Page 33 of Dangerous Mission

Emotions fought inside Terri’s mind. She’d loved him for years then spent even more years trying not to. Deep down, she still loved the man more than anything, but if she said it out loud, it would make her feel more vulnerable.

“I need more time.” The words sounded so stupid.

This has to be our last time together.

“I know, and I didn’t expect to hear it back.”

She could still see the hurt in his eyes. His words betrayed what he said, but she wasn’t ready to open her heart to the man who crushed it because he did what her father wanted. Like he was doing again.

“It’s lame, but I really do need time.”

His phone buzzed, and he let out an aggravated sigh. He placed a kiss on her forehead before he stood and pulled up his pants. “I need to leave. Commander thinks the trip is a quick in and out. Please be careful.”

Terri was worried about him going on a mission. “I’ll be safe, but you have to promise to do the same.”

“I will.” He kissed her one more time before he grabbed a small camouflage bag from the floor and left the bedroom.

I love youwas on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t say it.

* * *

Axel rolledhis shoulders and tried to work out the stiffness that had come from staying in the same position for five hours. His scope was lined up on the building.

After week in Brazil, the training mission was over. They’d been about to leave when a CIA agent showed up at the airport. He had information about a man doing a deal in the jungle. Axel’s blood boiled when he saw a grainy image of Carter. They planned to find out why Carter had met with another man in the middle of the Brazil. Axel didn’t trust half the things the CIA told his teammates. They always had another agenda, and most of the time, they didn’t share what it was with anyone else.

Cy gave an arial update in his ear. He was a few clicks to the east in the back of a cargo truck fitted with his technology. Casper was next to Axel, holding his binoculars. One click over to the left were Doc and Lucky. They planned to watch until nightfall.

Axel wanted to head home. Grim had sent updates through Tex, but it wasn’t the same. What he couldn’t figure out was what Carter wanted in the middle of the Brazilian jungle. The CIA agent had said they would get answers in the hut. Then the fucker jumped into a private jet and flew off. He didn’t give any extra information.

Since Axel had learned a long time ago to trust his gut, everything screamed for them to breach the small hut and not to wait for nightfall.

Casper tensed next to him as a small boy with a gun ran down the dirt path toward the hut. He threw the door open, and a young lady smiled down at him and pulled him into a hug. She disappeared back into the place, came out with bread in her hand, and handed it to him. The boy’s smile grew before he ran down the road. The woman glanced around before she shut the door.

“Well, this doesn’t seem right,” Axel grumbled. Their state-of-the-art mics would pick up his voice, and his teammates would hear.

A few grunts came through the comm before Cy said, “I ran her face, and she’s a missing person in the States. Went missing fourteen years ago.”

“I don’t want to wait any longer,” Casper growled. “Axel and I are the closest. We can go check it out. The sheets over the windows are making it hard to see.”

Axel wiped the sweat dripping down his forehead with his sleeve. “I have to agree with Casper. Every instinct tells me something is off, or we’re missing something.”

Hudson moved next to him, and Axel’s muscles groaned as he stood.

“We're going down.”

He secured his gun then climbed down the tree. Branches cracked under his feet as they hit the ground. The humidity in the jungle was at an all-time high. His uniform was sopping wet, and he wiped more beads of sweat from his forehead.

Hudson jumped down next to him and took a swig of water from the canteen he’d had strapped to his belt.

The small village was almost deserted. Axel grabbed his gun and took a step down the steep incline toward the small huts below. Without his scope, he could still see the village, but it was at least one click away.

Marcus’s voice came over the comm. “Stop.”

Casper and Axel stepped close to a tree and peered around the side. A small truck with six men drove up the dirt path. Four of the men were dressed in tan uniforms and had red scarves around their necks. Each had a gun in his hand as the truck came to a stop outside the small hut.

Axel's heart raced. He wasn’t in a position to take a shot, but they didn’t plan on killing anyone.

Two men stepped out of the rusty Jeep. Axel pulled his binoculars from his belt and scanned them as they walked to the door. Both men had hats pulled low, but he could tell their hair was almost black. The taller man pounded on the door. The same woman answered, and she glared at them before she stepped aside, and they walked in.

---