with him.

Mac sighed and cracked an eye open. “Long enough to accept that they don’t share their secrets. Like I said. Let it go. You’ll be happier for it.”

Minutes after the aircraft had risen, it was landing again. A tall, broad guy with long, dark hair and possibly the handsomest face Mandy had ever seen came over to them.

He pinned Brick with intimidating dark eyes. “This is as far as you and your woman go.”

Brick stood, still cradling Alaska in his arms. “Where are we?”

“Los Alamos,” came the clipped reply. “You’ll have to call someone to come collect you.”

When Mandy rose to her feet to join them, the man turned in her direction. “You’re headed back to base with us.”

“I am?” That was news to her. “Why?”

Suspicion stirred. What if this organization was no better than the one she’d just escaped?

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