Page 54 of The Art of Dying

I can only say that finally I’ve gained enough trust with my employer to fix the situation, to save you from the Hell you’ve unintentionally created for yourself. We’ve become familiar with the operation in Sudan, and what we’ve been planning will finally release you. I’ve made sure of it. I’ll see you soon, my love. We can start over and it will be how it should’ve been all along.

M

“What does it say?” Caroline asked, terrified. “What does it say, Mack?” She knew as well as I did, Naomi would only panic for good reason.

“Natalie! I need to speak with the Battalion Commander. I… can’t tell you. Please!” Naomi begged.

I stood. “Request MASS.” Naomi looked to me, confused. “Request MASS to jump command. She’ll have to connect you,” I explained quickly.

“I’m requesting MASS,” Naomi said. She closed her eyes, relieved and then looked to me, nodding to confirm she’d been put through. “Lieutenant Forbes! It’s Naomi Abrams, I need to speak with the BC. I know what time it is. I just received information that our guys are in trouble. Because I have intel! Just fucking do it!”

Caroline covered her mouth, but then stood when Emily began to wail. “I’ll get her.” She returned with my whining child in her arms, bouncing her to comfort them both.

I stood, hugging my middle.

Naomi hit her cellphone’s speaker phone, lacing her fingers on top of her head.

A deep voice came over the phone, Commander Clarke clearing his voice before he spoke. “Naomi?”

“Commander,” she began, trying to keep calm. “My sincere apologies for calling at this hour, but… we have a situation.”

“Mrs. Abrams, I understand you seem to think the men are in danger? There is a chain of command—”

“Commander, forgive the interruption, but I need you to listen to me very carefully. Do you have any Russian assets involved in the op? Contacts? Allies? Anyone connected with Russia at all who might have taken an interest in this particular mission?”

“Russia,” the commander repeated, unimpressed. “Mrs. Abrams, it’s two in the morning.”

“We received a letter about them being in Sudan. If that’s where they are, they’ve been compromised, sir.”

The commander sighed, followed by the longest silence I’d ever experienced. “Your concerns have been noted, Mrs. Abrams.”

For a moment, Naomi seemed relieved but that went away. “Will you inform the team?”

Commander Clarke didn’t answer.

Naomi swallowed. “You’re not going to warn them.”

“Oh, my God,” Caroline whispered. Emily had already fallen back asleep, her face nuzzled in Caroline’s neck.

Naomi closed her eyes. “You have to warn them, Commander. At least tell them there’s a chance of an ambush.”

“You’ve alerted me to a security breach, Mrs. Abrams. Someone will be in contact with you shortly. Do yourself a favor. Don’t go anywhere.”

“They’re walking into a trap,” Naomi said, almost to herself. She snapped out of it quickly. “You have to warn them. With all due respect, sir, if it saves lives, I don’t give two shits about consequences.”

“I’m only going to repeat myself once, Mrs. Abrams. Your concern has been noted. Good night.”

Naomi’s eyes filled with tears the moment she spoke. “That’s my husband! Those areourhusbands! The father of Karen’s children! Our friends! If something happens to them, Commander,” she said, breathing hard, “it’ll be on you.”

“Tread carefully,” he warned. His patience was running thin.

“You better pray every one of them come home. Otherwise, I’m going to make sure the world knows. They’ll know you were given the information, you’d been warned, and ignored it. NBC, CNN, ABC… I’ll go to Barbara fucking Walters, do you hear me, Charles?”

“Naomi!” Caroline hissed.

I held up my hand to her. If anyone could intimidate Commander Clarke, it was Naomi, and we had to find a way to warn our husbands.

The other side of the line was silent. We’d met the commander multiple times over the years at galas and parties, and we’d even hosted him and his wife Stephanie for dinner. Naomi had only met him once, but it was obvious she’d made an impression. He knew her background, knew of her father. Hell, her ex-boyfriend before Matt was the son of Congressman Bennett, and he was poised for the next Speaker of the House. Naomi Abrams feared nothing—except losing someone she loved—and he knew that, too.

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