Page 1 of Defending What is Mine

Chapter One

Jack:Present—January

Any way you slice it, spending the holidays separated from the one you love sucks. But spending the holidays separated from the one you love while you’re stationed in a warzone? Believe me when I say, that sucks balls.

Her name is Samantha—well, Sam really—and while I’m over here doing my duty, she’s back home, safe and sound, with my heart.

The thing is, and I feel slightly bad admitting this, she’s becoming a problem. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to get her off my mind for more than five minutes. Things have gotten so bad it’s starting to impact my job. Tonight’s as good an example as any—I’ve spent the last few hours crouched over my desk, studying a report issued to all F.O.B.s (forward operating bases) in the region, warning of a looming insurgent threat.

That’s priority one—no question. With half my soldiers off-base, what I should be focused on is getting them back. Alive. And still, even with lives on the line, I keep losing myself to thoughts of home. Thoughts of her. Like I said, she’s becoming a problem. A problem I can’t afford right now.

God help us, if even half this intel proves true it could be bad. The deadly kind of bad. The base is situated in a large valley, abutted on one side by a small mountain range. The brass thought the mountains would serve as a natural barrier. But now militants are moving in from that direction, which will simultaneously give them the advantages of high ground and concealment.

I stand up and rub at a sore spot in my back, but before I know it, I’m pacing from one end of the room to the other. Worrying. About the threat closing in. About what might happen to Sam if something happens to me…

Then I remember something Dad used to say. Worry without action is a useless endeavor. I close my eyes and nod my head. I miss him so much. Hard to believe it’s been ten years.

Desperate for a change of scenery, I decide to walk over to comms for some fresh air and a status update. Who knows, maybe my teams have called in. If not, I need to inform my platoon leaders of the danger. Either way, some human interaction probably wouldn’t hurt. I could use the distraction—from her.

As I reach for the doorknob, the ground under my feet shakes in time with a series of booms. Not your ordinary, everyday live fire drill, or IED disposal kind of boom.

This is…bigger.

This is…ominous.

I scan the room and fall back on my training, recognizing the situation for what it is.

We’re beingattacked.

It’s so early it’s still late, so when I step outside and see the sky lit up enough to make out the buildings and the people scrambling to their stations, I know this isn’t some group of rebels firing off a couple RPGs. This is bad.

Thisis the threat the reports warned about.

After the next explosion, I spot a cloud of dust and sand rising in the distance. From where I stand it looks to be on the other side of the fence. It’s just a guess, but I think we’re taking mortar fire. And they’re still zeroing in.

If that’s true, things are going to get a lot worse before anything gets better.

My ears perk up at the gunfire exchange. First, I hear the incoming fire—rat-a-tat-tat. rat-a-tat-tat. rat-a-tat-tat—the sound scatters and echoes all around. When they finally pause to reload, our security teams return fire.

I sprint toward comms. The door flies open and a soldier runs past, clutching a manila folder to her chest. I stop in the doorway to catch my breath, only to ratchet up into a salute when the Lt. Colonel on duty, Haskell, glances back from the monitors and acknowledges me. His hand barely rises above his shoulder before returning his attention to the information streaming across the screens.

Without so much as a word, I understand. He’s a career professional. So basically, we have a lot in common.

“Sir?” I ask as I come to stand next to him.

He doesn’t look away from the satellite feed. “Captain.”

“What do we know?”

The question is enough to raise his brow, but not enough to turn his attention away from the screens. “We’re taking enemy fire.”

Right, stupid question.“Sir, I have teams out there.”

“The farther away from here your men are, the safer they’re likely to be.”

“Good point.” I nod and excuse myself to contact my teams over the radio, whispering a silent prayer as I cross the room. I stop at a small cluster of desks occupied by the on-duty communications specialists. “I know you’re all overwhelmed right now, but I need someone to take a minute and help me contact my soldiers.”

A young blonde looks up, worry pinching her pretty face. “Sir, I can help you.” Anxiety quivers in her voice and she does her best to swallow it away.

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