Page 18 of Extraction

“Okay.” I glanced around her shoulder, knowing every second counted.

“You will not be raising this child alone. He’ll have endless family who will love him with all our hearts. We’ll take the lead from you on how you want to do it, and if you’ll allow it someday, we’ll speak very highly of his mother, even though we never met her. Because,” she stepped closer as her words smoothed my panic slightly, “if you loved Talya that much and she gave up so much, even her own family, just to keep your child away from a life of crime, she must have been an amazing woman.”

“She was.” I smiled. “Ruthless and stubborn but—" I shrugged, and Savannah’s eyes lit up even more.

“I’m so sorry I never got to meet her. Something tells me she’d have fit in here.”

“If only she wasn’t part of a Cartel,” I joked darkly. She looked down, and I knew something else was bothering her. “Out with it.”

“You sure it’s wise stepping over that border again? I mean, the last time you did that, you died.” She made a face as if to say you know what I mean. “I’m still shocked Cole agreed to this.”

“He didn’t really have a choice because he knows I’ll go with or without the guys. I wouldn’t risk it if it wasn’t for my son.” Son. That was so strange to say. “Anyway, my appearance has changed a lot since I lived in Mexico. I’ve bulked up, I’m cleanshaven, I even had some tattoos removed and cut my long hair into this crew cut.” I grinned at her as I pointed to my head.

She laughed. “It’s definitely an improvement.”

“Besides, Savi, most of the men who knew me are dead, and I had very few encounters with the ones who are left. I know the risks. I know they’ll kill me if given the chance, but I also know that if they get to him first, it’s over.”

“I understand. Just promise me you’ll come home safe, both of you.”

“You have my word.” I leaned in for a hug. “Thanks, Savi, for getting ahead of the storm, and when that moment hits me, I’ll remember your words.” I pointed to my head.

“Okay, one more thing.” She handed me a small black bag. “It’s a few things you might need when you find him. Diapers, clean outfit, stuff like that…you never know.”

I looked inside and thought how helpful and thoughtful she was. “Thanks, Savi.”

“Of course.” She smiled. “That’s all. Now, off you get,” she teased and let me continue toward the main conference room.

“Sorry, Paul?” Tommy Gear, Ty’s team member from Dark Water, stopped me on the steps. “I can tell you’re busy, but can I just…” He hesitated then put out his hand for a shake. “I’m leaving for Washington soon, and I wanted to say it was a real pleasure to work alongside you.”

I shook his hand to clear the current situation from my head and granted him a warm smile. Gear’s sister, who sadly spent her life in a wheelchair, had taken a turn for the worse. Frank offered to refer her to a doctor in Washington and helped move her and his mother there. After much consideration, Gear decided to join Eagle Eye’s team and move to their new safe house that just finished being built. As much as Ty didn’t want to see him leave, he needed to go. No soldier could do his job to its full potential when his head was worried about his family. I sidestepped that thought.

“The pleasure’s all mine, Gear. You’re a hell of a soldier, and you’ll do great under Frank.”

“I appreciate that.” He waved. “I’ll let you get back.”

I hurried down the stairs and avoided a Nerf gun for the third time that day.

“Holy shit, dude,” Mark’s stunned tone told me he just heard the news, “this is so crazy. Paul’s got a son.” I caught Mike’s look toward Cole as he shook his head in shock.

“And he’s how old?”

“One-ish,” Cole answered.

“It explains a lot.” Frank pointed to the muted TV that replayed Jerry Canos’ video of everyone scattering into the city. “If Talya really is,” he paused and glanced at me as I entered, “gone, and her parents didn’t know until now they have a grandson, they’ll fight tooth and nail to get to him before anyone else. He’s the first-born son in a drug lord’s family. He’d be worth everything to them, and to a lot of others.”

“I know we ship out tonight and what we have to do, but we’re going in blind here. I mean, do we even have a place to start looking?” Keith asked.

“Actually, we do.” I held up the letter and made my way over to the computer that was projecting onto a massive screen. I wanted to leave immediately but I knew we couldn’t jump in headfirst. This would be a very dangerous mission not only for me, but for my son, and I needed to keep a clear head. We had no idea how many people we were up against. “Talya wrote me a letter and told me her plans.” I typed in the address in Mexico City. “She had planned to be here,” I tapped the screen, “until the baby was born. Here is where a copy of his birth record is hidden.” I dragged my finger across the screen.

“Really?” Cole squinted at the location. “Interesting.”

I nodded. “So, then Talya planned on living with him here.” I typed in another address. “But she did say that if she got into trouble they’d go to a place special to her.”

“Which is?” Frank asked.

“I’m not sure yet. It was somewhere we went years ago. I can’t quite remember, but I’ll do a little digging, and I’m sure it’ll come to me. At least it’s a start. Talya was a smart woman. If she thought danger might come, she’d make sure she had options. I figure if she saw it coming, she’d go to the third location, but if she didn’t—” I eyed him with a worried look, and John put a hand on my shoulder.

“Let’s not go there yet, Paul.”

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